November 25th 2024.
In the midst of a heated sideline chat, Kyle Shanahan, the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, and his first-year defensive coordinator, Nick Sorensen, were seen covering their faces with playsheets. It was clear that Shanahan was upset and there was no hiding it.
The 49ers' defense seemed to be falling apart as they drew back-to-back penalties for having 12 men on the field from their own 10-yard line. This led to an inevitable touchdown by the Green Bay Packers, the first of three 1-yard runs by Josh Jacobs in their 38-10 defeat at Lambeau Field. This loss marked the 49ers' most lopsided road defeat in Shanahan's eight-year tenure, and it was also the Packers' biggest margin of victory in their 74-game history against the 49ers.
Aside from the penalty mishap, a lot of other things went wrong for the 49ers on Sunday as they suffered their second consecutive loss, with another tough road game looming ahead in Buffalo. Without starting quarterback Brock Purdy and left tackle Trent Williams, who were both unable to play, it was clear that the 49ers did not want to get into a high-scoring game against the Packers with backup quarterback Brandon Allen at the helm. But even with star defensive player Nick Bosa out due to injury, the 49ers' defense was expected to hold their own against the Packers, not fall apart completely.
However, that's exactly what happened. Down 10-0 and struggling to stop the Packers' ground game, the 49ers surprisingly received two consecutive penalties. Linebacker De'Vondre Campbell, who had previously played for the Packers, was called to the sideline after the second penalty. Just two plays later, Jacobs scored yet again, giving the Packers a commanding 17-0 lead with 6:33 left in the first half.
Safety Ji'Ayir Brown attributed the penalties to "miscommunication" and linebacker Fred Warner deemed it "unacceptable, across the board." Shanahan, on the other hand, offered a two-fold explanation. The first penalty was due to a strategic play by the Packers, who quickly snapped the ball before the 49ers could switch from their base defense to a nickel defense with an extra defensive back. Shanahan felt that this play should not have been allowed. However, it was the second penalty that was truly damning, as the officials did give the 49ers time to substitute, and Shanahan admitted that it was their own mistake.
But more than the penalties, Shanahan was disappointed with the 49ers' run defense, which allowed a whopping 169 yards and three touchdowns. He also pointed out the nine penalties and the three turnovers in the second half that led to the Packers' final three touchdowns. The 49ers' offense also struggled, losing two fumbles on consecutive one-play drives in the fourth quarter. Allen, who had a tough outing, called his fumble "brutal" and said that the slippery conditions played a role. McCaffrey, who also lost a fumble, was visibly upset after the game, saying that they needed to do better for their quarterback. Overall, Allen had a decent performance, completing 17 of 29 passes for 199 yards and a touchdown, but it wasn't enough to match the Packers' quarterback Jordan Love, who threw for two touchdowns and had no turnovers.
The 49ers' performance on Sunday was riddled with turnovers, penalties, injuries, and missed tackles, all of which are hallmarks of a struggling team. It's hard to believe that just a year ago, the 49ers were on their way to the Super Bowl, with a comeback win against the Packers in the playoffs. Right guard Dominick Puni, who had three penalties, admitted that he was "just off-beat, off-key" and that he needed to improve. Despite all the mistakes, there were some bright spots for the 49ers on Sunday, including a touchdown by Wisconsin native George Kittle, his first-ever at Lambeau Field. Kittle caught all six passes thrown to him, including a back-shoulder catch that set up the 49ers' other points, a field goal by Jake Moody.
In the third quarter, Allen led two promising drives into Packers' territory, but one ended in an incomplete pass on fourth down and the other was halted by an interception. The Packers capitalized on this turnover, leading to Jacobs' second touchdown run, which was set up by a pass interference penalty in the end zone. Jacobs had a great game, rushing for 106 yards on 26 carries. The 49ers also suffered more injuries, with cornerback Renardo Green, defensive tackle Jordan Elliott, linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, and guard Aaron Banks all added to the injury list. Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall also left the game with a leg injury and had no receptions for the second consecutive game.
Overall, it was a tough game for the 49ers, with a lot of things going wrong. But despite the slow start and the countless mistakes, there were moments of hope, such as Kittle's touchdown and Allen's decent performance. However, the 49ers ultimately could not overcome their mistakes and suffered their third-largest defeat under Shanahan. Warner summed it up best, saying, "That's about as bad as it can get, probably the worst I've been a part of."
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