:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67783446/1284525545.0.jpg)
Another day, another 49er lost for the season. Jaquiski Tartt will miss the second half of the season. Many fan are wondering whether he’ll play for San Francisco again, as Tartt is an unrestricted free agent.
On Thursday, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan told KNBR’s “Tolbert, Krueger and Brooks” show that Tartt will miss the remainder of the season due to the turf toe injury he sustained in the 34-17 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
It is yet another injury for Tartt in a 49ers career that has been full of them. With the announcement that he’ll miss the rest of the season, that means Tartt will have been unavailable for 28 of 64 regular-season games over the last four seasons due to injury.
Tartt, 28, has spent his entire career with the 49ers after they drafted him in the second round in 2015. He currently is in the final year of his contract, though, and given the numerous free agents the 49ers must re-sign this coming offseason, there’s a decent chance Tartt has played his final game with San Francisco.
49ers need Nick Mullens to summon Superdome success from his college finale
That 2016 New Orleans Bowl capped Mullens’ record-setting college career at Southern Miss, and it cast him toward an uncertain NFL future. Those Mullens memories, from his last start at the Superdome, exude positive karma for 49ers’ teammates and fans who crave any hope ahead of Sunday’s mismatch against the Saints.
“I’ve been in the Superdome a couple times, even as a fan,” Mullens said. “I like the Superdome. I like its atmosphere.”
The 49ers (4-5) are 9-point underdogs, and they’ll need Mullens at top form if they’re to pull off their greatest upset since an October 2011 comeback at Philadelphia, a win that sparked playoff credibility.
“It’s always nice to play in a dome – air feels good, perfect weather, on turf, bouncing around,” Mullens added.
His mistakes this season, in relief of an injured Jimmy Garoppolo, have a common theme: pass-protection failures from his tackles.
The One Quarterback the 49ers Should Avoid in Round 1 of the 2021 NFL Draft
With one exception: Ohio State’s Justin Fields.
Fields is a terrific athlete, and he has fantastic statistics. In 15 games at Ohio State, Fields has completed 70.9 percent of his passes, and thrown for 52 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions. Amazing numbers.
But every Ohio State quarterback is athletic and puts up amazing numbers in college. And none of them pan out in the NFL. None.
Let’s check out the best Ohio State quarterbacks since 2006.
Troy Smith: Threw 54 TD passes and 13 picks at Ohio State. Was a fifth-round pick, and started only eight games in the NFL — two for the Ravens and six for the 49ers. Completed 51 percent of his passes. How could 49ers fans forget the great Troy Smith Era in San Francisco?
New Orleans Saints: 4 bold predictions for Week 10 vs. 49ers
1. Drew Brees throws four touchdowns
Brees continues to play at a high level for the Saints despite being 41-years-old. He’s thrown 17 touchdowns on the season and racked up 2,120 passing yards while completing 74.0 percent of his passes.
Against the 49ers, we have Bress throwing for four touchdowns, just like he did in Week 9 against the Buccaneers. San Francisco got torched by Packers superstar quarterback Aaron Rodgers in Week 9, so odds are Brees will follow suit.
How the 49ers can make the postseason in 5 (relatively) easy steps
Step 1. Win the remaining NFC West games and hope the rest of the division cannibalizes itself
This seems like the most logical route. One and a half games separate the 49ers (4-5) from the Cardinals (5-3) and Rams (5-3). The 49ers play those teams once more and, of course, they’ll host the Seahawks (6-2) in the regular-season finale.
The Rams, meanwhile, have yet to play the Cardinals or Seahawks, meaning they have five division games remaining. The Seahawks have four games against NFC West opponents, including two games against the Rams. The Cardinals also have four division games left, including their two against the Rams.
The 49ers would love it if the second half of the season resembles an old Western, the kind in which four pistoleros enter a saloon, there’s a hail of quick-draw gunfire and when the smoke clears, only one or two stumble out of the swinging doors — the Seahawks and 49ers.
New 49ers LB Kiko Alonso not expected to practice any time soon
He’s been on the Physically Unable to Perform list, and Kyle Shanahan isn’t anticipating having him in the near future.
“Yeah, he’s not practicing anytime soon,” Shanahan told reporters on a video call Wednesday. “Hopefully we can reevaluate here after the bye.”
Reevaluating after the Bye means he’ll be looked at again in Week 12. Assuming he’ll need a couple weeks to get back into game shape when he does come off PUP, the earliest the 49ers might have the 30-year-old is Week 14. It could easily be later.
Alonso’s contract is up after this season, so there’s a real scenario he never plays a down for San Francisco unless he’s in their plans beyond this season. He’s a good athlete who could fit in as a Sam linebacker if the club does retain him.