This week, the San Francisco 49ers faced their third straight loss. The team lost against the Cincinnati Bengals, with a final score of 31-17. The 49ers will head into their bye week with a lot to fix. Here is a look at the top players in the game, and the ones who have to regroup during this week of rest.
San Francisco 49ers Slay
George Kittle
This was a big game for tight end George Kittle. He was the top receiver for the team and made big plays. By the end of the game, Kittle had nine receptions for 149 yards, according to ESPN. He did have a drop that could have been much more costly in the fourth quarter, but he made up for it on the next play. Kittle was a target for easy passes but also had the ability to get open down the field. This was a big game for the tight end, and it is a shame that he never got into the endzone and that the team could not get the win.
San Francisco 49ers TE George Kittle – Austin Ginn/San Francisco 49ers
Brandon Aiyuk
Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk had some pivotal plays for the 49ers this weekend. He did have a costly drop in the first half, which was a big reason the 49ers could not get downfield for a chance to score, but he came out strong in the second half. There was a lot that went wrong in this game, but moving forward, Aiyuk does need to make those catches.
By the end of the game, Aiyuk had five receptions for 109 yards, according to ESPN. Aiyuk has been great at breaking free from the defense to be an easy target. The team will need that moving forward. Aiyuk will definitely need to work on making those key catches, but he does make up for it. Drops happen, it is a part of the game. During the drop today, the ball hit him in the face, which should have been a catch. Aside from that, Aiyuk has been a big player for this team and a big reason the 49ers were able to keep fighting.
San Francisco 49ers defensive backs – Kym Fortino/San Francisco 49res
San Francisco 49ers Bomb
Isaiah Oliver
Cornerback Isaiah Oliver struggled big time this week. Now, credit goes where it is deserved, he made some key tackles when the Bengals did outside runs, but when it came to defending the passing game, Oliver struggled. On both touchdowns by the Bengals, Oliver was in the area. By the way that Cincinnati played Ja’Marr Chase, it seemed as though they knew they could expose Oliver.
By the end of the game, the cornerback had ten total tackles, and two tackles for loss, according to ESPN. This position is something the 49ers must figure out during the bye week. Especially in the last two weeks, opposing teams are truly exposing this position, leading to San Francisco losses.
Brock Purdy
It is important to note first half and second half Brock Purdy felt like two different players. Purdy statistically was fine when it came to how many yards he had, but there were two costly errors, both being interceptions. The first interception was initially meant to be either a run play or a shovel pass to Kittle. Purdy wanted to get the ball to Kittle, but it got messed up. Purdy still should have played it more safely in the red zone, instead of throwing the interception. On the second interception, Purdy never saw the linebacker. This interception essentially sealed the deal on the 49ers’ loss.
By the end of the game, Purdy completed 22 passes out of 31 attempts for 365 yards, according to ESPN. He passed for one touchdown compared to two interceptions. The 49ers were not able to get the run game going. Purdy led the team with 57 rushing yards this week. The young quarterback must step up following the bye week. Hopefully this week of rest will help him.
San Francisco 49ers QB Brock Purdy – Terrell Lloyd/San Francisco 49ers
The Bengals were able to run right down the middle against the 49ers, get their receivers open, and get two picks in the game. The San Francisco 49ers will now head into their bye week with three straight losses. There is a lot that they will need to work on, but the good news is they can use this week to get healthy. Following the bye, the 49ers will head to Jacksonville to face the Jaguars.
