SANTA CLARA – Chase Young, in the wake of his victorious debut with the 49ers, said something Sunday that speaks volumes to the 49ers’ belief in themselves.
He did not sense a team wallowing in a three-game skid upon his trade-deadline arrival. He sensed a cohesive group capable of producing, well, a 34-3 road win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, which they did Sunday.
“I wasn’t here for the losses, but I could tell everybody just had that energy,” Young told reporters at his locker. “You could just tell that love for the game in the locker room.”
The 49ers (6-3) have snapped the streak, and they’re home Sunday to host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5).
(Warning, the 49ers should not read the following note: After the Bucs is a critical stretch of games, with a Dec. 3 visit to Philadelphia sandwiched between the 49ers’ games against the Seattle Seahawks.)
Linebacker Fred Warner, in his postgame speech to the locker room, emphasized the need to not look into that distance.
“It’s safe to say we learned our lesson,” Warner bellowed. “From here on out, it’s one game. One game at a time. All right, let’s go it get it next week against Tampa.”
This week’s storylines
1. BOSA VS. BAKER: Nothing will compare to the college rivalry embers from their 2019 meeting, when rookie Nick Bosa exacted his Ohio State/Oklahoma revenge on Baker Mayfield (and the Cleveland Browns). That aside, Bosa is coming off his best game of the season, and Mayfield is dealing with a thumb injury (on his fourth team in two years).
2. McCAFFREY STREAK: OK, so Christian McCaffrey was denied a touchdown for the first time in 18 games, and Brock Purdy vowed to start a new streak for the man who has led the NFL in rushing after each week this season. One trend the 49ers would not like to resume is McCaffrey getting his facemask pulled and twisted.
3. PURDY’S YEAR: The Buccaneers were Purdy’s opponent in his NFL starting debut last year, and he was the first rookie to win a debut against Tom Brady. A year-long retrospective could be in order to paint what a remarkable run he has had to now leading the NFL in passer rating.
4. DEFENSES RULE: Neither the 49ers nor the Bucs allowed a touchdown Sunday in snapping their losing streaks; the 49ers lost three straight, the Bucs four. Those units will key each team to division contention. Does Tampa really have any star-caliber defenders left from its Super Bowl days, and could the 49ers get overconfident in their starry defense?
5. HOME SWEET HOME: The 49ers return to Levi’s Stadium looking to rekindle their winning ways, having won 11 straight there (playoffs included) before losing that mojo in 31-17 fashion to the Cincinnati Bengals on Oct. 29.
Last meeting
The 49ers dominated the Bucs 35-7 on Dec. 11 at Levi’s Stadium, spoiling Tom Brady’s Bay Area farewell and marking the Niners’ sixth straight win in a 12-game win streak.
“Last year we went to San Francisco and it wasn’t pretty, so we’re looking to avenge that and play some of our best ball, because we’re going to need it against a team like San Francisco,” Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans told the team’s website after producing 143 yards and a touchdown in Sunday’s win over the Titans.
Series history
The 49ers lead 19-7, including 12 wins in their first 13 matchups starting in 1977, and a 13-3 home record. Did you know the 49ers’ 1989, ’94 and 2019 teams all beat the Bucs en route to the Super Bowl? The 2002 Super Bowl-champion Bucs, with future 49ers general manager John Lynch at safety, won the teams’ lone playoff showdown, 31-6, in Tampa.
Playoff picture
The 49ers (6-3; 4-1 in NFC action) are currently slotted in the NFC’s No. 3 spot, behind the Eagles (8-1; 6-0) and the Detroit Lions (7-2; 4-1). The Niners are tied atop the NFC West with the Seattle Seahawks (6-3; 5-1).
The Bucs (4-5; 3-3) are only a half-game behind the NFC South-leading New Orleans Saints (5-5; 2-3) and just ahead of the Atlanta Falcons (4-6; 3-4).
Weather
Showers Friday and Saturday should give way to partly sunny skies on game day, with a high of 71 degrees and winds up to 15 mph, according to weather.com
Betting line
The 49ers are favored by 10 ½ points, with an over/under line of 42 ½ points, according to a consensus on vegasinsider.com.
Prediction: 49ers 26, Bucs 13
