Pressuring Mayfield among keys to 49ers beating Bucs
Sorry, did you say the 49ers are hosting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, then playing four days later in Seattle?
Is this 2022 all over again?
The NFL schedule-maker sure doesn't win any points for originality, but Sunday's 49ers-Bucs game sets the stage for a three-week gauntlet that will go a long way in determining the 49ers' playoff position. In between games against the Seahawks — on Thanksgiving Day in Seattle and Dec. 10 here — the 49ers travel to Philadelphia for a Dec. 3 showdown with the highflying Eagles.
But first, it's the Tampa Bay Bucs, whom the 49ers defeated 35-7 last season in a game that marked Brock Purdy's first as a starter and Tom Brady's last in the Bay Area.
A week ago, the 49ers (63) were coming off a bye and fuming over a threegame losing streak. They took out their frustrations in a 34-3 road rout against the Jacksonville Jaguars, who entered on an NFLbest five-game win streak.
Naturally, 49ers players were peppered with questions last week about complacency.
“After you start 5-0 it's kind of hard to imagine losing three in a row, right? But this game has a way of humbling anybody, and I think we got our slice of humble pie,” left tackle Trent Williams said. “That's not taking anything away from any of those teams. They beat us fair and square.”
The 49ers weren't the only ones to find an elixir last Sunday against an AFC South foe. The Bucs (4-5) ended a four-game skid by winning 20-6 at home against the Tennessee Titans.
Here are four keys to the 49ers beating the Bucs on Sunday:
COVER MIKE EVANS >> Mike Evans is on pace for his 10th straight 1,000-yard season and it's not hard to see how.
“You try to press him, he's going to muscle you at the line of scrimmage,” defensive coordinator Steve Wilks said. “You play off, he's going to run by you.”
Evans is coming off a big game (six catches for 143 yards and a TD). Rather than have Charvarius Ward shadow him, the 49ers should disguise their coverages and lean safety help Evans' way.
“We've got to mix things up, from a standpoint of man-zone, getting our hands on these receivers and just really trying to be physical,” said Wilks.
Ward drew two penalties last game for 10 this season, and while half are debatable calls, he isn't going to change his physical, aggressive approach at this point of his career. Wilks is emphasizing better footwork to curb potential hand-grabbing penalties.
Evans likely will try exploiting the 49ers' younger cornerbacks, whether it's Ambry Thomas or Deommodore Lenoir at right cornerback, or whoever is covering the slot, be it Lenoir or a bigger-body matchup offered by Isaiah Oliver. RUN AWAY FROM VITA >> The 49ers caught a break last meeting when Bucs nose
tackle Vita Vea, the pride of Milpitas High, left four snaps into the action with a calf injury. Vea will cause fits inside for center Jake Brendel and guards Jon Feliciano and Spencer Burford, but Vea also can come from the edge.
“You don't know where Vita's going to be on third down,” coach Kyle Shanahan said, “but when he is pushing the center inside, it is a problem; whoever he's pushing is a problem.”
If Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel can find running lanes early, that will take pressure off Purdy against a blitz-heavy defense.
Injuries have impacted more 49ers offensive linemen than at any point this season. Offensive tackles Trent Williams (ankle) and Colton McKivitz (ankle, knee) are expected to play, but left guard Aaron Banks (toe) remains out. PRESSURING
>> For the third straight game, Purdy's counterpart is a No. 1 overall draft pick, with Baker Mayfield following Joe Burrow's Bengals and Trevor Lawrence's Jaguars.
Mayfield is four years removed from getting pummeled by college rival Nick Bosa in a Browns' loss at Levi's Stadium, and Mayfield is playing some of the best football in what has become a journeyman career. He has thrown 14 touchdowns and five interceptions while averaging 238 yards per game.
Coming after Mayfield will be a deeper defensive front that was simply fun to watch last game, thanks in large part to the infusion of Chase Young. Do they come out again in a five-man front? Do Bosa and Young line up inside and threaten to twist out of there?
Bosa is not the only one coming off his best outing of the season. So is Javon Hargrave, to say nothing of Arik Armstead's recent surge next to him on the interior.
“They've got a lot of stars over there,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles said. “The pressures are probably more important than the sacks, because you're not looking downfield. As long as they're getting pressures, which they are, and getting the ball out, I'm pretty sure they're happy, because they have guys in the back that can fly around and make plays.” PURDY'S ENCORE >> In his most recent game at Levi's Stadium, two weeks ago against Cincinnati however, Purdy committed three turnovers, including a pair of fourth-quarter interceptions.
Tampa Bay has forced 16 turnovers, third-most in the NFL, with an even split of eight interceptions and eight fumble recoveries.
The 49ers need not only to keep Vea (4 ½ sacks) out of the pocket but also contain Shaq Barrett, who has four sacks.
And then there's safety Antoine Winfield: three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, an interception, two sacks, four quarterback hits and seven passes defensed. Safe to say he's back to 2021 Pro Bowl form.