On Friday guard Alex Boone was added to the 18-strong group of 49ers who have landed on the season-ending injured list. In his absence Joe Looney will take his spot at right guard for the season finale against the Arizona Cardinals.
After taking several weeks to shake off the rust from his training camp holdout, Boone hit his stride in the second half of the season. Over the last seven weeks Boone’s +13.5 overall grade is tied for third best among all guards. Boone has not allowed a QB sack or hit during this time, and his 98.8 Pass Blocking Efficiency Rating (PBE) only trails Josh Sitton (98.9) over the last seven games.
Looney has filled in at both guard and center this season, appearing on offense in 12 games and starting three. He has struggled though, his -11.2 overall grade and 94.3 PBE compare unfavorably with those of Boone.
Colin Kaepernick has already been sacked a league-high 50 times this season. With Arizona’s tendency to bring extra rushers, and the loss of Boone destabilizing the line, Kaepernick may need to get ball out quickly to his hot reads if the offense is going to be successful on Sunday.
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