SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers have quickly shifted from being seen as Super Bowl hopefuls to a team scrambling to regain playoff contention after a significant loss to the Green Bay Packers. The 49ers suffered a disheartening 38-10 defeat on Sunday, compounding the disappointment of a prior loss to the Seattle Seahawks. If the team is unable to recover from injuries and rectify the mistakes evident in their recent performances, discussions around possible offseason changes could become more prominent than playoff scenarios.

“The entire organization understands the seriousness of our situation,” said head coach Kyle Shanahan on Monday. “The loss to Seattle stung, and this past game felt even worse. We are aware of our playoff standing, but for now, we need to focus on this week to gather enough wins to even consider the playoffs.”

Things won’t get any easier for the 49ers (5-6) as they prepare for a challenging match against the Buffalo Bills this upcoming Sunday night. The team remains hopeful that injured players Brock Purdy, Nick Bosa, and Trent Williams will return for this critical game, but simply having them back on the field won’t be a panacea for the issues demonstrated in the recent loss.

Early in the game against Green Bay, the defense struggled significantly, leaving the 49ers in a precarious 17-0 deficit before their offense even managed a first down. Meanwhile, the rushing attack faltered, as star player Christian McCaffrey has struggled to regain his form since returning from Achilles tendinitis, appearing far from the Offensive Player of the Year caliber he showcased earlier this season.

Each time the 49ers seemed to gain momentum, penalties undermined their progress, leading to this harsh defeat. This loss marks one of the most severe for the team since Shanahan began coaching, contrasting sharply with the playoff-contending reputation the franchise had built.