![]() ![]() ![]() He carried the ball just twice against the Rams. Like he did in last year’s NFC Championship Game against the Rams, he caught a short pass and turned it into his particular magic. Monday, the 49ers went back to wide receiver screens and slant routes - action away from the line of scrimmage where the space he needs is scarce. He eventually signed a three-year contract extension worth up to $73.5 million for this uniqueness.īut if the secret sauce is to get Samuel in open space, throwing him the ball might still be the best way. Samuel is an anomaly, fast enough to run routes and break free, physical enough for Shanahan to use on end-arounds and off-tackle runs. The accepted term is “wide back.” His short career has proven him to be the antithesis of the diva receiver who plays a finesse game and avoids contact. The offseason saga surrounding his contract was about Samuel getting the value he felt he deserved as a receiver who doubles as a running back. But after a couple of runs on Monday, totaling 2 yards, the 49ers abandoned that element of Samuel’s game. He had eight rushes and seven targets in Week 1, four rushes and six targets in Week 2, and five rushes with eight targets in Week 3. The first three games, Samuel was as much a running back as a receiver. But his dominance of the Rams’ defense was a bit of a throwback. After losing two of their first three games because the offense couldn’t get going, coach Kyle Shanahan knew the assignment. ![]() It’s a proven antidote for their offensive woes. Samuel’s hands were clearly the focus of the 49ers’ offense. With the way the defense was playing, it was all San Francisco needed in the 24-9 win Monday night.ĭEEBO WAS RUNNINNNNN #LARvsSF on /ca842lL7ZJ The 57-yard touchdown put the 49ers up 14-6. “I don’t know what he was doing,” Samuel said of Ramsey. Deebo ripped through Ramsey’s diving grab like tallgrass in a prairie. But Ramsey wasn’t hopping in front of No. All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey, known as much for his bravado as his skills, was the Rams’ only hope to slow Samuel, to keep this to just a big gain. The 6-foot, 215-pound Samuel shifted gears and had the wind at his back. “Get the ball in his hands,” Jimmy Garoppolo said, “and let him get some space, good things are going to happen.” When he is free and running, the 49ers are soaring. The ball in his hands, and room to run, have been the special ingredients that turned Samuel into an NFL star. ![]()
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