Nick Mullens had a nice game for the 49ers Sunday in the team’s 20-14 victory over the Broncos. And, certainly, his touchdown passes to George Kittle and Dante Pettis deserve praise.
Yet Mullens’ pass to Pettis late in the game to keep a 49ers drive alive – and keep the ball away from the Broncos – was just as big as the TD passes.
On a third-and-7 play from the 49ers’ 23-yard line with 3:39 remaining in the game, Mullens drilled a pass between defenders to Pettis up the right seam of the Broncos' secondary, and Pettis was able to get downfield to the Denver 46, a gain of 31 yards. From there, the Niners were able to run the ball, eat the clock and secure the victory.
For the day, Mullens was 20-of-33 for 332 yards, two TDs and one interception (on a deflection), with a passer rating of 102.1.
Mullens, who will battle with C.J. Beathard for the No. 2 QB role with the 49ers next season, is now 2-3 as a San Francisco starter, with a passer rating of 93.5. He’s been very good in two games (wins over Oakland and Denver), bad in two (losses to the New York Giants and Tampa Bay) and OK in one (a loss to Seattle in which he threw for a career-best 414 yards and two TDs).
Going into this past weekend’s game, head coach Kyle Shanahan had said every player is competing for a job next season, so Mullens knows he has to perform to get an edge over Beathard, whom Shanahan likes a great deal. The undrafted free agent from Southern Mississippi, however, never takes anything for granted.
“I’ve been fighting for my job since the day I got here,” Mullens told Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle.
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Shanahan, even after watching Mullens play well Sunday against the Broncos, wasn’t exactly effusive in his praise of Mullens, noted Ostler.
Said Shanahan: “I thought he played well. He did some good things and was one of the reasons we won.”
But, he’s not giving anything to Mullens for next season. He still believes in Beathard.
“If the season ended now, they’d both be going into the offseason competing,” Shanahan said recently. “C.J. was our two and Nick was our three, and Nick came in and got his opportunity because C.J. was hurt. He’s done good enough to keep that in all four of the games he’s played.”
Mullens will continue to be the starter, with the 7-5 Seattle Seahawks up next for the 3-10 49ers this Sunday at Levi’s Stadium.
“My mindset doesn’t change,” said Mullens. “Really, just trying to work hard in whatever my role is for this team. … Whatever my role is, I’m going to do it to the best of my ability. I’m lucky and honored to do that.”
