49ers hang Historic Beatdown on Belichick, Patriots

Week 7 - Anxious to hit the road and continue their perfect record of 2-0 away from Levi's Stadium, while also hoping to string together a winning-streak with the San Francisco 49ers playing catch-up in the daunting NFC West at 3-3 on the year, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo would take centerstage as he faced off against his former team in the New England Patriots (2-3). Filled with emotion, Jimmy G would not only answer the call, but he'd play a key role in one of the most lopsided defeats that his former team and former head coach have ever endured in New England. Coming off an ugly loss at home to the Denver Broncos, the Pats had not lost back to back regular season games at home since 2008. Unfortunately for them, coach Bill Belichick's team would witness that streak come to an end as Kyle Shanahan's 49ers who were coming off their biggest win of the season against the division rival Rams, were firing on all cylinders on both sides of the ball. 

Fired up for the big game, Garoppolo would connect on 4-of-4 pass attempts on San Francisco's opening-drive, but it was the Niners' ground attack that got them on the board early as fourth-string running back Jeff Wilson Jr. made the most out of his first career start with an early touchdown. Known as an offensive guru for often scripting the first 15-plays on offense, coach Shanahan's team did something that the Patriots' last 32 opponents failed to do and that was score an opening-drive touchdown against them, snapping a streak that had stood since 2016. The Niners' second drive on offense wouldn't go as smoothly as Jimmy G air-mailed a pass that was intercepted and cashed-in for a New England field goal. After answering with a field goal of their own, the Niners defense began to torment Patriots QB Cam Newton as linebacker Fred Warner made a shoestring catch for an interception on the first play on the the Patriots' ensuing possession. Making quick work of the turnover, Garoppolo would share the wealth by handing the ball off to fullback Kyle Juszczyk for a 4-yard touchdown. Following a New England three and out, Jeff Wilson Jr. would be off to the races for a second time, adding a 16-yard touchdown to his busy day in the backfield. Searching for a big play on offense to get the team going before the end of the first half, Newton would launch a deep pass into double-coverage that was picked off and returned 51-yards by San Francisco's Emmanuel Moseley. But just two plays later, Garoppolo would go for a home run pass of his own that was intercepted as time expired to end the half. 

After failing to score any points in the first quarter for a third consecutive game and only a field goal to show for, the Patriots found themselves trailing on the scoreboard 23-3 at halftime, and an even bigger deficit in yards as the Niners dwarfed New England in total first half yardage -- 301 to 59, the biggest difference in first half yardage in both the NFL this season and in the Bill Belichick era. The Pats would show at least a slight glimmer of hope as they opened up the second half with a field goal to make it a 23-6 ballgame, but their defense continued to struggle at finding an answer for the 49er offense. A pair of big passing plays from Garoppolo to receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who had his best game yet during his rookie campaign, would setup another trip to the red zone. With only one rushing touchdown to his name entering the game, Jeff Wilson Jr. tallied his third touchdown of the day with a 7-yard score. Unfortunately, the Niners running back would get shaken up on the play and would have to be carted to the locker room after sustaining what team doctors confirmed to be a high-ankle sprain. Cam Newton would then see his day go from bad to worse as he was intercepted for a third time on a pass that was tipped by the intended receiver Julian Edelman and ended up in the hands of San Francisco's Jamar Taylor. 

Having seen enough of his struggling starter, coach Belichick would pull Newton from the game as he elected to go with backup QB Jarrett Stidham in the fourth quarter. But even then the Pats failed to steer clear of the turnover bug as Stidham was also intercepted by Jamar Taylor. It wouldn't be until the 3:06 mark of the 4th quarter that the 49ers finally called upon their punting unit for the first time on Sunday. But by then, the game was too far out of reach as San Francisco ran away with the 33-6 victory. Improving to 4-3 on the year, the 49ers would hand the Patriots their largest loss at home in the Belichick era (since 2000) and their second largest loss of any kind under Belichick. Falling to 2-4, New England would record their first sub-.500 record at the end of October in nearly two decades as they suffered their first three-game losing streak since 2002. Held to under 100 passing yards for the game, Newton connected on 9-of-15 pass attempts for 98 yards and three interceptions before being benched. Newton's only highlight would be that he became the first player in NFL history to reach 30,000+ passing yards and 5,000+ rushing yards in a career. 

As for Jimmy Garoppolo, the Niners QB completed 20-of-25 passes for 277 yards and two interceptions, while on his way to becoming one of only two former Patriot QB's to have been drafted by and start a game for Bill Belichick, to later defeat him as the future Hall of Fame coach entered the game with a record of 7-1 against his former QB's. Tallying nearly 200 yards on the ground, Jeff Wilson Jr. led all running backs with 112 yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries. Rookie receiver Brandon Aiyuk led all receivers with six receptions for 115 yards receiving for his first 100-yard performance. And finally, tight-end George Kittle who finished the game with five receptions for 55-yards, set a 49ers franchise record for the most career receptions through a player's first 50 games. In spite of the win, the 49ers unfortunately lost another pair of weapons on offense in Jeff Wilson Jr. (ankle) and Deebo Samuel (hamstring), both of whom are expected to miss multiple weeks. 

Week 8 Preview - Looking to gain ground in the NFC Western Division standings, the 49ers will have a golden opportunity to do just that when they pay a visit to Seattle to take on Russell Wilson and the 5-1 Seahawks. Coming off their first loss of the season, an overtime thriller in the desert against the Arizona Cardinals, Seattle head coach Pete Carroll will look to stave off a second straight loss when the two teams meet on Sunday. Heading to Seattle's CenturyLink Field for the first time since the nail-biting victory in Week 17 that won the 49ers both the NFC West and the conference's number one overall seed, Kyle Shanahan is hoping for a similar outcome in Week 8, minus the near heart attack and late-game heroics. With both teams banged up, the Niners will need production out of the backfield from the next man up in running back JaMycal Hasty who has been a nice jolt for the offense when called upon as he's tallied 103 yards rushing on 20 carries this season (5.2 yards per carry). Like always when facing Seattle, the 49ers will need to contain the always dangerous and shifty Russell Wilson who they always seem to struggle against and keep in the pocket. But if Niners defensive coordinator Robert Saleh can get a repeat performance out of his unit like we saw in each of the last two weeks, the 49ers might be flying home with a three-game winning streak on their hands. 

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Niners End Skid with Big Win over rival Rams

Week 6 - A week after being embarrassed at home by the rebuilding Miami Dolphins and suffering a pair of bad losses to inferior teams, the San Francisco 49ers (2-3) entered their Sunday Night meeting with the rival Los Angeles Rams (3-1) as 3-point underdogs, despite being the home team. The game would also feature a pair of friends and former colleagues turned rival head coaches between Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay, two of the brightest young play-callers in the league and two guys from the Bill Walsh coaching tree. Seeking their first home win of 2020 at Levi's Stadium after a disappointing 0-3 start, Shanahan's 49ers would turn back the clock both in the win column and in their wardrobe as they donned their throwback all-white uniforms which paid homage to the magical 1994 Super Bowl-winning season. And after a very sluggish start on both sides of the ball in their previous game, San Francisco got things going right out the gates thanks to one Deebo Samuel whom the Rams defense saw a steady diet of on the Niners' opening-possession. 

After gaining 35-yards on a heads-up play by one of their most dynamic weapons on offense just two plays into the game, coach Shanahan dialed up the perfect play to award him for his efforts as quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo pitched the ball to Deebo who found the end zone from 6-yards out. Needing only six plays to march 76-yards down the field, the 49er offense had already looked leaps and bounds better than they did just a week earlier following their first possession. One player in particular who also looked a lot better would be Garoppolo who's been nursing a high-ankle sprain, but showed little to no ill-effects under the bright lights of Sunday Night Football. Following a trio of punts, the Niners offense would open the second quarter much like they did first, as Jimmy G found his Pro-Bowl tight-end George Kittle streaking to the end zone for a 44-yard score on fourth down. The Niners' second touchdown would awaken the Rams offense, at least momentarily as Jared Goff found his favorite target Robert Woods in the end zone for a touchdown on third and goal. After a blocked point-after by San Francisco's Dion Jordan, the 49ers found themselves leading 14-6 and wanting more with Los Angeles set to receive the ball to open the second half. 

The 49ers would get their wish and answer the Rams' touchdown-scoring drive with one of their own. Thanks to a healthy dose of running back Raheem Mostert, coupled with a pair of big receptions by receiver Kendrick Bourne, the Niners once again found themselves in the red zone. With their backs against the wall, the Rams gave up a touchdown pass to rookie receiver Brandon Aiyuk on third and goal as San Francisco jumped out to a 21-6 lead which they would carry into the locker room at the half after forcing an L.A. three and out on the other end. Bouncing back from his forgetful performance just a week earlier, Jimmy Garoppolo became the first 49er QB with 200+ passing yards and 3+ touchdowns in a first half since Jeff Garcia in Week 14 of the 2003 season. However, Garoppolo and company would not be nearly as effective in the second half as they were kept out of the end zone the rest of the way. As for the Rams who were forced to play catch-up virtually all game long, L.A. did get a field goal to open the second half, but hit a major speedbump during their next trip to the red zone. Having been taken advantage of just one week earlier as the 49ers defense was without four of their top five cornerbacks in the secondary, Sunday night served as the coming out party for San Francisco's Jason Verrett. 

Plagued by a myriad of injuries throughout his career after a very promising campaign during his second-year in 2015 which berthed a Pro Bowl appearance with the Chargers, the former first-round pick looked a lot like his Pro Bowl-self against the Rams. Deciding to go for it on 4th and goal from the 2-yardline, Verrett intercepted a pass from Goff to end the threat and force the game's only turnover. For Verrett, the pick would be a long time coming as it was his first interception since 2016 and just the sixth of his career. While the turnover did hit the reset button on the Rams' attempt at pulling off a second-half comeback, they would eventually inch closer with a long touchdown pass from Goff to Josh Reynolds in the 4th quarter, but not before a Robbie Gould field goal to give the Niners a 15-point advantage. With the ballgame coming down to the final possession, the Rams suddenly found themselves in a battle against the clock as San Francisco possessed the ball at the two-minute warning. Without a timeout remaining and needing a stop on defense, Deebo Samuel spoiled the party and provided the final blow with a strong 11-yard gain to convert the game-sealing first down which allowed his team to milk the clock for the win. 

Improving to 3-3 on the year, Garoppolo is now 4-0 in his career against the Rams and has yet to lose two games in a row in his career. Rebounding from the ugly loss just a week ago which saw him benched in the second half due to his poor performance, Jimmy G has now gone 29 straight games to begin a career without consecutive losses, the fourth longest streak in NFL history behind Otto Graham (47), Dan Marino (33) and Andrew Luck (33). Garoppolo registered his best performance of the season by throwing for 268 yards, 3 touchdowns and no turnovers, compared to Goff's 198 yards, 2 touchdown and 1 interception performance. George Kittle led all targets with seven receptions and 109 receiving yards to go along with his touchdown. After sustaining an injury in the second half which ended Raheem Mostert's night at 65 rushing yards on 17 carries, the 49ers received some tough yardage from undrafted rookie running back JaMycal Hasty who tallied 37 fourth quarter yards on nine carries. The Rams' Darrell Henderson logged a solid 14 rush attempts for a game-high 88-yards on the ground. 

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the Niners' win, however, was how they were able to fend off the best defensive player in the league in Aaron Donald. If there was ever any one man in the NFL today that is capable of single-handedly dismantling a team's game plan on offense and required the undivided attention of an offensive-line, it would undoubtedly be the Rams' 2-time Defensive Player of the Year and 6-time Pro Bowler. With Donald coming off a four-sack outing in Week 5, the 49ers offensive-line which had struggled mightily as of late, was able to step up to the plate and keep the usual game-wrecker at bey in the 100th game of his career. Oddly enough, neither team recorded a single sack in the game. 

Week 7 Preview - For the first time this season, the 49ers will hit the road to take on a team not in the New York-New Jersey area as San Francisco makes a stop in New England to take on the Patriots (2-3). The meeting will showcase Jimmy G taking on his former team for the first time since they traded him to the Bay Area a little less than 3 years ago. With future Hall of Famer Tom Brady playing elsewhere, the 49ers will duel with Cam Newton under center. Even more bizarre than seeing someone other than Brady playing quarterback for New England, the Patriots find themselves with a losing record through their first five games of a season for the first time since 2001 and are coming off an ugly loss at home to the Denver Broncos in which they didn't allow a single touchdown on defense. While Newton might not be what he once was in the passing game and also lacks weapons on offense, he's still as dangerous as any with his legs, something that is always a cause for concern for the 49er defense when facing mobile QB's. The Niners will also need to do a much better job of pressuring the quarterback than they did in Week 6. As great a coach as there's ever been, one 49er received some very high praise when the Patriots' focus was shifted from the Broncos to the Niners during Monday's press-conference. Pats head coach Bill Belichick had some good things to say about San Francisco tight-end George Kittle whom the future Hall of Fame coach called, "as good as anyone I've ever coached." That's some very elite company considering Belichick has coached some of the best the game has ever seen in Brady, Randy Moss and even one of the most dangerous tight-ends in Rob Gronkowski. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest

Back on Top, Lakers Reign in Rollercoaster Season

For the first time since 2010, the Los Angeles Lakers are atop the basketball world as NBA Champions. After beating the Miami Heat 4 games to 2 in a best-of-seven series,  the Lakers claimed their seventeenth NBA title in franchise history, tying the arch-rival Boston Celtics for the most all-time. But unlike those 33 other titles won by Celtics and Lakers teams of the past, this year's champion was unlike any we've ever seen before. Even those teams that featured such all-time greats as Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Bob Cousy, Jerry West, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, or even Kobe and Shaq just to name a few, never had to play through a global pandemic and go through the gauntlet of the unknown by competing in the NBA's bubble like these Los Angeles Lakers did. Having to sacrifice normal everyday life as well as time at home with their families and even home-court advantage, the purple and gold proved to be much more than just a team, but rather a band of brothers and a true family under first-year head coach Frank Vogel's tutelage. 

Spearheaded by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers proved to be the most resilient team in the league after fighting thru the untimely and tragic death of Lakers icon Kobe Bryant, not to mention not one, but two stoppages caused by the novel corona virus and the social injustices that have plagued our country. Despite it all, the Lakers fulfilled their mission of bringing home another Larry O'Brien Trophy and concluded their 95-day stay in the NBA bubble as world champions. Even before the earth-rattling passing of arguably the most beloved Laker of them all in Kobe Bryant, the Lake Show were deemed 'championship or bust' this year, following the blockbuster trade that sent superstar Anthony Davis from the Big Easy to Tinsletown. The death of the Lakers legend in January would only add to the immense pressure of winning a title in 2020 as the team was suddenly left with a cloud of unfair expectations hovering over them. But never once did the team let those lofty expectations get the best of them, instead they used them to fuel their inner-fire and drive to a championship. Something not many of these Lakers had accomplished outside of James, Danny Green, Rajon Rondo, Quinn Cook and JaVale McGee. That meant first-time champions Anthony Davis, Dwight Howard, Alex Caruso and Kentavius Caldwell-Pope, just to name a few, all needed to pitch-in and contribute. 

Title No. 17 was also very different from the previous sixteen in the fact that it was the first title the team won in Los Angeles under the reign of controlling owner Jeanie Buss, daughter of the late Dr. Jerry Buss who passed away in 2013. With Jeanie picked as the chosen one out of Dr. Buss' six children to take the throne and oversee the Lakers franchise in his absence, Jeanie took what her father taught her about operating a franchise and ran with it, hand-picking Rob Pelinka as the team's general-manager and becoming the first female team owner to win a title in NBA history. After the team snapped its agonizing seven-year playoff drought, the longest in franchise-history, the team then put an end to its ten-year Finals drought in grand fashion. Since the turn of the millennium, the Lakers have now won NBA titles to start each of the last three decades with championships in 2000, 2010 and now 2020. Considering where the franchise was just two years prior, filled with turmoil both on and off the court and failing to attract the All-Star talent that the team and its fanbase has grown accustomed to signing over the years, this year's Lakers team was a far cry as they finally broke through thanks to the stellar work done by GM Rob Pelinka. 

After getting LeBron James to buy-in and make the switch from the Eastern Conference and his hometown team Cleveland Cavaliers during the summer of 2018 via free-agency before realizing the young crop of talent around him was not best suited to play alongside the king, Pelinka worked his magic by practically trading the farm for another superstar in Anthony Davis. Re-signing point-guard Rajon Rondo and bringing in center Dwight Howard for a second stint with the Lakers, often off the bench, as well as hiring a hungry, defensive-minded head coach in Frank Vogel, proved to be the active ingredients needed to get this team back to their title-winning ways. In his seventeenth NBA season, the 36-year old LeBron James who won his fourth career NBA title and fourth career Finals MVP, delivered on his promise to Laker fans that he'd help right the ship and get this once proud franchise back to prominence. With the Miami Heat making their first Finals appearance since 2014 when James was still a member of the team alongside close friends Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, James nearly averaged a triple-double against his former team on his way to becoming the first player in NBA history to be named Finals MVP with three different franchises. 

Flying home to L.A. on Monday before being met by duel firetrucks on the tarmac and some several thousand fans, the Lakers had their fair share of fun and bubbly inside the team's locker room, but will have to wait on celebrating with the rest of Laker Nation and the city of Los Angeles, at least for now while L.A. County and the state of California still currently face strict social distancing guidelines that discourages large gatherings, something this Laker team will undoubtedly attract once they're able. As for the upcoming 2020-21 season ahead, not much is known regarding the NBA Draft, the NBA Summer League, whether there'll be fans in attendance or even whether or not it'll take place in another bubble. One thing that is known, however, is that the Lakers will need to strike a deal at the executives table with free-agent to-be Anthony Davis, who will certainly break the bank, most likely returning to the Lakers who can offer him a max-contract. Other notable Laker free-agents include Dwight Howard and Markieff Morris, as well as Rajon Rondo, JaVale McGee and Avery Bradley whom all have player options.  

As for the legacy and ever expanding resume of one LeBron James, here's a piece I did pre-bubble on his bid for all-time greatness. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

Niners Swim with the Fish in Beatdown by Miami

Week 5 - While it's still very early in the 2020-21 NFL season, one of the biggest surprises thus far might be what took place at Levi's Stadium on Sunday between the San Francisco 49ers (2-2) and the visiting Miami Dolphins (1-3). Even after taking into consideration the plethora of injuries Kyle Shanahan's 49ers team has suffered in the first handful of weeks, nobody would've foresaw the double-digit shellacking the defending NFC Champs would take on the chin in Week 5 at the hands of a rebuilding Miami team. With San Francisco getting two key cogs back in their lineup in quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and running back Raheem Mostert, both of whom missed the last two and a half weeks while nursing injuries, the Niners entered Sunday's game as 9-point favorites. But once the game kicked off, one would've thought it was Miami who was favored as they were in the drivers seat from beginning to end. 

In today's society, bullying comes in many forms and is not to be taken lightly and could even result in jail time in some cases. However, Miami quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick must not have gotten that memo as he and his Dolphin teammates picked on San Francisco's Brian Allen time and time again in the first half of Sunday's game. With the 49ers missing three of their top cornerbacks in Richard Sherman (calf), Emanuel Moseley (concussion) and K'Waun Williams (knee), as well as Dontae Johnson inactive and Ahkello Witherspoon less than 100% with a hamstring ailment, the 49ers were forced to kick the tires on Allen who was promoted from the practice squad just one day earlier. Getting the first start of his career and seeing his first NFL action since 2018, those tires would fall off rather quickly as his day was cut short by coach Shanahan who spared Allen any further embarrassment just before halftime, but not before his name began trending on social media for all the wrong reasons. Following a three and out on San Francisco's opening possession, Fitzpatrick connected on a 47-yard pass on Miami's first play of the day on offense, targeting the inexperienced Allen, who if not for the receiver stepping out of bounds, would've likely surrendered a touchdown. Three plays later while facing a 3rd and 11, Allen would bail the Miami offense out with a horse-collar tackle that gave the Dolphins an automatic first down and another chance at the end zone. Fitzpatrick and company would turn that gift into a touchdown just two plays later as tight-end Adam Shaheen hauled in the 3-yard score. 

San Francisco's second possession would be equally as disappointing as their first as they made it to midfield before turning the ball over on downs after a failed 4th and 1 attempt. Continuing his dissection of Brian Allen, Fitzpatrick found Dolphins receiver DeVante Parker for a 28-yard pass down the right sideline with Allen in coverage. The big play would put the Miami offense in enemy territory as they scored their second touchdown in as many possessions just several plays later. Trailing 14-0, it wasn't until the second quarter that the 49er offense finally showed up and put some points on the board. Setup by a 37-yard run from Mostert, the Niners needed only three plays before fullback Kyle Juszczyk rushed 7-yards up the middle to find the end zone and record his first rushing touchdown in a San Francisco uniform. Unfortunately for the Niners, Brian Allen was still on the field and was made an example of by Fitzpatrick. After allowing a 19-yard completion to Miami's Preston Williams, Allen committed a pass-interference penalty that gave the Dolphins 22-yards and allowed them to setup shop inside the 5-yardline. Following a clipping penalty on the offense and a 49ers sack, Miami suddenly found themselves in a 3rd and goal situation from the 22. In need of a big play, Fitzpatrick knew just where to go and who to target as he connected with DeVante Parker in the end zone who blew by the struggling Brian Allen. Trailing 21-7, coach Shanahan had seen enough and had no other choice than to pull Allen in favor of the ailing Witherspoon as 124 of Fitzpatrick's first 168 yards passing came against Allen. 

But Allen wouldn't be the only one benched and kept out of the second half as QB Jimmy Garoppolo also saw his day cut short as he threw back to back interceptions before the half, which allowed the Dolphins to tack on a trio of field goals and take a 30-7 lead into the locker room. In need of a miracle and in hopes of providing the same immediate spark that he gave the team just a week earlier, C.J. Beathard took over at quarterback to start the second half. And just like he did in relief of Nick Mullens in Week 4 against the Eagles, Beathard was able to breathe some life into the San Francisco offense, finding Kendrick Bourne for a 19-yard touchdown. Sadly, Miami would answer with a touchdown of their own when Fitzpatrick fired a dart down the middle for a 32-yard score by Preston Williams. San Francisco's final three possessions would end in a field goal, turnover on downs and a fumble as Miami ran away with the 43-17 rout. The 43-points allowed by San Francisco would be the most by an opponent in the 6+ year existence of Levi's Stadium and Miami's highest point total since Week 7 of the 2015 season. The 43-point outburst would mark only the 5th time since 2000 that the Dolphins scored 40+ points in a game, the fewest such games in the NFL in that span. 

While the 49ers were touted to possibly having an even better offensive-line this season than they a year ago, Sunday saw the San Francisco o-line allow 5+ sacks in consecutive weeks for the first time since Weeks 14 & 15 of the 2014 season. It was just one of the many things that contributed to a career-low 15.7 passer rating for Jimmy Garoppolo, the lowest by a 49ers QB since Cody Pickett (7.5) in Week 10 of the 2005 season. In contrast, Fitzpatrick turned into Fitzmagic by dazzling to a 154.5 passer rating, just shy of perfection and completing 22 of 28 passes for 350 yards, 3 touchdowns and no turnovers. Garoppolo and Beathard failed to combine for even half of that as the two tallied a combined 171 yards passing, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions and a fumble. The lone bright spot on offense would come from Raheem Mostert who collected over a hundred yards of total yards with 90 of those yards coming on the ground off of just 11 carries. 

Week 6 Preview - Falling to 0-3 at home to start the season, the 49ers (2-3) will have their work cut out for them in Week 6 as they welcome in the 4-1 Los Angeles Rams who's only loss came in the final seconds on the road against the Bills in Week 3. Two years removed from a Super Bowl appearance of their own, the division rival Rams appear to have shaken off the funk that lingered just a season ago following their best season in decades, and are looking a lot like the 2018 Rams that took the league by surprise and won the division. With Todd Gurley III gone from the backfield and playing elsewhere, QB and Bay Area native Jared Goff has looked much improved from his 2019-self and hopes to keep the Niners win-less at home as he enters the game having logged a passer rating of 100+ in four straight games. Crossing their fingers that they'll have Richard Sherman back and healthy enough to play cornerback on Sunday in hopes of avoiding another Brian Allen-like disaster, the chances don't seem likely that San Francisco fans will get their wish. Head coach Kyle Shanahan will also need a much better game from his offensive-line in Week 6 as they'll be up against the best pass-rusher in the game of football when they meet with the Rams' Aaron Donald who is coming off a monster performance in which he tallied 4 sacks, two more than the San Francisco defense produced as a whole. The heavyweight match-up will be on NBC's Sunday Night Football as the Niners make their second SNF appearance in three weeks. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest

Niners come up short in Upset Loss to Eagles

Week 4 - With the San Francisco 49ers (2-1) riding a two-game winning streak and returning home to play at Levi's Stadium where they'd host the winless Philadelphia Eagles (0-2-1), Kyle Shanahan's team was high in spirits as they welcomed back two key components to the offense in tight-end George Kittle and receiver Deebo Samuel. One player they wouldn't see on the field, however, was quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Still recovering from a high ankle sprain, Jimmy G would remain sidelined, making way for backup QB Nick Mullens to take the stage and make the start in San Francisco's first primetime game of the season on Sunday Night Football. Coming off a solid performance against the Giants in Week 3, Mullens failed to show the same poise against Philly that allowed him to breeze by New York just a week ago. 

After winning the coin-toss and electing to defer the ball to start the game, the 49ers blew a golden opportunity right out the gates when a shaky Nick Mullens overthrew a wide-open Kyle Juszczyk on the second play of the game before having to exchange punts with their opponent. The defense on the other hand would get off to a hot start by coming up with an interception by Azeez Al-Shaair on a tipped-pass by Arik Armstead. With San Francisco failing to do anything with the takeaway, it was Philly who opened up the scoring as quarterback Carson Wentz made things happen with his legs, finding the end zone for an 11-yard rushing touchdown and a successful two-point conversion to give his team an 8-0 lead. Following suit, San Francisco would score on their ensuing possession thanks to a brilliant play by rookie receiver Brandon Aiyuk who took a handoff 38-yards to the house for a 49ers touchdown. Upon bouncing off a defender and hurdling another on his way to the end zone, Aiyuk became the first wide-receiver since the 1970 merger to score two rushing touchdowns in his first three NFL games. Unfortunately, the rookie's big play would prove to be the only highlight of the half for the Niners as their only other promising drive into enemy territory ended in a red zone turnover as Mullens felt the pressure of the Philadelphia defense and threw up a desperation pass into traffic that was intercepted.

Coming out of the half with the Eagles clinging onto an 8-7 lead, the 49ers offense embarked on a 12-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a 5-yard touchdown pass from Mullens to Kittle to give the Niners their first lead of the evening. The Eagles would answer with a field goal to make it a 14-11 game, setting up another nail-biting fourth quarter at home for Kyle Shanahan's squad. Having been able to steer clear of the costly turnovers through the first three weeks of the season, the 49ers offense was unable to say the same on Sunday night as they committed a pair of mishaps in the fourth quarter. The first of which would come on a Mullens sack-fumble that Philly would turn into a 42-yard touchdown pass from Wentz to receiver Travis Fulgham who the Eagles recently promoted from the practice squad just a day earlier. And another on a bad pick-six interception by Mullens on San Francisco's very next play which proved to be the back-breaker as San Francisco found themselves in a 25-14 hole with just six minutes remaining in regulation. Having seen enough out of his backup quarterback, coach Shanahan benched Mullens after his blatant error and called upon C.J. Beathard who was able to breath some life back into the offense in hopes of pulling off the late comeback. 

Marching the team 70-yards in 12 plays, Beathard utilized a number of dink and dunk passes before handing the ball off to running back Jerick McKinnon who did the rest from a yard out. After a failed two-point attempt, the 49ers found themselves right back in it and in need of a stop, trailing 25-20 with 2:06 left in regulation and all three timeouts remaining. Thanks to a big sack on defense, the 49ers would force the much-needed punt on a three and out. Pinned all the way back at their own 7-yardline, Beathard would try to work his magic as the Niners offense marched their way beyond midfield and to the Eagles' 33-yardline. However, four straight incompletions including a last-ditch attempt at the end zone, would result in a turnover on downs as the 49ers comeback attempt came up just short as the clock hit double-zero. 

Finishing the game with 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions and 200 yards passing on 18-of-26 attempts for Nick Mullens, C.J. Beathard nearly surpassed him in passing yards as he tallied 138 yards on 14-of-19 attempts in a fraction of the plays he saw under center. Thrusted back into the spotlight and in his first game back since missing the last two weeks, George Kittle had a bounce back performance, finishing with a game-high 15 receptions on 15 targets and a 183 yards receiving to go along with his first touchdown reception of the year. Despite the loss, with fellow tight-end Jordan Reed out 6 to 8 weeks with a knee sprain suffered against the Giants, Kittle's big game was a welcoming sight for the Niner offense that hopes to get Jimmy Garoppolo and Raheem Mostert back soon. Receiver Deebo Samuel who also returned on Sunday night, didn't have as big an impact in his first game back since suffering a broken foot in training camp, but did finish with three catches and 35 yards receiving as well as 10 yards rushing. A dismal performance by the 49ers offensive-line played a major role in the loss as it prevented Mullens from getting comfortable virtually all night and kept the running game from becoming a major factor as Jerick McKinnon led all 49er rushers with 54-yards and 1 touchdown on 14 carries. In comparison, Carson Wentz finished with 193 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception thru the air as well as another 37 yards and a touchdown on the ground on 7 rushing attempts. 

Week 5 Preview - The San Francisco 49ers will try improving from their .500 record and attempt to log their first home win of the season in Week 5 when they host the Miami Dolphins (1-3). Having shown vast improvements from a season ago despite the poor record, the Dolphins have fought hard in the early part of the season and are coming off a 31-23 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in which they kicked four field goals. A familiar face set to take the field when the two teams meet will be Matt Breida who was traded from the 49ers to Miami during the offseason after spending his first three years as a pro in San Francisco. A rebuilding team looking to stir things up and pull off the upset, Ryan Fitzpatrick will likely be opposite of Nick Mullens or C.J. Beathard as coach Shanahan has not yet said who he favors heading into Week 5 or whether or not Jimmy Garoppolo will be healthy in time to play. Ravaged by injuries all season long, the 49ers caught another tough break as the recently signed Ziggy Ansah suffered a torn biceps and will miss the rest of the season. Ansah was acquired by the Niners just days after both Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas were lost for the year in Week 3, in hopes of him helping fill the void on the Niners' defensive-line. Instead, they'll have yet another hole to fill after only two weeks of Ansah's services. 

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49ers Complete Sweep of New York with Big Win vs Giants

Week 3 - Next man up. That was the motto on Sunday when the 49ers continued their two-week long pilgrimage in East Rutherford, New Jersey, following the numerous injuries the team sustained thru the first two weeks of the season. After recording their first win of the season a week ago at MetLife Stadium against the Jets, Kyle Shanahan's 49ers team was right back at it in the same stadium in Week 3 against the Giants. Something many of Shanahan's players were concerned about after the team suffered multiple key injuries on both sides of the ball due to what many blamed on the newly-installed artificial turf. But after league officials deemed the field safe in the days leading up to the game, the Niners expressed their frustration out on the scoreboard with a good ole shellacking of their opponent. 

Playing on Sunday without starters at a laundry list of positions including: quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight-end, line-backer, cornerback and three defensive-linemen all due to injury, San Francisco was able to showcase their depth as the team received contributions from players all across the board, some for the first time this season. Case in point: rookie wide-out Brandon Aiyuk. Playing in only the second game of his career, the 2020 first-round pick out of Arizona State put a stamp on Sunday's game by hauling in a game-high five receptions for 70-yards. He would also add another 30-yards on the ground to go along with a rushing touchdown, the first of his career. Aiyuk was one of the many 49er players who helped make things easier for backup QB Nick Mullens who made his first start since 2018, getting the nod in place of the injured Jimmy Garoppolo. Mullens who was a hot commodity in the offseason as multiple teams inquired about his services in a possible trade, displayed exactly why coach Shanahan and GM John Lynch made the right decision in keeping him around in case of an emergency. Facing a subpar Giants team that is without their best player in running back Saquon Barkley and under a first-year head coach, the 49ers were still able to have their way despite their decimated roster as Mullens led the charge and took advantage of the opportunity by putting up solid numbers. 

After taking a 3-0 lead on their opening possession, the 49er defense was able to turn a Daniel Jones fumble into another Robbie Gould field goal before New York got on the board with a field goal of their own. Gould failed to give his team a six-point lead when his third field goal attempt was missed wide right, which opened the door for the Giants to tie the game at 6-all following another Graham Gano field goal. But the game wouldn't be close for long as the 49ers finally found the end zone thanks to Jerrick McKinnon's third touchdown in as many weeks for the first time in his career. An interception with just over a minute remaining in the first half by Fred Warner, would allow the 49ers to increase their lead to 16-6 heading into the locker room at halftime. Opening the second half with another Giants field goal, the 49er defense would put their foot down by pitching a shutout the rest of the way. Social distancing themselves from the Giants on the scoreboard, Aiyuk's touchdown on San Francisco's first possession of the second half made it a 23-9 ballgame. With tight-end Jordan Reed missing the entire second half after sustaining ankle and knee injuries in the early going, Mullens distributed the ball to ten different receivers, including fourth-string running back Jeff Wilson Jr. who followed up a turnover on downs forced by the 49er defense, with a 19-yard receiving touchdown to blow the game open, 29-9. 

Wilson Jr. would add to his busy day one possession later by tallying a rushing touchdown to his daily output as San Francisco increased their lead to 36-9. The final nail in the coffin would come in the form of a forced fumble on receiver Darius Slayton as the 49er defense added to their turnover total and held the Giants offense to their first game without a touchdown since Week 15 of the 2018 season. Coach Shanahan's 49ers team dominated the game in all facets, but perhaps none greater than in the time of possession category as the San Francisco offense controlled the tempo by nearly doubling New York's time of possession: 36:44 to 20:16. In fact, the Giant's 7:34 time of possession in the first half was their lowest in a half since 2000. Contributing to that major mismatch was the fact that the 49ers offense did not punt in the entire game for the first time since Week 16 of the 1993 season. By throwing for 343 yards, 1 touchdown and no interceptions in the dominant win, Nick Mullens tied a franchise record held by the great Joe Montana for tallying at least 220 yards passing in each of his nine career starts. Quite an impressive resume as Mullens entered the game having averaged 285 yards passing per game, a feat that puts him in elite company as only Patrick Mahomes, Andrew Luck and Cam Newton have averaged more through their first eight NFL starts. 

Week 4 Preview - Returning to the Bay Area from the east coast, the 49ers will attempt to log their first home win of the season when they host the Philadelphia Eagles (0-2-1) in front of an empty Levi's Stadium on Sunday Night Football. Coming off a 23-23 tie at home against the Cincinnati Bengals, the combination of quarterback Carson Wentz and head coach Doug Pederson will attempt to right the ship and shake off the funk as they seek their first win of the season in a lowly NFC Eastern Division. However, coach Shanahan has other plans as his team is expected to receive reinforcements on offense with the return of tight-end George Kittle, running back Raheem Mostert and receiver Deebo Samuel. A welcoming sight for whoever is at the quarterback position come Sunday, whether that's Nick Mullens or Jimmy Garoppolo. Keeping pace in the NFC West, the 49ers were able to follow up their Week 1 loss with consecutive wins to improve to 2-1 on the year, while also receiving some help in the division as both the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams suffered their first losses of the season to also fall to 2-1. Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks sit atop the division as one of only three unbeaten teams in the NFC thru the first three weeks of the season. 

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Injury-riddled Niners ground Jets in blowout Win

Week 2 - Even before Sunday's game between the New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers, things have been grim for the defending NFC Champs who have had to deal with multiple key injuries in the first weeks of the 2020-21 NFL season. But nothing would have prepared them for what they would endure in Week 2. In a battle between two teams coming off Week 1 losses and seeking their first win of the season, the 49ers were once again quick to jump out to an early lead on Sunday when running back Raheem Mostert turned the first snap of the ball game into an 80-yard touchdown. It would be one of the few moments enjoyed by the team collectively as the Niners' luck quickly turned once again. After losing their superstar tight-end George Kittle in the first half in Week 1 to a sprained knee that also kept him out of this one, Kyle Shanahan's 49ers endured a myriad of injuries in the first half on Sunday. Perhaps none greater than the injury suffered by second-year defensive-end and last year's Defensive Rookie of the Year: Nick Bosa. During a 13-play drive that ate up 6-minutes and 43-seconds and ended in a Jets field goal, Bosa went down with an apparent left knee injury that required him to be carted off the field. Two plays later, fellow d-lineman and former first-round pick Solomon Thomas would also need to be carted off the field with a similar knee injury. MRI results would confirm what the team had feared for both players -- a torn ACL. Adding insult to injury to a banged up 49er defense that had already ruled out both Dee Ford (neck) and Richard Sherman (calf) in the days leading up to Sunday's game. 

Things on the offensive side wouldn't be a whole lot better as both Jimmy Garoppolo and Raheem Mostert went to the locker room before halftime with ankle and knee injuries respectively. Making matters worse, neither player would return in the second half. While it wasn't apparent when Mostert had suffered his injury, the injury to Garoppolo occurred during San Francisco's second possession of the game on a low-hit sack that brought Jimmy G to his knees. While he would play through it for the remainder of the half after team trainers wrapped extra tape around his ankle, Garoppolo took multiple hits and was shown limping around in obvious discomfort. Even then, he managed to find tight-end Jordan Reed for a pair of passing touchdowns on back-to-back drives in the second quarter. It would be a memorable day for Reed who filling in for injured Kittle, had went a total of 673 days in between touchdowns since his last score on November 2018 with the Washington Redskins. 

Opening the second half with backup QB Nick Mullens under center, the 49ers quickly found themselves in a 3rd and 31 situation before Jerick McKinnon exploded for a 55-yard run that got the 49ers into enemy territory and allowed them to kick a 46-yard Robbie Gould field goal. San Francisco's second drive on offense with Mullens at the quarterback position wouldn't be as lucky as he was intercepted on a tipped-pass intended for McKinnon, which the Jets would turn into another field goal. Any chances the Jets had of pulling off a late comeback were put to bed when McKinnon made a house-call from 16-yards out to give his team a 31-6 lead in the 4th quarter. New York would get a garbage-time touchdown late in the 4th quarter when QB Sam Darnold escaped pressure before finding receiver Braxton Berrios for a 30-yard score to make it a 31-13 final. 

While the 49ers' first win of the season would come at a great cost after losing multiple players to injury, the team saw a much different story play out on third down than the one that left them with a loss in Week 1. Kyle Shanahan's offense converted on 53% of third downs on Sunday, compared to just 18% a week ago. As expected with their starting running back Le'Veon Bell sidelined with a hamstring injury, the Jets went with a steady diet of Frank Gore in the run game as the long-time 49er and the franchise's all-time leader in rushing, carried the ball 21 times for 63-yards on Sunday against his former team. In comparison, San Francisco got 92-yards rushing on 8 carries from Mostert before his injury and another 77-yards on 3 carries from McKinnon in an all-around efficient performance for the 49ers run game. While Sam Darnold passed for 179-yards and a touchdown on 21-of-32 pass attempts, Garoppolo threw for 131-yards and two TD's on 14-of-16 passing before missing the entire second half. Mullens finished the game completing 8-of-11 passes for 71-yards and a pick. 49ers rookie receiver Brandon Aiyuk made his NFL-debut and finished with two receptions for 21-yards, but it was Jordan Reed who stole the show in the 49ers receiving game with 7 catches for 50-yards and 2 TD's, his first multi-TD game since Week 7 of the 2017 season. 

Week 3 - Several 49er players took to Twitter after the game to express their distaste for the newly installed artificial-turf at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium following the numerous injuries suffered in Sunday's win. Whether those complaints fall on deaf ears or not, it's virtually impossible that anything will be done before kickoff in Week 3 as the Niners will return to that very field when they face the New York Giants (0-2). Coming off a loss in Chicago to the Bears, the Giants clawed their way back from a 17-0 halftime deficit before running out of time and falling in regulation, 17-13. Similar to the Niners, the Giants also had a rough day in the injury department on Sunday as they lost their superstar running back Saquon Barkley for the year with a torn ACL, the same injury suffered by Bosa and Thomas. Both teams will be thin at running back when they meet next week, as the 49ers found out on Monday that they'll be without both Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman in Week 3 with knee injuries. Before having to leave Sunday's game, Mostert set another record with his speed. A week after clocking in at a speed of 22.73 mph, the fastest speed by a ball carrier since 2018, Mostert did himself one better by setting another record and reaching 23.1 mph on his game-opening touchdown run, the fastest since 2016. Shanahan and company hope Mostert is just one of the many players they're able to replace as they'll have no other choice than to live by the, "next man up" mantra for at least the next week. As for Jimmy G, it appears the team dodged a bullet and will make a game-time decision on whether backup QB Nick Mullens will need to start in his place or not. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

Murray, Cardinals hand 49ers Loss in Opener

Week 1 - After suffering the heart-wrenching loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 54, the San Francisco 49ers dubbed the 2020-21 season their self-proclaimed "Revenge Tour" in an effort to settle some unfinished business following their 4th quarter collapse that left a bad taste in the mouths of Niner players and fans alike. On Sunday, their season and so-called tour got off to a rough start as the 49ers were upended by Kyler Murray and the visiting Arizona Cardinals. With fires raging up and down the west coast and more specifically the state of California, the 49ers were forced to take extra precaution all week during practice with the air quality reaching unhealthy to nearly hazardous levels in the Bay Area. But if that wasn't enough cause for concern come game day, the team's depleted receiving corps would surely do the trick. With last year's rookie standout Deebo Samuel placed on the team's Injured List and expected to miss the first three weeks of the season while still recovering from a broken foot and 2020 first-round pick Brandon Aiyuk nursing a hamstring strain, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo played every bit as uncomfortable as some feared he would without two of his starting receivers. And he nearly lost his superstar tight-end as the 49ers had an injury scare with Pro-Bowler George Kittle. 

As for the Cardinals who are much improved from a roster standpoint compared to where they were a season ago, Arizona was one of the busiest teams in the league over the offseason and easily made the biggest splash on offense with the acquisition of wide-out DeAndre Hopkins from the Houston Texans. Pairing an elite receiver in his prime with a bright young talent like Kyler Murray should pay dividends as well as cause fits for the 49er defense for many years to come. Hopkins would waste no time making his presence felt with his new team as he hauled in a career-high 14 catches for 151 yards. The newest member of the Cards dwarfed his teammates in receiving yards as no other Cardinal tallied more than 34-yards. But it was the play-making ability of Murray that ultimately led to the 49er defense scratching their head after Week 1. 

San Francisco got off to a good start on both sides of the ball as a Robbie Gould field goal from 52-yards out got the Niners on the board early following their first possession. After a forced punt on Arizona's first possession, Garoppolo made quick work of the Cardinals defense as he found running back Raheem Mostert with a pass up the middle for a 76-yard touchdown, a career-long for both parties. Blowing by Arizona rookie Isaiah Simmons for the easy score, Mostert was clocked at a top speed of 22.73 mph on his way to the end zone, the fastest by a ball carrier since 2018. With another stop on defense, this time on a three and out, the 49ers seemed to be in business yet again before Arizona forced a three and out of their own that resulted in a blocked punt. One play later, the Cardinals cashed in on the miscue for a 10-yard touchdown by Chase Edmonds. Looking to extend their lead, the 49ers marched all the way down to the 1-yard line before a gutsy decision by head coach Kyle Shanahan to go for it on 4th and goal. Electing to hand it off, Mostert was stuffed at the goal line for a turnover on downs. Luckily for the 49ers, Cardinals kicker Zane Gonzalez missed his first of three field goal attempts which failed to tie the game. After an interception by Niners safety Jaquiski Tartt on Arizona's next possession, both teams would exchange field goals as San Francisco took a 13-10 lead into the half, despite going 0-for-6 on third down. 

The Cardinals would open the second half by suffering a second missed field goal by Gonzalez, but the Niners would fail to get much going on offense themselves as their only two possessions of the third quarter resulted in punts. Starting things off in the fourth quarter, the Cardinals would benefit from a costly unnecessary roughness penalty on a bogus late-hit call on the sliding Murray on 2nd and 21. The speedy Murray would eventually make the defense pay by using his legs to rush for a 22-yard touchdown to give Arizona their first lead of the day. In need of an answer, the 49ers would get just that in the form of a 5-yard touchdown reception by running back Jerrick McKinnon. Setup by a 41-yard connection from Garoppolo to his fullback Kyle Juszczyk, McKinnon who had gone 966 days since playing in his last game following multiple injuries and setbacks, scored his long-awaited first touchdown in a 49er uniform to put his team back on top. Trailing 20-17, Murray and the Cardinals offense continued to chip away at the 49er defense in the fourth quarter as Arizona had a DeAndre Hopkins touchdown erased as the replay review determined the receiver was down just shy of the goal line. Unbothered by the reversal, Kenyan Drake ran up the middle on the very next play to punch in the go-ahead score. 

Given one final chance with just over five minutes remaining, the 49ers had the clock in their favor and all three timeouts remaining if they had a last-minute come-from-behind win at home against Arizona in mind for the second consecutive season. Garoppolo and company would march to the 16-yard line with less than a minute remaining, before a pair of incomplete passes intended for Trent Taylor were broken up, resulting in a game-sealing turnover on downs. Though Garoppolo steered clear in the giveaway department, he made a few errant passes and took three sacks before finishing 19-of-33 for 259 passing yards and 2 touchdowns, while his counterpart completed 26-of-40 passes for 230 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception. However, Murray's real damage came on the ground as he tallied a game-high 91 yards rushing to go along with his rushing touchdown. Kenyan Drake added another 60-yards on the ground on 16 carries. With the aforementioned DeAndre Hopkins leading the game in both receptions and receiving yards, Raheem Mostert lead the way in both receiving (95) and rushing yards (56) for San Francisco. 

Super Bowl hangover? Probably not, but it appears this unprecedented season without any preseason reps to help prep for could take longer to adjust to than initially thought for Kyle Shanahan's reigning NFC Champs. Also worth noting is just how much the team fed off of the raucous crowd of Levi's Stadium a season ago as the seats at Levi's were empty on Sunday and likely will be all season long due to the pandemic. The inability to convert on third downs early on and the team's failure to prevent Murray from running free and creating plays with his feet were ultimately what did the Niners in in the opener, not to mention their short-handed offense that clearly misses both Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk in the receiving department. 

Let the early season overreaction begin! 

Week 2 Preview - The 49ers (0-1) will take to the road for the first time this season when they pay a visit to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey to face the New York Jets (0-1) in Week 2. Coming off a 27-17 loss against the division rival Buffalo Bills, the Jets who will be without Le'Veon Bell (hamstring), will call upon future Hall of Fame running back Frank Gore whom 49er fans are quite familiar with as he spent 10 seasons with the franchise from 2005-2014 and was named to 5-Pro Bowls. The fan favorite who to this day still has a red and white photo of the No. 74 as his Twitter avatar to honor his former teammate and the recently retired Joe Staley, says he still holds the 49ers organization and their fans near and dear to his heart. The same could be said about Gore for the Faithful as the 37-year old back just surpassed Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith for the 3rd most games played in NFL history at the RB position (227). Having been at or near the bottom of the AFC Eastern Division standings for four of the past five seasons now, the Jets were absolutely obliterated in the time of possession battle in their Week 1 loss to Buffalo, as the Bills controlled the ball for 41:16 compared to New York's 18:44. However, if the Niners plan to have similar success with the ball in their possession, they'll need to do a much better job on 3rd down if they want to avoid falling in an early 0-2 hole, as they converted only 18% compared to Arizona's 50. After shipping away their best player in Jamal Adams to the Seattle Seahawks, the Jets are a rebuilding team that is still multiple seasons away from truly contending for a division title. That said, I'd expect a big day for the 49er defense and an all around bounce back performance for Kyle Shanahan's San Francisco team, even if they're without tight-end George Kittle who suffered a sprained knee and will be further evaluated for Sunday's game. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

LeBron, Lakers Poised to Return with sights on an NBA Title

With a return to the NBA season fast approaching and players and teams finally setting up shop in the "bubble" that is the enclosed environment in Orlando, Florida in which those participating will spend the next few months living, practicing and playing all games, sports fans will be relieved when the league's tips-off its return on July 31. All but eight teams have been invited and will resume the 2019-20 NBA season that came to a screeching halt and was suspended over four months ago back on March 11, following the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic that has since then taken the world by storm and rock the nation. These are unprecedented times that both the league and its players have never before encountered, and because of that, we're likely in store for a finish that will be unlike any we've ever seen and might not ever see again.

At the time of the league's stoppage, the Milwaukee Bucks (53-12) and Los Angeles Lakers (49-14) were at the top of their respective conferences in the NBA standings with the Lakers as the odds on favorite to win it all. And while those odds have not slipped thru the grasp of the Lake Show despite the layoff, one thing that could greatly change and witness a rise in stock if the Lakers were to hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy this year, is the legacy of one LeBron James. With James already in the discussion of the game's all-time greats, many believe it's become a two-man debate between LeBron and his airness -- Michael Jordan. While LeBron's legacy continues to be etched, some pundits have ruled out James entirely and believe he's incapable of ever catapulting his way passed MJ for the top spot regardless of what he does from here on out, often pointing to the handful of Finals defeats LeBron has suffered throughout his career as his record stands at 3-6. But by the same token, those Finals appearances have to hold some water and stand for something as he's one of just six players to ever appear in eight straight NBA Finals, joining five players of the 1960's Boston Celtics. And while it might not be the be all end all defining achievement that allows LeBron to leapfrog Jordan for the title as the G.O.A.T., winning a championship in this pandemic-stricken season would certainly be a major feather in James' cap and would help strengthen his case tremendously.

As legendary as Jordan's career was, he never had to overcome an obstacle quite like the one created by the novel Corona Virus that has continued to cause more trouble than any opponent on the hardwood ever has. With home-court advantage no longer a factor, pre-game and post-game routines as good as gone and even something as simple as sleeping in ones own bed out of the picture, times are strange for today's NBA player as those leaving the bubble or those seen roaming about without a mask or face covering open themselves up for criticism, a fine, or even suspension as LeBron's Laker teammate Dwight Howard can vouch for. Howard who was seen congregating without a mask on, fell victim to the league's anonymous tip hotline earlier this week, a hotline put in place for players and league staff to report any wrongdoing committed by those in the bubble who aren't following the league's safety guidelines. LeBron and the Lakers have already lost one teammate caused by the pandemic in point guard Avery Bradley, citing health and safety concerns and can ill-afford to lose another. Not to mention point guard Rajon Rondo who will be sidelined for 6 to 8 weeks while nursing a fractured right thumb suffered during practice just days into the team's arrival. Barring another stoppage caused by the virus, King James, as determined as ever after narrowing the gap and making strides in catching Giannis Antetokounmpo in the MVP race, will either have yet another chink in his armor or one more notch under his belt come seasons end.


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New Deals and Injuries headline Busy Week for 49ers

For the first time in 20 years, the San Francisco 49ers have agreed to extend the contract of their head coach, inking Kyle Shanahan to a new 6-year contract that will keep him at the helm of the franchise through the 2025 season. The new deal which replaces the three years remaining on Shanahan's previous contract, comes a year after he helped lead the Niners to an NFC-best 13-3 record and an NFC Championship. Despite losing a heart-breaker which saw the 49ers squander a 10-point lead with under 7 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl, Shanahan's Niners shocked the league by punching their ticket to Miami for the big game and nearly shocked the world by winning it before some late-game heroics by Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. One of, if not the brightest young offensive minds in the league today, Shanahan is poised to finally coaching his team to a Super Bowl victory after coming oh so close twice now as the offensive coordinator with Atlanta in 2016 and this past season in San Francisco. And with a young crop of talent on both sides of the ball, the 49ers (7-1) are the front runners to represent the NFC in next year's Super Bowl and currently own the third best odds to win it, behind only the defending champion Chiefs (4-1) and last year's MVP in Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens (13-2).

In his first three full seasons at the helm, the 40-year old Shanahan owns an overall record of 25-26 (including playoffs), following two turbulent seasons that included a rebuild as well as a myriad of injuries. But as they say, the third time was a charm for Shanny and co. as the team righted the ship and took off in 2019. The new deal which was offered by team owner Jed York, makes Shanahan one of the top-5 highest-paid coaches in the NFL, and marks the first time that a second pact has been offered to a 49ers head coach in over two decades since Steve Mariucci was offered a second contract by the team in 1999. With Shanahan and general manager John Lynch each signing matching six-year deals with San Francisco back in 2017, Lynch, who has also done a superb job since taking over the position, could very well be the next man up for a new contract in the 49ers front-office. In the meantime, Lynch has a tough task at hand in working out a contract extension for arguably the team's best player.

Next in line for a hefty payday with the 49ers is Pro Bowl tight-end George Kittle. Entering the last year of his rookie deal, Kittle, a former fifth round pick out of Iowa, is certain to reset the tight-end market as we know it as he and his agent have been fighting tooth and nail to get Kittle a new deal that will not only make him the highest paid at his position, but would also pay him for more than just a tight-end as Kittle's agent has expressed his desire to get his client paid like a receiver, given his blocking ability and the countless other things he brings to the table. Having averaged 87 receptions,more than 1,200 yards and 5 touchdowns over the past two seasons, Kittle's camp has a legitimate beef. While the demands would scare off most teams and with both sides being far apart in terms of figures according to early reports, Lynch has assured fans that both sides will eventually work something out and that Kittle, "isn't going anywhere."

Lastly, with the novel Corona virus pandemic dealing a blow to the offseason training programs by many teams and players, a number of 49ers were reunited in Nashville, Tennessee where they took part in pass catching drills. With the likes of Jimmy Garoppolo, Kendrick Bourne, Jalen Hurd and many others on hand, the team has been able to turn these uncharted and unprecedented times into a positive while continuing to build chemistry. However, one player that took part and wasn't so lucky is receiver Deebo Samuel. A second-round pick in last year's Draft, Deebo made quite the impression on the 49ers staff when he made a splash with the team and showcased his impressive versatility on offense. Having his workout cut short on Tuesday, Samuel suffered a broken foot that will require surgery and likely sideline him anywhere between 10 and 16 weeks. While the possibility of having Deebo back in time for the season-opener still remains, the injury definitely puts a fire under a handful of receivers the Niners will certainly need contributions from in Dante Pettis, 2020 first round pick Brandon Aiyuk and the aforementioned Bourne and Hurd who missed all of his rookie season last year while nursing back problems.

In his first season last year out of South Carolina, Samuel averaged 14.1 yards per catch and caught 57 balls for 802 yards and 3 touchdowns, trailing only Kittle in those categories, while also adding 159 yards and three TD's on the ground.


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