49ers notebook: Shanahan hopeful Staley, Ford, Breida and Sherman will play vs. Saints
The 49ers are optimistic about getting a few key players back healthy in time for Sunday’s pivotal game against the New Orleans Saints following their loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.
Specifically, left tackle Joe Staley, pass rusher Dee Ford and running back Matt Breida, who have all missed multiple games in recent weeks.
Additionally, coach Kyle Shanahan wouldn’t rule out cornerback Richard Sherman after spraining his right knee in the fourth quarter in Baltimore and safety Jaquiski Tartt, who exited after the second play of the third quarter with a rib fracture.
“I’m holding out hope on all of them,” Shanahan said. “I’m definitely more optimistic about Breida, Ford and Staley. ... None of them are for sure, though.”
The 49ers will prepare for the upcoming game in New Orleans by practicing at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., just south of Tampa, marking their second stay in the eastern time zone between road games this season. They stayed in Youngstown, Ohio amid their first two contests of the year at Tampa Bay and Cincinnati.
San Francisco is also hoping nose tackle D.J. Jones’ ankle sprain suffered Sunday is minor. He’ll be re-evaluated before Wednesday’s practice and is considered day to day. Fellow defensive tackle Jullian Taylor is expected to miss multiple games with a ligament issue in his elbow, Shanahan said.
Sherman vowed to play against the Saints despite being in significant pain after losing to the Ravens. The All-Pro corner has a long history of durability before tearing his Achilles in his left foot in Nov. 2017. He appeared in 117 straight games with the Seahawks to begin his career before that injury.
And like George Kittle, who recently dealt with knee and ankle injuries, Sherman has earned the benefit of the doubt when it comes not ruling him out early in the week.
“Sherm, with what he’s done over his career, us being with him now going into our second year, he’s a guy that I would never rule out,” said Shanahan. “I understand though. I see him walking the way you guys did, too. A normal person I probably would rule out just by the eye test, but you can never rule those type of guys out. They usually find a way to get there and as long as they show us enough then you usually give those guys an opportunity. That’s also why we’ve got to make sure that he’s (healthy). Sometimes we’ve got to make tough decisions to protect them from themselves.”
49ers make waves in running game
What led to Raheem Mostert’s breakout, 146-yard performance on Sunday? He took advantage of his opportunities and the looks the offense received from Baltimore’s defense when he was in the game. And he also got strong blocking from right tackle Mike McGlinchey and Kittle, particularly in Shanahan’s signature outside zone running plays.
Starter Tevin Coleman played 10 snaps while rushing for just 6 yards on five carries. Mostert played 40 snaps and set a career high with 146 yards, of which 40 came on an explosive touchdown in the second quarter. He broke his previous personal best of 87 yards before halftime.
On McGlinchey, Shanahan said the 2018 first-round draft pick, “had his best game of the year versus Green Bay and then I think he followed that up with his new best game of the year yesterday. I know Mike’s been battling through some injuries to get back. I know when he did get back, it still takes some time to get back to your old self, but I saw that last week definitely and I think he only got better this week.”
Kittle has earned a reputation as the NFL’s top run-blocking tight end and put together another strong showing Sunday, though he had the lead productive game of the year in the passing game with just two catches for 17 yards.
“That was probably as good of a run blocking game in terms of how much a tight end, in the outside-zone, could move the edge. He dominated that game,” said Shanahan. “Our edges were as good as they’ve almost ever been and that’s why we were able to put a fast running back in there and just stay on track and hit the numbers pretty hard. He was very impressive, so was McGlinchey on the edge too.”
San Francisco finished with 174 rushing yards and at least 6.0 yards per carry for the fourth time this season. Breida, who could return Sunday after missing the past three weeks, remains the team’s leading rusher with 542 yards on 109 carries. Mostert (539) surpassed Coleman’s total (454) on Sunday.
Shanahan would prefer to rotate more at receiver
One of the themes throughout August and early in the regular season was Shanahan’s wanting his receivers to establish themselves so he didn’t have to rotate as much.
That came to pass against the Ravens.
Emmanuel Sanders, Deebo Samuel and Kendrick Bourne received the vast majority of snaps at the position, while slot receiver Richie James Jr. was on the field for two plays. Marquise Goodwin, who was active and in uniform, played one special teams snap.
The 49ers were also without Dante Pettis, who appears unlikely to play in New Orleans after spraining his knee during a practice last Wednesday.
“We feel those three guys have earned the right to be out there more than the rest,” Shanahan said. “We feel they have been the most consistent and started playing the best here over the last month or so. So, we have planned to do that more.
“(But) I don’t like how much they went. I think we do have to rotate a little bit more and keep those guys fresh. We also have confidence in the other two guys that are there so we need to use them. Richie came in and I know made a huge block on Raheem’s long touchdown run and I know (Goodwin) is ready to go. ... Our three guys that have really started to separate themselves a little bit from the group.”
This story was originally published December 2, 2019 at 3:22 PM.
