When you expect the 49ers to lose, they win. Welcome aboard this goofy season
The “Revenge Tour” was supposed to lead the 49ers back to Florida for another Super Bowl shot, then hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.
That pledge took a crowbar to the engine block in a season opener in empty Levi’s Stadium. The Arizona Cardinals prevailed by four on Sept. 13. Then, unpredictability, angst and worse became San Francisco’s unwanted passenger in a journey unlike any other in the NFL’s 101-year run.
So here were the 49ers on Saturday afternoon facing Arizona again, the roster depleted, team spirit leaking out, ripe for the plucking. Already eliminated from a shot at defending their NFC Championship, the 49ers were underdogs to a team with a ton to play for.
San Francisco fittingly jammed up the script, winning 20-12 in their “home” stadium located some 715 miles away from their Bay Area home base in an official road game. Confounding? Welcome aboard.
The 49ers (6-9) halted a three-game losing streak behind a third-string quarterback making his first start in two years in C.J. Beathard, and they held on as sure-thing kicker Robbie Gould showed that there’s no such thing as a sure-thing kicker. Gould missed two field goals inside 42 yards — his money zone — and an extra point, allowing Kyler Murray and the Cardinals a chance to fight to the finish.
Beathard passed for 182 yards and three touchdowns. He wasn’t spectacular but he was steady, and that’s something the 49ers have had little of at the sport’s most critical position this lost season. Beathard should receive a contract extension, with his rookie deal set to expire. Never mind his 2-9 career record. He showed plenty Saturday and the 49ers embrace effort guys like this.
Beathard competed with a heavy heart. He thought of his brother, Clayton, who was stabbed to death outside a Nashville bar a year ago. Beathard spoke to media after his best pro effort via Zoom, wearing a shirt bearing his brother’s middle name — King.
“They inspire me more than anything,” Beathard said of his teammates. “It’s just awesome. I couldn’t write a script any better than this.”
San Francisco took the pressure off Beathard by doing what it did to storm to the Super Bowl as a surprise entry a year ago: run. The 49ers rushed for a season-high 227 yards, 183 of those from hard-charging Jeff Wilson, Jr.
And the 49ers capped Christmas week by playing their most inspired defensive game. The glee was evident in how defensive coordinator Robert Saleh jumped, hugged and sprinted down the sideline. He could be coaching his final days with the 49ers. Impact coordinators whom players love become hot head-coaching commodities.
Tank was not part of the game plan, though it certainly was from flustered fans numb at how fast the season soured, and then became eager for more losses to ensure a higher draft positioning. Sacramento-area 49ers faithful didn’t even get a chance to yell at their television for this one, which was the year 2020 sticking it to them one last time.
The NFL for only the second time allowed exclusive broadcast rights to an internet company — through Amazon Prime or Twitch (Prime I’ve heard of; Twitch is what I suffer after a long run in a head wind). Much like the 49ers season, the live stream had moments where things looked fuzzy, including stop and starts.
And this: players don’t tank. Those orders would come from upper management. Wilson Jr. competes with purpose. No chance he was going to go half speed. He wants to be a regular, though the star back here is Raheem Mostert, who missed another game due to injury.
Wilson Jr. said after the game that his inspiration comes in the smallest form — “My son. My little boy. Just thinking about giving him the life that I never had.” Wilson Jr. said of his blocking teammates, “Those guys did tremendous today. I could feel it. Those guys just blocked their asses off for me.”
San Francisco’s spirited effort is a credit to coach Kyle Shanahan, who endured more crippling injuries on his roster than any team coming off a Super Bowl showing in memory, if not ever.
What other NFL heavyweight had 30 players on the injured list, ever?
49ers bodies started to drop following the Arizona opener, including top defender Nick Bosa, top offensive spark George Kittle, and key cog quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Kittle played against Arizona on Saturday, the tight end’s ankle good enough to go. He wanted to suit up, and it was the right call to let him do so. Why sit him? To rest him for next season? When the heartbeat of your franchise wants to line up, you line him up.
The 49ers body count doesn’t include the entire franchise being displaced, relocated from Santa Clara to Glendale in the Arizona desert, after California county health officials deemed Levi’s Stadium was unsafe, to keep a step ahead of COVID-19. San Francisco still hasn’t won a game with Arizona as its home stadium, falling to Buffalo 34-24, Washington 23-15 and Dallas 41-33.
The season finale on Jan. 3 is back in Glendale against Seattle, another team that will be favored with a ton to play for. The 49ers will prevail, of course, for no better reason than this: It makes no sense.