GREEN BAY, Wis. – Moments after the franchise’s biggest loss to the Green Bay Packers in series history – and the third biggest loss of any kind since he became head coach in 2017 – the San Francisco 49ers’ Kyle Shanahan was asked the most disappointing part of his team’s performance.

Unable to limit himself to just one area, Shanahan instead spent about the next 40 seconds laying out all the ways the Niners failed in Sunday’s 38-10 loss to the Packers, summing it up best with his opening words.

“The whole game was (disappointing),” Shanahan said. “When you get those penalties, we didn’t stop the run like we did and we had three turnovers in the second half. You’re ashamed of that.”

Embarrassed was the word of the day in the San Francisco locker room after a loss that left them 5-6 and following a two-game losing streak heading into a holiday week with a trip to Buffalo to face the surging Bills next Sunday night.

The loss at Lambeau Field was the franchise’s largest margin of defeat in 74 meetings with the Packers, surpassing the 27-point loss in 1960. The 49ers had not lost by more than 20 to Green Bay since a 21-point defeat in 1997.

Additionally, it was the Niners’ third-largest margin of defeat since Shanahan took over and their biggest regular-season loss since a 29-point loss to the Los Angeles Rams in 2018. It was also the team’s worst road loss with Shanahan . at the helm.

“This is probably one of the worst I’ve been a part of,” 49ers linebacker Fred Warner said. ‘It’s embarrassing. You have to take it on the chin, take it like a man and move on.”

Moving on this week could be particularly difficult considering all the issues the Niners have faced. Although the team was missing much of its star power, including quarterback Brock Purdy (right shoulder), defensive end Nick Bosa (left oblique) and tackle Trent Williams (ankle), the Niners’ frustration was rooted in its many self-inflicted mistakes. they say it could have been prevented.

Among the problems Shanahan mentioned: a run defense that was battered in the first half (23 Green Bay carries for 125 yards and a touchdown), a pile of missed tackles and costly penalties (a season-high tying nine for 77 yards), and a trio of turnovers that turned into Green Bay touchdowns.

Included in the penalty parade was a sequence in which the Niners’ defense was flagged on two consecutive plays for having too many men on the field. Shanahan protested the first of those two flags — believing his team wasn’t given enough time to make a substitution after the Packers made one — but acknowledged the second was a miscommunication.

“It’s always something, right?” San Francisco safety Ji’Ayir Brown said. “Every mistake we’ve made, we’ve been coached, we’ve been taught, we know exactly what to do. We just have to get it done when it’s time.”

Perhaps none of these mistakes was bigger than the pass that went through the hands of wide receiver Deebo Samuel in the third quarter. Trailing by 10 points on third-and-8 with the ball at the Green Bay 45-yard line, San Francisco quarterback Brandon Allen shot right at Samuel between a pair of defenders.

The ball slipped through Samuel’s hands and into the waiting arms of Green Bay safety Xavier McKinney, who returned it 48 yards to the Niners’ 26-yard line. The Packers later scored three plays and a penalty, and instead of a potential three-point deficit, San Francisco suddenly trailed by seventeen.

When it was over, Nine tight end George Kittle pointed out the three things he thought needed to happen to pull off a feud with Allen under center and Bosa and Williams on the sideline.

“Catch everything thrown at us, avoid penalties and don’t turn the ball over,” Kittle said. “And we didn’t really do any of those things, and it just put (Allen) at a disadvantage.”

Allen made his first start since the 2021 season finale and finished 17 of 29, passing for 199 yards and a touchdown with the lone interception. He also rushed for five yards twice and lost a fumble with one of the sacks he brought.

Kittle said Allen “played his tail off.” And despite Allen’s long break between starts, it was clear he wasn’t at the top of the list of problems on Sunday. Still, the Niners are hopeful that Purdy will return to Buffalo next week.

“This is probably one of the worst I’ve been a part of. It’s embarrassing. You have to take it on the chin, take it like a man, and move on.”

49ers LB Fred Warner

Purdy accompanied the team to Green Bay and assisted Allen on the sidelines and in the locker room after the game.

After mentioning the possibility of Purdy playing against Buffalo on Friday, Shanahan said the chances of that are still unclear.

“We haven’t done anything since he’s been here rehabbing all the time,” Shanahan said. “And I’m sure we’ll show him some stuff early Monday or Tuesday so we can get a better idea of ​​that.”

Now San Francisco must turn its attention to another long journey.

Despite their many problems, the Niners are fortunate to be in the scrappy NFC West, where they sit just one game behind the top teams in the division despite being below .500 at the end of a season since 2018.

After previous losses, the Niners have indicated there is still plenty of time to right the ship. But the clock is ticking and Sunday’s performance offered no hope of answers coming soon.

“We’re all sharing a bad feeling right now,” San Francisco guard Dominick Puni said. ‘We have to go back to next week. A big game against the Bills on Sunday night. We have to go.’