Gameday Week 6: 49ers vs Buccaneers

Tampa and Kansas City are the only teams that bring 2+ additional rushers on 20% or more of their plays. Mac Jones hasn't been good against the blitz and will either need to get the ball out quickly or buy time with his feet. CMC should have some opportunities to create an explosive play. Keep taking the layups to stay ahead of the chains:

The 49ers rank #11 in overall pass EPA, but success rate (% of plays with positive EPA): 1. Seahawks 2. 49ers 3. Lions 4. Colts 5. Patriots

Bucs RT Charlie Heck has given up 22 pressures over 173 pass-blocking snaps, the second-most in the NFL. Huff needs to exploit him and force Baker into pressure decisions that could lead to their first interception. Heat and humidity mean the less the defense is on the field the better. TOP could be the tipping point in a close game at the end of the 4th quarter. Should be another nailbiter. Niners win 24-21!

3 Keys to 4-1

 Rehiring Robert Saleh. 

Signing Mac Jones as QB2.

Switching from Moody to Eddy Pineiro. 

Aside from the draft and the starters designated to return, those three moves above have put the 49ers in a position to make one more move: Trade for an upper tier big DE to stand in for Nick Bosa. 

The candidates:

Trey Hendrickson 30 yrs old, this year only @ $16M Conditional 3rd

Jaelan Phillips 26 yrs old, this year only @ $13M 5th rounder

Bradley Chubb 29 yrs old, 2 yrs @ $31M 5th rounder

Bourne To Be Alive

Left for dead last week with all his drops, the Bourne Redemption exploded against the Rams Thursday night. 10 catches for 142 yards is a career high for the maligned dancer. Mac Jones gutted out one of the grittiest wins I've ever had the pleasure of watching, leaving McVay green around the gills. Alfred Collins floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee with an overhand right and down went Frazier. Out came the ball and like the tax man, Collins collected! 3-0 in the division and the world is our oyster! We got 10 days to get guys healthy and make a deal for a DE. Lets go!!!!!
 

Game Day Week 5: 49ers vs. Rams

 The 49ers come into this game on a short week and short handed. No one is giving this team a shot at winning this game except for Adam Rank. If thats to happen the 49ers must find a way to run the football, score in the redzone and force someone other than Nacua to beat them. A very tall task but not impossible. Keep an eye on Demarcus Robinson. Fresh legs and maybe a chip on his shoulder facing his old team. I hate to do it but I've got the Rams over the 49ers in this one, 20-17. 

The 49ers inactives for tonight: Brock Purdy (toe) Ricky Pearsall (knee) Jauan Jennings (ribs, ankle) Robert Beal (ankle) Jordan Watkins (calf) Nick Martin Jordan James

Pass Rush MIA

 In the 49ers' first game without Nick Bosa, their defense had no sacks and no QB hits for the first time in a game since Sept. 20, 2015, against the Steelers.

Sacks: 0 QB hits: 0 QB pressures: 5

5 pressures is their lowest total since last year's blowout loss in Buffalo, which was without Bosa. Without this dude I'm afraid we're SOL fellas.

Game Day Week 4: Jaguars vs. 49ers

 

Trevor Lawrence led all QBs in first-read throw rate in 2022 (75.0%), 2023 (77.3%), and 2024 (76.1%), and is now at a new career-high of 79.6% this year. His league-low 57.2 passer rating when targeting his first read indicates defenses are well aware of his proclivity.

Trevor Lawrence:

+ dead-last in hero throw rate (0.0%) + bottom-5 in turnover-worthy throw rate (12.5%) + bottom-10 in catchable throw rate on balls thrown 10+ yards in the air (62.5%)

To add insult to injury he's faced pressure on only 18.3% of his dropbacks.

Jaguars Defense vs:

Run/Pass/Pts.Allowed/Overall 4th-17th-5th-10th

I like the 49ers 24-13 over the Jaguars!

#49ers inactives CB Renardo Green (neck) DL CJ West (hand) WR Jordan Watkins (calf) WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling RB Jordan James LB Nick Martin

Infirmary

 With Nick Bosa going down with a knee injury the 49ers are losing a player a week. Fortunately help is on the way with Demarcus Robinson returning to the WR room after his 3 game suspension. I'm very high on his affect on this offense and thought it was a sneaky good F/A signing. Brock Purdy looks poised to return as well after avoiding the most serious complications of turf toe. The fact that they've been able to tread water with all these injuries is a testament to the coaching and grit of the team. Hopefully Nick Bosa has a knee sprain that sidelines him 2-4 weeks instead of a more serious problem. We're one win away from my prediction of starting the season 4-0. Let's keep it going!!