6 Burning Questions Facing the San Francisco 49ers in Week 16
Burning question No. 1: Can the San Francisco 49ers defense play hard two games in a row?
It played hard in Week 15, holding the Cincinnati Bengals to a season-low 242 yards on Sunday, although it also gave up 24 points and allowed backup quarterback AJ McCarron to post a passer rating of 115.6.
Still, give the Niners defense credit for playing hard. It rolled over the week before and gave up 481 yards to the Cleveland Browns.
Which version of San Francisco’s defense will show up in Detroit to face the Lions on Sunday?
Here are the burning questions facing the 49ers in Week 16.
Will Geep Chryst Call More Than 2 Deep Passes?
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Part of the reason the 49ers offense ranks dead last in the NFL? Offensive coordinator Geep Chryst is afraid to call deep passes.
The past three games, quarterback Blaine Gabbert attempted only six passes that traveled at least 20 yards beyond the line of scrimmage, according to Pro Football Focus. Having two deep passes a game isn't enough. Gabbert should throw at least six deep passes a game to keep defenses honest.
Opposing defenses know they can stop the Niners’ passing "attack" just by covering the short and intermediate routes. They don’t have to worry about the deep portion of the field against San Francisco.
Chryst should make them worry. Call some shots, dude. What do you have to lose?
Will DuJuan Harris Start at Running Back and Play Most of the Game?
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Shaun Draughn, who started the past six games at running back for the Niners, suffered a knee injury against the Bengals and may not play Week 16 against the Lions.
Kendall Gaskins, Draughn’s backup, has rushed for only 26 yards on 14 carries this season—1.9 yards per attempt. The Niners need a better running back.
Tuesday, they signed one—former Green Bay Packers running back DuJuan Harris. The 27-year-old has 80 carries and 312 rushing yards during his career, which equals 3.9 yards per attempt.
Can Harris pick up the playbook quickly enough to start at running back against the Lions? The Niners need him to play as much as possible.
Can Jimmie Ward Cover Golden Tate in the Slot?
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The past three weeks, Niners nickelback Jimmie Ward has been Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded corner by far. The former first-round pick has shut down every receiver he has faced in the slot, including Pro Bowlers Alshon Jeffery of the Chicago Bears and A.J. Green of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Those two are big receivers (6'3" and 6'4", respectively). Sunday against the Lions, Ward (5'11") mostly will cover Golden Tate, who’s small (5'10", 198 lbs) and quick like a couple of wideouts who burned Ward this season—Tyler Lockett of the Seattle Seahawks and J.J. Nelson of the Arizona Cardinals, a pair of rookies.
Tate is a veteran coming off a Pro Bowl season in which he had 99 catches. He has 82 so far this season. Can Ward cover him?
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Will Arik Armstead Have a Breakout Game?
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Some 49ers fans may feel general manager Trent Baalke should have drafted Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters in the first round of the 2015 NFL draft instead of defensive end Arik Armstead. Peters has intercepted seven passes this season and will go to the Pro Bowl; Armstead isn’t even a starter.
Look closer at their stats, though: Peters has given up seven touchdown catches and earned a grade of minus-2.6 from Pro Football Focus. Armstead, who has played only 314 snaps this season, has earned a grade of plus-13.5, which ranks 13th among all 3-4 defensive ends.
Armstead is a former college basketball player who seems to have developed quicker than many expected. He is surprisingly powerful for a rookie who left school a year early. Although he has just two sacks, he already is one of the best defenders on the team.
The 22-year-old looks like a future star. Will Sunday be his breakout game?
Will Blaine Gabbert Have a Breakout Game?
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Blaine Gabbert turned 26 on October 15. Compare his numbers this season to those of Alex Smith when he was 26 years old in 2010.
Gabbert in 2015: 2-4 record, 62.4 completion percentage, 7.1 yards per attempt, 3.4 touchdown percentage, 2.9 interception percentage, 82.8 quarterback rating.
Smith in 2010: 3-7 record, 59.6 completion percentage, 6.9 yards per attempt, 4.1 touchdown percentage, 2.9 interception percentage, 82.1 quarterback rating.
That bodes well for Gabbert, although Smith got better as 2010 went on. Gabbert has not gotten better this season.
The 49ers signal-caller hasn't thrown more than one touchdown pass in a game since Week 9, his first start of the season. Smith threw at least two touchdown passes twice during his final four starts of 2010.
Is Gabbert a more conservative version of Smith? That would not be good. Gabbert needs to do more than dink and dunk to earn the starting job next season. He needs to have a big game Sunday against the Lions, who are allowing an average quarterback rating of 101.4 to opponents this season.
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