The 49ers didn’t just beat the Chargers in their second preseason game. They took control of the night in all three phases, won the line of scrimmage on both sides and kept stacking game-changing plays until the result turned lopsided.
There were clear standouts all over the field, starting with Sam Okuayinonu. He doesn’t bring the ceiling of Mykel Williams or the inside-out versatility to kick down and rush from different spots, but he gave San Francisco exactly what it needed on early downs.
Okuayinonu was limited to five run snaps, yet he still logged two stops and won another rep that helped force a redirect into a teammate for a tackle for loss. He also added two pressures on 12 pass rushes, including a quarterback hit.
He may not be a full-time answer, but he looks like the right kind of role player.
Kaelon Black made his case in a different way. His running style was all about discipline and forward momentum.
He refused to bounce runs outside, stayed on a straight path and kept his feet churning even when the blocking wasn’t clean. On two plays where he could have been swallowed up in the backfield, he still managed to avoid losing yardage.
Black finished with 33 yards on eight carries, forced three missed tackles and produced 21 yards after contact. He also picked up two first downs and handled his work in pass protection, winning both blitz pickups.
He looked ready.
On the defensive line, Osa Odighizuwa was everywhere. The activity jumped off the screen.
He slanted one way and still worked back across the line to force a runner to redirect, and on another snap he split the left guard for a pressure. His movement and change of direction stood out in a big way.
The Chargers had trouble staying in front of him, and the comparison that came to mind was DeForest Buckner-style disruption.
Nick Martin also made the most of his chances. Turnovers matter when you’re trying to carve out a role, and Martin forced a fumble on a kickoff.
He did miss a tackle, but he answered with aggressive run fits, two stops and four tackles. In coverage, he kept the damage in check, and one of the completions against him probably shouldn’t have happened if Romello Height hadn’t rushed inside on play-action.
It was a step forward.
Jacob Cowing may have done enough to settle one competition by himself. After the game, Kyle Shanahan was asked about the punt return job and replied, “Not yet, but I like that he’s making it easier.”
Cowing backed that up with an 83-yard punt return that essentially sealed the battle. He also had another kickoff return wiped out by a negated play and showed enough speed to flip the field on two returns and beat the defense to the other side.
There’s still more room for him as a receiver, especially on timing routes, screens and vertical shots, but the return value is hard to ignore.
Jack Jones brought the splash plays. He broke up both passes thrown his way and jumped a route on third down. He played with the kind of confidence teams want at corner, and if Renardo Green isn’t available, Jones looked like someone who could step in without the floor dropping out.
De’Zhaun Stribling added to his growing case, too. After lining up in the slot on 70% of his snaps in Week 1, that number dropped to 42% in Week 2, and he showed he can handle more than one spot.
He had a drop on a pass from Mac Jones that looked like it took him until the last second to track, and he also hesitated as a blocker on another play that led to a stuff. But outside of that, he was clean.
Stribling won at every alignment on different routes, caught both of his contested grabs and even ran through a tackle after one catch. He looked the part.
Deommodore Lenoir didn’t get credited with a breakup, but he was right where he needed to be on both targets. The quarterback had nowhere to go on either throw, and Lenoir added a run stop while staying feisty throughout the night. If this is the version of Lenoir San Francisco gets in 2026, the defense can hang around top-10 territory.
Not everyone had a night to remember, though. The left guard competition took a hit when Robert Jones suffered an undisclosed injury that likely knocks him out for the rest of the preseason, turning a three-man battle into a four-man one.
Carver Willis needs more reps, but those may have to come in real games now. The rookie issues showed up Thursday, including a pull where he didn’t scan inside for the first threat, and he was later overpowered in pass protection.
Austen Pleasants, who is also dealing with a knee injury, was too slow out of his stance to make a real impact. Connor Colby has the most competence in pass protection of the group, but he misses too often in the run game.
After Thursday, it’s fair to wonder whether the starting left guard is even on the roster.
Garret Wallow also had a rough night. He was responsible for three of the defense’s eight missed tackles and allowed all five completions thrown his way for 44 yards, including gains of 18 and 17 after the catch.
The role is not an easy one, but the performance reinforced why he’s spent so much of his career as a special-teams player. It also opened the door wider for other linebackers trying to make the team.
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