A 29-20 loss to the Atlanta Falcons is the kind of result the San Francisco 49ers need to file away and move past fast. The game was messy, full of self-inflicted mistakes, and not exactly the kind of performance that calls for a sweeping overreaction, especially with the bye week here.
Still, there is one adjustment that stands out above the rest: the 49ers need to start playing rookie Ephesians Prysock over Jack Jones.
Jones simply hasn’t given San Francisco enough reason to keep sending him out there. His Week 1 showing against the Los Angeles Rams looked like a bright spot, but that game appears to have been the exception rather than the rule. What showed up against the Falcons looked much more like the player he’s been over the course of his career.
Every time the ball found Jones, it seemed like a flag followed. It would not have been surprising if the Falcons made a point of testing him because they knew a penalty could come with it. That’s a smart way to attack a defender who keeps putting his team behind the chains.
When an offense is happy to see a corner on the field, that’s a bad sign. Jones has become that kind of presence.
Prysock comes with his own questions, of course. He hasn’t played this season and missed time in training camp because of an injury.
But unlike Jones, he at least offers something San Francisco can build on. He’s a rookie, which means there’s room for growth, development, and mistakes that actually serve a purpose.
Jones, on the other hand, doesn’t give the 49ers any long-term value. There’s no future with him in San Francisco, so why not use those snaps on Prysock instead?
Even if the team doesn’t want to make a full switch right away, splitting the reps makes sense. If the game gets out of hand, that’s the time to let Prysock get work over Jones. It would give Kyle Shanahan and Raheem Morris a chance to see what he can handle without putting him in the fire of a tight game.
The best approach is simple: find the right moments to put Prysock on the field when the 49ers need a fourth cornerback. At this point, that has to be better than continuing to roll with Jones, who has turned into a penalty machine.
In Other News...
49ers Bye Week Could Clarify A Return Picture Fans Need To See
The bye week arrives at a useful time for a 49ers team that has spent much of the first half juggling injuries, roster moves and the expectation that help is still on the way. San Francisco is using the break to reset physically and sort through a return picture that includes several important names, with the hope that the roster looks a lot healthier once the season resumes.
There is still some uncertainty in the timing, though, especially for the players fans are watching most closely. Deebo Samuel is part of that recovery conversation, but his hamstring situation may require a little more patience even after the break, while the 49ers are particularly eager to see one of their defensive leaders get through the extra week in good shape. Other injured players remain further away, leaving the team to balance short-term caution with the need to get stronger for the second half. [Read more 🡒]
Kyle Shanahan Heads Into Bye With A 49ers Problem He Must Fix
The 49ers have spent much of the early season trying to build on clean, efficient football, but the last two weeks have complicated that picture. After standing as the leagues least-penalized team through Week 5, San Francisco suddenly looked sloppier in back-to-back games, with discipline issues becoming a more visible part of the conversation as the offense and defense both fought through a rough stretch.
Kyle Shanahan now gets the bye week to sort out a problem that has started to chip away at the Niners edge. Penalties are rarely the flashiest issue on a contender, but they can quickly become one when they alter drives, extend possessions and force a team to play from behind. For a San Francisco group that still has bigger goals in front of it, the coming week offers a needed reset before the season resumes. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Keep Running Into The Same Problem On Offense
The 49ers have spent much of this season trying to piece together an offense that can stay intact long enough to find a rhythm, and Mike Evans has become a central part of that equation. Injuries have already forced San Francisco to navigate stretches without Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle, leaving the unit short on the kind of playmaking and stability that usually keeps it on schedule. Even with the bye week offering a reset and a chance to get some bodies back, the bigger concern is whether the group can finally look like a whole offense for more than a brief stretch.
What has made the situation so frustrating is how dependent the 49ers have become on Evans being available and productive. When he is on the field, the offense can look far more balanced and dangerous, but every absence seems to expose the same familiar issues in protection, timing and finishing drives. The coming weeks will tell a lot about whether San Francisco can finally escape that cycle, or whether it is going to keep leaning on a few key names just to keep the attack moving. [Read more 🡒]