Panthers look like 1st real stress test for 49ers

SANTA CLARA

For the first time this season, the 49ers seem stressed.

They’ve rushed wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders into action, even though they traded for him less than a week ago. “He’s going to play a lot,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said Friday.

They have rushed 35-year-old left tackle Joe Staley back to the practice field from a broken fibula he suffered less than six weeks ago. They list him as doubtful for Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers, but won’t rule him out.

“Haven’t ruled him out because he does have a chance to play and I know how badly he wants to,” Shanahan said. “But we won’t make that decision until Sunday.”

It’s not clear how badly Staley wants to play. “Got to be smart,” he said Thursday in the locker room. “It’s a long season. We still have 10 games left.”

The 49ers also might rush their No. 2 tight end, Levine Toilolo, back from a groin injury because they need him to help the young, backup offensive tackles in pass protection. They list Toilolo as questionable.

“I know he’s going to give it his best,” Shanahan said of Toilolo on Friday. “Hopefully, he’ll heal up in the next day and a half.”

The 49ers haven’t acted like an undefeated team this week. They’ve acted threatened. Because they are threatened. The Panthers are good. They’ve won four games in a row with their backup quarterback, Kyle Allen, since starter Cam Newton injured his foot Week 2. The Panthers might be better without Newton. And they’re coming off a bye week. They’re the toughest opponent the 49ers have faced this season, and the 49ers are hurting.

The 49ers still should win, but not by much. The game will be close. The 49ers must do the following five things to beat the Panthers:

1. Establish the pass: The 49ers are a run-first team. But the past two games, they have averaged just 2.95 yards per carry, and their longest run has gained just 11 yards.

“We haven’t had an explosive run in the last two weeks,” Shanahan admitted. “Guys have been getting the hard, grimy yards.”

The ground game probably won’t perform well until Kyle Juszczyk, Mike McGlinchey and Staley return from injury. The 49ers haven’t had all three the past two games.

Given the run-game issues, Jimmy Garoppolo needs to carry the offense.

But so far this season, the offense has carried him. Garoppolo ranks 20th in quarterback rating (90.8), and 25th in passing yards per game (219). They need more from him against the Panthers.

In fairness to Garoppolo, he hasn’t had a consistently good wide receiver. That’s why the 49ers traded for Sanders, who certainly is good.

“He’s a playmaker,” Garoppolo said. “If you give him a chance on the ball, he’ll make you look good.

Give him a chance, Jimmy.

2. Throw deep: The past two seasons, the 49ers had an explosive offense - lots of long runs by Matt Breida and long catches by George Kittle.

Now, the offense mostly features short runs and short passes. Call it small ball.

“We’re trying not to turn it over,” Shanahan said.

And yet, Garoppolo has thrown six picks in six games.

The Panthers defense has intercepted nine passes, given up just seven touchdown throws and allowed an average quarterback rating of only 73.2 this season.

“They’ve got as good of a defense as I’ve seen on tape this year,” Shanahan said. “Reminds me a lot of ours.”

Big test for Garoppolo. The Panthers will try to take away the runs and short passes, and make Garoppolo throw long, something he has not done consistently well this season. He needs to complete those long passes.

3. Get Robbie Gould on track: Gould has the fourth-highest field goal percentage of all time. But he has missed seven field goals already this season, including one in each of the past three games.

Granted, last week the 49ers played in a rainstorm. The ball was heavy and waterlogged. Lots of kickers would have missed field goals in those conditions.

Still, Gould’s slump must end now. To beat the Panthers, the 49ers will need him to make all his field goals. The game could come down to one or two points.

Fortunately for Gould, his troubles may have ended. The 49ers have used three different long-snappers this season, because starter Kyle Nelson served a six-game suspension. Nelson will make his season debut against the Panthers.

4. Contain Christian McCaffrey: McCaffrey is the bulk of the Panthers’ offense. He has averaged 29 touches per game the past four weeks, and he’s fantastic running the ball and catching it.

“He reminds me of Marshall Faulk,” Shanahan said.

Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh must not let McCaffrey beat the 49ers. Saleh must force someone else, a lesser player, to try to beat them if he can.

Easier said than done.

The 49ers will have to load the box with lots of defenders and take away the running lanes. They also will have to find ways to cover McCaffrey on pass routes out of the backfield.

Usually, linebacker Kwon Alexander covers the opponent’s running back. But most linebackers can’t cover McCaffrey, because of his speed and shiftiness.

The 49ers might have to cover him with an extra safety or cornerback, meaning they might have to use a “dime” defense (six defensive backs and one linebacker) instead of a “nickel” defense (five defensive backs and two linebackers).

“We are mainly a nickel defense,” Saleh said. “Can we go dime? Absolutely.”

5. Put the game in Kyle Allen’s hands, then take it away from him: Allen probably will be the best quarterback the 49ers have faced this season.

He was an undrafted free agent in 2018 and has started only five games. But he’s undefeated, has never thrown an interception and his career quarterback rating is an impressive 107.9.

“He’s doing a really, really nice job commanding the offense, getting the ball where it needs to go, using his check downs,” Saleh said. “And he’s actually got more scramble ability than you’d think.”

Shanahan added one thing to Allen’s scouting report: “If you give him time in the pocket, he can make any throw.”

Translation: If you don’t give him time in the pocket, he crumbles. Allen has fumbled six times the past four games. The ball slips out of his hands like a wet bar of soap.

The 49ers need to force Allen to hold the ball just long enough to initiate big-time slippage on Sunday.