The injuries to key players have many feeling Deja Vu from last year. In the spirit of Monty Python's, Always Look On The Brightside Of Life:
Dee Ford looked like Dee Ford. I thought the dude was retiring!! That's found money right there, and I'm not talking small bills either.
Nice Bosa looked like Nick Bosa. Who comes back from an ACL the same player in less than a year? Jerry Rice and Nice Bosa. Hell yea!
Kinlaw's knee tendinitis may or not be as severe as Ford's was, but he had the surgery to get his knee healthy and the recovery rate is very high. Word on the Street was Kinlaw took a practice snap Friday and then ran into the end zone and did a reverse dunk on the crossbars. I expect it to get better for him as the season progresses, and the Eagles running game to suffer.
Jimmy G is moving around in the pocket and "running" like his knee is no longer in his head. You could say he's playing with a chip on his shoulder, and that's a good thing.
Trey Lance is the backup quarterback rather than Nick Mullens.
The left side of the offensive line looks elite. By the end of the year this offensive line if healthy should be better than 2019's version.
Mitchell looks good in the Mosert-rati role.
Al-Shaair is more than capable of filling Greenlaw's shoes.
Lenoir looks like he can help in the secondary. Doesn't look like a liability. Looks like another 5th round gem. He'll be a seasoned corner by the end of the year.
Team culture is strong as evidenced by the two quarterback system, as opposed to how it's working in Chicago for Nagy. Accountability and standards on full display regarding players like Aiyuk and Sermon. Very good sign.
I definitely feel this roster is better placed to handle some injuries than last years roster. Main thing will be that they don't lose too many more key guys from here out.
ReplyDeleteYea, I'd like to see them handle their business against the Eagles while coming out unscathed.
DeleteI'm picking the eagles to win this game.
ReplyDeleteOur Defense is not elite and faces a terrible matchup for them.
Philly's explosive, fast wideout's will be facing slow backup db's. They have a great Oline that opens up huge running lanes going against a Dline that is struggling to hold at the POA and that can counter SF's ferocious pass rush along with a mobile qb that can help them out.
Even Offensively they have decent matches... the strength of their D is going against the weakest unit of SF's O in the interior of the both lines.
For SF to win they have to get an early lead and try to make them one dimensional while SF stays balanced. They can potentially win if they fall behind, in a tight game or obviously with a lead. SF will need to put up a lot of points in this game and I think they need to build an early lead in order to win. I think they will need 30 pts.
Prediction Philly wins 33 - 28
Now that my negative prediction is over.
DeleteIf sf wants to win,
They need to control the clock with their running game and Jimmy needs to play extremely efficiently and keep the chains moving so they can wear out the eagles.
The D will have to play disciplined football (Zone) and make solid tackles to take away the wr screen game. They don't need to be great against the run but they need to be respectable. If SF can force Hurts to throw the ball down the field from the pocket their chances to winning go way up.
I'm looking forward to seeing what Bosa can do with Mailata.
DeleteI like SF 30 and the Eagles 24.
That is a Great matchup.
DeleteSF has a Good chance but I also feel it will be a race to 30 and Jimmy and the Run game will be key.
Yep, the road to victory will be built on the ground game for sure.
DeleteGood write-up there Razor, a lot of positives overlooked by the hand-wringing base contingent this week.
DeleteNow Shoup, I'm confused. Are the Niners playing the Bucs this weekend? Or the team many were/are picking to be inhabiting the NFCE cellar by seasons end? Let's see if I have this right - one impressive win and they are now world beaters? And the Niners, with one less than impressive quarter out of an otherwise dominant win, are now chumps? Have a little faith, faithful one.
Rib,
DeleteI never argued that they are world beaters but they would hardly have to be, to beat this team. I didn’t have them blowing SF out just winning. Which I wouldn’t have done with a healthy Verrett.
I argued that they match up well with this team, and I believe matchups matter a lot.
All the same Shoup, I think you are seriously overestimating the talent on the Eagles and underestimating that of the 49ers. If the 49ers can't hold their own against the bottom 1/4 of the league it's going to be a long season indeed.
DeleteI'm looking for a convincing win, along the lines of 31-10
Yeah, I'm thinking it will be something like a 27-20 victory for the Niners.
ReplyDeleteKeys to victory:
As Greg Cossell pointed out, Niners would be well served not to let Hurt run north-south -- he's not as good a lateral runner.
Second, would be the effectiveness of the cheetah front on third downs (all 4 linemen being DE) -- either Bosa as Ford at the edges or even on the same side, and Armstead, Ebukam rushing from the interior. Eagles have a lot of speed on offense, and the Niners' D line have to protect their relatively slow corners.
Third, on offense looking forward to an angry YACcing Aiyuk, and a solid Sunday Sermon on his debut.