49ERS REPORT CARD
Here is how the 49ers (3-5) graded in Sunday’s 31-17 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals (8-1):
PASS OFFENSE: D
Three turnovers “killed us,” Jimmy Garoppolo said of the early fumbles by George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk and a fourth-quarter interception. Seven completions went at least 15 yards, but none longer than a 32-yard screen to Deebo Samuel. Was this Garoppolo’s final start? “Probably not,” Shanahan replied. While Garoppolo (and the 49ers) has really struggled at home, he does have a thing for beating the Rams, who arrive next Monday night. Right tackle Mike McGlinchey’s knee injury interrupts what had been a bounce-back season for him. All that overshadowed Kittle returning with a 101-yard effort that included his first 2021 touchdown and first career lost fumble. Aiyuk rallied from his own lost fumble inside the 10 to deliver a season-high 89 yards and several contested catches, including a touchdown.
RUN OFFENSE: C
Elijah Mitchell’s 9-yard carry on the opening snap was fool’s gold. The 49ers shied away from their run game because, according to Kyle Shanahan, the Cardinals deployed six defensive linemen so often. “We were anticipating it. They kind of did it last time we played them,” Garoppolo said. “We had a plan for it. But we’ve just got to execute.” So Mitchell had only eight carries for 36 yards, but his rib injury didn’t sideline him and force the 49ers to rush Jeff Wilson Jr. into a season debut. Still, the 49ers should have run more, and to the left behind Trent Williams.
PASS DEFENSE: F
They let Colt McCoy dominate in place of Kyler Murray. It wasn’t just screen passes, though the 49ers’ inability to tackle on those plays certainly hurt. McCoy hit a 50-yard bomb at one point, seizing on how the 49ers were down to secondstring safeties in Talanoa Hufanga and Tavon Wilson. McCoy slipped out of Nick Bosa’s grasp on a third-down scramble, but the biggest play of this pass-defense category came when officials nullified an Arik Armstead sack, accusing him of a facemask penalty that swung the momentum. The most boneheaded play: cornerback Josh Norman taunting Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury, who also drew his own unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Norman was benched for Dre Kirkpatrick, who later was steamrolled on a touchdown.
RUN DEFENSE: F
Missed tackles, missed assignments, and it’s got to be more than them missing a couple of players, such as defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw and linebacker Dre Greenlaw. Too often, defenders missed an open-field tackle, or even one in the trenches that allowed a runner a few extra yards. There’s enough blame to go around and defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans needs to solve this fast. This was the fourth game this season in which the 49ers didn’t force a turnover. Bosa: “This year with turnovers, we’re not getting them and giving them up too much. That’s a big sign of a losing team, and that’s what we are right now.”
SPECIAL TEAMS: C
Aiyuk’s punt returns have become hold-your-breath theater, especially if he lets the ball bounce. But he did have a 27-yard return to set up the final scoring drive, which ended with Robbie Gould’s first field goal since … Week 2 at Philadelphia.
COACHING: F
Shanahan said he “aggressively” warned players Saturday night not to take lightly a Cardinals team that indeed did not have Murray, DeAndre Hopkins, A.J. Green or last game’s wrecker, J.J. Watt. And defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans has preached all season for defenders to swarm to the ball. Players are not listening, apparently, and maybe that is why neither Shanahan nor Ryans bothered to rally up a sideline huddle to shake some sense into everyone during this disaster. That’s not their style. Fine. But the 49ers are playing too timid in a sport that demands a dominating mindset. Shanahan has left himself open for criticism when it comes to anything, whether it’s a fourth-quarter punt, a play he didn’t challenge, a lineup change, a pass instead of a run, anything. Losing an eighth straight home game is a damning indictment on this team, this roster, this coaching staff.