San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman Colton McKivitz (68) blocks during an NFL preseason football game against the Green Bay Packers, Friday, Aug. 12, 2022, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Scot Tucker)
The 49ers keep losing offensive linemen but are getting reinforcements to an already dominant defense.
Left tackle Colton McKivitz, who was replacing the injured Trent Williams, was lost to an MCL strain in Monday night’s 24-9 win over the Los Angeles Rams at Levi’s Stadium. The injury will keep McKivitz out several weeks. Williams is expected to be out three more games and maybe more with a high ankle sprain.
Meanwhile, the 49ers expect free safety Jimmie Ward and cornerback Jason Verrett to return to practice Wednesday after opening the season on injured reserve. It’s conceivable neither will be activated for Sunday’s road game against the Carolina Panthers, as the 49ers have a three-week window to make that call.
When healthy, Ward and Verrett add even more talent to a unit that has been the talk of the NFL through four games.
McKivitz departed after 32 snaps, giving way to Jaylon Moore, who played the final 18. His injury was described by coach Kyle Shanahan Tuesday as being similar to the MCL sprains to running back Elijah Mitchell and linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair. Both players went on injured reserve and could be out as long as eight weeks.
The 49ers could also move veteran Dan Brunskill to left tackle. Brunskill played 21 snaps against the Rams at right guard in place of rookie Spencer Burford, which was part of the plan because of Brunskill’s past success against Aaron Donald.
“We’ll see how this week plays out,” Shanahan said in a Tuesday conference call with local media. “Most likely it would be Jaylon Moore but we know Dan is always an option.”
Despite the upheaval up front, the 49ers kept Donald and the Rams’ front seven relatively under control a week after a subpar performance in an 11-10 loss to Denver.
“I was real impressed with them, just as a whole group,” Shanahan said. “I thought we made much fewer mistakes than the week before and there were a lot more challenges with the mental part of the game. I thought they were great at picking things up and they also gave Jimmy (Garoppolo) a lot of time when we needed it.”
Defensively, the 49ers excelled on all three levels and went exclusively two linebackers, three cornerbacks and two safeties against a Rams offense and quarterback Matthew Stafford intent on spreading them out and getting the ball to prolific wide receiver Cooper Kupp.
Outside corners Mooney Ward and Emmanuel Moseley played all 74 snaps, as did slot corner Deommodore Lenoir and safeties Talanoa Hufanga and Tashaun Gipson. Linebackers Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw also played every snap, while the defensive line was rotated to keep players fresh.
Shanahan said the 49ers were prepared to sub in a third linebacker if necessary based on personnel but figured the Rams would do exactly what they did. The 49ers got pressure from the defensive line to the tune of six sacks (plus an additional one by Lenoir) but also held up in coverage when necessary.
Kupp caught 14 passes for 122 yards with a long of 18 as the Rams struggled to get the ball downfield.
“All areas had their opportunities,” Shanahan said. “Just distributing it throughout the team where everyone had the opportunity to help the others, it was pretty cool to watch.”
The strategy against Bosa
Nick Bosa has six sacks in four games despite drawing attention from extra blockers who haven’t been shy about wrapping their arms around him.
When a reporter noted the apparent missed holding calls and asked if the 49ers were in contact with the league office about it, Shanahan answered in the affirmative.
“I couldn’t agree with you more,” Shanahan said. “It’s something I’ve seen a lot of since he’s been here . . . we turn in everything every week. Sometimes they agree, sometimes they don’t. It’s kind of the status quo with that, and you just hope it improves.”
Hufanga’s success — the Gipson factor
Hufanga is becoming one of the most discussed players in the NFL, especially after his 52-yard interception return against Stafford Monday night on a national stage.
It gets interesting when Ward returns to the 53-man roster from a hamstring strain. The 32-year-old Gipson, signed when Ward was injured, has dropped two potential interceptions but demonstrated he has a lot left and allows Hufanga to be at his best.
Ryan Clark, the ESPN analyst who played eight years alongside Troy Polamalu, likened Gipson’s role to his own when he was the free safety and the future Hall of Famer was a strong safety.
“Talanoa has someone like Gip at the other safety, a veteran guy who understands it’s not his job to be a star, but to do his job at a high level, give his team another blade of grass to defend, and allow Talanoa to go out and make plays, be special with the opportunities that he has,” Clark said in a phone interview Friday.
Shanahan first met Gipson when he was offensive coordinator in Cleveland and Gipson was a Browns safety.
“That was eight years ago, so he’s gotten a lot more reps since then,” Shanahan said. “When you have vet like that who’s been around, and you have someone like Huf who always wants to learn, is always talking ball, always trying to find an edge on something, I think those two guys enjoy talking to each other.”
Shanahan lauded Hufanga’s “deliberate” nature.
“The more intensity and focus you can have in anything is what allows people to be great and he’s one of those guys who’s elite in that area,” Shanahan said.
NOTABLE
— Defensive end Javon Kinlaw pressed the staff to play and had an on-field workout before the game, but the medical staff thought better of it and kept him out with a sore knee.
— Defensive tackle Arik Armstead battling foot (plantar fasciitis) and ankle issues, left after 30 snaps and did not return. Armstead said afterward it was a “lingering” condition. Shanahan said Armstead was being checked out Tuesday.
— Wide receiver Jauan Jennings has a foot injury and was listed by Shanahan as “day to day.”
— Wide receiver Willie Snead, promoted from the practice squad to the active roster Monday, was released.
Originally published at Jerry McDonald