Niners Nation
Well, that was an ugly loss. Dissecting any loss will eventually lead to understanding that the loss is filled with self-inflicted issues and mistakes, but man, did the 49ers beat themselves on Sunday. Four turnovers, multiple dropped passes, and more special teams coverage issues were a perfect storm for a 49ers loss. The 49ers’ defense struggled to pressure Trevor Lawrence, which was predictable following the loss of Nick Bosa, but for the most part, the defense did its part when they weren’t forced into a bad situation off a turnover on offense.
Let’s look at the snap counts and grades from Pro Football Focus.
Offense
Quarterback
Brock Purdy 66 (61.7)
The 49ers franchise QB returned after a two-game absence, but sailed passes high, low, and even right into Jaguars defenders’ hands on Sunday. Purdy’s toe injury isn’t 100%, but if he’s on the field, then the excuse loses merit. The 49ers receivers were credited with four drops (that still seems low), but two interceptions and a fumble can’t happen. The fumble also occurred on the potential game-winning drive.
The bottom line is Purdy must protect the football. Purdy was under pressure on 39% of his dropbacks and finished 6/14, 100 yards, zero touchdowns, and an interception when pressured by the Jaguars. Flush the game on Sunday and get ready for Thursday in LA. A notable caveat is that while Purdy attempted only four passes of 20-plus yards, he completed three of four attempts for 74 yards, earning a 116.7 passer rating.
Running Back
Christian McCaffrey 56 (56.6)
Kyle Jusczcyk 23 (72.2)
Brian Robinson, Jr 10 (67.3)
McCaffrey finished with 49 yards on 17 carries with 48 (!!) coming after contact. With an underwhelming 2.9 per attempt, the 49ers’ rushing attack continues to be stuck in the mud in 2025. Brian Robinson pitched in with 21 yards on five attempts for 4.2 per attempt and 15 yards after contact. The value to the offense is McCaffrey as a pass catcher with another 92 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown, but the issue has been drops for the running back. PFF credited him with one drop.
Wide Receivers
Jauan Jennings 48 (61.2)
Kendrick Bourne 44 (37.6)
Ricky Pearsall 37 (68.7)
Demarcus Robinson 25 (69.5)
Skyy Moore 8 (54.4)
Four drops were credited to the pass catchers. Three of them were from Kendrick Bourne. Unacceptable. Jennings labored through this game, especially following his two-point conversion, where he got absolutely crushed by two Jaguars. Ricky Pearsall left the game after falling on his knee with what Kyle Shanahan described today as a “minor PCL injury.” That diagnosis is initial, and isn’t final until the full tests reveal the extent of the injury. Thursday feels like a long shot, but we’ll hope for good news, right?
Demarcus Robinson returned from his suspension and caught his only target for 20 yards. He’ll be featured on Thursday if Pearsall and possibly Jennings miss the game in LA. Robinson’s revenge game? Sorry, couldn’t help myself.
Tight Ends
Jake...
