MELBOURNE, Australia – A 99-yard drive on offense is the proper feeling in soccer. Every little thing is buzzing. You get in a movement state and may do no improper.
Aside from the offensive line. For them, it is dreadful.
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Left sort out Trent Williams joked postgame that, all through San Francisco 49ers’ 15-play, 99-yard drive that was capped by a Deebo Samuel landing, he was preventing an episode of cramps.
“I did not even know we went 99,” Williams stated. “Properly, I ain’t gonna say I did not know. It did not daybreak on me as a result of as quickly as he scored, I attempted to go to the locker room to get an IV.”
Whereas Williams wasn’t having a lot enjoyable within the second, he can look again on the drive and admire it. The 38-year-old understands how a lot confidence a possession like that offers an offense, which regarded improbable in a 27-7 win over the Los Angeles Rams on Friday (Thursday night within the U.S.) at Melbourne Cricket Floor.
“That is what we’re able to,” Williams stated. “Whenever you’re operating the ball successfully, you are passing off of it, you are able to do issues like that.”
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Whereas San Francisco’s complete offense regarded dominant, Williams put forth a spectacular particular person efficiency of his personal. In 27 go rush snaps towards celebrity defensive finish Myles Garrett – who recorded 23.5 sacks a season in the past with the Cleveland Browns – Williams allowed zero pressures, in accordance with analyst Warren Sharp. That is Garrett’s first time since 2018 not recording a single stress in a sport.
Garrett stated postgame his knee did not really feel 100% the complete sport. Williams did not discover. “He is nonetheless actually onerous to dam,” he stated.
No. 2 tight finish Jake Tonges suffered a extreme proper knee damage late within the second quarter and was carted away after reaching the sideline. Head coach Kyle Shanahan stated he thought Tonges suffered an MCL damage.
“It wasn’t good,” he stated. “There’s some points with it that we have to see how it’s. There’s a bit of extra info to it, however we do not know but.”
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Tonges wanted help exiting the sector after he leg-whipped go rusher Myles Garrett. Tonges ducked and hit Garrett’s thigh with the again of his decrease proper leg.
San Francisco 49ers tight finish Jake Tonges leaves the sector after an damage through the first half of an NFL soccer sport, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in Melbourne, Australia. (Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/AP Picture/Asanka Brendon Ratnayak)
Tonges’ damage is especially notable with All-Professional tight finish George Kittle easing his approach again into motion. Kittle had two catches for 12 yards on 5 targets Thursday and admitted he wasn’t in nice enjoying form. Kittle returned to observe on Aug. 23 after struggling a torn Achilles in January within the 49ers’ wild-card win at Philadelphia.
The 49ers’ No. 3 tight finish, Luke Farrell, is a six-year veteran who had 11 catches for 85 yards in his debut season with the 49ers in 2025.
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Tonges was injured a yr after he had the game-winning landing catch in a 17-13 victory at Seattle in final yr’s season opener. It started a breakout season wherein the 2022 undrafted free agent had 34 catches for 293 and 5 touchdowns, and signed a two-year, $8 million extension in March.
Deebo again: Deebo Samuel was solely away from the 49ers for one season. Throughout that point, loads has modified.
When Samuel left San Francisco for the Washington Commanders after the 2024 season, he was considered as an growing old star that in all probability had some good days nonetheless forward of him. Since he re-signed with San Francisco in August, the prevailing sentiment amongst followers has been that Samuel is, to place it politely, “washed.”
Protected to say he put these doubters to relaxation (at the very least for now) on Friday.
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Samuel regarded recent, explosive and like he was ecstatic to be again in Shanahan’s offense. He caught six balls for 48 yards and a landing, ran as soon as up the intestine for 12 yards and returned two kicks for 74 yards.
“Deebo is a canine, man,” rookie operating again Kaelon Black stated. “Swiss Military knife, for positive.”
The do-it-all Samuel is probably not anticipated to play this effectively each week. Not at 30, and never as soon as he begins to choose up bumps and bruises because the season goes on. However for now, the 49ers will take any juice they will get out of him, particularly with rookie receiver De’Zhaun Stribling getting carted off with an ankle damage.
“From coaching camp from the day that I obtained right here, they welcomed me with open arms,” Samuel stated. “Like I stated earlier after I obtained right here, it felt like I by no means left. I used to be actually solely gone for seven months and proper again.”
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Linebackers Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw performed their first sport collectively up the center in practically two years. The pair had shared the sector for six seasons earlier than Greenlaw signed with the Denver Broncos final yr, teamed up for a vital connection that sealed San Francisco’s win.
Greenlaw wrapped up Rams tight finish Tyler Higbee for a sort out early within the fourth quarter, and Warner introduced the increase, punching the ball out for a fumble. With the 49ers already up by 17 factors, the play primarily put the sport out of attain for Los Angeles.
Requested if he had deliberately held up Higbee in order that Warner might sneak underneath the tight finish and poke the ball free, Greenlaw stated: “Little doubt. I do know he is coming. That is precisely what the mindset was.”
Greenlaw had the quieter sport on paper, recording six complete tackles; Warner had 11 and was credited with the compelled fumble. However each gamers had been essential on Friday, and so they regarded as snug on the sector as they ever have – even with the misplaced time.
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This text initially revealed at 49ers’ Trent Williams shuts down Rams’ Myles Garrett in conflict of trench titans.