November 25th 2024.
As the San Francisco 49ers took the field on Sunday, their fans couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment. After all, they were missing some key players like Brock Purdy, Nick Bosa, and Trent Williams. But even with these absences, the 49ers were expected to put up a good fight against the Green Bay Packers.
However, things didn't go as planned. The 49ers made numerous mistakes throughout the game, committing penalties, turning the ball over, and missing tackles. These errors ultimately led to a devastating 38-10 loss to the Packers at Lambeau Field.
Even if they had all their star players, Charvarius Ward, Javon Hargrave, Talanoa Hufanga, Brandon Aiyuk, and even Christian McCaffrey from the future, it's hard to say if the 49ers could have kept up with the Packers on this day. It was a tough game for the 49ers, who were already facing a strong 8-3 team on their home turf.
The 49ers needed to be on top of their game, focused on executing plays and avoiding mistakes, in order to have a chance at beating the Packers. But instead, they showed a lack of discipline and ended up being embarrassed in a blowout loss. It was the third-worst defeat in terms of points since coach Kyle Shanahan joined the team in 2017.
Quarterback Brandon Allen, who was filling in for the injured Purdy, had a tough time on the field. He threw an interception that bounced off Deebo Samuel's hands and also lost a fumble. Although he managed to throw a 3-yard touchdown pass to George Kittle, it's hard to say if Purdy or even third-string quarterback Josh Dobbs would have made much of a difference in this game.
Despite the injuries, the 49ers were expected to put up a good fight. But their mistakes and lack of discipline only highlighted the team's weaknesses as they trudged towards the end of a tough season. It was a reminder that their goal of going 9-8 may just be a pipe dream.
Shanahan tried not to dwell on the missing players, stating that their performance was not up to par. He acknowledged that missing some key players meant that the rest of the team needed to step up, but the penalties, inability to stop the run, and three turnovers in the second half were the real culprits in this embarrassing loss.
Speaking of penalties, the 49ers had nine for 77 yards, with rookie guard Dominick Puni committing three of them. A holding penalty on Eric Saubert nullified an 82-yard kickoff return by Deebo Samuel, and a holding call by Nick McCloud erased a 20-yard punt return by Ricky Pearsall. The defense also made the mistake of having 12 men on the field twice, falling victim to Green Bay's substitution tactics, much to Shanahan's dismay.
The 49ers also struggled to stop the run, with Josh Jacobs rushing for 91 yards in the first half alone and finishing with 106 yards and three touchdowns on 26 attempts. This marked the first time the 49ers had given up 100 rushing yards in a regular-season game since Justin Fields of the Bears ran for 103 yards on October 31, 2021. The last time a running back broke 100 yards against the 49ers was 55 games ago when Jonathan Taylor of the Colts did it a week earlier.
By the end of the game, Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur had embraced Shanahan's belief that rushing attempts lead to success. The Packers ran the ball 42 times for 169 yards and dominated in time of possession with a 36:43 to 23:17 advantage. In contrast, the 49ers only ran the ball 16 times for 44 yards as they struggled to catch up to the Packers.
Linebacker Fred Warner acknowledged that they were aware of the challenge the Packers' running backs posed, but they just couldn't execute their game plan. The 49ers made it difficult for themselves by constantly halting their own momentum. Even though they were only down 17-7 at halftime, it felt like they could have been in an even worse situation. This was not a case of a 10 a.m. body clock time, but rather an afternoon game that should have allowed the 49ers to be more alert.
According to Fox statisticians, the 49ers missed 10 tackles by the end of the first quarter, 15 by halftime, and reached a total of 20 by the end of the game. Warner described it as one of the worst performances he had witnessed and yet, at 17-7, they still had a chance to turn things around. Unfortunately, they were unable to make the necessary plays and the Packers capitalized on the 49ers' three second-half turnovers to score three touchdowns.
Shanahan also acknowledged the team's poor tackling and gap coverage, which allowed the Packers to control the clock in the first half. He did see some improvement in the second half, especially in the run game, but the three turnovers and penalties ultimately led to their embarrassing loss.
The 49ers were counting on their healthy stars to lead the way, but aside from Kittle's six receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown, they were unable to make an impact. Samuel has been struggling in recent games and even a potential momentum-boosting kickoff return was negated by a penalty. McCaffrey, who is still recovering from Achilles tendinitis, had 11 rushes for 31 yards and caught three passes for 37 yards.
Despite the tough loss, McCaffrey remained determined, stating that there's always a fight and he plans to continue getting better every day. However, the 49ers have been saying the right things all season, but it hasn't translated into results due to injuries and mistakes.
Warner also acknowledged that they went into the game with confidence in their abilities, but the final score may suggest otherwise. He emphasized that they need to accept the loss, learn from it, and move on. It's a tough pill to swallow, but they have to keep fighting and striving to improve, no matter the outcome.
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