Jaxon Smith-Njigba won’t be shadowed by the San Francisco 49ers in their Week 5 showdown, a crucial detail emerging from Niners coordinators Raheem Morris and Klay Kubiak’s pressers. This isn’t just some sideline chatter, folks, this is our offense potentially getting a green light against one of our biggest rivals, and it tells you everything about how the Niners are thinking ahead of this massive game for the Emerald City.
Mykel Williams Is Back, And The Niners Are Juiced
The 49ers are buzzing about the return of Mykel Williams, and coordinator Raheem Morris is absolutely hyped to see him back on the field. Williams, who helped with his rehab alongside Nick Bosa, has been out for almost a year and is “just excited” to play, according to Morris. Morris, who’s actually never seen Williams play in person, noted the guy is “big” and “gives a lot of energy, gives a lot of juice.” His main goals for Williams are simple: “set edges” and “affect the passer.”
But here’s the thing, while Morris is “fired up,” he also admits Williams’ playing time is “to be determined.” Williams missed OTAs and the preseason, and he’s only had “less than a handful of practices” under his belt. Expecting him to play 40 snaps in Week 5? That’s a “stretch,” Morris said. So, while the Niners are getting a shot of energy, it sounds like this “juice” might be limited. Could this be an opening for our boys to exploit? You bet it could. We need to be ready for the initial burst, but also prepared for Williams to be less impactful deeper into the game.
The 49ers’ Big Play Defense vs. Our Seahawks
The 49ers are putting a massive emphasis on limiting explosive plays defensively, and Raheem Morris explained why. He says keeping those big plays down keeps the score low, which in turn gives their offense a chance to win every game. Their explosive play rate allowed is 2.3%, which is “a smidge behind the Rams” and “slightly ahead of the Seahawks.” That means we, unfortunately, are giving up *more* explosive plays than the Niners right now, and that’s something Mike Macdonald’s defense is surely working on.
This focus from the Niners on shutting down big plays is a direct challenge to our offense, especially with guys like Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Rashid Shaheed who can break free. But the fact that they’re *not* shadowing JSN, even with this defensive mindset, is incredibly telling. It’s almost like they’re daring us. Our offense, led by Sam Darnold, needs to take that as a personal challenge. Can we still create those game-changing plays against a defense determined to prevent them?
This Week 5 battle against the 49ers isn’t just another game, it’s a statement. With Mykel Williams making his return and the Niners talking a big game about limiting explosive plays, our Seahawks need to bring their A-game. But with the Niners *not* shadowing Jaxon Smith-Njigba, our offense has a prime opportunity to show them exactly what the Emerald City is made of. Get ready, 12s, because this one is going to be a slugfest, and our guys are ready to fight for every single yard.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Niners Nation.
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