Defense leads 49ers to victory in season opener vs. Buccaneers

While it wasn’t perfect, the San Francisco 49ers opened 2019 with a statement scoring an important 31-17 victory on the road against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a defensive masterclass.

For the San Francisco 49ers to make the playoffs this season, it was vital that they get a fast start to begin the year. They accomplished this with a 31-17 victory on the road at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to move to 1-0 on the young season.

It was a defensive masterclass by defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. The 49ers beat their 2018 total interception count (two) with three picks off Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston, two of which were returned for touchdowns by cornerbacks Richard Sherman and Ahkello Witherspoon.

Special teams were getting in on the action, too, with the unit blocking a Buccaneers punt and setting the tone for the day.

It was a defense that was one starter down for most of the game too, with former Buccaneer and current 49ers linebacker Kwon Alexander ejected for a hit on Winston as the latter was sliding to the ground.

This didn’t stop the defensive trend for the first half, though, as the only touchdown conceded game via an interception return for a touchdown by the Buccaneers’ Vernon Hargreaves off a telegraphed Jimmy Garoppolo pass.

The second half was more balanced. Garoppolo found wide receiver Richie James, who managed to scamper for a touchdown, while the Niners running backs finally managed to get some bigger gains.

The aforementioned Sherman pick came right after the James touchdown, and the 49ers suddenly went from being down 7-6 to being up 20-7.

Winston managed to respond, a tight dart to wide receiver Chris Godwin cutting the deficit to 20-14.

The final two drives of the quarter saw points left on the field for both teams. Garoppolo drove the team to field-goal range, but kicker Robbie Gould’s 57-yard monster effort clanged off the crossbar and bounced out. The Buccaneers drove back down the field, but free safety Tarvarius Moore almost picked off Winston on 4th-and-goal on the 2-yard line to keep the score at 20-14 to end the third quarter.

The last quarter saw a return to the defensive theme of the game. Both sides traded field goals on back-to-back drives to put the score at 23-17, which left Winston with a two-minute drill to put the Bucs back in front.

The Niners defense, however, had no intention of adhering to the script, and some immediate pressure by the defensive line caused Winston to throw what was effectively a wild pitch, which Witherspoon eagerly picked off and ran untouched to clinch the game for the 49ers.

The Buccaneers had one last effort to perform a miracle, but Sherman broke up a fourth-down heave downfield to end any last-ditch hopes.

San Francisco’s defense came up big.

New 49ers edge rushers Dee Ford and Nick Bosa came up with a sack apiece, as did Arik Armstead, and the defensive line caused pressure all day. The 49ers also had the aforementioned interceptions, as well as a third for linebacker Mark Nzeocha, with the day’s interceptions already beating the 2018 interception count of two.

The 49ers now have a big chance to go 2-0 on the road, with the Cincinnati Bengals awaiting their arrival in Week 2.