D
own go the San Francisco 49ers. Starting off the season 3-0 for the third time in seven seasons under head coach Kyle Shanahan, the 49ers dropped their first game of the new campaign in week four when they lost 26-21 to the Jacksonville Jaguars. In the game until the very end despite some costly turnovers by the offense, the 49ers were unable to seal the deal and fell to 3-1.
After the game, former cornerback, Richard Sherman, did not mince words when speaking about the loss on his podcast The Richard Sherman Podcast. Speaking bluntly, Sherman called the 49ers loss ‘awful’ and acknowledged that they played poorly in the game.
Sherman’s Comments
The 49ers are not healthy and went into week four with a lot of key players down. But Sherman did not use that an excuse and got candid when explaining the 49ers‘ issues.
“That was awful,” Sherman said on his podcast. “Brock Purdy is back. I think if Mac Jones wasn’t hurt as badly as he was, he starts this game. You could see the rust. Obviously, Brock completed some really good passes, but you could see the rust.”
Purdy missed the previous two games with a toe injury and while Jones played well in his absence, the 49ers wanted their starting quarterback healthy and after a solid week of practice, was deemed fit enough to play. Still, questions arise as to if the team brought him back too early. Looking like he was still banged up, Purdy struggled and finished with a rating of 79.8. But he did not get help from his receivers, with drops being a major issue for the team in the loss.
“There weren’t many holes for Christian McCaffrey to work his way through,” Sherman said. “Way, way, way, too many drops.
Can the 49ers Rebound?
3-1 is a good start, but the 49ers face tough tests in the coming weeks. Next up is a week five game against NFC West foes, the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football, forcing the 49ers to endure a quick turnaround and play on a short week. Winning that game would not only be a statement win and a testament to their resilience, but it would also give them a substantial hold on the division.
Losing the game would not be the end of the world, getting a mini bye week ahead of week six. But the 49ers have already lost a lot of key players to long term injuries and depth is thin. If the 49ers go on any sort of skid this season, they may struggle to get out of it and return to the playoffs after a one season absence.
Ex-49ers Star Blasts Team for ‘Awful’ Loss to Jacksonville Jaguars