After the Rain: The 49ers' Week 15 Painful Performance

What a wicked game you play, to make me feel this way.

What a wicked thing to do, to let met dream of you.

Isaak, Chris.

After three weeks of poor football, the San Francisco 49ers performed incredibly against the Chicago Bears in Week 14.

I attended the Week 14 contest and left Levi’s Stadium feeling that whatever voodoo curse had been following the team had finally been exorcised.

As we hung out in the F-Lot, waiting for the traffic to clear, I thought, “Sure, the team may scrape into a wild card birth and might not win that round – at least they finally got it together.”

The first step toward that dream was a Thursday night contest against our hated neighbors to the south. Any chance to put a hippy beatdown on the Los Angeles Rams is a good time in my book.

I made the grave error of basing my joy upon the deeds of others. For what is given can be taken away. In Week 15, the 49ers’ performance unanaesthetically shredded my football happiness into blackened confetti.

Whatever game plan the head coach Kyle Shanahan built for the Los Angeles Rams was executed like a hungover junior varsity team. The 49ers’ offense could not scrap enough together to score a single touchdown that would have sent the Rams packing.

I could have handled the loss to the Rams if the 49ers’ offensive game plan made sense. I could deal with a loss if quarterback Brock Purdy could successfully push the ball vertically. But I can’t handle losing when Shanahan calls power runs to Samuel on 3rd and six or the team still can’t get in the proper punt formation after 15 weeks of football.

Below are three plays from the loss that I found interesting. You can always find more plays and shorter breakdowns on my X handle. BlueSky doesn’t seem to like video clips at this moment.

1st Quarter – 1 & 10 at the SF 26 (12:48)

The 49ers went three-and-out on their first series but started their second passion with a big 33-yard gain to tight end George Kittle. Purdy found Kittle on a ‘chevy’ route, while he had a levels concept at the top of the formation.

At this moment, they were right back on track and ready to pick up the momentum from Week 14.

Unfortunately, the 49ers would run the ball the next three plays, only gain seven yards, and settle for a field goal.

I was puzzled by Shanahan’s call on 3rd and 6 when he called in a ‘17 Power’ (above) with wide receiver Deebo Samuel as the halfback.

The ‘wideback’ era was cute, but that ship has sailed. Samuel is not a power-back and should not be running the ball on gap runs. There’s no reason to have called this play to Deebo after getting the Rams’ defense on its heels.

1st Quarter – 2 & 9 at the SF 20 (7:43)

One skill I’ve noticed about Purdy is his ability to stay nimble in the pocket as he goes through his reads. He displays that rare 4 to 5 seconds of patience to see if an intermediate route might open behind a linebacker.

Again, after watching him against Chicago, I thought whatever was wrong with his shoulder, which could have impacted his deeper throws, was finally over.

On the 49ers’ third possession, Shanahan called a play that put Samuel in the backfield and sent him on a choice route. Rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was in the slot on the strong side of the formation and would run a ‘cop’ route. A ‘cop’ route tells the receiver to take an inside release and then break toward the corner at 10 yards to sell a ‘bench’ route. After a few steps, he will break back inside on a skinny post.

Purdy received the snap, took a very quick survey of the middle of the field, and then immediately went to Samuel, who was breaking inside on a choice route.

The Rams were in what looked like a Tampa-2 coverage, with linebacker Christian Rozeboom dropping parallel with Pearsall before settling into coverage. Rozeboom wasn’t even looking back at Purdy during his drop, settling after the ball left Purdy’s hand.

Pro Football Focus said the Rams generated 19 hurries, but not on this play. Purdy was hurried or pressured on the throw and had time to hitch up and find Pearsall in the middle of the field for a big gain.

There could be any number of reasons Purdy hasn’t felt comfortable letting one rip to Pearsall, but there was no excuse here. Purdy is 41-for-58 with four touchdowns and no interceptions, throwing in the middle of the field between 10 and 20 yards.  

Purdy has played like a gunslinger, but he often makes incredibly poor choices, such as blindly throwing the ball into a hive of defenders. What’s puzzling is when he has time to hit a big intermediate throw but decides to take an unnecessary checkdown route.

2nd Quarter – 3 & 9 at the SF 31 (15:00)

I don’t like ending reviews or breakdowns on a bad note, so here’s a great play Shanahan called to start the second quarter.

Purdy broke the huddle and just before the team settled, Kittle motioned across the formation to put the offense in a ‘Far Right Off’ set. Kittle’s motion revealed a man coverage as safety Kam Curl followed Kittle across the formation.

Purdy took a short four-step drop at the snap, and the Rams settled into a Cover 11 Lurk coverage. This is man-to-man, with one safety on a ‘lurk’ or in a ‘robber’ position, with the other roaming free.

It looked like Purdy wanted to hit Kittle but ended up coming back to wide receiver Jauan Jennings, who was aligned on the weak side of the formation and running a ‘nail’ route.

Jennings had to fight for position on his route stem but was able to shake his defender. Purdy made a great throw, and Jennings gained about eight more yards after the catch.

I like these sideline throws from Purdy when he’s struggling, and I’m hopeful we’ll see more of them this weekend.

Oddly, there’s some incredibly slim chance the 49ers can make the playoffs. I’ve messed with the New York Times playoffs scenario generator and found a path for the 49ers to play in January. Assuming the 49ers win their final three games, here’s what needs to play out.

Week 16 necessary wins:

Giants over Falcons

Jets over Rams

Eagles over Commanders

Panthers over Cardinals

Vikings over Seahawks

Cowboys over Buccaneers

Week 17 necessary wins:

Bears over Seahawks

Cardinals over Rams

Falcons over Commanders

Panthers over Buccaneers

Cowboys over Eagles

If all that magic somehow plays out, coming into Week 18, the 49ers need the Cowboys to beat the Commanders and the 49ers to make the playoffs.

It feels sinful to have the 49ers’ playoff hopes ride on the Cowboys’ success, so I hope the 49ers win out but are not invited to playoff football.  

All images and videos courtesy of NFL.com, except the cover image which is courtesy of myself.

All statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless noted.