49ers notebook: Weston Richburg done for season; Richard Sherman and Dee Ford injured

Sunday offered 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan one of the most exhilarating victories of his NFL coaching career.

After a wild 48-46 win over the Saints in New Orleans, Monday brought back the harsh reality of the NFL season as the 49ers deal with a new round of injuries with just three games left before the playoffs.

“It was a huge win and we enjoyed that a ton, obviously, but yeah, some mixed feelings today with some of these injuries, which is tough,” Shanahan said Monday.

In particular, San Francisco (11-2) will have to make its postseason run without an integral piece of the offense as center Weston Richburg was lost for the year with a torn patellar tendon in his right leg, Shanahan confirmed.

Richburg was having a standout campaign after struggling through a torn tendon connecting his left knee and quadriceps for most of 2018 that required offseason surgery and extended rehab.

He bounced back during his healthier start this season after becoming one of the highest paid centers in the league in March 2018, when inked a five-year, $47.5 million contract. Richburg is known for his athleticism, which is crucial in blocking for the team’s wide-ranging rushing attack that’s been ranked No. 2 in the NFL for the majority of the season.

“I thought Richburg played very well,” Shanahan said. “He played like the guy that we hoped for when he got here.”

Richburg will likely spend a second consecutive offseason going through lengthy rehab, though Shanahan indicated he’s expected to make a full recovery in time for 2020.

In the meantime, San Francisco will likely call on veteran Ben Garland, who replaced Richburg after his third-quarter departure on Sunday. Shanahan credited Garland for playing well in the harsh environment and crowd noise at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

“He did a great job when he went in there. From a center standpoint, just the snaps and everything, I think it was very good,” Shanahan said. “I know we had a couple false starts, which I would love to have had back, but it’s tough in that environment.”

One of the many positive developments from San Francisco’s stellar season – the team regained the No. 1 seed in the NFC with the victory Sunday paired with the Seattle Seahawks’ loss to the Los Angeles Rams – has been the roster’s ability to absorb injuries and not see a significant drop off.

The 49ers had a run of games earlier in the season without starting tackles Mike McGlinchey and Joe Staley as they dealt with leg injuries. Backup defensive ends Ronald Blair III and Damontre Moore went down with season ending knee and arm injuries, respectively, and San Francisco remains third in the league with 45 sacks behind outstanding campaigns from Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner.

Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon missed time and was replaced admirably by Emmanuel Moseley, and the passing defense remained the most formidable in the league.

Richard Sherman likely to miss multiple games

Witherspoon and Moseley will be under the microscope again as Shanahan said cornerback Richard Sherman is expected to miss multiple games after suffering a hamstring injury late in the fourth quarter Sunday. It marked the second week in a row Sherman exited on the final series. He left the road loss against the Baltimore Ravens with a knee sprain.

The Saints took advantage right away, attacking Sherman’s side of the field with a long completion to Ted Ginn Jr. and another attempt Tre’Quan Smith that drew a third-down pass interference on Moseley. It extended the drive and led to Smith’s go-ahead touchdown inside the final minute.

Witherspoon, meanwhile, dropped a would-be game-sealing interception during the sequence that would have been a heavily scrutinized play had the 49ers lost.

The 49ers hadn’t allowed more than 27 points in a game this year, which the Saints had by the second quarter, and the 465 total yards allowed was far more than the previous high of 357 on Halloween against the Arizona Cardinals.

Shanahan was asked about his impressions of the defense’s performance that was clearly the worst of the season.

“I think one, we didn’t play our best game. I think that was obvious,” Shanahan said. “And two, we went against a very good quarterback, with some very good weapons, with a very good coach and I think they got us on a number of things. I think you’ve got to play clean football versus them and you’ve got to make sure you don’t have many mistakes.”

The 49ers last three games will feature home contests against the Atlanta Falcons (4-9) and Rams (8-5) before traveling in the finale to for a rematch against the Seahawks (10-3), which could determine the winner of the NFC West. It would be logical for the 49ers to circle that game for Sherman’s return.

Dee Ford may not play again until playoffs

Defensive end Dee Ford came back after a two-game absence from a hamstring injury and aggravated it during the first half against the Saints. Shanahan said Ford might not be available again until the postseason.

“It’s probably going to take a little bit longer than it did last time, it’ll probably be at least three weeks,” Shanahan said.

Ford has been slowed by knee tendinitis since training camp, limiting his snap count. He’s appeared in more than half a game’s snaps just once this season – in Week 1. Still, he’s proven effective as a situational pass rusher with 6 1/2 sacks in 11 games.

Ford could be a player who benefits greatly from San Francisco earning a first-round bye, which would only come with holding off the Seahawks for the division crown.

▪ Slot cornerback K’Waun Williams will begin the week in the concussion protocol after exiting Sunday’s game in the fourth quarter.

▪ Defensive tackle D.J. Jones is dealing with an ankle sprain for the second consecutive week and could be in danger of missing time. Jones forced a critical fumble from running back Alvin Kamara which led to tight end George Kittle’s third-quarter touchdown.

▪ Receiver Marquise Goodwin, who has one catch since Oct. 13, is dealing with “chronic” knee and ankle issues, Shanahan said. The team is evaluating treatment options.

▪ Wideout Dante Pettis returned to practice last week following his knee sprain but was inactive Sunday. Shanahan expects him to resume practicing this week.

▪ Safety Jaquiski Tartt’s status entering the week is uncertain as he deals with a rib fracture sustained in the third quarter against the Ravens. His replacement, Marcell Harris, struggled in New Orleans as the Saints’ first three touchdowns went to tight ends.

▪ Defensive tackle Jullian Taylor’s elbow issue is expected to keep him out against the Falcons.

This story was originally published December 9, 2019 at 5:09 PM.