10 items on 49ers to-do list over final four games of 2019
By Peter Panacy
No. 4: Get Some Key Contributions from Role Players
The home stretch of any season is where playoff-bound teams need to flash just how good their depth is.
And the 49ers are no different.
Remember, San Francisco had an early bye week this season in Week 4, and there hasn’t exactly been a lot of rest for Kyle Shanahan’s squad since. Naturally, players are going to be much more fatigued and banged up at this portion of the year than they were earlier.
As such, getting some critical plays from relatively unknown contributors is just as important as the biggest playmakers stepping up.
This was evidenced in Week 13 against the Ravens, when backup safety Marcell Harris, filling in for an injured Jaquiski Tartt, stripped the ball from Lamar Jackson for the Niners’ only defensive takeaway from the game.
San Francisco netted three points off the turnover, which was crucial. So was Raheem Mostert shouldering a large chunk of the offensive load.
These are the kinds of efforts the Niners will need down the stretch, not just relying on the big-name players on both sides of the ball.