(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
A lot of good came from the 49ers’ win over the Seahawks on Sunday. In addition to now having home field advantage throughout the playoffs and having to only win two games to reach the Super Bowl instead of three, the extra week off should see San Francisco at their healthiest when the Divisional Round approaches.
Kyle Shanahan provided a good bit of optimism on Monday, reporting that while the 49ers didn’t suffer any injuries in their heart-stopping win, they are also expecting starters Dee Ford (hamstring), Jaquiski Tartt (ribs) and Mike Person (neck) to return for the playoffs on Saturday, Jan. 11, at Levi’s Stadium.
“I’m hoping for it and I am feeling optimistic about it,” Shanahan said about Tartt and Ford. “You never know with how those things go with the ribs and with the hamstring, but that was the goal. We knew there could be a slight chance this week if we were playing this week, so getting this bye week should make it an even better chance then.”
Ford accumulated 6.5 sacks in 11 games before being sidelined. Tartt has missed the last four games after starting the first 12.
The biggest defensive absence, however, has been that of middle linebacker Kwon Alexander, who’s All-Pro caliber season was thought to be lost when he sustained a torn pectoral in Week 9. Now Shanahan is saying there’s an outside chance he could return should the 49ers reach the NFC Title Game three weeks from now.
“He’s coming along,” Shanahan said. “There’s definitely going to be a chance. I don’t think that will be this week, but if we’re fortunate enough to win our first game, I think he could have a chance after that. We’re still holding out hope for that, but we’ll see how it goes over these next couple weeks.”
Person has missed the last two games with a neck injury, but is ready to return right now according to Shanahan.
“Mike is good to go. He’s battled through all his stuff. I think these two weeks of him not having to get in these games have helped him a lot. The issues he has aren’t going to go away until after the season when he can take a couple months off. I think these two weeks have helped him. Getting another Bye week will help him a ton and we’ll see how practice goes this week and next.”