Chiefs vs. 49ers: Complete Week 5 Preview for San Francisco
The San Francisco 49ers will look to continue an upward surge as they host the visiting Kansas City Chiefs in Week 5—the game itself starting at 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS.
For San Francisco, the previous week may very well have been a saving point in what has been a tumultuous season so far. Entering the Week 4 matchup versus the Philadelphia Eagles, the 49ers were riding a two-game losing streak—games in which San Francisco essentially imploded in the second half.
But the 49ers were able to turn things around to a certain degree, limiting the high-flying Eagles offense and coming away with a 26-21 victory over a previously undefeated Eagles team.
Now the focus shifts to welcoming back Alex Smith and the 2-2 Chiefs to Santa Clara, where San Francisco hopes it can maintain the momentum gained by last week's victory.
Yet Kansas City is riding a hot streak of its own. Smith and the Chiefs soundly defeated the New England Patriots, 41-14, on Monday Night Football and also handled the Miami Dolphins the week prior.
A road game for the Chiefs, coming off a short week, may play directly into the hands of the 49ers, but Kansas City still presents a worthy challenge for Jim Harbaugh and Co. as they look to get back above the .500 mark on the young season.
"Chiefs coach Andy Reid on facing #49ers: "You have to make sure you're sharp." LISTEN: http://t.co/SQnwnvAF7c pic.twitter.com/DRiZ6vf4gT
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) October 2, 2014"
The 49ers will look to stem the tide of the recent Chiefs' success and work toward building up their own strengths now that one quarter of the 2014 season is in the books.
In this slideshow, we will give you everything you need to know about this game—the latest news, matchups, X-factors and much more.
49ers Week 4 Recap
1 of 5One might argue that San Francisco's victory in Week 4 against Philadelphia was a must-win game by any description of the term.
Perhaps it was, as is described in the above video.
Head coach Chip Kelly and his uptempo Eagles offense presented a legitimate challenge for a 49ers defense that had previously been exposed to the offensive prowess of the Chicago Bears and Arizona Cardinals in Weeks 2 and 3, respectively.
But San Francisco's defense proved up to the task as this unit limited quarterback Nick Foles to just 195 yards passing, along with two interceptions and zero touchdowns. In all, Philadelphia's offense gained just 213 yards during the game.
It was a dominant performance from the 49ers' vantage point and is described further by Michael David Smith of NBC Sports.
All of Philadelphia's points came off special teams or turnovers. A Colin Kaepernick-intercepted pass was returned for a touchdown by Eagles defensive back Malcolm Jenkins. The other scores were off a blocked punt and a punt return, respectively.
The vaunted running back LeSean McCoy gained just 17 yards on the ground, proving San Francisco has developed into one of the better run-stopping defenses in the league. This unit currently ranks No. 4 in the NFL with 279 yards allowed on the season.
"49ers shut down LeSean McCoy http://t.co/DevKLbzurE
— ESPN NFL Nation (@ESPN_NFLNation) September 29, 2014"
San Francisco was also able to generate some pressure on Foles—a pass rush that had been largely absent from the defense, previously.
Defensive tackle Ian Williams notched his first sack of the season, and the 49ers defenders totaled five quarterback hits as well.
The 49ers offense was led by 31-year-old Frank Gore, who gained 119 yards on the ground as well as 55 yards through the air plus a touchdown reception. Stevie Johnson also got on the scoreboard with his first touchdown reception of the year:
"49ers WR Stevie Johnson channels Santonio Holmes on this TD catch http://t.co/JJH8Wy3vXu pic.twitter.com/2rV6Z4xp5S
— Bleacher Report NFL (@BR_NFL) September 28, 2014"
But San Francisco still has a few kinks to work out. Special teams problems again revealed themselves.
Penalties continue to be a major factor as well.
The 49ers committed 10 penalties for 80 yards against Philadelphia. Chief among these have been costly delay-of-game penalties, of which San Francisco committed another two in Week 4, per Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
To what degree these issues continue to plague the 49ers remains to be seen as they prepare for the Chiefs on Sunday.
News and Notes
2 of 5The win over Philadelphia put to rest many of the concerns San Francisco had up to this point in the season.
At least for now.
A victory almost always satisfies the critics, but with the nature of "what have you done for me lately," the 49ers will have to continue the upward surge against the Chiefs if some of these issues hope to truly be put to rest.
Support for Jim Harbaugh
Head coach Jim Harbaugh's future in San Francisco has been drawing interest long before the 2014 season began. There was the apparent rift between Harbaugh and general manager Trent Baalke. There are concerns whether or not the 49ers will extend his contract following this year.
Now there is the talk about whether or not Harbaugh has his players' support.
NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders was among the latest to cite sources, via Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com (h/t Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports), that the 49ers players were growing tired of Harbaugh. Sanders stated:
"They want him out. They're not on the same page. I really want to know if they're really playing for the head coach. I got a question with that. Are you really down with your head coach, San Francisco 49ers? Because the way it looks and what I'm hearing, you're really not down for your head coach. And that's a problem. They really got some problems that we hear rumblings. We all know people inside locker rooms.
"
Sanders' comments have drawn the ire of Harbaugh, who exclaimed, via Will Brinson of CBS Sports, that the statements were "a bunch of crap."
Even some of the 49ers have come to Harbaugh's defense, including wide receiver Michael Crabtree who posted such, via Twitter:
"I don't know what people are talking about with Mr Deion... But we good over here!
— Michael Crabtree (@KingCrab15) September 30, 2014"
Right guard Alex Boone and quarterback Colin Kaepernick even weighed in on the topic.
"I'd like to know who the source is,” Kaepernick said via Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area. “When you get a source from that, then we can talk about that. Until then, that's the media."
Maiocco argues that the truth falls "somewhere between the Sanders and Boone statements," but until something further surfaces, this sort of talk will remain speculative at best.
Alex Smith's Return to San Francisco
The 49ers faced off with their former No. 1 draft pick from the 2005 draft back in the 2013 preseason—a matchup that saw San Francisco take on the Chiefs in Kansas City after Smith had been traded following the 2012 season.
Now, Smith returns to face the team that drafted and helped develop him into the quarterback he is today.
So how will his reception among the 49ers faithful be on Sunday?
“[I] haven’t thought about it, and I guess no idea,” Smith said to Bay Area reporters, per Maiocco. “I don’t know. I guess we’ll find out.”
Smith certainly endured his share of up-and-down moments during his seven-year career in San Francisco. He was once booed off the field in 2010, but he celebrated one of his greatest moments in a 49ers uniform when he helped defeat the New Orleans Saints during the playoffs in January 2012.
"Jim Harbaugh on former #49ers QB Alex Smith: "He'll be a life-long friend." WATCH: http://t.co/3rYmMTPHMz pic.twitter.com/vIofxnhkQX
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) September 30, 2014"
While the reunion is nice to ponder to a certain degree, the focus for San Francisco will be shutting down Smith's abilities on the field and not giving him a warm welcome once kickoff arrives.
Antoine Bethea Leads the Defense
As stated previously, San Francisco's defense put in a stellar effort against Philadelphia in Week 4.
Offseason acquisition Antoine Bethea was a huge part of that success.
The 30-year-old safety logged seven tackles, one interception and a forced fumble against the Eagles. He was also instrumental in providing pressure on a key blitz in the red zone—accolades of which resulted in him being named NFC Defensive Player of the Week, per Maiocco:
"#49ers S @ABethea41 earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week in 100th consecutive start. READ: http://t.co/iWQumT0vPV pic.twitter.com/uzUMNgbEJo
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) October 1, 2014"
The 49ers' questionable secondary obviously benefits from having Bethea's presence in the lineup. He will likely be counted upon heavily to contend with Smith and Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce in Week 5.
Resurgence of Frank Gore
The 31-year-old running back, Frank Gore, led all 49ers offensive players with 174 all-purpose yards in Week 4, plus one touchdown.
This came after Gore was scantly used in Week 3 against the Arizona Cardinals, understandably much to Gore's disappointment, as revealed by Taylor Price of 49ers.com.
Given his age, one might have thought that Gore would be slowing down. Yet his performance suggests anything but. The reliance upon Gore within San Francisco's offensive scheme was one of the primary reasons the 49ers were able to keep the Eagles' vaunted offense off the field while tiring out a questionable defense.
Maintaining possession and working the clock were critical factors in Week 4, and this same sort of approach would be well-suited for San Francisco's game plan against Kansas City.
Injury Report
3 of 5
Injuries
Antoine Bethea, SS: Questionable
Tramaine Brock, CB: Out
Michael Crabtree, WR: Probable
Frank Gore, RB: Probable
Vernon Davis, TE: Questionable
Vance McDonald, TE: Questionable
Eric Reid, FS: Questionable
Tony Jerod-Eddie, DT: Questionable
Anthony Davis, RT: Questionable
Andy Lee, P: Questionable
All injury statuses courtesy of CBS Sports and Pro-Football-Reference.com.
San Francisco's injury list unfortunately continues to grow after Week 4.
Chief among the list of injuries was that sustained to tight end Vernon Davis after an awkward tackle in the third quarter. The hit, which is further described by Eric Branch of SFGate.com, forced Davis to miss the remainder of the game.
According to Chris Cwik of CBS Sports, Davis was unable to practice on Wednesday, and his status for Sunday's game is questionable. No. 2 tight end Vance McDonald is also listed as questionable with a knee injury sustained in Week 2.
Another note of concern is the injury to right tackle Anthony Davis.
Davis made his season debut in Week 4 but was injured early in the first quarter and did not return, per Branch. Jonathan Martin took over in his stead.
Safety Antoine Bethea is dealing with an ankle issue, but he and second-year pro Eric Reid should likely be expected to take the field. Reid dealt with a hamstring issue in Week 4 but was able to return to action.
X-Factors and Matchups to Watch
4 of 5A good portion of Sunday's focus will be upon the return of Alex Smith to San Francisco as the Chiefs look to upset the 49ers at home in Week 5.
Fortunately for the 49ers, they will benefit from an added week at home and face a traveling Chiefs team coming off a short week.
But which matchups should we pay close attention to and which players will be the difference-makers?
Antoine Bethea/Michael Wilhoite vs. Travis Kelce
Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce has emerged as Smith's favorite target in 2014. Kelce currently leads all Chiefs receivers with 18 receptions and 259 yards.
The second-year pro has proven himself as a legitimate target for Smith and the Chiefs passing game, so it will likely fall upon a combination of Antoine Bethea and/or Michael Wilhoite to stop him.
"@in4td Both have been solid vs pass. Prob Bethea, but Wilhoite bigger & Kelce is big and fast. He's a matchup nightmare. Reminds me of Gronk
— Gary (@NFLGary) October 1, 2014"
Bethea is coming off his best game with the 49ers, and Wilhoite has done a solid job filling in for All-Pro NaVorro Bowman this season.
Still, this presents a matchup worth our attention as San Francisco's defense looks to shut down this versatile and dangerous weapon.
Jonathan Martin vs. Justin Houston
As stated on the previous slide, there is a good chance that right tackle Anthony Davis misses out on Sunday's game, meaning that Jonathan Martin will likely slide into the starting position in Week 5.
He'll be matched up against outside linebacker Justin Houston, who has notched 5.0 sacks thus far on the young season.
Martin has not been particularly inspiring in pass protection this season, and it is worth pointing out that the entirety of San Francisco's offensive line has been inconsistent in protecting quarterback Colin Kaepernick in 2014.
Limiting Houston will be a primary objective for Martin if the 49ers offense hopes to give Kaepernick ample time within the pocket.
Joe Staley vs. Tamba Hali
On the opposite side of the line, Kansas City will bring another prolific pass-rusher in outside linebacker Tamba Hali. Hali has three sacks of his own in 2014 and will likely match up against left tackle Joe Staley.
Staley is obviously a safer bet to secure the line in comparison to Martin. But Staley has also had some lackluster moments in pass protection this season, so it will be interesting to see how he adjusts his game to Hali's pass-rushing prowess.
Frank Gore and Co. vs. Chiefs Front Seven
The 49ers returned to the ground game in Week 4, and it paid off very nicely. We should expect a similar approach against the Chiefs.
Kansas City currently ranks No. 21 in the league in total rush yards allowed (466), so it is safe to say that stopping the run is not one of its preeminent strengths.
We've touted on the abilities of defenders like Houston and Hali to negate the passing game, so it might be wise for offensive coordinator Greg Roman to stick to the basics here and utilize another heavy dose of Frank Gore and Carlos Hyde.
In turn, this will open up play action for Kaepernick and the 49ers passing game—an area in which he thrives.
There is no need to get cute here. Running the ball effectively will be a paramount factor.
49ers' Front Seven vs. Jamaal Charles and Knile Davis
On the flip side, we should expect that San Francisco continues its recent dominance against the run.
Aside from DeMarco Murray's 118-yard rushing performance in Week 1, the 49ers have done an excellent job in shutting down opposing running backs, limiting them to 46, 84 and 22 yards on the ground, respectively:
"#49ers rushing yards allowed per game: 127, 46, 84, 22. Run defense ranked second in NFL.
— Eric Branch (@Eric_Branch) September 30, 2014"
Andy Reid and the Chiefs may employ a similar game plan of utilizing the running game first to set up Smith and the passing game. So if San Francisco can shut down this element and force Kansas City to become one-dimensional, the defense's day will be that much easier.
Colin Kaepernick vs. Alex Smith
Yes, we know the two won't face each other on the field, but the comparisons will obviously be drawn by fans and pundits everywhere.
Which quarterback gets the best of the other? Will Smith take revenge of his former team, or will Kaepernick show everyone why he was the better choice between the two?
It may not even matter. If the 49ers stick to a basic, run-first approach with Gore and Hyde, Kaepernick may not put up the lofty numbers we may hope to see against his former teammate.
On the other hand, Smith could very well have a good game—perhaps even better than Kaepernick—but it doesn't add up to a victory given all the other circumstances.
We won't know until Sunday, but people will assuredly be talking about it.
49ers X-Factor of the Week: Linebacker Aaron Lynch
This author may be going out on a limb here, but it is probably time for defensive coordinator Vic Fangio to hand over the pass-rushing duties to rookie linebacker Aaron Lynch over second-year pro Corey Lemonier.
Lynch assumed the role as the pass-rushing outside linebacker in San Francisco's nickel defense in Week 4, per Eric Branch of SFGate.com, logging a tackle for a loss, two quarterback hits and a pressure on Nick Foles before the Eagles quarterback threw a 4th-and-goal pass high with under two minutes remaining.
The 49ers pass rush, so absent in prior weeks, obviously benefits from having Lynch on the field. While he still needs some work, Lynch is a force to be reckoned with on the field.
If he sees ample time on Sunday, Lynch could make life very difficult for Smith and the Chiefs passing game.
Prediction
5 of 5
The Kansas City Chiefs will be facing an uphill battle in spite of their impressive two-game win streak over the Dolphins and Patriots.
Traveling west on a short week is no easy feat for any NFL team, especially when you are matching up against a home team that is desperate to regain the prowess it once retained entering the season.
The 49ers have a huge home advantage given these factors, and we should expect that to play into their hands during the game itself.
But there is so much more when it comes to assessing just how San Francisco should go about securing victory over Kansas City in Week 5.
We've discussed the latest news, injuries and matchups to watch already. Let's dive into just how the 49ers can go to 3-2 this Sunday.
Offensive coordinator Greg Roman will have to recognize the pass-rushing abilities of the Chiefs defense, especially after watching what it did to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football. While Roman has opened up the playbook a bit this season, there is no need to try and get overly creative against a Kansas City defense that is vulnerable against the run.
This will likely mean another run-first performance by Frank Gore and Carlos Hyde. Drawing up some designed runs from Colin Kaepernick may also force the issue here.
With Kansas City's defense forced to respect the run, Kaepernick will be able to utilize play action and read-option plays to much greater effect. A few well-designed screens and slant patterns may also force the Chiefs defense to be honest up front.
The ground-and-pound approach worked well against Philadelphia in Week 4, and the 49ers would be wise not to shift away from it given the results.
On defense, San Francisco needs to ensure it clamps down on favorite target Travis Kelce. This means a lot of work from Antoine Bethea and Michael Wilhoite. Stopping rushers like Jamaal Charles and Knile Davis will also be paramount.
Forcing Kansas City's offense to become one-dimensional will be at the heart of defensive coordinator Vic Fangio's plans on Sunday.
This will be made a bit easier given that Chiefs wide receiver Donnie Avery will be out due to groin surgery, per KCChiefs.com's BJ Kissel (h/t Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News):
"RT @ChiefsReporter #Chiefs trainer Rick Burkholder says WR Donnie Avery is having surgery tomorrow (groin). Will not play Sunday (vs #49ers)
— Cam Inman (@CamInman) October 2, 2014"
One less target to worry about.
With the running game taken away and the majority of the receiving focus centered on Kelce, San Francisco's pass-rushers—aided by rookie Aaron Lynch—will hopefully be able to generate enough pressure to make Alex Smith uncomfortable in his return to San Francisco.
Smith can still beat teams with his legs—he currently leads the Chiefs with an average of 6.1 yards per carry—so the 49ers may be forced to make an adjustment there.
Expect this game to be an old-school, physically fought matchup where the defenses make the biggest difference. San Francisco's defense gets the edge here given its ability to stop the run and Kansas City's woes in the same category.
Welcome back, Alex Smith. But we hope the Chiefs leave holding a 2-3 record.
Prediction: 49ers 21, Chiefs 13
All statistics and records courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com and ESPN.com unless otherwise indicated.
Peter Panacy is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report, covering the San Francisco 49ers. Be sure to check out his entire archive on 49ers news, insight and analysis.
Follow him @PeterPanacy on Twitter.
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