The only thing better than the San Francisco 49ers week one performance on Monday Night Football was their new black uniforms. Colin Kaepernick didn’t score and wasn’t amazing, but he played within the offense and made the right decisions. That regressing defense that lost Patrick Willis and a litany of big names clearly still had bite, too, while running back Carlos Hyde looked to be an upgrade over the departed Frank Gore.
And those black and red 49ers uniforms. Those were just a thing of beauty.
Intimidation Game
Make no mistake about it, the San Francisco 49ers were sending a message in week one, and they did it right away from a visual perspective. That’s not to say the Minnesota Vikings were “scared” or even truly “intimidated” by how San Francisco looked, but the all black jersey and pants uniform with the bold red number coloring, capped off with the traditional gold Niners helmet certainly gave off the feel that this Niners team meant serious business.
No Talk
There had been a lot of chatter about all the key losses the 49ers suffered. Starting at the top with head coach Jim Harbaugh being let go and the Niners finishing just 8-8 a year ago, the outlook was more than a little bleak heading into 2015. In a crowded and brutal NFC West division, a team that lost their leader on the sidelines also lost their defensive leader on the field, as stud inside linebacker Patrick Willis decided to hang’em up.
Following Willis was his likely replacement Chris Borland, who also decided to call it quits. And then went defensive lineman Justin Smith. And then the team had to release troubled pass rusher Aldon Smith. Add in the losses of key veterans on offense such as Frank Gore and Michael Crabtree, and there might have been some validity to all of the concern.
Squashed Doubts
The Niners made quick work of silencing their critics in week one, however, as that sliding defense proved to be quite dominant in a 20-3 win. San Francisco’s run defense held all pro rusher Adrian Peterson to just 31 yards in his return to the field after a year of being away, while the 49ers pass defense made Teddy Bridgewater look rushed and ill prepared.
On the offensive side, Carlos Hyde looked like a seasoned pro en route to 168 rushing yards and two touchdowns – easily the best performance by any NFL running back in week one. Overall, the Niners weren’t necessarily perfect, but they leaned on the same philosophy that always brought them success in their recent playoff runs – play strong defense, run the ball and don’t make big mistakes.
Having one of the slickest looking custom football uniforms to start the year probably didn’t hurt, either. The Niners displayed some serious edge in their new digs, and whether it keeps up is anyone’s guess. It surely will be interesting to watch this team moving forward, however, as well as if they continue to specifically play at a high level when they’re wearing these sweet alternative uniforms.
Did you like the new 49ers uniforms? Let us know in the comments below!
