These five SF 49ers must improve in Week 2 vs. Jets after Niners’ loss to Cardinals
Many predicted the SF 49ers to experience a bit of a Super Bowl hangover after their fourth-quarter collapse to the Kansas City Chiefs seven months prior. However, no one expected the Niners to follow up their second Super Bowl loss with quite that abysmal of a performance against a vastly inferior Arizona Cardinals team in Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season.
Throughout the matchup against their NFC West rival, the San Francisco 49ers demonstrated they learned few lessons from last season and the subsequent 2020 offseason, as nearly every crucial mistake that plagued the team in 2019 was highlighted and amplified during their 2020 Week 1 flop.
After jumping out to a 10-point lead, the 49ers regressed back into their routine “all breaks, no gas” mode, even after a special teams blunder by defensive back Dontae Johnson gifted the Cardinals — who appeared to be on the verge of giving up on the game — seven points, and new life, which helped Arizona eventually achieve a victory they did not deserve:
Unfortunately, since so many individuals on the team need to bounce back in Week 2, Johnson’s failure doesn’t come close to this list – nor does linebacker Kwon Alexander’s game-to-forget, particularly since the veteran linebacker should be replaced by Dre Greenlaw in sub-formations.
Instead, we’ll focus on a handful of SF 49ers who must step their respective games up immediately, for the sake of their NFL careers and San Francisco’s 2020 season.
One specific player who will not appear on this list is quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo — because he doesn’t belong on it. I’ll instead base my analysis on game film and stats and leave “#JimmyHate2020” to the recent flurry of click-baiters and talking heads.
After losing to a subpar Cardinals squad, the 49ers will continue the “easy” portion of their schedule over their next four games, beginning with an away matchup with the New York Jets. If the Niners expect to contend in 2020, these SF 49ers must bounce back in Sunday’s must-win matchup in Week 2 of the NFL regular season.