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George Kittle and Kwon Alexander lead offense and defense in 49ers’ PFF grades from Week 2
Sep 16, 2019 at 10:00 AM
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For the second week in a row, tight end George Kittle earned the San Francisco 49ers' top offensive grade (87.3) from analytics site Pro Football Focus. Last week, the Pro Bowl tight end received the 49ers' top overall grade (93.1).
Kittle finished the game with three receptions for 54 yards.
The top overall grade from Sunday's game (49ers or Bengals) went to a player on the Niners' defensive side of the football — linebacker Kwon Alexander (91.5). You may have noticed him all over the field during Sunday's 41-17 blowout victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Alexander finished the game with six combined tackles, three passes defensed, and an interception. He graded, according to PFF, particularly high in coverage (92.9), which led the team.
"Kwon is awesome, man. He really is," quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo said after the game. "The defense as a whole, it's a different attitude. I've never been around a defense like that. When I turn the ball over, and they can hold them to a field goal, and they miss it, it just gives you so much confidence in those guys."
While Garoppolo didn't quite make it into the top five offensive players for the 49ers, his 78.5 grade was his highest since a Week 16 performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2017.
Below are the five 49ers players on offense who earned PFF's top grades against the Bengals.
- TE George Kittle (87.3)
- RB Raheem Mostert (85.6)
- RB Matt Breida (85.4)
- FB Kyle Juszczyk (81.3)
- WR Deebo Samuel (79.2)
Below are the five 49ers players on defense with PFF's top grades in the same game.
- LB Kwon Alexander (91.5)
- Ronald Blair (90.7)
- DT DeForest Buckner (85.4)
- CB Richard Sherman (80.3)
- DL Arik Armstead (77.9)
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