Hello, Welcome to the forty nine Ers First and ten podcasts, presented by Cisco. Ten minutes of the most up to date forty nine Ers news First Thing in the morning. I'm your host Breonna McDonald and joining me is forty nine Ers team reporter Lindsay Polaries. We are two days away from the team's first divisional matchup of the season. Lindsay, tell us what the stakes are like for this contest.
You know, I think anytime you have an NFC West matchup, you know, the stakes automatically go up a little bit. I think there's obviously just a lot of there's always a lot of hype around in LA game. Right this is like two really good West Coast teams, same division, a fifty minute plane ride away from each other. So yeah, this is one that I feel like, at least for the fans, and I think you know, the team enjoys playing in state.
It circled on the calendar.
You know.
One thing to be mindful of is that both teams are facing some pretty significant injuries, will have some key players out on both both parties involved, So that's certainly going to be a factor. It's also going to be a factor that the Rams lost their first NFC matchup last week to the Arizona Cardinals. There is a certain urgency,
I would say, definitely for both teams. The forty nine ers lost their first road game in Week two, not an NFC West game, but still a conference game that you know never you never know how that will factor into playoff seating potentially down the line. So you know, every game is important for different reasons, but certainly a certain level of hype surrounding this one for both both sides.
Yeah, and the team is wrapping up their practice week in Santa Clara today before taking off to La this Saturday. Meanwhile, just like you said, there's quite a few injuries the team is dealing with. Christian McCaffrey, Indiebo Samuel are set to miss Sunday's game. Yesterday, George Kittle and Tarvarius war did not practice. Nick Bosa was limited. Lindsay, could you feel the faithful in on the team's latest injury statuses?
Yeah, you know, I think you pretty much just outlined it right.
You headed into this week knowing obviously that Christian McCaffrey won't be available because he's on IR Deebo Samuel not expected to be available for the next couple weeks because he suffered that calf strain, you know, two or three plays before the end of that Minnesota Vikings game in Week two. But now you add in another playmaker whose availability is in question.
I can't speak to.
The severity of George Kittle's hamstring injury, but it was enough for him to not practice on Wednesday. It's very likely that you'll see him go into the team's final injury report as questionable. He had a great game against the Minnesota Vikings, caught seven of eight passes. I believe it was like seventy six yards, had that touchdown, you know, and you know that George Kittle is such a huge factor in terms of blocking and pass catching, so.
Certainly a guy you want to see on the field.
But you know, we heard Trent Williams really say it best. When there's playmakers out, it's very much next man up mentality.
For the forty nine ers.
I think probably the best example we've seen this season, you know, you don't really have to look farther than a couple weeks down the line, is Christian McCaffrey unavailable for that season opener against the Jets, and then you.
See Jordan Mason take his opportunity and run with it for one hundred and.
Forty seven yards in his first outing on the ground, followed it up with another one hundred yard game out in Minnesota. So it's opening the doors for you know, players that maybe haven't like hit their stride in twenty twenty four just yet. This could be a great game for a breakout Brandon, a youth game, or you know, if Jacob Cowing gets some gets some snaps.
You know, Ricky wide receiver gets.
A few more opportunities to play in week three, maybe his time to shine. So you know, there's no absence of talent on the forty nine ers. It's more about who's going to step up make the plays depending on who doesn't see the field on Sunday.
That's this next man up. You know it sucks, you know, those guys are the best in the world, but you know who really feel sorry for us? So it's next man of league. You know, it's a couple of guys that we want to see get get more action anyway, So you know, hated had to come on the heels of somebody being injured. But you know this is when
opportunities present themselves. And you know, nobody would have known Jordan if you know a couple of guys they go down, And nobody would have known Brock if we didn't lose three quarterbacks in one year. So you know, it's a blessing in disguise and guys just gotta be ready to step up and brothers in the moment.
Yeah, after practice, Trent Williams was really emphasizing the fact that it's a next man up league and he even called the forty nine ers current situation a blessing in disguise because there's a couple guys that they want to see get more action and that opportunity is presenting itself here. So lindsay, I just really want to know your thoughts
on that mindset heading into Week three. And with that being said, who are some players that could have a big opportunity to step up in this game that the faithful should keep their eye on.
Yeah, you know, I just touched on it. Maybe Jake Calling sees a little bit more time.
You know, I think when you look at the tight end situation, if George Kittle does not play, you've got Eric Saubert who has been in the league since twenty seventeen. We've heard nothing but really complimentary reviews from his teammates of him. And then you've got Jake Tanjis, who spent last year on the forty nine ers practice squad. If George doesn't go, the forty nine ers are going to look to both of those two guys to take over
the tight end response abilities. And like I mentioned, Brandon Ayuk obviously had a different summer than he usually does and has been you know, stacking the plays in Week one and Week two.
This might be the breakout week for him.
We've seen him have multiple touchdown games in twenty twenty three, We've seen him eclipse one hundred yard mark. This might be the week, especially when you add in the factor of it being, you know, the first NFC West matchup of the game, and the fact that you know, key playmakers just really might not be out there on the field due to some early bumps and bruises.
In twenty twenty four.
So it could be anyone, but I would I would look at those guys as you know, primed for maybe a really breakout performance in Week three.
Yeah, we should get an interesting matchup on our hands. This Sunday. But Lindsay, you know this prediction doesn't have to be bold, but what are some of your predictions for how this game is going to play out?
You know, I think that given the injuries on the Rams, this could very well be another productive outing for the forty nine Ers front seven, particularly that D line we saw. I know, Nick Bosa limited on Thursday with a rib injury, but he had two sacks against the Minnesota Vikings, and I believe last week the Rams were without three of their starting offensive linemens.
So this could be the game that you.
Know, the forty nine Ers D line really is able to capitalize on, you know, maybe some newer players filling in on that Rams O line. You know, I think we could definitely see this be a really big Leonard Floyd game. You know, we saw you know, Malik Collins has had a strong showing early in the season.
This could be a really big day for Javon Hargrave.
You know, I expect to see big plays from that revamped starting defensive line, and then you've got really strong players in the rotation utur Gross Matos, So I.
Think that's where my attention is focused.
But then also too obviously, the Rams wide receivers also dealing with injuries. Puka Nakua on injured, reserve Cooper Cup not playing, So this could be a really great opportunity for the forty nine ers secondary again to capitalize on some younger players. You know, the Rams still have talent into two out Well and DeMarcus Robinson, but this could be another really productive day for the back end of the forty nine ers defense. So really, the big plays could come all over the field.
Yeah, a big game ahead of Week three, but faithful that will do it for today. Tune into the forty nine Ers Rams contest on Fox at one twenty five pm Pacific time this Sunday. Don't forget to subscribe to First and ten presented by Cisco for more of forty nine Ers updates, and turn on the notifications for any breaking news Move the Chains episodes. Thanks for tuning in
The tun to turn