NFC West Power Rankings: Week Nine
4 – San Francisco 49ers, 3-6 (Last week: 4)
Nov 8, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabber (2) throws the ball against Atlanta Falcons middle linebacker
Paul Worrilow(55) during the first quarter at Levi
All hail Blaine Gabbert! The fifth-year quarterback, tasked with replacing Colin Kapernick as the starter, wasn’t all that great, but he did provide enough of a spark to lead the San Francisco 49ers to their third win of the season over the Atlanta Falcons.
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After scoring just nine points, on three field goals, in their past two games, Gabbert threw a pair of touchdowns to his tight end, Garrett Celek. Vernon Davis, the man Celek took over for after a trade, had caught zero touchdowns in his past 19 games.
Gabbert completed 15 of his 25 pass attempts, good for 185 yards, and showed a nice ability to move around in the pocket, as well as run. He carried the ball nine times for 32 yards. He did also throw two interceptions, one coming from a dropped pass by Jerome Simpson.
Another newcomer, Shaun Draughn, who was signed off the street earlier in the week, carried the ball 16 times for 58 yards in place of Carlos Hyde, whose foot injury kept him out another week. He did have one carry worth 30 yards, and besides that, was unspectacular.
The brightest spot for the 49ers on Sunday was their run defense. Falcons’ rookie back Devonta Freeman entered the game leading the NFL in rushing yards and touchdowns, but was held to just 12 yards on 12 carries, and didn’t find the endzone on the ground. He did, however, score a receiving touchdown.
The secondary remains a problem, as Matt Ryan threw for over 300 yards, and Julio Jones caught 10 passes for 137 yards. But for now, they can enjoy this win heading into their bye week.
Next: Number Three