SANTA CLARA — Sprained thumb? Jimmy Garoppolo overcame it in an overtime win over the Rams. Sprained shoulder? He played through that — albeit not too great — in Sunday’s cliff-hanging win over the Cowboys.
“It’s playoff football,” Garoppolo said Tuesday. “We know what time it is. No time to rest right now.”
What does he have up his sleeve — or bandages, or brace, or harness — to shake off Saturday night’s chill at Lambeau Field, where a low of 3 degrees is expected when the 49ers visit the top-seeded Green Bay Packers in the playoffs’ divisional round?
“I’ve played in the cold my whole life so it won’t be crazy with that,” Garoppolo, an Illinois native, said before Tuesday’s 5 p.m. practice. “I’m learning to adjust and that’s what this week of practice is for. We’re in a good spot, though.”
Good, as in he’s confident he’ll play?
“We’ll feel it out throughout the week. Feeling good right now,” Garoppolo responded.
Which injury is worse, the shoulder or thumb? “They’re pretty close,” he said.
After Garoppolo jammed his shoulder with an awkward landing in the second quarter of Sunday’s win at Dallas, he said every ensuing throw was impacted. All he did was stretch and not throw during Tuesday’s 5-minute media access to the walk-through practice inside Levi’s Stadium.
As has been the case since Garoppolo’s Dec. 23 thumb injury — involving a torn ligament and bone chip — the 49ers surely will have ready rookie Trey Lance for action. Lance played the entirety of a Jan. 2 win over Houston, but Garoppolo has taken every snap the last two games.
What is Shanahan’s goal for Lance’s scout-team role this week as he mimics Aaron Rodgers? “Aaron does a real good job not making bad decisions and not turning the ball over,” Shanahan said. “He also makes all plays downfield whenever you’re off a hair. We need Trey to be aggressive and let it rip.”
Linebacker Fred Warner on that: “It’d be a tall task to tell Trey to be Aaron Rodgers three days before we head out there. He’s done great all season. You don’t really feel Aaron Rodgers until you’re out there against the man himself.”
Rodgers is 0-3 all-time in the playoffs against the 49ers — 2012 divisional round at Candlestick Park, 2013 wild-card thriller at chilly Lambeau, and the 2020 season’s NFC Championship Game rout at Levi’s Stadium.
Shanahan downplayed what was in the past and focused more on the present, adding: “Everyone knows Aaron is the man. But this doesn’t have to do with the last time we met in the playoffs and it doesn’t have to do with our game earlier this year. It’s one game, it’s Saturday, it’s 3 ½ hours, and it’s this team vs. their team.”
Rodgers concurred, telling Green Bay reporters he has “no extra motivation. I’ve been around, played a lot of football. I understand the history of this rivalry, the history of us against them. But these are different teams.”
With Rodgers possibly fleeing Green Bay after this season — he redid his contract prior to the season with an escape clause — he predictably fielded a question before his 11th postseason at the helm, only one of which ended with a Lombardi Trophy (2010).
“I understand in our business, so much of it is focused on wins and losses, especially in the playoffs, Super Bowl rings, and all that stuff,” Rodgers said. “I understand that’s part of my legacy I will be judged on when I’m done playing.”
INJURY REPORT
Linebacker Fred Warner is confident he’ll play Saturday despite aggravating an ankle injury dating back to Dec. 12: “The MRI results came back great. It was good news and the way I’ve been feeling gives me confidence.”
He exited Dallas’ artificial turf with 8 1/2 minutes left, just before the Cowboys pulled within 23-17. “It was change of direction. My cleat got stuck in the turf and my ankle folded underneath itself, similar to what happened in Cincinnati,” Warner said. “After that, it was sheer pain. It’s over now, for sure.”
Warner and Garoppolo were to be limited in Tuesday’s session, along with running back Elijah Mitchell (knee), safety Talanoa Hufanga (knee) and linebackers Dre Greenlaw (groin), Azeez Al-Shaair (knee) and Marcell Harris (Achilles).
Cornerback Ambry Thomas has a bone bruise in his knee and limped during team stretch, casting doubt on if he’ll be able to stay in the starting lineup.
Defensive ends Nick Bosa (concussion protocol) and Jordan Willis (high ankle sprain) were not cleared to practice, as expected.
RESPECT FOR SAMUEL
On Deebo Samuel’s nine touchdown runs, he is averaging 16.4 yards, and 15.1 of that comes before a defender even makes contact, according to ESPN.
The self-described “wide back” — or, a wide receiver moonlighting at running back — has the admiration of Packers running back Aaron Jones, who said: “When you line him up in the backfield, he can take it to the house. He can also be used as a receiver out of the backfield and be a mismatch with the linebacker. They do a great way of getting him the ball.”
Remember the postgame reveal in which Shanahan said Samuel requested the ball before his 26-yard touchdown for the eventual winning points? NFL Films shared the audio/video from it, to which Sanders takes the field telling Shanahan, “Hey Kyle, Kyle — let’s go.” Samuel then says in the 49ers’ huddle: “Let’s go put the ball in the box.” After he scored, Samuel said on the sideline to his coach: “I told you, I told you. Let’s go.”
Packers coach Matt LaFleur called Samuel one of the league’s most dynamic, elite players, as well as a physical receiver. “It does present some problems when you aren’t quite sure where he’s going to line up,” LaFleur said. “Is it going to be in the halfback posting, and the halfback is out wide, or vice versa?”
COACHING INTERVIEWS
Mike McDaniel and DeMeco Ryans, the 49ers’ offensive and defensive coordinators, respectively, will conduct their first interviews for head-coach openings on Wednesday over video conferences, Sports Illustrated reported. McDaniel, 38, will talk with the Miami Dolphins and Ryans, 37, is with the Vikings.
WEATHER ADVICE
Saturday night’s forecast low is 3 degrees. Shanahan’s advice to his team: “Prepare to dress warm and get your mind right, and if you do, then it’s usually not a factor. … Some guys won’t wear sleeves and it will be mind over matter for them and it will work for them. I’ll dress as warm as possible.
“Whatever guys do, they need to know it’s real deal, the weather is cold but that’s no reason to affect a game. Wind is a much bigger factor. Rain is a factor. But the cold weather, you can do something about that. When you’re running and hitting, you don’t stay too cold.”
SPECIAL TEAMS REVIEW
Special teams coach Richard Hightower had this to say about the Cowboys completing a fake-punt completion against Josh Norman: “The guy just ran a good route on him. … Josh can’t wait to get back out there.”
Hightower said a roughing-the-punter penalty was a result (and learning experience) for Mark Nzeocha and River Cracraft.
The special-teams bright spot: Robbie Gould, who’s made all 18 field-goal attempts and 31 extra-point kicks in his postseason career. “Usually December and January are usually Robbie Gould’s months. His birthday is in December and he’s locked and loaded.”
Left tackle Trent Williams addressed the special teams unit before last game to encourage them and explain their importance for field position. This week, that unit’s film review included the 2014 team’s wild-card win at Lambeau, which was won on Phil Dawson’s walk-off field goal.
TRANSACTIONS
Activated off the COVID reserve list were running back Raheem Mostert (who remains on injured reserve through the playoffs) and fullback Josh Hokit. Released from the practice squad were cornerback Luq Barcoo and punter Ryan Winslow.
