49ers report card: More wrong than Brock Purdy’s career-high four interceptions
The 49ers (11-4) saw Brock Purdy throw a career-high four interceptions to derail them in a 33-19 loss to the AFC-leading Ravens (12-3).
SANTA CLARA – Here is how the 49ers (11-4) graded in Monday night’s 33-19 home loss to the Baltimore Ravens (12-3):
PASS OFFENSE: F
Brock Purdy had a career-high four passes intercepted, starting with his most egregious – a late throw into the end zone rather than proceed through his progression, thus spoiling a very promising opening series. The next two interceptions came off deflections, and the fourth came only three minutes after halftime, when Purdy was hit while throwing. He left with eight minutes remaining when he got sacked and sustained a nerve-tingling stinger, his second such injury in as many games. Neither he nor Shanahan expressed long-term concern about that nerve issue which shoots pain and numbed Purdy’s left arm, but it’s not trending in the right direction. Purdy’s 4,050 yards are the third-most in a 49ers season. The offensive line didn’t help matters, and now it’s got injury issues with left tackle Trent Williams (groin), left guard Aaron Banks (toe) and backup tackle Jaylon Moore (concussion). Deebo Samuel caught 4-of-12 targets for 47 yards, had at least one drop, smashed through defenders and ultimately cooled off after eight touchdowns his previous three games. Of George Kittle’s 126 yards, 58 came on a third-down catch-and run on that first drive. Brandon Aiyuk had 113 yards, and, Ronnie Bell caught Sam Darnold’s fourth-quarter touchdown pass.
RUN OFFENSE: C+
Christian McCaffrey produced his seventh 100-yard rushing game this season – fourth in five games – and he was at his best on a second-quarter touchdown drive he finished off with a 9-yard scoring run. With two games to go, he has a 338-yard lead as the NFL’s leading rusher, and his 1,395 yards rank fourth-most in a 49ers season, 300 yards shy of Frank Gore’s 2006 record. Despite such historic footwork, McCaffrey didn’t get a carry on the opening drive that ended in the end zone interception. So he opened the second series with a 14-yard run, followed by carries of 5, 4 and 5 yards to set up a field goal and 5-0 lead. Four interceptions in the first 33 minutes cramped the 49ers’ style, in that: “We weren’t allowed to run our entire offense because we had so many turnovers,” Kittle said.
PASS DEFENSE: D
The good news: Javon Hargrave returned from his hamstring injury and got a sack. The bigger picture: Lamar Jackson likely sewed up the NFL MVP award (252 yards, two touchdowns, no turnvoers). This unit’s most dramatic moment came when Jason Verrett allowed Jackson’s first scoring strike, a 9-yard pass to an open Nelson Agholor on the end zone’s left boundary. Verrett had not played since the 2021 opener in Detroit (ACL tear; then November 2022’s Achilles tear). Verrett’s comeback may have lasted all of three snaps. The 49ers pulled Ambry Thomas to insert Verrett in the slot at nickel back, and three snaps into that debut, the 49ers suddenly were down 23-12. Verrett took a seat by himself in front of the water cooler rather than join the other defensive backs on the bench; when the next defensive series unfolded, Verrett stood on the sideline without his helmet. His three-snap comeback doesn’t cover this unit’s highs and lows, but Nick Bosa talked afterward how reinforcements are vital this time of year and he spoke of Verrett having great value, which seems more of an annual myth until proven otherwise. Tashaun Gipson’s penalties set up the Ravens’ first points (field goal), and the team’s overall coverage wasn’t as sticky or as sure-tackling as needed.
RUN DEFENSE: C
Allowing only 102 rushing yards overall and just 45 to Jackson would seem respectable. Nah. Jackson got loose for a 30-yard, third-and-16 run to the 11-yard line, setting up a field goal as the first half expired and seizing back momentum following McCaffrey’s touchdown. Another turning point: Gus Edwards’ go-ahead touchdown on fourth-and-goal from the 1, where six defensive linemen proved no challenge. Dre Greenlaw had 12 tackles, and Fred Warner 10, but neither were on their A game.
SPECIAL TEAMS: D-
Ronnie Bell botched a punt return for a third straight game, doing so on a post-safety punt that fortunately harmlessly went out of bounds. He did have an 11-yard punt return in the fourth quarter, so perhaps the job remains his one more week. What really seemed to tick off coach Kyle Shanahan were two penalties on the punt unit (Jeremy McNichols’ false start, Mitch Wishnowsky’s late hit) and a 23-yard return on the opening series after halftime, thus setting up the Ravens’ brisk, 44-yard touchdown drive. Jake Moody made first field goal (45 yards) at home since Nov. 19; he is 19-of-22 overall on field-goal tries and has made all 35 point-after kicks.
COACHING: D
Hosting Christmas guests can be stressful. Apparently too much so for the 49ers, who had a slew of family and friends on the sideline pregame. Maybe that didn’t matter at all to the in-game execution. But things seemed discombobulated from the jump, and that was reflected by the minus-5 turnover differential and 102 yards in penalties. The 49ers still control their fate as the potential No. 1 seed, but they’ll have to prepare fast for their fifth cross-country trip this season: Sunday at the Commanders, who are 4-11 and lost a sixth straight Sunday (but only after rallying from a 20-0 deficit to take a fourth-quarter lead, then losing on a last-seconds field goal at the New York Jets).