5 Keys to the Game for the 49ers Against the Bengals
Here are the top five keys to the game for the 49ers when they take on the Bengals at home this Sunday.
1. Steve Wilks must find a way to pressure Joe Burrow.
The last time the 49ers faced the Bengals was 2021 when DeMeco Ryans was in his first season as the San Francisco defensive coordinator. In that game, the 49ers sacked Burrow five times and won by three points. Pressuring Burrow was the key to victory. Unfortunately for Steve Wilks, he's been extremely unsuccessful generating sacks this season despite having premium talent all over the defensive line. His four-man rushes have been unsuccessful as well as his blitzes -- he can't find anything that works. He needs to find something now, or else Burrow will light him up.
2. Kyle Shanahan must find a way to run without Trent Williams.
When Williams is healthy, the 49ers love to run behind their starting left tackle. Most of their long runs are outside to the left with Williams leading the way. But Williams missed last week with an ankle injury and is listed as questionable this week. So even if he plays, he probably won't be effective as a run blocker. Probably won't be able to run to the second level of the defense and make blocks downfield. Which means the 49ers won't be able to run outside to their left. Instead, they'll have to run up the middle. And to do that effectively, Kyle Shanahan will have to trust and use Jordan Mason, the 49ers' most powerful running back. Last week, Shanahan gave him zero carries. That has to change this week.
3. Brock Purdy must protect himself.
It's looking like Purdy will start against the Bengals despite suffering a concussion or concussion-like symptoms at the end of the 49ers' loss to the Vikings on Monday night. Give Purdy credit for battling back so quickly -- he's so determined to play every game. But concussions are tricky and dangerous, and if he suffers another one this week, it most likely will be more serious than the first one. Remember, Tua Tagovailoa suffered concussions in back-to-back weeks last season, and the second one forced him to miss games. He suffered the second one in Cincinnati against the Bengals. I'm just saying.
4. The 49ers defense must stop the run with only seven defenders in the box.
The Bengals are a pass-first offense with an elite quarterback and three excellent wide receivers -- Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd. So the 49ers most likely will keep their safeties deep and invite the Bengals to run the ball. But despite the Bengals preference to pass, they still have a talented running back in Joe Mixon -- he's better than any back on the Vikings or Browns, two teams that beat the 49ers recently. The 49ers defensive ends will have to set hard edges and funnel Mixon into the teeth of the defense where Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw play.
5. Jake Moody must kick well.
He's a talented rookie with a strong leg, but he also has missed three of his past five kicks. He made a clutch 55-yarder late against the Vikings that probably saved his job, but only for a week. If Moody misses another field goal against the Bengals and the 49ers lose their third game in a row, they might have to find a new kicker during the bye week.
