Malaise Descends Upon The San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers beat reporter Grant Cohn, who was in the “away” team’s locker room before their 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in game number two of this season—the Niners trounced the Jets in the season-opener—shared a tidbit that's turning out to be indicative of the team’s low-energy competitive approach so far. Apparently, the 1-2 49ers, who were favored to win the game, were mocking the 3-0 Vikings, in particular quarterback Sam Darnold, who played for the Niners last season in a backup role.
Darnold torched his detractors, completing 17-of-26 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns, including a 97-yarder to wide receiver Justin Jefferson on a 97-yard touchdown pass, the longest NFL play since 2022. Making fun of another NFL team before a game isn’t how champions behave. Someone needs to fix that locker room, but it won't be head coach Mike Shanahan, a strictly Xs and Os type.
The loss in Minnesota was another example of Shanahan getting outcoached, common for the so-called “offensive genius.” Maybe coaching involves matters outside of innovative play calling, such as adjusting to the opponent's game plan, evaluating talent, and demonstrable “leadership.” Forever seeking the “grace under pressure” that will salvage his reputation of being a choker, the son of Super-Bowl-winning-coach Mike Shanahan’s taken his team to the Super Bowl twice, but neither time was able to close the deal. The Niners blew a 10-point lead to the Kansas City Chiefs to lose Super Bowl LIV, and then blew a 10-point lead in Super Bowl LVIII to lose again to the same team.
Before coming to San Francisco (Santa Clara, actually), “Shanny” was the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl VI when his team blew a 28-3 lead to the New England Patriots. No lead is safe with Shanahan calling the plays when all the chips are in the line, because he tightens up and plays not to lose.
When a highly-touted team loses a game they took lightly and then goes back on the road to Los Angeles to play the previously winless Rams, who’d lost to the lowly Arizona Cardinals 41-10 the previous week, their pride kicks in and they deliver a major effort, right? Not this team. When the five-time Super Bowl champions took a 14-0 lead over the beat-up Rams, the killer instinct should've kicked in. Instead, the team became listless, as if they could coast to victory. But the Rams sensed what they were up against. They kept hanging around and, sure enough, the 49ers choked away their lead to the Rams with a disastrous fourth quarter, losing 27-24 on a field goal with seconds to go to a horrible team hampered, as always, by a lack of fan support. When the Niners visit SoFi stadium, there's a sea of red in the stands, as if it's a home game. The “Ramily” is not exactly rabid in its fandom.
In NFL parlance, “getting paid” means finally getting that big contract that makes a player financially set for life. 49ers stars that have been paid include George Kittle, wide receiver Deebo Samuels, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, defensive end Nick Bosa, running back Christian McCaffrey, and offensive lineman Trent Williams. The two offensive players who haven't been paid, QB Brock Purdy and slot receiver Juaun Jennings, were the stars of the Rams game, with Purdy delivering three touchdown passes to Jennings, the most underrated receiver in pro football, especially by his head coach.
The question with Shanahan now is what it's always been—will he learn from this experience and reevaluate his personnel decisions? The $30 million per year that Aiyuk makes is, in business terms, a “sunk cost.” Featuring him over Jennings in order to justify that cost would be an example of the “sunk cost fallacy” that's taught in all business schools. Start making Jennings the go-to receiver, which he's earned, and see if that lights a fire under Aiyuk. With him finally earning his money, and Jennings overachieving, that would help kickstart the 49ers out of their doldrums.
Aiyuk’s not living up to his contract so far, after battling with management for the entire off-season and through training camp for his big payday. Trent Williams, the best player in the league at his crucial offensive line left-tackle position, was treated for cramps during the game, as he's not in football shape after his long holdout to get his money. When personal goals trump team goals, the results are predictable. The Detroit Lions don't have that problem, and they're ready to take over San Francisco’s perch at the top of the NFC.
It's hard to overestimate how bad the loss to the Rams was, even given the fact that the Niners were missing three of their offensive stars—George Kittle, Deebo Samuels, and Christian McCaffrey. Shanahan, who loves his playbook—all he does on the sideline is look at it—is notorious for neglecting his special teams. Those were the players who got caught sleeping on a fake punt in the first half, with the Niners up by 14. The result was a Rams TD, the turning point of the game. Kicker Jake Moody missed a 55-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter that probably would’ve iced the game. But San Francisco had another chance to close it out when Shanahan had Ronnie Bell, who’d already dropped one easy pass, into the game with 1:02 left in the fourth quarter. Purdy put it right in his hands, but Bell dropped that one too. When a reporter asked him about this questionable decision, Shanahan said, “Um, I mean, there’s five [receivers] in a game. We’re rotating a lot of guys in there, and he was the guy.” The coach knows that winners never think this way—they go to their proven players in clutch situations—but Shanahan never puts it on himself.
Finally, a player just elevated from the Rams practice squad, beat the listless, neglected 49ers special teams with a 38-yard punt return to midfield, setting up the winning field goal. Before the Rams game, Deebo Samuels said on his podcast that he thought the 49ers have been the best team in the NFL for a while. And his teammates have been comporting themselves like they don't need a Super Bowl ring to prove this. They’d better shake off their arrogance before this season goes down the tubes. They're an aging team whose championship window is closing fast. Even if they beat the woeful Patriots at home on Sunday, they won't be even close to being out of the weeds.