4 matchups 49ers must win in Week 4 bout vs. Seahawks
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: 49ers Trey Sermon vs. Seahawks Bobby Wagner
If there was ever a game where the Niners got a breakout performance from one of their 2021 rookies, it’s Week 4.
To date, third-round running back Trey Sermon has been something of a disappointment. After being inactive in Week 1 and getting only a single carry in Week 2, Sermon did manage to find the end zone in Week 3 but did so only after averaging 3.1 yards per carry on 10 attempts, getting to a relatively unimpressive 31 total yards.
With fellow rookie running back Elijah Mitchell likely out with a shoulder injury, Sermon is again going to be counted upon to carry the ground game, grinding down the clock and preventing Russell Wilson and Co. from seeing too much of the field.
If there’s a small positive here, the Seahawks are allowing an average of 4.5 yards per carry this season, which ranks 22nd in the league. While Sermon can be somewhat excited about this, the prospects of being chased down by Seattle’s perennial Pro Bowl linebacker, Bobby Wagner, aren’t that promising.
Sermon might want to run away from Wagner as much as possible, either by misdirections or with presnap movement.
Either way, San Francisco will need its ground game to be effective as possible in Week 4.