Sure, it was closer than we’d have liked. Sure, some things didn’t go to plan. But at some point, you just have to enjoy the journey. With yet another ground-out close win on Sunday, the 49ers are 2-0. The fact that it came without two of the team’s best offensive players (including theirstarting quarterback, for goodness sake) seemed to bypass those shrieking on my timeline. In fact, to read some of them, you’d think we hadn’t won at all, with so many complaints about ‘letting teams hang around’, and so on.

I’m lucky to get to write this mostly on a Monday evening or Tuesday morning, due to the time difference, which allows me some time to avoid the hot takes and instant reactions that plague a lot of fan discourse, so let’s examine the facts. Despite supposedly having one of the NFL’s easiest schedules, that’s two road games to open the season, in tough environments. In fact, Seattle and New Orleans likely represent two of the toughest in the NFL.

Despite that, and a battery of injuries, the team’s played well-rounded, complimentary football, and come up with clutch plays to win both in crunch time. That’s already put the 2025 49ers above the 2024 49ers in my mind. The Niners have already matched their one-score win total from last season (they were 2-6 in one-score games last season), and while I hope we don’t continue to test my blood pressure, learning to win in close situations is what makes a good team.

So stay calm. This team is young and learning its way, but it's pretty exciting to watch, too.

Youth on Defense Helps Win the Day

To that end, let's once again talk about that young defense. Yes, Fred Warner continued to play at his best (and is probably now on the verge of a Hall of Fame career), but it was the actions of younger players that suggested more long-term success for this team.

Dee Winters again impressed–he was every bit the Dre Greenlaw replacement, right down to the inexplicable late-hit penalty. He seems to have had GPS ball-tracking added to his missile-like play, and he’s been the standout of a vibrant defense. I would complain about the penalty, but his ability to play fast, hard, and on the edge is exactly what the 49ers need from the player next to Fred Warner, so you’ll take those lumps.

In rookie watch, Upton Stout continued his growth (and got a ludicrous penalty to boot), but perhaps the biggest word of the day should go to Mykel Williams. In accordance with the "relax" theme of this piece, it should be noted there were minor points of whinging over Williams following the Week 1 win in Seattle–it seems to some, if you’re not showing up on the box score, you’re not making an impact.

Well, Week 2 rolled around, and as well as his hard work moving men and setting the edge, Williams also flashed a couple of big plays to boot, with five tackles, two of which resulted in losses. Williams looked every inch the big man edge-setter he was purported to be, and in a late-game pass-rush that resulted in a sack for Nick Bosa, manhandled a Saints guard so far back into the pocket he almost ended up in the quarterback’s lap. The arrow is up on the first-round pick, I’d say.

Finally, and of note, according to Matt Barrows’ snap counts, Alfred Collins got himself a fair bit of playing time, while CJ West remained about the same. Collins looks to be figuring out how to use his massive frame at the NFL level, and did some nice work against the run.

Robert Saleh has Returned ... with Extra Weaponry

Just a further note on the defense: While it might destroy some of my credibility with you new readers, I wasn’t exactly all-in on rehiring Robert Saleh. While I respected what he was able to do in his first stint with the team, I did largely believe that he mostly profited off a very good roster and a ferocious front four, particularly in the days where DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead held the middle of the defense.

That worried me going into this season, as only one of the front four could be reasonably said to be a dominant player (in Bosa), while the rest remain developmental pieces. Thankfully, in spite of, or perhaps because of, that, Saleh has upped his game considerably. His schemes have been excellent throughout the two-game sample we’ve seen so far, with some exotic blitz packages and interesting wrinkles. His deployment of a 'big' 4-2-5 defense yesterday in the early going, largely to pit a bigger defensive back in safety Ji’Ayir Brown against Saints tight end Juwan Johnson, was also a clever move and paid some nice dividends.

Some would say Saleh has earned the two wins for the 49ers so far. I’d not go that far, and in keeping with the overall ‘relax’ theme of this piece, I’d say the team’s back to playing complementary football, which is the biggest part of their early success. But Saleh’s role in it can’t be denied, and it certainly feels good to have competence back there after Nick Sorensen’s Beavis and Butthead year as defensive coordinator.

The Offense Defies Attrition

An offense led by Mac Jones–down Brock Purdy, George Kittle, and Brandon Aiyuk–with Trent Williams and Dominick Puni limping, and losing starting left guard Ben Bartch and erstwhile fullback Kyle Juszczyk, somehow ended up winning the game. How?

Well, Jones played an excellent game (possibly the best of his NFL career), delivering the ball on time and accurately for the most part, throwing three touchdowns, but perhaps more importantly, the offensive line pass-protected well throughout, and Kyle Shanahan schemed up an excellent game. This offensive unit can put up points, and with some players like Demarcus Robinson expected back soon, it may only get better. Christian McCaffrey is himself again, too, which seems vitally important in winning the chess matches on NFL fields.

There should be no more doubt about Kyle Shanahan; this man knows offense. Criticise his game management or head-coaching skills if you must (although, I personally think he’s Andy Reid with the Eagles, I just hope we hang on long enough for him to win a Super Bowl with us, not elsewhere), but he can scheme. The oft-repeated ‘9-32 without Purdy or Garoppolo’ meme is disingenuous when you consider his backup options have been the likes of Nick Mullens and Brandon Allen. Also, no one can seem to decide if Purdy is a product of Shanahan’s scheme, or the player who makes him look good. Twas ever thus, and the narrative is tiring.

The best answer, honestly, is that Shanahan’s scheme elevates talent, not that it makes or breaks it. Matt Ryan went from an average player to an MVP. Garoppolo never looked like a starter outside of San Francisco. Mullens shouldn’t have even been an NFL quarterback, but carved out a journeyman career off the back of Shanahan. Sam Darnold got paid twice after spending a year here.

That’s now run to Jones, who finally looked like the young phenom he was once reputed to be on Sunday. It wasn’t virtuoso stuff, there’s things to clean up, but scoring enough points to win is always going to be fine, and given he’ll likely continue into next week against an inconsistent Arizona Cardinals team, it’ll need to be.

Take a long breath. Relax. Enjoy it. This team is young, fun, and producing. Let’s hope it continues next week. Go Niners!