The 49ers are 3-3 in Nick Mullens’ six starts this season, but Sunday’s performance was his most impressive, yet.
Mullens hung in and took some hits against the Seattle Seahawks in the team’s 26-23 overtime victory at Levi's Stadium.
He faced pressure on 15 of his 33 drop backs, and finished completing 20 of 29 attempts for 275 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. He was sacked three times.
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On plays in which he did not have any pressure, Mullens completed 14 of 18 passes (with two dropped passes) for 216 yards and a touchdown, according to Pro Football Focus.
Mullens’ big game came just two weeks after throwing for 414 yards in a 43-16 loss at Seattle.
Since the Seahawks entered the NFL as an expansion franchise in 1976, Mullens has thrown for more yards against the team in a single season. Topping this list is impressive:
689 -- Nick Mullens, 49ers, 2018
685 – Ken Stabler, Raiders, 1979
673 – John Elway, Broncos, 1987
669 – Dan Fouts, Chargers, 1983
658 – Kurt Warner, Cardinals, 2008
San Francisco 49ers
Here are some other notes from Sunday’s game:
--The 49ers went on a 10-play, 98-yard touchdown drive, which Mullens capped with a 41-yard touchdown pass to tight end Garrett Celek. It was the team’s longest drive since 2002, when Kevan Barlow scored on a 6-yard run to end a 12-play, 99-yard drive at Seattle.
--Linebacker Mark Nzeocha recorded the first sack and forced fumble of his NFL career.
--Richie James Jr. had just the fourth kickoff return for a touchdown in the NFL this season. Jakeem Grant (Miami), Darius Jennings (Tennessee) and Cordarrelle Patterson (New England) had the others. He became the first 49ers’ rookie to score on a kickoff return since Amos Lawrence in 1981. It was the 49ers’ first punt or kickoff return for a touchdown since Ted Ginn did both in September 2011 – also against Seattle.
--Most sacks in a single-season for a 49ers defender since 2000:
19.5 – Aldon Smith, 2012
14 – Aldon Smith, 2011
12.5 – Andre Carter, 2002
11 – DeForest Buckner, 2018
9.5 – Bryant Young, 2000
Here are some other metrics from Pro Football Focus:
--Buckner and Ronald Blair shared team-high honors with three quarterback pressures apiece. Blair had one hit and two hurries.
--Solomon Thomas and Buckner played 65 snaps apiece. Thomas had two quarterback hurries.
--Rookie Tarvarius Moore, who entered the game in the first quarter when Ahkello Witherspoon sustained a sprained knee ligament, held up well in coverage. Moore allowed just five completions for 37 yards while being targeted 10 times. He was in coverage on a 5-yard TD pass to Doug Baldwin shortly after entering the game.
--Richard Sherman was not targeted at all against his former team.
Here are the total numbers of snaps of every 49ers player who saw action on offense, defense and special teams:
Offense
Total offensive snaps: 62
Quarterback – Nick Mullens 62
Running back – Kyle Juszczyk 46, Matt Breida 45, Jeff Wilson 12
Wide receiver – Dante Pettis 57, Kendrick Bourne 46, Trent Taylor 15, Marquise Goodwin 7, Richie James 3
Tight end – George Kittle 59, Garrett Celek 17, Ross Dwelley 3
Offensive line – Laken Tomlinson 62, Weston Richburg 62, Joe Staley 62, Mike McGlinchey 62, Mike Person 62
Did not play – QB C.J. Beathard, G Joshua Garnett
Defense
Total defensive snaps: 75
Defensive line – DeForest Buckner 65, Solomon Thomas 65, Ronald Blair 47, Arik Armstead 39, D.J. Jones 38, Cassius Marsh 29, Jullian Taylor 13, Earl Mitchell 1
Linebacker – Elijah Lee 75, Fred Warner 75, Mark Nzeocha 16, Malcolm Smith 3
Defensive back –Marcell Harris 75, Antone Exum 75, Richard Sherman 75, Tarvarius Moore 67, D.J. Reed 59, Ahkello Witherspoon 6, Greg Mabin 2
Special teams
Total special teams plays: 34
Mabin 28, James Onwualu 22, Dwelley 22, Nzeocha 20, Godwin Igwebuike 18, Matthew Dayes 18, Bradley Pinion 17, Moore 16, Celek 15, T.Taylor 15, Marsh 15, James 14, Reed 14, Harris 13, Pita Taumoepenu 12, Buckner 12, Colin Holba 10, Lee 10, Exum 9, Armstead 8, Jones 7, Wilson 7, Robbie Gould 6, Garry Gilliam 6, Tomlinson 6, Richburg 6, Staley 6, McGlinchey 6, Thomas 6, Juszczyk 4, Mitchell 3, Warner 2, Blair 1
