The Fall of the San Francisco 49ers Continue In Atlanta
The San Francisco 49ers’ dismal season continued with another disappointing, but not surprising, loss to The Atlanta Falcons.
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The ball just keeps rolling for the San Francisco 49ers, and not in the direction they would like. A 41-13 loss to the Atlanta Falcons continued the losing streak, bringing it all the way to 13 games.
San Francisco had been able to draw first blood during their last few games, but that was not the case on Sunday. Within the first quarter, Atlanta was able to score 21 unanswered points on only three possessions. It seemed as if Chip Kelly’s team was going to throw in the towel a lot earlier than usual.
However, the 49ers were able to respond in the second quarter with two touchdown passes from Colin Kaeperknick. One went to tight end Garret Celek, who was in to replace the injured Vance McDonald, and the other to wide receiver Rod Streater. A disappointing missed extra point that kept the 49ers at 13 points as the half came to a close.
The second half went off without a hitch for the Falcons, as running back Devonta Freeman scored his third touchdown of the game in the third quarter. Atlanta would score a field goal and one more in the fourth quarter before finishing off The 49ers.
The second half of the game has remained the same for the Niners for most of the season, without adding any more points to the board.
Coach Kelly’s unwillingness to change his gameplan and the lack of energy from already injured players still leads to a defense and offense that can not compete. This game also added even more players to San Francisco’s already long-list of guys on IR.
Wide receiver Quinton Patton, tight end Blake Bell, and linebacker Nick Bellore have all been ruled out for the remainder of the season, with only two games left to play. The two remaining games are against familiar divisional rivals; the Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawks.
The Rams are the team that have given the 49ers their lone win this season, and have lost five games in a row. One team’s losing streak ends this weekend. Running back Todd Gurley is hungry to gain more yards after being held to 38 yards in his last game, and is looking to move past a disappointing sophomore season. With the lack of inside linebackers in his way, he could easily break through.
Seattle has not only got their ticket to the playoffs, but have also taken the NFC West Division. The Seahawks are a force to be reckoned with the “Legion of Boom” and Russell Wilson gaining momentum. These two teams met in week three, with Seattle dominating San Francisco’s defense to a 37-18 win. There could easily be a repeat in week 17.
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The 49ers are still in shambles and face many questions as the season draws to a close. Who will be the quarterback for next year? Will general manager Trent Baalke remain after a franchise-worst record? Will Coach Chip Kelly remain to help build this team? The 49ers’ only friend right now is time off the field.