The 49ers Have Put Jake Moody in an Impossible Position

Just look at Jake Moody's face.

He looks miserable on the sideline. He frowns. The rookie looks like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders. And in a sense, he does.

He has to replace Robbie Gould, the ninth most accurate kicker ever in terms of field goal percentage. When Robbie Gould was on the sideline, he looked so happy. Like he loved kicking and couldn't wait to make the game winner under pressure. He looked like he lived for those moments. Maybe that's why never missed a field goal in the playoffs. The pressure didn't bother him. He enjoyed the pressure.

Moody looks like he enjoys no part of his job right now. He looks like he would rather be an accountant. And it's hard to blame him. The 49ers have put him in an impossible position. How could he possibly be better or even as good as Gould? He can't.

It's like the 49ers saw how Brock Purdy, a rookie, replaced Jimmy Garoppolo, a veteran, and thought Moody could do the same thing for Gould.

But the 49ers can help Purdy. Kyle Shanahan can draw up plays that put him in positions to succeed. His supporting cast can take short throws and turn them into big plays. And his defense can ensure he always plays with a lead. The whole team can prop him up.

Not the case with Moody. There's nothing Shanahan or the rest of the team can do to help him. His success or failure is all about him and his foot and the six inches between his ears.

Right now, he seems overwhelmed. He missed his first field goal wide left against the Browns, then missed his second field goal wide left. He overcorrected.

The 49ers might need Gould back pronto.