SEATTLE – That is the place all of it begins for the 49ers, whose final end line is again dwelling at Levi’s Stadium, web site of Tremendous Bowl LX in 5 lengthy months.
If their 30-year Lombardi Trophy drought lastly ends, it can are available in a stunning vogue by means of rising pains and different adversity.
“I do think we have a team that can compete,” left deal with Trent Williams stated, “but like every year, Week 1 is where dreams and reality meet.”
Final season developed right into a 6-11 report beneath a year-long black cloud of accidents, private traumas, fourth-quarter collapses, defensive deficiencies, and special-teams chaos.
Already, there may be harrowing déjà vu, with offensive mainstay Christian McCaffrey immediately coping with a calf damage, a 12 months after Achilles tendinitis shelved him for eight video games.
A much bigger-picture thriller looms over the overhauled protection and particular groups, and nobody is disputing that.
“Put your seatbelt on, enjoy the ride,” Robert Saleh stated as he reprises his position as defensive coordinator after main the 49ers’ 2017-20 rebellion. “It’s going to be a lot of ups and downs, a lot of really cool moments, a lot of hair pulling moments.”
We’ll learn the way prepared everyone seems to be for that whereas specializing in these 5 areas in Sunday’s season-opening appetizer:
1. CMC OR NO CMC
McCaffrey proved indispensable final 12 months, all due respect to Jordan Mason’s fill-in success. Opponents play the 49ers in a different way when accounting for McCaffrey’s versatility as a runner and receiver, with “the defense not knowing if he’s going to go out for a pass and the element that brings to them and their scheme,” Brock Purdy stated Thursday.
McCaffrey is formally questionable for Sunday’s debut, no matter him saying he feels “great” after leaving Thursday’s apply and dealing strictly on the facet Friday. He regarded on his method again to 2023 Offensive Participant of the Yr kind earlier than Thursday’s calf situation.
Brian Robinson Jr. arrived solely two weeks in the past, instantly was designated McCaffrey’s prime understudy, and now may tackle a bigger than anticipated position from the leap, whether or not he’s beginning instead of McCaffrey or sharing the workload. Isaac Guerendo seemingly would tackle a much bigger position, too.
Normal supervisor John Lynch raved Thursday morning in regards to the operating again depth, and the early-season offense nonetheless figures to lean arduous on these ballcarriers till the receiving corps will get again Brandon Aiyuk (after Week 4) and Demarcus Robinson (after Week 3).
Whoever runs the ball, search for Williams to cleared the path at left deal with, most likely much more so whereas proper guard Dominick Puni rebounds from an Aug. 16 knee sprain. Additionally, the brand new tight finish tandem of George Kittle and Luke Farrell may assist clear lanes for a operating again to be named later.
2. STOPPING SEATTLE’S RUN
After parting with quarterback Geno Smith and extensive receivers D.Ok. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, the Seahawks’ switched up their offense to a extra Shanahan-like scheme emphasizing outside-zone runs and motion-based performs, all underneath offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who was the 49ers’ 2023 pass-game coordinator and whose brother Klay is the 49ers’ offensive coordinator.
Though first-round decide Mykel Williams will probably be relied upon to set the sting reverse Nick Bosa on the 49ers’ line, an ignored X-factor is Jordan Elliott, essentially the most explosive and stoutest run stuffer amongst a defensive deal with corps together with veteran Kalia Davis and rookies Alfred Collins and C.J. West.
“Honestly we have to stop the run. It’s something we struggled with last year. It obviously will be a point of emphasis,” Elliott stated. “It’ll be a good test and a great first game so we can get the sour taste out of our mouth from last season.”
So far as the 49ers’ run protection has fallen, neither of the Seahawks’ two backs have loved a lot success on this rivalry: Kenneth Walker III has averaged 3.2 yards per carry (52 carries, 164 yards, two touchdowns) and Zach Charbonnet 3.6 ypc. (32 carries, 114 yards).
3. THIRD-DOWN PASSING
Every offense employs a run-oriented assault, however 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is being paid $53 million a 12 months to play his half, and the Seahawks introduced in Sam Darnold (Purdy’s 2023 backup) to make use of his gifted arm on demand.
Each receiving corps are suspect, making third-down conversions dicey till confirmed in any other case.
The Seahawks’ Jaxson Smith-Njigba is now complemented by Cooper Kupp, previously a 49ers nemesis with the Los Angeles Rams. Search for both of them, and rookie Tory Horton, to check out the younger cornerback corps, together with rookie Upton Stout, who may debut because the beginning nickel again.
Purdy can depend on his most trusted goal, Kittle, whereas additionally tapping into the ascending reference to Ricky Pearsall, to not point out third-down maestro Jauan Jennings.
Purdy stated of Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald’s protection performs a bend-don’t-break fashion, “making the quarterback check the ball down and be smart. They want to get you to push the ball in certain areas. And then they play really tight coverage. It’s almost like you can’t miss. You’ve got to be pinpoint accurate as a quarterback.”
Purdy is 3-0 in Seattle, with six landing passes (4 to Kittle) and one interception (the one pick-six ever off Purdy, within the 2023 division-clinching win).
4. THAT SEATTLE SOUND
The 49ers’ means to speak in a deafening atmosphere is the very first thing Purdy attributed his success in Seattle. “In an environment like that where it feels like they are on top of you in the stadium, you’ve just got to be on top of your operation, breaking the huddle, being on the right cadence for us on offense, making sure the guys hear the right calls in the huddle,” Purdy stated. “It’s a real part of the game and it’s something that you can’t overlook.”
Puni was a rookie starter final 12 months when launched to the Seattle sound, to which he now says: “Everyone has to be locked in on what they have to do. There’s really no time to get to the line and scream to Jake or Colt right next to me; they really can’t even hear me. So you have to be confident in what you’re doing.”
A bipartisan crowd, with a heavy dose of 49ers Devoted, gained’t mute all of the noise.
One 49ers rookie who’s trying to feed off the NFL’s loudest amphitheater is Mykel Williams. Two years in the past, Williams was a Georgia taking part in in entrance of 101,915 at Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium when Vols operating again Jaylon Wright’s 75-yard landing run on the opening play unleashed what Williams calls “the loudest moment I’ve ever heard in my life.” Georgia, by the best way, responded by successful 38-10, and Williams had a sack alongside the best way.
5. SPECIAL TEAMS SHOCKERS
Jake Moody made 6-of-6 field-goal makes an attempt in final season’s 32-19 opening win over the New York Jets. Anybody assume he can repeat that, after an ankle damage despatched his 2024 into the dumpster, with ensuing misses this preseason?
Moody Mania isn’t the one cause to be on alert.
He could also be again for his third season however a lot round him as modified, together with the arrivals punter Thomas Morstead and lengthy snapper Jon Weeks, a pair of 39-year-old seasoned execs. New particular groups coordinator Brant Boyer has generated higher depth amongst his items, which can function new mainstays corresponding to Luke Gifford, Siran Neal, Chase Lucas and return specialist Skyy Moore.
Seattle has surprised the 49ers’ particular groups in current conferences at Lumen Subject: Laviska Shenault had a 97-yard kick return for a landing in final season’s 36-24 Niners win. The final time the Seahawks gained this matchup at dwelling, they scored on a pretend punt after seemingly going three-and-out on their opening possession, that resulting in a 30-23 Seattle win in 2021.
