Newsletter

Will we run out of excuses with the 49ers in 2021? • First and Ten

What if the injuries, what if the moment, what if the rain … there always seems to be a pretext to excuse that the San Francisco 49ers They are falling short in every game as this 2021 NFL season progresses. We will analyze every detail of the Niners crisis to unravel what is happening with the Gambusinos and if it can be done to get back on track.

The rain that fell on Levi’s Stadium last night was not only due to the storm that hit the Santa Clara area, it also rained mockery, boos and many doubts for the red and gold team, a disappointing performance in front of his audience ended up unleashing the fury of the fans, since not only is it the third consecutive time this season that they have lost at home, but also, they did so by showing a very limited playbook.

El factor Jimmy G

The discussion about whether Jimmy G should remain the 49ers ‘starting QB is probably at its hottest, as it is clear that the head coach has lost confidence in the 2014 Patriots’ QB recruited. who came to the team has been the starting QB, in 34 games he has only 10 defeats with the team, his performances have never ended up being convincing: even his own fans attribute those victories either to the performances of the defense or explosive plays of others players on offense.

If to that we add that, precisely, in the Draft held this year it was bet and it could even be said that the future of the franchise was mortgaged on QB Trey Lance, the only question left to ask at this point is “When?”When will the HC decide to place Lance as the owner and thus expand the team’s playbook so that it stops seeing itself as one that only knows how to run, that everyone knows it, and that is precisely where the second problem begins?

El factor Kyle Shanahan

De Shanahan There has been talk recently about whether it should be in the hot sea conversationt. He came to the team in 2017, after being the brand new OC of the Falcons in Super Bowl LI, however in Atlanta they will never forget his lousy game plan that collapsed in that game, something that San Francisco knows very well when taking the same Hasty decisions that cost them the championship in SB LIV before the Chiefs.

With 70 games directed so far, in which he has obtained 31 victories for a percentage of 44.3%, more than a third of these (13) achieved them in just one (2019) of five seasons. And in the rest? IIncluding this, they have been a losing record. It was thought that Shanahan had “bought time” with the new project now with Lance as the team leader, but if the results do not change, surely a change in position is going to continue to sound, and with increasing force.

Proof of this, in Sunday’s game, in the last minute of the first half, the fact of losing and not using timeouts to, at least, attempt a field goal, despite the weather – at least for pride or to show another image of the team – had to use another game plan for a final series of the last two minutes before half time

These approaches have been repetitive. In the game of kickoff of the season, in the last quarter the Lions although they were not going to come back, they did get very close and that only speaks of the fact that Shanahan has a hard time closing the games

Another topic that has given a lot to talk about is the situation with Trey Sermon and Brandon Aiyuk. Although it is known that Shanahan’s style is based on the running game and therefore uses several running backs, a third round was used in Sermon in the last draft only to see himself below an Elijah Mitchell who has not. done wrong, but it was a choice three rounds down where it was taken. Did they choose so badly from the front office in the Draft or is it the head coach’s stupidity?

The same happens with a Brandon Aiyuk who, when this season he painted to be his breakout It has been the opposite and this is very contradictory, since Shanahan himself has said that Aiyuk loves the player, but in matches his use is almost nil, and if to that is added the temporary withdrawal of Kittle, only Deebo Samuel remains the primary option, making the job of defense easier knowing that this is a one-dimensional attack.

The 49ers injury factor

Since Shanahan and Garoppolo arrived, the only season where they had their team healthy or at least without significant injuries to relevant players, was in 2019 to reach Super Bowl LIV against the Chiefs; Therefore, it has always been put as the main excuse for the lack of good results for the 49ers:

  • In 2017 Garoppolo only played the last 5 games, DE Arik Armstead with a broken hand missed the season, T Trent Brown had a shoulder injury, RB Raheem Mostert, LB Malcom Smith and FS Jimmie Ward were also sensitive casualties for this season
  • In 2018 Jimmy G himself was seriously injured, his main RBs (Matt Breida, Jerrick McKinnon and once again Mostert) as well as Ward again and CB Emmanuel Mosley
  • In 2020 Nick Bosa missed the entire season and George Kittle played only 8 games, in addition to DE Dee Ford, T Tren Williams and DT Solomon Thomas.
  • In 2021 Jason Verrett and Dre Grenlaw from the start of the season were out, losing considerably on defense, and once again Mostert with a season-ending injury, and even K Robbie Gould entered the team’s disabled list.

Although they have been injuries to important players, if the other two factors are included, doubts about the project are the order of the day. Even more so, considering that they have elements to play better like the already recovered Nick Bosa, Armstead, Ford and the second year player Javon Kinlaw; in addition to Fred Warner, Moseley and Ward on defense and the aforementioned Lance, Sermon, Aiyuk the new C Alex Mack and even the veteran of Mohamed Sanu.

To add to the injury argument, let’s take a look at other teams ‘key injuries to see that the 49ers’ problem is not the only and not even the most critical on that topic:

Panthers:  RB Christian McCaffrey, CB Jaycee Horn, CB Stephon Gilmore

Broncos: WR Jerry Jeudy, OLB Bradley Chubb, QB Teddy Bridgewater

Steelers: WR JuJu Smith Schuster, DT Tyson Alualu, DE Stephon Tuitt

Browns: QB Baker Mayfield, RB Nick Chubb, RB Kareem Hunt

Ravens: RB J.K. Dobbins, CB Marcus Peters, T Ronnie Stanley, DE Dereck Wolfe

Cowboys: WR Michael Gallup, DT Neville Gallimore, DE Demarcus Lawrence

WFT: QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, WR Curtis Samuel, OLB Jon Bostic, TE Logan Thomas

Giants: RB Saquon Barkley, WR Sterling Shepard, T Andrew Thomas, LB Blake Martinez

Jaguars: RB Travis Etienne, WR DJ Chark, G AJ Cann, TE James O’Shaughnessy

Chiefs: RB Clyde Edwards Helaire, G Kyle Long

Titans: CB Caleb Farley, CB Kristian Fulton, K Sam Ficken

Vikings: CB Patrick Peterson, TE Irv Smith

Cardinals: TE Maxx Williams, C Rodney Hudson, DE Jack Crawford

Raiders: CB Damon Arnette, G Rich Incognito, DT Gerald McCoy, TE Darren Waller

Seahawks: QB Russell Wilson, RB Chris Carson,  DE Marcus Webb

Texans: QB Tyrod Taylor, OT Laremy Tunsil, T Marcus Cannon

Packers: CB Jaire Alexander, CB Kevin King, T David Bakhtiari, OLB Za’Darius Smith

The problem is that right now they are not even the shadow of the team that was excited at the beginning of the season. Injuries in a contact sport cannot be avoided, but the preparation of players like Jimmy G or Trey Lance, and placing one as the true starter, as well as Kyle Shanahan’s calls and playbook must improve if they do not want that. keep raining criticism and boos at Levi’s Stadium.

What would you do to improve the state of the 49ers this season? We read you in the comments under this article and on our social networks.

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Trending