49ers’ Reuben Foster, C.J. Beathard among Pro Football Focus’ top performers vs. Giants
By Peter Panacy
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster and quarterback C.J. Beathard were among the top performers, according to Pro Football Focus, from the Niners’ 31-21 win over the New York Giants in Week 10.
The San Francisco 49ers picked up their first win of the 2017 season, knocking off the lowly New York Giants at Levi’s Stadium 31-21.
Among the game’s top performers were two rookies, linebacker Reuben Foster and quarterback C.J. Beathard, at least according to Pro Football Focus.
PFF gave Foster an 89.8 game grade, while Beathard received an 85.7 mark for his efforts during the contest.
San Francisco 49ers
Here’s what PFF had to say about the first-year linebacker:
"Foster was all over the field against the Giants, recording 4 stops, only 2 receptions allowed with a long of seven yards given up, and even recorded a quarterback hit. In the past two weeks, Foster has shown why the 49ers wanted to trade back into the first round to get a linebacker who could be a difference maker on this defense."
And Beathard:
"Beathard finished 19-of-25 passing for 288 yards with two touchdowns and a dropped pass. He completed 2-of-3 deep pass attempts for 103 yards, finding Marquise Goodwin for a 83-yard score. Beathard finished 7-of-9 passing off of play action for 86 yards and also ran in a score on a naked bootleg play action pass."
Week 10 marked only the second time this season Foster finished a game. A high-ankle sprain kept the first-round draftee out between Weeks 2 and 7, while a ribs injury held him out in Week 8.
While the injury label is still something of a concern, it’s pretty clear the Niners defense is far more effective with him on the field.
C.J. Beathard’s Best Game Yet
San Francisco’s offensive line did a good job protecting its quarterback Sunday. Beathard wasn’t sacked at all and was hit only twice during the contest.
The lack of pressure allowed Beathard to operate much more effectively within the pocket, as he was able to complete 19 of 25 passing attempts for 288 yards and two touchdowns against one interception — good for a passer rating of 123.4.
His rushing touchdown was pretty impressive too:
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It’s still unclear whether or not the Niners will make the switch from Beathard to newly acquired QB Jimmy Garoppolo in the near future. With San Francisco hitting its bye week, the thought could be Garoppolo getting the start against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 12.
Perhaps, although it’s tough to bench a player coming off his best game as a pro.
Next: Good, bad and ugly from 49ers' first win of 2017
Nevertheless, it’s always good to see some of the young players making an impact in what has otherwise been a tough season.