Associated press

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Losing in Green Bay after blowing another late lead against Seattle last week has quickly transformed the San Francisco 49ers from a Super Bowl contender to a team just fighting to get back to the playoffs.

If San Francisco doesn’t get healthy and correct the mistakes that led to Sunday’s 38-10 loss to the Packers, the focus will shift from playoff permutations to what offseason changes are needed.

“I think everyone both outside and inside fully understands what the situation is,” coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday. “That’s why the Seattle game was so tough and that’s why last night was even worse. We know what awaits us. We know exactly what the play-off situation is. That’s what it is. But the only thing that really matters is this week, when you have to go running and get a lot of wins to even think about that.

The task doesn’t get any easier as the Niners (5-6) play in Buffalo on Sunday night. The 49ers hope to get injured stars Brock Purdy, Nick Bosa and Trent Williams back for that game, but their presence alone won’t fix everything that went wrong on Sunday.

The defense repeatedly got cut early, putting San Francisco in a 17-0 hole before the offense even got a first down. The running game never got going as Christian McCaffrey looked nothing like the 2023 Offensive Player of the Year in his three games back from Achilles tendonitis.

And every time the Niners seemed to do something right, a penalty would follow them.

It was San Francisco’s most lopsided loss since the 2018 season, before Shanahan turned the Niners into perennial contenders.

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

Despite the doom and gloom, the 49ers are just one game behind Seattle and Arizona in the NFC West standings with six games remaining. But San Francisco already has three division losses and a tough schedule with games against the Bills this week and Detroit in Week 17.

“My optimism has not been broken in any way,” George Kittle said. “We still have a lot of very talented players. We will get some guys back and I still have full confidence in the coaching staff to put our guys in position to play. I have no concerns about that. But definitely an uphill grind. We’ll see what we’re made of, and I’m looking forward to that.”

What works

Red zone goes to Kittle. Backup QB Brandon Allen connected with Kittle on a three-yard TD pass late in the second quarter for San Francisco’s only TD. Kittle leads the NFL with eight red zone touchdown catches, which is tied with Vernon Davis (2013) for the most in a season for a Niners player since 2000. Kittle has been the only consistent part of the offense in San Francisco with six catches for 82 yards.

What needs help

Avoiding fines. San Francisco had nine penalties for 77 yards and they were costly and sloppy. The Niners had 12 men on the field on defense on back-to-back plays, three false starts, a pass interference in the end zone and three penalties against special teams, including a holding on Eric Saubert that nullified an 87-yard kickoff . from Deebo Samuel to open the second half. Rookie Dominick Puni had three penalties after being penalized just once in the first ten games.

Stock up

DE Leonard Floyd. There were few positive performances on defense, but Floyd had both of the team’s sacks.

Stock down

Run defense. San Francisco allowed 169 yards rushing, including 87 in the first quarter, which was the team’s second-worst opening quarter performance since 1991. The Niners missed 19 tackles, according to Pro Football Focus, while Josh Jacobs gained 83 of his 106 yards rushing afterward. contact.

Injuries

Purdy participated in a light throwing session on Monday without pain and Shanahan is hopeful he can return to practice on Wednesday after missing the Green Bay game with a shoulder injury. … Bosa (hip, oblique) and Williams (ankle) could also return this week after sitting Sunday. … LG Aaron Banks, DT Jordan Elliott and WR Jacob Cowing all in the concussion protocol. … RG Dominick Puni (shoulder) and CB Deommodore Lenoir (knee) underwent MRIs on Monday and the team is awaiting results. … CB Renardo Green (neck) and LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (knee) are day-to-day.

Key number

11 — The Niners generated just 11 first downs, the fewest in any game in eight seasons under Shanahan. They also had an 11-loss streak in the 2022 NFC title game at Philadelphia when Purdy hurt his elbow and in Week 2 against Seattle in Shanahan’s first season in 2017.

What’s next

The 49ers will visit Buffalo on Sunday evening.

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