#49ers

#49ers

Fred has been working incredibly hard. He's been attacking it every which way and he's making really good progress. I've said this consistently: It would be well ahead of the original timeline that we were given but Fred has the ability to move the doctors, because they're going to put objective measurements out there that, If you can reach these, you can get there.' And Fred has continually done that.

It was second-and-goal from the 9-yard line Monday night and quarterback Brock Purdy rolled to his right and attempted to squeeze in a pass to tight end Jake Tonges, who had a sliver of space before he went out of bounds in the end zone. Tonges caught the ball but it was ruled incomplete. Upon closer inspection, it appeared Tonges actually caught the ball and managed to drag both toes just before going out of bounds.

Coming off the bye week, the San Francisco 49ers find themselves in an enviable position. They are rested, getting healthier, and eyeing not just the playoffs but potentially the NFC's No. 1 seed. With one more win, they are a virtual lock for the tournament. Andas luck would have ithere comes a team tied for the worst record in the NFL, flying cross-country to Levi's Stadium this Sunday. On the surface, this looks like a mismatch of epic proportions.

It's said so often around football that it's become trite: Games are won and lost in the trenches. And while I'm not here to knock the big men, I have a different spin on things, at least when it comes to the defensive side of the ball. I have a saying that I've used so often that it elicits eye rolls from those who talk football with me most. Yet not one has been able to disprove my theory: Safeties are destiny.

Deommodore Lenoir is good to go for the 49ers today against the Arizona Cardinals. Lenoir was listed as questionable Friday with a calf injury which happened in practice Thursday while jogging off the field. We'll find out more when we get an MRI, coach Kyle Shanahan said. Apparently, for a change, the news was good as Lenoir is expected to take his place as a starting cornerback opposite Renardo Green.

Apple, activated for the second time off the practice squad, was added to the roster for depth with Lenoir listed as questionable with a calf injury. Signed to a five-year, $92 million contract extension, last season, Lenoir has started all 10 games at cornerback after splitting time between corner and slot cyorner last season. The injury occurred during Thursday's practice and Shanahan said the following day Lenoir would be getting an MRI.

Each game, you never know what's going to happen, 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey said Wednesday. Each day is about getting better, having emotional stamina and mental stamina to withstand the year. And that means when you win, you forget about it and move on, and when you lose, you correct the mistakes and move on. It's been a slog for McCaffrey all year other than his 29-carry, 124-yard game against the Falcons.

Then again, there was truly nowhere for the Niners to go but up after the first 29 minutes of the contest. For a few, fleeting moments, the Niners' H-Town showdown with the Texans was a contest. For the rest of the game, it was a lopsided beatdown reminiscent of an early-season college football game between a blue-blood program and a directional school that was bused in for a blowout game and a nice check.

Trent Williams emerged from his rookie NFL season with a tip that altered his career and life. Move to Houston. That 2011 advice came from Adrian Peterson, a big-brother figure and former Oklahoma teammate. Peterson feared Williams could be adversely affected by the NFL's offseason lockout. He saved my career because, I mean, you don't know what you've got to train for, Williams said Wednesday in an exclusive interview with this news organization.

"When Fred got hurt, we just gave each other a look and honestly just spoke just by looking at each other," Bethune said this week.

Most alarming is the 49ers' muted rushing attack despite a healthy Christian McCaffrey. They're the only NFL team without a touchdown run, and McCaffrey's rushing output has declined each Sunday: 69 yards (22 carries) at Seattle, then 55 yards (13 carries) in New Orleans, 52 yards (17 carries) against Atlanta, and 49 yards (17 carries) against Jacksonville. McCaffrey can't break a 20-yard run, or a even 3-yarder inside the 10?

If you want to make a 49ers fan's blood pressure spike like the temperatures in the Bay this week, you don't talk about Brock Purdy's contract, Kyle Shanahans clock-management, or the team's errant trade for Trey Lance. No, you say two simple, powerful, and seemingly maddening words: Offensive line. It's the part of football that is, for most fans, a complete mystery a series of grunts and shoves and bodies piling up.

Many things will define the 49ers' season. Such is the nature of this complex game of football. But perhaps no factor not star players, injuries, or field-goal kicking will be as crucial to determining success or failure as the play of the 49ers' defensive rookies. The Niners drafted six of them this past spring, and three were asked to be starters right out of the gate. And what did we see from the kids on Sunday in Seattle?