NFL: Niners aim to upset Saints to preserve playoff hopes.
Kyle Shanahan is 31/2 seasons into his 49ers coaching career, and as he’s dealt with ups and downs, and injury after injury, one aspect persists in how he relates to his team.
“I try to keep it real with the guys,” Shanahan said Friday.
The reality is this year’s team is short-staffed. It is a workers’ comp haven.
With a demoralizing twogame losing streak in tow, the 49ers (4- 5) are desperate heading into today’s game at the NFC co-leading New Orleans Saints (6-2).
So what kind of motivational speaker can Shanahan be?
“I know no one is giving us a shot,” Shanahan said of his nine-point underdogs. “It’s not like I’m going to sit in there and go give the best rah-rah speech ever, that ‘ It’s us against the world.’ So that’s why we’re going to go out there and shock everyone.
“Guys love that challenge. Anything you do, it’s always more fun to do something people don’t think you can. That is motivation. That is exciting.”
When Shanahan immediately kept alive playoff talk after their past loss — 34-17 at home to the Green Bay Packers — it was easy to be skeptical. Right tackle Mike McGlinchey has his coach’s back, however.
“Ever yone wants to say the Niners have dealt with all this kind of crap all year,” McGlinchey said Wednesday, “but we’re still in position to make a run here.”
Lose in the Superdome and that three-game skid will define the 49ers’ plummet from contention.
Win and all that playoff
hope is reignited, what with the field being expanded to at least three wild cards and possibly four if the COVID-19 pandemic cancels enough games.
Here are three matchups the 49ers must win to, well, win in the Superdome:
1. FRED WARNER VS. ALVIN KAMARA >> Each week, we’re expecting Warner to rescue a defense that long ago kissed goodbye to its pass rush, when Nick Bosa and Dee Ford vanished in midSeptember and Arik Armstead (11/2 sacks) couldn’t pick up their slack.
Warner and the run defense have not allowed a 100-yard rusher this season. True, opponents are instead thriving by completing passes deep and along the boundaries to their receivers. But Warner is having a breakout season.
He earned midseason All-Pro honors from Pro Football Focus. So did the Saints’ Alvin Kamara, who helps the New Orleans offense create every challenge imaginable. He is their leading rusher and receiver, because of, as Warner said, “his balance, his footwork. They use him in all different ways. That’s what separates him from a lot of guys in the league. That’s what makes him so dynamic.”
Kamara had only 25 rushing yards (13 carries) and 18 receiving yards (four catches) as the Saints went elsewhere in last year’s shootout, a 48- 46 thriller the 49ers won in New Orleans. Repeating that is vital to simply take away New Orleans’ best offensive threat.
2. NINERS SECONDARY VS. HISTORY >> The 49ers’ cornerbacks haven’t had awful coverage, just awful results, with scarce takeaways. They’ve made DeAndre Hopkins (151 yards; Arizona Cardinals), D. K. Metcalf (161 yards; Seattle Seahawks) and Davante Adams (173 yards; Green Bay Packers) look as great as they are.
Michael Thomas is still searching for his first 100yard game this season for the Saints. He was inactive six straight games before returning in last Sunday’s rout of Tampa Bay.
New Orleans also has last year’s 49ers spark plug, Emmanuel Sanders, who ventured to the Bayou in free agency. Sanders said of a re
cent podcast about facing his former team: “I look forward to kicking their (butt). And the reason why is because I got so much love in that organization, for everybody that I know, that they not going to take it hard, right? But it’s competition.”
Who’ll it be for Drew Brees to pick on in the 49ers secondary? Richard Sherman might come off Injured Reserve. Otherwise, Jason Verrett and Emmanuel Moseley are the targeted starters. Nickel back K’Waun Williams (ankle) is out, again, so Jamar Taylor better be ready for action.
Safety Jaquiski Tartt’s toe injury last game is a season- ender, so Jimmie Ward’s next partner back there will be either Marcell Harris, Tarvarius Moore or Johnathan Cyprien. Whoever it is, Brees will look to add to his NFL record of 564 touchdown passes — including five in last December’s meeting with the 49ers.
Takeaways in the 49ers’ past three losses: None.
3. PROTECT MULLENS VS. TURNOVERS >> The Saints defense was so dominant that their last game was among the worst in Tom Brady’s career (three interceptions, three sacks, 40.4 passer rating that ranks third-worst in 335 career games).
Enough about Brady. Mullens has the confidence of a six-time Super Bowl winner, even if Big Day Nick (Bad Day Nick?) is just 4-7 as a career starter. Yes, just 11 starts in what seems like an eternity the past three years of revolving QBs.
The 49ers have no shot if Mullens turns over the ball via interception (four this year, 3% of his attempts) or fumbles on a sack (see: last Thursday’s loss to Green Bay).
Pressure off the edge has hindered Mullens most, so right tackle Mike Mc
Glinchey needs the game of his life today, and left tackle Trent Williams must play like the All-Pro he is (or will be paid as such in a few months).
The 49ers offensive line must adjust, and quickly, to the reconfigured lineup of Daniel Brunskill at center and Tom Compton at right guard.
Once protected, then what?
Mullens won’t have Deebo Samuel down field. But he will have Brandon Aiyuk and Richie James as the probable starters at wide receiver, with Ross Dwelley masquerading in George Kittle’s Superdome hero mask from last year.
Although the 49ers and Jimmy Garoppolo squared up with Brees last season by airing it out, that deep-ball game has been nonexistent this season.
S h a n a h a n, appear - ing on KNBR 680-AM on Thursday, was asked about Garoppolo’s downfield stats (5 of 19 with no touchdowns and four interceptions on throws beyond 15 yards.)
“When I just hear numbers, I hear that’s not good enough. Obviously, we have to do better than that,” Shanahan said.
“I’d have to go through all 19 plays to tell you what it is, and I promise when I watch it, it’s not one thing. It’s a group. It’s quarterback, play calls, protections, receivers, coverages you get. All that goes into it.
“I don’t think we’ve ever had a huge problem getting the ball downfield but we haven’t been doing a good job this year and obviously our record reflects that.”
That record has room to grow. Which way, however.
Etc.
Tight end Daniel Helm and safety Jared Mayden were brought up from the practice squad on Saturday.