Week 4: Pats (+10) at SF

DJnVa

Dorito Dawg
SoSH Member
Dec 16, 2010
55,315
The Pats are a 10 point dog on the road, the largest of the week. Of course, the largest underdog of the week is 3-0 so far this season, so...


Will we get more Drake Maye? I think we might. Sooner or later, Brissett is gonna get up too slowly and not be able to continue. I imagine there will be a lot of this guy:

 

Bergs

don't Judge me
SoSH Member
Jul 22, 2005
22,515
Man, that seems like easy money pounding the 49ers -10
 

Eric Fernsten's Disco Mustache

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Gold Supporter
SoSH Member
I don't bet on NFL games in part b/c I almost never have confidence I know what the freak is going to happen

The way the Rams scored three times in the final five minutes to take down San Fran last week is a classic example

That said, some things about this game I'm thinking about:
  • San Fran not having Hargrave lining up in front of our LG makes (presumably Sow)'s life a lot easier, and by extension everyone else's too. It'll be interesting to see if the Niners have Bosa flip sides, or if they keep him just outside our RT. Either way, facing only one pass rusher who regularly commands double-teams is a lot better proposition than facing two. I'm seeing some San Fran beat writers are expecting Leonard Floyd to play more in Hargrave's absence, but Floyd's well on the wrong side of 30 and has been in visible decline for the last few years, so that's a swap I'll happily take
  • As we all know, San Fran has struggled to stop the run this year, even when Hargrave was healthy. Warner (their middle linebacker) feels like the only guy who's really a +defender against the run. Account for him, man block everyone else, and it should be six-yard-by-Rham-and-a-cloud-of-dust all afternoon.
  • In my daily moment of feeling old I'm seeing that Trent Williams is now 36. I remember when he was a top 5 draft pick by Washington. His career can be thought of as something of a case study in LT development. He was mediocre-to-below-average his first year in DC. Then he was in the neighborhood of above-average-but-not-very-impressive. Year three he was really very good and made his first Pro Bowl. Year six he was second team All-Pro for the first time. Year 11 he was first team All-Pro for the first time. Awards are a lagging and often inaccurate indicator, of course. But the trajectory of that development looks fairly common.
  • Purdy is great and I'm expecting San Fran's passing game to do to us what Geno did in week 2
  • The classic Shanahan approach to building a defense is to try to have a great D-line that can create tons of QB pressure without blitzing, and then count on everyone else to smother receivers. With Bosa they're a quarter of the way there. But the rest of the line is less impressive. If the Pats O-line can buy time for Brissett (I know, I know, I know) it'll be interesting to see how much Shanahan starts bringing extra pressure and what that might unlock. This could be another big Hunter Henry day. I don't think of San Fran's defensive backs and linebackers as all that scary, although those of you who follow the team more (like @trekfan55) can tell me if I'm wrong.
Oh, those are some thoughts from a Friday afternoon meeting I didn't need to be at and which isn't relevant to my job.
 
Last edited:

Al Zarilla

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 8, 2005
60,976
San Andreas Fault
Kittle is one of those must watch guys for me, as are McCaffrey and Deebo. Even though I’d rather the Patriots won, as many of those guys playing (McCaffrey out) the more I like it.
 

scott bankheadcase

I'm adequate!!
SoSH Member
Nov 1, 2006
3,321
hoboken
If Deebo doesn’t play, it’ll be interesting to see if Shanahan tries to turn this into a screw all the media questions, this is a Ronnie Bell redemption game (he had two really bad drops, including one that would have put the Niners in easy field goal range for the win last week), or if he’ll put Bell in the doghouse and go with Jacob Cowling, who was electrifying in pre-season but hasn’t really played at all in the regular season.

Niners fans and media are clamoring for Cowling, but that might make Shanahan push Bell more.
 

scott bankheadcase

I'm adequate!!
SoSH Member
Nov 1, 2006
3,321
hoboken
Also, Trent Williams was added to the injury report today with a toe issue. He’s questionable.

My guess is he plays, but if not it’s, obviously, a huge loss.
 

Eric Fernsten's Disco Mustache

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Gold Supporter
SoSH Member
Also, Trent Williams was added to the injury report today with a toe issue. He’s questionable.

My guess is he plays, but if not it’s, obviously, a huge loss.
Trent not playing would make Keion White very very happy, and make us pulling an upset a step-function less unlikely.

I'm not confident we can keep Purdy from ripping us apart, but if we can get a lot pressure on him to stall out enough drives, win the turnovers, run the ball, etc. etc. etc.
 

Harry Hooper

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jan 4, 2002
35,527
Roster moves today, per Sporting News:

On Saturday, Jerod Mayo's team announced four roster moves, as they placed cornerback Alex Austin on injured reserve, signed cornerback Isaiah Bolden from the practice squad and elevated defensive tackle Trysten Hill and tight end Mitchell Wilcox to the 53-man roster for Week 4.
 

scott bankheadcase

I'm adequate!!
SoSH Member
Nov 1, 2006
3,321
hoboken
Trent not playing would make Keion White very very happy, and make us pulling an upset a step-function less unlikely.

I'm not confident we can keep Purdy from ripping us apart, but if we can get a lot pressure on him to stall out enough drives, win the turnovers, run the ball, etc. etc. etc.
Niners did not promote any lineman from the practice squad. Probably a good sign for Williams.
 

ShaneTrot

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Nov 17, 2002
6,745
Overland Park, KS
These roster moves are needed. Bolden is a bigger corner and they need size at that position. Wilcox is a good blocker, his job may be to chip or double team Bosa. Hill goes into the defensive tackle rotation where they are thin.
I am intrigued to see what they do at LB, Tavai was bad inside last week. McMillan missed some tackles last week.
 

BusRaker

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 11, 2006
2,882
Well at least I'll get to watch the first half on normal TV before FOX moves it to a more competitive game ...
 

Carbo Loading

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 8, 2002
853
Vancouver, WA
at the stadium and it’s a beautiful day. Good representation of Pats fans. Jeremiah Pharms’ family is in front of us. Hopefully it will be close. I feel it will
 

Euclis20

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 3, 2004
9,471
Oakland
Just once I want to see a team try to get the defense to jump offsides, get down under 5 seconds when everyone knows you aren't snapping the ball...and then run a sneak while the defense is back on their heels. I don't see how it would fail.
 

Harry Hooper

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jan 4, 2002
35,527
I can somewhat understand passing on 3rd down, given the 49ers likely were expecting a run, but why give away any surprise with an empty backfield?