San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said his star wide receiver, Deebo Samuel, is expected to miss one to two weeks with a groin strain. Don't tell Samuel it could take him two weeks, though. The team's leading receiver is betting on the lower end of his coach's estimate.
On Wednesday, Samuel joined CBS Sports HQ and was asked if he expects to return for Week 14's contest against the Cincinnati Bengals after missing this weekend's battle against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field.
"Of course," Samuel responded. "It's only going to take a week, so [I'll] be back next week."
That's good news for the 49ers, who are surging right now, having won three straight games and four of their last five. After starting 3-5, Samuel's squad is now 6-5 and in the mix of the playoff hunt.
Samuel was also asked about his quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo, who has played some impressive football in recent weeks. Garoppolo's play isn't a surprise to the third-year wideout.
"Since I've been here, I've known Jimmy to be a winner," Samuel shared. "Coming back at OTAs this offseason, I've seen a different type of Jimmy. Being a leader, ball placement, getting the team together, and it's been showing this year.
"These past three weeks, he's been playing lights out. We've been running the ball well, just clicking on all cylinders — offense, defense, and even special teams."
The receiver went on to make a bold prediction for his team.
"Niners back to the Super Bowl, baby," Samuel said. "Let's go."
Do they win the big game this time after falling just short two seasons ago?
"Yes, sir," Samuel answered. "... It's going to mean everything. We've just got to go out there and just finish the deal this time. We fell short two years ago, and we know what that tastes like. We don't want to taste that again."