Why Deebo Samuel remains X-factor for 49ers-ZoomTech News

On a group stocked with proficient gamers, San Francisco 49ers do-everything huge receiver Deebo Samuel stands out among the many relaxation due to his swagger and home-run playmaking capability, giving San Francisco’s offense one other dimension few groups have within the NFL.

“Actually, Deebo is Deebo,” 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy mentioned after his group’s spectacular win over the Philadelphia Eagles. “He is enjoyable to be round. He is electrical inside conferences after which clearly out on the observe subject. Within the locker room and stuff, possibly he was saying some stuff that was enjoyable for all of us to listen to however Deebo was simply having enjoyable with it. 

“However was it something out of the extraordinary? I do not assume so, Deebo is Deebo. He is enjoyable to be round, all of us knew he was prepared for this recreation and he is been ready for it for a very long time. His play did the remaining.”

Samuel completed with 9 touches for 198 scrimmage yards and a career-high three touchdowns, backing up his discuss main into that NFC showdown in Philadelphia. Samuel is the primary 49ers receiver with three touchdowns in a recreation since Terrell Owens in 2001. 

He averaged 22 yards per contact, and his 2,568 yards after the catch since he entered the NFL in 2019 is second to solely Cooper Kupp (2,596) throughout that stretch. Samuel was named NFC Participant of the Week, the primary San Francisco receiver to earn that honor thrice since Jerry Rice.

What makes Samuel completely different from guys like Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk is his offended operating fashion, mixed with elite acceleration and elusiveness that permits him to take quick performs and switch them into back-breaking, massive performs in crucial moments of the sport.

“Deebo’s superior,” 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan advised reporters this week. “I imply, as you guys know, he is a particular man when he will get that ball in his fingers. And him and Jerry are most likely wired just a little bit in another way how they play the sport, however they each performed at a excessive degree and actually helped the Niners out rather a lot.”

Together with that distinctive, explosive operating fashion, Samuel supplies a contagious power that spreads all through the remainder of the roster in massive video games. For an instance of that, you solely want to return to Samuel’s greatest season, when he completed with 1,770 scrimmage yards and 14 scores.

Samuel’s infectious power brings out the most effective in his teammates.

“Deebo’s among the best soccer gamers I’ve ever seen,” San Francisco linebacker Fred Warner mentioned. “Performances like that do not shock me. It is solely a matter of time earlier than he does pop off like that. Folks have been saying issues about issues he might have mentioned earlier than the sport. However I feel it is secure to say that his actions spoke louder than his phrases.”

Samuel’s eye-popping efficiency towards the Eagles leads this week’s NFC West Inventory Watch:

Rising

Deebo Samuel, 49ers: Shanahan would possibly wish to put Samuel in bubble wrap for the remainder of the common season, ensuring considered one of his greatest gamers reaches the playoffs wholesome. Samuel already missed two video games this 12 months with a hairline fracture in his shoulder and has by no means performed the complete complement of video games in an everyday season since he entered the league in 2019.

The 49ers are 8-9 in video games Samuel doesn’t play, and 43-18 in video games Samuel is on the sphere. Due to the bodily means through which Samuel performs, San Francisco can be clever to restrict his touches till the video games matter most — within the postseason. 

Kyren Williams, Rams: The Notre Dame product has elevated L.A.’s offense since coming back from an ankle damage two weeks in the past. Williams leads the Rams with 687 dashing yards. And Williams additionally has 877 scrimmage yards and 10 whole touchdowns.

However since coming back from an ankle damage two weeks in the past, Williams has stepped it up a notch, with 316 scrimmage yards and three whole touchdowns in wins over the Arizona Cardinals and Cleveland Browns.

Nick Bosa, 49ers: The Ohio State product received off to a gradual begin by way of sacks after main the NFL with 18.5 final season. Nevertheless, Bosa has heated up of late. Throughout San Francisco’s four-game win streak, Bosa leads the league in quarterback pressures (30) and is second in sacks (5). Bosa is third within the league in quarterback pressures (71) and has eight sacks on the 12 months.

With Bosa serving to to create a constant go rush up entrance, the 49ers have held opposing offenses to 12.3 factors per recreation because the bye week. 

Falling

Tariq Woolen, Seahawks: After a shocking rookie season as a fifth-round choose that included reaching the Professional Bowl, Woolen’s manufacturing has dropped off this season. A part of the rationale for Woolen’s struggles is he was slowed in coaching camp by a knee damage that required surgical procedure. And he is been coping with a lingering shoulder damage.

Nevertheless, after ending in a tie for the league lead with six interceptions final season, Woolen has simply two interceptions this season. He additionally leads Seattle with 9 accepted penalties for 122 yards, together with 4 for go interference. 

Shane Waldron, Seahawks: Seattle’s offensive coordinator obtained criticism this week for his fourth-and-2 play name towards the Dallas Cowboys final week through which he allowed Micah Parsons to hurry unabated to strain Geno Smith on a play that sealed the sport for the Cowboys.

Together with that, Waldron has been unable to constantly generate offensive manufacturing with playmakers like DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Ken Walker III. Losers of 4 of their final 5 video games, the Seahawks have averaged simply 19.2 factors per contest over that stretch. 

Kyler Murray, Cardinals: Arizona is 2-2 with Murray again within the fold after beginning the season 1-8, so Murray has helped the Cardinals win video games since his return to the sphere 4 weeks in the past.

Nevertheless, Murray’s play has been considerably inconsistent, as exemplified by his career-low 82.1 passer ranking. The Cardinals and Murray get an opportunity to scrub up some issues on offense in the course of the bye week, which I wrote about right here. 

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for greater than a decade, overlaying the Los Angeles Rams for Sports activities Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma Information Tribune. Comply with him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.

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