The beats go on: 49ers can’t get a handle on turnovers in loss to the Cowboys
Coming off a disastrous loss to Washington last week, the focus for the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday was limiting turnovers.
But nothing changed Sunday against the host Dallas Cowboys.
Coach Kyle Shanahan’s team turned the ball over four times, leading to 24 Cowboys points, in a 41-33 defeat. It dropped San Francisco to 5-9 and the team was eliminated from playoff contention.
The 49ers turned the ball over 22 times in their last eight games and have multiple giveaways in eight straight contests for the first time since 2008.
“I really wanted the guys to come out and play good football,” Shanahan said. “And I think offensively, defensively and special teams, guys did a lot of good things. (But) when you have four turnovers, it doesn’t matter what you do.”
The 49ers are now 0-3 since being forced to uproot their operation and move their practices and home games to Glendale, Arizona. The team left the Bay Area on Dec. 2 after Santa Clara County ramped up COVID-19 restrictions by banning contact sports.
49ers seem demoralized
Players and coaches haven’t used the move as an excuse. But there’s a clear difference in the way the team has played compared to their win over the Rams on Nov. 29. The 49ers looked like a team invigorated by its recent bye that had an unlikely playoff run in mind when they traveled to L.A. and beat the division leaders, 23-20.
But the energy and body language told a different story Sunday. The same type of vigor just isn’t there after the team dropped games against the Bills and Washington in demoralizing fashions. It would be natural for the team to feel like it’s gone through enough in this unprecedented football season.
“We could talk about COVID, we could talk about injuries,” linebacker Fred Warner said. “And all that stuff has a factor and it means something, but we just got to play complementary football. And that’s just what it is. And it’s frustrating.”
Warner is often stoic and has taken a greater public role this season as a first-time team captain. He’s one of the few players who has spoken to reporters every Wednesday and after games in the video news conferences on Zoom. That’s in part because he knows how to say the right things without throwing anyone under the bus.
Warner talks like a 10-year veteran despite this being his third season and recently turning 24 years old. It’s one reason he’s expected to land a long-term contract extension at the top of the market before next season begins.
But Warner had a different tone Sunday. He was clearly more frustrated than any other point this year, which felt like he was coming to grips with the team being unable to back up last season’s conference championship now that it’s officially eliminated from playoff contention.
“Obviously you can hear the frustration in my voice, but it’s just because I care,” Warner said. “It sucks to lose. I hate losing. And we got to change something. You got to look at yourself, first and foremost, because you can’t keep doing the same things over and over again and expect a different result.
“We have a very high standard in this building, obviously going to the Super Bowl last year,” he continued. “The past is the past, but we have a standard we got to uphold and we haven’t held up to that standard over that last few weeks.”
Richard Sherman has words for 49ers
Cornerback Richard Sherman was similarly grim. He was down on himself for missing tackles, including one that led to tight end Dalton Schultz scoring in the third quarter and misplaying a Tony Pollard 40-yard touchdown run in the fourth that put the game out of reach.
“The circumstances are what they are. There’s no need to really comment on them because they aren’t changing,” Sherman said. “Complaining isn’t going to make it better or make it worse. So we’re going to make the best of it and that’s all we can do.”
Said Shanahan: “We’ve dealt with a lot of crap this year. I wouldn’t say it’s too much to overcome. I think we could have overcome it without turnovers today. I don’t think the turnovers necessarily have to do with all of that. You play good football, you got a chance to win every week. Regardless of our circumstances, that doesn’t mean you need to turn the ball over.”
The 49ers started in a 14-0 rut in the first quarter with the Cowboys putting together two touchdown drives off turnovers of just 22 and 24 yards. The first was a fumble from Richie James during a punt return. The second was DeMarcus Lawrence hitting 49ers quarterback Nick Mullens as he threw, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Aldon Smith.
The 49ers responded to the two-score deficit in the first quarter with a touchdown drive capped by Jordan Reed’s fourth touchdown of the year, and cut the lead to 3 in the second quarter with Brandon Aiyuk’s seventh touchdown of his impressive rookie campaign. It was a jet sweep “pass” from 2 yards out on a fourth-and-goal.
San Francisco hit halftime down 17-14 despite outgaining the Dallas offense 170-34, and winning in rushing yards, 84-28, with Ezekiel Elliott missing his first career game due to injury.
But Mullens on Sunday tossed two interceptions in fourth quarter after getting stripped for a fumble in the first half. The final score was dressed up by an on-side kick returned for a touchdown by Cowboys rookie CeeDee Lamb and receiver Kendrick Bourne coming down with a Hail Mary touchdown as time expired.
The Cowboys didn’t turn the ball over once, yet the 49ers still had a chance to win the game. They were down, 27-24, before Mullens threw his second interception of the fourth quarter, which led to Pollard’s 40-yard touchdown run that made it a 10-point game.
Mullens exits after injury
Mullens exited the game late after his elbow was hit on a pass that dropped incomplete. He was taken out for C.J. Beathard, who completed 5 of 7 passes for 100 yards in garbage time, including the long pass to Bourne as the clock ran out. Mullens finished with 219 yards on 21-of-36 completions.
Mullens’ status for Saturday’s game in Arizona, a road game against the Cardinals, appears to be in doubt, whether Shanahan wants to bench Mullens or not.
“I was throwing the football and they hit my hand and jammed my elbow a little bit,” Mullens said. “So I figured it was best for the team for somebody who could throw the football to get in the game.”
The 49ers have two NFC West games left against the Cardinals and Seahawks which will carry little meaning (beyond draft position). San Francisco has been grappling with the idea of bringing back tight end George Kittle after fracturing the cuboid bone in his foot in early November.
Kittle returned to practice this week, leaving the 49ers a chance to activate him over the final two weeks. It appears activating him would have been likely had the team remained in playoff contention. But there’s little logic in bringing Kittle back now and risk him going into the offseason with anything other than clean bill of health.
Still, Shanahan after the game said the loss in Dallas the result won’t impact the team’s thinking regarding the star tight end or Jimmy Garoppolo, who has yet to practice after suffering his second high ankle sprain to his right leg in early November. Shanahan will address the situations again when he speaks to reporters Tuesday.
This story was originally published December 20, 2020 at 4:00 PM.
