RSS 49ers Team Notes

[San Francisco 49ers]

12 Winners and 5 losers from the 49ers road win over the Colts

Week 16 couldn’t have gone better for the San Francisco 49ers. The Los Angeles Rams lost, opening the door for a potential No. 1 seed. The Carolina Panthers won, setting the stage for what would be a Wild Card matchup against both teams. Best of all, the 49ers won convincingly against a sneaky good offense in the Indianapolis Colts.

The 49ers’ offense was excellent, achieving a first down on 42 percent of their plays and excelling on third down and in the red zone. The defense settled in after halftime, and the special teams created a turnover. That’s not a bad recipe for a win. Let’s get into the Winners and Losers from Week 16.

Winners​

The offensive line​

Whenever you’re on the doorstep of scoring 50 points, it’s because your offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage. Brock Purdy was sacked one time. That play was on a backup tight end. Purdy wasn’t hit all night on 36 dropbacks.

The fact that Purdy only needed to scramble once is a sign of how dominant the offensive line was. Purdy faced pressure on only 22 percent of his dropbacks and was kept clean on 25 of his attempts. Purdy had 3.29 seconds to throw, on average, on the evening.

Christian McCaffrey and Brian Robinson haven’t had as much room to run as they did on Monday night, seemingly all season. The line paved the way with their second-highest yards before contact number all season.

McCaffrey only forced three missed tackles because everybody was blocked. McCaffrey wasn’t touched until 10 yards on a 12-yard carry in the second quarter. On his season-long rush of 24 yards, McCaffrey went untouched until he was 20 yards down the field.

Brock Purdy​

Purdy went 25-for-34 for 295 yards and five touchdowns. He bailed out Jauan Jennings and Kendrick Bourne on one drive by scrambling for nine yards on 3rd & 10. Purdy had a pair of impressive throws in the second half. One didn’t count in the end zone to Jake Tonges. The other was near the goal line, when Purdy lofted the ball to Jennings instead of throwing his pass on a line.

Purdy is being paid like one of the top quarterbacks in the league. That means that when he faces pressure, he must overcome it. In this game, Purdy was 7-for-9 under pressure for 81 yards, five first downs, and a touchdown. When the Colts blitzed Purdy, he was 8-for-12 for 107 yards, with a pair of touchdowns and five first downs. Oh, and his average depth of target was 11.3, which was higher than when he was kept clean (11.0).

Purdy’s numbers look great in the box score. I don’t think that tells the entire story. Whenever the offense got behind the chains, the quarterback saved the day.

The broadcast made it a point to highlight some of Purdy’s throws being dangerous, but his target was George Kittle on those. Purdy was equally effective between the hashes and outside of the numbers. On the interception, it was a throw that got away from him. Whatever. If you’re not good enough to overcome a turnover as a team, you probably didn’t deserve to win.

I thought Purdy was brilliant situationally. Monday night was the peak version of Purdy and one that could take the Niners deep into the playoffs.

George Kittle​

Kittle left the game in the third quarter with an ankle injury. By the time he left, the damage was already done. He caught seven of his eight targets for 115 yards and a touchdown. The one incompletion would be a touchdown on eight of the ten other throws.

Without Ricky Pearsall, the 49ers relied on Kittle as their WR1 in this game. Kyle Shanahan knew he would have opportunities over the middle and schemed up plays for Kittle to win. Credit Purdy for giving Kittle the chance to make a play. Kittle did not disappoint.

Every reception Kittle had resulted in a first or touchdown. Three of his receptions were contested. It makes you wonder, why did the 49ers need to wait until they got into an injury-riddled situation like this to go out of their way to get Kittle out in the passing formation? He only had four pass blocking reps.

Ji’Ayir Brown​

Forcing a fumble on a kickoff will always land you in the winner’s circle. Brant Boyer deserves a raise for getting the type of production he is out of his special teams units, but efforts like the one Brown gave must be recognized.

Jauan Jennings​

The drop ruined an otherwise flawless night for Jennings. He came through with multiple catches when Kittle went down with an injury. Every reception Jennings had resulted in a first down or a score. The timing of Jennings’ receptions really highlights his impact. His first reception didn’t happen until the third quarter:

• 3rd & 8 – 21-yard reception
• 3rd & goal from the 3: TD
• 1st & 10: 19-yard reception
• 1st & 10: 17-yard reception
• 3rd & 9: 11-yard reception

That’s as dependable as it gets from a player who wasn’t involved in the passing game until Kittle went down with an injury.

Losers​

Deommodore Lenoir and Darrell Luter​

Lenoir and Luter were each targeted three times. They combined to allow six receptions for 87 yards, four first downs, and a touchdown. Lenoir couldn’t find the ball on his lone deep target, while the Colts picked on Renardo Green’s backup early on.

The ball skills by both corners were concerning in this game.

Tatum Bethune and Eric Kendricks in man coverage​

At some point during a game, you’re going to have to run man coverage. Tatum Bethune was only in man coverage a handful of times. He allowed five receptions for 54 yards and a pair of first downs.

After Bethune left with an injury, Eric Kendricks first snap was tasked with guarding rookie tight end Tyler Warren. Kendricks gave up a 19-yarder on the play. He also allowed another eight-yarder. It was a difficult situation for Kendricks to walk into, and he flew around besides that. Still, the coverage over the middle was an issue against the Colts.

Luke Farrell​

The 49ers attempted to scheme up a big play, but Farrell missed his block so severely that he was facing Purdy by the time the fumble had already occurred. Farrell was fortunate to have the ball pop to him, but it was one play that could have turned disastrous.

Winners​

Dee Winters​

Winters pick-six sealed the game. On the previous drive, he took away a route by Josh Downs, forcing Rivers to hold onto the ball and allowing Alfred Collins to force a fumble.

Upton Stout​

Stout made a couple of plays in zone that he wasn’t making a couple of months ago. He’s getting depth in his zone, and now it’s at a point where Stout is running into making plays. It’s been fun to watch his development. He finished the game allowing 45 yards on eight targets, including two run stops. He plays the run as well as you can in his spot, but his coverage skills have come a long way.

CJ West​

Collins had the sack, but CJ West was the most consistent player. He also had a sack, and pressured the quarterback at the highest rate of any pass rusher for the 49ers at 25 percent. One of these youngsters needs to turn the corner, and we’re seeing flashes from both.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/san-fr...losers-from-the-49ers-road-win-over-the-colts

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

George Kittle has a ‘chance’ to play through mid-to-low ankle sprain

On Tuesday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle was dealing with a mid-to-low ankle sprain. That’s good news, as Fowler confirmed Kittle’s suspicions postgame about avoiding the dreaded high-ankle sprain.

On Wednesday, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said Kittle won’t practice, but “He’s got a chance, so we’re not ruling him out.”

Shanahan also said the hip-drop tackle against Kittle wasn’t as obvious as Ricky Pearsall’s the week prior, but added that it was debatable.

Kittle falls under one of the few players on the roster who could not practice all week and still suit up Sunday night against the Chicago Bears.

Linebacker Tatum Bethune isn’t on the injury report. Shanahan said, “He is good to go. Yeah, he did zing it like people do on high-ankle sprains, but felt good the last two days. That’s why he wasn’t on the injury report.”

Edge rusher Yetur Gross-Matos isn’t practicing, but that’s “just maintenance from the same thing all year,” according to Shanahan.

Cornerback Renardo Green and wide receiver Ricky Pearsall will be listed as limited. Here’s what Shanahan said “I’m sure he’ll be able to do most today. We’re going half-speed and everything, so yeah, that makes it a little easier on him.”

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/san-fr...ers-george-kittle-ricky-pearsallrenardo-green

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Golden Nuggets: All I want from Santa this year is a new ankle (for Fred Warner)

49ers minutia minute: Young safeties bounce back; CJ West has his best game (paywall)
“General manager John Lynch must have liked this sight: His rookie defensive tackles, Collins and West, not only got their first sacks of the season, but both were on the field when the other got his sack (and were the first to congratulate the other). West, a fourth-round pick, had his best game of the season in leading the team with four quarterback pressures — one sack and three hurries.

Gross-Matos’ 18 snaps were in keeping with what he averaged early in the season before going on injured reserve. He deserves an assist on West’s sack, considering his quick get-off from the right defensive end spot forced Philip Rivers to step forward and into West….Stout was around the ball a lot in Indianapolis, finishing with six tackles and two pass breakups. With Rivers mostly sticking to shorter throws over the middle, he targeted Stout eight times, completing four attempts for 45 yards. Luter, substituting for starter Renardo Green (neck), gave up three catches on three targets, including a touchdown.“

49ers game review: How Dee Winters turned ‘53 Orlando Right’ into a pick-six (paywall)
“Rivers, in shotgun, regularly surveyed a Niners defense featuring nine starters who had fewer than 30 career starts and made play calls just before the snap. At times, Rivers called a play at the line of scrimmage when Indianapolis was in no-huddle mode. Before other snaps, Rivers audibled, changing the play called in the huddle, often after he sent a player in motion to see if the 49ers were in zone coverage or were playing man-to-man.

Twelve days after Rivers signed with the Colts, ending a layoff of nearly five years, the head coach at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Ala., spent much of the evening pointing to get his new teammates correctly positioned. And he did so after screaming calls that television viewers could easily hear with the home crowd hushed to let the future Hall of Fame conductor do his work.“

49ers overreactions: Does Christian McCaffrey belong in NFL MVP conversation?
“McCaffrey is showing his value to the team. He rarely played last season, and the 49ers finished 6-11. This season, he rarely comes off the field and the 49ers have 11 victories with two games remaining in the regular season.

Coincidence? Nope.

He is that valuable to the team.

McCaffrey probably is not in the NFL MVP conversation because that award seems to always go to a quarterback. Matthew Stafford, Drake Maye and Josh Allen are considered the front-runners.

While there is no denying just how important he is to the 49ers, the best chance McCaffrey has to earn some hardware is probably as the favorite for NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year.“

Luke Gifford’s first Pro Bowl nod emblematic of the 49ers’ special teams success
“Gifford leads the 49ers with 19 tackles on special teams. Long snapper Jon Weeks also was selected to the Pro Bowl, and return specialist Skyy Moore is listed as an alternate.

Gifford gave credit to his teammates, notably Siran Neal, as well as the 49ers’ winning record, for his individual accomplishment.

“The only reason that I got the recognition that I did is because of the guys around me,” Gifford said. “Siran easily could have been in the same position. So I’m just grateful for those guys, honestly. And then just being on a good team in general. That’s how this happens, so I’m extremely grateful for that.”

Brock Purdy offers a critical assessment of his five-TD performance vs. Colts
“Obviously, there were some missed throws and opportunities, and I want to score a touchdown on every drive, so I’m looking at myself like, ‘All right, how did we not convert there?’ ” Purdy said. “And it’s my decision here or there, and the interception at the end of the game, tipped ball, it was high….Just watching the film and being real with myself that I can still be better with my accuracy on certain plays and being aggressive and not second-guessing on certain plays,” Purdy said. “There are still things that I have to clean up and I just want to get better at. You don’t want it to come up in another game and another situation, so (there’s) definitely room for improvement.”

George Kittle isn’t practicing, but has chance to play in 49ers’ game vs. Bears
“Kittle is sidelined with an ankle injury, but has a chance to play this week, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said on Wednesday.

The 49ers received some encouraging news with wide receiver Ricky Pearsall cleared for limited practice on Wednesday due to knee and ankle injuries.

Cornerback Renardo Green, who also sat out Monday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts, was scheduled for limited practice.“

Fowler: 49ers have a decision to make with Trent Williams
“Could one of the greatest left tackles of all time enter free agency in March? Trent Williams is healthy this season, and it’s showing,” Fowler wrote in a feature for ESPN. “The 49ers think Williams, 37, is having one of his best months in recent memory. But his massive 2026 cap hit of $38.8 million is approaching. That’s second on the team behind pass rusher Nick Bosa ($42 million), who is 28 and unlikely to go anywhere.”

Shanahan, Saleh, Purdy preview 49ers-Bears Week 17 matchup
“Gus has been amazing. I love Gus. Just his personality, how he carries himself and how much knowledge and football he has too, which is so good for everybody. Definitely Saleh, but just for everybody in the building. Players and coaches. Saleh had a style with him. He would do these stories for like, he’d have them done in July, which always annoyed me. But, he’d have a planned-out story for all 17 weeks, they’d do PowerPoints and make guys laugh and there’s always kind of a message with it. And then the first day I let Gus speak to the team for a Ball meeting, he did the exact same type of story and for like one second I thought he was stealing Saleh’s stuff, and then I realized that Saleh stole his stuff 20 years ago I just saw Saleh first. And then one night for a team meeting, I always show film usually and football stuff, and I thought we had had enough of that I’d done earlier in the week. I asked Gus to do one of his stories and it hit, the guys loved it and we won. And then I kind of stick with things at work, and he’s undefeated doing it and I’m like .500 doing it. So, I don’t take people off when they’re on a heater. So, he’s been doing an awesome job. I think it’s nice sometimes, you do x’s and o’s all week and there’s always a message in there about football, about playing a certain way and what we want to do. But, it’s also entertaining and makes guys laugh and it’s a better bedtime story before you go to sleep to get ready to get up and play.”

Could you give an example of one of his stories? Like do they have anything to do with football?

“No. The message does, but it’s a totally random story. Like it could be about taking his son fishing when he was younger. Could be a lady getting pulled over in some town in Alabama. It could be going on a rollercoaster with your friends in some amusement park. They’re the most random stories ever which makes guys laugh, then he brings it full circle and there’s a message eventually that pertains to the game.”https://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/197469-transcripts-shanahan-preview-49ers-bears-matchup/
https://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/197455-fowler-49ers-decision-trent-williams/

https://www.nbcsportsbayarea.com/nf...ock-purdy-analysis-performance-colts/1902038/

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/san-fr...all-brock-purdy-defense-saleh-practice-report

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Inside Dee Winters’s game-sealing play vs. Colts

The San Francisco 49ers impressed offensively in their 48-27 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Monday, failing to punt for the second straight game.

While the offense was lights out, the defense remains a work in progress, as they struggled to contain Indianapolis’s offense, despite Jonathan Taylor going for only 46 yards on the ground.

However, one player who did play well on that side of the ball was Dee Winters, who had the game-sealing interception, marking his first-career pick, let alone a pick-six.

While the stats weren’t overly eye-popping (three tackles, two pass breakups, a forced fumble), Winters was flying all over the field on Monday and came up big on the interception, thanks to his film study.

“The drive previously, I kind of heard a check, and they kind of ran a little spot route the same way they did on the interception,” Winters said after the game. “And I kind of just heard the check, and I was like, ‘Man, I’m just about to just try to trust my instincts right here and make a play.’ And you know, it came up huge for us.’”

“It felt like a movie, honestly. When I caught the ball, all I heard was my heart beating, and I just saw the end zone. So, I was like, ‘Let’s go score. Why not?’”

Winters ended up taking the interception to the house to make it a three-score at 48-27 with 3:26 to go, sealing the win for the 49ers and improving their record to 11-4.

That even impressed Colts quarterback Phillip Rivers, who waited to talk with Winters after the game and praised him for pointing out the check to make the play.

“Good play, man,” Rivers said on a clip caught by NFL Films.

After the game, defensive coordinator Robert Saleh pointed out Winters’s growth, which has been encouraging.

“It kind of just happened. We’ve been doing the same stuff. This is encouraging, and you know the players are getting better. Dee has gotten to the point where he’s not thinking, he’s just watching,” Saleh said. “For him to gather the information he gathered and just know. I tell my players there are occasions in the game where you’re just going to know. You’re going to know exactly the play. That’s exactly what he did. Credit to him.”

The 49ers defense is not what’s going to carry them in the playoffs. But, if the team can make just enough clutch plays while the offense shoulders the load, they have the chance to get hot when it matters the most. Growth, like what we’re seeing from Winters, is the key to that.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/san-fr...sealing-play-indianapolis-colts-philip-rivers

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

49ers’ Keion White trade gets an update after Week 16

The San Francisco 49ers acquired Keion White in late October from the New England Patriots. The Niners sent a sixth-round pick to the Patriots, while San Francisco got a seventh-rounder along with White. That seventh-round pick was conditional, and those conditions have been met, meaning the pick is going back to the Pats.

White needed to be active for seven games with the 49ers, which happened on Monday against the Indianapolis Colts. It’s the seventh game in a row White has played since the trade. If the 49ers hadn’t activated White for the final three games of the season, then the seventh-rounder would have remained with them.

White’s role has drastically changed on the West Coast. Before the trade, White was playing roughly a third of the snaps with New England. He’s played at least 55 percent of the time with San Francisco in every game but one.

Under a new regime with the Patriots, White went from playing his natural interior spot to a full-time edge rusher. He’s playing half of his snaps on the inside under Robert Saleh. White’s pressure rate as an interior rusher jumps from 5.9 percent to 11.3 percent compared to when he’s on the edge.

The 49ers have White under contract through 2026, where his base salary is only $1.8 million. You’ll take a rotational player on a rookie deal for what amounts to a sixth-round pick. White will be even more productive playing alongside Mykel Williams and Nick Bosa once they return from injury.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/san-fr...eion-white-trade-gets-an-update-after-week-16

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Renardo Green will miss another week; Ricky Pearsall is questionable

The San Francisco 49ers’ final injury report is out. The only player ruled out who has played all season is cornerback Renardo Green, who has a neck injury. He will miss his second game in a row. Kyle Shanahan said Green made strides this week, but not enough to play in time for Sunday.

That means Darrell Luter will make his third start of the season in place of Green. Last week, Green allowed three receptions on three targets for 42 yards and a touchdown. He also had a pass breakup and should have had another if not for a terrible defensive pass interference call.

The Chicago Bears won’t have their X receiver, Rome Odunze, but will get back rookie wideout Luther Burden. We will see how Ben Johnson attacks the 49ers’ cornerbacks.

George Kittle (ankle) and Ricky Pearsall (ankle/knee) are both listed as questionable. Shanahan said Pearsall made it through the week of practice OK.

As for Kittle, Shanahan said the team will take his injury as close to game time as possible to decide whether he can play. However, Kittle said he should know by Saturday whether he can play. The 49ers’ practice squad elevations should give us a hint about Kittle’s availability.

The only other player on the injury report is quarterback Kurtis Rourke, who was ruled out.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/san-fr...s-another-week-ricky-pearsall-is-questionable

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

The 49ers will need a player to step up in the secondary again

The San Francisco 49ers have a crucial game this weekend, facing the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football at Levi’s Stadium as they look to continue their push for the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

San Francisco had a nice 49-27 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Monday, getting the victory without a couple of starters, as wide receiver Ricky Pearsall and cornerback Renardo Green were both out.

The offense didn’t skip a beat, scoring seven touchdowns and not punting for the second consecutive game. The defense, on the other hand, had its ups and downs, as Indianapolis’s offense was able to move the ball in the air. But, the complementary football led to a clear win for San Francisco, improving the team’s record to 11-4.

In Green’s absence, reserve cornerback Darrell Luter Jr. made his second start of the year, playing 100 percent of the defensive snaps at outside corner. He finished with six tackles and a pass breakup, seeing his ups and downs as he was targeted often.

Green will miss another game this weekend with a neck injury, despite being limited in practice all week. So, Luter is expected to make another start this weekend against a strong Bears offense.

What did head coach Kyle Shanahan think of his performance last weekend?

“I thought he had done a really good job,” Shanahan said on Friday. “I thought he played really well. You know, I know they got him on those PI calls. I probably disagreed with one of them. I thought it was pretty good coverage.

“And I thought he did really well in the run game. He has two big runs that got to the corner that if he don’t make that tackle, we had a really good run night, but just two runs get past him they probably have two more carries for about 55-yards and that changes the whole game. So, I thought he was a stud and very similar how he played versus Jacksonville when he came in.”

The Bears have a quality wide receiver core, but will be without Rome Odunze this weekend. They will have rookie Luther Burden III to join D.J. Moore, as well as a talented run game that could give the 49ers fits.

Head coach Ben Johnson will likely try to target Luter like the Colts did, so the 49ers defensive back will have another challenge this weekend in coverage, as well as in the run game.

The 49ers secondary hasn’t been great this year, as the cornerbacks have been inconsistent, while the safeties have seen their ups and downs as well. It hasn’t hampered the team yet, thanks to a quality offense that continues to produce at a high level. But, they’ll need to be better down the stretch, and could be tasked with some high-leverage situations against a Bears team that has thrived in close games this year.

So, Luter will have to step up once again opposite Deommodore Lenoir as San Francisco’s other boundary cornerback.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/san-fr...l-luter-start-chicago-bears-renardo-green-out

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

49ers elevate a tight end from the practice squad with George Kittle questionable

The San Francisco 49ers activated a pair of players from the practice squad. Linebacker Eric Kendricks will be on the roster for the second week in a row. Earlier in the week, Kyle Shanahan said he was happy with how Kendricks played in limited action against the Colts:

“Yeah, I was really happy with him. We wanted to be able to get him a shot, and we didn’t know how it would go. And Tatum zinged his ankle, which kind of was expected anytime you come off a high-ankle. So, he got a series off and Eric stepped in, I think it was early fourth quarter. And he looked exactly like we’d hoped he would. He is a very natural linebacker as we all know. He moved well and thought it was a really good first game for him.”

Kendricks filled in once Tatum Bethune left the game with an ankle injury, but Bethune was not listed on the injury report this week and was a full participant in each practice. Kendricks played 16 special teams snaps in Week 16.

Tight end Brayden Willis was also activated from the practice squad. George Kittle didn’t practice all week with an ankle injury and is officially questionable. If Kittle can’t play, we’ll likely see Luke Farrell, Jake Tonges, and Kyle Juszczyk all attempt to fill the void of the 49ers’ superstar tight end.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/san-fr...ractice-squad-with-george-kittle-questionable

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

3 numbers to know for the 49ers-Bears: Tonight is all about turnovers and takeaways

The San Francisco 49ers look to continue their push for the No. 1 seed in the NFC on Sunday night with their most unique challenge of the season against the Chicago Bears.

The 49ers are coming off a rousing 48-27 Monday night victory against the Indianapolis Colts and look to continue that momentum into their Sunday night tilt against Chicago. While last week they faced the league’s oldest quarterback, this week they face one of the better up-and-coming quarterbacks, Caleb Williams.

While the 49ers dominated the Bears last season with a Week 14 38-13 victory, the 2025 Bears are significantly different behind first-year head coach Ben Johnson.

This week’s numbers to know center around the turnover battle, and whoever wins it on Sunday could come out the winner of this highly contested NFC matchup:

31

The Bears’ defense has forced 31 turnovers this season, the most in the league.

Chicago’s defense is rather pedestrian in specific stat categories, like ranking 18th in passing yards allowed, 25th in rushing yards allowed, and 24th in scoring percentage allowed. But the turnover has been the great equalizer for the Monsters of the Midway.

The Chicago defense has forced a turnover in 13 of its 15 games this season, and at least two in nine of those 13. The last time Chicago’s defense went an entire game without a turnover was back in October during their Week 8 loss to the Ravens. Since then, they’ve forced a turnover in each of their last eight games, going 7-1 in that stretch, with the long loss coming a few weeks ago in Green Bay.

The driving force behind the Bears’ turnovers has been interceptions. Twenty-one of the teams’ 31 turnovers have come by way of the interception. Chicago’s defense features three players in the top three of interceptions in the league, with each player at a different position. Safety Kevin Byard leads the league with his six interceptions, with his most interceptions coming on Black Friday against the Eagles. Behind him is cornerback Nashon Wright, tied with three other players with five interceptions, and linebacker Tremaine Edwards, tied with ten different players with four interceptions.

The 49ers have had a slight turnover problem this season, with their 13.2 turnover percentage fifth-highest entering Week 16. While Brock Purdy does have three multi-interception games in his seven starts this season, he’s settled down in recent weeks, throwing just one pick over his last three games since throwing three interceptions against Carolina.

San Francisco’s offense has plenty of firepower to handle the Bears’ defense. But if the turnovers rear their ugly head once again, that’s only going to cause issues for the 49ers.

10

The Bears’ offense has turned the ball over 10 times, the fewest in the league.

While the Bears’ defense has been forcing turnovers, the offense has been making few mistakes, and that combination has been the most significant factor in Chicago’s 11-4 record.

Early in the season, the Bears had some issues with turnovers, committing six in their first seven games, but things have settled down, with just four over their last eight games. That stretch also includes zero turnovers in five of those eight games and none in their previous two.

The driving force in the lack of turnovers has been quarterback Caleb Williams, who, like in his rookie season, hasn’t been prone to interceptions. His six interceptions thrown this season are tied for the second fewest for quarterbacks with at least 350 pass attempts. That translates to a 1.2 interception percentage for the second-year quarterback, good for the third-best percentage of qualified quarterbacks, and just about on pace with his rookie season interception rate.

While his interception rate is just about the same as his rookie season, he’s already seen a percentage increase in his touchdown rate from last season, a trend Bears fans would like to see continue.

Forcing turnovers hasn’t been the 49ers’ defense’s forte this season, creating an issue facing the Bears’ offense. San Francisco has forced 16 turnovers this season, ranking 21st. But only six of those 16 turnovers have come via the interception, ranking 28th in the league. The good news, however, is that the majority of those turnovers have come in recent weeks. After only forcing seven turnovers over their first 10 games of the season, the 49ers have forced nine turnovers in their last five games, with the Week 15 game against Tennessee being the only one without a turnover over that stretch.

Chicago doesn’t turn the ball over, while the 49ers have been heating up in forcing turnovers, a trend the 49er Faithful hopes continues on Sunday night.

5

Five of Caleb Williams’ six interceptions have come when he’s been kept clean in the pocket, according to Pro Football Focus.

Maybe this is grasping at straws, but the 49ers’ lack of a pass rush might actually help them on Sunday night. Williams excels when plays break down, and he can improvise behind the line of scrimmage. But he’s been more prone to interceptions when things are kept under structure, something that will likely happen plenty on Sunday with the Bears’ excellent offensive line and the 49ers’ subpar pass rush.

Now, this isn’t foolproof whatsoever, as 17 of Williams’ 23 touchdowns have come while he’s kept clean, but he throws interceptions at a higher rate when he’s not facing pressure. His five interceptions while kept clean have come on 359 dropbacks, which is a 1.4 interception rate, while he’s only thrown one interception on 197 dropbacks where he’s been under pressure, a rate of 0.5 percent. It’s not a huge difference, but it’s notable.

This trend continues in his blitzed-versus-not-blitzed numbers. Four of his six interceptions have come when the defense sends four or fewer rushers, a rate of 1.1 percent on 352 dropbacks, while he’s thrown two interceptions when blitzed, a rate of 1.0 percent. Much closer than his pressure-versus-kept clean rate, but still interesting that he’s safer with the ball when he’s rushed to decide against when things stay within the structure.

Williams is likely to face little resistance at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday, with the 49ers near the bottom of the league in pressure rates, according to Pro Football Reference. San Francisco blitzes at a 17.7 percent rate, with only the vaunted Cincinnati defense sending an extra pass rusher or two at a lower rate. With the lack of blitzes, the 49ers’ defense ranks 26th in hurry percentage (6.3 percent), 29th in quarterback knockdown percentage (6.6 percent), and 31st in pressure rate (15.6 percent), meaning Williams will have plenty of time to make decisions (and maybe mistakes).

The lack of a San Francisco pass rush has hindered the 49ers’ defense all season, but it could help Robert Saleh and company against Williams on Sunday night.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/san-fr...he-49ers-bears-tonight-is-all-about-turnovers

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

49ers-Bears game thread: Which defense will get the most stops?

There will be no shortage of scoring between the San Francisco 49ers and the Chicago Bears on Sunday night football. The Niners offense has been the second-most explosive in the NFL since Brock Purdy returned to the lineup in Week 10. During that same stretch, the Chicago Bears have been impressive in their own right.

The 49ers will be without George Kittle, who has been arguably one of the most important players in the NFL this season. Ricky Pearsall will help supplement the loss of Kittle, but to what extent is what we will find out. Having Christian McCaffrey as an option certainly won’t hurt.

How many stops can the 49ers get defensively? If Kyle Shanahan can get over on Dennis Allen schematically like we think he can, it shouldn’t take more than two in a half. A turnover will be plenty.

This also feels like a game where the Niners’ special teams can make a difference, especially if they can generate a big return.

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Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/san-fr...-thread-which-defense-will-get-the-most-stops

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

You can’t tell the story of the 49ers in 2025 without mentioning Jake Tonges

The San Francisco 49ers survived their Sunday night tilt against the Chicago Bears by a score of 42-38 in an offensive slugfest that came down to the Bears’ offense simply running out of time.

The game started with Brock Purdy and the 49ers’ offense spotting Chicago the first seven points, and from there it came down to who could make the big defensive stop at the right time. That turned out to be San Francisco, holding Chicago to a fourth-quarter field goal.

But, like last Monday night against the Colts, the 49ers’ defense looked very beatable, and it took a superhuman performance by the offense to keep San Francisco’s hopes for the No. 1 seed alive. And because of that performance, all three stars from Sunday night again belong to the offense:

Third star: TE Jake Tonges

In a development that basically anybody could have predicted at the start of the season, you can’t tell the story of the 2025 49ers without mentioning Jake Tonges.

It came out early on Sunday morning that the 49ers would be without George Kittle, putting Tonges in the starting lineup, and he did not miss his opportunity. He wasted little time making an impact, being Purdy’s first completion to a player in red, an 18-yard catch on third-and-7 to extend the 49ers’ second drive.

His second catch would go for eight yards, but two plays later, he’d end that second drive with his first touchdown since Week 8, to tie the game early on at seven.

When it was all said and done, Tonges led the 49ers in targets with nine and receptions with seven, totalling 60 yards and setting a new career-high. While he did haul in the touchdown, his biggest catch of the game went for only seven yards, but the timing was crucial.

With the 49ers trailing by three points and nearing the four-minute mark of the fourth quarter, the offense faced a third-and-6 at their own 29-yard line. Tonges was able to get open in the flat but caught the ball short of the first down marker. A shifty move got him just enough space from Bears’ linebacker T.J. Edwards to barely get the ball over the line to extend what would be the 49ers’ final drive.

Five plays later, the 49ers scored what proved to be the game-winning touchdown.

It’s been 16 weeks since Tonges has been seen on this list, but his performance in relief of Kittle, who frequents here, marks his triumphant return to our three stars.

Second star: RB Christian McCaffrey

After 14 weeks of high volume, low output rushing attempts, it’s finally felt like Christian McCaffrey has returned to form on the ground in the last two games.

After averaging 3.6 yards per attempt over his first 14 games of the season, McCaffrey’s production has spiked to 5.84 over his last two games. Sunday night felt like a promising continuation to his big Monday night game, torching the Bears’ defense to the tune of 140 yards on 23 attempts with a rushing touchdown.

And it finally feels the big run has re-entered the already deep repertoire that McCaffrey has. The running back entered last Monday night with six rushes of 15 or more yards. In his previous two games, McCaffrey has five such runs, nearly doubling his total with three more tonight.

No run was more impactful than the season-long 41-yard burst he ripped in the first quarter. Right after the NBC broadcast showed a graphic of McCaffrey cleaning a bathroom window in his pursuit of a second 1,000/1,000 season (for whatever reason), McCaffrey took a handoff and made a quick cut to get past defensive lineman Gervon Dexter to create some space. He then made a cut to get towards the sideline, blowing past the outstretched arms of cornerback Nahshon Wright. From there, it came down to whether any Chicago defender had the angle to stop McCaffrey from getting to the endzone. Unfortunately for McCaffrey, Jaylon Johnson had that angle, forcing McCaffrey off the sideline where multiple Bears defenders would make the stop after a 41–yard gain.

Two plays later, the 49ers would score to take a 14-7 lead.

It seems McCaffrey is finding that 2023 running game form he’s been missing this season, and it shouldn’t be seen as a coincidence that the 49ers have had their two highest scoring outputs of the season in the last two weeks when he’s consistently getting chunk gains on the ground.

First star: QB Brock Purdy

A pick-six on the first play of the game for the 49ers offense created an ominous start for Brock Purdy, but that was more of a blip on the radar for the game the quarterback put together on Sunday night.

Purdy settled down quickly after the opening play miscue, completing five of seven passes, including the 18-yard pass to Tonges and the 25-yard pass to Kendrick Bourne on the next drive, ending with a touchdown to wipe the mistake off the board rapidly.

It should have been tough for Purdy to follow up on his five-touchdown game against Indianapolis, but another five-touchdown game just so happens to do the trick. But instead of five passing scores, Purdy had a decent mix of scores, becoming the first 49ers quarterback since Colin Kaepernick in 2012 to have two passing and two rushing touchdowns in the same game.

He opened the game with a touchdown to Tonges, but his legs accounted for three of his five touchdowns. After a Brian Robinson 15-yard run followed by the McCaffrey 41-yard run, Purdy decided it was his turn to use his legs, scrambling for a 10-yard score to end the three-play drive, giving the 49ers a seven-point lead. A couple of drives later, Purdy would finish a 15-play drive with an option keeper, giving him his second rushing touchdown of the game, this time from three yards out.

But Purdy’s legs are what made his second passing touchdown possible, and it might have been the play of Purdy’s season. Facing a third-and-goal in a tie game late in the third quarter, a play-action pass to Robinson found Purdy scrambling to his left. With Austin Booker in his face, Purdy attempted a pump fake to no avail. Andrew Billings joined Booker in pursuit of the quarterback, but Purdy somehow slipped his way past both defensive linemen, giving him enough time to look up and find Kyle Juszczyk wide open in the front corner of the endzone, giving the 49ers a 35-28 lead.

If that’s not enough, Purdy was nails when the 49ers needed him most. Trailing 42-38 with five minutes remaining, Purdy went four-for-five with an 18-yard pass to McCaffrey and hit Jauan Jennings in stride and in space, giving the 49ers the game-winning 38-yard score, driving the final bullet into the Bears in Sunday’s shootout.

Purdy is playing the best ball of his career, and even more impressively, it’s coming after he missed eight games with his toe injury. And the timing couldn’t be any more perfect, with a date with the Seahawks coming up to decide the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

Throughout the season, I will track the three stars of the season, tallying points for each star award using a complex scoring system: three points for being the first star, two for the second, and one for the third. Through Week 17, the standings are:

1. RB Christian McCaffrey – 17 points
2. LB Fred Warner – 11 points
3. TE George Kittle – 11 points
4. QB Brock Purdy – 11 points

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/genera...-49ers-in-2025-without-mentioning-jake-tonges

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Rams-Falcons game thread: The Rams can only get as high as the fifth seed

The Los Angeles Rams looked like the sure-fire No. 1 seed a few short weeks ago. But with one game left in Week 17, they have fallen to the sixth seed and third in the NFC West Standings.

The Rams travel to Atlanta to take on the Falcons on Monday night. Kirk Cousins looks to win his third game in a row. If the Falcons are slightly competitive and care about this game, they should be able to score on the Rams.

This defense gave up 38 to the Seahawks last week and 34 to the Lions the week prior. In Week 13, the Panthers scored 31 against them. It’s not a good defense, and that’s been true for much of the season.

Whether the Rams win or lose, they’ll remain the sixth seed and be slated to face the Eagles. A win tonight and next week against the Cardinals, and the Rams could move up to the fifth seed. A loss to either and they are stuck in the sixth seed.

For much of the season, the Rams were the team that everybody thought would cruise to a Super Bowl win. Now, they’ll need to go on the road for multiple games in the playoffs.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/san-fr...e-rams-can-only-get-as-high-as-the-fifth-seed

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

3 quick takeaways from the 49ers thriller win over the Bears: Offense, Offense, Offense

The San Francisco 49ers beat the Chicago Bears in a thriller on Sunday night, winning on the final play of scrimmage with a defensive stand to keep their No. 1 seed hopes alive heading into Week 18.

It was a shootout from the start, as the score was 14 apiece after one quarter and 28-21 at halftime. The 49ers punted just once on their first eight drives after not punting in their previous two games, but they couldn’t fester many stops in the high-scoring affair.

Ultimately, a goal-line stand got them the win and the 49ers improved to 12-4 with the No. 1 seed on the line next weekend against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium.

Here are three quick takeaways from the 49ers 42-38 win over the Bears on Sunday.

Purdy leads efficient offense

The 49ers offense has been on a tear since Brock Purdy returned to the starting lineup, averaging 35.7 points per game, good for best in the NFL during that stretch.

That continued on Sunday, as the 49ers had six touchdown drives, bouncing back from a Brock Purdy pick-six on the first play of the game to win a big one.

Purdy had another highlight performance, throwing for 303 yards and totaling five touchdowns, while making a number of incredible plays. He was especially dialed in on throws over the middle as Kyle Shanahan exploited the Bears defense, throwing with high accuracy.

Purdy has had a few heaters during his career, but he’s arguably playing the best football of his career right now. Here are his stat lines from the past three weeks:

Week 15 vs. Tennessee: 295 passing yards, three touchdowns, zero interceptions, 76.7 percent completion rate, 9.8 yards per attempt

Week 16 vs. Indianapolis: 295 passing yards, five touchdowns, one interception, 73.5 percent completion rate, 8.7 yards per attempt

Week 17 vs. Chicago: 303 passing yards, five touchdowns, one interception, 72.7 percent completion rate, 9.2 yards per attempt

The 49ers are generating explosives at a high level, being efficient on offense, and deadly in the red zone. We’ve seen several different versions of Purdy, but the current one is protecting the football well enough, while making enough off-schedule plays to elevate the 49ers to one of the best offenses in the NFL.

The best part? The offense is playing their best football at the right time, even with injuries to skill position players (Ricky Pearsall, George Kittle).

Run game thrives

I wrote in my keys to the game that San Francisco needed to continue its focus on the run game, which has started to see some growth as of late.

They had a pristine matchup there, as the Bears came into Sunday as one of the worst rush defenses in the NFL. Well, Christian McCaffrey went for a season-high 140 yards on 6.1 yards per carry, while the 49ers had 200 rushing yards as a whole on just 34 attempts.

If the run game can flow with the passing game, the 49ers offense is nearly unstoppable. That was the case on Sunday. San Francisco scored touchdowns on six of its nine drives (not including drive to end the half).

Defense remains a big question mark

The 49ers defense hasn’t been good. They’ve struggled on the backend, aren’t generating much pressure, and also have issues against the run game.

There were quite a few missed tackles, especially from the team’s safeties, on Sunday, as the 49ers gave up 440 yards of offense while failing to force a turnover.

We’re seeing the path for San Francisco to win: they need their offense to come out strong and play at a very efficient level against top teams. Defensively, the 49ers need just a few key plays to go their way, but they just don’t have the personnel right now to be a force.

Things aren’t going to get easier the rest of the way. The Seahawks have a quality, efficient offense, while nearly every NFC playoff team is a top-tier offense. So, the 49ers are going to have to ride their offense the rest of the way.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/san-fr...s-win-chicago-bears-brock-purdy-kyle-shanahan

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

49ers injury report: Christian McCaffrey has a stiff back; George Kittle will be limited

Here is the San Francisco 49ers’ first injury report of the week with a Saturday game.

Starting with the players who won’t practice:

Keion White (groin)

Trent Williams (hamstring)

Kyle Juszczyk (hip)

Christian McCaffrey (back)

Limited:

Upton Stout (protocol)

George Kittle (ankle)

Ricky Pearsall (knee/ankle)

Yetur Gross-Matos (knee)

Kyle Shanahan said cornerback Renardo Green will practice in full after missing the previous two weeks with a neck injury.

McCaffrey was getting his back looked at during the game on Sunday night. Shanahan said McCaffrey’s back is stiff. Shanahan said McCaffrey has been battling a back injury up to the game as of two weeks ago. So, the Titans game: “I know he battled it hard that week. Hadn’t heard about it since. So, it might have stiffened up since. I know it was sore from Sunday night. That’s why we got him on here today.”

As for Trent Williams, “We’re not sure how long. Giving it a shot for this week. So, we’ll see.” Shanahan said Austen Pleasants, Williams’ replacement, played “good enough for us to win.”

With a short week and a quick turnaround, it’s safe to say the 49ers won’t have very physical practices this week. The team isn’t practicing until 5 p.m. PT on Tuesday and Wednesday. Part of that is to get the body clock right for a primetime game on Saturday. The other reason is to squeeze as much sleep recovery and treatment in as possible.

Shanahan said they are having to change quite a bit of the routine this week due to the Saturday schedule, from allowing players to arrive later to cutting some meeting time.

When Shanahan was asked if we can assume Kittle would play this week because he’s listed as limited, Shanahan said, “I wouldn’t assume that. We’re barely moving today. It’s a walkthrough, so the short week we got, we won’t really do much all week.”

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/san-fr...as-a-stiff-back-george-kittle-will-be-limited

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

49ers-Seahawks odds: Oddsmakers have no idea what to do with this game

The San Francisco 49ers have their second short week in a row as they prepare for the Seattle Seahawks in Week 18. The winner gets the No. 1 seed and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs.

The bye week would greatly benefit the 49ers. While it’s a long shot that Fred Warner returns this year, it would give Trent Williams and George Kittle an extra week to get close to 100 percent. It’d also mean you are one game closer to a Super Bowl, and you avoid the chaos that could happen in the Wild Card round.

But first things first, and that’s the Seahawks. The good news for the 49ers, no matter who has played, is that they are 5-0 on primetime this season. This will be their most difficult challenge to date.

San Francisco opened up as the short favorites on FanDuel Sportsbook. The Seahawks have flipped to favorites, but the move is hardly substantial. Going from -1.5 to +1.5 doesn’t mean much. The money line went from -108 to -104 for the 49ers. Four cents overnight is telling you nobody knows what to do with this game.

We have another sky-high total. The 49ers have been soaring over their totals during their six-game winning streak. The regular season finale is set at 49.5. While that’s a normal total for the 49ers, it’s the highest total for Seattle since they played the Rams on November 16. Going back to October 20, the Seahawks have had projected totals of 42.5 or lower six times.

Since week 11, the 49ers’ offense is second in epa per play and third in success rate. During that same stretch, the Seahawks are 21st in EPA per play and 10th in success rate. Sam Darnold isn’t generating the big play and is being forced to win on a down-by-down basis. It’s not happening, which is why the totals have been low.

The Niners’ defense has been in the giving mood. Their defense isn’t anywhere near Seattle’s, but an average defense will get the job done when your offense is as potent as San Francisco’s. The 49ers’ defense sits at 15th in EPA per play but drops to 24th in success rate defensively, while Seattle is second in both stats.

We know what we’re getting from the 49ers offense and the Seahawks defense, but the variance on the other side of the ball makes this game unpredictable, which is why oddsmakers have this as a coin flip.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/san-fr...makers-have-no-idea-what-to-do-with-this-game

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

How will the 49ers weekly schedule change amid another short week?

The San Francisco 49ers will play for the NFC West division title and the conference’s No. 1 seed on Saturday when they face the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium in a long-awaited rematch.

The 49ers have been on a roll, winning six games in a row to clinch a playoff berth and keep themselves alive in the NFC West race.

However, they’ve been dealt a tough hand over the last two weeks. In Week 16, the 49ers beat the Indianapolis Colts on Monday Night Football, but had one less day of rest when facing the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night in Week 17.

Now, for the second straight week, the 49ers are going to be one day of rest short, just like the Seahawks, in the important matchup. Looking at the schedule, it made sense to place the 49ers on Sunday Night Football, given the rest factor. But the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens got that slot, despite the latter playing on Saturday last week.

Nonetheless, the 49ers will be on short rest once again, which means some changes to the team’s practice schedule.

“Oh yeah, almost everything [will be different] as far as full speed and stuff,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said about the team’s practice schedule. “We change our schedules up just playing late, not having as much recovery. So, we let them sleep different so we take out some meeting time to gain that. We let them come in a little bit later, but we try to get them out at the same time, so we knock off some meetings and things like that. And obviously, the on-field stuff changes. We had the big adjustment last week with the Monday night game and Christmas. So, it’s the same schedule this week.”

Now, with the deterrents, the 49ers aren’t shying away from their main goal, which is to clinch the No. 1 seed with a win. What would that mean for San Francisco?

“Yeah, I mean it’s one, it’s nice to rest guys, help guys recover and stuff, which is always good,” Shanahan continued. “But, I think the simplest way to say it is, I mean everyone’s goal is to win a Super Bowl, and in order to do that, I would say it’s easier to win three games than four games.

“You’d always rather play at home, no doubt about it. I think in football, out of all sports, home-field advantage is the biggest advantage because I think crowd noise truly affects the game in terms of pass rush and things like that. But, the main thing is just it’s one less game. I’d love to be home. That’s our goal. If that doesn’t work out, we’re excited to go on the road too.”

The 49ers are on a short week again, which means light practices, so the injury report will have to be monitored heading into the weekend. Can they pull off another home win against a playoff team to anoint themselves as the No. 1 seed in the conference? We’ll see.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/san-fr...hedule-changes-a-lot-seattle-seahawks-week-18

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Golden Nuggets: 2026 is already looking brighter than 2025

49ers offense sizzles while Seahawks’ Sam Darnold sputters: Week 17 film review (paywall)
“The 49ers are still a two-back team, but they aren’t lining up in a typical I-formation with fullback Kyle Juszczyk lining up behind Purdy. One of their most effective formations has been the flex with a tight end and Juszczyk lined up off the ball. When Juszczyk goes into motion, he can either keep going and lead block to the strong side, pull up and insert to the weak side or reverse field and lead on a toss to the weak-side perimeter. The 49ers have shown all this on film, so defenses must be ready for every possibility when he’s in motion.”

49ers’ Austen Pleasants, onetime pizza-delivery man, is improbably back in the game (paywall)
“The story: Not only has Pleasants worked for six teams, three of them twice, since he entered the NFL in 2020 as an undrafted free agent from Ohio University, he’s been forced to pick up other jobs. In 2021, during his first period of football unemployment, the physical education major was a teacher’s aide at Dawson-Bryant Middle School in his hometown of Coal Grove, Ohio, while also working at Giovanni’s Pizza, delivering the “Hawaiian” and “Pepperoni Pounder.”

49ers injury update: George Kittle ‘absolutely’ expects to play vs. Seahawks in Week 18
“”We obviously got to get through the week, but I’d be very surprised if George wasn’t out there,” Lynch said.”

49ers vs. Seahawks injury report: 2 players miss Wednesday’s practice
“Williams exited on the first offensive play against the Bears due to a hamstring injury and did not return. His status for Saturday remains uncertain. White is working through a groin injury sustained in the same game.”

Saleh, Kubiak, Purdy preview 49ers-Seahawks Week 18 matchup
“After the game on Sunday, DB Deommodore Lenoir said he wanted to shadow Seattle Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba. A couple of years ago, Indianapolis Colts CB Charvarius Ward did that here. What are the strengths and weaknesses, the positives and negatives of doing something like that from a schematic standpoint?

“That’s a good question. All right. We can go long on this one, but the reality is it’s easy for the guy who travels, right? I got that guy. I’m going to travel wherever I want. But, we’re a zone-based defense, right? So, if it was man coverage, easy for him, but then it is a little bit more difficult for the other guys. Like, how does everybody else align? Do you go match where everyone just picks a number? What if that number’s not on the field? Do you pick a different number? Or is it, alright, we’re all going to align off of DMo? And what if DMo’s in the slot? Does that put the nickel out on number one where he’s not used to being? So, techniques change within your man principles because now you’re in different locations. Alright, now put yourself in zone. You’re trying to match up where he is and you’re matching up now DMo’s in the slot. Does that mean [CB] Upton’s [Stout] now playing corner third, which he hasn’t done all year? And so, there are a lot of new techniques that you’re going to ask a guy to do. It’s very expensive, not for the guy traveling, but for the guys not traveling, if that makes sense. Now, can it be done? Of course it can be done. Do we have it in our inventory? Absolutely. Can we? Maybe. So, we’ll see.”

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/san-fr...rey-john-lynch-practice-rain-weather-forecast

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

What is the magic number for the 49ers offense in the playoffs this year?

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Niners fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

We talked about the issues with the San Francisco 49ers’ defense earlier on Wednesday and how that’s been an issue for over two months. The defense just needs to be average. Competent. Serviceable.

That’s because the offense has been scoring on anybody and everybody in their way. The Bears scored 38 points, and that was not enough to win. The Colts dropped 27 and lost by 21. The Titans put up an admirable fight, finding a way to get 24 points. They were still two touchdowns short of a victory.

Today’s question of the day asks what the 49ers’ magic number is come playoff time. How many points will the 49ers need to score in the postseason to win? For a comfortable win? Obviously, it’s a matchup-based league. But there aren’t many situations where the Niners won’t have the advantage.

These are your options. Let us know if there is a different number in the comments.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/san-fr...r-the-49ers-offense-in-the-playoffs-this-year

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

49ers final injury report: Kyle Shanahan explains how Trent Williams can play on Saturday

Here’s a look at the San Francisco 49ers’ final injury report of the regular season for Week 18 against the Seattle Seahawks:

Questionable –
Edge rusher Keion White (groin)
LT Trent Williams (hamstring)
Nickel Upton Stout (concussion)
TE George Kittle (ankle)
WR Ricky Pearsall (knee/ankle)

Shanahan said Williams has “made good progress,” despite not practicing all week. The reporters in the locker room said Williams was not moving around well in the locker room.

Shanahan was asked how you thread the needle in a situation where it’s a do-or-die game, but there’s also a playoff game ahead:

“It needs to be possible, based off the doctors. It’s got to be more on what Trent tells me. I definitely don’t want to lose any players for the following week, knowing we’re in the playoffs.”

“I also look at it when you’re playing one less playoff game, you can look at that like a playoff game. I know it’s not over if we lose, but you still got to go play a game the next week on the road if you lose. We can completely avoid that by winning. I see this as a playoff game too. I don’t look at it like, ‘Maybe if you lose, you won’t have him next week.‘ I look at it as simple as, if the doctors OK it, and Trent believes he can do it and get through it, then there’s no decision on my part. We’ll definitely have him up.”

Shanahan believes it’s been beneficial for Austen Pleasants to practice every Wednesday with the first team. It’ll be Pleasants’ first start of the season in the biggest game of the year if Williams can’t play.

Stout was limited during the first two days but listed as a full participant on Thursday. Because he hasn’t officially cleared the concussion protocol, he’s listed as questionable.

Kittle said he expects to play earlier in the week.

Pearsall was listed as limited all week. Shanahan mentioned earlier in the week that Pearsall “zinged” his injury on the first play of the Bears game, but managed to make it through. Getting him and Kittle on the field against a defense like Seattle will be much-needed.

Kyle Juszczyk went from not practicing to being limited to a full participant with his hip injury. The same is true for Christian McCaffrey, who initially had a stiff back on Wednesday.

Shanahan said the team didn’t have a full-speed rep all week for the first time besides the Thursday night game. That was the plan to help some of the players who were banged up, like Juszczyk and McCaffrey, but also having three games in 13 days, it was needed for the entire team.

Edge rusher Yetur Gross-Matos didn’t practice on Thursday. He does not have an injury designation. Cornerback Renardo Green was a full participant all week and is not listed on the injury report.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/san-fr...lains-how-trent-williams-can-play-on-saturday

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Robert Saleh breaks down challenging of shadowing star receivers

The San Francisco 49ers take on the Seattle Seahawks in a battle for the No. 1 seed on Saturday Night at Levi’s Stadium, with the loser being either the No. 5 or No. 6 seed in the NFC.

For the 49ers, their offense has been rolling since Brock Purdy returned from a toe injury. But, their defense has been a real issue. Now, they have the tough task of defending Jaxon Smith-Ngijba, who has been a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses in the slot, on Saturday.

Earlier this week, cornerback Deommodore Lenoir publicly shared his desire to shadow Smith-Ngijba throughout the game, which Kyle Shanahan said speaks to his competitive nature.

“Hopefully I get to shadow JSN,” Lenoir told reporters. “I’m ready for this. I hope he ready. Man to man coverage me and him. That’s what I want.”

San Francisco has shadowed receivers in the past, notably allowing Charvarius Ward to travel with some No. 1 receivers. But, will the 49ers actually do that on Saturday? Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh shed some light on the topic, revealing the challenges that shadowing a receiver provides.

“The reality is it’s easy for the guy who travels,” Saleh said about a corner shadowing a wide receiver. “I got that guy. I’m going to travel wherever I want. But, we’re a zone-based defense, right? So, if it was man coverage, easy for him, but then it is a little bit more difficult for the other guys. Like, how does everybody else align? Do you go match where everyone just picks a number? What if that number’s not on the field? Do you pick a different number? Or is it, alright, we’re all going to align off of DMo? And what if DMo’s in the slot? Does that put the nickel out on number one where he’s not used to being?

“So, techniques change within your man principles because now you’re in different locations. Alright, now put yourself in zone. You’re trying to match up where he is, and you’re matching up now DMo’s in the slot. Does that mean Upton [Stout’s] now playing corner third, which he hasn’t done all year? And so, there are a lot of new techniques that you’re going to ask a guy to do. It’s very expensive, not for the guy traveling, but for the guys not traveling, if that makes sense. Now, can it be done? Of course, it can be done. Do we have it in our inventory? Absolutely. Can we? Maybe. So, we’ll see.”

That’s a very detailed and understandable answer to Saleh, which explains why it’s so tough to shadow receivers. With how young and mistake-prone the 49ers defense has been, it probably doesn’t make sense to add even more responsibility in a game like Saturday’s. In addition, while Smith-Ngijba isn’t exclusively a slot receiver, the Seahawks may attack that matchup against Stout, as Lenoir is not a slot cornerback.

So, if he were to travel, that changes up a ton of things on the outside as well. The 49ers did a good job containing the Seahawks offense back in Week 1, but that was a long time ago and both teams have evolved since then. We’ll see what gameplan Saleh has, but it doesn’t seem like shadowing is in the cards.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/san-fr...eommodore-lenoir-shadowing-jaxon-smith-ngijba