SANTA CLARA — Tight finish George Kittle is formally out for the 49ers’ residence opener towards the Seattle Seahawks at this time.
Kittle practiced Friday for the primary time since injuring his groin final week and was listed as questionable for at this time’s recreation, as he was for the 49ers’ season-opening 19-10 loss at rain-soaked Chicago per week in the past.
“Undoubtedly a really irritating begin to my season,” Kittle informed his father, Bruce, on the Hidden Pearls Podcast that posted on YouTube this morning. “You by no means like lacking video games, particularly with one thing like that (harm). However I bounced again very properly, excited to be again on the soccer discipline. Feeling a lot better than I used to be 10 days in the past.”
The 49ers are 2-8 prior to now 10 video games Kittle has missed. Tyler Kroft began instead of Kittle at Chicago and performed 37 of 68 offensive snaps. Backups Ross Dwelley and Charlie Woerner every performed 19 snaps.
Kittle, a five-time captain, damage his groin in a Sept. 5 observe. He didn't converse with reporters following Friday’s return to observe. On his father’s podcast after Saturday’s observe, Kittle shared that he’s making an attempt to encourage his youthful teammates.
“One factor I realized from Bruce is: when you've got enjoyable, it makes issues lots simpler on the market,” Kittle mentioned. “I simply attempt to proceed to encourage them, maintain the power excessive, and remind them to be very indignant and violent (at this time).”
What else is in retailer for the Seahawks?
“Huge fan of the sport plan this week and there’s lots to construct off of,” Kittle added. “It’s going to be an ideal one. Whereas it is going to most likely be moist, it received’t be monsooning prefer it was final week. The boys are able to go and hit once more.”
WEATHER REPORT
Not like per week in the past at Soldier Area, the sphere just isn't coated by a tarp neither is their a deluge or rain water ponding. That allowed for routine pregame warmups, though gusty winds and light-weight showers form of got here to fruition. Rain drops began falling on the 49ers about 80 minutes earlier than kickoff.
At this time’s forecast from the Nationwide Climate Service: “Rain, with thunderstorms additionally attainable after 2pm. Excessive close to 68. South southeast wind 11 to 14 mph, with gusts as excessive as 29 mph. Likelihood of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall quantities between a tenth and quarter of an inch, besides larger quantities attainable in thunderstorms.”
OTHER INACTIVES
Defensive finish Kemoko Turay, signed final week off the observe squad, is inactive, as are quarterback Brock Purdy and offensive linemen Daniel Brunskill and Nick Zakelj.
Out for the Seahawks: cornerbacs Artie Burns and Justin Coleman, free security Joey Blount, offensive sort out Jake Curhan, large receiver Dareke Younger, and defensive sort out Myles Adams.
BOSA’S SATURDAY SPEECH
Defensive finish Nick Bosa revealed Friday that he’s been assigned a workforce tackle following their day-before-game practices. He picked an acceptable subject forward of this residence opener: the 49ers’ lopsided rivalry with the Seahawks.
“It’s loopy. Nick Bosa mentioned it (Saturday): ‘Within the final 20 matchups, the Niners have received solely thrice’ ” Kittle shared on his dad’s podcast. “That’s not good. It’s painful, and I do know Niners followers really feel that, Niners gamers really feel that, the franchise feels that.
“There’s going to be an indignant and depth come (at this time).”
Not solely have the Seahawks received all however three conferences the previous decade, they’ve misplaced solely as soon as at Levi’s Stadium because it opened in 2014, with that exception coming in a 2018 additional time affair.
NO MACK DEBUT
Veteran operating again Marlon Mack received’t make his 49ers debut at this time, after being signed to the observe squad on Wednesday within the wake of Elijah Mitchell’s knee sprain within the opener. Mack, nor another practice-squad participant, was promoted on Saturday.
That leaves veteran Jeff Wilson Jr. and rookies Jordan Mason and Ty Davis-Value because the 49ers’ true operating backs accessible, although carries determine to be shared by Trey Lance, Deebo Samuel and probably large receivers Ray-Ray McCloud and Brandon Aiyuk.
Davis-Value was the primary operating again to line up of their preliminary 11-on-11 warmups, which may solid him because the starter and ship Wilson into the third-down again position.
SPECIAL TEAMS CHANGE
Malik Turner’s special-teams prowess bought him promoted from the observe squad final week, however not this recreation. That could possibly be an indication that rookie Danny Grey makes his NFL debut because the No. 5 large receiver, or he could possibly be among the many 49ers’ seven inactive. Keep tuned.
BRUSCHI’S CRITIQUE
On ESPN’s “Sunday NFL Countdown,” former NFL linebacker and Rosevill Excessive product Tedy Bruschi mentioned: “In relation to Trey Lance, how lengthy is the leash? If I’m a defender on the workforce and I see Trey Lance proceed to wrestle, and I do know Jimmy (Garoppolo) is correct there, it’s like, ‘I don’t get many probabilities to win on this league. What are we going to do?’
“He’s younger. Can we make excuses for him? He’s studying as he goes. However increasingly, as defenders watch Trey Lance, they find out about him. What did we study vs. Chicago? Ask (Bears security) Eddie Jackson. It will get to the fourth quarter and, ‘I do know you’re staring down this receiver. I do know I can bait you and I do know that supply is a bit more looping and I will be aggressive to make the choose.’
“That data is changing into accessible to us defenders, as we see a quarterback that’s unsure, that’s unsettled at occasions, and once you’re like that, you stare and then you definitely stare and you've got that looping capability.”
Former NFL coach Rex Ryan chimes in: “That’s why guys with these lengthy deliveries don’t make it within the nFL. He must change into a veteran fast, as a result of you must look off DBs and perceive you're gradual to ship the soccer. Man, there are some issues. If Jimmy G have been wholesome, everyone knows he most likely would have taken the job. … They need to experience this Trey Lance so long as he can. A technique to try this is to run the soccer.”