Reel-to-Reel: Mistakes by the Lake End the 49ers Undefeated Season
The San Francisco 49ers lost a regular season football game for the first time in almost a year. And the defeat was ugly, as if all the gravity the 49ers had ignored for the first five weeks of this season came crashing down.
It was a tough loss for a multitude of reasons. Quarterback Brock Purdy's accuracy evaporated, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk dropped passes, and tackle Trent Williams was bodied by Cleveland's defense even before Williams injured his ankle.
Even head coach Kyle Shanahan's play cadence seemed inconsistent. It never felt like he called a series of passes to get Purdy back into a rhythm. Despite 108 yards on the ground, Shanahan had no answer for Cleveland safety Grant Delpit, who practically shut the ground game down by himself.
A loss was bound to happen at some point; mathematics does not allow a professional football team to roll through games with minimal mistakes and victories.
Below are a handful of plays showing where things went wrong, but the team can build on a few positive plays for next week. If you want a shorter breakdown with more plays, read my X thread here.
1st Quarter – 2nd & 4 at the SF 24 (14:13)
The 49ers' first possession gave any viewer the feeling that they would control the game from the opening snap. On the second play, Shanahan called in an inside zone run, either 'Wendy' or 'F Sift,' which gained 27 yards. It would be the longest run for the 49ers on the day.
After tight end George Kittle motioned, the 49ers were in an 'I Left Clamp' formation. The 'Wendy' and 'Sift' concepts are nearly the same. Both runs attack the inside hip of the play side tackle on the weak side. The offensive line uses inside zone blocking, while the fullback executes a 'sift' block, which cuts the first defender outside the tackle on the other end of the formation.
Seconds before the snap, Cleveland defensive end Za'Darius Smith tried to jump the cadence, which nearly worked to disrupt the run. However, right guard Spencer Burford picked up Smith and running back Christian McCaffrey cut off that block to gain 27 yards.
1st Quarter – 1 & 10 at the CLE 26 (8:46)
Watching film and learning more about the 49ers' offense has been the best thing I could have done to expand my football knowledge. It's given me greater insight into why a play is called, and I find myself far less critical of Shanahan's rhythm than the typical guy at the bar.
However, I disagreed with calling a screen pass right after linebacker Fred Warner's interception. There was a moment for the 49ers to start sinking a spear into the side of the Browns while adding gasoline to the 49ers' offense.
Cleveland had already been burned for 38 yards on the ground and a 13-yard shovel pass for a touchdown on the opening series. Now was the time for a more aggressive play-action such as 'drift' or 'dagger' to exploit Cleveland's overcommitment to the run. The circumstances did not call for a play-action screen pass.
Also of note on the play was Cleveland defensive end Myles Garrett tossing aside Trent Williams with ease, which I can't say I've seen very often.
The 49ers would lose 8 yards on the failed screenplay and would ultimately succumb to its first three-and-out series of the game.
2nd Quarter – 1 & 10 at the SF 32 (13:52)
Shanahan called only nine play-action concepts all game and two that are part of his movement series. I am unclear why there was not more emphasis on getting Purdy outside the pocket with easier reads and clear throwing lanes. The only other movement play came on the 49ers' 10th possession in the fourth quarter.
On the 49ers' fourth offense, Shanahan called in a movement play I did not recognize. It was a two-man route concept that sent Aiyuk across the field on a crossing route and tight end George Kittle across the field in the opposite direction.
Once again, Cleveland's defense bit hard on the run fake, so much so that cornerback Martin Emerson Jr., who was covering Aiyuk, took four steps forward to play the run. Emerson was out of position from the start of the play, allowing Aiyuk to run uncovered across the field. Purdy would find Aiyuk, who would gain 33 yards. However, the 49ers could only convert the big play into three points.
2nd Quarter - 1 & 10 at the CLE 35 (13:17)
On the next play, Shanahan called '15 Y Sift', an inside zone run to the weak side. The 49ers ran the play out of a Bunch Left Nasty formation, and Cleveland's defense aligned in a 45 SUP front.
Left guard Aaron Banks had a rough game, and Pro Football Focus awarded him a 43.5 run-blocking grade, the lowest on the day.
Banks allowed too much penetration on the play above, which threw McCaffrey off his path. McCaffrey was not helped by center Jake Brendel whiffing a block on middle linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. These minor errors happen to all teams throughout a game. Until Week 6, the 49ers could work around a missed block or dropped pass, but these began to add up against Cleveland.
2nd Quarter - 2 &4 at the CLE 29 (12:38)
A few plays later, Shanahan returned to '15 Y Sift,' this time from a South or Stack Left Clamp formation. Cleveland safety Grant Delpit, who had 5 solo tackles and one assist on the day, sniffed out the run and brought McCaffrey down after two yards.
Throughout the game, Delpit hit his run fits to near perfection, and Shanahan could not find a way around him. In the second quarter, Delpit held McCaffrey to no gain on ‘14 YF Counter’, and in the third quarter, Delpit made another stop on a linebacker stunt which held McCaffrey for no gain.
4th Quarter – 1st and Goal at the CLE 8 (11:04)
Between the mental errors and the six three-and-out series, I felt we should end this week's wrap-up with a positive play.
Early in the 4th quarter, the 49ers picked off quarterback PJ Walker and returned the ball to the Cleveland 8-yard line. It felt like this was the break the 49ers needed to shrug off the malaise and finally put the game away.
I believe Shanahan called 'Toss 19 Box' or a variation of the play that resulted in a Jordan Mason touchdown. If so, this play is from Shanahan's time with the Houston Texans. '18/19 Box' attacks the perimeter on the strong side, with the running back stretching to the outside hip of the tight end. His job is to secure the ball and get downhill quickly.
As you'll notice, the 49ers accounted for each Cleveland defender, with old-school hat-on-hat blocking that paved the way to the end zone. It gave me hope that the 49ers could hold the lead for the remainder of the game, but the cold steel hand of bad luck would not let go.
The 49ers can take plenty from the Week 6 loss and learn from it. It is the one upside to failure – it provides a chance to step back and see something more clearly. But other factors may have contributed, such as coming in the wrong attitude or just flat-out lousy luck. Whatever the reasons and whatever the 49ers can take from the loss, it certainly makes them a fierce competitor for the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night.
Hopefully, the injuries to McCaffrey, Williams, and wide receiver Deebo Samuel are minor enough that time and treatment for all of them to dress in Week 7.
All images and videos courtesy of NFL.com.
All statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless noted.