The San Francisco 49ers achieved a big win over the Seattle Seahawks to clinch the NFC West. In the fourth quarter, rookie running back, Jordan Mason ran for a first down. This allowed the 49ers’ offense to go into victory formation to end the game. Now that San Fransico has clinched the NFC West, and the lowest they can end is the 3rd seed, is it time to see the rookie Jordan Mason play more?
Jordan Mason: Career
Although he may not have gotten too much playing time, Jordan Mason has been active for 13 games this season. Going into the 2022 season, it was expected that between the two rookies, Ty Davis-Price would be higher on the 49ers’ depth chart, but Mason proved the doubters wrong.
This season, Mason has had 33 rushing attempts for 217 yards, according to ESPN. While fellow running back Christian McCaffrey will still be the main starter, now that the team has clinched the West, potentially it is time for more Mason runs in the playbook.
Jordan Mason vs Seattle
In the game against Seattle, Mason rushed the ball four times with a total of 64 yards, according to ESPN. What made it difficult was that the Seattle defense knew that Mason was more likely to be on the field when rushing the ball, as he has zero receptions this season so far. There is a chance that Mason can catch too, but that has yet to be seen for San Francisco.
Mason did not play much against the Seattle Seahawks, but he did make an important play. In the fourth quarter when the team needed to run the clock, Mason ran for 55 yards to close out the game. If something were to happen where the team did not get the first down, Seattle would have had a chance to get the ball back.
After the game, head coach, Kyle Shanahan was questioned about why he ran with McCaffrey rather than switching it up. McCaffrey rushed the ball 26 times, compared to Mason’s four. Shanahan explained he needed McCaffrey out there to make it easier on the team’s play-fake game. This indicates that moving forward there is a chance Mason will play more when the team gets healthier. A full quote from Shanahan can be read here, in a tweet posted by David Lombardi, 49ers reporter for the Athletic.
On Christian McCaffrey’s high usage…
The 49ers were playing with an injured QB and there other star interchangeable WR/RB threat (Deebo) was unavailable.
Shanahan really needed to establish a gravitational pull to set up his play-fake game.
McCaffrey was him. Volume required
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) December 16, 2022
49ers Schedule
The San Francisco 49ers currently sit at a 10-4 record, with only three games remaining. Their next game is against the Washington Commanders, who have a 7-5-1 record, and set to face the New York Giants this weekend. Washington’s run defense is not too bad, only allowing 110.4 yards per game, according to ESPN. Following the Commanders, the 49ers will face the Las Vegas Raiders and finish the regular season against the Arizona Cardinals.
Currently, the top two seeds belong to the Philadelphia Eagles and the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings currently have a 10-3 record. San Francisco will have to monitor the Vikings because if there is a chance for the second seed, the 49ers will want it. As the season comes to a close, some starters may see less playing time, as the team wants to be fully healthy for their playoff run. That being said, look for Jordan Mason to see the field more often.
The 49ers will get a small rest period before facing the Washington Commanders on Christmas Eve. Be sure to watch Jordan Mason to see if he gets more playing time, and takes the load off of McCaffrey.
For More NFL and NCAA Content:
Be sure to check out this week’s, Underestimated Player Spotlight to see who I chose. Also, check out this article on the 49ers’ win vs the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and how far the 49ers can go with Brock Purdy. Also, check out my most recent article about the 49ers’ top players against the Seahawks.
Be sure to check out last week’s installment of the Top 5 Rutgers Football games of the 2022 season, and this week’s as well. Finally, here are my offseason priorities for the Penn State Nittany Lions will be.
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