Alright, look, the scoreboard from our last game might say we lost by a touchdown, but anyone who watched knows that’s not the real story. We were in complete control out there, even rocking a massive 26-7 lead deep into the second half before a couple of garbage-time scores made it look closer than it was. Meanwhile, those Niners were tied 3-3 with the Broncos deep into the third quarter, only pulling away after a muffed punt and Bo Nix refusing to throw beyond five yards. The vibes are completely different heading into this grudge match.
Macdonald’s Defense Is Still King (Mostly!)
Let’s not forget last season, our man Mike Macdonald had Kyle Shanahan completely frustrated. The Niners only managed three touchdowns on thirty drives against us. That’s elite defensive work! But here’s the kicker: the Niners’ offense has supposedly transformed under Shanahan, largely thanks to Mike Evans, who’s turned their unit into “another elite iteration.” George Kittle is looking healthy, and Christian McCaffrey has definitely found success against us in the past. So, while Macdonald’s defense has proven it can lock them down, we’re gonna need to bring that same intensity, maybe even more, against their updated attack.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba Is Our Secret Weapon
Now, for the *really* good news, and what should have every Niners fan sweating: stopping Jaxon Smith-Njigba is their biggest problem. And honestly? Nobody has figured it out yet. History shows that their guys, Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green, struggle mightily trying to cover JSN. We’ve seen him cook, and it looks like it’s a matchup nightmare they just can’t shake. This is where Sam Darnold is going to shine, finding his go-to guy and letting JSN go to work.
Look, the Niners think they’ve got a path to win if Mike Evans keeps playing at a WR1 level and if Raheem Morris can somehow force Darnold to throw to anyone *besides* JSN. But good luck with that last part! We know what we’ve got in JSN, and the Emerald City is ready to watch him tear it up. We need to hold strong on defense and let our playmakers do what they do best. This is gonna be a battle, but we’re ready for it.
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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