6 Bold Predictions for San Francisco 49ers' Week 2 Matchup

Bold prediction No. 1: San Francisco 49ers inside linebacker NaVorro Bowman will record two sacks Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Officially, Bowman was credited with one sack Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings. But he came roughly an inch away from getting another half of a sack—safety Antoine Bethea touched quarterback Teddy Bridgewater just before he got a finger on him.

Unlike San Francisco’s previous defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, new defensive coordinator Eric Mangini likes to blitz on passing downs. And Bowman is Mangini’s best blitzer. Expect Bowman to blitz between five and 10 times per game.

And when he blitzes, expect him to blitz right up the middle. The Steelers will be playing backup Cody Wallace at center on Sunday, and he can’t handle Bowman.

Here are five more bold predictions for the 49ers’ Week 2 matchup with the Steelers.

WR Bruce Ellington Will Return Punts Instead of RB Jarryd Hayne

Tony Avelar/Associated Press

Former Rugby League player Jarryd Hayne was the Niners’ starting punt returner against the Vikings.

On his first official punt return as a pro, he dove for the ball and fumbled. Bad start. But the Niners didn’t bench him yet. They let him return the next punt, and he returned it 11 yards, although the return didn’t count due to a running-into-the-kicker penalty.

That was Hayne’s final return. After that, the Niners replaced him with second-year wide receiver Bruce Ellington. Why?

“In that situation, it’s always best to have a fresh guy in there,” Niners special teams coach Thomas McGaughey Jr. said Thursday afternoon, according to a transcript released by the 49ers’ public relations department (h/t Santa Rosa Press Democrat). “Jarryd had just ran a return.”

But Hayne didn’t return any more punts Week 1. Ellington was the returner the rest of the game. Why?

“I mean, he scored a touchdown,” McGaughey said, referring to Ellington’s 85-yard return, which was nullified by two penalties.

“Oh Ok,” a reporter said. “So you said, ‘Oh OK he just scored a touchdown’?”

“Yeah, he scored a touchdown,” McGaughey said. “You’re not going to take a guy out of a game who scored a touchdown.”

Ellington always is a threat to score on a punt return. He’s electric—one of the fastest players on the 49ers. He runs away from players in the open field.

Hayne doesn’t. He’s a solid returner, but not a threat to score. He would get run down in the open field.

Expect Ellington to continue returning punts.

RB Carlos Hyde Will Rush Fewer Than 20 Times

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

Thursday morning, a reporter asked 49ers offensive coordinator Geep Chryst what to expect from running back Carlos Hyde Week 2 after he led the NFL in rushing Week 1.

“It’s a great question,” Chryst said (h/t Santa Rosa Press Democrat), “(Hyde) played with so much energy and it’s a short week … Right now, he seems to be bouncing around pretty good. It is a short week so we’ll be smart. But, at the end of the day I think he’s chomping at the bit and raring to go play another game.”

Hyde rushed the ball 26 times Week 1—more than any other running back. He also caught two passes. That’s an enormous workload.

He shouldn’t shoulder that load again after just five days' rest. The Niners played Monday night and now have to travel across the country to play Sunday afternoon against the Steelers.

Hyde still will be a key player, but don’t expect him to be the 49ers’ entire offense two weeks in a row. Hyde will carry the ball 18 times for 110 yards.

Rookie RB Mike Davis Will Rush the Ball More Than 10 Times

Tony Avelar/Associated Press

Rookie running back Mike Davis wasn’t active Week 1—the Niners suited up just three running backs: Carlos Hyde, Jarryd Hayne and Reggie Bush.

Bush strained his calf on just his second carry of the game and may not play Sunday against the Steelers. If he doesn’t play, who would take his place on the 46-man active roster? Wouldn’t it be Davis, the rookie?

“He’s the most natural guy, right?” offensive coordinator Geep Chryst told Thursday morning (h/t Santa Rosa Press Democrat).

Davis certainly is the most natural guy to replace Bush as the Niners’ change-of-pace running back. Actually, Davis is the only guy who can replace Bush. Hayne is not a change-of-pace back. He's about as fast as Hyde. Hyde needs a smaller, quicker running back as a complement, and that's Davis.

Expect Davis to rush 10 times for 48 yards against the Steelers.

TE Vernon Davis Mostly Will Be a Decoy

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

The Steelers gave up three touchdown catches to New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski Week 1. Can we expect a similar performance Week 2 from Niners tight end Vernon Davis?

“Pittsburgh’s had about 10 days to study us and then correct whatever things that they had on their opening game, too,” offensive coordinator Geep Chryst told reporters Thursday morning (h/t Santa Rosa Press Democrat). “So, just because it might have happened, that’s normally the first thing that gets fixed by an opposing staff. So, I’m sure that they are going to have a well-prepared team.”

Chryst is absolutely right. The Steelers coaching staff would seem completely inept if it let a tight end gouge its defense two games in a row. Pittsburgh will be geared up to stop Davis.

And Chryst will use that against them. While the Steelers are focused on stopping Davis, Chryst will call pass plays for other players, namely wide receiver Torrey Smith.

WR Torrey Smith Will Gain More Than 100 Receiving Yards

Joe Mahoney/Associated Press

Not only will the Steelers by determined to stop Vernon Davis in the passing game, they’ll be determined to stop Carlos Hyde in the running game as well. That’s obvious.

Pittsburgh has no choice but to stack the box against Hyde. Hyde will steamroll the Steelers defense if it stays back to stop the deep pass.

And the Steelers have no reason to guard against the deep pass. Colin Kaepernick’s longest pass Week 1 was just 20 yards, and he didn’t complete any deep passes during the preseason either.

Expect the Steelers to take away the short passes and force Kaepernick to beat them deep.

And expect Kaepernick to come out firing downfield for wide receiver Torrey Smith. Smith will be facing Steelers cornerback Cortez Allen, who gave up a passer rating of 106.8 in 2014, according to Pro Football Focus.

Advantage: 49ers.

Expect Smith to catch five passes for 101 yards Week 2.

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