4 SF 49ers players who must bounce back in Week 5 vs. Dolphins
By Peter Panacy
No. 1: SF 49ers Right Tackle Mike McGlinchey
It might be a bit of an overreaction to think right tackle Mike McGlinchey won’t be the long-term answer for the Niners once his rookie contract is up.
But it’s pretty clear he’s not playing anywhere close to the level he enjoyed his second season in the league back in 2019.
San Francisco 49ers
McGlinchey still hasn’t been credited with a sack this season, which is good. But Pro Football Focus tagged him with a quarterback hit surrendered and three pressures, one of which resulted in the crucial interception thrown by Nick Mullens that resulted in the Eagles’ go-ahead touchdown.
True, McGlinchey’s 69.4 PFF grade suggests he’s not the problem here. But much of the disjointed aspects of the SF 49ers offensive line have to fall on a number of the individuals, therefore McGlinchey deserves some of the blame.
What’s going to be a key battle to watch on Sunday will be McGlinchey versus Dolphins linebacker Kyle Van Noy, who often blitzes off the strong side of the formation and has done so to the tune of two sacks this season.
A little smaller than big-bodied defensive ends, McGlinchey could rely more on his strength but potentially at the expense of Van Noy’s speed and elusiveness off the edge.
That’ll be a key matchup in helping McGlinchey get back on track.
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The SF 49ers and Dolphins kick off on Sunday, Oct. 11 at 4:05 p.m. ET from Levi’s Stadium.