49ers beat the Saints because of these key turning points

The 49ers had to rely on their defense in Week 12 to beat the Saints, but that’s not the only reason why the Niners pulled off the victory on Sunday.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan should probably think about treating his defensive coordinator, DeMeco Ryans, to a nice dinner after Ryans helped engineer a 13-0 shutout victory over the New Orleans Saints at Levi’s Stadium in Week 12.

NOLA’s defense did a particularly good job frustrating Shanahan’s offense, both in limiting the Niners’ rushing offense and in getting after quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

And, if it wasn’t for San Francisco’s defense coming up with some big plays in some big moments, Week 12 could have turned into one of those losses like the ones the 49ers suffered earlier this season, losing to a clearly inferior opponent by missing opportunity after opportunity.

Ryans said no to that, though.

Plenty of the Niners’ defenders answered the call with key plays in key situations, but there were some specific moments that involve both sides of the ball, all of which ultimately made the biggest difference in San Francisco getting the win.

Here are the four biggest turning points from the game.

49ers vs. Saints turning point No. 4: Fred Warner forces a fumble

One of those turning points happened on the Saints’ opening drive, and they would have loved nothing more than to drive the length of the field and get into the end zone. With running back Alvin Kamara, that’s always a threat.

Except for linebacker Fred Warner and EDGE Samson Ebukam had other plans.

Long before New Orleans got into the red zone, Warner forced Kamara to fumble by punching the ball out, and Ebukam subsequently recovered it at the Saints’ 43-yard line.

Sure, the 49ers managed to get only a field goal off the recovered turnover. But it kickstarted the Niners being on the correct side of the turnover margin on Sunday, and that alone could be the reason why Shanahan and Co. remained victorious.

49ers vs. Saints turning point No. 3: Nick Bosa sack on 4th down

Twice, the Saints had red-zone trips that threatened to end San Francisco’s second-half defensive scoreless streak.

Twice, the 49ers came up with plays that were absolutely vital.

After already engineering a red-zone stop earlier (we’ll get there), New Orleans had to go for it on a 4th-and-goal on the Niners’ 4-yard line. All day long, San Francisco’s pass rush had failed to record a sack on quarterback Andy Dalton (or Taysom Hill, for that matter), but the prowess of EDGE Nick Bosa is going to be there regardless of the situation up to that point.

OK, so there’s a question mark about whether or not Bosa was offsides during the 49ers’ lone sack of the afternoon, and you can be the judge:

“I thought I jumped, but I looked at it,” Bosa told reporters after the game. “I think it was just a good jump.”

Either way, this particular play thwarted a massive scoring opportunity the Saints had. Considering there was ample time left on the clock and the Niners offense had issues moving the ball, too, New Orleans capitalizing here could have led to a vastly different outcome.

Bosa ensured that didn’t happen, though.

49ers vs. Saints turning point No. 2: Jimmy Garoppolo tip-drill touchdown pass

San Francisco had to find some offense despite being held to just 317 total yards of offense on Sunday.

Despite some of the challenges facing Jimmy Garoppolo and the rest of the 49ers offense during the game, the quarterback nevertheless came through in a situation where it mattered most.

With a little bit of help, of course.

There were plenty of odd moments throughout the contest, but Garoppolo’s lone touchdown pass that was tipped in the end zone by Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu but into the waiting hands of a falling-down wide receiver, Jauan Jennings, was certainly an interesting one:

Sometimes, it helps to be a little lucky.

The Niners went 1-of-3 in the red zone during the game, and Garoppolo had missed on some other opportunities elsewhere, including a golden chance for Jimmy G to hit tight end George Kittle and also running back Christian McCaffrey on other appearances.

Still, getting into the end zone here was a major turning point.

49ers vs. Saints turning point No. 1: Talanoa Hufanga forced fumble

Alvin Kamara might want to take Monday off of work after having a two-fumble game against San Francisco.

On New Orleans’ offensive drive before the one that ended in the Nick Bosa fourth-down sack, Kamara and the rest of the Saints offense found themselves knocking on the door of the end zone once again.

Facing a 2nd-and-goal from the 49ers’ 6-yard line, Andy Dalton hit Kamara out of the backfield for a short checkdown pass, and it sure seemed as if Kamara would have a fairly easy route into the end zone as long as he could push through a Niners defender or two across the goal line.

Except Kamara didn’t count upon safety Talanoa Hufanga knocking the ball out:

That was a golden scoring opportunity knocked out of Kamara’s hands by Hufanga, and that just so happened to be the second-year safety’s first forced fumble of his career.

The way he plays, though, one might be surprised at that stat.

Either way, this play ensured San Francisco’s defense would maintain the same tone it had for the first three quarters, and the Saints would see this chance squandered.