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Kelvin Kuo / Associated Press
For most of the 2020 season, the San Francisco 49ers watched part of an Objects Lesson in Super Bowl Hangover Veracity. After taking a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LIV, the 49ers were decimated by injuries on both sides of the ball. Week 12 started with the Niners sitting 4-6 and last in NFC West.
At the end of Week 12, the 49ers will still be in last place in the NFL’s toughest division. But San Francisco got a desperately needed road victory over the Los Angeles Rams this week, which took it to 0.500.
Coming back to the playoffs will always be a tough climb for San Francisco. But the 49ers played their best game in weeks on Sunday, in large part because they are healthier. San Francisco has good defense and one of the most creative offensive minds in the NFL.
In other words, reports of the disappearance of NFC champions in defense may have been overblown.
Adjectives used to describe San Francisco’s injuries often understate the situation – if anything, “decimated” is an understatement. The team’s starting quarterback (Jimmy Garoppolo) is on reserve injured due to an ankle injury. The same goes for the team’s best edge defender (Nick Bosa), who tore his ACL in Week 2. All-star tight end George Kittle broke a bone in his foot in early November. Running back Raheem Mostert, wide receiver Deebo Samuel and cornerback Richard Sherman all served as IR relays.
Elaine Thompson / Associated Press
This list is by no means exhaustive either. Running backs Tevin Coleman, Jerick McKinnon and Jeff Wilson Jr. Receivers Kendrick Bourne and Brandon Aiyuk. Offensive tackle Trent Williams. All of them have been running out of time this season due to injuries and / or landing on the reserve list / COVID-19, and it’s just on offense.
With Garoppolo on the set, the 49ers were forced to cede the reins to fourth-year pro Nick Mullens. The results were mostly unimpressive – Mullens started Week 12 averaging just over 230 passing yards per game with six touchdowns and an equal number of interceptions.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan wasn’t about to blame San Francisco’s struggles on the replacement quarterback. Ahead of Sunday’s game, he told reporters:
“Anytime you put a quarterback in there that didn’t have two weeks in a row with the same receiving group, whether it was Jimmy at the start, it was us at training camp, and now it was ‘is Nick every week, and the same with the running backs and the O-line. So I think that was a huge challenge for Nick, and it would be for CJ (Beathard) if he comes in, and that was for Jimmy.
“So I think it’s a little unfair to judge the quarterbacks one hundred percent on how they’ve been every game in terms of stats and scoring and stuff like that. I’m just trying to watch them. situations they’re in, which I think they’re capable of, and I think Nick played like Nick. “
Mullens didn’t light him up against the Rams – he was 24 of 35 for 252 yards and a pick. But he did a good job for the most part in playing into Shanahan’s scheme and avoiding mistakes.
Kelvin Kuo / Associated Press
The big difference in the game may have been the players around Mullens. Mostert was back on the pitch for the first time since Week 6 and paced all the running backs with 16 runs and a touchdown. Samuel played for the first time since Week 7 and caught 11 passes for 133 yards.
Shanahan was not shy about his praise for Samuel’s efforts.
“I can’t tell you how good Deebo was today,” Shanahan told reporters. “I always laugh at him because I’m a nice compliment, so Deebo has a lot of work to do, but he’s one of the best football players I know.”
Samuel and the offense deserve a lot of credit for the team’s big win in Week 12, but the defense played its part as well. Sherman played his first game since the first game and landed an interception. Veteran Kerry Hyder Jr., who was pushed into a full-time role by injuries to Bosa and Dee Ford, has fired Jared Goff twice.
The Niners notched four takeaway points in the game, gave up just 308 yards and allowed just four conversions in third place in 13 attempts. The 49ers gave up just one offensive touchdown. It might not have been San Francisco’s stifling defense a year ago, but it was pretty good.
Alex Gallardo / Associated press
At 5-6, the 49ers are now just one game behind the Arizona Cardinals in both NFC West and the race for seventh place (and final, at least from now on) in the conference playoffs. . San Francisco will face these Redbirds at Glendale in Week 16, a week before closing things against the rival Seahawks. It’s a tough ending to a calendar that includes a “home” date with week 13 bills Monday night football.
Or at least it would be a home game if the 49ers had a home.
As Ian Rapoport reported for NFL.com, the new COVID-19 restrictions imposed by Santa Clara County ban all contact sports and impose a 14-day quarantine for anyone traveling in the area 150 miles away. .
In other words, more football at Levi’s Stadium. The Niners will likely play their last “home” games in Arizona or Texas, which doesn’t suit the team’s head coach.
The point is, there isn’t a league team that’s better equipped to handle this adversity than the Niners. That’s all they did this year, whether it was injuries or a ridiculous schedule that included (get that) the Rams, Patriots, Seahawks, Packers and Saints over the following weeks.
Much of the credit for weathering these storms should go to Shanahan. He kept his team focused as injuries increased. He constantly modified the offense to accommodate the ever-changing staff. It’s safe to say that he did the best coaching job of his career in 2020.
It will take even more magic to bring San Francisco back to the tournament. The 49ers have three games to play against teams with better records. Maybe no home stadium the rest of the time. And an offense which, while being healthier, is still not great.
But the 49ers have shown they can step up when the pressure is the highest. Most of the teams directly ahead of them in the NFC have looked vulnerable in recent weeks. And the attack is expected to improve when rookie Brandon Aiyuk returns from the COVID-19 roster.
The 49ers have been beaten, beaten and bloodied in 2020. And the odds are against the franchise in the playoffs. But with five weeks to go, a team no one would blame for folding didn’t. Not yet.
Count them at your own risk.
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