Deep breaths, everyone.
Sunday’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs was rough on the San Francisco 49ers, but it appears to have been even rougher on the fans. (See the last few questions below).
Considering all the injuries the 49ers have sustained, including the big one to Brandon Aiyuk on Sunday, the season is taking on the snake-bit feel the 2020 season had. Ah, but there are key differences, which we get into in this mailbag.
Thanks for all your thoughtful questions, which as usual have been lightly modified for content.
The Niners desperately need to develop their short passing game as an extension of the run game. Ball out quick, get Brock Purdy in a rhythm. He needs his confidence back. Where are the screens? – Frank F.
The 49ers are attempting 1.6 screens per game after attempting 3.1 a game last season. One reason may be different personnel – their reluctance to throw to Jordan Mason the way they threw to Christian McCaffrey last year, for example.
Or it may be that defenses are ready for screens. The 49ers’ longest this season was an 11 yarder to Deebo Samuel in Week 5 against the Arizona Cardinals. Most of the others have been snuffed out for no or minimal gain. San Francisco’s 40 passing yards when targeting screen routes are the third-lowest in the league, according to TruMedia.
Speaking of Samuel, he has been discharged from the hospital, according to a team source. He was admitted after Sunday’s game with fluid in his lungs and did not play at all in the second half against the Chiefs.
The 49ers’ lone screen on Sunday went to rookie Jacob Cowing, who gained nine yards. It’s something he did well in college. It’s logical that if the 49ers lean more heavily on Cowing – likely given all the team’s injury issues at wideout – it will result in more screens.
Is the 49ers’ offense not as creative anymore? The array of misdirection we saw from the Chiefs that made San Francisco’s defense – off to a strong start– so off balance used to be something the 49ers would do: screens. jet sweeps. fake jet sweeps. – Alex A.
I had the same thought during the game. Again, I think it’s related to personnel.
The Chiefs have a pair of burners in their offense, Mecole Hardman and Xavier Worthy. The 49ers? They used to run those types of plays with Samuel but they aren’t doing that as much this year.
They’re clearly aware of their speed deficit. They drafted a pair of guys with sub-4.4 speed this year in Cowing and Isaac Guerendo. I can only assume that those types of plays will increase as that duo gets more playing time.
How much was the Chiefs game plan thrown off by Deebo’s absence, and was that a knock-on effect that caused the offense to be more challenged in the first half? – Oliver C.
That’s a good way to read it – the offense definitely seemed to be in a funk from the very start and losing a key player like Samuel can do that. The counter argument, however, is that Aiyuk is their best weapon against man coverage and that they knew the Chiefs would play a lot of man coverage after their success doing that in the Super Bowl. If anything, the 49ers went into the contest thinking Aiyuk would have big game.
Looking at all the eight-man boxes and tight, often-man, coverage, is it fair to say that defenses this year are daring the 49ers to throw deep? And the result is lots of yards but a failure to score? – James F.
Yes, I think that sums it up. It also helps explain the lack of YAC yards, which usually are easier to get against zone coverage. The trade off for defenses is more exposure to big plays. If Purdy had put more air under the ball on throws to George Kittle and Cowing, they would have been touchdowns, not 41-yard completions.
Can you share what the mood of the locker room was after this past weekend? Was there a different feel from offense and defense players? – Michael C.
Do you remember the scene from “The Usual Suspects” when the Stephen Baldwin character realizes the true identity of Keyser Soze? He stumbles off the container ship, a knife protruding from his back and a look on his face that can only be described as pained puzzlement. The 49ers collectively had that look after the game – like they’d just witnessed something chilling.
Excluding Aiyuk’s knee injury, does Ben Peterson’s departure play any role in the number of injuries the team is dealing with? – Mario Z.
No. The 49ers had injury-riddled seasons under Peterson. In fact, that was a theme every season but last year’s.
Matt, if all mayhem happens this year, (losing, injuries), I read about an executive who says to trade Purdy. Is that a possibility in the offseason? – Eddie V.
An NFL executive advises the 49ers to trade Purdy? That’s like advising your rival to break up with his attractive girlfriend. This executive might not be an objective observer.
Since we are into trade season, what compensation picks do the 49ers expect after this season? They traded an expected comp pick for Chase Young last season. I assume they would factor into any trades the team makes. – Steve G.
I looked into this and the answer essentially was: It’s still up in the air.
The 49ers definitely are getting a third-round compensatory pick, the final one related to the hires of DeMeco Ryans and Ran Carthon. After that, it depends on how former 49ers like Young, Clelin Ferrell, Charlie Woerner and Ray-Ray McCloud perform with their new teams.
For example, the 49ers could get extra fourth-, fifth-, and seventh-round picks. Or it could be a fifth, a sixth and no seventh. We’re only a little more than a third of the way into the season, so it’s impossible to say right now.
Curious – why has the 49ers special teams coach been given such a long leash? Week after week it’s a sore spot for the team – can’t all be the players not making plays. – Andy E.
I’m sure there aren’t a lot of good options during the season. It’s not like the 49ers have a big special teams staff. There’s just one guy under coordinator Brian Schneider – August Mangin. His title is Special Teams Quality Control/Game Management Specialist.
Again, one of the issues seems to be related to what I wrote about last week: Kyle Shanahan isn’t all that interested in special teams. When I asked him last week how Anders Carlson handled kickoffs during his tryout for the 49ers, Shanahan said he didn’t know because he wasn’t on hand for the tryout.
I don’t think that makes him unique among NFL head coaches. But it underscores that he doesn’t have any special teams expertise and probably wants the special teams people to figure out the issues themselves.
The bye week is coming up. It will be interesting to see if the 49ers make any moves then. Maybe they should hire Brad Seely – who coached the 49ers’ so-called “Tony Montana squad” special teams a decade ago – as a consultant. I think he’s currently hitting golf balls on the South Carolina coast.
How y’all liking the Anders Carlson Experience? – Robin A.
Carlson with the wind at his back: A-plus
Carlson against the wind: D-minus
I know there are restrictions through the NFLPA. Are tackling drills allowed in the practice week during the season? It continues to be a problem and more practice may help. – Rich D
There are restrictions on tackling in the offseason (spring), but I don’t know of any during the regular season. Teams might practice tackling technique – thudding up opponents at half speed – early in a practice, but they don’t do it live to avoid injury. Bad technique is one thing. But can you imagine the hue and cry from fans if someone suffered a season-ending injury on a hard tackle in practice? I’d have to dedicate an entire mailbag to it.
What role does the goatee bearded muscly guy on the team sidelines fulfill on the team ? He seems to do nothing and has the best seat in the house…did he win a competition? Can I apply for the role ? – Simon H.
Can you bench press 400 pounds? That’s Dustin Perry, the head strength and conditioning coach. I believe his game-day role is “get back coach” – the guy who makes sure the sideline is clear. If you can wrangle Dre Greenlaw, by all means, apply for the job.
Hi Matt, what are you hearing about McCaffrey returning? Can he save the season, or would it be better to shut him down and save him for next year? – David N.
Shanahan on Monday pointed to Week 10 in Tampa Bay – the week following the bye – for a possible McCaffrey return. He said there have been no setbacks thus far.
As far as I know we haven’t heard anything from Brandon Staley since the regular season started. Will they ever bring him up to the podium this year? – Dan R.
No. They definitely don’t like the narrative that Staley is some sort of shadow defensive coordinator. They don’t even put Schneider on the podium. I highly doubt there will be a session with Staley.
Shouldn’t the 49ers be sellers at the deadline? Charvarius Ward, Deommodore Lenoir, Deebo, Kittle – shouldn’t they all go to the highest bidders? – Mark N.
What happens if they beat the Dallas Cowboys by two scores on Sunday? The tenor will go from “Trade the entire, stinkin’ roster!” to, “I love the 49ers’ chances after the bye!”
That’s one answer. The other is that some of the names listed above are virtually untradeable because of their contracts, while others will be free agents in March. That means the 49ers will get roughly the same compensation, albeit a year later, they would get in a trade while holding onto that player while they wait and see how things play out this season.
Wouldn’t this team, with all these injuries and deep playoff runs, benefit from a down year in the long term? Super Bowl windows are precious and of course I want them to win, but there’s something to be said about a down season releasing the pressure valve a bit. – Thiago V.
Thiago already is approaching the fifth and final stage of grief: acceptance. Do not go gentle into that good night, Thiago! Rage, rage against the dying of the light!
I understand what you’re saying. The 49ers would benefit from having better draft position, a slightly easier schedule and, most of all, from not playing an extra three or four games. The Philadelphia Eagles (currently 4-2), for example, seem more recharged this year after a flat, post-Super Bowl season last year.
But I don’t think the 49ers have that mindset. They believe that if they can just tread water for now, there will be some significant life boats – McCaffrey, Greenlaw, maybe a trade acquisition – arriving in November. I’m not sure Fred Warner is at full strength right now, either. The team’s motto is: Wait until next month.
With the amount of injuries and rookies playing so far, would it be fair to call this a “rebuilding” season, except with the caveat that multiple all-pros will be returning soon? It seems to me that getting the young guys this experience will pay off in the long term. – Zach G.
Yes, an extremely rosy view of the season so far would be to note that the 49ers are still in the NFC playoff mix while also giving rookies plenty of exposure. Eight played in Sunday’s game with three – Dominick Puni, Renardo Green and Malik Mustapha – essentially in starter roles.
That certainly will pay off as far as their development and as far as future salary caps. The 49ers know they can trust at least three starters who will be on rookie contracts for the next few seasons. The team also appears to have a keeper in undrafted Evan Anderson, who didn’t play Sunday.
Can Ricky Pearsall win Comeback Player of the Year as a rookie? – Bruce F.
Guys, is there an Athletic t-shirt we can send Bruce F.? He just won the mailbag.
(Top photo: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
