Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers appeared poised for an additional quick begin when two massive passes to George Kittle moved them into the crimson zone on the opening drive of the sport.
What occurred subsequent set the tone for the remainder of the sport.
Purdy threw an interception to Kyle Hamilton ultimately zone to thwart the drive after which stored giving the ball away within the worst efficiency of his profession, sending the 49ers to a 33-19 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night time.
“I’ve to look myself within the mirror and ask myself why or how that occurred and why I made these selections,” Purdy stated. “Our crew got here able to play and for me to make some selections like that, it pains me. It’s not truthful to those guys. I’ve to comprehend that and perceive that, and I’ve to get higher for my crew.”
Purdy threw three extra interceptions on the following six possessions to grow to be the primary 49ers participant with 4 in a sport since Colin Kaepernick in 2015. Purdy didn’t produce a TD — both operating or passing — for the primary time in 20 profession begins and regarded overmatched towards Baltimore’s stellar protection.
He completed 18 for 32 for 255 yards earlier than leaving with a stinger late within the sport that isn’t thought of critical. However his efficiency regarded far more like a participant picked within the seventh spherical a yr in the past than one who got here into the sport because the favorite to win MVP.
“He’s performed this lengthy, he by no means had a sport like this,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan stated. “It’s fairly uncommon. That’s the fact of the NFL. I’m not saying it’s certain to occur however I want he didn’t have as many picks right this moment.”
Purdy’s passer score of 42.6 was the worst of any sport in his profession however Shanahan stated the statistics didn’t replicate his quarterback’s efficiency, and all 4 interceptions got here after a success of deflection by a robust Ravens protection.
“I believed the primary [interception] was the massive mistake,” Shanahan stated. “And the opposite three had been fairly unlucky for him.”
Purdy was removed from the one downside for the 49ers, who got here into the sport because the NFL’s most full crew however obtained dominated in all phases of the sport.
The offense stored giving the ball away and produced solely two scoring drives till Sam Darnold threw a late landing with San Francisco trailing by 21 factors.
The protection couldn’t sustain with Lamar Jackson, who beat them by operating in addition to extending performs to hit massive passes in a turnover-free efficiency.
Even the particular groups had points, permitting an enormous punt return adopted by a private foul on punter Mitch Wishnowsky to arrange one TD drive.
“Combined feelings about it, actually,” linebacker Fred Warner stated. “We all know the recipe for profitable soccer video games for our crew. We’ve obtained to take the ball away on protection. We didn’t take the ball away. We’ve obtained to guard the ball on offense. We gave it away. So whenever you do this, that’s the way you lose video games.”
Regardless of the loss, the Niners are in a three-way tie with Philadelphia and Detroit for the very best report within the NFC and may nonetheless clinch the No 1 seed and a first-round bye with wins of their last two video games.
They end the season with video games at Washington on Sunday and at house in Week 18 towards the Rams.
“Our guys are actual disenchanted tonight,” Shanahan stated. “They need to be. However when it comes all the way down to it, we’re nonetheless in the identical state of affairs that we had been earlier than the sport began. We’ve obtained to care for our enterprise.”