SANTA CLARA — Here are the top things we’re learning Wednesday at 49ers headquarters ahead of this Sunday’s home game against the undefeated Los Angeles Rams:
MORE MOSTERT: One of the big surprises Monday night — before the stunning finish in a 33-30 defeat at Green Bay — was Raheem Mostert replacing Alfred Morris as the No. 2 running back and churning out a career-best game. Coach Kyle Shanahan wouldn’t commit Wednesday to Mostert remaining Matt Breida’s top backup, although he didn’t rule it out heading into Sunday’s game.
“I don’t think it was a permanent change. It was what we thought was best for that game,” Shanahan said.
Mostert excelled last week in practice while Breida sat out with a sprained ankle, and, in the process, answered Shanahan’s plea to seize the opportunity and improve ball security. Mostert lost a fumble on his first carry after Breida’s injury the previous game, a 28-18 loss to Arizona
“(Shanahan) talked to me, ‘Raheem I’m going to need you to step up, focus more on ball control. I know you don’t get many reps in practice, but when you do, you have to make them count,’ ” Mostert rehashed. “That’s one thing I focused on, making my reps fully count no matter how many I got, and to control the ball.
“He knew I can be a better back than what I displayed against Arizona.”
Mostert responded with 12 carries for 87 yards, and Shanahan was convinced to play him more than Morris (0 carries) was because of how Mostert gained a few extra yards after initial contact on his first carry, an 8-yard run. “The way he practiced, it was extremely obvious to all the players and coaches how locked in he was, how up to the challenge he was,” Shanahan said.
Mostert’s speed has been most utilized on special teams coverage units. Prior to last game, he had six carries for 30 yards in 2017 and 6 carries for 11 yards this season. Then came Monday night’s breakout performance in a 33-30 loss to the Packers.
“He’s got a great feel for running in the wide-zone scheme, being able to press it outside and one-gap at a time,” Rams coach Sean McVay said Wednesday on a media conference call. “He definitely did a great job, and it was a credit to Kyle getting him in those good looks.”
NO QB COMPETITION: Before Tom Savage debuted in his No. 14 jersey for scout-team work, Shanahan reiterated to the media that C.J. Beathard is the starter and Nick Mullens remains the undisputed (and unchallenged) No. 2 quarterback.
“In order to have guys compete to be a backup player, that’d means I’d have to give them reps over our starting quarterback, and that’s not something anyone would ever do this time of year,” Shanahan said. “By no means are we trying to have a No. 2 quarterback competition battle right now.”
Savage, 28, won 2 of 9 starts for the Houston Texans the past three years. Although he completed 74.2 percent of his passes for the New Orleans Saints in three exhibitions, he hasn’t played in a regular-season game since sustaining a concussion against the 49ers on Dec. 10. He appeared to experience a seizure on that hit by Elvis Dumervil and briefly returned to the game before doctors wised up and pulled him.
“It was a long (recovery) process,” Savage said. “The league does a good job with concussions and make sure people don’t go back out there until they’re ready. I’m all healthy, 100 percent and ready to go.”
While Savage learns Shanahan’s system, Mullens still has his coach’s strong backing. “(Mullens) knows our offense and how to line guys up and has played in it has done a lot of good things where our team has confidence in him,” Shanahan added.
FINAL PLAY: That third-and-3 interception on the 49ers final offensive snap is still a hot topic. Shanahan said after the game that C.J. Beathard had four other options to consider. Beathard’s response Wednesday: “Schematically, there was (better options). But it’s tough to say in that situation. Obviously if I could do it over, I’d go somewhere else with it. It’s tough to say watching the tape.”
Beathard adjusted Goodwin’s route at the line of scrimmage, expecting the cornerback to sit low for a potential slant route.
“Obviously it didn’t work so it’s tough,” Beathard said. “If you hit it, it’s a good play. But if you don’t, it’s not.”
SECONDARY UPDATE: Cornerbacks Jimmie Ward (hamstring) and K’Waun Williams (shoulder) left the 49ers practice field to do side work as Wednesday’s practice began.
Greg Mabin struggled as Ward’s replacement in the fourth quarter. Said Shanahan: “It was a tough position for Mabin. He’s done a lot of good things for us. I know he was disappointed in that last drive, obviously, but I’ve seen Aaron (Rodgers) and Davante (Adams) do that to a number of people, too.”
Mabin practiced last week as the top backup ahead of Ahkello Witherspoon, who played no defensive snaps and sustained a concussion trying to block a field goal. Witherspoon was stretching with the team Wednesday.
Meanwhile, safety Marcell Harris (hamstring) made his season debut on the practice field, and the sixth-round draft pick has three weeks to prove he’s worth bringing off injured reserve as one of their two possible activations.
TURNOVER TALK: The 49ers have the league’s worst turnover ratio (minus-11). The offense has yielded eight interceptions (five off Beathard, three off Jimmy Garoppolo) and six lost fumbles (2 by Beathard, one apiece by Alfred Morris, Raheem Mostert, Kyle Juszczyk and D.J. Reed). The 49ers defense has managed just one interception (Antone Exum) and two fumble recoveries (Richard Sherman, Cassius Marsh).
So how susceptible are the Rams to helping the 49ers? Jared Goff has had five passes intercepted in the past five games, but the Rams have lost only one fumble, by Todd Gurley.
SUNDAY PREVIEW: The Rams offense is dominating the headlines. So how does their defense look with a few new additions this season?
“Schematically, there’s not much (different). Personnel wise they’ve got different players, for sure,” Beathard said. “They’re a real good defense with real good players. It’s going to be a good matchup for us. We’ll just have to have a good week of practice then go into the game and execute well.”
The kickoff time got flexed from 5:20 p.m. to 1:25 p.m., so the 49ers are expected to hold a morning ceremony outside the stadium unveiling a statue depicting “The Catch.” It’s also color-rush, throwback jersey night, as the Rams hyped up on Twitter on Wednesday with a photo from last year’s all-yellow uniforms they won in 41-39 at Levi’s Stadium in Week 3.
🔜 Color Rush in San Fran 😍 pic.twitter.com/zxMH13s106
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) October 17, 2018
