Week 17 Game Preview: 49ers at Raiders

By Scooter_McG

The 49ers are heading to Vegas in week 17 to take on their 'Bay Area' rivals the Raiders. The 49ers need to keep winning to put pressure on the Vikings for the second seed, but will need at least one loss by the Vikings over the next two weeks to do so. Technically the first seed is still in play but that would require the 49ers winning out AND the Eagles losing out, which seems unlikely. 

For the Raiders, they remain a mathematical chance at the playoffs but fair to say they need a lot to go their way. Despite the slim chance it appears they have given up any thoughts of a playoff appearance this week as they made the decision to bench Derek Carr and insert Jarrett Stidham. The 4th year QB will be making his first career start and Raiders fans should be under no illusions - he isn't expected to be their saviour or QB of the future. In fact, the move to Stidham doesn't even appear to be one of trying to spark the offense but rather one based on money; the Raiders look to have made the decision to move on from Carr next season, who has an easy out in his contract at the end of the year, and want to avoid Carr sustaining an injury that could result in triggering his injury guarantee for 2023. 

The Raiders passing attack should be dangerous with the likes of Davante Adams, Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow. But with Stidham under centre the 49ers defense shouldn't be overly threatened by the passing attack so long as they play with energy and discipline. 

The real threat will come from RB Josh Jacobs. Jacobs leads the NFL in both rushing yards and yards from scrimmage this year, and has been one of the few bright spots for the Raiders in 2022. The 49ers have yet to allow any single player to rush for more than 60 yards on them this year but that record will be tested this week. With Stidham at QB the Raiders are likely to rely on the run more than ever so Jacobs should have ample opportunity, unless the Raiders decide to effectively put Jacobs on ice for the rest of the year as they have little left to play for.

For the 49ers offense we should expect to see more of the same - the 49ers have done a good job with Purdy under centre of using a balanced pass and rush attack that strains all levels of the field. I expect the 49ers will come out of the gate hard looking to put the game away early and then rest players in the second half. With that in mind, I expect a heavy dose of McCaffrey in the first half this week, while the Raiders will likely look to take Kittle away after back-to-back big games. The Raiders defense has struggled all season and is in the bottom third of the NFL in most categories. But one player the 49ers will need to worry about is Maxx Crosby who will primarily line up across from McGlinchey. The good news for the 49ers is that Purdy has shown excellent pocket awareness, escapability and improvisation which should help minimise the impact of Crosby throughout the game, even if McGlinchey has some struggles. 

All in all this is a game the 49ers should win comfortably despite not necessarily having a lot to play for. The only reason they lose this game is if they beat themselves.       

What Happens Next Year?

 by Undercenter

We all know the story of the last few years. Jimmy Garoppolo was acquired from the New England Patriots for a second-round pick. He came in and dazzled us with wins in his first five games. All JimmyG does is win, when he did. JimmyG has taken the Niners within seven minutes of the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl with a 10-point lead. JimmyG has taken a lot of abuse for losing that game when in fact the defense let the team down. Last year JimmyG with an ailing shoulder and finger once again takes the Niners into the fourth quarter of the NFC title game with the lead. Once again, the defense came up short. That 2021 season was to be JimmyG last for the Niners as the team drafted a young promising but untested rookie Trey Lance. After all the losing seasons in this century it has been quite refreshing to win some games, JimmyG provided us with winning football. However JimmyG has a very serious flaw, availability hence the drafting of Lance.

The 2021 season ended and JimmyG said his goodbye's and had his surgery and had to rehab most of the off season at the Niner facility. As training camp opened JG was regulated to an off field to work out on his own. The Niners wanted desperately to oft JimmyG but there were no takers. JG was not given a playbook or worked out with the team during the whole training camp period.

The Niners are a billion-dollar corporation, and they handed the keys to a young unproven talent with a huge upside. Lance did not win the job it was given to him. Niners paid a huge price for this young man. He got hurt twice in his rookie year and as we all know how the second year went. I never saw anything from any of Lance's appearances that told me he was the franchise quarterback.

The Niners resigned JG to an incentive laden backup contract. A great move by the front office as we all know Lance broke his ankle and out for the year. The backup JG struggled first few games than caught. fire. He was looking really good than wham he breaks his foot. Wow, the Niners are down to their 3rd string QB, the last man taken in the 2022 draft, Mr. Irrelevant, Brock Purdy.

Purdy quickly demonstrated that he was prepared for the moment, and it became apparent that the game wasn’t too big for him. He showed many of the traits that come with a successful quarterback,accurate arm, elusive, take charge, knowledge of the game, eye movement and exudes confidence. There are challenges that he needs to face such as coming from behind, two-minute drills, poor weather. The talk of the NFL has been about Brock Purdy. The experienced fan has witnessed many flashes in the pan, then those flashes come back to earth to never be heard of again. We have no idea how the career is going to go but it is off to a great start.

IMO, when Purdy takes the field, he exudes an “aire” that has only been replicated by one other Niner QB, the great Joe Montana.

Now, for shits and giggles what happens ‘if’ Purdy wins out to include the Super Bowl. Has he earned the starter role for 2023? If so, what happens to Lance? JimmyG has earned starter money and assuredly he will be gone but you never know. A key component that Shanny has alluded too was the fact that it was a smoother transition going from JG to Purdy then it was from Lance to JG. If Purdy wins the job, do you trade Lance and bring in a vet such at Matt Ryan? 

 This will never happen but in my opinion, Purdy is the starter, and the backup is JimmyG and trade Lance.  That would be a solid QB room.

Week 16 Post Game Review: 49ers vs Commanders

By Scooter_McG

The 49ers gave their fans an early Christmas present beating the Washington Commanders 37-20 on Christmas Eve and keeping them in the hunt for not only the 2nd seed, but potentially the 1st seed if the Eagles lose out. 

The legend of Brock Purdy continues to grow following this win, as he became only the second QB since 1950 to win his first three starts while also throwing two or more TDs and recording a passer rating above 100 in each game. The poise with which he plays is a testament to his temperament and preparation and it was on full display in this game as he led the 49ers offense to 37 points against one of the best defenses and pass rushes in the NFL. As has been the case with all of his starts, the stat-line won't wow anybody, but there is no denying his ability to keep the offense moving with smart decision-making and hit some big plays when needed. The only real blemish on his day was an intercept which came courtesy of a bobble by Jennings, which was far more Jennings' fault than Purdy's.

While the scoreboard would suggest a game in which the 49ers dominated their opponent, it didn't feel that way throughout the game. In part that comes down to a very tight first half that ended with the scores tied at 7-7; it wasn't until the second half that the 49ers pulled away. But even then, the stats bear out a game that was closer than the scoreboard suggests, as the 49ers didn't blow the Commanders away in terms of yards, while they trailed in terms of time of possession, first downs and third down conversions. 

But there were a couple of key areas the 49ers did dominate that decided the game. 

First, the 49ers were able to completely shut down the Commanders running game. While they were unable to become the first defense to hold their opponents to under 70 yards for eight straight games, the Commanders only barely topped that and the only reason they did was sheer perseverance. That kept the Commanders behind the sticks for much of the game and was a key factor in the 49ers goal line stand in the first half. The dominance of the run defense actually served to highlight an area the 49ers struggled, which was third down pass defense. The Commanders were in a lot of third and longs in this game yet finished the day converting 7 of 13 third downs including a number of long conversions. 

The second area the 49ers dominated in was the big play category. McCloud had a 71 yard TD run to open the scoring (on the ensuing drive after the goal line stand), Kittle had two big TD catches on his way to another big day with Purdy as his QB, Aiyuk had a 54-yard grab which led to a TD, and Jimmie Ward picked of Heinicke deep in Commanders territory. That's not to say the Commanders didn't have some big plays of their own, but overall the Commanders were forced into matriculating down the field while the 49ers were more explosive which led to more points. 

While the 49ers came away as fairly comfortable winners in the second half, the sluggishness in the first half and the deficiencies in preventing the Commanders from converting long third downs were areas the team will want to address moving forward to the playoffs. As I commented during the game, the team was displaying good effort throughout, but their was a distinct lack of focus and execution in the first half. It's the sort of issue we've seen from this team in the past, most recently during the opening 7 weeks of the season. The difficulty getting off the field on third down is also not a new one, and with Bosa the only 49ers defender to tally a sack in this game it once again served to highlight how important Bosa is to generating pass rush and closing out opponents drives.

Part of their issues in this game can likely be put down to something of an emotional let down after securing the division title. But at the same time it would be remiss for the coaching staff and players to look at the areas they struggled and look for ways to fix them. And in that regard this game can actually be seen as a good thing, as it gives the team clarity on areas to focus on moving forward.    

Week 16: Washington Commanders vs. San Francisco 49ers

 Good afternoon everyone and welcome to gameday live. Washington comes into town needing a win to stay in playoff contention, and the 49ers have their sights on the #2 seed. Looks as though the 49ers have beefed up the interior defensive line in anticipation of a run heavy offense by the Commanders. 

#49ers inactives: * QB Jimmy Garoppolo * WR Deebo Samuel * DL Kevin Givens * DL Kerry Hyder * OL Nick Zakelj * TE Ross Dwelley * Drake Jackson

Week 16 Game Preview: 49ers vs Commanders

By Scooter_McG

The NFC West Champion San Fancisco 49ers play host to the Washington Commanders on Christmas Eve.

The last time these teams met was in a monsoon in Washington - a victory for the 49ers that was part of an 8 game winning streak to start the 2019 season. The 49ers head into this game as the form team of the NFL and a win this week would make it Shanahan's second 8 game winning streak in his 49ers coaching career. 

The 49ers will be gunning for another type of 8 game streak in this one as well. The current 7 game win streak has coincided with (or, more accurately, been partly due to) a defensive effort that has seen opposing rushing attacks kept under 70 yards. This current streak ties the 49ers with the 2000 Ravens team for the NFL all-time lead, and if they can keep the Commanders under 70 rushing yards will give the 2022 49ers defense sole ownership of the record. 

The 7 game win streak has also seen the 49ers lead the league (by quite some way) in teamwide DVOA over the span. Put simply - the 49ers have been by far and away the most complete and dominant team in the NFL over their past seven games, ever since they were blown out by the Chiefs. 

But you don't win Championships in November and December. As good as the team has been it won't mean anything if they can't maintain their level of play come the playoffs. And that is where managing the next three games can become tricky for Shanahan and the 49ers. On the one hand you don't want to unnecessarily risk players and see them get hurt before the playoffs. But on the other hand, players need to play and be battle tested before big games. Shanahan discussed this during the week and it appears he is of the belief the best course is to have his players prepare for the playoffs by seeing action. 

Of course, just because your best players are on the field doesn't mean they are playing their best football. The other trick over the next three weeks will be keeping the players focused on the task at hand now that the division is won. Kittle outlined how the players are keen to keep the wins coming and stay hot which sounds promising, but it is also natural for players to suffer something of a letdown after the emotion that comes with completing a task such as winning the division. Especially when you then have a gap until the next key goal - the playoffs. 

On the other side of the field will be a Commanders team that, in short, has to win this game to remain in the thick of playoff contention. They'll be hungry. And making them even hungrier will be the sting of feeling like they were unfairly treated by the refs in their loss to the Giants last week. The Redskins have a good defense and play a ball control brand of offense that can make games tight and leave the result hanging on the balance of a few key plays. Coming in riding a wave of emotion can sometimes be enough to swing those key moments in your favour. And it wouldn't be a surprise if the Commanders see some favourable calls of their own this week in a bout of NFL officiating apology. 

On paper, and based on recent form, this is a contest the 49ers should win. They have the defense that is well suited to stopping the Commanders offense, and have the offensive firepower to create enough points to make this a comfortable victory. But something tells me this will be a tough day out for the 49ers. This is the sort of matchup, given where both teams are at in the season right now, where I wouldn't be surprised to see the Commanders get out to an early double digit lead and we'll then see how serious the 49ers are about finishing the regular season out strong. At the same time I wouldn't be surprised to see the 49ers come out looking to make a statement to the rest of the NFL and blow the Commanders away.      

Week 15 Post Game Review: 49ers at Seahawks

By Scooter_McG

And your 2022 NFC West division winners are... the San Francisco 49ers!!!

Brock Purdy and the 49ers made it 7 wins in a row by taking down the Seattle Seahawks on the road 21-13 on Thursday Night Football. It was once again a masterclass by Demeco Ryans and the defense as they smothered the Seahawks offense throughout the game, allowing a measely 4.5 yards per play. Geno Smith was able to complete more than 70% of his passes yet still only managed 4.4 yards per pass attempt. The 49ers allowed next to nothing down the field all night and were consistently getting receivers to the ground almost immediately for short gains. 

Nick Bosa was his usual disruptive self, but the return of Armstead the past few weeks has really brought a consistent menace from the pass rush. They aren't necessarily putting up big sack numbers every week but offenses are being forced to get rid of the ball quickly which is a key factor in the defensive success. 

The coverage was also exceptional with the DBs and LBs making life difficult for all of the Seahawks receivers. Metcalf in particular was well handled by Ward throughout the night. For the game only 1 of the 10 Seahawks receivers that saw a target ended up with an average yards per reception above 10 - Will Dissly took his lone reception for 13 yards. 

The defense came up with a key turnover late in the first half to help the 49ers take control of the game, with Jimmie Ward and Dre Greenlaw combining on a tackle of Travis Homer that knocked the ball loose. Charvarius Ward scooped the ball and nearly took it to the house, and two rushes later McCaffrey put the 49ers up 14-3. The defensive performance could have been even better if Greenlaw and Hufanga had been able to hold onto balls they got both hands to in the first half. 

The offense took something of a back seat in this one, doing just enough to keep the team ahead as the defense took over the game. 

Despite playing through a rib and oblique injury, Purdy was once again highly efficient and very poised throughout the game, making a number of very good decisions and well placed throws that got the offense rolling. His stat line again, while solid, doesn't look amazing, which is more a testament to how the 49ers controlled the game than a statement on his performance. 

As with last week, the vast majority of Purdy's contribution came in the first 31 minutes of the game. As with last week, a big play by Purdy to start the third quarter put the 49ers well in control of the game, this time a deep pass to Kittle on a busted coverage for their second touchdown connection of the game. But this week, Purdy was also needed to make some plays down the stretch to maintain their lead and close the game out; he came through for the 49ers like a seasoned veteran. 

With every passing week of solid performances by Purdy, the story goes from waiting for the other shoe to drop to one of believing this team has a chance to go all the way with Purdy at the helm. 

McCaffrey had another big day as well, as the mid-season trade continues to look like a good one for the 49ers. CMC went over 100 yards rushing for the second straight week, adding another 6 catches as well. Aside from his first game as a 49er against the Chiefs where he was limited after just a couple of days to get acclimated, McCaffrey has been a key cog for this offense and it is no coincidence the team has gone 7 straight wins with him as a focal point on offense.      

It's always a great feeling winning the division and securing a playoff spot. Even more satisfying when it happens by beating the Seahawks. This was a great team win.

And while I don't like making players play on a short week for TNF, the flip side is the 49ers now find themselves in the enviable position of having a 10 day rest before their next game - they effectively get a mini-bye week just a few weeks before the playoffs. And now that they have secured the division, and also ensured they finish no worse than the 3rd seed in the NFC, they are also now in a position where they do not need to unnecessarily risk or rush players back from injury for three more weeks.   

Week 15: San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks

Good evening everyone and welcome to your game day blog. The 49ers come into this game with the division on the line. Win and they'll put the hats and shirts on in the lockerroom. Lose and the Seahawks are still alive. Thurday night gives the nation the chance to smell what the 49ers have cooking in the Brockpot. Go Niners!

49ers Inactives:

• QB Jimmy Garoppolo (foot)
• DL Kevin Givens (knee)
• DB Tarvarius Moore (knee)
• LB Curtis Robinson
• WR Deebo Samuel (ankle, knee)
• CB Samuel Womack (concussion)
• OL Nick Zakelj

Week 15 Game Preview: 49ers at Seahawks

By Scooter_McG

The 49ers travel to Seattle to take on the Seahawks on Thursday Night Football. In keeping with the short week for the 49ers, this will only be a short preview as time is against me midweek unfortunately.

The 49ers will be hoping Brock Purdy recovers well enough from his oblique injury in time to lead them again this week, off the back of a most impressive first start (and really an impressive two games as he played the majority of the game the week before too). Christian McCaffrey is also coming off one of his most impressive performances since joining the 49ers and will be hoping to continue his form against a Seahawks team that ranks as one of the worst in stopping the run as well as preventing yards after the catch (shout out to razor for those stats earlier this week).

With Deebo missing I am expecting the 49ers to lean pretty heavily on CMC this week in both the ground game and the passing game, with a nice sprinkling of Mason to punish some would be Seahawks defenders. I also expect Aiyuk to be heavily involved and have a pretty big game.  

The Seahawks started the season strong but have faded in recent weeks. Geno Smith has impressed this season but like the form of his team his play has not been quite as stellar as earlier in the season in the past month (though still pretty good). His worst game this year though came against the 49ers back in week 2, and the 49ers will be hoping to make the second contest just as difficult on him.  

To add to the suspense of prime time football, the division title is on the line in this game. The 49ers can secure the division title with a victory - a win this week would mean the best Seattle can do is finish with the same record as the 49ers and the 49ers would win any tie-breaker courtesy of head-to-record. Here's to hoping we are toasting the NFC West division leaders by the end of Thursday night!

Week 14 Post Game Review: 49ers vs Bucs

By Scooter_McG

Wow! Brock Purdy, he of Mr Irrelevant 2022 fame, just led the 49ers to a 35-7 drubbing of Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers - in his very first career start! 

If you had told me at the beginning of the year that after 14 weeks of the season the 49ers most complete and comprehensive victory would be with Brock Purdy at QB and against a likely playoff team I'd have laughed in your face. Heck, if you told me that yesterday I'd have done the same. But here we are. The NFL is truly a beautiful competition. 

It would be easy to look at the final stat line and think Purdy was pretty much a passenger in the victory, as he finished with only 185 yards. But anyone that watched the game will know the stats lie in this regard. Brock Purdy and the 49ers had such a good day out that the 49ers shut up shop with 14 minutes left in the 3rd quarter. At that point they were already 35-0 up, and Purdy already had his 185 passing yards. He also had two impressive (and long) TD passes plus a 2 yard scamper for a TD of his own. 

Purdy finished the day with a traditional QB rating of 134.0 and an ESPN QBR of a whopping 92.8. He consistently made impressive plays showing great instincts (and elusiveness) of when to move to avoid pressure and when to hang in the pocket to deliver strikes. Yes, Purdy did get lucky with a defensive holding call on a poor throw that was picked off over the middle, but all-in-all this was as good a performance as the 49ers could have hoped for from their rookie QB making his first start.  

McCaffrey was also a huge factor in this game, gashing the Bucs for yards throughout the first 31 minutes of play, including a 27 yard toe-tapping TD catch and a 38 yard TD run to daylight at the start of the 3rd quarter to put the game to bed early. 

The defense was not to be outdone by the offense. They held the Bucs scoreless in the first half with a suffocating defense, then came away with three takeaways in the second half to make sure the Bucs could not find a way back into the game. While the DL failed to register any sacks, they did create pressure on Brady and forced him into a number of errant passes, two of which were picked off. The back seven was even more impressive. They provided constant tight coverage and played with ferocity throughout. Dre Greenlaw in particular had a monster game with 15 total tackles and an acrobatic INT. Jimmie Ward also stood out with a number of big plays.

The only blemish on the day was a few injuries, including what looked like it could be a devastating lower leg injury to Deebo Samuel. The early prognosis though is not as bad as feared, with the news out of the locker room being a high ankle sprain with a 3-6 week window for his return. Kevin Givens and Kerry Hyder also appeared to pick up injuries that see them miss time, while the man of the moment himself, Brock Purdy, will need to prove his fitness ahead of the coming TNF game with the Seahawks as he suffered an oblique injury. 

Looking forward, it remains too early to say whether Purdy will prove himself to be a competent starting QB in the NFL or capable of taking this team deep into the playoffs. But one thing is for sure, the past two weeks have given 49er fans plenty of reason for optimism.       

Week 14 Matchup: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. San Francisco 49ers

 

Good afternoon everyone and welcome to your live blog for 49ers football. Today's matchup features Mr. Irrelevant against the Goat. Jimmy G was money on 3rd downs and Purdy will need to look for 3rd and Jauan to keep the offense on schedule. Lots of moving parts for this game with weather being one of them. Field conditions are expected to be somewhat muddy from raining. With the 49ers activating Coleman, I expect a heavy OZ running game to avoid Vea in the middle. TOP will be more valuable than ever given the 49ers have a Thursday night game against their division rival, the Seattle Seahawks. If they can get out of this game with a win while mitigating snap counts for players like, Bosa and Armstead, we should all be singing, Jingle Bell Brock by the end of the day. Go Niners!

49ers’ inactives: Jimmy Garoppolo Tarvarius Moore Hassan Ridgeway Ty Davis-Price Ross Dwelley Nick Zakelj Curtis Robinson

Week 14 Game Preview: 49ers vs Bucs

By Scooter_McG

The 49ers take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in week 14 in a battle of two NFC division leaders. The 49ers come into the game on a five game winning streak while the Bucs have been in indifferent form all season and required some late game Tom Brady heroics (and some mistakes by their opponent) to beat the Saints last week.

On form, this should be an easy win for the 49ers. But this game isn't about form, its about the two QBs. Tom Brady, the most experienced and winningest QB in the NFL, will be taking on a QB making his first NFL start for the seventh time in his career. This time it will be against a rookie who was the last pick of the NFL draft - the 49ers newest great hope, Brock Purdy. 

Brady's record against first start QBs is unblemished to date. But, while he remains a top QB, this season has not been one of his best. After averaging 9.1 and 8.1 air yards per attempt in 2020 and 2021, he is down to just 6.9 this season as the offense has become more dink and dunk with few deep passing attempts. This has coincided with his time to throw or be pressured dropping to a new low of just 2.2s. But the reduction in pass depth and time to throw has not coincided with an increase in yards after catch to compensate. While he continues to complete a lot of passes, the Bucs have struggled to keep drives alive and score points with their highly conservative passing game; they rank 27th in the NFL in points per game. A last ranked running game, averaging just 3.3 yards per carry, has certainly not helped matters.

Brock Purdy, on the other hand, comes into this game riding the high of leading the 49ers to victory against the high flying Dolphins last week after Jimmy Garoppolo was hurt on the opening drive. Purdy showed good poise in the pocket as well as an understanding of when and how to escape pressure, and the offense didn't seem to miss a beat after Jimmy G went down as a result. But it is one thing to perform in a game where you had no expectations on you, another to do it when you are the starting QB and teams have an opportunity to game plan for you. And as we all know, the 49ers record under Shanahan with any QB not named Jimmy is poor. 

It is a big ask to expect Purdy to keep the 49ers season afloat, but one thing he has in his favour (and something the other non-Jimmy QBs didn't have for most of their starts) is a highly talented and mostly healthy team around him. If Purdy can avoid the big mistakes and just continue to play mostly efficient football, the 49ers still have a good chance of making the playoffs and potentially being a nuisance come January. 

But that is getting ahead of ourselves. Purdy's first task is taking down the greatest to ever do it (no pressure!). The Bucs have a good defense that has kept opponents in check most of the season and is a key reason the Bucs have managed to stay in games and lead their division. It will be a tough game for the inexperienced rookie, but will also be a great litmus test - if he can come away from this game without faltering it bodes well for the remainder of the season. 

With a rookie QB making his first, against a good pass defense no less, it would seem to make sense for the 49ers to lean heavily on the running game. However, teams have done a very good job in recent weeks of taking the running game away and with Purdy under centre you can be sure the Bucs will focus heavily on doing just that again this week. If the 49ers are going to effectively move the ball it will likely come down to Shanahan and Purdy executing in the quick game and making use of their weapons over the middle of the field. A key matchup in this game will thereby be how the 49ers OL holds up - they have struggled in recent weeks but if they can keep pressure off Purdy then it will go a long way to securing victory. 

Another key matchup will be McCaffrey and Kittle vs Bucs LB Devin White, who has struggled all season. I expect to see Shanahan dial up plays to isolate White 1-on-1 and try and take advantage of the favourable matchup against the 49ers weapons. 

On defense, the Bucs biggest issue is their OL which is banged up and struggling to create holes for their run game or give Brady time to hurt teams downfield. Obviously with Brady getting rid of the ball as fast as he does this hasn't necessarily translated to a lot of sacks, but it does open up opportunities for the 49ers DL to dominate the game if the 49ers back 7 can make Brady hesitate to pull the trigger even for a moment. A big question mark, however, is whether Bosa will be ready to go after missing practice all week, and if he can go how effective he can be. If Bosa is fit and able to go then the matchup against the Bucs OTs looks like a good opportunity for him to add to his NFL leading sack total. 

Overall, despite being Purdy's first start, I feel this is a game the 49ers should win so long as Purdy is given time by the OL and is not overawed by the moment. 

One big concern I have for this game, aside from how Purdy will fare in his first start, is the looming Thursday night game against the division rival Seahawks, which depending on results could be a game to decide the division lead. It is important the 49ers don't look past the Bucs to make sure they maintain their division lead ahead of the Seahawks contest.  

Week 13 Post Game Review: 49ers vs Dolphins

By Scooter_McG

The battle between ex-49ers OC Mike McDaniel and his old mentor Kyle Shanahan went the way of the master, with the 49ers coming away with the victory 33-17. The win makes it five on a trot for the 49ers and keeps them a game ahead of the Seahawks in the division race. 

Ahead of the game much was made of the battle between the Dolphins offense and 49ers defense. I outlined in my game preview that the 49ers should have little trouble making the Dolphins one dimensional and that proved the case as they were held to just 33 yards on the ground on 8 carries. 

It was always going to come down to how the 49ers defense held up against the Dolphins passing game that mattered, and in this contest it was a very one sided affair. The Dolphins started fast start with Tua Tagovailoa connecting with former 49er Trent Sherfield on a 75 yard catch and run on the opening play of the game. It's not the first time the 49ers defense has been a bit slow out of the gate this season and is an area they could stand to improve moving forward. But after that first play the defense played well for the most part, while Tagovailoa, who has been excellent on the season, really struggled throughout with his accuracy as he missed a lot of passes that he should have made and could have been big gains while also being picked off twice. 

It could be easy to say the 49ers got a little lucky with some of the missed opportunities the Dolphins had. But that would do a disservice to the 49ers defense and their game plan. Part of Tua's struggles can be placed on the excellent coverage over the middle of the field which forced Tua to look to other areas where he is less accurate. Warner and Greenlaw in particular were excellent once again in this one. And part of it can be attributed to the 49ers DL getting good pressure throughout the game, in particular Nick Bosa who finished with three sacks all told, including the game sealing sack fumble that Greenlaw returned for a TD. 

Really the only downside on defense was the two long TDs they gave up - the one to Sherfield as well as a 45 yarder to Tyreek Hill. On both occasions it looked like Hufanga made the wrong decision on who to cover, leaving his receiver wide open for the easy catch with room to run. As good as Hufanga has been, and as good as his instincts on the field can be, he can be found out of position and has been responsible for some ugly big plays against the defense this season. 

While the defense won the matchup against the Dolphins explosive offense quite handily, the main story out of this game surrounds the 49ers offense and the QB position. Disaster struck for the 49ers at the end of their opening drive as Jimmy Garoppolo got his foot caught underneath a defender, and is reported to have broken bones in his foot. He is now scheduled for season ending surgery on his foot and will join starting QB Trey Lance on IR. 

The injury opened the door for this years Mr Irrelevant, Brock Purdy, to step in and make his first meaningful contributions as the 49ers QB. It is hard enough for any rookie QB to step in and lead his team to victory, let alone a rookie QB taken in the 7th round against an opponent with an 8W-3L record. But he not only came away with the all important win, he looked composed throughout. In the end he outplayed his more illustrious opponent and did a nice job hitting his receivers despite the Dolphins bringing plenty of pressure to try and rattle him and keeping the 49ers running game in check. He was able to keep the offense moving and getting into scoring positions to keep the 49ers ahead for most of the game and putting scoreboard pressure on the Dolphins. 

Looking forward, the loss of now both their starting and backup QBs for the season should be seen as a significant hurdle to the team's chances of making the playoffs and being a contender if they make it. While Purdy looked competent and composed in this game, we should expect to see some ups and downs over the next few weeks, which could cost some games. And there is no mistaking that Purdy is a limited passer - he will struggle to threaten the perimeter or deep. But then... the same can be said of Jimmy G. And Purdy has shown throughout his college career that he is a winner and is a 'gamer'. 

To help Purdy out the 49ers really need the OL to step up. They've been good this year, but the past two weeks have seen them struggle to create holes for the running game and keep defenders off the QB. It is no coincidence that Jimmy G picked up a knee injury last week and the foot injury this week, as the past two games have, at least to my eyes, been the worst performances by the OL this year. 

But while losing Jimmy G will make for a bigger challenge, there should still be strong belief this team can make some noise. The play of the defense continues to be excellent and so long as the offense can limit its errors and take its opportunities the defense is good enough to keep winning games.     

Week 13: Miami Dolphins vs. San Francisco 49ers

 Good afternoon everyone and welcome to your live blog for 49ers football. Today we have a matchup that has become personal with the Dolphins Mostert bad mouthing the 49ers front office for the way they handled his injury, and a passive aggressive slap at Jimmy Garoppolo's ability. Student returns to his classroom to face his Teacher in what should have been the game of the week. The return of Armstead should not be underestimated as he's not only going be a skyscraper for Tua to throw over, but he'll also free up Bosa, which is bad news for the Dolphins backup left and right tackles. I expect a physical game from the 49ers on both sides of the ball. Mason will get his first start and his running style and fresh legs could have him rushing for 100 yards today. Defensively the 49ers will look to drop the ball carriers with hard hits making them apprehensive catching the ball. I like the 49ers big in this game. Go Niners!

#49ers inactives: TE Ross Dwelley DT T.Y. McGill LB Curtis Robinson OL Spencer Burford

Week 13 Game Preview: 49ers vs Dolphins

By Scooter_McG

49ers West Coast meets 49ers East Coast this week, as former 49ers OC Mike McDaniel brings his squad, littered with ex-49ers on offense, to the Bay Area. The Dolphins are flying high this season with a 8W-3L record and on a five game winning streak. In the 49ers they meet a team that is also riding a run of good form having won their past four contests. 

This game looks like it should be the toughest contest for either team in over a month and can be seen as something of a barometer test for both squads. 

The matchup everyone will be focusing on is the Dolphins #3 ranked by yards and #2 ranked by DVOA offense against the 49ers vaunted defense (#1 in yards allowed, #5 in DVOA). Looking at stats it would seem the 49ers should have little trouble making the Dolphins offense one dimensional in this matchup, with the 49ers #1 in terms of rushing yards allowed while the Dolphins rank 28th in rushing yards gained and 27th in yards per carry. However, their average yards per game has lifted since they acquired Jeff Wilson from the 49ers, though that is partly skewed by one big game against the Browns. 

The contribution of Wilson and Mostert on the ground should not be taken for granted and it will be imperative that the 49ers keep them contained, but it is in stopping the Dolphins passing game that will dictate the 49ers success on defense in this game. 

It has been well documented this week that Mike McDaniel and the Dolphins have looked attack the intermediate middle often and with great success. The threat of Hill and Waddle with their elite speed helps open a lot of windows for Tua to exploit. Teams are forced to respect that threat and it has resulted in the Dolphins facing the lowest percentage of man coverage in the NFL and the most split safety looks.  

With such explosive players you might think most offensive coordinators would be tempted to use a lot of longer developing pass plays to hit teams deep regularly. While this is certainly part of their offense, Mike McDaniel has mostly taken the approach he and Kyle Shanahan developed in San Francisco of looking to get his playmakers the ball in space. Waddle in particular is a player they look to get the ball to in space in the quick game so he can use his speed and elusiveness to take a short play into a big gain. As a result, Tua has one of the lowest average times to throw in the NFL this season at around 2.6 seconds. 

Needless to say the Dolphins offense, in particular their passing game, will put a lot of strain on the 49ers defense this week. But the good news is the 49ers have been the best in the NFL since 2018 in defending the intermediate middle of the field (and yes, it is no coincidence that is the same timeframe that Fred Warner has been a 49er). The middle defenders will need to stay disciplined and cover a lot of ground this week, but they have the speed and athleticism to do so. The DBs will also need to be alert about the speed of Hill and Waddle and make sure they aren't afforded too much space and are closed down quickly. 

Helping the 49ers, it looks like both starting OTs Terron Armstead and Austin Jackson could be missing this game. Armstead in particular has been a big loss for the Dolphins whenever he has missed time this season. A dominant display from the pass rush would go a long way to slowing down the Dolphins offense and potentially forcing them into a few mistakes. 

Offensively, the 49ers will want to establish their running game in this contest. Not just because it is the heart of the offensive identity, but because against a team like the Dolphins it is a good idea to shorten the game, limit their opportunities, and give your defense as much of a break as possible. But teams in recent weeks have been setting themselves to stop the 49ers running game and this week is unlikely to be any different. And with Elijah Mitchell now out again with another knee injury, I expect to see the 49ers looking to use the quick game as an extension of the run a lot in this contest. Miami's defense is pretty much middle of the pack to bottom third in most metrics and the 49ers should have an easier time of things than they had against the Saints last week. 

One area they must improve on from last week though is in pass protection. Jimmy G was under heavy duress against the Saints and as a result he put the ball in harms way more often than he had done the previous three games. When given time this season he has looked composed and efficient, and that is the Jimmy G the 49ers need this week. 

This has the potential to be the game of the season if both squads play to their potential.