The San Francisco 49ers' 1-2 start doesn't look disastrous from a pure record standpoint, but it's the way the team has been thoroughly dominated over the past two weeks that has people on edge right now. First-year head coach Jim Tomsula is now under the microscope, and we've got a sinking feeling that continued struggles will cost him his job after just 16 overall games. With that in mind, here's 5 Things Jim Tomsula Must Do To Save His Job.
1. Fix Colin Kaepernick
The 49ers starting QB was an absolute mess on Sunday, going just 9-for-19 for a paltry 67 yards, zero touchdowns and four interceptions. That's about as awful as you can play at QB if your name is not JaMarcus Russell. While Kaepernick's throwing motion has been overhauled, his footwork in the pocket is absolutely off-kilter right now. Tomsula needs to help him solve that and soon or we're headed for big changes after the season.
2. Feed Carlos Hyde
Hyde broke through the Vikings defense on opening night for 168 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries. Since then, he's carried the ball just 28 times in two weeks for 94 yards and zero scores. Hyde is a rhythm back who's more apt to pick up seven-to-ten yard chunks rather than breaking one to the house once every ten plays. His yards per carry have dropped, but it's going to be crucial for Tomsula to bypass that and keep feeding Hyde until he starts putting things together at a consistent clip.
3. Reevaluate The Defense
Remember how the 49ers defense was lauded after the team's suffocation of the Vikes in Week 1? That's flipped a complete 180 since then. San Francisco has been gashed for 90 points over the past two weeks against the Steelers and Cards. They look both overmatched and undermanned -- a debilitating combo, especially with how much the offense is struggling right now. Fixing Kaepernick is huge. However, Tomsula's job security hinges on getting this patchwork defense humming again.
4. Assert An Identity
Right now, Tomsula has the look of a lame duck coach. He's not exactly inspiring to watch and sometimes has a "lost puppy" look in his eyes on the sidelines. Yes, there's some bouts of major animation. But, some of it has the feel of a caraciture. That's not him from most accounts, but perception is huge in such an open-to-the-public business. Tomsula needs to grab this job by the throat and make the most of the cards dealt to him...and soon.
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