The New England Patriots are set to take on the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday afternoon. With just hours left before the start of the game, the 49ers have received a major break.
According to a late-night report from NFL insider Jordan Schultz, San Francisco star wide receiver Deebo Samuel is planning to play in the game. Samuel has been dealing with a calf injury and has been listed as questionable to play.
Samuel is a huge part of the 49ers’ offense. With Christian McCaffrey still out, having the talented wideout in the lineup is a major bonus for their offense.
As for the Patriots, they will have to focus on keeping Samuel in check. He’s more than capable of making an impact as a wide receiver or even out of the backfield.
So far this season, Samuel has caught 13 passes for 164 yards and also carried the football 10 times for 13 yards and a touchdown in two games.
Jerod Mayo and company are looking to pull off another big upset. If they can do it, they would move to 2-2 on the year. A loss would drop them to 1-3.
Defensively, New England will need to find ways to put pressure on Brock Purdy. They’ll still need to stay honest against the run, but the passing game is a much bigger danger. The Patriots have shown the ability to get to the quarterback and they’ll need to capitalize on any mistakes San Francisco makes.
If they can force a couple of turnovers, they will put themselves in a position to steal a win.
All of that being said, the Patriots have a lot of work ahead of them. The 49ers are not an easy team to beat and Samuel playing makes them even more difficult.
