Raheem Morris is back in Atlanta, but he is not here to hug the fans. He is here to break Michael Penix Jr. The former head coach now runs the defense for the undefeated San Francisco 49ers. They arrive on Sunday, Oct. 25, with a 6-0 record. The Falcons sit at 2-4 and need a win to stop the bleeding. Morris knows every weakness in this roster. He helped build it. That history makes this matchup dangerous for Atlanta.
Shanahan Rejects The Revenge Angle
People love a good revenge story. They think the 49ers will play extra hard just to beat their old boss. That is not how this group works. Kyle Shanahan shut down that idea on Thursday. He told reporters that his team is already focused on winning every single game. “I don’t think they can be more motivated,” Shanahan said, according to the Sumter Item. He added that the players care about Morris but will not treat this as a personal game. Fred Warner backed him up, saying every week feels like the biggest week of their lives. This is a team that does not get distracted by feelings.
The 49ers defense has 15 sacks so far this season. They have nine sacks in just the last two games. They are coming to Mercedes-Benz Stadium to pressure Penix. The quarterback was sacked five times last Sunday against the Bears. He lost a fumble too. Morris knows exactly where to hit him. The 49ers want to keep their perfect record alive. They will not let emotions get in the way of a clean win.
Penix Knows The Stakes
The young quarterback sees the challenge clearly. He knows Morris is waiting for him with a trap. “It’s going to be exciting,” Penix said, according to Chattanooga Times Free Press. He added that it will be good to see Morris again, but the team must find a way to score. “We got to find a way to obviously put points on the board against his defense.” Penix is 2-2 as a starter this year. He has had to deal with rib injuries and a surgically repaired knee. He has been sacked nine times in four games.
Despite the struggles, Morris still has high praise for the kid he drafted. He spoke warmly about Penix on Thursday. “Loved the kid, loved everything about him,” Morris said. He talked about Penix’s personality and his throwing ability. Morris believes the quarterback is healthy and ready. But loving a player does not mean letting him play easy. Morris will use that knowledge to design plays that hurt the Falcons. The offense must handle the pressure or this game ends early.
The Undefeated Streak Hangs In The Balance
The 49ers have not lost a game yet. They are 6-0. The Falcons have lost two in a row. The gap between these teams is huge right now. Morris spent two years as the Atlanta head coach. He went 16-18 and got fired. He knows the playbook. He knows the players. He knows the front office. This is the ultimate test for Arthur Blank’s team. They cannot hide from Morris’s schemes.
Keion White is leading the pass rush for San Francisco. He has 3.5 sacks this year. He said it feels like a lifetime ago since he was traded from the Patriots. That trade led him to a team that is winning now. The 49ers are on pace for 43 sacks.