Injuries have carved through the San Francisco 49ers, but the team remains perfect, despite its continual mounting losses.
Few 49ers fans imagined a 3-0 start was possible without quarterback Brock Purdy. Instead, the Niners haven't missed a beat without their offensive catalyst, and it looks like they won't be slowing down soon. Backup QB Mac Jones has come in and played very well with the loss of Purdy, while star running back Christian McCaffery has excelled as a dual-threat option.
The veteran RB isn't moving the ball as hoped, but paired with wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, the duo has led as the top pass-catchers on the team. McCaffrey has already tallied 213 receiving yards and a touchdown on 25 receptions, while Pearsall has 281 yards on 16 grabs.
That's the type of production the 49ers need, as tight end George Kittle remains on the injured reserve, and WR Jauan Jennings is still questionable.
Star defensive player Nick Bosa is the next name to be added to that list, having been lost for the year due to a torn ACL. In what otherwise would be a doom-and-gloom injury, the belief among many is that the 49ers will do what they continue to do and keep winning. They'll likely play Bryce Huff more alongside Mykel Williams and hope that those two can do enough collectively to replace the production of Bosa.
49ers Are Surviving Early Wave of Injuries Amid 3-0 Start
Honestly, with how banged up everyone is and how badly the 49ers are reeling from one major loss after another, the fact that this team is 3-0 is truly a best-case scenario. Not many teams can survive the loss of their starting quarterback, best pass-catcher, and best defensive player, and expect to come out the other side looking rosy. Yet, here we are.
The 49ers keep winning, and that's in part due to the coaching staff. Head coach Kyle Shanahan's crew has created a system on both sides of the ball that maximizes the talents of whomever is plugged in. While it's unfair to say that anyone can fill in for Purdy, Kittle, or Bosa, it's not untrue that the team can find guys who can do just enough to help keep their win-loss record going in their favor.
That being said, the 49ers have to get some things straightened out. Namely, the running game. With the injuries at hand, they'll need to lean on the running game more than not, and hope that McCaffery and company can help eat up minutes, giving the defense time to rest. If McCaffrey can bounce back, the 49ers may just be able to keep this winning streak going, regardless of the injuries in their lineup.