SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers finally got some good news on the injury front, with receiver Mike Evans and left tackle Trent Williams both having a chance to play this week after being sidelined in a win over the Arizona Cardinals.
Coach Kyle Shanahan said Williams should be back at practice on Thursday after leaving the game with a stinger, and Evans will be evaluated throughout the week after hurting his ribs in the first half
of San Francisco's 36-30 win over the Cardinals on Sunday. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw will also be evaluated this week after leaving the game with a bruised quadriceps.
“It shouldn’t be long-term,” coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday about Evans. “We’ve got to see how it goes throughout the week. Guys have been in this position before, so we’ll see how it goes.”
There was initially more concern about Evans after he appeared to be in serious pain after being hit late in the first half. Evans is off to a strong start in his first season with San Francisco with 12 catches for 137 yards and two TDs.
Evans has helped the 49ers (3-0) get off to a fast start despite losing several key players to injuries, including fellow receivers Ricky Pearsall, De'Zhaun Stribling and Demarcus Robinson.
The Niners' offense hasn't shown any ill effects from those absences. The team has scored touchdowns on 48.2% of its possessions this season for the highest mark through three games since at least 2000.
Quarterback Brock Purdy has led the way and still has plenty of good options in tight end George Kittle, running back Christian McCaffrey and receiver Deebo Samuel thanks to a deep roster put together by Shanahan and general manager John Lynch.
“That's the standard that Kyle and John has built around (here), just the next guy up mentality,” Samuel said. “From top to bottom, it is just the way we practice and the way we play the game.”
Purdy's passing. Purdy once again performed at a high level, throwing four touchdown passes and posting his third straight game with a passer rating of at least 100. Purdy's 10 total touchdowns this season are tied with Steve Young (1998) and Frankie Albert (1948) for the most in franchise history through three games. He leads the NFL with a 133.1 passer rating.
Defense getting off the field. The Cardinals went 9 for 18 on third down and had two more fourth-down conversions as the San Francisco defense struggled to get off the field. Arizona had four drives of at least 12 plays. The Niners have allowed seven drives of at least 12 plays so far this season, tied for the second most through three games since 2000.
Offensive line. The Niners haven't allowed a sack all season, marking the first time a team has done that through three games since Cincinnati in 2014. While Purdy gets much of the credit with his quick decision-making and elusiveness in the pocket, the line has also fared well early in the season. This is the first time San Francisco has gone three straight games without allowing a sack since 1979.
Special teams. A few blunders in the kicking game helped Arizona get back into the game in the second half. A punt hit blocker Siran Neal in the leg, leading to a muff that set up a 28-yard touchdown drive. Eddy Pineiro missed two extra points, giving him a league-high six missed PATs since joining the 49ers last season.
DE Mykel Williams will have his 21-day practice window opened this week as he works back from knee surgery a year ago. Williams is eligible to play any time after Week 4. ... DE Romello Height (broken hand) should return this week, but DE Nick Bosa (calf) and DT James Thompson Jr. (ankle) will remain sidelined.
4 — San Francisco has had only four offensive plays go for negative yards so far this season, excluding kneel-downs, after McCaffrey and Kaelon Black each were stuffed on one run Sunday. That's the fewest negative plays through three games in at least the past 20 seasons, besting the previous mark of five held by the 2015 and '16 Raiders.
The 49ers host Denver on Sunday night in search of their fifth 4-0 start in the Super Bowl era. They made the Super Bowl three of the previous four times.
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