National Football League

Peter Schrager's Cheat Sheet: The 49ers can be dangerous if they get rolling

Updated Nov. 21, 2021 4:17 p.m. ET

By Peter Schrager
FOX Sports NFL Analyst

Welcome to the Week 11 edition of the Schrager Cheat Sheet.

Each week, I take a look at several things you need to know heading into the NFL weekend. This week, we look at how the San Francisco 49ers can be dangerous moving forward, ponder how the Tennessee Titans are winning despite a host of injuries, look at Tyreek Hill as the key to Chiefs' success and more.

1. Watch out for the ... 49ers?

It took nearly three months, but the 49ers we remembered from 2019 and were expecting in 2021 showed up Monday night against the Rams.

The score was 31-10, but it wasn't even that close. San Francisco threw things back to a bygone era of football and ran the ball 44 times, controlling the time of possession and truly sucking the life out of any opportunity for a Rams comeback. After an opening-drive interception, the Rams' offense had to watch the defense get pummeled and gashed for 18 plays over 11 minutes of football.

That drive was symbolic of so much more than the team's recent dominance over the Rams. It was a statement to the rest of the league that "Yes, we actually still can play and still can win this way. And we plan on doing it for years to come."

Remember, this is exactly how the 49ers marched through the NFC and got to the Super Bowl two seasons ago. Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman aren't walking through those doors, and injured Mike McGlinchey and retired Joe Staley aren't there to create holes.

But George Kittle is still there, Kyle Juszczyk is still there, Deebo Samuel is even better than he was that season, and Trent Williams is now mauling defenders. Shanahan's scheme — and the way the 49ers lean in to it — is still as scary an offensive attack as there is in the conference. When it gets rolling, there's nothing opponents can do.

At some point, Jimmy G is going to have to use his arm to win a game this season. But that was the case in 2019, too, and when they needed him most, Garoppolo went into New Orleans and threw for 349 yards in a 48-46 comeback win over the heavily favored Saints. That win gave the 49ers home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Until the need arises again, Jimmy just needs to be exactly what he was Monday, completing 15 of 19 passes for 182 yards and keeping the Rams' defense on its heels by presenting a competent passing threat.

The quarterback position will likely remain Jimmy's this season and, honestly, maybe even next season, too. He's under contract for 2022, and unless the 49ers feel entirely comfortable cutting bait and turning the page to Trey Lance, Garoppolo could still be the guy.

But after watching the Monday night thrashing of the Rams, I can't help but wonder what that offense would look like with a mobile quarterback at the switch. Whenever Lance is ready — and I get the feeling Shanahan & Co. are under zero pressure from upstairs to make that change prematurely — that running scheme is going to be all the more dangerous. Imagine Lance, who showed flashes of what he could do with his legs in the preseason, having the option to hand the ball off or take it himself for 20-30 yards in the open field.

I don't know what will happen from here on out for the 49ers in 2021. I'd like to see them play their young cornerbacks a bit more, see a receiver other than Samuel show some consistency and maybe see rookies Aaron Banks, Trey Sermon, and Ambry Thomas make some plays. But I also know that the offense they ran Monday is ultimately what they want to be — every game, every season. And when Lance is ready, it could be something very difficult to defend for a very long time.

2. What about the Titans?!

Last week, I wrote about what the Cardinals overcame in a victory in San Francisco. They had multiple stars out, a midgame injury from their starting running back and an overall expectation of defeat from those on the outside. None of that prevented Arizona, with big assists from Colt McCoy and Eno Benjamin, from earning a decisive win.

Earlier this week on my show "Good Morning Football," I ranted and raved that the Packers have been through so much, yet they are 8-2. I listed the injuries to Jaire Alexander, Za'Darius Smith, Robert Tonyan and now Aaron Jones and said that it's incredible for a team to be 8-2 despite all that adversity.

I thought that was that.

Then the Tennessee Titans' fan base shook me and my social media feed to its core. Yes, Titans fans, I hear you. And gosh, maybe I overlooked you and what your squad has endured.

Here is Tennessee's "look what we've overcome" résumé, folks, courtesy of @EastonFreeze, who broke it down as such:

The Titans:

— Have 20 players on injured reserve (most in the NFL)

— Have dressed more than 80 players this season (most)

— Have 260 player games lost due to injury (most)

Easton also notes, "Tennessee is the most injured team in the NFL, and yet they’re the AFC #1 seed after playing the hardest SOS."

Easton is right, and when you look at some of the stuff on Reddit about just how banged up the Titans are and just how little they have whined about it, it's pretty awesome.

Yes, they're without an MVP candidate in Derrick Henry. And yes, they're out a future Hall of Famer in Julio Jones. But it goes so far beyond those absences.

Taylor Lewan, arguably the best left tackle in football, has missed three games. Bud Dupree, the team's biggest free-agent signing, has missed four games. Every inside linebacker — David Long, Jayon Brown, Rashaan Evans, and Monty Rice — has missed at least two games. Amani Hooker, the starting safety, has missed five games. And their expected two starting cornerbacks — first-round pick Caleb Farley and 2020 second-round pick Kristian Fulton — have missed a combined 13 games out of a possible 20.

A.J. Brown has battled injury and played through a plethora of obstacles, Marcus Johnson (who had a big play Sunday) has missed four games, and the special teams have been a rotating door.

Despite all of this, the Titans are 8-2, with six wins over playoff teams from a year ago. Yes, they've been through some stuff, too.

3. Feed the cheetah

It's not some statistical coincidence anymore in K.C. When Tyreek Hill gets the ball, the Chiefs win. When he doesn't, they lose. All those "Are the Chiefs broken?" conversations dissipated this week after a 41-17 win, and I think it's because Hill got going early, and the team followed his lead.

Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are going to the Hall of Fame one day. I think Hill is well on his way, too. And this year, more than ever, his impact on the offense and the direct result of his performances can be felt in the standings.

Consider this: In Kansas City's six wins this season, Hill has averaged nine catches and 112.2 yards while scoring eight touchdowns.

In the four losses? Hill has averaged 5.3 receptions and 45.5 yards with zero touchdowns.

On Sunday in Las Vegas, it seemed like Mahomes was looking for Hill early and often. I'd expect more of that this week versus the Cowboys, even if Trevon Diggs is matched up with him one-on-one.

Are the Chiefs back and here to stay?

Emmanuel Acho explains why the Super Bowl Chiefs are back to being the class of the AFC after blowing out the Raiders.

4. Forget the QB spot for a moment ... what's up with the Jets' defense?

The big story in New York City this week is that the Jets are starting Joe Flacco at quarterback on Sunday against the Dolphins. It's confusing for some and maddening for others. And I could write 500 words on the psychology behind it, an argument against it or just a long diatribe on why it was wrong to throw Zach Wilson into the fire in Week 1, anyway.

But I'm not sure any of that matters.

We could see the 2013 version of Flacco, and the Jets will still be doomed Sunday, Monday or any day they play if the defense continues to be as putrid as it has been.

The Jets are in the midst of a historically bad run of defensive ineptitude. New York's defense has allowed 175 points in its past four games. That's the second-most points allowed in any four-game span dating to 1970 (the Titans allowed 177 in a four-game stretch in 2004). Football Perspective, a site I enjoy, had the factoid that the Jets have thrown 7.5% of all interceptions thrown in the league this season but have intercepted only 0.8% of interceptions thrown.

The defense is as bad as I've seen a Jets unit in my years covering the league. And I've seen some awful Jets units on both sides of the ball.

The alarming thing, of course, is that Robert Saleh is a defensive coach.

I can't even start to answer all the emails and tweets I get each week about what's going on in and around Florham Park this season, but I'm hopeful that this is a one-year transition period.

The Jets have a ton of draft capital and a ton to spend on free agency next season. Players were very eager to play for Saleh when he arrived, but the true test will be what happens this offseason. Will players want to come? Will the right players be selected? I look at the Patriots, who had just one year of missing the playoffs and are suddenly right back in the mix of things after a big free-agent period and an incredible draft.

Could that be the Jets next season? Their fans have been waiting decades for an offseason such as that.

Too much excitement over Zach Wilson?

Colin Cowherd explains why the New York Jets need to slow down on the Zach Wilson hype.

5. Zac Taylor is a big craps guy. Who knew?!

My favorite sound bite of the week came from usually not-very-sound-bite-friendly Zac Taylor, the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals. Taylor said Wednesday that when he goes to Las Vegas, he typically doesn't go to shows, doesn't go to clubs, doesn't go to the pool — he just plays craps the entire time he's there.

Zac, I had no idea you were my best friend.

I'm not particularly a "Vegas guy" myself. I prefer movies about Las Vegas to the actual place. I once lost my wallet in one of those nightclubs with bottle service, and I think I'm scarred from the blasting ZEDD or TIESTO that was pulsing through my brain in the weeks that followed.

But I do love a great run at the craps table. I'd argue there's nothing better than going with a few friends, throwing some dice around and making new friends in the process. I love the whole thing, with new guys and gals coming into play, adding to the party and, of course, ultimately cursing out the person who shows up and immediately rolls a 7.

I don't have many bad memories from playing craps. I still don't even know how to play craps.

But I'm with Zac Taylor.

And I always get sunburned or self-conscious at the pool. Like Taylor, I don't exactly look like Kliff Kingsbury or Sean McVay.

Peter Schrager is an NFL writer for FOX Sports and a host of "Good Morning Football" on NFL Network.