49ers beat Saints in Big Easy: Rapid reactions

The San Francisco 49ers are off to a 2-0 start after beating the New Orleans Saints 26-21. Both wins came on the road, but neither game has been easy, especially with a multitude of injuries. But the 49ers pulled off the win in "The Big Easy," and are headed back to Santa Clara for the home opener next week.

Here are my rapid reactions, my live thoughts as the game unfolded:

• Not a great start by the 49ers' defense, but the Saints missed the field goal.
• Not a great start by the 49ers offense either after that three-and-out. Three plays. Three passes. With your backup quarterback.

• I don't like seeing Mac Jones throw into quadruple coverage.
• And the special teams unit still isn't great. Not a very good start for San Francisco.
• The 49ers' defense is struggling to stop the run early on.
• Throwing at Isaac Yiadom is always smart.
• Nice catch by Ricky Pearsall.

• Dang, the 49ers' offensive line has not been good in the five quarters they've played.
• Good things happen when Christian McCaffrey touches the ball.
• Jones is doing his best Lamar Jackson impersonation.

• Back-to-back touchdowns by the tight end. Jake Tonges last week and Luke Ferrell this week.

• And then new kicker Eddie Piñeiro misses the PAT. Unreal.

• Dee Winters is punishing people out there.
• Yetur Gross-Matos continues to pressure the QB from the inside.
• Nice job by Piñeiro on that 44-yard field goal.
• Who had Upton Stout getting his first sack before the other rookies?

• Tatum Bethune just obliterated the Saints' punt returner. That was fun to watch.
• Mykel Williams just blew up that run play. He's looked good today.
• Horrible missed tackle there. Winters was knocked off the tackle by Gross-Matos, and the Saints get the first down.
• I'm not sure I've ever seen Isaac Guerendo break a tackle. That's probably an overreaction, but he seems to go down easily.
• What a great touchdown drive by the 49ers before halftime. Big catches by Jauan Jennings, Kendrick Bourne, Tonges, and McCaffrey.
• Jones is running the offense well.
• Now Jennings is limping. This offense can't take any more hits.
• Jones turned the ball over, and the Saints have great field position. He held onto the ball too long.
• Big mistake by Stout on that fourth down. And the Saints are inside the 10-yard line.
• Why is Guerendo bringing the ball out of the end zone? If it's a touchback, it goes to the 35-yard line. Instead, Guerendo is brought down well short of that.
• It's nice having a kicker who makes field goals.
• Winters with a bad penalty to give the Saints good field position.
• It looked like Alvin Kamara fumbled, but did he have control of the ball?
• It's a fumble. Great play by Fred Warner.

• "Third and Jauan" goes for 42 yards and a touchdown. What a huge play!

• And that was a great throw by Jones.
• That's a trash call. Great play by Stout.
• Two penalties were called on the 49ers' defense on third down to keep the drive alive.
• This defense has to be better against the run. They've been up and down today.
• I thought the offense may have difficulties, considering they're playing so many backups. But I didn't expect the defense to struggle this much against the Saints. That missed call on Stout didn't help.
• The 49ers' defense closed the door last week. Can they do it again?
• Nick Bosa with a huge sack.

• Williams has come up big down the stretch, as well.
• The defense has to close it out again. The offense wasn't able to do it.
• Missed tackles are killing the 49ers again.
• The 49ers' defense comes through once more. Bryce Huff made the game-saving play.

• This is the first time the 49ers have won a game in which Brock Purdy missed or left the game because of injury.

The 49ers will host the Arizona Cardinals next Sunday. It's their second division game and will be another tough one. But if they can win that game, they will be 3-0, but 2-0 in what will be a tight division race.

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