SANTA CLARA — Saturday night’s exhibition opener might go down in 49ers lore for the debut of Jalen Hurd and Deebo Samuel, a receiving tandem that might dominate for years to come.
Or the 16-7 win over the Dallas Cowboys will be recalled for sitting 30 top-flight players, news of more injuries (Trent Taylor, Shon Coleman, Raheem Mostert, D.J. Jones) and an alarming total of 216 penalty yards on 18 infractions.
Let’s review who helped their cause and who didnt:
THREE STUDS
1. Wide receiver Jalen Hurd: His 6-foot-3, physical frame provided the red zone magic so desparately needed by the 49ers, and it paid off with both their touchdowns.