Can the 49ers Come from Behind to Win?

We know the 49ers can blow out teams when they get an early lead, but we don't know whether the 49ers can win a big game when they fall behind. This is their big unanswered question halfway through the season.

We've seen they have a quarterback in Brock Purdy who hasn't shown he can lead comebacks consistently. He had opportunities during the 49ers' three-game losing streak and committed four turnovers in the two fourth quarters. When he tried to elevate his game, carry the team and be a hero, he flopped. But he's young, and hasn't been in many close games because he wins so frequently, so he might improve in this area.

But Kyle Shanahan has a long, long history of making the strangest decisions in tight games. And he's 1-37 when his team is behind by at least three points in the fourth quarter. And that's partially because his whole offensive system is centered around runs and play-action passes. So when he falls behind, those two elements of his offense aren't nearly as effective, and he needs to call drop back passes, which is the weakest area of his play book, plus it's not what his offensive line is built to do. With the exception of Trent Williams, everyone on the offensive line is there to run block. None of them excel one on one in pass sets.

That's why the 49ers win by taking early leads and holding them with their defense. Once they fall behind, their offense isn't built to come back.

Let's see if the offense can change that narrative.