Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers blew it on Sunday. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty … [+] Images)
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We’re now five weeks into the NFL season, and there are far more questions than answers for the San Francisco 49ers.
That came out in droves amid sweltering heat inside Levi’s Stadium against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
Brock Purdy threw two interceptions, including the game-clincher late in the fourth quarter. San Francisco blew a 10-point lead heading into the fourth quarter as its defense couldn’t hold up their end of the bargain.
This included Kyler Murray leading the Cardinals on a 73-yard drive that culminated in a touchdown pass to Elijah Higgins. When Arizona kicker Chad Ryland nailed a 35-yard field goal with 1:37 remaining, the road team had taken a 24-23 lead.
Purdy and Co. still had an opportunity to do their thing. After hitting George Kittle for 15 yards on the first play, Purdy was then picked off by Cardinals linebacker Kyzir White to put this one on ice. It came after a missed blitz pick up from running back Jordan Mason.
This latest loss has San Francisco at 2-3 on the season with questions looming ahead of Thursday night’s road date with the division-rival Seattle Seahawks.
ForbesWith NFL Trade Deadline Approaching, Finances Won’t Be An Issue For The 49ersBy Vincent Frank
Takeaways From San Francisco 49ers Latest Loss
49ers star Brandon Aiyuk had a break out game on Sunday. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)
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There certainly is a lot to look at when analyzing the 49ers’ latest second half meltdown. Red-zone struggles were once again the name of the game on offense. Defensively, San Francisco continued to give up some big plays.
One good thing that could be taken from the 49ers’ performance on Sunday was Brandon Aiyuk finally getting on the same page with Purdy. These are among the top takeaways from San Francisco’s 24-23 loss to Arizona.
49ers Red Zone Struggles Continued On Sunday
San Francisco converted six red-zone possessions into just one touchdown. It was forced to kick three field goals. Running back Jordan Mason also lost a fumble in plus territory.
Purdy pointed to needing to be more aggressive in the red zone after Sunday’s game.
“When we have a matchup and a good look, I’ve just got to rip it. So I’ve got to be better and more aggressive down there,” Purdy told reporters.
You’re not going to win many games in the NFL struggling inside the opponent’s 20. Purdy obviously knows that. As the quarterback, it’s on him as much as it is on play-caller and head coach Kyle Shanahan.
Brandon Aiyuk Finally Shows Out For The 49ers
A lot was made of Aiyuk’s struggles through the first four games. That included the All-Pro putting up just 13 receptions for 167 yards. The backdrop here was Aiyuk not practicing during training camp due to a protracted contract stalemate with San Francisco.
Aiyuk answered the call on Sunday, recording eight receptions for 147 yards on 12 targets. That included a 53-yarder from Purdy.
Unfortunately for the 49ers, Aiyuk stepping up did not coincide with other receivers doing their thing. Deebo Samuel caught one pass for 11 yards on just three targets. Jauan Jennings also had a single catch in the loss. Not having all the components come together at one time has been an issue, too.
“We’re still trying to find our true identity as a team, and we’re getting there,” Purdy relayed to reporters. “It’s a couple plays away, a couple drives away from gelling and gluing together.”
49ers Defense Continues To Be Plagued By Big Plays
Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray runs for a touchdown against the 49ers (Photo by Michael … [+] Owens/Getty Images)
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Nick Bosa had an intercption of Kyler Murray that he returned 30 yards. That’s about the good of it from this unit on Sunday.
Murray opened the scoring with a ridiculous 50-yard touchdown, gutting the teeth of the 49ers’ defense in the process.
You simply just can’t have that happen. And in reality, it has been a theme for this unit under first-year defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen.
Arizona’s offensive line also dominated the trenches. Murray was hit a mere two times with Leonard Floyd recording the 49ers’ only sack. Despite his interception, Bosa’s inability to get consistent pressure was a major issue.
Quick Hitters From 49ers Loss To The Cardinals
Purdy’s four-yard touchdown pass to George Kittle in the first quarter represented the 50th of his career. He’s the quickest 49ers quarterback (30 games) to have tallied that total.
Kicker Jake Moody suffered an ankle injury and had to be carted to the locker room after attempting to make a tackle. There are no immediate updates. But it could very well be a high-ankle sprain.
49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir returns blocked field goal for a touchdown. (Photo by Michael … [+] Owens/Getty Images)
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Deommodore Lenoir made a huge special teams play, returning a blocked field goal for a touchdown. This was a major highlight for a special teams unit that has been horrendous.
San Francisco must now head to the Pacific Northwest to take on the Seattle Seahawks Thursday night. Seattle also blew a golden opportunity Sunday, losing to the New York Giants at home. Seattle is 3-2 on the season.
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