SANTA CLARA – From Levi’s Stadium’s hospitality to Seattle’s ground-shaking amphitheater, Russell Wilson tormented the 49ers greater than any opponent up to now decade.
Lastly, for the primary time since December 2011, the 49ers get the pleasure of dealing with a Wilson-less Seahawks squad in Sunday’s dwelling opener.
To not be a killjoy however it should be famous what lurks after this sport: a go to subsequent Sunday evening to play Wilson and the Denver Broncos.
Wilson completely dominated the 49ers with the Seahawks. He received 17-of-21 conferences, together with a win within the 2013 season’s NFC Championship Recreation, but additionally an 0-2 mark at Candlestick Park. In regular-season motion, he threw 36 touchdowns, solely 10 interceptions. He prolonged performs along with his elusive ways in which make it laborious to pin down his finest.
“So many to select from,” linebacker Fred Warner stated of Wilson’s off-schedule brilliance. “That man damage us loads.”
So true, together with when the 2013 49ers misplaced to Wilson and the host Seahawks within the NFC Championship Recreation. Additionally true: Wilson’s fourth-down go bought damaged up on the purpose line to seal the 2019 49ers’ NFC West title and No. 1 playoff seed.
Defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans’ response to the March commerce that shipped Wilson out of the NFC West? “Most likely much like everybody’s response: It was simply stunning,” Ryans stated.
Talking of stunning, the 49ers misplaced their season opener Sunday at Chicago, after blowing a 10-0 lead and falling 19-10. A day later, the Seahawks edged the Broncos 17-16 in Wilson’s homecoming sport.
How do the 49ers keep away from one other upset? Listed below are 5 methods:
5. GET TO GENO
Geno Smith figured to lose the Seahawks’ gig to ex-Broncos quarterback Drew Lock, or maybe to Jimmy Garoppolo had he turn into an ex-49er (as an alternative of Trey Lance’s $6.5 million backup).
Now Smith should channel Wilson’s curse on the 49ers, who received’t take frivolously the one-time Jets’ bust. Smith opened 17-of-18 for 164 yards and two touchdowns in Monday evening’s first half, then cooled off to go 6-of-10 for 31 yards after halftime.
Fast, brief passes keyed Smith’s survival because the Seahawks debuted rookie offensive tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas. The 49ers should get previous that duo shortly, like Samson Ebukam and Nick Bosa did with third-down sacks early within the opener in opposition to the Bears’ younger tackles.
“(Smith) isn't as cell, will get the ball out quick, he’s bought extra expertise (than Chicago’s Justin Fields) and we've to verify he’s not comfy in that pocket,” Ebukam stated.
4. SPECIAL TEAMS SWITCH
A flurry of 49ers’ errors on particular groups contributed mightily to their two losses final season to Seattle. So, as a part of this offseason’s makeover, the 49ers employed former Seahawks particular groups coordinator Brian Schneider.
Schneider’s items have been close to flawless in Sunday’s loss, and that included return specialist Ray-Ray McCloud, who cleanly fielded 4 punts and two kickoffs earlier than ditching his gloves within the wet situations.
“I’m used to having video games within the rain,” stated McCloud, a Tampa native who performed for the Buffalo Payments and Pittsburgh Steelers earlier than becoming a member of the 49ers.
Kicker Robbie Gould, punter Mitch Wishnowsky and lengthy snapper Taybor Pepper are so used to kicking in Levi’s Stadium that they didn’t plan to sneak in there for rehearsals this week.
3. FIND A PENNY
The Seahawks will need to run Rashaad Penny a very good dose, particularly if it rains. The 2018 first-round choose from San Diego State got here on robust final season, and that was wanted as soon as Chris Carson sustained a career-ending neck damage in a Week 4 win at Levi’s Stadium.
“Rashaad, he went on a tear that lasted a part of the season that was unbelievable and picked up this final sport,” Warner stated. “He’s simply bought an excellent mixture of the scale and pace that you really want at place to have the ability to run laborious and have the ability to use his pace to breakaway and create these huge performs.”
Penny averaged 5 yards per carry in Monday’s win (12 carries, 60 yards). If Smith takes off from the pocket, the 49ers should not hit him if he slides and thus keep away from repeating final sport’s errors in Chicago.
The Seahawks’ deployment of three tight ends will assist block the 49ers’ edges, so Javon Kinlaw and Arik Armstead have to plug the inside. To maintain Seattle sincere, the 49ers’ secondary should be looking out for play-maker receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Ex-49er Marquise Goodwin is in reserve, certainly hoping to attain like 49ers castoff Dante Pettis did final week to spark Chicago’s comeback.
2. COMMIT TO RUN
The 49ers’ dashing assault is a range present. Gamers go in movement each which method, and seemingly each participant is a attainable rusher. That would assist cowl for final sport’s lack of Elijah Mitchell, their beginning operating again who’ll miss two months with a sprained knee.
Mitchell’s exit flipped the 49ers into survival mode in opposition to the Bears, and so they couldn’t hold tempo with the mixture of runs from Lance, Deebo Samuel and Jeff Wilson Jr.
That trio certainly will get carries once more this sport. However there additionally is a component of shock at play. Rookies Ty Davis-Worth and Jordan Mason ought to get their first carries of their NFL careers. Which is more healthy to function the lead again?
“They’ve each bought a plethora of expertise in them, they’ve bought a excessive ceiling,” left deal with Trent Williams stated. “Like (Shanahan) stated, there’s much more than simply getting the ball and operating. You’ve bought to know ideas, you’ve bought to know schemes, and if you’re on third down you’ve bought to know blitz pickup.”
Wilson is aware of all that, so, that would vault him right into a third-down, pass-game function and go away the primary dashing duties to Davis-Worth or Mason. The Shanahan system is thought to yield rookie gems.
1. LANCE MUST STAR
Lance should make extra performs, or, on the very least, distribute the ball to others for scoring functions. The 49ers’ solely landing of their season opener was a second-quarter run by Samuel, who stays the offensive catalyst, particularly with tight finish George Kittle sidelined by a groin damage.
A lot is on Lance to surge right into a celebrity. Profitable the house opener would assist. Dropping it could invite, properly, : extra chaos, extra put-in-Garoppolo rallying cries (that received’t be heard by Shanahan), and maybe extra doubt amongst teammates.
Lance famous that final week’s moist climate difficult throws. The ball bought heavy. The seek for a dry spot on it could make fast throws not so fast. With rain on this sport’s forecast, he higher show a fast learner.
Lance confirmed within the opener he can unleash daring throws down area and towards the boundary. He additionally confirmed the have to be extra exact on brief and intermediate passes, which may very well be very important in unhealthy climate. And, after all, he might have to run to maneuver the chains, and transfer the 49ers into the win column.
The 49ers received their dwelling finale final season with Lance not solely filling in for Garoppolo however distributing a 45-yard landing go to Samuel. Lance’s encore comes eight months later.