NFL
By: Joe Cardoso
The bye week could not come fast enough for the San Francisco 49ers, who limp to the break 5-3 having lost 3 in a row. What has happened? It feels like it was just last week when George Kittle was flashing his Cowboy hating tee shirt. Brock Purdy has gone from MVP potential to being called washed and a bust. One thing we have learned about John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan is that they are not afraid to make changes. If you need proof check the McCraffrey trade and the offseason moves. So when the NFL trade deadline came a move was made and it should help with one of the teams issues.
How Did We Get Here?:
The Niners have been bit by the injury bug YES, all NFL teams can say that it’s part of the game but it is a clear factor in some of the issues. All-World tackle Trent Williams is out with a bad ankle that gets more time to heal. Aaron Banks has turf toe and will miss the next few games making an already shaky offensive line worse. The amount of hits Purdy has taken and the holes are just not there for Christian McCaffrey. Deebo Samuel is out but other players are able to make plays if they get the ball until he gets back on the field.
On the other side of the ball anyone who knows football can see that Dre Greenlaw is not 100% and it is hurting the once elite defense which is bad agasint the run. The feel good story that is Brock Purdy is OVER, now is the time to prove you are the QB 1 most thought he was after 5 games and overall. The last 3 games have been horrible even with the concussion the turnovers and missed chances have added up. I have no lost faith in 13 but he has to step it up and put the team in a postion to win ball games. Like most athletes I fully expect him to see and hear all the hate and use it to have a great rest of the season.
Is It Their Fault?:
We can’t talk about problems and people who need to stepup without mentioning the secondary. The missed tackles, penalties, big plays being given up pick your poison. I was floored a trade for some depth or improvement was made at the deadline. Playmakers like Talanoa Hufanga aren’t making plays thus far and Tashaun Gipson is left out to dry. This is the worst position group on the team and hopefully some film and honest conversation will get them on track. Running soft zones since we don’t trust our DB’s gives teams easy passes and makes the pass rush worthless.
Steve Wills moves from the booth to the sidelines in hopes that helps his unit. I remember the Panthers defense he lead so he knows the jobs, but he is struggling to coach the Wide 9 defense and the monsters he has up front aren’t getting the job done. I didn’t forget you Kyle who has other coaches like former Niners coaches Mike McDainels and Robert Saleh are making it happen with their teams even with injures and tough games. To lose to P.J. Walker is just something I can’t wrap my head around still. He needs to be a leader and right the ship with the healthy players he has. He should be spending his off week watching tape and talking to the leaders on the team on how they fix this.
Welcome Chase Young:
One of the best ways to help a secondary is get pressure on the quarterback. and the Niners have struggled this season so John Lynch made a move to hopefully help with that. Chase Young goes from playing for his hometown team in Washington to a team with Super Bowl dreams. Young is back from a torn ACL and has 5 sacks so far, he is also good against the run getting reunited with former Ohio State teammate Nick Bosa. Will the fresh start and the pressure of being home free up Young? Plus he is lining up with some real dogs on the front four who can get after it. He has been called “undisaplied” by former coaches a comment he has heard and will want to prove wrong. Bosa, Young, Arik Armstead, and Javon Hargrave are the best defensive line in the league, sorry Eagles and Yes, I feel that way already.
If the coaching staff can reset somethings and the injuried players get back the season can be on track quickly. Both Kyle and Wilks have something to prove no one needs to think the sky is falling, but things aren’t good right now in the bay. One of the hottest teams in the NFL the Jacksonville Jaguars are up next and will be a solid test for what was or wasn’t done during the bye week. #FTTB
