On Saturday, Jan. 17, the 49ers suffered their biggest loss of the season in the National Football League (NFL) Divisional round at Lumen Stadium vs. the Seahawks, 41-6. After the previous season, in which the 49ers went 6-11, the 49ers fanbase (including myself) was unusually hopeful, with Grant Cohn, a devout 49ers fan and sports reporter, predicting a 10-7 record, which wouldn’t be too far off their 12-5 record at the end of the season.
The year started shaky with a 17-13 win over the Seahawks, with the 49ers kicker Jake Moody missing two crucial field goals that could have sealed the game much earlier for the 49ers.
Moody was released by the team and replaced by Eddie Piñeiro, who would become a 49ers fan favorite for his consistent performances after the team dealt with Jake Moody’s struggles.
With the struggles at the kicker position, the rest of the 49ers were forced to step up their game, with Christian McCaffrey (CMC) having one of his best seasons yet, ending the season with 1,202 rushing yards and 924 receiving yards.
Dee Winters would also make 100+ tackles, helping the defense. Both players need tactful support from the coaches during the off-season if the 49ers want to carry over the season’s success into next season.
However, Brock Purdy would sustain a shoulder injury, then a toe injury, limiting his passing yards to 2,167, down from 3,863 the year before.
In Purdy’s absence, the 49ers played Mac Jones in his absence, and to the surprise of the 49ers fans, Jones would throw for 2,151 yards, just 16 yards less than Purdy.
I’m not saying we should replace Brock Purdy, but it’s a worrying problem for the starting QB that the offensive coordinator, Klay Kubiak, should keep an eye on.
I believe one of the 49ers’ major problems is the recurring injury crisis that has plagued the team. It seems every year, the team does well until a flood of injuries ends its chances of making a deep playoff run, as with the CMC injury last year.
During the year, players like Inside Linebacker Fred Warner, Defensive Line Mykel Williams, Line Backer Nick Martin and, of course, Quarterback Brock Purdy missed significant chunks of the year due to injury.
The 49ers’ Head Physician, Dr. Tim McAdams, needs to solve these problems in any way he can, or, if McAdams is the problem, he needs to be replaced. We do not know the cause of these recurring issues, but whatever it is, McAdams needs to solve it.
The loss to the Seahawks only underscored the known issues, because with another injury to Tight End George Kittle, the 49ers’ offense had no bite, scoring only six points all game.
Overall, 49ers fans should be happy with the season, making it all the way to the National Football Conference (NFC) Divisional round and beating the Eagles in their first playoff game. However, they can’t get cocky and go into another season with a squad with one foot in the hospital.
