“It’s not a huge surprise to see him stumble out of the gate,” says Niners Nation of Aiyuk
The Los Angeles Rams return to the friendly confines of SoFi Stadium in its home opener against the San Francisco 49ers. Both teams are desperate for a win, so huge thanks to the Vikings for likely making LA fans miserable this weekend as the Niners are heavily favored to bounce back. I’m sure optimistic today, aren’t I?
To gain further insight into an opponent we (sadly) know all too well, I spoke with Marc Delucchi from SB Nation’s 49ers blog Niners Nation:
Q – San Francisco is expected to be an NFC favorite, yet has experienced its fair share of struggles in close games. Since the start of the 2023 campaign, SF is 3-5 in one-score games. What could be the explanation for these issues and how does Kyle Shanahan’s squad try to buck this trend as the season progresses?
A – Despite his innovative reputation as an offensive schemer, Shanahan has often had a conservative/old-school approach to game management. He has shown a little more willingness to be aggressive on fourth down since Brock Purdy has taken over, but Shanahan still tends to take a field goal, punt, or run out the clock at the end of the first half far more often than most other top head coaches around the league. In close games, when the margins are that much smaller, the costs of an unoptimal decision may be magnified.
Q – Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has shown some rust after signing his four-year extension on August 30. Aiyuk has just 6 receptions for 72 yards and no touchdowns through the first two games. Were there any progressions in Aiyuk’s play against the Vikings compared to the season opener and how could he shake off the rust to become more involved in the offense, particularly with Deebo Samuel out the next couple weeks?
A – Aiyuk has always been a bit of a streaky player and so it’s not a huge surprise to see him stumble out of the gate after such a tumultuous offseason. Granted, his inconsistent production has been the source of plenty of fan discourse, often arguing that his dips in production were tied to play calling (or quarterbacking) that was deprioritizing his skillset. Nevertheless, with McCaffrey and Samuel sidelined, Aiyuk should get plenty of opportunities to get back into a rhythm. Aiyuk was more of a factor against the Vikings than he was in Week 1, lending some credence to the idea that he should be well-positioned to shoulder a more sizable workload as well.
Q – Through the first two weeks, have there been any standout players for Rams fans to be on the lookout for this weekend?
A – Jordan Mason is the easy answer. With a lineup chock-full of Pro Bowlers, Mason has stepped in for Christian McCaffrey and delivered incredible rushing production. Mason has his struggles in pass protection and is a far cry from McCaffrey as a receiver, but if he can deliver his third consecutive 100-yard game, the 49ers offense will probably be in good shape.
Q – It’s looking like the injury-depleted Rams might be on the wrong end of a blowout this week so what is your prediction for Sunday’s game and how does SF get back into the win column?
A – This is definitely an early-season gauge game for the 49ers. Everyone understandably expects the Niners to be back in Super Bowl contention this year, but an offseason of tense negotiations and some early-season injuries to critical pieces could easily snowball into a derailed campaign. I’m predicting the 49ers to bounce back from their first loss of the year to pull out a commanding 33-17 victory over the Rams, but we haven’t seen San Francisco put everything together yet in this young season, and with McCaffrey and Samuel out, they may be more fallible than we expect.
