NFC Notes: 49ers, Cardinals, Rams

49ers

49ers HC Kyle Shanahan said he thinks QB Jimmy Garoppolo will still be the starter next week.

“I would guess so,” Shanahan said, via NFL.com. “I’m going to watch this tape and see if guys are healthy first of all. I don’t even know where our guys are at. It was good for Jimmy to be able to get healthy enough to play in this game today.”

Shanahan added the entire team has to be better, not just the quarterback.

“I got a whole team to worry about,” Shanahan said. “Not just thinking about what the quarterback situation is right now. I’m going to evaluate everything, see where our team’s at, see what gives us the best chance to beat Chicago, and see what our options are. That’s what you go into each week, finding out your options. We had two quarterbacks who were hurting this week. Jimmy was able to come back and play. We’ll see if Trey can (play) next week, we’re still not sure yet, but I got a lot of things to figure out.” 

• Garoppolo said he is still dealing with his calf injury: “It held up, I’ll say. I definitely felt it at times. But it sort of is what it is. I think all the guys out there, we’re all playing with something right now.” (Nick Wagoner)
• Shanahan later told reporters that QB Trey Lance is “on pace” to be able to practice on Wednesday, but Garoppolo will start this week. (Nick Wagoner)

Cardinals

Cardinal TE Zach Ertz said he was impressed by how easily he could perform in his first game with Arizona.

“We have a lot of talent,” Ertz said, via azcardinals.com. “I’ve never seen so much green grass in the middle of the field and that’s gonna happen with guys like DeAndre Hopkins and A.J. Green on the outside.”

Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins mentioned adding Ertz will more than counteract losing TE Maxx Williams.

“He brings a down-the-field presence to the team,” Hopkins said. “Maxx (Williams) and those guys are good, but Zach is a Pro Bowl tight end. So, to be able to have that presence in the field helps out a lot.”

Rams

Rams QB Matthew Stafford is relieved he doesn’t have to play the Lions again this year.

“Am I happy it’s over with? Yeah,” Stafford said, via Carlos Monarrez of The Detroit Free Press. “I’ve got a lot of great friends, got a lot of people that I care about that are on that team or from that city and just glad to have this one over with and put the storylines away and just go out and play football the rest of the year.”

• According to the Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue, the Rams want to play third-round LB Ernest Jones more, which led to the LB Kenny Young trade on Monday.