49ers overreactions: San Francisco has future star in linebacker Tatum Bethune
“Yes, we fully realize Christian McCaffrey is one of the best running backs in the game and the 49ers are a better team when he is on the field. But San Francisco should begin to have scheduled breaks for him during the second half of the season.
Robinson has done all the work behind the scenes and he knows the offense well enough to step in and give the 49ers a different look.
Robinson is a hard-charging, no-nonsense runner who should be a good complement to McCaffrey’s style.
The 49ers have a luxury in having a starting-caliber runner as a backup. They should use him more in order to take measures to keep McCaffrey as fresh as possible for the stretch drive.“
Tatum Bethune hits a milestone Fred Warner never has: 49ers minutia minute (paywall)
“To put that tackle total in perspective, Fred Warner’s career high for tackles in a game is 15.
The last 49ers linebackers to record 16 tackles in a game were NaVorro Bowman and Michael Wilhoite, who had 16 apiece in a 2015 loss at the Giants.“
49ers game review: How Kyle Shanahan’s game plan pulled the teeth of Giants’ pass rush (paywall)
““Obviously, drop-back passing versus those guys is probably not the best idea, right?” Williams said, smiling.
The result of Shanahan’s game plan was that Jones didn’t attempt a pass 20 yards downfield for the first time in seven starts this season and he released his passes in an average of 2.36 seconds, his fastest of the season, according to Next Gen Stats.
The tone was set immediately. Jones completed 6 of 6 passes for 45 yards and a touchdown on the 49ers’ first drive. His passes traveled 4, 5, 2, 19, 4 and 3 yards beyond the line of scrimmage. On his 19-yarder, a completion to wideout Jordan Watkins on 2nd-and-12, Shanahan protected Jones with an extra blocker, tight end Jake Tonges, who chipped edge rusher Brian Burns.
Jones completed 13 of 15 passes for 131 yards and two touchdowns on throws that traveled fewer than 10 yards beyond the line of scrimmage. He completed 6 of 7 passes for 104 yards on throws between 10 and 19 yards. However, his intermediate throws were often designed to get the ball out quickly. On a 13-yarder to wideout Kendrick Bourne in the third quarter, Jones released it in 1.91 seconds after receiving the shotgun snap and taking a one-step dropback.“
Why 49ers opted for a bunt instead of a big swing before NFL trade deadline (paywall)
“The 49ers have made four trades since June — adding pass rusher Bruce Huff, running back Brian Robinson, wide receiver Skyy Moore and White — and each was made after injuries created roster needs. In the process, they dealt two 2026 draft picks — a conditional fifth-rounder for Huff and sixth-rounder for Robinson — before trading a 2026 sixth-rounder and receiving a seventh for White.
The deals left them with just five picks they could trade before the deadline, with just one pick in each of the first three rounds. They are expected to receive three compensatory picks this offseason, but they were reluctant to subtract more from their 2026 stash during a season in which Bosa and Warner are guaranteed to combine to miss 25 games.
That’s not to say Lynch didn’t make calls, but he decided to pass in a pricy market. For example, the 49ers reportedly had interest in the Jets’ Jermaine Johnson, but New York was requesting a second-round pick for a pass rusher with 11 sacks in 38 career games who suffered a torn Achilles last year.“
49ers finding ways to win despite injury, identity woes
“After Week 9, they are 3-0 in NFC West games and 6-1 against NFC foes. Those marks bode well for any potential playoff tiebreakers, and the Niners should benefit from having made it through the most road-weary part of their schedule. In the final eight weeks, San Francisco will travel only three times, and it will play three of the final four games at Levi’s Stadium.
The next two weeks, in particular, should help the 49ers get a better handle on who they are and where they might be going.“
Takeaways from the Tape: (Mostly) resurgent at corner (paywall)
“I didn’t love everything that I saw from Spencer Burford on Sunday. He had a few ugly moments, and it was probably more bad than good. That said, I’m intrigued.
There’s rust from injury and rust from repping largely at tackle. I’d love for him to get another game or two to see if he’s a better option over Ben Bartch or Connor Colby.
The results have been so poor at left guard this season that the downside isn’t awfully steep. I’d argue Burford might have the highest upside. Bartch and Colby may be better athletes, but there’s a fluidity to the way Burford moves in space that I really enjoy, and he’s been in this system the longest.“
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