The San Francisco 49ers find themselves at a critical juncture in their season, holding a 5-3 record as they approach the halfway point. The team’s 3-0 record against divisional rivals in the NFC West makes it even more appealing. They now find themselves reeling from major problems following this week’s loss to the Houston Texans. The October 29 loss, marked by a score of 26-15, has intensified discussions about potential trades before the November 4 deadline.
In the Texans game against the Colts, quarterback C.J. Stroud threw for a franchise record 470 yards. He passed with 318 yards, 30 completions on 39 attempts including 2 touchdown passes and 1 interception. Stroud cut through the 49ers’ defense like a hot knife through butter. The Texans registered a season-high 475 yards of offense. The 49ers were unable to pressure Stroud in a significant way, producing just 10 pressures on his 42 drop backs. How defensively effective the team is lately since you’ve been forced to hear me say that defensive effectiveness is my favorite stat. They’re dead last in the NFL in allowing pressure, at 21.3%.
This was most evident during the 49ers’ offensive woes in the first half against the Texans in Week 14. The squad barely ran a full quarter’s worth of plays with just 14 offensive plays. That ties for the fewest any team has scored in a half this year. They somehow came out of that half being outgained by an unfathomable 299-65 and only two first downs to the Texans’ 14. Head Coach Kyle Shanahan was far from gentle in his criticism following the toilet bowl performance the entire football world witnessed.
“I was real disappointed in how we looked for all four quarters. First half was unacceptable and second half didn’t get much better.” – Kyle Shanahan
Adding to the team’s misfortune have been injuries to several of their most important defensive players. 49ers linebacker Fred Warner dislocated and fractured his right ankle, out for the rest of the game. On the other side, meanwhile, defensive end Nick Bosa is lost for the season with a torn right ACL. The collective absence of both players leaves a significant hole on the team’s back line. This problem has been compounded by injuries to other key players such as Jordan Elliott, Sam Okuayinonu and Dee Winters.
Deommodore Lenoir, a cornerback for the San Francisco 49ers who discussed the need to work together going forward, expressed this need.
“We’re going to need everybody on this team to get where we’re trying to go.” – Deommodore Lenoir
The upcoming deadline on November 4 looms large for General Manager John Lynch and his team, as they weigh the risks and rewards of making significant roster changes midseason. Over the last couple of seasons, they’ve shown the same tenacity to make deals that will put them in better position to succeed in the postseason. The urgency is very much there as time ticks away for the 49ers to repair some of their clear weaknesses on defense.
The 49ers will have to get back on track and reset as they face what should be another competitive matchup next. A stretch of important matches awaits the group. How they come back will truly determine the direction they take for the remainder of the year.
Leave a Reply