The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: 5 Takeaways from Week 7
The 49ers wished for a chance at redemption. But Sunday's game was not even close to the heartbreaker that was when Jimmy Garoppolo missed Emmanuel Sanders three years ago. Here are the five takeaways from the 44-23 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
1. Catch me if you can
DeMeco Ryans would have been a head coach on a different team if not for his desire to stay with San Francisco in 2022. Ryans is a shining star in the league. On Sunday, Ryans' defense had a nightmare. It could not stop the Chiefs evening show "Catch Me if You Can." The Chiefs always have the edge in the passing game with future Hall of Famer Patrick Mahomes, but the embarrassment was how they could not stop the rushing attack. With Arik Armstead and Javon Kinlaw injured, the visiting team had enough craft to beat the defense to the edge and score three rushing touchdowns at will. Clyde Edwards-Helaire scored a peach of a touchdown when the Chiefs offense forced the 49er defense to drift in the opposite direction. Instead of double-blocking Nick Bosa, the designed plays left Nick Bosa free without anyone blocking him.
Ryans showed the ability to recover from his mistakes last year when the defense had a 37-second meltdown during Week 3. As the 49ers offense is struggling the entire season, Ryans will have to figure out how to fix the defense. Failure to do so might push him out of a potential head coaching job for 2023.
2. Decision-making is the most apparent injury.
The 49ers are hurt both mentally and physically. When Trey Lance had a season-ending injury in Week 2, the team did not seem too low on spirits. NFL insider Michael Silver of the San Francisco Chronicle reported that some 49ers players and coaches believe the team is better with Jimmy Garoppolo than Trey Lance. While it is an individual opinion, it shows a lack of logical thinking and short-sightedness.
After seven weeks, the football team cannot find ways to score points. The defense kept chasing the Chiefs rushing attack, which does not have the service of Kinlaw, who has proved his doubters correct for the millionth time.
Jimmie Ward played with a cast on, which clearly indicates he is not 100 percent fit. The question is, who allows it to happen?
NASA spent 10 billion on the James Webb telescope to find mysteries in the universe. So it is the right time for Jed York to spend time investigating who is making the wrong decisions to guide the franchise valued at over $5 billion.
3. Neither "great" nor "genius".
In the digital age that we live in, most people are not great at when to use the term "great" or "genius." The national media and a large part of the 49ers coverage belong to that category. In any conversation related to 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, he is referred to as a "great offensive mind" or "genius." The 49ers offense ranks 20th in points scored per game. The Seattle Seahawks, who are supposed to be bottom feeders of the NFC West, lead the 49ers by almost a touchdown per game in scoring.
Andy Reid had an effective running game to complement the Chiefs passing game, which Shanahan cannot manufacture. It might be an unfair comparison, as Reid is the one who has Mahomes in his arsenal, but Shanahan could have had the young sensation if he wanted him in the draft. The "what if" argument does not have a real winner, but Shanahan needs to carve a path out soon to make himself a true genius.
4. The backup QB
Jimmy Garoppolo threw a red zone interception, committed a safety and fumbled the football. Call it hat trick. Garoppolo might have done something to annoy the football gods, as he is at the receiving end multiple times. For the second week in a row, the 49ers offense failed to score points at will, but it is not the fault of the makeshift starter.
Garoppolo is probably the best backup QB in the league and better than a dozen starters in the league. The 49ers moved off him for future success. Last week Garoppolo made enough plays to create scoring opportunities but dropped passes by wide receivers, and penalties negated them. All the playmakers, including George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel had crucial passes dropped once again.
The offensive line had a forgettable performance, as Mike McGlinchey was the key suspect. Jauan Jennings was penalized for a personal foul on a kick return.
If the team truly believes Garoppolo is the best option, they need to act like it on the field. The mounting of errors does not help the cause. Garoppolo is a limited QB who was demoted to a backup at the beginning of the season. The players around him can not afford to play like backups if the team needs to reach playoffs.
5. Christian McCaffrey
Christian McCaffrey joined the squad two days before the game, but the pro bowl running back was ready for the game. McCaffrey looked good on Sunday. His ability as a game-changer is probably why the 49ers went all in a while spending multiple draft picks, but he is not going to solve the fundamental issues the 49ers have right now.
There was hope that this was the missing tool to fine-tune a misfiring offense, but there is a limit on what he can do. The 49ers have so much to do in every aspect to benefit from the McCaffrey trade.
