November 10th 2024.
It's the age-old mantra for any sports team - survive and advance. And that's exactly what the San Francisco 49ers did on Sunday with their 23-20 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With a .500 record at the halfway point of the season, the Niners can't afford to worry about style points. But as a fan, I can't help but be a little concerned.
We're nine games into the season and I can't help but wonder when we'll see the 49ers play like a team worthy of Super Bowl contention. We didn't see it before their bye week and we didn't see it in their first game back. Maybe it's still to come, or maybe it's not. At this point, it's fair to question if this team will ever reach that level, especially when they seem to be their own worst enemy even on their best days.
I know it was the first game back for superstar running back Christian McCaffrey, who is a crucial player for the team's title hopes. And while he did look like his old self after missing the first two months of the season, his performance didn't take the team to the next level. It simply kept their heads above water for another week. But relying on just survival week after week will only take you so far and it certainly won't get the Niners to where they want to go.
Don't get me wrong, this team has some incredibly talented players. Brock Purdy's second half performance on Sunday was outstanding, George Kittle is still the best tight end in the game, and McCaffrey is one-of-a-kind. And let's not forget about receivers Jauan Jennings and rookie Ricky Pearsall who are also major weapons. But even with all that talent, the Niners found themselves in a tough, grind-it-out game against the Bucs. And if we're being honest, they probably should have lost. Despite doubling Tampa Bay's yardage, the Niners played conservatively, missed three field goals, fumbled a punt, and committed four defensive penalties in the final minutes, setting up a game-tying field goal for the Bucs.
If this is the best the 49ers can do coming off a bye week, it's simply not good enough. And if this is the level of play we can expect in the second half of the season, just making the playoffs will be a struggle. It's clear that something needs to change.
Even George Kittle, who had a great game with a scramble-drill touchdown catch, tried to spin the mess of a game as a positive. But let's be real, it's better than facing the harsh reality. "Being able to deal with all of that and still come out with a win," Kittle said. "That reminds me of 2019 - it's not always going to be pretty, but you have to find ways to win even when they're ugly."
But let's not forget about the 2019 NFC champion Niners. Sure, they had some close wins during the regular season, like the shootout in New Orleans and the games against the Rams and Seahawks. But they also had dominant wins over quality opponents, including a 29-point victory over Green Bay. And they took care of business against lesser opponents, looking like the top team in the NFC. Can we say the same about this year's Niners?
Sure, there have been flashes of greatness here and there, but for a full 60 minutes, this team has yet to show us that they are a top contender, let alone the number one seed. And time is running out for them to prove it. Sunday's game, coming off a bye week with McCaffrey back and facing a team that had just played an overtime Monday night game on the road, was the perfect opportunity for the Niners to make a statement and show the rest of the NFL that they are back and ready to meet expectations.
But instead, they delivered another lackluster performance. How many times have we seen that from them this season? At what point does that make them an unserious team? As a fan, it's frustrating to watch. But I still have hope that they can turn things around and show us the team we all know they can be. Let's just hope it happens sooner rather than later.
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