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Which version of the 49ers will we see today? The offense that came out in the second half last Sunday night or unit that has started slowly in each of the past two weeks? San Francisco matches up well against Seattle, perhaps even better than versus the Packers.
Maurice Hurst was activated from the injured reserve. He should give the defense some much-needed interior pressure and allow players like Javon Kinlaw to play fewer than 70% of the snaps to keep him fresh.
49ers news: Kyle Shanahan gets brutally honest on Kerry Hyder, DJ Reed’s Seahawks move
“They are playing real good,” Shanahan said, via NBC Sports. “Those are two guys that … it’s hard for me to see them in a Seahawk uniform because those are two guys I love and respect a lot. Kerry and DJ, they are good players, but it’s the way they play that is special. Those guys fight every single down, whether it’s practice, whether it’s games, whether it’s preseason.”
“They only know one way and that’s why they are making a name for themselves out there,” Shanahan furthered. “And DJ’s done a hell of a job getting in there and owning that role and playing at a high level. He’s going to be a challenge for us. Wish he was still here, but he’s not, so we’re going to have to get after him.”
Why isn’t the 49ers’ running game working?
George Kittle immediately after the loss: “They were loading the box. Did all they could do to take away our double teams. They had set up the defense to let us get our double team, but then they’re setting the edge with two guys, so there’s not really much you can do there. I trust in [head] coach [Kyle] Shanahan and [offensive coordinator] Mike McDaniel, they’ll get after that and they’ll figure out a way to avoid that next time. Because I’m assuming a lot of defenses are going to try to do that because they did a good job of eliminating our outside zone.”
Translation: We had no schematic answer for the defensive fronts the Packers showed. There was nothing more the players could do. The coaches need to find a solution.
Jimmy Garoppolo on Wednesday: “You scout things, the coaches do a great job all week of that and the game comes and you’ve got to react to what they deal you. So it’s a bit of just executing the tough looks that maybe we didn’t plan for.”
Translation: The coaches aren’t preparing the players for the defensive fronts they’re facing during games. The players are surprised by the looks they’re facing. The coaches primarily are at fault.
John Lynch says 49ers’ Brandon Aiyuk has earned increased role
“The credit to Brandon is, he’s kept working, he put his head down and he kept working and he earned the opportunities he got the other night and made some big catches,” Lynch said Thursday on KNBR. “I think that should give him some confidence, I think confidence is important and I think chemistry with Jimmy, now they’ve had time on task where they can work together because he’s been out there repeatedly, so they’re starting to get a comfort level between each other.”
49ers’ Jimmie Ward Reportedly Won’t Be Fined for Hit on Packers’ Davante Adams
The NFL did not fine San Francisco 49ers safety Jimmie Ward for his hit on Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams last week, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Ward’s hit temporarily knocked Adams out of the game, but Ward was not flagged, and Adams returned to the contest after clearing concussion protocol.
Pelissero noted that NFL Vice President of Policy and Rules Administration Jon Runyan determined the hit did not warrant a fine since initial contact was not to Adams’ head or neck area.
Pelissero pointed out that NFL rules state a hit is not a foul if there is “incidental contact by the mask or helmet in the course of a conventional tackle or block on an opponent,” which is what officials and Runyan determined Ward’s hit to be.
Rather than getting ahead of the issue at corner, the 49ers have been more reactive and because of that they have to go to the scrap heap to find available corners as guys just keep going down.
They also could’ve inquired and tried to look more into CJ Henderson who was traded to Carolina for a third, while the Panthers received a fifth. With the 49ers so desperate and their lack of long term security at the position, surely a third round pick would be worthy of that talented of a corner.
So while the 49ers do value three of the four most important positions, they need to catch up with the rest of the league when it comes to cornerback.
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