SANTA CLARA — Even probably the most wild-eyed optimists are satisfied that the 49ers at 5-7 are nearly as good as carried out.
Most likely the one individuals remaining who imagine the 49ers could make one thing of the 2024 season are a handful of gamers within the locker room, with tight finish George Kittle on the forefront.
“When you lose by 20-plus points, especially when you had expectations of going to the Super Bowl and winning the Super Bowl, it’s not very fun,” Kittle mentioned Thursday. “It’s hard whether you’re a coach, whether you’re a player, whether you’re a fan. It’s a grind.”
But Kittle presses on, as a result of so long as there are video games to play and NFC West opponents Seattle (7-5), the L.A. Rams (6-6) and Arizona (6-6) are inside putting distance — with the latter two nonetheless on the schedule — there’s a perception that that each one isn’t misplaced.
Do higher with turnovers. Do higher within the pink zone. Cease the run. Get Trent Williams and Nick Bosa again within the lineup . . .
“There are a lot of great players on this team that can make really special plays and all it takes is as park to get going and after that we can see what will happen,” Kittle mentioned.
Extra doubtless, the 49ers will finish the season because the NFL’s most disappointing group. That’s the place they’re proper now, and nobody else is admittedly shut. They’re a sufferer of their very own success, having gone to 4 NFC title video games in 5 years with out claiming the final word prize.
How did we get right here? Right here’s a six-pack of points/causes/excuses with the Chicago Bears up subsequent Sunday at Levi’s Stadium:
1. INJURIES
Each group loses gamers and preaches the “next man up” mentality advert nauseum, however the 49ers are excessive. Eradicating final 12 months’s variations of broad receiver Brandon Aiyuk (torn ACL) and Offensive Participant of the 12 months Christian McCaffrey (Achilles tendinitis, PCL pressure) from the image is crippling sufficient. However there’s extra.
A lot extra.
There’s Javon Hargrave, Dre Greenlaw, Talanoa Hufanga, Jon Feliciano with long-term accidents. Plenty of others or a sport or two. I counted 30 gamers lacking time for greater than 120 video games. Quick-term accidents to Bosa and Williams and even quarterback Brock Purdy.
It’s largely dangerous luck, as a result of the the entire principle of the 49ers falling aside bodily on account of taking part in so many playoff video games since 2019 doesn’t maintain up. The 49ers have performed 12 playoff video games in that span. Kansas Metropolis has performed 16, Buffalo 10. Doesn’t appear to be a problem for the Chiefs or Payments.
2. WEEKS 12-13
The 49ers went up in opposition to legit playoff groups on the highway within the final two video games and misplaced 73-20. They have been a shell of themselves and coach Kyle Shanahan admitted as a lot. Inexperienced Bay and Buffalo have been 9-for-9 within the pink zone. The 49ers couldn’t cease the run, a top quality that was a group staple.
These final two video games just about eliminated all doubt that this group is lacking the playoffs.
Brandon Aiyuk (11) missed 49ers coaching camp in a contract holdout after which was misplaced to a torn ACL in Week 7 in opposition to Kansas Metropolis. Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group
3. CONTRACT HOLDOUTS
Aiyuk’s holdout was the physique blow, as a result of it was so unusual. He just about bought what he needed and the provide was on the desk for awhile. However Aiyuk waited so lengthy to take it he torpedoed any likelihood to hit the bottom working and rebuild his chemistry with Purdy.
However there was additionally McCaffrey, who missed a lot of the offseason program, and Williams, who missed all of coaching camp. Perhaps it factored into their harm points, possibly not. It’s not possible to know.
Absences set a nasty tone for the lead-up to 2024.
4. COACHING
Professional Soccer Discuss czar Mike Florio is floating the concept Shanahan might be traded to Chicago. The one manner Shanahan goes wherever is that if he desires out. There’s no indication that’s the case. His group had a nasty 12 months, so he had a nasty 12 months and he’s bought a hand in all of it.
There’s no purpose Shanahan shouldn’t be scheming up higher pink zone manufacturing than the 50 p.c or so that they’ve been in any respect 12 months. Even with all of the accidents. Shanahan used to search out artistic methods to make use of Deebo Samuel. The 2024 Samuel has been a faint copy of the one in 2021 who earned an enormous contract extension.
However Shanahan additionally directed one of many NFL’s most constant winners for the final 5 years. The entire “win the Super Bowl or you’re a failure” mentality is social media and discuss radio nonsense. The Invoice Walsh days are gone and so they’re by no means coming again. You try to win a Tremendous Bowl yearly, however that doesn’t imply you’re going to win it. You win it by being in rivalry yearly after which capitalizing. Shanahan hasn’t carried out it.
A corporation that when fired Steve Mariucci after 12- and 10-win seasons with out a successor in thoughts and wound up with Dennis Erickson ought to know higher this time round.
If Shanahan can’t rebuild the 49ers to the extent they’ve been accustomed the previous few years, then it’s time to go. However now? It’s manner too early for that.
5. DEFENSIVE INDIFFERENCE
The fan base desires defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen gone. Final offseason’s dismissal of Steve Wilks appears increasingly more like scapegoating each week.
In fact, Sorensen hasn’t been working with with a full deck, though the 12-men-on-the-field points have been inexcusable. Three starters in opposition to Buffalo have been starters in final 12 months’s Tremendous Bowl. One in all them, Fred Warner, is taking part in with a damaged ankle. Charvarius Ward was in his first sport again after a household tragedy. The opposite is security Ji’Ayir Brown.
Which isn’t going to cease anybody who performs Madden or appears at All-22 video from skewering Sorensen. I don’t know if he’s a great coordinator. I’m undecided Shanahan is aware of both primarily based on the the personnel and the cross rush. As for defensive assistants, it hasn’t been a great 12 months for line of defense guru Kris Kocurek both. Or possibly he wants somebody in addition to Nick Bosa and an getting older Leonard Floyd.
6. SPECIAL TEAMS INEPTITUDE
Fraught with catastrophe from the start. Who else is so dangerous at defending kickoffs they lose two kickers in two weeks? There have been missed area targets, protection disasters and never a lot in the best way of returns. Samuel lastly began to interrupt unfastened in opposition to Buffalo and misplaced a fumble.
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That is as a lot on Shanahan as it’s coordinator Brian Schneider, who might pay together with his job. The organizational philosophy is just to interrupt even on particular groups. Don’t fear about successful the sport, simply don’t lose it.
We noticed this earlier than with predecessor Richard Hightower, who’s now the Bears’ particular groups coach and would love nothing higher than to see the 49ers stub their toe Sunday.
The 49ers might conceivably snap their three-game shedding streak in opposition to the Bears. However would anybody be really shocked in the event that they misplaced once more?
