5 49ers who must prove themselves in NFC divisional round vs. Vikings
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: EDGE Dee Ford
Speaking of injured players, EDGE Dee Ford is also going to make his return from an elongated injury.
Ford has seen just four snaps since injuring his hamstring in Week 11 against the Arizona Cardinals, re-injuring it again in Week 14 against the Saints. Not coincidentally, that’s when the 49ers pass rush began to take a bit of a hit, as the Niners registered a mere four sacks over their final five regular-season games.
With Ford on the field, however, both he and fellow EDGE Nick Bosa have been impressive, as ESPN’s Nick Wagoner pointed out:
#49ers haven't had Dee Ford available much this year but he's been effective when he has been.
— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) January 6, 2020
Niners had 24 sacks on 164 snaps with Nick Bosa and Ford on the field together this season.
They had 24 sacks on 801 snaps on all other plays.
Getting Ford back would be big.
Pressuring Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins is going to be a key to victory, of course. But there’s another reason why Ford has to prove himself.
Simply put, shaking off that offsides call in the playoffs last year, back when Ford was with the Kansas City Chiefs, would go a long way in re-cementing the pass-rusher’s postseason legacy.