Three Players the 49ers Should get Involved Early on Offense
Playoff implications or not, losing to the Dallas Cowboys would be an embarrassment for the San Francisco 49ers.
Not just because of the old rivalry the two teams have, but because the Cowboys have been one of the ugliest teams in football. Watching them operate under Mike McCarthy has been a joke. The 49ers cannot lose to a team that shouldn't even be acknowledged.
Winning offensively is the key of the game for the 49ers in this matchup. And these are the three players they should get involved early on offense.
Kyle Juszczyk
All season long, fullback Kyle Juszczyk has been underutilized. Even against the Washington Football Team last week was proof of that as Juszczyk did not start receiving touches until the fourth quarter. All of sudden when he got the ball, the 49ers offense started to click and score a touchdown. That is no coincidence.
Kyle Shanahan has likely been keeping Juszczyk under wraps to keep his price from soaring high when he becomes a free agent in March. He needs to forget about that and get a win against the Cowboys. Line Juszczyk up in the slot, motion him out on a route and continue to give him handoffs. Utilizing him early will keep the Cowboys defense guessing all game long.
Richie James Jr.
With Deebo Samuel out, the best player who can fill in his role is Richie James Jr. He proved how capable he can be so on Thursday Night Football against the Green Bay Packers. James Jr. needs to receive at least a few jet sweeps in the first half alone. His speed is undeniable and all it takes is one cut for him to get gone.
He can also be utilized on the outside and run simple drag or crossing routes to just blow by defenders with his speed. The Cowboys have no relative speed on the defense. They are just begging for the 49ers playmakers to have the ball in their hands and dust them. By getting James Jr. the ball early, the Cowboys will be forced to keep their eyes on everyone, which will make it an impossible game for them.
Jordan Reed
The Cowboys used to have good linebackers. Not anymore. This is a game in which the mismatches need to be exposed from the very start and tight end Jordan Reed is a player who can do that for the 49ers. If Juszczyk gets the ball early, the Dallas linebackers will be getting beat up because they cannot matchup well. The same will occur with defending Reed.
Tiring out the linebackers will be huge for the 49ers. When they switch to the ground game, they will not be able to shoot gaps as quickly nor will they be able to get off blocks. Reed can shake any linebacker the Cowboys have. Jaylen Smith, Leighton Vander Esch and especially Sean Lee will get decimated in coverage. Set the tone early with Reed in combination with Juszczyk and the run game. The linebackers will fold before the half ends.
