49ers run over Bengals in unexpected blowout

The San Francisco 49ers entered Week 2 with some questions, particularly about the offense. They exit Week 2 looking really impressive. The 49ers thumped the Cincinnati Bengals by a final score of 41-17. The 49ers improve to 2-0, while the Bengals drop to 0-2.

The Bengals came into the game off a tough loss in Seattle last week. They gave the Seahawks everything they could and a missed field goal was the difference. Meanwhile, the 49ers beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-17, although quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was a bit shaky in his first regular season start since tearing his ACL last season.

All of that is to say, this was expected to be a much closer matchup. The line closed with the Bengals a one-point favorite, and the betting public was supporting them at the DraftKings Sportsbook. Yours truly wagered on the Bengals as a pick ‘em, which is saying something for me as a 49ers fan.

We had a competitive game into the early part of the second quarter. The teams exchanged touchdowns before Jimmy Garoppolo threw an interception. The Bengals could not get much going and stalled out in the red zone before missing a field goal. The Bengals had some opportunities after that, but the 49ers were not to be denied. They took a 24-10 lead into the half, and then added 17 more points in the second half.

Garoppolo had a solid performance, completing 17 of 25 passes for 297 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. However, the big difference was in the ground game. The 49ers rushed 39 times for 260 yards and two touchdowns. Matt Breida had 121 rushing yards, Raheem Mostert had 83 rushing yards and 68 receiving yards, and Jeff Wilson punched in the two touchdowns.

The 49ers defense stepped up in a big way against Andy Dalton, Joe Mixon, and the Cincinnati Bengals offense. Mixon was held to 17 yards, and the 49ers got to Dalton four times. They could not get anything going with any semblance of consistency.

San Francisco heads back to the Bay Area for their home opener in Week 3. They host the Pittsburgh Steelers, who find quarterback Ben Roethlisberger dealing with an elbow injury that cost him the second half of Week 2. The Westgate SuperBook had a lookahead line of 49ers -1 for this game. If Roethlisberger’s status is uncertain Sunday evening, the line will likely open at a field goal or higher.

Meanwhile, the Bengals head back on the road to face a suddenly 2-0 Buffalo Bills squad. The Bills had little trouble with the New York Giants, completing their Meadowlands sweep. Buffalo was -4 on the lookahead line for Week 3. It would not be surprising to see the line increase a little bit based on Week 2 performances.

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