6 Burning Questions Facing the San Francisco 49ers in Week 11

Burning question No. 1: Does quarterback Blaine Gabbert stand a chance against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 11?

When the Niners played the Seahawks in Week 7, Colin Kaepernick passed for 124 yards and no touchdowns despite having Carlos Hyde, Anquan Boldin and home-field advantage.

Gabbert will have to play the Seahawks in Seattle and probably won’t have Hyde or Boldin, as both are injured. Will Gabbert play worse than Kaepernick, maybe throw a few interceptions and get benched?

Or, will Gabbert manage the game, move the chains with dink-and-dunk passes over the middle and lead the 49ers to a major upset?

These are the burning questions facing the Niners in Week 11.

Can the 49ers Stop RB Marshawn Lynch?

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Every team in the NFL except the 49ers has been able to shut down Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch this season.

Lynch ran for 122 yards and one touchdown against the Niners in Week 7 at Levi’s Stadium—by far his best game of the season. His second-best game was Week 1, when he ran for 73 yards against the St. Louis Rams.

Take away the great performance against San Francisco, and Lynch is averaging just 3.5 yards per carry. He’s starting to wear down (2,144 career rush attempts), and he’s running behind the worst offensive line in the NFL.

Can the Niners finally stop this guy?

Will WR Bruce Ellington Be an X-Factor?

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When the 49ers played the Seahawks in Week 7, cornerback Richard Sherman covered wide receiver Torrey Smith no matter where he lined up. Smith was Sherman’s assignment.

That probably won’t change Sunday in Seattle. Smith is still the 49ers’ best receiver, because Anquan Boldin still has an injured hamstring.

Will Gabbert force the ball to Smith or throw to other receivers such as slot receiver Bruce Ellington?

DeShawn Shead, the Seahawks slot corner, will be covering Ellington most of the time. Shead is a big defensive back (6’1”, 220 lbs) who played safety in college. He probably can’t cover Ellington man-to-man.

Advantage: 49ers.

Will C Daniel Kilgore Return to the Starting Lineup?

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Monday, head coach Jim Tomsula informed the media the 49ers have removed center Daniel Kilgore from the physically unable to perform list and cleared him to practice (h/t the Press Democrat).

Kilgore is returning from a broken ankle that required two surgeries, according to Niners Nation. He can practice for up to three weeks before the Niners have to activate him to the 53-man roster or put him on the injured reserve list.

The Niners need Kilgore as soon as possible, because Marcus Martin, Kilgore’s backup, is the worst player on the offense and the second-worst center in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus.

Is there any chance Kilgore might play on Sunday in Seattle?

Will Head Coach Jim Tomsula Make Up His Mind About the Offensive Line?

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Weeks 1 through 4, 49ers head coach Jim Tomsula played Jordan Devey at right guard.

Weeks 5 through 8, Tomsula played Devey and Andrew Tiller at right guard. The two often alternated drives. Call it a right guard rotation.

Week 9, Tomsula played Devey, Tiller and Erik Pears, the starting right tackle, at right guard, and played Trent Brown at right tackle when Pears moved inside.

Will Tomsula figure it out already?

Rotating offensive linemen is for the preseason—not the regular season. Tomsula needs to identify his best five and play them the whole game. Offensive linemen need continuity.

Will the 49ers Be Ready to Play?

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The 49ers haven’t been ready to play a single road game this season.

They have played four so far, and opponents have outscored them 93-22 before halftime. The Niners haven’t scored more than seven points in the first half of any road game this season.

That’s Tomsula’s fault. His job is to prepare his team to play an entire game—not just the second half.

This week, his job should be relatively easy. The Niners are playing a division rival, which is also their biggest rival. They should be up for this game.

Although, they weren’t up for the last game against the Seahawks. The Niners came out flat in Week 7 at Levi’s Stadium, and Seattle outscored them 17-0 in the first half. See you later.

Will the 49ers come out flat yet again?

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