On second thought, two rookies aren’t ready.
Mike Singletary said today that safety Taylor Mays and linebacker NaVorro Bowman have had their playing time drastically reduced because, upon further review, it turns out they’re not quite ready for prime time after all.
Mays, a second-round draft pick, assumed the starting spot in Week 4
against Atlanta and made an impressive debut with 11 tackles and a
touchdown on a blocked punt recovery in the end zone. But he averaged
3.7 tackles in his next four starts. He then started against St. Louis,
but didn’t record a tackle as Reggie Smith replaced him and played the
majority of the game. Smith officially assumed the starting role Sunday
and Mays (1 tackle) played sparingly.
Expect more of the same Monday at Arizona. Besides protecting the back
end of the defense by inserting Smith, Singletary, who predicts a bright future for both rookies, said the Niners are
protecting Mays’ psyche.
“The more we pressed him, I think he’s just not all the way ready,”
Singletary said. “There’s some things he can do well and some things
that he’s not quite ready for. So the last thing that I want to do is to
lose him … When I look at Bowman it’s the same situation.”
Bowman hasn’t started this season, but has spelled 13-year veteran Takeo
Spikes, particularly in third-down situations. But the third-round
draft pick was absent Sunday as Spikes collected 13 tackles, his most
since 2008.
Singletary has repeatedly said Spikes’ snaps were going to be limited
this season in an effort to keep the 33-year-old fresh and healthy
throughout the season. That went out the window Sunday, but Singletary
dismissed the suggestion that Spikes’ increased role was a reflection of
the Niners being in must-win mode.
“I think what it comes down to is you’re trying to win football games, and that’s all it is,” Singletary said. “It doesn’t go to a must-win, it doesn’t go to 3-7, it goes to if Takeo is feeling good and he feels good about where he’s at, if he wants to play, I’m going to let him play.”
It actually indicates that the Niners have finally determined Bowman isn’t ready. And now they will play Spikes almost exclusively. Spikes, in the midst of a solid season, publicly requested such a move a month ago.
Spikes spoke up after Bowman replaced him — and played poorly —
during the Panthers’ game-tying, fourth-quarter drive in a 23-20 loss to
Carolina in Week 7.
In the aftermath of that loss, Singletary, in explaining the decision to
have Bowman play in such a key situation, said, “… We want to have
Takeo for the entire season, and hopefully into the playoffs, so we have
to do everything that we can to make sure that we protect him.”
Two weeks later, he said this on Nov. 10, “I think that when I look at
Takeo, the thing that we’re trying to do is really make sure that we
don’t overdo it.”
Obviously, things have changed.
Why? Singletary said it’s because he’s trying “to win football games.”
It appears the playing time given to Mays and Bowman this season interfered with that goal.
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