The 49ers might be hopelessly out of the playoff picture before the mid-point of the season, but coach Kyle Shanahan believes the team can still use the remaining games to answer some questions and continue building.
“Whether it’s good times or bad times, I promise they’ll end up being for a good reason,” Shanahan said on “49ers Game Plan,” which airs Saturday at 7 p.m. on NBC Bay Area (Ch. 3).
“We’ll be better from this.”
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SIGN UP HERE But, first, the 49ers just want to be better than the Arizona Cardinals (1-6) on Sunday in Glendale, Ariz.
Here are four individuals who must have solid games for the 49ers to snap their five-game losing streak:
Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh
This is a game where the 49ers should have the tactical advantage with Saleh, who has come under fire for the team’s defense. The Cardinals’ offense ranks last in the league, which prompted first-year coach Steve Wilks to fire coordinator Mike McCoy.
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Former NFL quarterback Byron Leftwich takes over as the offensive coordinator and play-caller. He has very little experience after first joining the Cardinals as a coaching intern in 2016.
The 49ers do not know what to expect from the Cardinals’ offense in Leftwich’s first game at the controls. Arizona would likely look more similar to the scheme run under previous coach Bruce Arians. They will likely try to feature more of running back David Johnson and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald.
“Obviously, it’s going to be very important for in-game adjustments to see what they do in-game, but it’ll be interesting to see what he comes up with,” Saleh said.
Saleh has to get the 49ers on the same page. The 49ers have not played with much speed and emotion, and that is something Saleh must fix. The 49ers have experienced too many breakdowns, while not generating enough takeaways.
QB C.J. Beathard
It all starts with the quarterback.
The 49ers have been the worst team in the league at turning the ball over. Beathard has not done a good job of taking care of the ball since taking over for Jimmy Garoppolo, who is out for the season with a torn ACL.
In four starts, Beathard has thrown seven interceptions and lost three fumbles. In his second start, he was responsible for four of the team’s five turnovers in a 28-18 loss to the Cardinals.
The 49ers are not good enough to win games when they lose the turnover battle. That is where this game will likely begin and end.
LB Reuben Foster
The second-year linebacker has been a disappointment this season. He simply has not made many impactful plays while also struggling as a tackler. Despite sitting out the first two games of the season due to an NFL suspension, Foster is second-worst in the league with 12 missed tackles.
Foster has also yielded 20 completions on 27 targets for 228 yards and two touchdowns.
Foster has been nursing a right shoulder condition for the past several weeks. But he said he is good enough to keep playing, so it is up to him to make sure he still plays at a high level.
“All I can really do is fight for my team and fight for myself,” Foster said. “This is a game that I love and I’m not going to let a shoulder hold me back.”
The 49ers have generated just three takeaways this season, and Foster has to be more of a ball hawk and difference-maker for a struggling defense.
TE George Kittle
Not enough players have performed at a high level. And many of the team’s promising rookies of a year ago have taken significant steps backward.
Kittle is the exception. He has taken his game to a new level, as he leads the team with 32 receptions for 527 yards and two touchdowns.
“I think he’s just a good route runner,” said Beathard, who played with Kittle in college at Iowa. “He’s talented. He’s athletic so he can turn little plays into big ones. Obviously, we’ve had chemistry going back to college so I can kind of read him and know what he’s doing pretty easily. But, he’s just a really talented athlete and player and he’s doing really well.”
Moreover, Kittle has been playing with a lot of fire. His mindset must rub off on his teammates or the second half of the season could be a long one. Kittle has tried to set the tone for the 49ers. He will have to continue to play with passion in order for the passion to rub off on others.