Sunday's 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings was a setback for the San Francisco 49ers, who set their sights on winning the Super Bowl this season. Despite the defeat in Minneapolis, there's no panic inside the locker room, and the team is focused on bouncing back this weekend against the Los Angeles Rams.
"Obviously, nobody's happy after the loss, but we weren't down in the dumps by any means," fullback Kyle Juszczyk said Tuesday morning on Bay Area radio station KNBR. "I think we all see it as something to learn from, one that we let get away. But we also understand that it is a tough place to play. I think they're a pretty good team. They offer some really unique looks on the defensive side."
The 49ers last won a road game against the Vikings in 1992, when Steve Young was the quarterback. However, with plenty of the season ahead, San Francisco has ample time to right the ship.
"I just think that there's stuff to learn from, but by no means are we panicking or sounding the alarm," Juszczyk added.
San Francisco will be without two of its biggest offensive weapons when they face the Rams on Sunday. Running back Christian McCaffrey was placed on injured reserve last weekend, sidelining him for the next three games. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel suffered a calf strain during the Vikings game and is expected to miss a couple of weeks.
"Obviously, we want those guys out there," Juszczyk acknowledged. "I think those are, by far, two of the best offensive players in this league, so it's always better to have them out there than not. But they've handled it very well. Christian's been dealing with this all of training camp, but he's stayed very positive, very supportive of everyone.
"And it's given JP (RB Jordan Mason) a chance to get more reps and really hone his craft, and we've seen that carry over to the games on Sundays. He's been playing pretty lights-out these first two weeks."
Samuel recorded his first 100-yard game of the season on Sunday and his first since Week 14 last year. His versatility, especially in the running game, was expected to be crucial in the coming weeks with McCaffrey sidelined.
"Deebo, that's new news that we all learned yesterday," Juszczyk said. "That's definitely going to hurt with just how dynamic he is, and how we've been able to use him as a running back with Christian out, and all that he offers in the passing game, going over 100 yards receiving [on Sunday].
"So definitely not ideal not having those guys, but we have a full week to prepare with them out and get the guys ready who need to step up, and plan on them doing exactly that."
Juszczyk also emphasized his readiness for an increased role against the Rams if needed, saying, "I'm always ready to carry more. So whatever [head coach] Kyle [Shanahan] needs me to do, I'm always willing to step up."
You can listen to Juszczyk's full interview below.
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