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49ers vs. Colts: Good, bad & ugly from preseason Week 3

By Akshaj Dwivedula

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - AUGUST 25: Alfred Morris #36 of the San Francisco 49ers runs with the ball against the Indianapolis Colts in the second quarter of a preseason game at Lucas Oil Stadium on August 25, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - AUGUST 25: Alfred Morris #36 of the San Francisco 49ers runs with the ball against the Indianapolis Colts in the second quarter of a preseason game at Lucas Oil Stadium on August 25, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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San Francisco 49ers vs. Indianapolis Colts Recap Postition Grades and Analysis
Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images /

The Good

Despite the final score, there was plenty of good for the 49ers. The running game was absolutely electric (more on that in a bit), and apart from a late breakdown, the defense showed why they have to the potential to be great.

There was no position group that really struggled, although not all of them was electric. There was one player who stood out among the rest, so let’s start with him.

RB Alfred Morris

Alfred Morris was, simply put, the best player on the field for the 49ers offense. With 17 rushes for 84 yards, Morris was bringing it that night.

But it wasn’t just what Morris did. It was how he did it. He was powerful and aggressive, hitting the hole and always falling forward. One concern, with the substitution of Carlos Hyde for Jerick McKinnon this offseason, was the interior running game, but Morris pretty much would alleviate those concerns.

Just hear what he had to say about his performance:

Richard Sherman

First of all, it was good for Richard Sherman to just get on the field. That would have been enough for him to make this list.

But then, playing the way he did after an Achilles injury was something incredible. The best way to know that Richard Sherman was on fire is that you never heard his name during the broadcast. He just wasn’t targeted.

And when he was, this happened:

https://twitter.com/49ers/status/1033475523899318272

He wasn’t quite the Richard Sherman who tormented the 49ers for so many years, but he was better than anyone could have expected.

Starting run defense

Even last year, the 49ers were good at stopping the run, but against the Colts, they were exceptional. When facing a running back, the 49ers allowed just 41 yards on 29 carries. That’s a YPC average of 1.4. How elite is that?

Yes, Andrew Luck was scrambling very efficiently, and that has to be addressed (stay tuned for more on that). But this was a great sign for a 49ers defense that hadn’t really got its footing during the preseason.

Offensive Line

So there were quite a few penalties on the offensive line, so that’s a major minus. However, they really were the catalysts behind a phenomenal running game and a crisp passing game.

The 49ers offensive line created some of the biggest holes possible, and QB Jimmy Garoppolo had a clean pocket to work with, as far as I could see. He only suffered one sack for one yard, so not really anything to worry about.

Ok, no more optimism. Now it’s time for the bad.