
The San Francisco 49ers blew the game to the Cardinals in spectacular fashion on Sunday. Despite multiple opportunities to win, the Niners now sit at 2-3, with all three losses coming in the NFC and two losses coming in the NFC West.
Winners
Brandon Aiyuk
It was nice to see the best wide receiver on the team play like it again.
Aiyuk had more yards in the first quarter (91) than he had in any entire game this season. On the day, he finished with a very 2023-like 8 catches for 147 yards (on just 12 targets).
His biggest play of the day was also reminiscent of last season, breaking a tackle and picking up huge yards after the catch for a 53 yard gain.
We've been waiting to see that Aiyuk all season long, and he finally arrived in Week 5.
Nick Bosa
The oft-heard criticism of Bosa is that he doesn't make enough game-changing plays like other elite pass rushers. That was not the case on Sunday.
Bosa was in the backfield all day long, and his interception late in the first half set the 49ers up in position to put the game in a stranglehold. Not only did Bosa intercept the pass and end a promising Cardinals' drive, he also returned the ball 30 yards to set his offense up in Arizona territory with a chance to go up by three scores.
Very often Bosa's play isn't always noticeable purely by looking at the box score. That was not the case on Sunday.
Mitch Wishnowsky
I'm not gonna lie, I'm searching for a third option here.
Being forced to play a different position in the middle of a game is never easy. Being forced to become a kicker, doubly so.
Mitch didn't boot through a long field goal, but it also shouldn't be taken for granted, either. Good job in tough spot, sir.
Losers
Brock Purdy
Despite a great start to the season, Purdy went into full Iowa State mode on Sunday.
The hallmark of Purdy's time with the 49ers was that passes were delivered on target, and on time in the structure of the offense. It's what made him so effective and what drove the 49ers' offensive machine (aside from Christian McCaffrey).
On Sunday, almost nothing was on time. Nothing was easy, and many passes were off target.
Purdy had Jauan Jennings open for a touchdown on a double move, but underthrew the pass and it fell incomplete. Purdy had Kittle open in the red zone for a touchdown, but poor placement eliminated George's ability to quickly catch the ball and turn upfield.
Brock turned the ball over twice in the second half of the game, including on the final drive with a chance to win it for his team. He took a hideous sack on 2nd and 14 at the Cardinals' 18 yard line that all but eliminated a scoring opportunity.
Quarterbacks that are going to ask for $60 million a year don't piss games away in crunch time. Brock Purdy did that on Sunday.
Kyle Shanahan
When you're the head coach, the buck stops with you.
The simple truth of the matter is that the 49ers have not had their T's crossed and their I's dotted all season long. The red zone offense is abysmal. The quarterback has to make way too many plays outside of the structure of the offense.
One catch for Deebo Samuel on three targets? One catch for Jauan Jennings? Trotting out Mitch Wishnowsky for a field goal from the Cardinals' 7-yard line at the end of the first half? All mistakes that should never have happened.
More than that, however, is the culture that permeates this locker room. The sense of entitlement. The constant excuses after losses. This team got lucky. We gave that game away. We should have this many championships. Our record should be that. We've been through worse.
As Herm Edwards once said, "You're either coaching it, or you're allowing it to happen."
There's never any urgency from this team - whether it's during a game or in their preparation. That all falls at the feet of the man at the top.
George Kittle
This was one of the worst games I've ever seen George Kittle play.
Not only did he have three drops on the day, but he also was a part of one of the biggest disasters of the game.
While Jordan Mason rightly has to wear the most blame for his crucial fourth quarter fumble, George Kittle and Trent Williams absolutely fail at their jobs on the play.
The simple truth is that too often this season, the 49ers' biggest stars have played like anything but.
Now they face a must-win game on a short week in Seattle with the season on the line.
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