December 23rd 2024.
If you were fortunate enough to have missed the first 15 games of the San Francisco 49ers' 2024 season, their recent game against the Miami Dolphins would have given you a quick summary of their campaign. The 29-17 loss to the Dolphins perfectly summed up their entire season – strong in statistics, but fundamentally flawed.
On paper, the Niners seemed to have performed well. They had a higher average yards per play than the Dolphins, and their defense held Miami to a low third-down conversion rate and only one red-zone touchdown. However, as we all know, football is not played on a spreadsheet.
In reality, the 49ers were a mess on the field. The game was riddled with injuries and poor execution on both sides of the ball, resulting in yet another loss for the struggling team. It was the same story that has been repeated throughout the season – excuses in the beginning, frustration in the middle, and now, inevitability at the end.
Despite their strong start to the game, the Niners quickly fell apart. They had a shocking 11 penalties, totaling 90 yards, and struggled to run the ball, which was supposed to be their strength under head coach and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan. They also had a low conversion rate on third and fourth downs, and their backup quarterback, Brock Purdy, threw a game-sealing interception in the final minutes.
Shanahan himself expressed disappointment in the team's performance, particularly in their lack of concentration and the numerous personal fouls on defense. It's clear that the Niners have not been able to overcome their own self-destructive behavior throughout the season.
Many had hoped that with the pressure of a Super Bowl-or-bust season lifted, the 49ers would play their best football in their final games. But as we saw in their game against the Dolphins, this kind of dysfunction cannot be easily fixed. In fact, it may have been a blessing that they have not performed even worse throughout the season.
The Dolphins, who were in desperate need of a win to stay in the playoff race, were given plenty of help from the 49ers. A series of penalties and mistakes early on set the tone for the rest of the game. And it only got worse from there, with the Niners committing more penalties and errors that only benefited their opponents.
It's clear that the 49ers have not only underperformed this season, but they may have actually overperformed in some games. It's a tough reality for the team and their fans to face, but it's the truth. The game against the Dolphins was just another reminder of the glaring issues that have plagued the Niners all season.
If you were lucky enough to have missed the first 15 games of the 49ers' 2024 season, let me give you a quick rundown of what happened last Sunday in Miami. The 29-17 loss to the Dolphins perfectly summed up the entire campaign - impressive statistics, but a fundamentally flawed performance.
Sure, if you look at the numbers, the Niners did pretty well. They had a higher average yards per play than the Dolphins, their defense held Miami to a 33% success rate on third downs, and only one red-zone touchdown was scored against them. But as we all know, football isn't played on a spreadsheet.
In reality, the game was a complete disaster. The players, who are highly paid professionals, struggled on the field. Injuries continued to plague the team, and their situational football was abysmal on both offense and defense, ultimately leading to their defeat.
This type of game has become all too familiar for the Niners this season. It was explained away in the beginning, bemoaned in the fall, and now it's simply unavoidable as the season comes to a close. The frustration is palpable, especially for fans who have watched their team underperform week after week.
In their game against the Dolphins, the Niners had 11 penalties for a total of 90 yards, while their opponents only had five. They couldn't seem to run the ball, which was supposed to be their specialty according to head coach and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan. And when it came to converting third and fourth downs, they only managed to make it happen five out of 14 times. It was a tough loss, especially with quarterback Brock Purdy throwing a game-sealing interception in the final minutes.
Even just thinking about it makes me cringe. Shanahan himself admitted that the team didn't deserve to win with all the penalties and lack of concentration. And their record speaks for itself - they just haven't been able to come out on top this season.
Some people thought that with the pressure of making it to the Super Bowl lifted, the Niners might play their best football in the remaining games. But as we saw last Sunday, that couldn't be further from the truth. It seems that this team is just prone to self-destructive behavior, and it's been a problem all season long.
In fact, it's possible that the Niners have actually been overperforming leading up to this game. The Dolphins were in desperate need of a win to stay in the playoff race, and the Niners practically handed it to them on a silver platter.
Right from the start, the Niners were making mistakes. On their second offensive drive, they had a hold, false start, and a sack - effectively squandering any momentum they had gained. And it only got worse from there, with a false start on a critical third down in the second quarter, making it nearly impossible for them to succeed.
Overall, it was a tough loss for the Niners, and it's clear that they have some major issues to address before the season comes to an end. But it's also a reminder that even when the pressure is off, this team just can't seem to get out of their own way.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
