49ers Studs and Duds: The Niners’ offense melts in the rain in hope-ending loss to Rams
SANTA CLARA — The 49ers came into this season with unjustified bravado and confidence.
They exited with a whimper, failing to score a touchdown and falling to 1-4 in the division with a season-ending 12-6 loss to the Rams on Thursday Night Football.
There’s no need to worry about playoff possibilities anymore. At 6-8 on the season, the Niners are done.
And they have no one to blame but themselves.
STUDS
Dre Greenlaw • LB
Playing his first game in nine months, Greenlaw wasted no time in making his presence known. He was everywhere, registering ten tackles in the first half and shutting down the Rams defense almost singlehandedly. When he left the game, the Rams relentlessly attacked his backup, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles. (Who was playing over De’Vondre Campbell and the injured Dee Winters.)
Fred Warner • LB
His finest game since he broke a bone in his ankle against New England in Week 4. Warner was a menace in both the run game and pass coverage, totaling 13 tackles Thursday. He held the defense together for a stretch with Greenlaw out of the contest. Together, they were spectacular.
George Kittle • TE
Another strong game for the Niners’ true No. 1 receiver, with four catches for 61 yards.
Talanoa Hufanga against the run
The Niners’ veteran safety provided serious thump and steady run fits to help San Francisco’s defense keep the Rams out of the end zone in this game.
DUDS
Deebo Samuel • WR
The 49ers made Samuel the focus of the offense for this game. He was going to get the ball.
He did nothing with it.
Samuel had five touches for 19 yards in the first half, with a false start and a tackle of running back Isaac Guerendo when he failed to come in motion.
That was the totality of his output.
Oh, and he also dropped a touchdown in the second half.
(Credit where it is due: he did have a nice kick return in the final minute.)
Can’t wait to see what he tweets after this one.
Aaron Banks • LG
Who would have thought going from Ben Bartch to Banks — the starter all year — would be such a downgrade? Banks was repeatedly beaten, and without Trent Williams covering for him at the left tackle, the Niners’ run 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 L.A. field goals.
Brock Purdy • QB
Didn’t this guy go to Iowa State? I was unaware they had such great weather in Ames. Clearly that’s a paradise, because Purdy’s performances fall apart when the weather is rough. It’s too consistent of a trend to ignore.
Was the Niners’ quarterback helped by receivers who couldn’t separate against man-to-man coverage? No.
Did the Niners’ quarterback fail to make routine throws and commit a critical fourth-quarter blunder to take away the Niners’ best scoring chance of the fourth quarter?
Absolutely.
Purdy completed only 14 of 31 pass attempts for a measly 142 yards. Top-tier quarterbacks must elevate their teammates and play big in the biggest moments. That’s what Matt Stafford did after fumbling through the start of the game. Purdy did the opposite.
Kyle Shanahan • HC
The Rams, like every team that has a competent defensive coordinator this season, provided the Niners with a steady diet of man-to-man defense Thursday, going against their tendencies in all but one game this season (Week 3 vs. San Francisco).
Despite constantly seeing that defense this season, Shanahan looked downright befuddled against it. He tried two tight ends against a five-man Rams front. That failed. He tried two tight ends and a fullback. That was a little better, but the Niners couldn’t pass the ball.
When Shanahan finally made Ricky Pearsall (the team’s one man-to-man-beating receiver) the first read and spread his offense out, the Niners moved the ball. It was too little, too late, and Purdy made a colossal error, throwing an interception into triple coverage when the Niners were on the Rams’ 34-yard line. The Niners only had 20 seconds left in the game when they next had the ball.
Brian Schneider • STC
The Niners didn’t do anything egregious on special teams — a welcome change — but it’s not a good look when your punt team is called for an illegal formation twice in the same game. That seems like bad coordination to me.