The San Francisco 49ers looked nothing like the squad that made it to the Super Bowl last season. Kyle Shanahan’s men are 5-7 through Week 13, putting them at the bottom of the NFC West with little chance of making the playoffs.
It doesn’t help that the 49ers are dealing with injury issues, with Christian McCaffrey sidelined for the rest of the regular season after suffering a PCL injury in his right knee on Sunday
As the 49ers’ downward spiral continues, former NFL Pro Bowler Robert Griffin III provided his thoughts on the team’s difficulties. Griffin also explained why the club has struggled despite its skill.
“The 49ers have lost their aura and have become mistake merchants this year,” Griffin remarked, before going into detail on why.
Brandon Aiyuk’s summer boycott while negotiating a new contract with the 49ers, according to Robert Griffin III, “threw off the chemistry of the team.” Griffin is not blaming Aiyuk, but he does acknowledge that it had a significant impact on the Niners after they allowed it to draw out.
The former quarterback-turned-analyst also stated that their ailments did not benefit them at all. Aside from McCaffrey’s health issues, Aiyuk sustained a season-ending injury after ripping the ACL and MCL in his right knee.
Griffin then highlighted the 49ers’ flaws in their performance, adding that they “aren’t protecting the ball AT ALL” and are “27th in giveaways and 20th in turnover margin.”
According to Stat Muse, San Francisco presently has the fourth-highest turnover rate (1.52 per game) in the NFL, after only the Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders, and Dallas Cowboys.
The 34-year-old also stated that the Niners defense isn’t “playing inspired football.”
“On the tape, you can notice a lack of effort and poor body language. “That’s why they’re ranked 25th in defense and 19th against the run,” Griffin added.
Griffin ended his tweet by stating that, unlike prior seasons, “no one is scared to play the 49ers right now.
He isn’t given up on the 49ers just yet, but he did underline the struggle they face in regaining the “aura” they lost without several key players.
Robert Griffin III words on 49ers performance this season
Dear football fans, this is a safe space.
What do you think is wrong with the San Francisco 49ers?
I’ll start.
The 49ers have lost their Aura and have become mistake merchants this year.
Here are the 3 reasons why:
1) Brandon Aiyuk’s offseason negotiations threw off the chemistry of the team. Not because he was at fault for getting his money, but because the organization let it drag out all offseason and into training camp.
His injury, CMC and Trent Williams being out has hurt the multiplicity that has made the 49ers so dangerous with Kyle Shanahan at the helm. Having the ability to run their entire offense from 5 different personnel groupings with the same skill guys on the field who can all play WR, RB, FB, TE and slot receiver was a weapon no other team could replicate. They no longer have that capability
2) The 49ers aren’t protecting the ball AT ALL. 27th in giveaways and 20th in turnover margin. Kyle’s offense is more predicated on ball control than most other systems. When you turn the ball over in any offense it’s detrimental, but in Kyle’s system it’s diabolical because his mindset and play calling is not built to come from behind. Hence his infamous 0-30 record when down 8+ points going into the 4th quarter as Head Coach that was broken just this January.
3) What has always been the saving grace for the 49ers isn’t the Avengers on offense, but the strength of its defense. This year the defense isn’t playing inspired football. All over the tape you see lack of effort and bad body language. It’s why they are the 25th ranked defense and 19th against the run.
Protecting the football and playing great defense is a winning recipe for any team. The 49ers were doing that with the Avengers on offense which is why they were so dominant.
Now the Avengers have been broken up due to injuries this year, the 49ers aren’t protecting the ball which has aided in making their defense more vulnerable and the 49ers are in a tough spot on what to do next.
They have to finish this year strong without CMC and Aiyuk, figure out how much to pay Brock Purdy and still be able to build another set of Avengers around him and they have to rebuild their identity on the defensive side of the ball with play calling and personnel.
This is why you don’t let the Aiyuk negotiations linger in the offseason. You get the business done early so the full focus of the team is on the season and not on distractions regardless of who was at fault for the extended negotiations. The 49ers were distracted all offseason and now they are paying for those negative vibes during the year
No one is scared to play the 49ers right now
They can still turn things around, but getting their Aura back without Aiyuk, CMC and Trent Williams for the time being will be inherently more difficult.
It remains to be seen whether the 49ers can still mount a winning streak in their final five games of the season, but it will not be easy.
