Last season, the San Francisco 49ers lost their first game in week six in Cleveland, while facing the Browns. WR Deebo Samuel started the game but went out early with an injury. The 49ers offense, which heavily relied on Samuel's dynamic play, struggled the rest of the game. Many believed Head Coach Kyle Shanahan had a Samuel-heavy game plan that was thrown off by the star receiver's absence, highlighting the team's struggle without him.
Last week, the 49ers fell to 3-4 after losing to the Kansas City Chiefs. Just like the game against the Browns last season, Samuel left the game early, and the 49ers offense struggled. Although it wasn't known during the game, Samuel, who only played three snaps, was dealing with pneumonia. After spending a couple of nights in the hospital, the sixth-year 'wide-back' returned to practice and is considered 'questionable' for Sunday night's matchup against the Dallas Cowboys, a crucial game that could determine the 49ers' playoff chances.
A big question this past week surrounded Samuel's absence in the Kansas City game and how the offense looked. Was Shanahan's game plan another one featuring Samuel, only to lose the very player it would highlight? Some believe Shanahan needed to better adjust from his original plan.
On Friday, Shanahan spoke with the media and said Samuel had made remarkable progress from last Sunday. "He's gotten better each day and hopefully he continues going that way for Sunday," Shanahan told reporters.
When asked if he has to prepare two game plans with Samuel's availability still unknown, Shanahan answered, "Yes, you do. But you've got to always have that, anyway, just in case someone wakes up sick on Sunday randomly, you're not expecting, in case someone gets hurt in the first half. So that's something you're always planning for, and when you know someone's questionable, it's a little easier to plan for it. So, it's something we're ready for either way."
Whether or not that's normal for Shanahan, it's clear how much Samuel means to this offense, especially with fellow wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk lost for the season with a knee injury. But can Samuel play and be effective just a week after battling pneumonia? According to his coach, he's making progress with his stamina. "It's gotten better each day," Shanahan said. "We've gone slow with him; we didn't push him that hard, knowing what the issue is and stuff. But it has gone better each day and that's why I'm hoping that continues for Sunday."
The 49ers will need Samuel to help them win a big game against a conference rival. San Francisco would love to go into the bye on a high note before starting a string of challenging games after the bye. The 49ers currently sit in last place in the NFC West.