SANTA CLARA — They’re battered, bruised, injured, and drained.
They’re a staff that had massive hopes coming into the season however now has solely massive disappointments to indicate for it.
And at 5-5 on the season following a 20-17 loss to the Seahawks Sunday, the Niners are nonetheless technically alive within the NFC, a convention the place mediocrity reigns.
However I don’t hear a pulse.
Do you?
There’s no means you would after one other lifeless sport and one other fourth-quarter collapse to a division opponent by which all three phases of the sport—offense, protection and particular groups—contributed considerably to the demise.
The 49ers who took the sphere on Sunday weren’t a one-off version. That is the staff we’ve seen since July once they started a boring, boring coaching camp. They’ve posted a couple of respectable moments in opposition to terrible groups this common season, beating the Jets within the season opener and taking part in one nice quarter in opposition to the horrendous Cowboys earlier than their bye week. However the regular type of this staff has been underwhelming. They play as in the event that they imagine they’re entitled to raised, and that championship kind will magically arrive and stick round till February.
After all, that’s not how skilled soccer works.
“We have to be better. We have to execute better,” Trent Williams mentioned Sunday. “Sloppy…. We shot ourselves in the foot.”
You may say that after nearly each 49ers sport this season.
And whereas we’re repeating ourselves, I’ll once more let you know that this staff can’t appear to get out of its personal means.
Name it a Tremendous Bowl hangover when you should, however taking part in 20 video games — 17 regular-season video games and three extra within the playoffs — each season for the final three seasons has taken its toll. That is what’s left.
Sure, these Niners have reached their expiration date. And to assume that this entrance workplace spent a lot money and time to maintain it collectively.
The proof is littered on the sideline, with gamers sporting 49ers-branded sweatshirts. It’s on the sphere, with unknown gamers taking part in key roles and key gamers who don’t appear to be the fellows we noticed final season.
Tight finish George Kittle — arguably an important man within the Niners’ offense — was sidelined for Sunday’s sport with a hamstring damage. Williams had a nasty ankle and, given the 49ers” offensive line depth, had no selection however to play. Nick Bosa performed by means of a hip damage to play Sunday, solely to be knocked out of the sport by an indirect damage.
“I guess I was compensating,” Bosa mentioned.
And now the Niners will seemingly need to discover a strategy to compensate with out him for at the very least the subsequent few weeks.
Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel are ostensibly not injured, however they’re taking part in like shells of their former selves.
In opposition to one of many worst run defenses within the NFL, McCaffrey averaged 4.2 yards per carry Sunday. That’s strong, however when McCaffrey fails to hit gap after gap, such reward rings hole.
Samuel, in the meantime, is out of juice. Utilizing the broad receiver like a battering ram would at all times result in the demise of the “wide back,” and it’s right here now. He’s not a one-of-a-kind weapon — he’s a detriment to shifting the ball on offense.
It’s a troublesome watch.
However on the similar time, the concept of getting a veteran staff is that, even when they collectively lose a step or two, they’re so skilled that they will deal with the little issues that win soccer video games.
The Niners don’t even do this. They’re a nasty situational soccer staff, flailing within the pink zone and on third downs on offense and persistently failing to make massive stops on vital defensive sequence, just like the one which received the sport for Seattle.
After which there are particular groups, that are inarguably the worst within the NFL.
Sunday’s contributions to the wood spoon race: a booted kick return (which fortunately went out of bounds) and a never-in-doubt touchback on a punt to arrange the Seahawks’ game-winning landing drive. Seattle didn’t have anybody again to return, and punter Pat O’Donnell — in his first sport with the Niners — didn’t come near pinning the ball deep in Seattle territory.
The truth that such an error feels inconsequential amid all of the particular groups follies the Niners have dedicated this season speaks volumes.
Oh, and head coach Kyle Shanahan went 0-for-2 on challenges Sunday. It appeared as if he used up all his offensive creativity on discovering methods to maintain his backup tight ends off the sphere in two tight-end units, choosing a further deal with as a substitute.
That is the worst type of soccer staff: a immodest however objectively mediocre squad.
Sunday’s fourth-quarter collapse, finalized by an 11-play, 80-yard Seattle drive throughout which quarterback Geno Smith scrambled for good points of 29 yards and the game-winning landing, was the Niners’ third in 4 divisional video games this season.
Maybe this newest loss will change that viewpoint. They’ve slept by means of months of wake-up calls, however perhaps that is the one which takes.
“It’s not like us,” Fred Warner mentioned of Sunday’s sport. “But that’s what we’ve shown this year, so I guess… that’s what we are.”
Initially Revealed: November 17, 2024 at 6:22 PM PST
