49ers News: We’re on to New England

49ers DT Javon Hargrave has partially torn right triceps

“Shanahan also indicated there’s an outside chance Hargrave could return but acknowledged the Niners would need to make a deep postseason run for that to be possible.

“When you get surgery that’s usually a few months at least,” Shanahan said. “If there was a chance, it would have to be late in the playoffs.”

Shanahan explains why Purdy hesitated on potential Aiyuk TD vs. Rams

“Aiyuk changed his route because he recognized the Rams’ mistake. Purdy saw Aiyuk, but he had to process whether there was a safety lurking in the vicinity.

Purdy ended up holding onto the ball, scrambling back to his right and throwing a pass to Jauan Jennings for a 5-yard gain.

“B.A. had a deep curl route and they busted a coverage, so B.A. did the right thing and took off and went to that hole,” Shanahan explained Monday on a conference call with Bay Area reporters.

“It kind of caught Brock by surprise because B.A. was No. 2 in the progression. When he looked to him, he wasn’t in the right spot because they busted a coverage.”

When Aiyuk continued down the field in hopes of taking advantage of the Rams’ defensive error, it caused uncertainty for Purdy, Shanahan said.

Shanahan explained that in the coverage the 49ers recognized, the corner on Aiyuk’s side should have played the deep half of the field. Instead, the corner played the shallow route and the Rams did not have a safety over the top to play the deep ball on that side.

“He wasn’t anticipating that to happen,” Shanahan said of Purdy. “It would’ve worked, obviously, if he let it go, but that happens sometimes. The defense busts a coverage and if you’re not looking at the guy the whole time, all of a sudden it turns into a go-route and you can’t always just let it rip.”

49ers’ De’Vondre Campbell, $5M replacement for Dre Greenlaw, could be replaced (paywall)

“Campbell has been targeted with 12 passes this season and allowed 10 receptions for 87 yards, according to ProFootballReference.com. On Sunday, after Winters was injured, Campbell was in coverage on running back Kyren Williams’ 15-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter. In the final minute, Campbell was flagged for a 25-yard, pass-interference penalty at the 49ers’ 25-yard line that set the stage for a game-winning, 37-yard field goal two snaps later.

Shanahan likened the timeshare the 49ers envisioned with Campbell and Winters to what they employed at strong safety when Talanoa Hufanga missed the first two games. George Odum started both games, but rookie Malik Mustapha spelled him in a Week 2 loss at Minnesota and played 31 snaps, eight more than Odum. On Sunday, when Hufanga played 53 of 58 snaps, Mustapha replaced him for the five snaps he was on the sideline.

Shanahan said Winters was day to day with his ankle injury, which is an indication he could practice this week. He indicated Greenlaw wouldn’t return before midseason, the timeframe he said he was given by the medical staff before the start of the season.”

Kyle Shanahan reflects on 49ers’ Week 3 loss vs. Rams

“San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke with reporters during a conference call on Monday, the day after the team’s 27-24 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Here’s everything he shared.”

PFF’s best and worst graded 49ers players vs. Rams, plus snap counts

“His 91.1 Pro Football Focus grade was the highest of any player in the game and his best since Week 10 of last season against the Jacksonville Jaguars, when he scored a 91.7 grade. Purdy was the highest-graded quarterback in Week 3…..Defensive tackle Maliek Collins recorded the highest grade among his defensive teammates, tying with Javon Hargrave for the team lead with five pressures. Collins also notched his first sack as a Niner, earning a team-high 83.5 pass-rush grade.

Safety Ji’Ayir Brown was the top-graded defensive back in the game, with a respectable 75.7 coverage grade and an impressive, team-leading 80.8 tackling grade. His 71.6 overall grade marked his highest of the season.”