5 Players to Watch in the 49ers' Week 16 Matchup with Arizona
The San Francisco 49ers (5-9) take on the division-rival Arizona Cardinals (8-6) on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
One team has playoff-seeding on the line, the other is playing for pride. If someone saw that preseason, they would have assumed the teams were reversed.
Nonetheless, the 49ers can still play spoiler by upsetting their roommates and forcing the Cardinals into a must-win scenario Week 17.
Here are five players to watch in the Week 16 matchup:
Jason Verrett, Cornerback, San Francisco 49ers
No. 1 corner Jason Verrett (illness) was a late scratch in the 49ers’ Week 15 loss to Dallas.
The defense needed his solid tackling (6.4 missed-tackle percentage) on the outside, as the Cowboys extended drives with a few broken tackles.
That should come into play with Kyler Murray’s scrambling ability. When the 49ers played Arizona Week 1, they were burned multiple times from Murray jukes, or quick slides to draw a penalty.
Verrett was inactive for that matchup. Both Richard Sherman and Emmanuel Moseley were unable to contain DeAndre Hopkins as he torched them for 151 yards on 14 catches.
Given Sherman’s contract situation, and San Francisco’s salary cap restraints, it would be wise for the 49ers to further test Verrett and Moseley as a duo. They are the two likeliest of the four free agent corners to return.
With both Verrett and Moseley on the field, defensive coordinator Robert Saleh would have much more versatility in his play calling.
Verrett offers a better option than the limited Moseley, and the zone-dependent Sherman, and should guard Hopkins the whole game.
Kerry Hyder Jr., Defensive End, San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers must pressure Murray if they are to win. He was barely pressured Week 1, and was able to extend plays with his legs for first-down runs or throws.
A common excuse in 2020 was that San Francisco’s pass-rush struggled because both Nick Bosa and Dee Ford were injured. That’s 100-percent true, but both Bosa and Ford were active for Week 1, and combined for just one QB hit.
One of two players to create pressure and bring Murray down for a loss was then-reserve defensive end Kerry Hyder Jr.
That foreshadowed how 2020 would play out. While the rest of the line struggled, Hyder found a way to keep the pass-rush alive, leading the team with 7.5 sacks, nine TFLs and 17 QB hits.
Defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw (knee) was a DNP on Wednesday and defensive end Dion Jordan (knee) was a limited participant.
The 49ers could be short-handed on Saturday. They need Hyder.
If Hyder can step up with an even further depleted line, he would be due for a major pay raise (currently $1.5 million on the cap) and might play himself out of the 49ers’ price range.
Jeff Wilson Jr., Running Back, San Francisco 49ers
Quarterback Nick Mullens is done for the season. C.J. Beathard will start. Jimmy Garoppolo is healing while newly-acquired Josh Rosen learns the playbook.
The 49ers must run the ball to win, but are without their top-two ball carriers in running back Raheem Mostert (ankle) and wide receiver Deebo Samuel (hamstring).
San Francisco was already heavily dependent on run-game success prior to Mullens’ injury. Now the 49ers are on their third-string quarterback.
There’s a chance the offense can still find success, albeit in one-dimensional fashion. The offensive line has underperformed, but looked a lot better blocking for runs than passes.
Arizona has also struggled to stop the run. The Cardinals have surrendered 100-plus rushing yards nine times and have held their opponents under 90 just twice.
Reserve Jeff Wilson Jr. had a decent game last week, gaining 60 yards on 16 rushes while splitting carries with Mostert.
He’ll have his first chance to be the lead-back since his 112-yard, three touchdown outburst vs New England Week 7.
It’s never a good sign when your offense’s success is contingent on how your backup running back plays.
A win would surely have to come on the legs of Wilson. If he struggles, it’s entirely possible the 49ers get shut out.
Patrick Peterson, Cornerback, Arizona Cardinals
Longtime shutdown corner Patrick Peterson has had a rough 2020. Outside of a nice performance against D.K. Metcalf Week 7, he’s been burned a lot.
Pro Football Reference credits Peterson, a free agent after the season, with 51 completions, 651 yards and five touchdowns.
His 2020 won’t get any easier as he will likely man San Francisco rookie receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who is on a hot streak.
Aiyuk has either caught a touchdown, or had 100 receiving yards in each of his last seven games. In that span, he has 47 catches for 580 yards and five touchdowns.
Although Peterson is not the lockdown corner he once was, he is still very experienced, and offers an intriguing and favorable matchup for Aiyuk.
Larry Fitzgerald, Wide Receiver, Arizona Cardinals
Is this the last time the 49ers will play Larry Fitzgerald? The lifetime Cardinal and future Hall-of-Famer is in the last year of his contract. It’s possible the veteran signs elsewhere, or retires after the season.
He was a DNP on Wednesday (not injury related), so he could miss the game. If he is active, enjoy the veteran, and longtime adversary, at the end of his career.
In 33 games against the 49ers, Fitzgerald has 17 wins, 186 catches, 2,415 yards, 19 touchdowns and 111 first downs.
He’s no longer the focal point of Arizona’s offense. He’s been leapfrogged by Hopkins, Christian Kirk and occasionally Andy Isabella on the depth chart. But he’s still a veteran that can move the chains with 24 of his 48 catches this year going for first downs.
If Sherman starts at corner, and guards his longtime NFC West foe, there would at least be a sentimental storyline to fuel the extinguishing fire.
Follow me on Twitter @Mavpallack
