Imposing challenge
No time for the 49ers to savor win with the Cardinals and Rams on tap in next two weeks
One day after his team’s first win in 42 days, head coach Kyle Shanahan mostly covered familiar ground on his weekly conference call with reporters Monday.
He offered updates on injured 49ers players: namely, running back Elijah Mitchell (ribs) will be limited this week in practice, and safety Jimmie Ward (quadriceps) probably will miss one or two games. Shanahan also said the 49ers plan to open the practice window this week for tight end George Kittle, kicker Robbie Gould and running back Jeff Wilson.
Here’s the striking thing: Shanahan fielded only one question about his quarterbacks. Imagine that.
Jimmy Garoppolo’s superb second-half performance in San Francisco’s 33-22 victory over Chicago put to rest, momentarily, the notion of Trey Lance’s impending ascent. Lance eventually will supplant Garoppolo as the starter, but it will not happen Sunday against Arizona.
The Cardinals actually will arrive with their own quarterback questions. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury said Kyler Murray is making progress but remains day-to-day with an ankle injury; Kingsbury told reporters he won’t put Murray in “a bad situation” by playing him if he’s not ready.
This raises the possibility of 35-year-old, long-ago 49ers QB Colt Mccoy (2013) starting for Arizona. To say Mccoy does not pose the same threat as Murray counts as a vast understatement.
Either way, the 49ers face an imposing challenge in their next two games against the Cardinals (7-1) and Rams (7-1), who are tied atop the NFC West. The 49ers (3-4) have collected their wins against less-than-elite Detroit (now 0-8), Philadelphia (3-5) and Chicago (3-5).
“I think the Rams and Cardinals are as good as anyone in this league,” Shanahan said. “The film shows it, and so does their record.”
To add another layer to the equation, Los Angeles acquired eight-time Pro Bowl linebacker Von Miller from Denver on Monday. Shanahan learned of the trade in the midst of meetings at 49ers headquarters in Santa Clara.
“It’s like anybody who has to play against them, you don’t want to add Von Miller to the mix,” he said. “He’s a really good player and will definitely help them.”
Asked if the 49ers might swing a deal of their own before Tuesday’s trade deadline, Shanahan replied, “There’s always the possibility. I’d be surprised if we did.”
Still, the 49ers might need to fortify their secondary in the wake of injuries to Ward and backup safety Kai Nacua (hamstring), who is expected to miss a few weeks. Another safety, Jaquiski Tartt (knee), landed on injured reserve Saturday.
The patchwork secondary acquitted itself well Sunday, though it’s worth noting the Bears entered the game ranked last in the NFL in passing offense. The 49ers still avoided their penchant of pass-interference penalties.
“I thought we gave them a little too much room on a couple of plays; we definitely have to be a little tighter,” Shanahan said. “I was happy we didn’t give up any big ones and we didn’t have the PI (calls), so it was a step in the right direction.”
In his effort to end a four-game losing streak, Shanahan turned to a former safety to provide a fresh voice. General manager John Lynch spoke to 49ers players Saturday night, at Shanahan’s request.
Shanahan asked Lynch to speak to give players “a different perspective” as they sought to stop their skid.
“Anytime you have a GM who was also a Hall of Famer, it goes a long way,” Shanahan said. “John kept it real, the good and the bad. I think he fired us up.”
Briefly: Shanahan expressed optimism that defensive end Dee Ford and linebacker Azeez Al-shaair, both recovering from concussions, will return this week. ... Shanahan wasn’t sure whether the 49ers will open the practice window for linebacker Dre Greenlaw (core muscle).