5 Players to Watch in the 49ers' Do-or-Die Game vs Washington
The San Francisco 49ers (5-7) look to bounce back after a rough Monday night against Buffalo, taking on the NFC-East leading Washington Football Team (5-7) at 1:25 p.m. in Arizona.
This game is filled with revenge. Alex Smith, Trent Williams and Kyle Shanahan are just a few taking on their former teams.
Here are five players to watch:
Jordan Reed, Tight End, San Francisco 49ers
Tight end Jordan Reed was decent against Buffalo catching three of four targets for 32 yards and a touchdown. He should have much more success this week against his former team.
Washington has surrendered 45-plus receiving yards six times to the tight end position, two of those being combined 100-yard efforts. They’ve also been hit for six touchdowns via the tight end.
Eric Ebron was open often in Pittsburgh’s quick-pass offense, hauling in seven catches on 11 targets for 68 yards against Washington last week. If not for a couple drops, Ebron could have eclipsed 100 yards and scored a touchdown.
Reed isn’t the most essential piece to this offense, but Nick Mullens loves to throw to tight ends.
If Reed can find the space that Ebron sporadically took advantage of, he would provide a key chain-moving weapon for an offense in need.
Kerry Hyder Jr., Defensive End, San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers generated no pressure against Josh Allen. As a result, the Bills carved the defense for a season-high 368 passing yards.
Fortunately for San Francisco, Alex Smith is not Allen.
Despite the career/life-altering injury, Smith remains a capable game-manager. But he’s lost most of his mobility and gets sacked a lot.
Per NextGen Stats, Smith has the 12th fastest time to throw (2.64 seconds), yet he’s still been sacked 18 times in six games.
Washington right tackle Morgan Moses (groin) and right guard Brandon Scherff (calf) were both limited participants on Thursday. Left tackle Geron Christian Sr. is on injured reserve.
Depending on the right side’s status, Arik Armstead should have his best game. But his season-long struggles put that in question.
It’s much more likely that Kerry Hyder Jr., the team leader in sacks (7.5), TFLs (nine) and QB hits (17), takes advantage of backup Cornelius Lucas with a few blindside chase downs of Smith.
An underperforming pass rush and defensive backfield vs a quarterback with little mobility and an injury-riddled offensive line, makes this an intriguing matchup.
It’s anyone’s guess who comes out on top, but Hyder should provide an edge.
Jason Verrett, Cornerback, San Francisco 49ers
Defensive backs Richard Sherman, Tarvarius Moore, Dontae Johnson and Jason Verrett simultaneously had their worst games of the season.
Stefon Diggs and Cole Beasley consistently found holes while Gabriel Davis and Isaiah McKenzie broke off long touchdowns.
The 49ers match up much better against run-first, short-passing teams.
Smith is 13/25 on deep passes for 399 yards and a touchdown (per stathead). Terry McLaurin and Cam Sims have combined for 281 of those yards on four catches each.
Washington’s dependence on McLaurin comes as no shock. He is the star of the offense.
In two years, with six different starting quarterbacks, McLaurin has posted 1,896 receiving yards, 129 catches, 87 first downs and 10 touchdowns.
No matter who is under center, McLaurin finds a way to get open. In 2020 (12 games), he has 977 yards, 44 first downs and three touchdowns on 71 catches.
His best work comes on first down (45.9% of catches and 504 yards).
McLaurin was limited to just two catches for 14 yards on six targets last week, but was battling an ankle injury.
Verrett will have his hands full with one of the best receivers in the NFL.
Cam Sims, Wide Receiver, Washington Football Team
It will be interesting to see how defensive coordinator Robert Saleh utilizes his cornerbacks.
In a strict physical sense, it seems Saleh is handcuffed.
Sherman does not have the speed for McLaurin, and Verrett (5’10) doesn’t have the size for Sims (6’5).
Now height and speed aren’t everything, but it’s tough to imagine much success for Verrett when guarding someone seven inches taller.
So that leaves Sherman (6’3), who’s struggled with both deep-threats and man coverage, to take on Sims (4.59 40-yard dash).
Being game-planned around is new to Sims. Prior to Week 9, the third-year pro’s career high in targets was three.
But Sims burst onto the scene that week against the Giants with three catches on four targets for 110 yards. In his four games since, he’s caught 11 of 16 passes for 166 yards.
Without Sherman, the 49ers had no way of combating D.K. Metcalf (6’4). He torched Emmanuel Moseley and co. for 12 catches, 161 yards and two touchdowns as a result.
Sims is no Metcalf, but how the 49ers defend him would be a good indication of what they should do the next time they play Seattle.
Montez Sweat, Defensive End, Washington Football Team
Mullens was not sacked last week, but Buffalo’s defensive line pales in comparison to Washington’s.
Washington is third in the NFL in sacks. Four defensive linemen have at least 4.5, with edge-rusher Montez Sweat leading the team with 5.5.
Sweat is a versatile pass-rusher that can line up on either side of the line. Expect head coach Ron Rivera to take advantage of San Francisco’s line problems by placing Sweat across from right tackle Mike McGlinchey.
McGlinchey did not allow a sack, but still struggled against Buffalo.
Sweat did not get a sack last week, but that had more to do with Ben Roethlisberger’s quick passes (league-low 2.29 time-to-throw).
The defensive end still found a way to make an impact with three batted passes and a TFL.
This matchup does not look good for the San Francisco offensive line. If they want to win, they must give the limited Mullens more time.
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