The 49ers clinched a playoff spot after securing the No. 1 Seed in the NFC in Week 17. Despite the outcome of the upcoming Sunday matchup against the Rams not being of the utmost importance, there won’t be a lack of big-name starters.
“We definitely want to keep the flow going, but you also want to give your body a rest,” 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel said on Up and Adams Tuesday. “So I feel like we’ll play the game for a good bit, just to keep the grove going and not take too much time off. I feel like we’re going to be going this week like been practicing hard and continue to do the things we do. And so yeah, we just got to keep building and you know — we haven’t played our best ball yet so we just got to continue to get better and better each day.”
Adams then asked Samuel if he was going to play in the game.
“Yeah, for sure,” Samuel said. “There ain’t no negotiation. Once coach says one thing, it’s all hands on deck.”
"There's no negotiation … it's all-hands on deck."
Despite the @49ers locking up the no. 1 seed, @19problemz says himself and the starters will play on Sunday.@heykayadams pic.twitter.com/8AknZxcpmL
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) January 2, 2024
Ahead of the Week 18 game, head coach Kyle Shanahan was asked about the starters, and while it didn’t appear he specifically mentioned Samuel’s exposure in the game, he also didn’t make a decision at the quarterback position.
He does have a tendency to want to avoid the rustiness a playoff push can introduce to a team’s performance.
“I think it can be tough, but it’s not just playing,” Shanahan said, via 49erswebzone. “It’s how much you practice and everything, too. You’ve got to make sure that you prepare for games by practicing. And we got a game this week on Sunday.
“”So it always can end up hurting. You rest players, and that sometimes gets more players injured. So, all that stuff, you’ve got to balance out, and that’s why there’s not a clear-cut decision on anything. You’ve got to look in each individual, in each situation, and play it out as the week goes.”
About Jessica Kleinschmidt
Jess is a baseball fan with Reno, Nev. roots residing in the Bay Area. She is the host of "Short and to the Point" and is also a broadcaster with the Oakland A's Radio Network. She previously worked for MLB.com and NBC Sports Bay Area.