It’s hard to know what to make of the 49ers heading into Week 4.
They’re 1-2 and they just blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead to one of the worst teams in the NFL — the Rams. To be fair, the 49ers have lots of injuries, but so do the Rams. And most of the 49ers’ injuries are on their offense, which is performing well. As opposed to their defense and special teams, which are disasters.
As a result, the 49ers have plummeted in NFL.com’s Week 4 power rankings from No. 2 to No. 12.
“I figured that the 49ers would have some fits offensively here and there against the Rams, given their injury woes leading up to the game,” writes NFL.com analyst Eric Edholm. “But for three-plus quarters, they still had the right formula to win. Jake Moody’s missed 55-yard field goal attempt late in the fourth quarter kept the door ajar, and Los Angeles kicked it down to pull out the stunner. But really, San Francisco’s troubles went back to the second quarter, when they couldn’t protect a 14-0 lead. A fake punt caught the 49ers flat-footed, helping the Rams score a critical touchdown before halftime that changed the arc of the game. Even with the Niners making it a two-score lead later, their special teams and defensive issues were back-breakers. Los Angeles drove for scores on each of its final four drives, aided by some huge penalties that changed field position and sunk San Francisco. Where do the reigning NFC champions go from here? George Kittle could be back soon; perhaps Deebo Samuel, too. But this team’s problems appear to run deeper than early injuries.”
Amen.
The 49ers cannot use the injury excuse this season. They look like a team that desperately needs a new coaching staff. Let’s see if Kyle Shanahan can turn around the 49ers’ season before it’s too late.
