SANTA CLARA, Calif. — This week, Deebo Samuel took to social media to express his desire for more involvement in the game, but during a pivotal moment in Thursday night’s contest against the Los Angeles Rams, he fell short. The San Francisco 49ers faced a disheartening 12-6 defeat, which significantly dented their playoff aspirations.
The critical moment arose midway through the third quarter while the score was tied at 3. The 49ers were driving for a potential lead when quarterback Brock Purdy aimed a slant pass towards Samuel on a third-and-10 situation. Although the ball was perfectly delivered to him, Samuel was unable to catch it, squandering an opportunity that many believed could have shifted the momentum of the game. Instead of scoring, the 49ers settled for a field goal, prompting discontent from the home crowd, who let their feelings be known with boos.
Reflecting on the missed opportunity, Samuel remarked, “If I catch that ball, there’s nothing but the end zone ahead of me. At the end of the day, I have to secure that catch.” This incident encapsulated a disappointing night for a player who transitioned from an All-Pro status in 2021 to struggling with productivity this season. In a previous post, he had shared his frustrations about not receiving the ball enough, although he later deleted the message after sparking a wave of online discussion.
Early in the game, the 49ers made attempts to involve Samuel, with Purdy targeting him right away, only to have that pass deflected. Overall, Samuel concluded the game with three receptions on seven targets for a mere 16 yards, alongside two rushing attempts for an additional 3 yards, marking his fifth consecutive game with less than 30 yards from scrimmage. However, it was the critical play in the third quarter that particularly stung.
“That was a significant moment,” head coach Kyle Shanahan stated. “It was third down, and given Deebo’s talent, it was a prime chance that we squandered. He clearly needed to make that catch.” This game marked an underwhelming performance for the 49ers, who racked up only 191 total yards—an unusually low figure for Shanahan’s tenure—and their lowest point total since a three-point outing in 2017.
Shanahan admitted to the inadequacies. “Not good enough,” he acknowledged. “I thought our defense and special teams played well enough to win, but we didn’t deliver offensively.” Both teams grappled with the challenging conditions, particularly during a heavy downpour in the first half. Even after the weather improved post-halftime, San Francisco struggled to find their rhythm.
Following a field goal on their initial possession of the third quarter, the 49ers stalled offensively. Purdy missed a deep connection with Samuel, and after falling behind 9-6, he failed to hit an open Ricky Pearsall on another long pass. Moments later, his attempt to connect with Jauan Jennings was intercepted in the end zone by Darious Williams.
In retrospect, Purdy reflected, “Looking back, during second-and-11, I need to be smart and check the ball down when I can’t see my target.” It was a challenging outing for Purdy, who managed to throw for only 142 yards while completing 14 of 31 passes with one interception, failing to engineer a touchdown drive.
This defeat marks the first instance since 2007 that the 49ers lost a game without allowing a touchdown, putting them on the brink of elimination from postseason contention. “I feel like I left many plays on the field that I could have executed for the team,” Purdy expressed. “Our defense and special teams performed admirably, which makes it even more painful for me. I feel that I let my team down. I could have improved our offensive output and helped contribute more points.”
