Niners Nation
There is more to learn from a loss than a win, and the San Francisco 49ers’ first loss of the 2025 season gave plenty to take away.
It was a mistake-filled Sunday for San Francisco, which couldn’t get out of their own way in the 26-21 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. And there were issues in each area of the team.
Here’s what we learned from the 49ers’ loss at Levi’s on Sunday afternoon:
Special teams are still a mess
Swapping the punter and kicker out looks good on paper for the special teams, but the 49ers’ most significant problem for years has been kick coverage, and Sunday proved the position group is still a disaster.
At least 10 of the 26 points allowed can be attributed to the coverage teams, and in a five-point loss, that’s a massive swing. The first blunder instantly cancelled out a long scoring drive that moved the 49ers within one score.
After a 12-play drive that ended with an Eddy Pineiro 26-yard field goal to cut the Jaguars’ lead to eight with 40 seconds left on the clock in the first half, the kick-off coverage team had its big failure. Holding a Jaguars return to minimal yardage could have gone a long way to ensure the 49ers entered the game with that one-score deficit.
Instead, Bhayhul Tuten returned the Pineiro kick 54 yards into plus-territory, making a field goal opportunity much likelier. The Jags offense would gain 40 more yards, making Cam Little’s kick as the half expired manageable, giving Jacksonville an 11-point lead at halftime.
That return was only an appetizer for the main course the punt coverage team put out late in the third quarter.
San Francisco was able to cut that 11-point lead down to six but was forced to punt near the end of the third quarter, hoping the defense would hold to give the 49ers’ offense a chance to take the lead. The defense would never take the field.
Jacksonville return man Parker Washington would field a Thomas Morstead 51-yard punt at the 13-yard line, make the first man miss, and go 87 yards mostly untouched to score what proved to be the game-winning touchdown.
The 49ers might have found their new specialists, but just like plenty of times in 2024, the special teams found a way to cost the 49ers a win.
The pass rush needs Nick Bosa
This was assumed mainly with the hope that Bosa would be able to stay healthy, but in true 49ers fashion, they just can’t have good things. We got our first taste of the post-Bosa 49ers pass rush, and it was not good.
Not only were the 49ers unable to sack Trevor Lawrence, but they couldn’t even get the quarterback’s jersey dirty. For the first time since 2015, the 49ers failed to record a quarterback hit. Mykel Williams, Sam Okuayinonu, Jordan Elliott, Bryce Huff, and Kalia Davis led the 49ers’ defensive line in snaps played, combining for 207 snaps played, and...
