San Francisco, CA
2024 Rams opponent breakdown: San Francisco 49ers, Week 3
2023
A five-game win streak to open the season got the 49ers off to a strong start. Although they experienced a three-game losing streak after that stretch to go into their Week 9 bye 5-3 overall, whatever corrections made over the break were effective, as they ripped six consecutive wins upon returning from it.
San Francisco’s 27-10 victory over the Washington Commanders allowed it to clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoff picture in Week 17, and consequently rest the majority of its starts in the following week’s regular season finale against the Rams.
As is the case with any team, staying healthy played a big part in the 49ers’ success. The loss of third-year safety Talanoa Hufanga – who was coming off a breakout First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl season in 2022 – was big for their defense, but otherwise their major contributors were consistently available throughout the course of the season.
The 49ers dispatched the Packers in the Divisional Round and Lions in the NFC Championship to reach Super Bowl LVIII, where they fell to the Chiefs 25-22 in overtime on Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ game-winning, 3-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Mecole Hardman.
Key Changes
The biggest ones came on the defensive side of the ball.
San Francisco parted ways with defensive coordinator Steve Wilks after just one season and went internal for his replacement, promoting defensive pass game specialist & nickels coach Nick Sorensen to the role.
The 49ers also hired former Chargers head coach Brandon Staley as assistant head coach/defense.
In free agency, the 49ers signed former Bills and Rams outside linebacker Leonard Floyd to a 2-year deal.
In the draft, they used their first-round pick (31st overall) on Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, and grabbed Louisville running back Isaac Guerendo – whose 4.33-second 40-yard dash ranked fastest among all participants at that position – in the fourth round.
Head coach
Kyle Shanahan enters his eighth season as head coach of the 49ers, compiling a 64-51 regular season record and 8-4 playoff record through his first seven years.
What to watch for
What the 49ers defense will look like in 2024
That’s not to suggest San Francisco will do a complete schematic overhaul for that unit – especially after promoting from within for its new defensive coordinator – but Sorenson will likely have a different vision for the defense than Wilks did.
From a personnel standpoint, the 49ers will still carry over many of the familiar contributors like Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw and Javon Hargrave, among others.
They will also have continuity offensively as well with Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle still around. All of them were focal points of the NFL’s No. 2 total offense and No. 3 scoring offense last season, which will provide a good early test for a young Rams defense embarking on the first season of the post-Aaron Donald era.
Beyond that, it’s always exciting to have a rivalry game this early in the season. Week 3 should be a great matchup.
San Francisco, CA
Which San Francisco Giants Prospects Are Real Depth vs. Marketing Names
The San Francisco Giants are likely to break camp with one of their top prospects on the 26-man roster. But they’re all getting plenty of work in camp.
The thing is, just because a prospect doesn’t make a 26-man opening day roster doesn’t mean they can’t help a Major League team at some point in the season. Others, for now, are working on developing talent.
In this exercise, five prospects that are part of Major League camp were selected to determine if they’re real depth this season or if they’re marketing names — for now. Marketing names can become real depth before one knows it, such as the first Giants prospect listed.
Bryce Eldridge: Real Depth
Eldridge has nothing left to prove at the minor league level after he was selected in the first round in the 2023 MLB draft. Back then, he was the classic example of a marketing name, one that creates buzz in the organization and with fans.
But, after more than two years of development and a taste of the Majors, he’s real depth. He’s expected to make the opening day roster and share time at first base and designated hitter with Rafael Devers, one of the game’s most established sluggers.
On Wednesday, he hit his first spring training home run, one of three in the 13-12 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.
Blake Tidwell: Real Depth
Tidwell was acquired from the New York Mets in July in the Tyler Rogers trade. He only pitched in four games for the Mets, so he still has prospect status. But that MLB service time, combined with his early impressions in camp, make him real depth for a team that only has one or two spots available on the pitching staff.
Tidwell may not make the team out of camp for opening day. But he’s one of those prospects that could make his way to San Francisco during the season due to injury or underperformance. It’s an example of using the time in spring training wisely and paving the way for a future promotion.
Will Bednar: Real Depth
The Giants have been waiting for their first-round pick in the 2021 MLB draft to pay off, and this might be the year that Will Bednar finally makes the jump to the Majors. He’s in Major League camp and he’s been converted into a reliever in the past couple of seasons.
He went 2-3 with a 5.68 ERA in 38 games, his full season as a reliever. But he’s impressed the new coaching staff during camp and there’s enough buzz around him to consider him a potential call-up during the season. He’s in his fifth professional season so the Rule 5 draft is a consideration this coming offseason.
Parks Harber: Marketing Name
For now, the young third baseman is going to create a lot of buzz in the farm system in 2026, but he isn’t a threat to anyone’s job yet. Picked up in the Camilo Doval trade, he only has 102 minor league games under his belt after he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New York Yankees. He got his first spring training hit on Wednesday. His career slash of .312/.413/.528 is encouraging but he hasn’t played higher than High-A Eugene.
Bo Davidson: Marketing Name
The Giants signed Davidson as an undrafted free agent and he’s starting to generate real buzz in spring training as a non-roster invitee. He’s not quite real depth yet because he has yet to play above Double-A Richmond. But the way he’s playing in the spring he should be at Sacramento sometime this season, which puts him in the position to be real depth.
He’s hit well at every stop, but he showed off more power than ever last season. He hit a career-best 18 home runs and 70 RBI as he slashed .281/.376/.468. He played 42 games at Richmond last season.
San Francisco, CA
Three Takeaways as Giants Suffer First Spring Training Loss of Campaign
The San Francisco Giants weren’t giving up that undefeated spring training slate without a fight, apparently.
Wednesday’s game between the Giants and the Milwaukee Brewers came down to a raucous ninth inning that saw the two teams combine for seven runs. Milwaukee had the final at-bat and rallied to win, 13-12.
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A lot happened in this one, not the least of which was Harrison Bader’s home run putting a dent in a food truck.
Here are three important takeaways from the game.
Adrian Houser’s Giants Debut
Before this game got out of hand, Adrian Houser made his first spring training start and looked solid.
He pitched two innings, giving up three hits, one run and one walk. He also allowed a home run. He threw 36 pitches, 23 of which were strikes. The right-hander figures to be the third or fourth starter in the rotation, depending upon how San Francisco wants to line up Houser and Tyler Mahle behind Logan Webb and Robbie Ray.
Houser resurrected his career last season with the Chicago White Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays, as he combined to go 8-5 with a 3.31 ERA in 21 starts, with 92 strikeouts and 38 walks in 125 innings. It was his best season since going 10-6 with Milwaukee in 2021.
Power Surge
The Giants are looking for more slug in their lineup in 2026. Part of that is a long-term project that included signing Willy Adames last offseason and trading for Rafael Devers last June. Both hit at least 30 home runs last season. That’s sustainable power for San Francisco. But they could use more and some of that was on display in Wednesday’s game.
Bader’s home run got a lot of attention. But two other Giants hit home runs, each slugging their first of spring training. Luis Matos, an outfielder that was the designated hitter, slammed one in the second inning. Then, Bryce Eldridge, who played first base, hit one in the third inning.
San Francisco’s ability to compete offensively with the top teams in the National League won’ just hinge on Adames and Devers. It will hinge on what others can produce, too. From that standpoint Wednesday was a good day.
Parkr Harber’s Instant Offense
Parks Harber isn’t going to make the opening day roster. But that’s not expected. The top prospect, acquired in the Camilo Doval trade from the New York Yankees, is off to a solid start to his first spring training with the Giants.
He entered Wednesday’s game as a pinch-hitter and in his only at-bat he claimed a hit and drove in a run. It pushed his spring training batting average to .333. The downside? It was his first hit of spring training. But, the fact that a young player entered the game as a pinch hitter and drove in a run is a good sign for his ability to come off the bench later in his career and give the Giants something.
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco supervisors approve ordinance declaring
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors has approved an ordinance prohibiting federal immigration operations on city property, joining other Bay Area jurisdictions.
On Tuesday, the board unanimously approved what was dubbed the “ICE Free Zones” ordinance, authored by supervisors Bilal Mahmood and Chyanne Chen.
“When immigration enforcement shows up at or near public facilities, we know what happens: people disappear from services, kids miss school, witnesses don’t report crimes, and the City can’t do its job,” Mahmood said in a statement.
According to the board, the measure prohibits any entity from commandeering city property that disrupts the city’s operations. The measure also clarifies that the use of city property to assist the enforcement of federal immigration law is not a city purpose.
Under the measure, the city attorney would be authorized to take legal action against any entity engaged in the unlawful or unauthorized use of city property.
“This legislation is a necessary piece in upholding our Sanctuary City commitments. We will not stand for ICE to use our public properties to aid their harassment or terrorization of San Franciscans,” said Chen.
San Francisco has had a Sanctuary City ordinance in place since 1989, which prohibits city employees from using city funds or resources to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in enforcing federal immigration law unless such assistance is required by federal or state law.
The city also approved a measure in 2013 which limits law enforcement in giving ICE advance notice of a person’s release from jail, along with prohibiting cooperation with ICE detainer requests, also known as “ICE holds.”
Sanctuary policies have been a target of the Trump administration, which has filed multiple lawsuits against more than a dozen Democratic-led states, counties and cities over the policies since last year. Most of the lawsuits remain pending in federal courts across the country.
City officials said similar legislation has passed or is in the works in Alameda County and Santa Clara County, along with the cities of Oakland, Richmond and San Jose.
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