Want to jump on the 49ers playoff bandwagon? Here are seven things to know
Saturday’s game between the 49ers and Vikings will be San Francisco’s biggest game in years. Maybe you’re just catching up and need a primer. We’ve got you covered with seven things you should know before the playoffs tilt.
A long time coming
It’s been a rough few seasons for the 49ers. They came close to winning the Super Bowl against the Baltimore Ravens in 2013 but they haven’t reached the big game since. That could change this year. Head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch are both in their third year with the team. They have built a roster with veterans, rookies and impact players who have bought into the system. San Francisco went 6-10 in 2017 and 4-12 last year. This season, the 49ers went 13-3 and won its first NFC West crown since 2011. Worth noting: The Vikings’ Super Bowl drought is slightly longer than the 49ers’, dating back to 1977. And they’ve won zero Super Bowls.
It all starts with Jimmy Garoppolo
The 49ers’ signal-caller is sixth-year pro Jimmy Garoppolo. He spent his first three seasons as a backup to Tom Brady on the New England Patriots and won two Super Bowls with the club. When he was traded to the 49ers midseason in 2017, he started and won the last five games of that season. Heading into 2018, things looked promising for Garoppolo and the 49ers until he tore his ACL in Week 3 against the Kansas City Chiefs. After an offseason of rehab, Garoppolo has made a case for the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year Award. In the regular season, Garoppolo completed 69.1% percent of his passes for 3,978 yards, 27 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. The 49ers will likely as go as far as he will take them.
First time for most
Saturday’s playoff game will mark the first for many. It will be the first playoff game in the short history of Levi’s Stadium, which opened in 2014. Garoppolo will make his first playoff start and it will be the first playoff game as a head coach for Kyle Shanahan. The last playoff game Shanahan coached in was in the Super Bowl as the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons. In that 2017 game, the Falcons famously blew a 28-3 lead to a Tom Brady-led Patriots team.
‘Legendary’ Comeback
49ers linebacker Kwon Alexander is expected to play this weekend despite being placed on injured reserve in week 9 against the Arizona Cardinals, because of a torn pectoral muscle. Alexander has been seen rehabbing at 49ers practice over the last month, in order to return for the playoffs. Not only is he one of the most productive linebackers in the NFL, but the energy he brings is unmatched. He was referred to by rookie Nick Bosa last week as the “Team MVP.” Alexander often uses the word “legendary” and established the “Hot Boyz,” his nickname for the 49ers linebackers. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw has filled in for Alexander since his injury and his most notable performance came against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 17 when he tackled tight end Jacob Hollister at the goal line to seal the 26-21 win.
Raheem the Dream
One of the 49ers’ unlikely stars this season has been running back Raheem Mostert, who is averaging 5.6 yards per carry. That number ranks first in the entire NFL. Mostert was a football and track star at Purdue but went undrafted in 2015. After bouncing from seven teams in five years, he has found a home in Santa Clara. Coming into the season, he was the fourth running back behind Matt Breida, Tevin Coleman and Jerrick McKinnon and had a role as a special teams ace. But as the season went on, he found more of a role in the 49ers offensive game plan. He has scored a touchdown in six straight games, including two in Week 17 against the Seahawks.
All-Pro honors
The 49ers had three players named to the Associated Press All-Pro team. Tight end George Kittle was named to the first team after another standout season. The third-year pro from Iowa caught 85 passes for 1,053 yards and five touchdowns despite missing two games with an ankle injury. Two defensive players were also named to the second team in defensive lineman DeForest Buckner and cornerback Richard Sherman. Buckner had 62 combined tackles and 7.5 sacks, while Sherman had three interceptions and was the leader in the secondary. Fullback Kyle Juszcyk and rookie defensive linemen Nick Bosa were selected to the Pro Bowl in Florida.
Who’s next?
If the 49ers beat the Vikings on Saturday, they will host the NFC Championship game for the first time since 2011. They will be playing the winner of the Seattle Seahawks versus the Green Bay Packers, who play Sunday. The 49ers played the Seahawks twice this season, with one win and one loss. San Francisco beat the Packers in Week 12 on NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” 37-8. The last time the 49ers were in the playoffs in 2013, they played the Packers on Wild Card weekend in Green Bay and won on a last-second field goal. Two weeks later, they played the Seahawks in Seattle for the NFC Championship game and lost 23-17.