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49ers Rule Out Nick Bosa; Mike Evans Still Possible vs. Commanders

San Francisco will wait at least another week for defensive end Nick Bosa, but a pair of key offensive pieces could be on the field Monday night.

By Bay Sports Report ·
Retro 8-bit illustration: a big modern open-air football stadium under a sunny California sky (AI-generated illustration)
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Pull up a stool, kids. Uncle Ray has the fog in his knees and the Niners news in his head, so let's go through it.

The Bosa Letdown

Bad news first, because that's how we do things on Taraval. Per ESPN, the 49ers have ruled out defensive end Nick Bosa for Monday's game against the Washington Commanders, which means the wait for his return goes on for at least another week. I'm not going to pretend that doesn't sting. When a defensive end like that is out, you spend the night squinting at the pocket and hoping. (Bless the linemen who have to hold the fort. Somebody buy those guys a sourdough loaf.)

Some Reasons to Smile

It isn't all gloom. ESPN reports there's a chance San Francisco gets both receiver Mike Evans and fullback Kyle Juszczyk for the Monday Night Football matchup. Evans is still described as something to be hopeful about, so don't go printing the jerseys yet. Juszczyk, per the report, WILL play. A fullback getting the green light is the kind of news that makes an old man's heart sing, because somebody has to open the holes out there.

Purdy Is Playing Like a Grown-Up

The best thing on the pile this week is ESPN's feature on quarterback Brock Purdy and how he threads passes into the space between the second and third levels of a defense, which ESPN calls layering the football. The piece says that skill is a big reason he's playing at an MVP level this season. That's ESPN's framing, not mine, but I'll happily nod along. If your quarterback is dropping the ball into the tightest windows, you can survive a missing pass rusher more often than you'd think. That's opinion, folks, not science, but it's my corner and I'm sticking with it.

The Betting Stuff

ESPN also ran a betting preview for Commanders-49ers on Monday Night Football, with odds, bets and prop analysis. I'll leave the numbers to the people who like them, since the folks at the sportsbook don't buy me a drink on Taraval anyway.

The Bottom Line

Here's where I land:

  1. Bosa is out, and the defense has to find a way without him.
  2. Evans is a maybe, and Juszczyk is a go.
  3. Purdy's the reason to feel good, and the offense has to carry its share.

Bundle up, and let's see how it plays out.

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