Healthy 49ers have actually gotten better through injury adversity

It has been unfamiliar terrain for the 49ers, having all these balanced bodies for a stretch run that could guide to Tremendous Bowl LVII.

No one is going to chat about it considerably, for panic of the other shoe dropping to the turf after the loss of a essential participant.

But let’s encounter it: A franchise that in some a long time has regarded as by itself cursed has develop into blessed when it will come to a component that can make or break a year.

How blessed are the 49ers when it arrives to accidents?

Have you ever listened to of a team that missing two starting off quarterbacks in the similar season and then got much better at the time they had been changed?

Which is proper. Acquired far better. Enhanced. Saw the top quality of offensive enjoy elevated to one thing exactly where it was not moments in advance of.

That is no knock on Trey Lance or Jimmy Garoppolo. Lance, immediately after a tiny sample size, looked as if there were some rising pains on the horizon right before likely out in 7 days 2 in opposition to Seattle with a broken ankle.

Enter Garoppolo, who concluded off the Seattle match as if he hadn’t essentially missed all of instruction camp, predictably receded in a Week 3 11-10 decline to Chicago, and then guided the 49ers to an 8-4 history in advance of breaking his foot from Miami.

Enter Brock Purdy, and you know how which is heading just after a 41-23 wild card round earn over Seattle Saturday. at Levi’s Stadium.

Purdy stared down the zero-blitzing Dolphins on Dec. 4 and has been a revelation ever considering that not only with his capacity to execute Kyle Shanahan’s offense, but with a creative imagination that was overseas to either of his predecessors.

Give Shanahan credit score for altering his offense on the fly from Lance to Garoppolo and Garoppolo to Purdy. The 49ers ended up wise to hold on to Garoppolo in camp fairly than set him no cost, because who is aware of when Purdy was really completely ready to do what he’s accomplishing now?

But a great deal of it is simply superior luck, and it is unfold all about the roster. The only starter missing for the season was cornerback Emmanuel Moseley with a torn ACL on Oct. 9 in Carolina. It was and is a major loss.

That is been the extent of it however, as injured 49ers have not only arrive back again, but returned in major sort. Going into the Seattle activity, the 49ers weren’t sure if guard Aaron Banking companies (knee/ankle) and linebacker Dre Greenlaw (again) would be obtainable. Banks played each and every snap and Greenlaw missed one particular.

That is the way it’s gone for the 49ers in 2022, with a roll call of wounded gamers who arrived back to lead:

Large receiver Deebo Samuel: Samuel was disconsolate when taken off on a cart on Dec. 11 from Tampa Bay, imagining he was carried out for the 12 months. He ended up missing a few games with MCL and ankle sprains and caught 6 passes for 133 yards and a 74-yard touchdown in opposition to Seattle. It was his best activity of the season.

Defensive deal with Arik Armstead: Skipped seven online games with a anxiety fracture in the vicinity of his left ankle and plantar fasciitis in his appropriate foot. Did not perform from Oct. 3 to Dec. 4 and has been a towering anchor at 6-foot-7, 290 pounds ever considering that. Mr. Within to Nick Bosa’s Mr. Outside.

Defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw: Ended last time on injured reserve with a chronically poor knee which demanded medical procedures. Went back again on on I.R. just after Week 3 and didn’t return until eventually Week 16. Played 30 snaps towards Seattle and recovery has been a pleasant surprise.

Offensive deal with Trent Williams: When Williams went down in 7 days 3 in Denver, the 49ers promptly feared the worst. But in its place of an ACL sprain, Williams had a substantial ankle sprain. Normally a six- to eight-week personal injury, Williams was again right after lacking a few online games and was a 1st-crew All-Pro for the second straight calendar year.

Tight finish George Kittle: Kittle came out of training camp with a groin strain, skipped the 1st two online games of the season and wasn’t himself on return. But the existing edition of Kittle has improved steadily and is considerably healthier than the one particular who went into the playoffs a 12 months in the past. The explosion is again and he’s acquired a sturdy relationship with Purdy with 7 touchdown receptions in the very last four standard season online games.

Defensive again Jimmie Ward: The 49ers free of charge security joined Kittle on the sidelines with a hamstring strain to open the period. In the meantime, the 49ers signed Tashaun Gipson, who played effectively sufficient together with Talanoa Hufanga that it pushed Ward to nickel back upon return. Ward quickly broke his hand covering a kick in 7 days 5. He skipped just 1 much more video game.

Functioning back again Elijah Mitchell: Has been on I.R. with an MCL strain not as soon as, but 2 times, and returned equally moments. Capability to lose tackles and develop inside of is obvious when wholesome. Has 279 yards and averaging 6.2 yards for each carry. Had a rough go on the floor in opposition to Seattle (nine carries, two yards) but caught two passes for 25 yards, 1 which established up a landing and other a 7-property landing.

Offensive deal with Mike McGlinchey: A torn quadriceps cost McGlinchey the ultimate 9 online games of the 2021 time as nicely as the postseason. The injury was serious sufficient he was by no implies a sure matter in the course of education camp, but he hasn’t skipped a sport this year, and he’s overcome a rib damage in the method.

That listing doesn’t even include gamers this kind of as linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair and reserve lineman Colton McKivitz, both equally of whom had four-video game stints on I.R. and are back in the fold.

Though not really as dramatic as what’s happened with the quarterbacks, the injuries to Mitchell and Ward truly improved the group alternatively than detract from it.

Mitchell’s initial absence aided thrust the 49ers towards getting a severe seem at trading for Christian McCaffrey, who grew to become the dominant offensive player down the extend. If Mitchell was churning out yardage with Jeff Wilson Jr. in reserve, there is no promise the 49ers depart with all people draft picks to deliver in McCaffrey.