LISTEN: 49ers Look To Sweep Seahawks & Questionable QB Rankings →
placeholder image

Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports


Healthier 49ers can be a scary team going into the playoffs

Jan 9, 2023 at 9:48 AM--


Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
A healthy San Francisco 49ers team will be the most dangerous team in the NFL Playoffs.

After an embarrassing 44-23 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on October 23, the 49ers have won 10 games in a row, clinching the NFC West and earning the second seed in the NFC playoff bracket, but some key players were injured throughout the season. Some of these players are returning from injured reserve and some are returning after missing games due to lingering injuries. They will make the 49ers more dangerous than what was on the field these past 10 weeks.

The 49ers leading rusher last season, Elijah Mitchell, had been on injured reserve since December 3. He played in the final game against the Arizona Cardinals and can add a lot to the expected one-two punch of he and All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey.

In his first season with the 49ers, Mitchell played in 11 games and led the team with 963 rushing yards. He finished this season with 279 rushing yards through five games.

In his 11 games with the 49ers, McCaffrey has 1,210 scrimmage yards and 10 total touchdowns, adding another dimension to head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense.

With a healthy Mitchell returning for the playoffs, he can spell McCaffrey, who has been playing with a sprained ankle, and be an extra spark for the 49ers offense. In the 38-13 victory, Mitchell had 55 rushing yards and two touchdowns on five carries.

The 49ers have not been a prolific passing team since the 1998 season, but they have the weapons on the outside to make life miserable for their opponents' secondaries. Since Deebo Samuel suffered an MCL sprain in a Week 14 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk have helped lead the way for the 49ers' passing game, while players like Ray-Ray McCloud and Jauan Jennings have made meaningful contributions as well.

Samuel caught two passes for 20 yards in the 38-13 victory against the Cardinals.

Second-year guard Aaron Banks, who has started to come into his own this season while allowing just one sack on the year, missed the Cardinals game with a knee injury. According to StatMuse.com, the 49ers have allowed 31 sacks, which is the sixth-best in the league, and hopefully, Banks is back for the home playoff game.

The 49ers defense is the best in the league but has been without defensive tackles Arik Armstead and Javon Kinlaw for half of the season. Armstead, who missed eight games this season, returned after suffering a hairline ankle fracture. He has eight tackles and no sacks this season. Kinlaw has played in five games and has played up to his rookie outing in 2020.

Defensive end and possible NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Nick Bosa, has 18.5 sacks. Others, such as Samson Ebukam, have also contributed to the pass rush. Ebukam finished with five sacks, and Charles Omenihu has 4.5 this season. Both have done an excellent job as run-stoppers as well.

The biggest return may be that of injured quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who has been sidelined since breaking a bone in his foot against the Miami Dolphins on 12/4.

Since he relieved Trey Lance in Week 2, Garoppolo led the 49ers to seven wins before the injury, but rookie Brock Purdy has come in and won six straight games (including the victory over the Dolphins). This scenario could be the same as the one Bill Belichick faced in New England in 2001 with Tom Brady and Drew Bledsoe. Bledsoe, the unquestioned starter, was injured in a Week 3 game against the New York Jets, and Brady, a second-year player, came in and led the Patriots to an eventual Super Bowl victory.

Belichick had a difficult decision to make because Bledsoe was cleared to return from his injury in Week 10, but the coach opted to stick with Brady, and the Patriots went on a remarkable Super Bowl run.

The quarterback position is not like all the other positions on the field, and Mr. Irrelevant has played well enough to make the decision difficult for the 49ers brass. However, both quarterbacks have played well enough for the team to believe either one is capable of leading them to a Super Bowl victory.
  • Written by:
    Sports has been my first love since I was 12 years old. At one point I wanted to play football professionally. I started to take photography as a hobby in my teenage years but this was when I followed sports. I started to listen to sports radio, I found my true calling and it was to be a sports talk show host. Though I follow football and basketball, I started to have a new love of cultures around the world. After graduating from San Antonio College in 2018, I worked for the Castroville News Bulletin before going to A&M San Antonio to get my communications degree. Since I have written for the Ranger of San Antonio College, the News Bulletin and the Mesquite of Texas A&M San Antonio, I met many people and went to a lot of events. My major milestone was being in the press box of the San Antonio Commanders game for the Mesquite and being apart of a press conference with the Medina County Sheriff and other local news outlets. When I am not doing anything, I like to watch old cartoons on the DC Universe, play video games such as Mega Man and the Mass Effect series. I have also created Youtube channel called "Anger Management" with my friend Aaron Donnell.
The opinions within this article are those of the writer and, while just as important, are not necessarily those of the site as a whole.



0 Comments

  • No Comments

Facebook Comments



More San Francisco 49ers News


placeholder image

Brock Purdy 'really excited' to lead 49ers into hostile territory against Eagles

By David Bonilla
Dec 3

It's been 308 days since Brock Purdy suffered a UCL tear. Today, he returns to Lincoln Financial Field, the site of that injury, to lead the San Francisco 49ers in an NFC Championship Game rematch against the Philadelphia Eagles. Expectations are high for a more competitive game than last season's 31-7 rout. While Purdy isn't seeking revenge, the second-year quarterback eagerly anticipates matchups like these, relishing the prospect of playing again in front of a hostile crowd. "I'm really excited for it, honestly," Purdy told FOX Sports' Erin Andrews. "Going back, it's a great environment. These are the kinds of games that you grow up watching on TV, wishing you were in there.


placeholder image

Peter King gives unique insight into Kyle Shanahan, John Lynch relationship

By Site Staff
Dec 5

This article was first published by Audacy, written by Ryan Gilbert, and syndicated with permission. The San Francisco 49ers have turned their franchise around over the several years. The changing of the guard in 2017 with John Lynch as general manager and Kyle Shanahan as head coach has led to three NFC Championship Game appearances in the last four years, and another one could be in the cards. NFL Insider Peter King joined the Audacy podcast "49ers Webzone: No Huddle"


placeholder image

49ers confident they can 'beat anybody' if this happens

By David Bonilla
Nov 30

The San Francisco 49ers will be well-rested when they arrive at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday to face the Philadelphia Eagles. The team is riding high from a big Thursday night Week 12 win against division-rival Seattle Seahawks and has dominated over opponents in recent weeks. The 49ers aim to extend their impressive three-game winning streak this weekend by beating the team that eliminated them from the playoffs last season, ending their Super Bowl hopes. This presents an opportunity for them to climb within striking distance of the top seed in the NFC playoff picture. A loss will make it challenging for the 49ers to overtake the Eagles in the standings. While Sunday's matchup could serve as a playoff preview, the 49ers are focusing on the present rather


placeholder image

49ers can clinch playoff berth in Week 14 with help from these teams

By David Bonilla
Dec 6

Prepare to rally behind the Las Vegas Raiders or the New York Giants as the San Francisco 49ers look to secure a playoff spot in Week 14 with a helping hand from one of these two teams. First, the 49ers must handle business at home against the Seattle Seahawks. The two teams met in Week 12 at Lumen Field, with San Francisco coming out on top 31-13 in the NFC West clash. The 49ers enter the Week 14 rematch as a 10.5-point favorite. Even with a win, San Francisco still needs to see a victory from either the Raiders or the Giants to guarantee their postseason spot with four games remaining. The Raiders play host to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. However, Minnesota


Latest

Trending News

Share 49ersWebzone