4 reasons why SF 49ers improve to 3-1 with win over Eagles
By Peter Panacy
No. 1: SF 49ers are getting George Kittle back
Honestly, San Francisco could have been even more patient bringing George Kittle back from injury. True, No. 2 tight end Jordan Reed is going to be out six to eight weeks with his own knee injury, but reserve tight end Ross Dwelley flashed enough in Week 3 to suggest he’s more than viable a fill-in option.
But Kittle was back in full at practice this week, and it’ll be fun to see him reconnect with Nick Mullens like the two did back late in 2018.
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Of note there, per Pro Football Focus, Mullens’ passer rating when targeting Kittle was 107.8.
In fairness, most quarterbacks should boast an upper-level passer rating when targeting the 2019 first-team All-Pro, but this figure shows the chemistry and rapport the two already have.
Look for that to be a major factor Sunday night against Philadelphia.
True, the Eagles defense has done well enough this season, allowing an 11th-best 5.9 yards per pass play, albeit with two of their three contests coming against the lowly Washington Football Team and Cincinnati Bengals offenses.
Still, despite Philly having some defensive prowess, Mullens and Kittle shouldn’t have too big an issue setting the tone for Kyle Shanahan’s offense, leading the Niners to their third victory of the season.
The SF 49ers and Eagles kick off on Sunday, Oct. 4 at 8:20 p.m. from Levi’s Stadium.