Tampa Bay Buccaneers starting quarterback Tom Brady (12) plays for San Francisco 49ers’ Dre after the 49ers’ 35-7 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California ·Signed by Greenlaw (57). November 11, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA CLARA – Sorry, did you mean the 49ers will host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and then face the Seattle Seahawks four days later for NFC West supremacy?
Is this the highlight of the 2022 playoffs?
Not that the 49ers are complaining, but man, the NFL’s scheduling czar sure doesn’t win points for creativity other than using this Sunday’s 49ers-Buccaneers game as the starting point for a challenge that should decide 49 The team’s playoff direction.
The 49ers defeated the Buccaneers 35-7 last year in Brock Purdy’s starting debut, then extended their winning streak in Seattle with an NFC West victory on Thursday night, December 15th.
Just over halfway through the season, it’s still too early to talk about a championship, with the 49ers (6-3) tied for the top of the division with Seattle. A week ago, the 49ers were coming off a bye and were in trouble with a three-game losing streak. On Sunday, they swept away frustration with a 34-3 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, who had won an NFL-best five straight games.
Of course, 49ers players were bombarded with questions last week about complacency, such as: “You’re winning again, so are you going to get snookered like a 5-0 start that resulted in a three-inning nap?”
“After starting 5-0, it’s hard to imagine losing three in a row, right? But this game has a way of putting anyone to shame and I think we got our humble piece of the pie,” left tackle forward Trent Williams said. “That doesn’t take anything away from these teams. “They beat us fair and square. “
The 49ers weren’t the only team to find a magic bullet last Sunday against their AFC South rivals. The Buccaneers (4-5) snapped a four-game skid with a 20-6 victory over the Tennessee Titans at home.
Here are five keys to Sunday’s victory at Levi’s Stadium, where the Niners had played 11 straight games before falling to the Cincinnati Bengals 31-17 on Oct. 29:
Cover Mike Evans
If the 49ers keep scoring like they usually do, the Buccaneers will have to catch up through the air, targeting high-altitude, standout veteran Mike Evans, all thanks to Chris Options in the Chris Godwin and Crafty Man slots. Evans is on pace to rush for 1,000 yards for his tenth consecutive season.
“You try to sit here and pressure him and he’s going to muscle you in at the line of scrimmage,” defensive coordinator Steve Wilkes said. “You hit the ball and the speed is very deceptive and he’ll run right by you.”
Evans was coming off a big game (143 yards, one touchdown; one touchdown). Instead of having Charvarius Ward tracking him all over the place, the 49ers should cover up their coverage and lean safeties to help Evans moving forward.
“We’ve got to mix things up from a man coverage standpoint, get our hands on these receivers and work on being physical,” said Wilkes, who moved to the sideline to add in the last game Sparked.
Ward took 10 penalties and two in his last game this season, and while half of those were controversial calls, he won’t change his body at this stage of his career. Quality and aggressive approach. Wilkes emphasized better footwork to curb potential holding penalties.
Evans will likely try to utilize the 49ers’ young cornerbacks, whether it’s right cornerback Embry Thomas or De’Omodre Lenoir, or whoever fills in, whether it’s Lenoir or Isaiah The bigger matchup that Oliver provides.
Escape from Vita
The Buccaneers nose-blocked Milpitas High School student Vita Vea in their last game, leaving the 49ers with four snaps left in the game due to a calf injury. A breakthrough was achieved. Vea will cause discomfort inside for center Jake Brundle and guards Jon Feliciano and Spencer Burford, but Vea can also attack from the edge.
“You don’t know where Vita is going to be at third,” coach Kyle Shanahan said, “but when he pushes the center inside, it’s a problem; no matter who he pushes, it’s a problem . “
If Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel can find running routes early, it will take some pressure off Brock Purdy’s passing attack against a blitzing defense.
Injuries are affecting the 49ers offensive linemen more than at any time this season. Offensive tackles Trent Williams (ankle) and Colton McKivitz (ankle, knee) are expected to play, but left guard Aaron Banks (toe) remains out.
By the way, that’s not the only key starter the Buccaneers are missing heading into that December 2022 game. They were also without starting safeties Antoine Winfield Jr. and Mike Edwards, as well as offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs.
Put pressure on Mayfield
Purdy’s opponent is the No. 1 pick for the third straight game, with Baker Mayfield following after Joe Burrow’s Bengals won and Trevor Lawrence’s Jaguars lost.
Four years later, Mayfield was outplayed by college rival Nick Bosa in a Browns loss at Levi’s Stadium, and Mayfield played some of the best football of his journeyman career. He averaged 238 yards per game with 14 touchdowns and five interceptions.
In last year’s 35-7 win, the 49ers intercepted Tom Brady twice, and Tom Brady had to scramble between him and senior Tashaun Gipson at Dre Greenlaw’s request after the game. football signed.
Behind Mayfield will be a deeper defensive front, and honestly, the 49ers’ different configurations looked interesting last game, thanks in large part to the infusion of Chase Young. Will they play in a five-man formation again? Are Bosa and Young lining up inside and threatening to wiggle their way out of there?
“It’s a really good situation when you have a deep D-line and everybody’s energetic,” Young said.
“Everyone can play at a pretty good level because of the freshness, which makes all of our snaps very effective,” Bosa added.
Bosa wasn’t the only player to have his best performance of the season. The same goes for Javon Hargrave, not to mention Arik Armstead, who has been playing alongside him in the paint lately.
“They have a lot of stars there,” Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said. “Pressure is probably more important than sacks because you’re not looking down. As long as they get the pressure, which they do, and get the ball out, I’m pretty sure they’ll be happy to have someone in their backfield who can fly around. And make a difference.”
Purdy’s encore performance
While Purdy’s three touchdown passes last Sunday helped the 49ers snap a three-game losing streak, it was crucial that he reversed their turnover trend, and he did just that.
However, the last time he was at Levi’s Stadium, the Bengals forced three turnovers, including two interceptions in the fourth quarter.
Tampa Bay forced 16 turnovers, third-most in the NFL, with eight interceptions and eight fumble recoveries.
The 49ers not only need to stop Weah (4 ½ sacks), but also Shaq Barrett, whose 4 sacks and numbers will be the biggest test for McKivitz.
Winfield may be the biggest X-factor in terms of turnover ability: 3 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries, 1 interception, 2 sacks, 4 quarterback hits and 7 passes defended. It’s safe to say he’s back to 2021 Pro Bowl form.
Special team boost
The 49ers were overdue for a big performance on special teams, except when they threw a punt inside the 5-yard line or saw rookie Jake Moody flirt with the right upright (14 of 17 field goal attempts, 30 points 30 points) – after kicking the ball).
Play Future’s “Tony Montana,” which became the anthem for the 49ers’ special teams team during the 2011-12 season. In fact, the 49ers played the song at the start of Friday’s practice.
The 49ers haven’t returned a kick for a touchdown since the 2011 opener, a span of 407 attempts. Will this be the game to end this decline? The Buccaneers allowed 12.6 yards per return, fourth-most in the NFL. Ray-Ray McLeod’s longest punt return of the season was 19 yards, and his average of 9.7 yards ranked 11th.
Maybe special teams are worth considering, too, since in four days the 49ers will travel to Seattle, where in 2021 they allowed an early touchdown on a fake punt.