Preview for San Francisco 49ers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The San Francisco 49ers (4-1) face one other daunting highway recreation as they tackle the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-1) on Sunday in a battle with a fellow NFC contender thriving amid damage adversity.
Regardless of a bunch of accidents on either side of the ball, the 49ers shocked their NFC West rivals the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Evening Soccer behind a gutsy effort from backup quarterback Mac Jones.
After serving to the 49ers to a 26-23 extra time win, Jones will hope to enhance to 4-0 as a starter for San Francisco, with beginning quarterback Brock Purdy nonetheless on the sideline due to turf toe.
The 49ers prevailed in opposition to the Rams regardless of an outstanding efficiency from Los Angeles quarterback Matthew Stafford. This week, they face a signal-caller in Baker Mayfield who’s taking part in at an MVP degree.
Mayfield was sensational final week because the Buccaneers edged the Seattle Seahawks in a thriller within the Pacific Northwest, throwing for 379 yards and two touchdowns to steer Tampa Bay to a 38-35 triumph at Lumen Subject.
The Tampa Bay offense will probably be minus the providers of vast receivers Chris Godwin (fibula) and Mike Evans (hamstring).
But Mayfield will nonetheless be assured he has the instruments to succeed in opposition to the 49er protection, with wideout Emeka Egbuka rising because the Offensive Rookie of the Yr frontrunner following a sensational begin to his profession.
The primary-round decide went for 163 yards and a touchdown on seven receptions against Seattle. Following that efficiency, Egbuka now has 25 catches, 445 receiving yards and 5 landing receptions by way of 5 video games, turning into the first participant in NFL historical past with a minimum of 25 receptions, 400 receiving yards and 5 landing receptions in his first 5 profession video games.
In opposition to a susceptible 49ers secondary, Mayfield and Egbuka will look be sure their apparent rapport delivers extra spectacular outcomes, whereas the Bucs will hope for a bump in speeding manufacturing from Rachaad White, who scored two touchdowns within the absence of Bucky Irving (foot/shoulder) in Seattle however averaged simply 2.9 yards per rush.
Each the Buccaneers and 49ers have discovered speeding effectivity exhausting to come back by this season, with San Francisco uncharacteristically tied for the worst yards per carry common within the NFL (3.1).
The 49ers have failed to attain a speeding landing up to now this season, however working again Christian McCaffrey is on an historic tempo as a pass-catcher. McCaffrey is on observe for over 1,300 yards by way of the air and, if he racks up 50 receiving yards on this one, will turn out to be the primary working again in NFL historical past to take action in every of the primary six video games of a season.
Whereas high wideout Ricky Pearsall (knee) and star tight finish George Kittle (hamstring) stay on the sideline, the 49ers will get again Jauan Jennings (knee/rib) to assault a depleted Tampa Bay secondary that’s minus beginning cornerback Zyon McCollum (thumb) and backup Benjamin Morrison (hamstring).
Going through a Tampa Bay defensive entrance that includes the likes of Vita Vea, Haason Reddick and YaYa Diaby, the emphasis will probably be on Jones to get the ball out rapidly and preserve the 49ers on schedule as they appear to maintain tempo with the high-powered Buccaneers.
