Tag: Emmanuel Moseley

WATCH: Emmanuel Moseley intercepts Aaron Rodgers

The 49ers came up with a huge interception of Aaron Rodgers before the end of the first half.

The 49ers started Emmanuel Moseley over Ahkello Witherspoon in the NFC championship game, and the move paid off in the fist half.

With the Packers driving at the end of the half looking to cut into the 49ers’ 20-0 lead, Aaron Rodgers fired a pass Moseley’s way. Moseley undercut the route and hauled in the throw for his first interception of the postseason.

Moseley had one interception in nine starts this season. It’s the second takeaway of the half for San Francisco.

Ahkello Witherspoon a team player after getting benched vs. Vikings

Ahkello Witherspoon looked to help 49ers in other ways after getting benched vs. the Vikings.

Ahkello Witherspoon had a rough game Saturday against the Vikings. Minnesota’s only touchdown of the game came in their second series when Witherspoon gave up a pair of third-down catches, including a 41-yard touchdown to wide receiver Stefon Diggs. That 41-yard play accounted for nearly 30 percent of the Vikings’ total yards for the game.

Witherspoon was benched the next series in favor of second-year cornerback Emmanuel Moseley. It was the second time in as many games Witherspoon exited for the former undrafted free agent.

Witherspoon’s reaction to getting benched speaks volumes about the culture the 49ers have cultivated over the three years of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch’s tenure.

Instead of checking out of the game or sulking on the bench, Witherspoon tracked down the special teams coach to try and contribute in other ways according to Shanahan.

“Guys are helping out every way they can,” Shanahan said. “I mean … even  Ahkello. For Ahkello to get replaced by Emmanuel early in that game, he handled it great. He went right up to (special teams coordinator Richard) Hightower, which Hightower told me yesterday, went up to him and was like ‘Hey, coach pulled me they’re going with E-Man, but I’m good. Make sure you give me all E-Man’s reps, everything he has on special teams. I want to do whatever I can to help. He needs his energy. You put me in on special teams.'”

Witherspoon played seven special teams snaps, which was his first special teams action since Week 11. Moseley played 10, his fewest since Week 15 when he started for the injured Richard Sherman.

Shanahan declined to say who would start at corner against Green Bay in the NFC championship, although it’s hard to imagine he goes any direction other than Moseley.

The fact he can navigate it without having to juggle egos and affect the locker room is a significant advantage for the 49ers though. They can worry about putting the best 11 players on the field without impacting team chemistry going into the biggest game of the year.

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Ahkello Witherspoon says he’s starting Saturday vs. Vikings

The 49ers got one of their big defensive questions answered Wednesday.

The 49ers defense apparently has an answer to their biggest non-injury question going into the playoffs.

Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon on Wednesday told reporters he’ll be starting across from Richard Sherman in the divisional round Saturday against the Vikings.

Witherspoon’s performance declined dramatically over the final three weeks of the season, and culminated in the third-year corner getting benched in favor of Emmanuel Moseley for the final drive against the Seahawks in Week 17. Moseley recorded a pass breakup against DK Metcalf to knock down what would’ve been the go-ahead touchdown.

Witherspoon declined to elaborate on why he was benched against Seattle.

Moseley,  an undrafted second-year corner, started nine games early in the year while Witherspoon dealt with a foot strain. He played well in Witherspoon’s stead, but went back to the bench once Witherspoon was healthy.

It’ll be interesting to see how much leeway Witherspoon gets in the 49ers’ playoff game. Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh came to the young cornerback’s defense and said he didn’t play poorly against Seattle.

Witherspoon was having the best year of his career prior to the last few weeks, and his dip in production coincides with the decline of the 49ers’ pass rush. Dee Ford’s return should help immensely with that. Witherspoon will also get help with Jaquiski Tartt’s entry back into the starting lineup at strong safety.

Given how important communication is in the 49ers’ secondary, having the more experienced Witherspoon in the lineup for the playoffs is probably the correct move. However, Minnesota won’t hesitate to target him with their dynamic receiving corps. If he struggles early, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Moseley get some snaps.

3 matchups that will decide 49ers-Falcons

The 49ers and Falcons’ game will come down to the winner of these three matchups.

The 49ers will look to move to 4-0 against the NFC South on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. With a win on Sunday, the 49ers will clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2013. It could be tough with six players on the defensive side of the ball out due to injury.

Here are the six matchups to watch on Sunday:

DE Nick Bosa vs. LT Jake Matthews

This should be a one-sided matchup for the 49ers. Their defensive line, led by Bosa is third in the league with 45 sacks, only behind Pittsburgh and Carolina. The Falcons offensive line on the other hand have allowed 41 sacks with 16 coming in the last three weeks. While the 49ers will be down Dee Ford, they’ll still have Bosa, who’s capable of wrecking an offense by himself. The entire defensive line should have a huge day, but Bosa will be spearheading the effort against Matthews, who made his first Pro Bowl last season. If Matthews can slow down Bosa by himself, the Falcons have a chance to handle the rest of that unit. If Bosa goes off, it’ll be a long day for Matt Ryan.

Emmanuel Moseley/Ahkello Witherspoon vs. Julio Jones

The bad news is that the 49ers will be down both Richard Sherman and K’Waun Williams on Sunday against arguably the best receiver in the NFL. The good news is that Moseley and Witherspoon have both played well all season and should be fine without the usual depth. Jones is one of the best weapons in the league on the perimeter, and has 69 catches for 1,016 yards and four touchdowns this season. He’ll be a tough matchup for whoever guards him, and how well Moseley and Witherspoon do against him will dictate how effective the Falcons’ passing attack is.

Raheem Mostert vs. Falcons run defense

Mostert is expected to get a heavy workload Sunday based on how well he’s played in recent weeks. He’s proven to be a dual-threat option out of the backfield last week with 69 rushing yards and 40 receiving yards with a pair of touchdowns. The Falcons’ defense is not very good. They’re 26th in passing defense DVOA according to Football Outsiders. They’re 16th in run defense DVOA. Mostert has become a valuable weapon for the 49ers’ offense, and if Atlanta gives him the chance, he could have his third consecutive productive day.

49ers defensive depth will be challenged vs. Falcons

The 49ers injury situation on defense will force a slew of reserves into starting roles Sunday.

The 49ers defense had their worst game of the season last week when they allowed 46 points and 465 yards to the Saints. The Falcons’ offense can be explosive, but this season they haven’t reached their potential thanks to inexperience and injuries at key spots. The defense could have some issues with the amount of injuries they’re dealing with as well.

Here are the six players to watch:

CB Emmanuel Moseley

(Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)

With Richard Sherman out on Sunday, Moseley will step back into a starting role. He’ll face a tough challenge in coverage when he gets lined up against Julio Jones. The All-Pro receiver has dominated this season despite the offense falling apart around him. He has 69 receptions for 1,016 yards and four touchdown receptions. Moseley had success earlier in the season when taking over for Ahkello Witherspoon, but he never had to deal with a receiver the quality of Jones. How Moseley fares back in the starting lineup will play a big role in how well the 49ers’ defense adapts.

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