SANTA CLARA — The 49ers are the envy of the NFL for the number of playmakers they put on the field on offense.
In a 13-0 win over the New Orleans Saints Sunday at Levi’s Stadium, Jauan Jennings eclipsed the big names when it mattered most. The 49ers were so good defensively that a win seemed almost assured, but on offense, it was a struggle all day with Jennings making the difference.
Well down the pecking order of stars that include Deebo Samuel, Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk, Jennings came in with 18 receptions for 220 yards and didn’t have a touchdown in nine games.
Yet Jennings almost personally furnished the 49ers’ lone touchdown drive in the second quarter, finishing off a 57-yard, nine-play march before the half with a 5-yard touchdown reception of a pass from Jimmy Garoppolo that deflected off the hands of Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu.
“The whole entire drive I was just locked in, focusing on making plays,” Jennings said. “When the opportunity comes my way, I’m going to make it.”
Jennings, who is fond of the nickname “third-and-Jauan” for his penchant for converting first downs, caught a 13-yard dart from Garoppolo on third-and-10 and then another 12 yards on the next play got the ball to the New Orleans 32-yard line.
The 49ers then had a 32-yard touchdown bolt by Elijah Mitchell nullified by a hold on Kittle, but Jennings wasn’t finished. On a third-and-1 pass from Garoppolo, Jennings caught veteran New Orleans defensive back Chris Harris flat-footed and beat him for a 12-yard gain along the right sideline.
Harris was so exasperated he hit Jennings late and was called for unnecessary roughness, moving the ball to the 5-yard line.
“I think he was a little irritated from the beginning of that play, actually,” Jennings said. “We ain’t going to talk about it though. He knows it. I’m a physical guy, a physical receiver and I’m going to impose my will on a defensive back and it got to him on that particular play.”
Garoppolo, who was hit early and often against a tough Saints defense, got enough of a look to get an idea of what Harris was so worked up about.
“I think Jauan made him fall on that route,” Garoppolo said. “I saw the release on that route and it was filthy, and that’s a damn good nickel back. For Jauan to do that to him, that was a hell of a route.”
That wasn’t the end, of course: Jennings capped it by getting free in the end zone on first and goal from the 5 and catching a pass that first went off the hands of Mathieu.
“My assignment was to run a simple corner route,” Jennings said. “I was running to the pylon, I saw the safety go away from me so I knew Jimmy was going to come to me. When I looked back, the ball was in the air and I was excited thinking it was going to drop in. It got tipped and ended up a touchdown.”
When the 49ers closed out the game by running the last 6:18 off the clock, it was Jennings who helped keep the drive with a 6-yard reception from Garoppolo on — you guessed it — third-and-5.
#49ers WR Jauan Jennings with the touchdown to end the first half 🔥😤 pic.twitter.com/r2L8dekWOl
— ninerspride (@ninerspride_) November 27, 2022
Jennings, 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds, finished with six catches for 49 yards and the touchdown. He was targeted seven times, one less than Brandon Aiyuk and the same as Deebo Samuel.
“Jauan was clutch for us and he kept us out on the field and got us those points,” coach Kyle Shanahan said.
Garoppolo knows when opponents play man-to-man defense, Jennings has the height and body type to make a play.
“It’s hard to play man against Jauan,” Garoppolo said. “He’s big, he’s quick. He’s physical and when he gets the ball in his hands, he’s hard to bring down. I’m no trying to pump him up too much but he does a lot of good things, man. He separates at the top of the route and as a quarterback it’s easy to read him and his body language.”
Jennings was coming off a game in Mexico City where there wasn’t a single pass thrown his way for the first time this season. Undaunted by outside chatter the 49ers may have an interest in free agent Odell Beckham Jr., Jennings brings an angular physicality that isn’t matched by anyone in the receiving corps and has Garoppolo’s seal of approval.
“I see it every day in practice,” Garoppolo said. “I’ve seen it for multiple years now. When you have a guy like that who does it every day in practice, wants the ball, you can see the competitiveness. Every play Jauan is busting his ass. As a quarterback you love having a guy like that. The trust and reliability factor goes a long way for me.”
