The 49ers beat Russell Wilson! Yeah, whatever. Still and all, some needed good news for a few guys on the team. Namely Trey Lance, Cameron Latu, and Nick Moody. Ronnie Bell has solidified his spot as a backup WR and ST guy as well. Even though he pulled his ooopsie stunt for another int. This one charged to Sam Darnold.
Lance and Latu exorcized their demons on the same play. Early in the 4th quarter, after an ugly pick on a screen pass that may or may not have been caught, and facing a 3rd and 12 deep in our territory, Lance hooked up with Latu for a 14 yard gain that jump-started the team on their way to 2 scores and a comeback win over the Broncos. In the end Lance went 12-18, 173, 1 TD and 1 pick. Cameron Latu had 3 catches for 46 yards, and 1 TD. An Nick Moody kicked 3 FGs, 20, 43, and the 32 yard game-winner (barely).
Ronnie Bell had 7 catches for 114 yards, and the team had 15 different guys catch a pass. The line, which played awful against the Raiders, was a little better blocking but had 5 penalties called on them. Yeah, it’s the backups, but still, tighten that shit up.
Is that enough to shoot Lance over Darnold? Sure. I guess. Shanny said after the game that Purdy would (surprisingly) start Friday’s game against the Chargers. I guess we’ll get a little more from his as he looked totally comfortable throwing the short to medium passes as he was 4-5 for 65 yards. Darnold was 11-19.
Maybe Shanny has learned something, Nothing insane was asked of either Purdy, Darnold, or Lance and they all went 27-37 for 342 yards. 2 TDs, 2 INTs. 99 yards rushing isn’t spectacular (14-75 by the RBs), but this game was about passing.
The defense was solid, stopping Denver twice on 4th and shorts, and one of Denver’s TDs came on a short field due to D’Shawn Jamison’s muffed punt.
Speaking of special teams, they weren’t. Beyond the missed FG, and the muffed punt, Jamison had 2 other returns for 0 yards, and Mitch Wishnowski had 3 terrible punts that averaged 32 yards per.
In the end, a nice win and some confidence-boosting for some guys that needed it.
Aaaand, invisible WR Danny Grey got hurt on the kickoff and looks to disappear for yet another season.
San Francisco 49ers Forever 
Yeah, really can’t read to much into these games. I guess we will see whatever Shanny needs to see next week and then it’s for real. We have notoriously started sloppily in recent years so we will probably see plenty or mistakes in the first few games. Hopefully the opposite team will be slow starters also. High expectations this year. Very happy for Lance.
Still baffles me how bad most of these 3rd round picks are.
Moody and Latu are on the clock.
2022
3-93 RB Tyrion Davis-Price, LSU
3-105 WR Danny Gray, SMU
2021
R 3, 88 (from LAR) – Trey Sermon, RB, Ohio St
R 3, 102 – Ambry Thomas, CB, Michigan
2020
none
2019
3: Jalen Hurd, WR, Baylor
2018
3 (70) Fred Warner, OLB, BYU
3 (95) Tarv. Moore, S, S Miss
2017
3. 104. C.J. Beathard, QB Iowa
From what I have been reading Price is really coming into his own this year. Same with Thomas. Too early for me to give up on Moody and Grey. Serman was a bust. I really like Beathard because he was tough as nails but just couldn’t move around the pocket. I don’t think I have ever seen a QB get hammered as much as him.
You forgot to mention Jalen Hurd the superstar that never saw the field.
Oops my bad just looked again.
Jim Harbaugh suspended for 3 games amid a probe into recruiting. Conveniently missing the powderpuff part of the schedule but coming back for the conference games.
______________________
Jim Harbaugh informed the Michigan football team prior to Monday’s practice that the program has self-imposed a three-game suspension on him to begin the 2023 season amid an on-going NCAA investigation.
Harbaugh, 59, will not be on the sidelines for U-M’s nonconference schedule — East Carolina (Sept. 2), UNLV (Sept. 9) and Bowling Green (Sept. 16) — but will return for the Big Ten schedule, which begins the following week (Sept. 23) at home vs. Rutgers.
Harbaugh reportedly faces punishment from the NCAA over the investigation into possible recruiting violations and misleading NCAA investigators.
The Wolverines were served a draft of notice of allegations back in January. Discussion followed which reportedly resulted in a four-game suspension agreement in July. That deal of negotiated resolution fell apart in the final stages on August 11, which left Harbaugh free to coach this season, but facing a future hearing — and potentially a larger punishment.
I think they all do it, he just got caught.
Grey is hurt again. He won’t be back for a while. Bad shoulder. Bell will take his place and is already showing more.
New thread is up.