NFC Notes: Nick Bosa, Puka Nacua, Jared Verse, 49ers, Rams, Seahawks

49ers

• Per Jonathan Jones, the NFL is deciding whether or not to fine 49ers DE Nick Bosa for wearing a MAGA hat in Week 8 Sunday Night Football’s postgame interviews. Jones adds that no decision will be made until later next week. 

Rams

Rams first-round OLB Jared Verse has been one of the better young pass rushers in the league through his first seven games. Los Angeles HC Sean McVay praised Verse and spoke on how he has the same edge other star defenders had. 

“He’s a bully on the field, and he gets going,” McVay said, via Gary Klein of the LA Times.

“[Donald] just might not have talked as loud, but the way he would stare a hole through people they knew. Ramsey was like that. Sometimes those best defensive players, they have some stuff to them that you’re like, ‘Oh man, we need that.’ You need that edge, that energy, that swagger and Jared Verse definitely has that.”

• McVay on WR Puka Nacua‘s knee injury: “Fortunately there’s nothing structurally [wrong]. He’ll be listed as questionable, but I wouldn’t bet against this guy. My expectation is he’s going to do everything in his power to be ready to roll, and that’s the mindset that we have.” (Sarah Barshop)
• McVay said the MRIs and scans showed something different from the last two injuries Nacua suffered this season to the same knee. (Barshop)

Seahawks

When asked about his plans for the Seahawks, HC Mike Macdonald responded they want to eliminate things from the playbook that haven’t been productive and focus on things they’ve excelled at. 

“I think you gotta start making some decisions on where to narrow it down. You can’t focus on everything,” Macdonald said, via Zac Hereth of Mynorthwest.com. “So taking out the stuff that we feel like is kind of sunk costs at this point, maybe trying to trim that and then really focusing on and honing in on the stuff that we want to go excel at. That’s stuff that I feel like (there) may be opportunities that we haven’t been able to take advantage of at this point. And stuff that we do feel like we’re doing well, we can try to build on that a little.”

Macdonald mentioned they still haven’t implemented their full playbook because they haven’t executed well in certain situations. 

“The reason is because … we haven’t executed the things well enough and created the situations where we want to be able to get to everything,” Macdonald said. “… You have some things that would help schematically, but the answer at the end of the day isn’t the X’s and O’s. It’s really not.”

Macdonald has liked what he’s seen in red zone and third down situations but admitted they need to be more productive with their rushing attack. 

“I think situationally we’ve done some good things. It’s just been too inconsistent,” Macdonald said. “We’ve had some great red-zone and third-down days, and those are the situations that win you football games. And we’re chasing the run game right now and it’s not where we want it, but if you can get it stopped and then excel in those other situations, now you’ll have a consistent chance to win the games.”

• Per Bob Condotta, the Seahawks have ruled out WR D.K. Metcalf for Week 9.