Nick Bosa walked into his post-game press conference last Sunday feeling confident after a win over the New England Patriots and hopeful that the “sky is falling” saga surrounding the San Francisco 49ers would come to an end.
“If you look online, you would think the building is burning down,” Bosa said.
It was the perfect way for the defensive end to tell The Faithful to RELAX. The 49ers evened their record at 2-2 and the offense proved it can still be explosive thanks to big throws from Brock Purdy, another 100 yards-plus day from Jordan Mason and a catch of the year nominee from George Kittle.
The next step to prove that Levi’s Stadium won’t burn down. It’s to stack wins, which the Niners can do against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. Their NFC West foes come in at 1-3 and are defeated by the Washington Commanders.
Here are three big things to watch from that game.
The heat
Levi’s Stadium won’t burn down, but could melt away on Sunday. Temperatures during the game are expected to be around 99 degrees which would be the most popular match in the stadium’s history. It’s certainly not the heat the 49ers are used to at home. Even the Cardinals aren’t used to that heat, since they play in a dome. Head coach Kyle Shanahan says the team will use IVs to keep the boys hydrated.
The league denied the Niners’ request to make their uniforms all white. That is a decision that must be approved well before the season. It will be hot by Santa Clara standards, but it’s not like many of these players haven’t played in these temperatures before.
Last I checked, outdoor soccer is played in Florida. When Deebo Samuel was asked how hot it would be, he wasn’t too concerned. After all, he played college football at South Carolina.
“I’m from the south,” he joked. “It gets hotter than this.”
Purdy’s bid for ownership
As Tom Brady hopes his bid to own 10 percent of the Las Vegas Raiders is approved, Brock Purdy could be added to the Arizona Cardinals’ ownership group.
No, not really. But Purdy’s hometown team is getting tired of playing the 49ers QB1. In three career starts against the Cardinals, Purdy is undefeated. He has thrown for 703 yards, eight touchdowns and no interceptions. The most startling statistic is his passer rating, 150.4. That’s just eight percentage points away from a perfect record.
Purdy has started well this season. He entered Week 5 with the second-most passing yards in the NFL and could once again enter MVP conversations. If he starts with a win against Arizona for the fourth straight season, he might not be welcomed back to the 48th state the next time he visits family.
Injuries abound
If you looked at the 49ers’ injury report on Wednesday, you would have thought they might have to hold open tryouts to even field a team on Sunday. By mid-week, six different players were not training and another four were limited. The names that raised the biggest eyebrows were George Kittle and Fred Warner.
Kittle was dealing with a rib injury playing against the Patriots. Warner didn’t play a moment of the second half that day. His ankle was stepped on and he left the game after a pick-six in the first half.
Fortunately for the 49ers, both Kittle and Warner practiced on Friday. They had been training in the side the day before, but fully rejoined the team in their last full training before the match.
We saw the 49ers struggle against the Rams when they were missing key players. It’s something they can’t afford against Arizona. Losing a second straight division game would spell trouble for a potential postseason tiebreaker.
Statistic of the week
The bets do not tell the whole story, but are usually an indication of the position of voters on a specific price. I have to assume the betting is rigged for the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year. Fred Warner entered Week 5 with the 7th highest odds (“7th most likely”) to win the DPOY.
That’s crazy. His three forced fumbles are the most in the NFL. His two interceptions are third-best in the NFL… oh, and he’s a linebacker. Warner has a pick-six and touchdown-saving takeaway this season. If you ask his teammates, there is no doubt who should be in the lead for this award.
“I feel like he’s playing like the MVP of the entire league, especially Defensive Player of the Year,” Mooney Ward said.
Quote of the week
“He reminds me a bit of Marshawn Lynch. He’s got a bit of Beast Mode in him.”
That’s what Trent Williams had to say about Jordan Mason this week. That’s music to the ears of the 49ers, who got more than they ever could have imagined from a guy who was their third string a year ago. If Mason rushes for 100 yards or more on Sunday, it will be his fourth game this season.
