George Kittle is a Game-Time Decision for Week 2 After Returning to Practice Friday
Is he back?
George Kittle returned to practice Friday for the 49ers and will be a game-time decision for Week 2 against the Seahawks. Kittle is officially listed as questionable on the injury report, but Shanahan views him more as a game-time decision. I'm sure the condition of the field and how hard the rain will be factors into letting Kittle play following how comfortable he feels.
The last thing the 49ers want to do is put Kittle at risk of aggravating his groin injury. It could turn his timed missed from one game into a slew of them, so the 49ers have to exercise caution with him. In fact, the 49ers should just hold him out of this game. I know that the Seahawks looked solid in their win over the Broncos on Monday Night Football.
But seriously, the Seahawks were gifted that win by the Broncos. Watching that game was a complete replica of what the 49ers did for the Bears. Much like the 49ers, Denver kept gifting the Seahawks opportunity after opportunity. It doesn't matter how bad a team is. If you give any team in this league that many chances, they will end up making you pay dearly. That is why the 49ers and the Broncos are now 0-1 to start the year.
Plus, I sincerely doubt Geno Smith is going to have a career game again, so there's that. The 49ers should win this game with little struggle. Russell Wilson is out of there, and he has been the grim reaper to the 49ers since he entered the league. With him gone, the difficulties in defeating them drop drastically.
Just don't commit terrible penalties and crucial turnovers. Since it should be a fairly easy win for them, the Niners are better off resting Kittle one more time. They have to think big picture here, but I feel they could be seeing this game as desperation mode to avoid being 0-2.
Aside from Kittle's injury news, Daniel Brunskill has officially been ruled out. He's still nursing back his hamstring and his timetable to return is still a week-to-week basis.
