Niner Noise
FanSided

The good, bad and ugly from 49ers’ efforts versus Rams on Thursday Night Football

By Peter Panacy

SANTA CLARA, CA - SEPTEMBER 21: Pierre Garcon #15 of the San Francisco 49ers makes a catch against the Los Angeles Rams during their NFL game at Levi's Stadium on September 21, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA - SEPTEMBER 21: Pierre Garcon #15 of the San Francisco 49ers makes a catch against the Los Angeles Rams during their NFL game at Levi's Stadium on September 21, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
SANTA CLARA, CA – SEPTEMBER 21: Pierre Garcon #15 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts to a play against the Los Angeles Rams during their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium on September 21, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA – SEPTEMBER 21: Pierre Garcon #15 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts to a play against the Los Angeles Rams during their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium on September 21, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

The Good

After scoring just 12 points over the first two weeks combined, San Francisco’s offense finally started to churn things up this third week.

It didn’t exactly start off that way, as the Niners managed just 13 first-half points to the Rams’ 24.

But finishing with 39 points on the night, especially considering everything that happened with this group in Weeks 1 and 2, is a good sign. And ending with 421 all-purpose yards is also worthy of some hope moving forward.

Who can forget the desperation San Francisco played with in the waning minutes either? That’s a positive.

And there were a few players critically involved with this.

Wide Receiver Pierre Garçon

The Niners needed to get veteran wide receiver Pierre Garçon involved more, and such was the case Thursday night.

Garçon had seven receptions for 142 yards on the night, none more impressive than this:

https://twitter.com/toptechin2017/status/911056550738972672

San Francisco’s veteran receiver certainly opened up opportunities for his fellow receivers, Marquise Goodwin and Trent Taylor. But it’s Garçon getting the lion’s share of the credit for his efforts Thursday.

49ers Special Teams

Let’s think about this, the Niners forced two turnovers on special teams and converted an onside kick, thanks to linebacker Dekoda Watson:

Yeah, he’s among the do-gooders from San Francisco in Week 3.

That onside kick certainly helped make up for kicker Robbie Gould’s missed extra point, which would have negated the failed two-point conversion late in the fourth quarter.

Gould made up for it, though, so that’s a positive.

Safety Jaquiski Tartt

With Eric Reid (knee) out for a few weeks, backup strong safety Jaquiski Tartt got the start and didn’t disappoint.

Tartt finished tied for the team lead with seven tackles and also had one pass defended. And all this despite being on San Francisco’s injury report with a neck injury.

It was possible to see Tartt not playing at 100 percent. But plays like this one certainly speak to his development in year three:

Tartt had to come out of the game with a concussion later, which puts San Francisco’s already thin defense — we’ll get to that shortly — into a much more precarious spot.