Emmanuel Sanders catches touchdown in first game for 49ers
Monday 28 October 2019 08:39, UK
The San Francisco 49ers remain undefeated this season after a 51-13 rout of the Carolina Panthers, with Tevin Coleman running in four touchdowns.
While the 49ers (7-0) racked up the points on offense, their defense was again at the heart of their seventh win of the season, intercepting Carolina quarterback Kyle Allen - who had no picks through his first six career games - on three occasions.
Rookie defensive end Nick Bosa grabbed the third interception, returning his pick 46 yards, setting up a field goal that stretched San Francisco's lead to 44-13 early in the fourth quarter. Bosa also sacked Allen three times, with the 49ers defense as a whole taking down the QB seven times in total.
Although it was a torrid afternoon for the Panthers (4-3) in general, their MVP-contender running back Christian McCaffrey had another fine day, totalling 155 yards from scrimmage, including a 40-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
That McCaffrey score, and his subsequent two-point conversion, briefly had Carolina hopeful of a comeback as they cut the deficit to two scores at 27-13.
The Panthers had trailed 27-3 at half-time, with Jimmy Garoppolo throwing two touchdowns - one to Emmanuel Sanders on the opening drive of the game, following his trade from the Denver Broncos on Tuesday.
Coleman caught Garoppolo's other touchdown throw, while the former Atlanta Falcons back also ran in for two more before the half, including one from 48 yards out.
But, there appeared to be a switch in momentum after the break, when Garoppolo was taken down in the endzone by Bruce Irvin for a safety, and then McCaffrey broke free from around midfield for a big touchdown run on the subsequent drive.
Any chance of a possible Panthers comeback though was killed by a Deebo Samuel 20-yard score - off a brilliantly designed play call - on San Francisco's next offensive possession. Thereafter, the defense hounded Allen and the offense ran up the score.
Richard Sherman had his third interception of the season - Allen's second pick - which set up Coleman's fourth score, while Bosa's then led to a field goal.
Raheem Mostert then piled on the misery with a 41-yard run untouched to the endzone as the 49ers racked up 229 rushing yards in the game and broke the 50-point mark.
The 49ers now have a run of divisional games coming up, starting with a road trip to take on the Arizona Cardinals (3-4-1), before they meet the same team at home after first hosting the Seattle Seahawks (6-2).
The Panthers host the Tennessee Titans (4-4) in Week Nine, before a testing road trip at the Green Bay Packers precedes an NFC South rivalry clash at home against the nosediving Atlanta Falcons (1-7).
