Niners Nation
Plus, Brandon Allen is a serviceable backup
Let’s be honest: there wasn’t much to learn from the San Francisco 49ers’ 38-10 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
The 49ers’ starting lineup was heavily impacted by injuries, with Brock Purdy, Nick Bosa, and Trent Willaims out with injuries. San Francisco already had a steep hill to climb if they hoped to beat the Packers. But even if the 49ers had the trio of stars, the game’s result likely would have stayed the same (although the score likely would have been closer). Penalties, missed tackles, and mental mistakes did the 49ers in at Lambeau as San Francisco’s slim playoff hopes got that much slimmer.
With slim pickings for lessons to be learned, let’s see what we can take away from the Week 12 loss:
Brandon Allen is a serviceable backup quarterback
The stat line isn’t the best – 17-for-29, 199 yards, a touchdown, and an interception – but Allen was serviceable, and that’s all you could ask for.
What’s most impressive is that Allen had the 49ers in a situation where the game was still up in the air at the midway point in the third quarter. Allen played some relatively clean football in the first half, with some mistakes here and there, but again, he’s a backup quarterback for a reason. And even with San Francisco trailing 17-0 in the second quarter, Allen put together a drive where he went 6-for-9 with a trio of third down conversions before finding George Kittle in the end zone for the 49ers’ only touchdown of the game.
With some momentum and down just two scores, Allen would lead the 49ers on back-to-back drives into Green Bay territory to start the second half. The first would end on a turnover on downs, but the Packers offense couldn’t capitalize.
After again getting to plus territory and having a chance to make it a one-score game, Allen unloaded a ball over the middle to Deebo Samuel to convert a third down. The ball was placed well, but Samuel couldn’t haul in the catchable ball, allowing it to fall into the arms of Xavier McKinney, giving the ball back to Green Bay. The Packers would make it 24-7, scoring just three plays after the interception, and that was that.
The wheels fell off for the San Francisco offense after that, with the final six drives ending with a:
But, for at least two and a half quarters, Allen had the 49ers firmly in the game, and that’s basically the most you could ask for from a backup quarterback.
Jordan Mason has fallen out of the offense
Mason was third in the league through the season’s first six games with 609 rushing yards. Then he picked up a slight knock in Seattle and was held to just 76 yards on 20 carries in the two games.
Then, after the 49ers bye week, Christian McCaffrey...
