San Francisco 49ers second-year wide receiver Kendrick Bourne recorded his first-ever NFL touchdown, which turned out to be a pretty crucial play, during the team's 30-27 win over the Detroit Lions in Week 2.
There were more than a few elements in San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Kendrick Bourne's first career touchdown at the NFL level -- a four-yard score against the visiting Detroit Lions in Week 2.
For starters, it helped solve some of the Niners' red-zone woes carried over from the previous week's loss in Minnesota against the Vikings. And given Detroit's fourth-quarter surge that cut into the 49ers' 17-point lead they carried into the quarter, Bourne's score ended up being pretty important in terms of the eventual 30-27 win as well.
Bourne, the 2017 undrafted free agent out of Eastern Washington, caught his first touchdown pass at the 12:07 mark of the second quarter. Despite some moments of promise his rookie season, this proved to be Bourne's first end-zone score.
Taking a look at the play call itself, one can also see the genius of head coach Kyle Shanahan (h/t SB Nation's James Brady):
Kendrick Bourne. TD! Then the dance. #49ers pic.twitter.com/5PRKMKaze4
— James Brady (@JamesBradySBN) September 16, 2018
The play forced three Lions defenders to cover wide receiver Dante Pettis, leaving Bourne untouched in the left flat.
"Really happy, really excited I could help my team and put them in a position to win," Bourne told NBC Sports Bay Area's Laura Britt after the game. "Especially after last week, with the play I had, it was definitely good to bounce back with a play that helped rather than hurt the team."
Following the Niners' 24-16 Week 1 loss in Minnesota, Bourne later admitted he ran the wrong route on a pass from quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo that sailed into the hands of Vikings cornerback Mike Hughes, who subsequently ran it in for a pick-six touchdown.
"Through the week, I was really just locked in on the little things," Bourne continued. "Knowing where to line up, just being perfect through the week. I feel like I really did a good job, and it came out to show this game."
Bourne's touchdown grab was the lone reception the second-year receiver had in Sunday's contest. It was a big one, however, as it put the 49ers up 10-3 early in the second half and would be a vital score as the Niners held on to beat the Lions in Week 2.
