Nick Bosa found his wallet a little lighter, and Christian McCaffrey broke his silence about sitting out to this point in the season. However, with a San Francisco Week 10 game scheduled against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, many NFL folks wonder which team will tilt their season in a positive direction. Ahead of the 49ers-Buccaneers game, we’ll be making our 49ers Week 10 predictions.
San Francisco enters the key NFC contest with a record of 4-4 while the Buccaneers sail in with a 4-5 mark. The winner stabilizes its playoff position while the losers move into scramble mode.
Look for this game to produce plenty of offensive highlights as the 49ers get star running back Christian McCaffrey back into the mix.
49ers RB Christian McCaffrey will score pair of TDs
Normally it’s not a bold prediction to say McCaffrey will score twice. But this is a guy who has missed the entire season to this point. The Buccaneers may assume the 49ers will use McCaffrey as a red-zone decoy. But that’s not head coach Kyle Shanahan’s style. He said the team will take things as they go with McCaffrey, according to NBC Sports Bay Area via 49erswebzone.com.
“You don't sit there and just split everything up just to do it,” Shanahan said. “You keep the people out there that give you the best chance to win on each play. And Christian is just a little bit different because he does so much extra besides running the ball.”
Shanahan said McCaffrey doesn’t automatically solve the team’s red-zone issues.
“I wouldn't say ‘solve them,' but he definitely helps,” Shanahan said. “There's nothing in football that I believe one guy can solve. It's 11 guys tied together, so many things going in different directions. But when you have a player like Christian, he helps a lot.
“We're very low on the red zone right now. We're doing decent on third down, we'd like to do better. But the red zone has been a struggle, and adding a player like Christian, it definitely doesn't hurt.”
One positive thing about McCaffrey’s absence is other players were forced to step up and make plays.
“But, it's been good not having him, getting those guys so much playing time,” Shanahan said. “JP's (Jordan Mason) been in and out over the last couple years. But he's never been able to carry an entire game. He's gotten better each week. He's really shown everyone that he can do it.
“And then Isaac (Guerendo), we loved his talent. But you need to get in those games, you need to get the reps. He's shown some promising things and some things he's got to improve at and the stuff we hit him hard at practice with.”
49ers TE George Kittle will produce 80-plus yards
Kittle is coming off a six-catch, 128-yard performance before the bye. Also, he has been the team’s most consistent pass catcher this season. To reach that yardage number, Kittle will have to navigate the Buccaneers’ defense, which Shanahan said the 49ers respect, according to nbcsportsbayarea.com.
“That defense with (coach) Todd (Bowles) has always been such a good defense,” Shanahan said. “Vita Vea and the safety, No. 31 (Antoine Winfield Jr.). They’ve always been so good. This year the way they came out, a lot of people were picking them. And it looked like that on tape.”
“Starting out beating Detroit earlier in the year, just the way they’ve looked. They’ve lost some tight games, they’ve had some tough injuries. But I see the exact same team on tape. They are a problem if they can string together some wins and get into the playoffs, they’ll be just like they were last year.”
Also, Kittle should get more free looks as the Buccaneers worry about the return of McCaffrey. Bowles said it can be a problem, according to buccaneers.com.
“It's just another weapon we've got to worry about, along with him, Deebo (Samuel), George (Kittle), (Brock) Purdy, as well,” Bowles said. “You've got to worry about five different guys. You can't just worry about McCaffrey. We've got to be sound, defensively, and everybody has to do their assignment because they're talented all over the field.
“Like I said, they've got a lot of weapons. They can run the ball, as well. They've got a very good offensive line. (Purdy) can just throw to the open guy. They have five talented guys that can catch the football. We've got to be sound, and we've got to be able to get pressure on them.”
49ers DE Nick Bosa will get multiple sacks
Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield is tough to bring down, but Bosa should be able to remedy that issue a couple of times.
Bowles said the Buccaneers will game plan to avoid the 49ers getting sack happy.
“I think you just go out and keep the quarterback safe,” Bowles said. “(And) I don't know if I'd think anything different really. I think the Niners have great get off, they're flying off the ball. So I think for tackles, you just have to get out to your junction point, your set point, whatever you want to call it, beat them to the spot. Bosa is great with his hands, insane get off, bends the edge really well. He's got power, he stays low. So it's all sorts of stuff you have to be ready for.
“That's how it is every week, you know. This is the NFL. (There aren't any) slaps around, so it's going to be fun. We've played them the past two years, they've had great defensive lines the past two years – the past forever pretty much. We just have to come ready to play. We know it's a big test for us up front like it was this past week, come out ready to play and do our jobs to the best of our ability and if we keep ‘6' (Baker Mayfield) upright, then we'll probably be all right.”
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