Home openers are not supposed to age you like that. Home openers against a first-time starter at quarterback of an 0-2 football team are definitely not supposed to cause the heart palpitations many 49ers fans will have felt on Sunday. However, during an offensive performance that was a saga of the promising and the maddening, the defense continued its 2019 surge.
It has been a long time since we saw a defensive performance so complete: A pass rush so in sync with coverage behind; a game plan to nullify the opponent’s most dangerous threats; and play-calling that bamboozled a young quarterback and his experienced offensive line.