5 Players to Watch in 49ers' Week 1 Matchup With Arizona
At long last, San Francisco 49ers football is here.
The 49ers kick off their “revenge tour” on Sunday at 1:25 p.m. against the division-rival Arizona Cardinals (5-10-1 in 2019).
Here are five players to watch in the Week 1 matchup:
1. Trent Williams, Left Tackle, San Francisco 49ers
This will be 49er fans’ first chance to see Trent Williams in action. After sitting out 2019 with Washington, Williams was traded to San Francisco to replace franchise-stalwart Joe Staley.
Reports have shown no sign of rust, as Williams battled with Nick Bosa all training camp.
Sunday will be his first real test, taking on Chandler Jones, who was second in the NFL with 19 sacks last season.
Jones and Williams have history. In their last matchup, Week 1 of 2018, Williams was beat by Jones for a sack/forced fumble on Alex Smith. Jones was penalized for unnecessary roughness on the play, but that doesn’t mean the successful inside move didn’t happen.
Additionally, Williams is trying to earn a big payday and cement himself as the 49ers’ left tackle of the future.
With the team’s newfound cap space, a successful performance against one of the league’s best pass rushers would go a long way toward accomplishing that.
Jones is a big reason the 49ers needed an established left tackle. There’s a good chance this is the battle of the day.
2. Christian Kirk, Wide Receiver, Arizona Cardinals
A lot of attention is being directed toward three-time All Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who will be making his Cardinal debut on Sunday.
But teammate Christian Kirk should not be forgotten. Kirk took a big leap last season with Kyler Murray at quarterback with 68 catches, 31 for first downs, and 709 receiving yards.
Now entering his third season, Kirk should see those numbers improve with a more experienced quarterback and possibly the best receiver in the NFL next to him. Oh, and the Cardinals still have future Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald.
Kirk lines up all over. He spent 32.5% of his snaps in the slot last season (according to PlayerProfiler). He has the capability to run all routes and is a deep threat (4.46 40-yard dash).
Ideally Richard Sherman takes on Hopkins and K’Waun Williams owns the slot, which leads to an important matchup between Emmanuel Moseley and Kirk.
Of course, if Sherman remains on his usual side of the defense, the Cardinals could opt to flip sides and have Hopkins take on Moseley and Kirk face the veteran.
A lot has been made about Sherman’s ability to keep up with younger, faster receivers. He should get a great chance to silence those doubts if he shuts down Kirk this week.
3. Isaiah Simmons, Linebacker/Safety, Arizona Cardinals
Last year, George Kittle made the most of his matchup against All Pro safety Budda Baker. This year, he might have a new opponent.
Arizona first round pick Isaiah Simmons talked about “stopping" elite tight ends at the 2020 Combine. He’ll get his first chance on Sunday.
Simmons is an athletic freak that lined up all over Clemson’s defense. He also ran a 4.39 40-yard dash, which was tied for seventh fastest at the Combine.
Drawing Kittle Week 1 is a huge test for Simmons. If he shows the athleticism and coverage skills he did at Clemson, Sunday should be the first of many heavyweight fights between the two.
4. Emmanuel Moseley, Cornerback, San Francisco 49ers
As stated above, the 49ers are facing one of the best wide-receiver trios in the NFL.
With Williams and Sherman, they have surefire ways to combat two of them, but how will Moseley fare against the third?
Moseley, who’s (likely) entering his first season as a starter, will have a tough test no matter how the Cardinals align.
After a season of impressive highs, Moseley’s year ended on a low point. A miscommunication with Jimmie Ward led to a costly 44-yard Tyreek Hill catch on third and 15 in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl.
Barring a Williams setback, Moseley is slated for outside duties opposite of Sherman. That means a date with Kirk or Hopkins, both of whom are capable of taking over a game.
Another pressing note is Murray’s scrambling ability. If he can get past the initial rush, Moseley might be tasked with the split-second decision of leaving his zone and going after Murray, or surrendering the five-yard gain and limiting a big pass downfield.
5. D.J. Jones, Nose Tackle, San Francisco 49ers
Rather than break the bank for Jadeveon Clowney, the 49ers stood pat, expecting healthy seasons from their elite, yet injury-prone line.
Eyes will be directed toward Javon Kinlaw, who essentially replaced DeForest Buckner on the roster. But as a rookie with zero NFL regular or preseason action, it’s hard to think he’ll have that sort of impact immediately.
That’s why the 49ers need D.J. Jones to take that next step. He was well on his way toward doing that in 2019, but a Week 14 injury stopped him in his tracks.
Buckner often took on and beat double teams, which allowed the other linemen to take advantage of one-on-one matchups. Currently the 49ers don’t have a clear-cut tackle to wreak havoc on the interior offensive line.
That can all change Week 1. A good way to stop Murray, a short but athletic quarterback that often uses his legs to create space downfield, is to blow up the line and make him scramble for his life.
If Jones can play the way the 49ers believe he’s capable, he’ll not only best Arizona’s veteran group of experienced guards J.R. Sweezy and Justin Pugh, and third-year center Mason Cole, he’ll free up extremely favorable matchups for the edge rushers.
Murray would then have to put his head down and scramble, rather than look for Hopkins or Kirk.
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