FATHER CLARÉE — The 49ers approached this season with unwarranted bravado and confidence.
They came out with a whimper, failing to score a touchdown and falling to 1-4 in the division with a 12-6 loss to the Rams on Thursday Night Football.
There is no longer any need to worry about playoff possibilities. At 6-8 this season, the Niners are done.
And they have no one to blame but themselves.
NAILS 💪
Dr. Greenlaw • LB
Playing his first match in nine months, Greenlaw wasted no time in making his presence known. He was everywhere, recording ten tackles in the first half and shutting down the Rams defense almost single-handedly. When he left the game, the Rams relentlessly attacked his replacement, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles. (Who was playing against De’Vondre Campbell and the injured Dee Winters.)
Fred Warner • LB
His best game since breaking a bone in his ankle against New England in Week 4. Warner has been a threat in both the running game and pass coverage, totaling 13 tackles on Thursday. He held the defense together for a while with Greenlaw out of the contest. Together they were spectacular.
George Kittle • TE
Another solid game for the Niners’ true No. 1 receiver, with four catches for 61 yards.
Talanoa Hufanga against the race
The Niners’ veteran safety provided serious hits and consistent runs to help the San Francisco defense keep the Rams out of the end zone in this game.
THE GUYS 📉
Deebo Samuel • WR
The 49ers made Samuel the center of the offense for this game. He was going to get the ball.
He didn’t do anything about it.
Samuel had five touches for 19 yards in the first half, including a false start and a tackle by running back Isaac Guerendo when he couldn’t get moving.
It was his entire production.
Oh, and he also scored a touchdown in the second half.
(Credit where it’s due: he had a nice kick return in the final minute.)
I can’t wait to see what he tweets after this one.
Aaron Banks • LG
Who would have thought that going from Ben Bartch to Banks – the year-round starter – would be such a downgrade? Banks was beaten repeatedly, and without Trent Williams to cover him at left tackle, the Niners’ running game couldn’t go left.
Talanoa Hufanga against the pass
Attacked repeatedly in the second half by Rams offensive coordinator and head coach Sean McVay, including on two critical plays that resulted in Los Angeles field goals.
Brock Purdy • QB
Didn’t this guy go to Iowa State? I didn’t know the weather was this good in Ames. It’s clearly paradise, as Purdy’s performances plummet when the weather is bad. This is a trend too consistent to ignore.
Was the Niners quarterback helped by receivers who couldn’t separate from man-to-man coverage? No.
Did the Niners quarterback fail to make routine throws and make a critical mistake in the fourth quarter to deprive the Niners of the best scoring chance of the fourth quarter? time ?
Absolutely.
Purdy completed just 14 of 31 pass attempts for a measly 142 yards. Top quarterbacks must elevate their teammates and play big in the biggest moments. This is what Matt Stafford did after fumbling at the start of the match. Purdy did the opposite.
Kyle Shanahan • HC
The Rams, like any team with a competent defensive coordinator this season, provided the Niners with a steady diet of man-to-man defense on Thursday, bucking their tendencies in all but one game this season (week 3 against San Francisco). .
Despite seeing this defense consistently this season, Shanahan looked downright disconcerted. He tried two tight ends against a five Rams front. It failed. He tried two tight ends and a fullback. It was a little better, but the Niners couldn’t pass the ball.
When Shanahan finally got Ricky Pearsall (the team’s lone receiver beating man-to-man) first to read and expand his offense, the Niners moved the ball. It was too little, too late, and Purdy made a colossal mistake by throwing an interception in triple coverage with the Niners at the Rams 34-yard line. The Niners had just 20 seconds left when they next got the ball.
Brian Schneider • STC
The Niners haven’t done anything egregious on special teams — a welcome change — but it’s not pretty when your punt team is called for an illegal formation twice in the same game. This seems like poor coordination to me.
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