SANTA CLARA — Two days earlier than the 49ers’ regular-season finale, coach Kyle Shanahan didn't announce plans to stash key gamers for the upcoming playoffs.
However kickoff shouldn't be till 1:25 p.m. Sunday, and issues might change by then, or maybe by halftime or the fourth quarter. In different phrases, the host 49ers (12-4) may very well be fluid with personnel strikes towards the Arizona Cardinals (4-12) earlier than sunset Sunday.
Operating again Christian McCaffrey and extensive receiver Deebo Samuel are each off the harm report and cleared to play, regardless of knee and ankle points which have restricted them. “They’ll be up. They’ll be enjoying,” Shanahan stated, with out elaborating on whether or not they’ll make both cameo appearances or go the gap if the NFC’s No. 1 seed is inside attain.
McCaffrey, after lacking the previous two days, resumed practising for Friday’s walk-through session, and Samuel participated all week in his first time again from a Dec. 11 leg harm.
Operating again Elijah Mitchell most definitely shall be on a snap-count restrict Sunday as comes off injured reserve — formally on Saturday — for the second time this season, after his second restoration from a sprained knee. Mitchell returned to follow this week after being out since Nov. 27.
Dominated out Friday have been left guard Aaron Banks (knee, ankle), linebacker Dre Greenlaw (again), defensive sort out Kevin Givens (knee), cornerback Ambry Thomas (ankle) and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who's a month into his restoration from a fractured foot and nonetheless utilizing a knee scooter to maintain his weight off it.
How their NFC counterparts are faring in different video games might weight into Shanahan’s different personnel choices, though profitable a tenth straight sport stays the said objective, seeing how that locks up no less than the No. 2 seed, which is the place the 49ers are slotted forward of the Minnesota Vikings (12-4) by advantage of a greater report in NFC video games.
“(Enjoying time) could also be talked about on (coaches’) aspect of issues, as a result of we’re not dumb,” Fred Warner stated. “We perceive the implications of the sport and what can occur. As gamers, our job is to go on the market and play as arduous as doable from the primary whistle to the final, till we're taken off the sector. I’m absolutely anticipating to play your entire sport.”
For the 49ers to climb to the No. 1 spot like their 2019 group’s Tremendous Bowl voyage, they have to win Sunday, and the Philadelphia Eagles (13-3) should lose a 3rd straight sport after they host the New York Giants (9-6-1) in one other 1:25 p.m. kickoff.
McCaffrey, Mitchell and Samuel have solely performed three video games collectively — wins over the Los Angeles Chargers, the Cardinals in Mexico Metropolis and the New Orleans Saints. Then once more, Mitchell has solely performed 4 video games all season, and McCaffrey didn’t arrive till Oct. 21.
Even quarterback Brock Purdy’s enjoying time is open for debate. Do the 49ers give the rookie star as many reps as doable in his fifth profession begin, or do they pull him to permit Josh Johnson extra sport motion past the 11 snaps he bought Dec. 11 in reduction towards Tampa Bay?
“I wouldn’t say it’s a want,” Shanahan stated of Johnson getting “bonus” time. “I really feel high-quality with Josh. He’s been on this league a very long time. He’s needed to are available in spur of the second and I’m OK with Josh in that scenario.”
If particular person milestones issue into playing-time choices, contemplate these: Nick Bosa is 2 sacks shy of Aldon Smith’s single-season franchise report for sacks (19 1/2); Brandon Aiyuk is 44 receiving yards shy of his first profession 1,000-yard season; Fred Warner is six tackles shy of passing Greenlaw for the group lead; and, McCaffrey is 99 scrimmage yards shy of turning into the sixth participant since 1970 to register no less than 1,900 scrimmage yards in three of his first six seasons.
Warner stated of that sort out chase: “Is that what number of I want? No, I imply, look, I really feel dangerous for (Greenlaw), actually, as a result of it’s going to require him lacking two video games (all season) to ensure that me to go him with me enjoying all 17. He’s had a heck of a season. If I get six (tackles), I get six. If I don’t, I don’t.”
GAROPPOLO/LANCE UPDATE
“The objective,” Shanahan stated, stays for Jimmy Garoppolo to be accessible by the NFC Championship Sport or the Tremendous Bowl, if the 49ers advance that far whereas he recovers from final month’s foot fracture. Garoppolo has made cameos on a knee scooter within the locker room the previous couple of weeks however has not answered media questions since his harm. “I believe he can put slightly weight on it,” Shanahan stated, “however he’s not on the market operating and stuff like that, so it’s slightly bit away.”
Per week after Trey Lance had follow-up surgical procedure on his ankle, Shanahan stated the 49ers weren't shocked by it, that they have been “warned” that stabilizing hardware may irritate a tendon. As soon as “Trey advised us about it immediately, that was a superb factor,” because the hardware bought eliminated final Friday, and docs noticed his fibula was “100-percent healed.”
“As soon as they mounted the break, there was at all times fear that once you repair the break, (hardware) will that rub the fallacious means or one thing like that,” Shanahan stated. ” They mounted the break nice, after which they knew they needed to go in and repair that (hardware removing), which he’s identified for some time.
“They went and cleaned it up and I believe that even made him really feel higher, so he might transfer on from that. And he’s feeling nice now along with his rehab and I do know he can’t wait to get to this offseason.”
ANOTHER ILLNESS
Defensive sort out Arik Armstead and Javon Kinlaw are questionable due to sickness, which sidelined Armstead on Friday and Kinlaw on Thursday. That sickness has crept by the 49ers’ locker room. Bosa and punter Mitch Wishnowsky every missed a follow final week for being ailing.
DAVIS TO DEBUT?
Rookie defensive sort out Kalia Davis was among the many trio who received scout-team, player-of-the-week honors, and he did so for impersonating J.J. Watt. “He likes to swim,” Davis stated of Watt’s pass-rush transfer. “We had a gathering and so they confirmed me what to do. I didn’t do a deep dive on him, although.”
Davis nonetheless might debut in a season that’s been spent recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament tear, however Shanahan stated that may solely occur if accidents to others immediate the 49ers to summon him.
“I’m round a whole lot of nice expertise and am blessed to be on this scenario,” stated Davis, a sixth-round alternative out of Central Florida who bought drafted No. 220, or 42 spots forward of Purdy. “In Yr 2, I’ll take what I realized and apply that in OTAs.”
Davis has spent the yr on the reserve/non-football-injury record, so that's unrelated to the 49ers’ short-term, injured-reserve activations, of which the 49ers will use their eighth and last spot on Mitchell. The opposite scout-team awards this week went to Johnson, who’s needed to impersonate Cardinals plug-in starter David Blough, and offensive lineman Jason Poe.
WATT’S FAREWELL
Watt, the Cardinals’ star defensive finish, after the ultimate follow of his 12-year profession, stated of his objective for Sunday’s finale: “I need to go on the market and revel in it.”
The Cardinals dominated out seven gamers, together with quarterback Colt McCoy, extensive receivers DeAndre Hopkins and Robby Anderson, operating again James Conner, linebacker Zaven Collins, cornerbacks Marco Wilson and Antonio Hamilton, and defensive finish Zach Allen. Security Chris Banjo (concussion) and defensive lineman Jonathan Ledbetter (knee) went on the Cardinals’ injured reserve.