From MVP studs to big duds
The 49ers lost too many games, but did have some shining moments
The 49ers felt your 2020 pain, from their Super Bowl collapse to this season’s injury-plagued encore that mercifully ends Sunday against Seattle.
“It wasn’t fun,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “It’s not what we or our fans wanted.
“But I believe the way we went through it, if you go through things the right way, I think it hardens you and makes you stronger and makes you better.”
There’s no making it back to the playoffs, however, not after a late- season slide that accompanied their eviction from Santa Clara County because of COVID-19 restrictions. At least we can offer the 49ers these yearend, consolation prizes: DEFENSIVE MVP >> Linebacker Fred Warner. He celebrated his first Pro Bowl with an all-encompassing show last game (14 tackles, fourth- down pass breakup, fumble forced/recovered). Time now for “All-Pro Fred” to get a WellPaid Fred extension.
OFFENSIVEMVP >> Left tackle Trent Williams. Traded from Washington after missing 2019 in a cancer battle, Williams earned his eighth Pro Bowl and aptly replaced the retired Joe Staley. Other contenders: George Kittle, Kyle Juszczyk, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and Jeff Wilson.
OFFENSIVE OVERACHIEVER >> Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. His 12game rookie season goes down among the top five in 49ers rookie history (60 catches, 748 yards, seven overall touchdowns). A high ankle sprain will keep him out of Sunday’s finale.
fensive end Kerry Hyder Jr. Who figured this bargain free agent ($1.5 million) would deliver a career-high 8 1/2 sacks so far, helping cover the early exits of injured stars Nick Bosa and Dee Ford?
BEST WIN >> 26-23 at the L. A. Rams, Nov. 29: Robbie Gould won it with a 42yard field goal as time expired, snapping the 49ers’ t h ree - game sk id a nd sweeping the season series. EASIEST WIN >> 33- 6 at the New England Patriots, Oct. 25. Jimmy Garoppolo’s victorious return to New England came with Jeff Wilson’s touchdown hat trick. A swarming defense got Cam New ton benched. And the Niners’ record climbed to 4-3, their final time above .500.
WORST WIN >> 31-13 at the New York Jets, Sept. 20. They lost Bosa and Solomon Thomas to seasonending knee injuries in a three- play span, and the MetLife Stadium turf also took out Garoppolo (ankle), Raheem Mostert ( knee) and Tevin Coleman ( knee).
WORST PLAYER LOSS >> Bosa. The NFL’s reigning defensive rookie of the year tore his ACL on a Jets rushing play, by 49ers alltime rushing king Frank Gore.
WORST GAME LOSS >> Pick ’em, from their four Levi’s Stadium embarrassments, against the Arizona Cardinals ( Week 1 choke), the Philadelphia Eagles (winning QB: Carson Wentz), the Miami Dolphins (poor cornerback Brian Allen) or Green Bay Packers ( NFC Championship Game revenge).
BEST OFFENSIVE PLAY >> Aiyuk made quite a primetime debut in Week 4, hurdling an Eagles defender on a 38-yard touchdown run down the sideline. BEST DEFENSIVE PLAY >> It wasn’t a sack or a fumble but rather an end-zone interception. Make that two of them, in rare wins: Jason Verrett’s at home Oct. 18 against the Rams, then Ahkello Witherspoon’s Saturday against the Cardinals. Honorable mention: Javon Kinlaw pick- six at the Rams. QUARTERBACK THEME >> Of the team’s 30 turnovers (second-most in the NFL), 23 have come from their quarterbacks, including Nick Mullens (12 interceptions, four fumbles), Garoppolo (five interceptions) and C. J. Beathard (two fumbles). Bonus theme: Shanahan went to his QB bullpen in 5 of 15 games, so far.
MOST COMMON INJURY >> High ankle sprains. That forced Garoppolo out against the Jets, the Dolphins, and, finally, the Seahawks on Nov. 2. Others with high ankle sprains: Aiyuk, Mostert, Wilson, K’Waun Williams and Jordan Willis.
QUOTE OF THE YEAR >> “Now I’m taken care of and my family is taken care of. I don’t have to worry about money or anything else. And I can just go play football. And run through someone’s face. And I’m really excited about that.” — Tight end George Kittle on Aug. 15, after securing a five-year, $75 million extension.
COMEBACK PLAYER OF YEAR >> Verrett. He was as feisty and reliable as his 2015 Pro Bowl year. He’s started 12 games, after leg injuries limited him to six games combined from 2016-19. OFFENSIVE STOCK DROP >> Right tackle Mike McGlinchey, as a pass protector. His timely gaffes led to several turnovers. His runblocking prowess, however, reinforces his solid job security as they lock him in the weight room this offseason. DEFENSIVE STOCK DROP >> Defensive end Dee Ford. He didn’t play after reporting neck and back pain from the opener. He also missed five games last year to injury, had one sack in their playoff run, and it’s highly doubtful he returns (2021 salary: $15 million). MOST OVERLOOKED >> Fullback Kyle Juszczyk and safety Jimmie Ward. OK, so Juszczyk made another Pro Bowl but it’s easy to take for granted him as a blocker, receiver, shortyardage rusher and sixtouchdown scorer. Ward, the longest-tenured 49er in Year 7, is their third-leading tackler, and he forced two fumbles in their win at the Rams.
KEY TELL >> The 49ers’ are 0- 8 when trailing at halftime.
BIGGEST LETDOWN >> Tight end Jordan Reed. He has just 231 receiving yards on a career- low 26 catches, even with Kittle out half the season. Others: wide receiver Trent Taylor (10 catches, 21 targets), defensive end Arik Armstead (3 1/2 sacks) and linebacker Kwon Alexander (traded to the Saints).
CENTER- PIECES >> Da niel Brunskill shifted from right guard at midseason to become their sixth center. The conga line: Weston Richburg (did not play; knee, biceps), Ben Garland ( Week 6 calf injury), Jake Brendel (COVID-19 opt out), Spencer Long (retired three days after signing), Hroniss Grasu ( Week 1 starter), and Brunskill. OFFSEASON VOIDS >> The 49ers insisted they’d keep their NFC Championship core together, but there’s no mistaking they lost star power and veteran leadership with the spring exits of Joe Staley (retired), DeForest Buckner (traded) and Emmanuel Sanders (signed with the Saints). SMARTER TRADES >> As harsh as it was to deal Buckner, the 49ers wisely traded away four players this year who’d fallen out of coaches’ favor or down the depth chart: Marquise Goodwin, Matt Breida, Dante Pettis and Kwon Alexander. Their best trade: Acquiring Williams for a 2020 fifth-round pick and 2021 third-rounder.
MOST SURPRISING PLAY >> As the 49ers headed to Los Angeles to face the Rams, Santa Clara County health officials sprung it on the general public that contact sports (see: football) would be banned in December. Logistical chaos ensued, terse words were exchanged.
MOST OMINOUS SIGN >> Wide receiver Jalen Hurd, on the second day of camp, sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament, running on the side with a trainer. That delayed Hurd’s 49ers debut a second straight season.
INJURED RESERVE COUNT >> They’ve made 28 IR moves since camp, plus four players from the practice squad. Non-IR players already ruled out of the finale: Samuel, Aiyuk, Williams, Richard Sherman and Jordan Willis. Two other injured players ( Richburg, Ronald Blair) never got activated, and three others took the COVID opt- out route before camp.
COVID-19 COUNT >> They’ve had 23 players go on the NFL’s COVID-19 reserve list, including two stints by Aiyuk, Williams, Grasu and Kendrick Bourne. None were out longer than two weeks; not all tested positive and it’s unknown how many did.
CROWD COUNT >> Only two games had fans (30,000 at Dallas, 6,000 at New Orleans). Santa Clara County banned fans at Levi’s Stadium, then the 49ers got locked out because of COVID-19 restrictions. (Family members have been able to attend games in Arizona.)
FROM A TO Z >> Kiko Alonso ( knee) never played after being acquired in the Kwon Alexander trade, and Ziggy Ansah saw just 34 snaps before tearing his biceps in his second game since replacing Bosa and Ford. RECORD ROSTER >> You weren’t alone if you didn’t know all of the franchiserecord 80 players who appeared in at least one game. “We’ve had some guys that I didn’t know much during the week,” Shanahan said, “and then they ended up getting dressed (for games), and I ended up making sure I introduce myself before they go out to the field.”