How the 49ers missed a shot vs. the Packers
GREEN BAY, Wis. — If there’s anything to be learned about this version of the San Francisco 49ers, it’s that they haven’t been able to overcome mistakes.
That was the theme again in Monday night’s heartbreaking loss to Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. San Francisco controlled the game and was in position for one of the most spirited victories of coach Kyle Shanahan’s tenure. Yet the 49ers watched Rodgers take it away because he was enabled by San Francisco’s errors.
Botched coverages in the first half helped the Packers in an explosive 17-point first quarter. Quarterback C.J. Beathard being unable to hit the right spots while getting blitzed, particularly late Monday night, put Green Bay in position to retake command, leading to 10 points inside the final two minutes.
Richard Sherman’s illegal contact penalty, which he didn’t dispute after the game, gave the Packers life following a DeForest Buckner sack on third-and-15 before the decisive field goal. It allowed Green Bay to win the game instead of sending it to overtime.
“We didn’t get it done. We had a chance to win today,” Shanahan said. “Very disappointed that we didn’t. We had our times on both sides of the ball.”
The defense got off to an ominous start for the second consecutive week. Receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling on the very first snap broke free from coverage due to a miscommunication in the secondary and went for 60 yards up the sideline.
It was the exact same scenario as San Francisco’s previous game against the Arizona Cardinals. Beathard orchestrated a touchdown drive to open the game only for the defense to allow a big play immediately afterward leading to a touchdown. This time, it took four plays instead of one.
San Francisco’s defensive miscues have led to coordinator Robert Saleh coming under fire. After all, San Francisco is 1-5 and there’s chatter that Saleh deserves blame. But it’s not a viewpoint that Sherman shares.
“People don’t know ball,” Sherman said. “This is one of the most sound schemes in football. That’s why you see so many people execute it. And when you don’t play sound, it can lead to busts — in any scheme. If you don’t play sound, it can lead to big
plays. We got to find a way to just play disciplined.”
Sherman said busted coverages in the secondary came after correct calls were made in the huddle. It’s up the players to make adjustments while in formation before the play, or, in some cases, after the snap. Any mishap in communication can lead to a receiver running free.
Rodgers made the 49ers pay for their gaffes. He threw for 425 yards and had three pass catchers — Vales-Scantling, Jimmy Graham and Davante Adams — with more than 100 yards receiving. It all happened without starting receivers Randall Cobb and Geronimo Allison, which helped the 49ers while they controlled the middle portion of the game. They outscored the Packers 23-6 from late in the first quarter to 11:21 left in the fourth.
But the Packers scored 10 points in the final three minutes. It was made possible by mistakes by San Francisco’s offense.
On a fourth-quarter thirdand-10 after the 49ers made a spirited stop on fourth down near the goal line, Beathard couldn’t get rid of the ball and was sacked by Clay Matthews. Green Bay took over at their own 42 and scored the gametying touchdown four plays later with two minutes remaining.
The 49ers had a chance to win the game late. Receiver Richie James Jr., who was in the game because D.J. Reed fumbled for the second time in three games, returned a kickoff 32 yards and had a late-hit penalty tacked on, giving San Francisco a golden opportunity.
And on second-and-three, Shanahan dialed up a passing play, despite his well-schemed rushing attack averaging 5.8 yards per carry. The pass to Pierre Garçon was batted down by linebacker Nick Perry. The Packers sent an all-out blitz at Beathard on the next snap, and he threw an interception on a desperate heave to Marquise Goodwin (four catches, 126 yards, two touchdowns).
“It wasn’t ideally what we wanted,” Shanahan said. “They all-out blitzed us. We had to get rid of it. There was four options on the play, but that wasn’t the one that we wanted.”
Added Beathard: “You need to get it out quicker (when blitzed). I think we could be a little bit better in every aspect.”
Beathard was solid otherwise. He finished with 245 yards while completing 16 of 23 passes (69.6 percent). The offense prioritized the running game, which logged 174 yards on 30 attempts.