On their first possession of the game Monday night against the Los Angeles Rams, the San Francisco 49ers embarked on a marathon offensive drive. After 18 plays, 93 yards and over 11 minutes of game clock later, the 49ers were in the end zone, holding a seven-point lead.
Following the game, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo had some thoughts about what that long drive meant:
Jimmy Garoppolo on #49ers opening 18-play TD drive in 31-10 win over Rams: "I don’t want to say it took their soul away but it definitely did something.”
— Josh Dubow (@JoshDubowAP) November 16, 2021
The drive was perhaps vintage Kyle Shanahan. A mix of run game elements, and some critical passing concepts to target some of their best weapons in space while giving Garoppolo some defined reads and throws.
So, why don’t we take some time and break it all down. Here is a dive into all 18 plays of the drive, highlighting what worked, some impressive run blocking elements, and how it all came together for San Francisco:
