Does Beathard say bye to starting QB job?
Back-to-back Sundays without a 49ers loss? It’s true.
The 49ers are fresh off their bye and their previous week’s breakthrough rout of the Giants. Next up for the 49ers (1-9) is a visit Sunday by the Seattle Seahawks, who bring a 6-4 record after losing at home Monday to the Atlanta Falcons 34-31.
Here are five things to follow this week before the 49ers look to win for the first time in four games at Levi’s Stadium against the Seahawks:
1. ARMS RACE » Will Jimmy Garoppolo further impress in practice and seize the starting role, or are the 49ers willing to stick with C.J. Beathard as a reward for his three-touchdown output that produced their first win last game?
Garoppolo has crammed for three weeks to learn the basics of coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense. No one is expecting him to know it all. Everyone, however, is expecting to see flashes that could define the 49ers’ path back to playoff contention in future years.
Beathard, after exhibiting so much grit in his first 4 ½ games, deserved a hero’s welcome last weekend when he returned to his alma mater, Iowa. The Hawkeyes lost 25-15 to Purdue. Does Beathard lose his job to Garoppolo next?
Practices are closed to the media after about 30 minutes of stretching and individual position warmups, so Shanahan might wait to announce his starter until late in the week. Media access resumes Wednesday, as does the distribution of injury reports, and it will be interesting to see if Beathard’s right thumb is an ongoing issue.
2. SORE SEAHAWKS » Whoever starts at quarterback, they’ll be facing a Seahawks defense coming off a short week and doing so without three long-time thorns in the 49ers’ side: cornerback Richard Sherman, safety Kam Chancellor and defensive end Cliff Avril.
Chancellor (neck) is expected to join Sherman and Avril on injured reserve, where the Seahawks have 11 players; the 49ers have 18 on IR.
Seattle may seem vulnerable
but it has won seven straight meetings with the 49ers, including a 12-9 comeback victory in Week 2.
The Seahawks must win to keep pace with the Los Angeles Rams atop the NFC West.
3. HEALTH WATCH » Safety Adrian Colbert’s surgery last week on his left thumb figures to keep him out this week, but perhaps not. It didn’t derail his bye-week plans to return to the University of Miami and cheer on his former college teammates.
Other injuries of note: tight end George Kittle’s knee, wide receiver Trent Taylor’s rib, defensive tackle
Solomon Thomas’ knee, and defensive end Tank Carradine’s ankle, which should allow him to come off injured reserve this week.
4. MARQUISE RETURNS » Although not physically ailing, wide receiver Marquise Goodwin’s return to the locker room figures to be an emotional one. Most of his teammates were unaware he’d lost his son because of pregnancy complications mere hours before their last game.
Goodwin and his wife, Morgan, mourned in Texas over the bye. He admirably held up well in interviews with the Bay Area media,
the NFL Network and CBS. Goodwin turned 27 on Sunday.
5. BYE-WEEK PROPOSAL » Will defensive lineman DeForest Buckner have extra bounce in his step? He wins the Best Use of The Bye Week Award: he got engaged at Napa’s Andretti Winery.
Buckner is undoubtedly the defense’s MVP, and his 45 tackles are the most among the linemen. Only Buckner, nose guard Earl Mitchell and cornerback Dontae Johnson have started every game defensively. With only 1½ sacks, Buckner needs 8½ sacks over the final six games to
reach his preseason goal. Meanwhile, looks like he’s one step closer to getting a ring after accomplishing a terrific personal goal in Napa.
• Defensive tackle Sheldon Day got claimed off waivers by the 49ers, who’ve had to shuffle their defensive line all season because of injuries.
Day was a 2016 fourthround draft pick out of Notre Dame by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Day (6-foot-1, 294 pounds) has familiarity with 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, who was the Jaguars linebackers coach last year in Day’s rookie season.
Day has 11 career tackles and two sacks in 22 games, including three tackles in six games this season.
Day was a Notre Dame captain his final two years, and he made All-America honors his senior season while totaling four sacks and 45 tackles, including 15½ for loss.
The 49ers had an open roster spot following last Monday’s release of backup defensive tackle Tony McDaniel. Another roster move must be made if the 49ers choose to activate Tank Carradine off injured reserve for Sunday’s game against Seattle, as anticipated.