49ers vs. Eagles: 4 Niners who should feast on Philadelphia defense
By Peter Panacy
Fox. Sunday, Sept. 19. 54. 49ers -3. 1-0. 42. 1-0. 1 p.m. ET
The 49ers visit the Eagles this Sunday for a Week 2 bout, and you’ll want to keep an eye on these four Niners offensive players during the game.
As the San Francisco 49ers‘ injuries to key defensive players keep piling up — linebacker Dre Greenlaw out four-plus weeks with a groin injury, and cornerback Jason Verrett to a season-ending ACL tear — it’s becoming clearer the Niners are going to have to rely more upon head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense to shoulder the load each and every week.
In Week 1 against the Detroit Lions, it’s a good thing this was the case. San Francisco needed those 41 points in what went from a 41-17 late fourth-quarter lead to a 41-33 finale.
Now, the 49ers will hope the 1-0 Philadelphia Eagles aren’t equipped to back up their 32-6 Week 1 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
The Niners are the superior team, surely on offense and still on defense despite the latest injury setbacks. Yet it could be Shanahan’s offense needing to put up some serious points in Week 2.
Fortunately, these four San Francisco offensive players should be primed for an incredible outing on Sunday.
No. 4: 49ers Offensive Tackle Trent Williams
It’s always fun to look at yards, catches and touchdowns with regards to offensive players. But that would overlook the fact the 49ers are already getting All-Pro kind of play from left tackle Trent Williams.
Williams picked up right where he left off last season, enjoying a zero-sack, zero-pressure, zero-quarterback-hit kind of game in Week 1 against a fairly stout Detroit defensive line with a 92.2 overall grade, per Pro Football Focus.
Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo wasn’t under too much duress. And whatever pressure he faced certainly didn’t come from Williams’ side.
Against the Eagles, the eight-time Pro Bowler will frequently match up opposite a quality pass-rusher in Derek Barnett, who has 19.5 sacks in his four-plus years as a pro.
Look for Williams to make Barnett and Co. an awfully quiet bunch in Week 2.