Blowout loss to Packers leaves the 49ers on the playoff brink

Published Nov. 25, 2024 6:24 p.m. ET

Associated Press

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Getting blown out at Green Bay following another squandered late lead the previous week against Seattle has quickly turned the San Francisco 49ers from a Super Bowl contender into a team just fighting to get back to the playoffs.

If San Francisco doesn't get healthy and eliminate the errors that led to Sunday's 38-10 loss to the Packers, the focus will turn from playoff permutations to what offseason changes are necessary.

“I think everyone understands completely outside and inside what the situation is,” coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday. “That’s why the Seattle game was so tough of a loss and that’s why last night was even worse. We know what we got ahead of us. We know exactly what the playoff situation is. That is what it is. But really, all that matters is this week when you do need to go on a run and put a lot of wins to even think of that.”

The task doesn't get any easier as the Niners (5-6) get set to play at Buffalo on Sunday night. The 49ers are hoping to get injured stars Brock Purdy, Nick Bosa and Trent Williams back for that game, but their presence alone won't fix everything that went wrong on Sunday.

The defense got repeatedly gashed early and put San Francisco in a 17-0 hole before the offense even generated a first down. The running game never got going as Christian McCaffrey has looked nothing like the 2023 Offensive Player of the Year in his three games back from Achilles tendinitis.

And whenever the Niners appeared to do something right, a penalty came back to haunt them.

It added up to the most lopsided loss for San Francisco since the 2018 season, before Shanahan had turned the Niners into perennial contenders.

“It’s probably one of the worst ones I’ve been a part of,” linebacker Fred Warner said. “It is embarrassing. You’ve got to take it on the chin, take it like a man and move on.”

Despite the doom and gloom, the 49ers are only one game behind Seattle and Arizona in the NFC West standings with six games to go. But San Francisco already has three division losses and a difficult schedule featuring games against the Bills this week and Detroit in Week 17.

“My optimism is not broken by any means,” tight end George Kittle said. “We still have a lot of very talented players. We will get some guys back and I still have full trust in the coaching staff to put our guys in position to make plays. I have no worry about that. But definitely an uphill grind. We'll see what we’re made of, which I’m looking forward to.”

What’s working

Red-zone passes to Kittle. Backup QB Brandon Allen connected on a 3-yard TD pass to Kittle late in the second quarter for San Francisco's only TD. Kittle leads the NFL with eight touchdown catches in the red zone, which is tied with Vernon Davis (2013) for the most in a season for a Niners player since 2000. Kittle was the only consistent part of the San Francisco offense with six catches for 82 yards.

What needs help

Avoiding penalties. San Francisco had nine penalties for 77 yards and they were costly and sloppy. The Niners had 12 men on the field on defense on back-to-back plays, three false starts, a pass interference in the end zone and three penalties on special teams, including a holding on Eric Saubert that negated an 87-yard kickoff return by Deebo Samuel to open the second half. Rookie Dominick Puni had three penalties after being penalized just once in the first 10 games.

Stock up

DE Leonard Floyd. There were few positive performances on defense, but Floyd had both of the team's sacks.

Stock down

Run defense. San Francisco allowed 169 yards rushing, including 87 in the first quarter for the team's second-worst performance in the opening quarter since 1991. The Niners missed 19 tackles, according to Pro Football Focus, as Josh Jacobs gained 83 of his 106 yards rushing after contact.

Injuries

Purdy took part in a light throwing session without pain on Monday and Shanahan is hopeful he can return to practice Wednesday after missing the Green Bay game with a shoulder injury. ... Bosa (hip, oblique) and Williams (ankle) also could return this week after sitting out Sunday. ... LG Aaron Banks, DT Jordan Elliott and WR Jacob Cowing all in the concussion protocol. ... RG Dominick Puni (shoulder) and CB Deommodore Lenoir (knee) underwent MRIs on Monday and the team is waiting for results. ... CB Renardo Green (neck) and LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (knee) are day to day.

Key number

11 — The Niners generated only 11 first downs, tied for the fewest in any game in eight seasons under Shanahan. They also had 11 in the 2022 NFC title game loss at Philadelphia when Purdy hurt his elbow and in Week 2 against Seattle in Shanahan's first season in 2017.