On roll, 49ers feel confident
The offense is putting up more than 30 points each week with ease. The defense is stingy and generating turnovers.
The 49ers head into the postseason on a 10-game winning streak after beating the Cardinals 38-13 on Sunday and are peaking at the right time.
“I think you need to be doing that, especially to have a chance to get through these games, but nothing really matters how you’re doing going into it,” coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday.
“It’s how you do that first game. And if there is a first game and you play like you’re capable, then you get the privilege for a second game. But this season can end fast and that’s why these playoffs are such a big deal and that’s why they’re so fun to watch for everybody because it’s just one game.”
The 49ers (13-4) will start the postseason at home against the NFC West rival Seahawks (9-8) on Saturday and will get to stay there at least another week if they win because they secured the No. 2 seed in the NFC.
After making it to the Super Bowl in the 2019 season and the NFC title game last season, the 49ers are poised for another possible run thanks to a high-powered offense led by rookie third-string quarterback Brock Purdy and a dominant defense.
Purdy has thrown multiple TD passes in all six games since Jimmy Garoppolo got hurt early in Week 13. The 49ers lead the NFL in scoring at 33.5 points per game during this stretch and Purdy’s 112 passer rating is tops in the league.
Paired with a defense led by Nick Bosa, who led the
NFL in sacks this season with 18 ½, that has allowed the fewest points in the league and the 49ers have a complete roster.
“I don’t know if I’ve had this feeling that I have right now about our team and the opportunity that we have to go win this thing,” linebacker Fred Warner said.
“This opportunity doesn’t come around often but I want that to be the feeling for this organization . ... We have everything that we need on this team to do what we want to do this postseason.”
Defensive lapses worry Chargers:
Brandon Staley is more concerned about the Chargers defense than he is about having a short week to prepare for Saturday’s AFC wildcard matchup against the Jaguars.
After a solid four-game run, the Chargers defense reverted to giving up big plays and struggling to stop the run in their 31-28 loss to the Broncos on Sunday.
The Chargers (10-7) are the fifth seed and play the surprise AFC South champion Jags because of a better conference record.
“We didn’t play very well in the secondary. We gave up far too many explosive plays. Individual breakdowns,” Staley said of the game against the Broncos.
The Chargers allowed at least three pass plays of 50 yards as well as 205 rushing yards. While Staley did rest some players during the second half, the secondary breakdowns happened against starters.
It was the fourth time the Chargers have given up at least 200 yards on the ground. Opponents averaged 5.42 yards per carry against the Chargers, the highest a team has allowed since the merger.