SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Solely two weeks after coming back from a sprained medial collateral ligament in his proper knee, San Francisco 49ers working again Elijah Mitchell suffered an analogous harm to his left knee.
Mitchell departed Sunday’s 13-0 win over the New Orleans Saints within the third quarter with what the Niners consider is a sprained MCL in his left knee. He is scheduled for additional testing on Monday. Mitchell was initially designated as questionable to return, however the Niners dominated him out close to the top of the quarter.
The primary (proper) knee sprain occurred in a Week 1 loss to the Chicago Bears and stored Mitchell out till a Week 10 win towards the Los Angeles Chargers. In contrast to final time, nevertheless, the Niners and Mitchell are optimistic that although he might miss a while, this may not final as lengthy.
Starter Christian McCaffrey and third-string working again Jordan Mason crammed in for Mitchell the remainder of the best way, although McCaffrey was coping with what coach Kyle Shanahan known as “knee irritation.”
“We’ll see how Elijah goes,” coach Kyle Shanahan mentioned. “Most definitely Elijah might be out just a little bit and that may give alternatives for these [other] guys.”
Mitchell suffered the harm on a first-down carry for no acquire with 13 minutes, 53 seconds left within the third quarter. He mentioned after the sport that he bought tangled up on the play however did not consider the harm was as severe because the one he suffered in Chicago.
On the time of his departure, Mitchell had seven carries for 35 yards and two catches for 8 yards. McCaffrey completed with 11 carries for 32 yards and 4 catches for 17 yards. Mason helped shut the victory out late with 5 makes an attempt for 25 yards.
Shanahan mentioned McCaffrey’s knee irritation occurred through the sport, including afterward, “Hopefully, Christian might be all proper, too.”
If, as anticipated, Mitchell misses a little bit of time, Shanahan expressed confidence in Mason and rookie Tyrion Davis-Worth, who was a pregame inactive, to assist decide up the slack. The Niners’ religion in that duo was evident of their trade-deadline deal sending Jeff Wilson Jr. to the Miami Dolphins, who simply so occur to be subsequent on the Niners’ schedule.
“I feel JP (Mason) got here in there and did a extremely good job there on the finish,” Shanahan mentioned. “They’d each single individual up there attempting to cease the run, and I feel you guys noticed how hard-nosed he’s and the way he ran it and was capable of hold us on the market on the sphere and never give it again … Then Ty, we have been eager to get Ty up.”
About two minutes after Mitchell’s harm, the 49ers narrowly prevented one other loss to their backfield when Saints defensive lineman Malcolm Roach hit quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo on his decrease left leg as Garoppolo fired a go to receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
Garoppolo was in apparent ache and upset with Roach, who shortly ran to his sideline after he was flagged for pointless roughness.
“It is soccer, however you have to be sensible as gamers, look out for each other,” Garoppolo mentioned. “There isn’t any place for that. I am all proper, just a little sore however nothing unhealthy.”
Shanahan indicated that Garoppolo appeared to return out of the sport OK however he would get nearer inspection on Monday morning to make sure there wasn’t any significant accidents to his quarterback.
“He took some hits as we speak,” Shanahan mentioned. “I haven’t got something precisely on him. However I do know he is sorer than ordinary. So, we’ll examine him up in right here and see how he’s tomorrow. He had a really gutty efficiency.”
Though rookie backup Brock Purdy warmed up briefly, Garoppolo stayed within the sport and completed 26-of-37 for 221 yards and a landing.
Elsewhere on the harm entrance, beginning proper guard Spencer Burford suffered a sprained proper ankle that left him in a strolling boot after the sport. Shanahan mentioned it was not a excessive ankle sprain, which supplied hope Burford might return prior to later. Daniel Brunskill changed Burford.
