Nick Bosa still hasn’t made it back from the calf strain that had him eyeing a Week 6 return, and 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said the edge rusher pushed the timeline a little too far.
Shanahan said Bosa was sore after working out, and that the setback showed up before Week 7.
”I just think he was a little too optimistic, especially for Bosa because he’s pretty accurate,” Shanahan said, via NinersWire.com. “He doesn’t say stuff like that unless it’s accurate.
I just think it surprised him. He worked out, after he said that to you guys, and the next day he was just a little sore, which surprised all of us.
That wasn’t a great sign, especially going to play on turf and stuff this week, so I think it was more he was just a little too optimistic.”
In Arizona, Mike LaFleur is standing by Jacoby Brissett despite the recent offensive frustrations. The Cardinals coach made it clear Brissett remains the starter and said the issues go beyond one player.
“Like I told you guys, he’s still the starter,” LaFleur said, via Cardinals Wire.
“It’s collective. Again, if the ball was just stagnant for 60 minutes and you couldn’t even cross the 50-yard line, it’d be one thing.
We’ve been down inside the 10-yard line 10 times over the last two games, so the ball is moving, but we have to finish jobs. Again, that starts with me, but that’s a collective effort.
The players have to go execute and I have to put them in better positions and give them the clarity to do so.”
Over in Los Angeles, Matthew Stafford looked back on a career milestone that put him in rare company as a record-setting quarterback for two different franchises. He kept the focus on the people around him, not the numbers attached to his name.
“ Just super appreciative of all the guys that have helped me do that, ” Stafford said, via PFT. “ Catching touchdowns and throwing touchdowns isn’t a one-man job, it takes a lot of people to block and get open, and coaches to draw plays.
A cool thing, didn’t really know that was going to happen today, but fired up. It just means you’re old and you’ve played a lot of ball,” Stafford later added.
“You wore yourself thin enough at a certain place where they moved on. No, but it’s a cool thing, and I touched on it a bit earlier.
My name’s in there, but so many coaches, players, teammates just had so much to do with that, and I appreciate all those guys. It’s been a heck of a ride, enjoy doing what I do, still love it, and look forward to doing some more.”
In Other News...
Sean McVay Just Put A Rams Weakness Under The Spotlight
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For a Rams team trying to stay sharp in every phase, that kind of warning matters. McVays focus on kickoff coverage suggests this isnt a minor nitpick, but a spot where the group has to tighten up quickly if it wants to avoid giving opponents easy field position and unnecessary momentum. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Get Encouraging Davante Adams News But One Problem Remains
Davante Adams rehab has taken a positive turn for the Rams, with Sean McVay saying the receivers recovery from a hamstring injury appears to be tracking toward the shorter end of the expected timetable. Adams recently underwent successful clean-out surgery, a welcome development for a team that has had to keep planning without one of its most experienced pass-catchers as the season moves forward.
Even with the encouraging update, the Rams still have to wait. Adams remains on injured reserve and will miss at least three more games, leaving McVay to navigate the offense without him in the immediate future. The good news is that the outlook is better than it first sounded, but the bigger question for Los Angeles is how soon Adams can turn that progress into an actual return. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Face One Trade Deadline Question That Could Define This Push
With the NFL trade deadline closing in, the Rams are once again in the middle of the usual late-season question that follows a competitive stretch: do they stay the course with the roster they have, or make a move to sharpen the edges of a team that still sees itself as part of the race? Wide receiver, defensive line and edge rusher are all on the radar as Los Angeles weighs what kind of upgrade might matter most over the seasons final stretch.
Names such as Michael Downs, A'Shawn Robinson and Khalil Mack have been floated as possible fits, underscoring how broad the search could be if the Rams decide the right addition is worth paying for. For now, though, nothing has been finalized, and the deadline pressure only adds to the intrigue around whether Los Angeles makes a targeted swing or stands pat and trusts what it already has. [Read more 🡒]