The last time the San Francisco 49ers played, they secured the first win of the Kyle Shanahan era, besting the New York Giants. The 49ers will look to carry that momentum through their bye week and into their week 12 matchup with the Seattle Seahawks. This is the second time these teams have met this year, but both teams have caught the injury bug, changing drastically since their week two game. The Seahawks must beat the 49ers in order to keep pace in the playoff hunt. The 49ers are playing for pride, and a chance to play spoiler to their division rivals. In order for the 49ers to continue their win streak, they must follow three keys to victory.
Week 12 San Francisco 49ers Keys to Victory
Contain Jimmy Graham
When Jimmy Graham is firing on all cylinders, he’s arguably the hardest tight end in the game to cover. This season, Graham has been on his game. Graham leads all tight ends with seven touchdown receptions. Even more impressive, he has caught all seven touchdowns in his last six games. While guarding him seems impossible, especially in the red zone, the 49ers must find a way to end Graham’s hot streak.
The 49ers defense ranks near the bottom of the league in DVOA when it comes to covering opposing wide receivers and running backs. However, they rank second in DVOA against opposing tight ends. Robert Saleh’s specialty is coaching linebackers, and he has done a great job using them to limit opposing tight ends. Reuben Foster and Eric Reid, two of the 49ers best defensive players, will most likely share duties covering Graham. It will be a tall task to stop him, but they will need to find a way to at least slow him down.
In the past, Graham has had some big moments against the 49ers. However, these moments usually were overshadowed by another play. In the 2011 divisional game against the New Orleans Saints, Drew Brees connected with Graham for what looked like a game winning touchdown, but the 49ers answered right back. If the 49ers are to win this game, they will need to contain and upstage Jimmy Graham.
Protect C.J. Beathard
Much was made of the blockbuster deal that sent Jimmy Garoppolo to the Niners mid-season. Rumors have swirled as to when he will finally take the field this year, if at all. Garoppolo has all the makings of a franchise quarterback who the 49ers would love to build around. While he may be the best quarterback on the roster, he won’t be playing this Sunday, and the 49ers will trot out C.J. Beathard.
The key to Beathard having success is simple: he needs to be protected. Beathard’s best game on the season came in the win against the Giants. He wasn’t sacked and completed 76 percent of his throws. In all the other games he started, he was sacked 14 times, with a completion percentage just north of 50 percent. If Beathard feels the pressure, he won’t be at his best, and that’s what the 49ers need to pull off the victory.
The 49ers offensive line is better than it gets credit for. Joe Staley has been one of the best left tackles in all of football over the past several years. Trent Brown has emerged at the right tackle position, prompting Von Miller to call him “the best right tackle in the NFL.” The interior lineman of Laken Tomlinson, Daniel Kilgore, and Brandon Fusco have all shown flashes, but have been inconsistent. The Seahawks pass rush will be tough to handle. If all their interior can play at their best selves, they are capable of keeping Beathard upright.
Trust Their Leader
In the playoffs with the Atlanta Falcons, Shanahan was the author of a brilliant game plan that picked apart the Seahawks defense. Shanahan is a direct disciple of Dan Quinn, who was a former Seahawks defensive coordinator. With Quinn trying to replicate Seattle’s 4-3 in Atlanta, Shanahan had an inside look at how the defense works. He appears familiar with the Seahawks defense, and his expertise should be a key to victory.
Earlier this year, the 49ers played a close game with the Seahawks, narrowly losing. At the time, Brian Hoyer was the starting quarterback. Hoyer’s time in San Francisco was very brief, with little success. The 32-year-old missed key throws in the Seattle game, including a deep pass to Marquise Goodwin. Since Hoyer’s departure, the 49ers offense has taken a step forward.
Against the Giants, Shanahan opened up the playbook. The offense had 474 yards of total offense. Beathard connected beautifully on a deep pass to Goodwin that Hoyer struggled to complete. With Beathard’s development, the playbook should continue to expand. Shanahan’s genius will be on full display if his offense is able to pick apart the Seattle defense for the 49ers second win.
