
The 49ers won the game. That's the good part.
But they beat the Saints, who are a bottom-five team in the NFL. And they beat them by just five points. It wasn't exactly a statement win.
With that in mind, here are five players whose stocks fell in this win.
Green was the weakest link in the 49ers' secondary, as he gave up 4 catches for 70 yards on 7 targets. He also gave up a 39-yard catch on the first drive of the game and should have given up a touchdown catch a few plays later, but the receiver dropped the ball when he was wide open. Green will have to step it up because teams will continue to target him relentlessly until he forces them to try someone else.
Pinnock gave up four catches for just 21 yards, but he also gave up two touchdown catches in the red zone. In retrospect, Pinnock never should match up man to man with NFL wide receivers. He's better suited to cover tight ends because he's tall and has long arms.
Sigle gave up 3 catches on 3 targets for 40 yards, 1 touchdown and a perfect 158.3 passer rating when targeted. To be fair, Sigle had tight coverage each time he got beaten -- he simply didn't have the awareness or the length to break up the pass at the catch point. He's built like a cornerback, but he's a strong safety who has to cover tall tight ends, and he might not have the frame to match up. Instead, he might be better suited to play free safety. We'll see how his role in the defense will evolve as defensive coordinator Robert Saleh gets to know him better.
Tonges was one of the 49ers' heroes of Week 1, as he made a Dwight-Clark-esque touchdown catch in the fourth quarter after George Kittle left the game with a hamstring injury. In Week 2, Tonges became the 49ers' starting fullback after Kyle Juszczyk left with a concussion, and was clearly the worst blocker on the field. He's a good route-runner and he has good hands, but he might as well be a big slot receiver.
He hesitates in the backfield almost every time he touches the ball, he runs upright and he has minimal acceleration. He's nothing like Jordan Mason, who was decisive and ran extremely hard. The 49ers probably wish they still had Mason instead of Robinson Jr. They'll need to get rookie running back Jordan Mason involved soon.
More must-reads:
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!