Tomsula disputes Browns coach’s analysis of 49ers’ effort.
Browns’ Pettine questions 49ers’ willingness to compete
SANTA CLARA — While Jim Tomsula insisted Wednesday that “there’s nobody that overlooked anybody” in the 49ers’ latest loss, Cleveland Browns coach Mike Pettine suggested otherwise.
Pettine questioned the 49ers’ approach while reflecting on the Browns’ 2410 win.
“I thought you saw one team that wanted to be out there, wanted to compete, wanted to win a football game, and I don’t know that I sensed that same attitude from the other side,” Pettine said Wednesday in his news conference, Browns. com reported.
The 49ers (4-9) created a stir after Sunday’s loss when a few veterans, including left tackle Joe Staley, said their teammates might have taken the Browns lightly.
“There’s nobody that overlooked anybody. That’s very clear,” Tomsula added. “There’s been some (upand-down play), and that’s what we have to get away from.”
After back-to-back away games left their road record at 1-6, the 49ers return to Levi’s Stadium on Sunday to host the Cincinnati Bengals (10-3).
Safety Eric Reid, for one, is not taking lightly his former college nemesis, AJ McCarron, the Bengals’ fill-in starter at quarterback for Andy Dalton (fractured thumb). Reid, an LSU product, expects a big challenge from McCarron, who is trying to become the first ex-Alabama quarterback to win an NFL game since Jeff Rutledge in 1987 with the New York Giants.
“He’s won three national titles, so he knows how to run an offense,” Reid said.
McCarron was just a redshirt freshman on Alabama’s 2009 team that won the BCS, but he indeed started in their 2011 and 2012 championship seasons.
“I think he’s looking to prove something: He might not be thrilled with where he got drafted,” Reid said of McCarron, a 2014 fifthround draft pick. “And we’re the people he’s going to want to take that aggression out on.”
Rookie wide receiver DeAndrew White, an Alabama product, also testified on McCarron’s behalf, saying: “He knows what he’s doing. He can read coverages. I can’t say a bad thing about AJ He was a good quarterback for me.”
McCarron was a youth-football teammate of 49ers nickel back Jimmie Ward, and they won multiple championships together, McCarron recalled on a conference call with Bay Area media.
Upon replacing Dalton, McCarron went 22 of 32 for 280 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, one of which resulted in a pick-six, in Sunday’s 33-20 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. McCarron noted Wednesday how the 49ers have “played everybody tough” at home this season and that “their D-line gets after it.”
Guard Alex Boone, one of eight starters ticketed for free agency, said the 49ers could have a place in his 2016 plans. “Of course. This is my home. These are my brothers,” said Boone, who’s season is likely over after he partially tore his medial collateral ligament Sunday.
Testing the market, however, is something Boone has looked forward to doing since last year, when he held out through the offseason and all of training camp. “It’s the league. I’m excited about free agency,” Boone said. “At the same time, I’d love to hear an offer from the 49ers. And things will work out the way they are.”
Other 49ers starters who are unsigned beyond this season: wide receiver Anquan Boldin, tight end Garrett Celek, running back Shaun Draughn, guard Andrew Tiller, nose tackle Ian Williams, linebacker Michael Wilhoite and kicker Phil Dawson.
Tomsula gave no indication he wants to recall Jarryd Hayne from the practice squad with three games remaining. Hayne, Australia’s former rugby-league star, shined in the preseason and played the first six games as a punt returner before being relegated to the practice squad.
“I’m not going to talk about any roster things,” Tomsula said. “We see Jarryd in practice, and he’s practicing very hard.”
Hayne hasn’t played in the past seven games for the 49ers, who are 2-5 without him and 2-4 with him.
“He has a ton of ability. He just needs to learn the game, like all aspects,” special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey said.
Wide receiver Torrey Smith (back spasms) and running back Kendall Gaskins (concussion) didn’t practice Wednesday, nor did linebacker NaVorro Bowman, who routinely gets that day to rest his reconstructed knee.
Outside linebacker Aaron Lynch and tight end Vance McDonald practiced in limited fashion, having missed Sunday’s game with concussions from the previous week.