Though mathematically they still have an extremely slim chance of making the playoffs, the San Francisco 49ers now found themselves in a position no team wants to be in for the final three games of the season.

The Niners are, in essence, playing out the string for the final three games of the year following Thursday's 12-6 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams that dropped them to 6-8.

But that does not mean the 49ers are simply going to throw in the towel. While the disappointment was understandably extremely high following Thursday's loss, head coach Kyle Shanahan made it clear he did not want heads to drop as he revealed how he will approach the task of motivating them for a finish with nothing at stake.

"We're going to get away for three days and come back," said Shanahan. "And I know mathematically, I still believe we have a chance, but I want to come back and play better football and challenge the character of our team."

One player who likely won't be in the building for that challenge is linebacker De'Vondre Campbell, who appears a certainty to be cut after refusing to go into the game in the third quarter.

But Shanahan can be confident the veterans in the building will be ready to give it their all across in their remaining matchups, which comprise of road games against the Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals, sandwiched by an NFC Championship Game rematch with the Detroit Lions that has lost a lot of its lustre.

"Obviously this one hurt and I'm just trying to comprehend it really still," quarterback Brock Purdy said afterward. 

"Don't really know what the whole picture looks like, but we have a lot of guys in the locker room that are going to continue to fight, including myself, for this organization and for our fan base and for each other more than anything to finish out the season in the right way and focus on one game at a time and see where we're at the end of it.”

Added linebacker Fred Warner: "We did have to win out, we didn't do enough to win today. I don't know what that looks like going forward with the playoff hopes and everything, but regardless, you have everything to play for. 

"Every time you go out there on Sunday, Thursdays, it doesn't matter. You got to go out there and fight every single time you go out there."

Safety Talanoa Hufanga played with a club on one arm as he played his second game back from a wrist injury, and he provided some inspiration for All-Pro tight end George Kittle for what is left of an underwhelming campaign.

Said Kittle:

“I'm just going to quote, my safety [Talanoa] Hufanga. He broke the team down after the game and he said that his mindset and his attitude will be 100% effort on every single day, every practice, every single rep. That he will fight until the wheels fall off because he has been fighting his wheels off to get back on the football field this year. He has only gotten so many reps and he's played really, really good football for us. He said that he's just going to bring it and he expects everybody around him to also bring in fiery energy, bring the passion. No matter what the circumstances are. No matter what percentage matter, what odds have to happen for us to continue playing later this year. We just have to focus on this one game, take these three days, get away and show up on Monday with great intent and great effort."

It's clear that the leaders in the locker room won't be showing any signs of the quit that was all too apparent from one player on Thursday.

And defensive end Nick Bosa, who returned from hip and oblique injuries, believes the next three games could have a big impact on the makeup of next year's team.

“We're going to find out who wants to be here the next few weeks," Bosa said. 

"Obviously, it's [the playoff hopes] slim and that's not really the focus. The focus is to win games and to put our best out there."

Asked about the 49ers potentially shutting down some players for the season, he replied: "I don't know. I think if you're healthy you should play, and I think momentum created in the next few games could be really big for the offseason."

The concept of momentum being carried into an offseason is an abstract one, especially given how long the break is between seasons and how much teams change. Whether that kind of momentum is real or not is debatable, but there's no doubt the 49ers at least want to get a very bad taste out of their mouths before a season to forget finally ends.

49ers’ loss to Rams all but ended their season, but also underlined key offseason task they must accomplish

It made it crystal clear.