Rams DT Donald awaits 49ers
Garoppolo in line to start at quarterback when SF hosts LA, league’s sack leader
Aaron Donald might be the best thing that happens to the 49ers offense.
Yes, the NFL’s very own sack leader.
If his presence does not wake up the 49ers’ offense to fortify its trenches, then what? Then the 49ers won’t have any shot at keeping pace with the Los Angeles Rams in what’s been a biannual shootout between these NFC West counterparts.
If they neutralize Donald — or “mitigate” his dangers, as is this season’s trendy word — perhaps the 49ers (2-3) emerge with their first home win in four tries this season.
“He’s as tough as it gets to game plan for,” coach Kyle Shanahan said Wednesday. “I mean, he’s as good as it gets in the pass game, and as good in the run game as there is.
“You don’t know where he’s going to be. He’s all over.”
Knowing where Donald is coming from is paramount to protecting Jimmy Garoppolo, whose limitations with an ankle injury got him benched at halftime of Sunday’s loss to the Miami Dolphins. Garoppolo returned to practice Wednesday and is poised to start against the Rams (4-1).
Like last game, Garoppolo may not be at full strength, but he’s still a better option than a stockdropping backup, be it Nick Mullens or C. J. Beathard. Hence, Sunday’s storyline is not so much who is at quarterback but rather who
is coming after him: Donald
onald had four sacks in Sunday’s win over Washington to douse Alex Smith’s sentimental comeback. That won Donald the NFC’s Defensive Player of the Week honor, and it matched his career-high sacks from an October 2018 win over the 49ers.
This marks Donald’s 100th career game. He has 79½ career sacks, including 11½ against the 49ers. That is a lot for any defensive lineman, much less one who primarily lines up on the interior but can slide anywhere to cause chaos.
Left guard Laken Tomlinson has been battling Dona ld since college, when they were at Duke and Pittsburgh, respectively. Tomlinson has not had a clean season thus far, but no lineman has, even though the 49ers have started the same five each game in what should yield better consistency and communication.
“People have to get on the right people,” Shanahan said. “When you’re not on right guy, you hope there are enough out there you can get rid of the ball and not take a sack.”
T he 49ers have allowed 18 sacks through five games; Garoppolo got sacked 36 times in 16 starts last year.
“We just have to be better. We have to communicate the things we’re seeing. We’ve gotten wild looks,” right tackle Mike McGlinchey said.
In 2018, Donald had a shot at Michael Strahan’s single- season sack record but managed only one sack against the 49ers and came up two short in the regular-season finale. Donald and those Rams went on to reach the Super Bowl and fell to the Patriots 13- 3; he had no sacks in their three playoffs games.
NO EYE ON BELL >> Raheem Mostert’s impressive comeback Sunday from a knee
sprain had Shanahan call him the best player on the field. That showing was not needed to sway the 49ers whether they should pursue Le’Veon Bell, who got cut Tuesday by the New York Jets.
“I’m good with all our guys. If Raheem wasn’t back, don’t think that would change much,” said Shanahan, noting that Tevin Coleman could return soon from a knee sprain and Jeff Wilson Jr. is a quality reserve.
“Raheem played great and was the best player on the field on Sunday.” After missing 2½ games, Mostert ran for 90 yards Sunday on 11 carries, including a 37-yard run to spark their first touchdown drive.
HEALTH CENTER >> Linebacker Kwon Alexander’s high- ankle sprain will keep him out of his first practice this season. Also out is cornerback Dontae Johnson (groin).
Cornerback Emmanuel Moseley (concussion) will be limited as he returns from a 1½-game hiatus. Defensive tackle D. J. Jones will also practice after playing through Sunday’s injury.
BOSA’S WHEREABOUTS >> Defensive end Nick Bosa is recovering from recent surgery on his left knee while staying with his older brother, Joey, of the Los Angeles Chargers. Their parents are around to help, to which Joey told Chargers reporters Wednesday: “It’s nice having them around. They’re keeping the place tidy for me and food constantly running. I can’t complain.”
Being away from the 49ers should not cause concern. They typically ask players to stay away from the facility a couple weeks after surgery rather than risk infection.
Shanahan reported last week that Bosa’s surgery was “extremely successful” to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament “and other stuff,” as was the case with defensive tackle Solomon Thomas, who also tore his left knee’s ACL on Sept. 20 against the New York Jets.