Kyle Shanahan's explanation on key detail of 49ers' collapse makes baffling Brock Purdy error more frustrating
The San Francisco 49ers' red zone woes cost them dear in Week 5 as they went down to a stunning 24-23 defeat to the Arizona Cardinals. San Francisco went one for six inside the 20, with their problems in that regard magnified by the loss of kicker Jake Moody to a high ankle sprain. Punter […]
The San Francisco 49ers' red zone woes cost them dear in Week 5 as they went down to a stunning 24-23 defeat to the Arizona Cardinals.
San Francisco went one for six inside the 20, with their problems in that regard magnified by the loss of kicker Jake Moody to a high ankle sprain.
Punter Mitch Wishnowsky did hit on a 25-yard field goal to end the first half and give the 49ers a 23-10 lead, but Moody's absence limited San Francisco's options in terms of what they could attempt in the kicking game.
Yet the explanation of what the 49ers believed was Wishnowsky's range as a field goal kicker only served to make two errors that prevented the Niners from scoring any second-half points all the more agonizing.
Asked about where they felt comfortable with Wishnowsky, head coach Kyle Shanahan replied: "We were trying to get to the 15. Yeah, make it like an extra point."
An extra point being 33 yards, a kick of that distance would not have been a gimme for Wishnowsky, but that will not lessen any frustration at the fact the 49ers had two opportunities to get him kicks from inside that range.
On their second possession of the third quarter, the 49ers drove down to the Cardinals' 14-yard line, only to then see second and nine become 4th and 23 through a false start and an awful nine-yard loss on a Brock Purdy sack. A fourth-down throw to George Kittle fell incomplete.
The defining mistake of the game came on the 49ers' penultimate drive, which saw them move down to the Arizona eight-yard line. However, running back Jordan Mason fumbled, gifting the Cardinals the ball to allow them to kick a game-winning field goal.
San Francisco was obviously thinking touchdown from that point on the field but, in essence, the Purdy sack and the Mason fumble potentially cost them six points because Wishnowsky was never even given a shot to attempt a kick from inside his range.
Mason's fumble was the first of his career and came on an excellent effort from Cardinals defensive lineman Jesse Luketa. It is the lack of execution on the second third-quarter series, and especially the disappointing awareness of the situation from Purdy that stands as the more egregious error.
Purdy scrambled for 11 seconds before taking a loss that essentially ended his team's chances of scoring points when a throw away would have kept the 49ers on the fringe of Wishnowsky's range.
The 49ers quarterback tossed two interceptions in a poor performance against a vulnerable defense, but his lack of understanding of the game situation at that moment is the aspect of Purdy's display that merits the most criticism.
Opening line for 49ers’ Week 6 clash with Seahawks may raise plenty of eyebrows
The streak continues.
