49ers Struggle: A Look at Their Poor Performance

The San Francisco 49ers had a tough game at home against the Seattle Seahawks, losing 13-3. This was their worst offensive performance in nine years under head coach Kyle Shanahan. Making it worse, they lost to Sam Darnold, who was their backup quarterback just two years ago. The 49ers will now have to play a playoff game on the road next week. Their opponent is still unclear. Let's break down their performance: Quarterback: Brock Purdy had a tough game. He was under constant pressure and his play-caller wasn't helpful. His running game was almost non-existent and his receivers weren't open. Most of the 49ers' good plays were thanks to Purdy's quick thinking and scrambles. He made smart decisions, but his height is a disadvantage. When a good defense contains him in the pocket, he can't see down the field. This is why he often scrambled out of good pockets and why his pass got tipped and intercepted. Running Backs: Christian McCaffrey had a bad game. He averaged only 2. 9 yards per carry and dropped a pass that hit him in the hands. The ball bounced to a Seahawks defender who picked it off, sealing the game. The 49ers need to consider getting a new running back this offseason. Wide Receivers: Jauan Jennings had a poor game. He's slow and doesn't scare any starting NFL cornerback. He had just 35 yards on 6 targets. The 49ers should let him leave in free agency this offseason. Ricky Pearsall, who sat out with a knee injury, is also unreliable. The 49ers can't simply hand him a starting job next year. They need to bring in competition or a replacement. Tight Ends: George Kittle had a bad game. He had just 29 yards on 7 targets and seemed slow. He couldn't get open. The 49ers should have given more opportunities to his backup, Jake Tonges, who's healthy. He would have been a better option than Kittle in this game.Offensive Linemen: Trent Williams didn't play, and the 49ers got dominated in the trenches. To be fair, at Williams' age, he probably wouldn't have changed much about the outcome. Defensive Linemen: They sacked Sam Darnold once, which is good, but they couldn't stop the run. Their defensive ends are awful. It's too bad the 49ers didn't trade for one at the deadline. Linebackers: Tatum Bethune sacked Darnold once, but neither he nor Dee Winters could stop the run. Both of them left the game with lower-body injuries. Now, the 49ers might have to play a playoff game with backups starting a linebacker. Defensive Backs: Deommodore Lenoir wanted to cover Jaxon Smith-Njigba man to man. Then, Lenoir committed a pass interference penalty against Smith-Njigba in the end zone, and the 49ers played zone the rest of the night. They simply don't have defensive backs who scare opposing offenses. Special Teams: Eddy Pineiro scored the 49ers' only points. Coaches: Robert Saleh gets credit for giving up only 13 points, but he let the Seahawks run the ball at will. He didn't load the box consistently, which is a big reason the 49ers gave up a back-breaking 19-yard run on third-and-17 late in the game. He should have sold out to stop the run and forced Sam Darnold to make plays. Instead, he played right into the Seahawks' hands. But Saleh isn't the reason the 49ers lost - Kyle Shanahan is. He had the worst game of his career. Nothing he called worked. And when he called a double-reverse flea flicker in the second quarter, you knew he was desperate and out of ideas. No matter how well he coaches throughout a season, he always finds a way to choke at the end. Fortunately for Shanahan, he has a chance to redeem himself on the road in the playoffs next week.