Forty Niners Forever

This misbegotten trainwreck of a season seems to be somehow managing to stay on the tracks despite a slew of injuries that are noticeably worse than last year’s 6-11 debacle. Yet here we are at 5-2 after winning another game against an opponent that was riding high. Atl was flush with a crushing win over the Buffaloes as Bijan Robinson ran and received for 238 yards. The Niners were licking their wounds with the loss of the heart and soul of the defense, Fred Warner, and the stumbling fumbling loss to the Tampa Bay Bucs.

So, naturally the defense stood very tall and limited BRob to 50 on the ground and 92 total yards as the 49ers clamped down on the Atlanta offense and held then to 10 points. They even got a couple sacks, including a stripsack by Bryce Huff (thanks Philly), and the recovery by rookie soon-to-be sensation Alfred Collins. He of the game-saving forced fumble/recovery against the Rams.

The offense was powered by the return of the run game, as CMC ran for 129 and caught for 72 for a huge 201 yard day. This of course was helped immensely by the return of George Kittle. He caught no passes but his blocking was key. That being said, I did see a lot of odd motions from Juice as he would veer back into the run lanes pre-snap and create some holes. Shanny actually changing looks up and getting much better push up front. This seemed to happen after Brendel went down and Hennessey took over but I need to watch the game again.

All told though, this was a game that they can hopefully hold on to as they keep going. The proof is in the turnover battle. Yesterday was even (1 each). Our 2 losses we are 0-6. So, stop fucking up . . .

Out of town this weekend so I’m putting this up now.

Not sure how important this game is, but we need all the wins we can get when we can get them. At some point we’ll get our players back. I guess. Will they be able to win? Can we win now?

PS – Fuck the Dodgers

Sez Shanahan. Happy happy joy joy.

This is what our season has come to. Which QB is less injured. Jones will get more reps at this point, but what it all means is still undetermined. Just wondering when we get the word Adrian Martinez was injured in the shower after practice and is on the IR for the next month.

Good news is that George Kittle is back. Will he be blocking all the time? I guess it should help the run game some. But the DNP list is still way too long.

For all the kudos Shanahan got for gutting out the Ram win, it was oppositely as awful for the Tampa game.

Not sure where we go from here. It sure don’t look up, dogs.

Yeah, we shoulda had 11 guys on the field for that fateful play. Woulda Warner got hurt had there been enough guys? Shoulda been otherwise. Who knows? Here we are teetering on another lost season full of injuries and what coulda been.

Is Purdy gonna play? Kittle? BA? Pearsall? Jennings? Shanahan says words that amount to nothing.

Will the line learn how to block this week? Can the defense overcome the loss of both Bosa and Warner? I don’t know, but that easy schedule of patsies certainly doesn’t look like patsies anymore. The Falcons just rocked and rolled the Buffalo Bills using a strong run game and pressure on Josh Allen.

What do we have to show? Not a hell of a lot. Robert Saleh seems reluctant to blitz as our coverage is soft and leaky, but this is simply how we lost last year. Never giving up big plays, but giving up 16 small ones.

As of now I’m seriously bummed that we are pissing away another season full of hope as Kittle, Warner, Bosa, and even young guys like Pearsall and Jennings, cool their asses on the sidelines and we hope against hope they somehow figure how to overcome the decimation.

Well, we are witnessing the downfall of yet another season due to injury. The Kyle Shanahan era is one that has been ravaged by injury during 5 of his 8 seasons.

This season? Well, despite our 4-2 record, we’ve lost our starting QB, TE, WR1, WR2, WR3, DE, MLB, LG, FS, and a shit-ton of backups. So, I don’t think this team is in the fix-it-now mode. They shouldn’t be throwing draft picks to patch up the holes in Good Ship Niner. They need to save all their picks top fix the O line.

Yesterday’s game was flat atrocious as TB, a team with 10 sacks in 5 games, got 6 sacks, 12 hurries, and 2 picks. The O line play is beyond abysmal, and whatever good feelings were there after the Rams game were quickly squashed on the very 1st play from offense when Kendrick Bourne turned right, and Jones threw left, and TB was gifted a TD.

Then Fred Warner went down with a very nasty ankle injury as the braintrust forgot to get an RDE into the game and the running play went right at the gap. After this I thought we would struggle. But Saleh went into Sorensen mode and simply didn’t want to risk blitzing.

Despite that, the game was in reach until Baker Mayfield somehow managed to avoid the entire 49ers defense on a 3rd and 14 scramble. After that I told my buddies, next play is a TD bomb. Baker’s gonna take a shot. Sure enough, it came to pass.

Yeah, we got a supposedly easy schedule, but until they fucking throw anyone out there besides Coby, who was just non-existent, Puni, who is having a gigantic sophomore slump, Brendel, who is just mediocre at best, Trent Williams, who is routinely getting pushed backwards into Jones’ lap, and McKivitz, who is the stalwart as the 28th best RT, this line can’t block a box of kleenex.

Maybe we regroup to beat some shitty teams, but really, this team cannot survive in the playoffs unless Purdy somehow comes back and fixes the immense red zone issues also plaguing this team.

AGAIN.

8 FGs and 3 TDs these last 2 games.

East coast trip, banged up backup QB, two more defensive players down, but only given 3.5? TB’s pretty banged up themselves, but I’d put our IR list against anyone’s. I have a bad feeling about this game, but then again I had a bad feeling vs the Rams. Mayfield is playing well, and they are putting up points

Shanahan does deserve credit for rallying the troops for that game, and for designing a solid game plan. He even threw on 1st down on 1st and goal, and a play action pass on 2nd and goal for touchdowns.

Course the next time in the red zone Shanny went his usual conservative route and he nearly killed Jones. Kyle has to figure out that if we can’r run between the 20s, it ain’t gonna work on the goal line.

28-20 Niners. If Jones survives. If it’s Adrian Martinez, then all bets are off.

Whither the pass rush? With Nick Bosa gone, there’s talk of us trading for guys like Trey Hendrickson for Mac Jones, or even (I don’t) Chase (running backs) Young. Sorry no. We would have to trade the farm for Hendrickson, and then we’d have to try and sign him AND deal with Bosa and his upcoming deal. And we already got a good dose of the Chase Young experience.

I’d much rather go the mid-level route. Saint Curtis Granderson should be a guy that wouldn’t cost and arm and a leg. Cam Jordan of the Saints would also be a solid get. Jaelan Phillips of the Dolphins (sell sell sell!) wouldn’t cost too much either. We don’t need a world-beater at this point. Just someone who can do the job fairly well. They SHOULD do something.

As for the game? I don’t know. I’ve got a bad feeling about this Buccaneers game. They are an explosive offense what with the resurgence of Baker Mayfield. A little bit like the solid job Jones is doing.

They are a bit bacnged up as well, with 3 CBs and a safety all on the questionable list. If we can protect Jones, we need to beat them through the air. They are a great run defense, and we are LAST in rushing average per attempt.

All about the turnovers. We are among the bottom-feeders with our -3. Amazingly, we are on 12 games without an interception, but have caused 5 recovered fumbles. TB is +3 which is a long way from where we are.

Funny thing is, Brock is responsible for 5 of the 8 turnovers in his 2 games. So with him gone we are at +2.

What I just can’t fathom is we are bottom-feeders in turnovers, sacks, red zone efficiency, 1st and goal efficiency, and rushing average. Yet we are 4-1. and we are riddled with injuries.

But we kick ass at getting yards between the 20s. We are the #1 passing attack in the NFL.

Well, Kittle and Purdy ain’t coming back this weekend. But they did open Malik Mustapha’s practice window, so he may be back soon. But more defensive bad news is that Yetur Gross-Matos is out with a bad hammy for a couple games, and Khalia Davis is out with hand surgery. Not sure on that timeline either.

Not sure how this team can win without SOME of their injured players returning, but onward we go to Tampa Bay for the dreaded east coast morning game. mac Jones stock sure rose that last game as he overcame shitty pass blocking and got hit repeatedly and was not rewarded with roughing the passer on a couple pretty obvious penalties.

We of course barely get close enough to any QBs to even draw a roughing call, so Saleh has to once again dip into his majic bag and come up with ways to keep TB off the field. His unit did give up 456 yards to the Rams (in only 26 mins of possession), but made the one necessary stop on 4th and 1. We DID get a pick by Upton but it was negated by a horseshit Vinovich PI call. One of many bullshit calls by him.

The offense did a great job of keeping the ball from the Rams offense, but (stop me if you’ve heard this before) the fucking offense sputtered YET AGAIN in 1st and goal situations.

The first 2 drives saw the 49ers:

• Throw on 1st and goal – Result – TD
• Throw on 2nd down play-action to CMC in the flat – Result – TD

Since those plays worked so well, Shanahan never went back to them and instead we ended up kicking FOUR field goals the rest of the way. Genious indeed. So fucking tired of this. All our games will be like this if Shanahan continues to play football like fucking Jim Harbaugh used to.

And that is to play conservative until forced to open up the playbook, or grind the game down to the point of playing that last possession for the win. I loved Walsh’s philosophy of get way ahead and keep up the pressure and score 35 on ’em.

It’s nice to have an extra few days after the stirring victory over the Rams, but as we all know, there’s no rest in the NFL. Till the bye. Which is week 14. In other words, the 12th of never. Not soon anyway. I don’t even want to post the IR/Injury/Doubtful list as it is huge.

But based on the most recent updates (as of October 6, 2025), here’s the San Francisco 49ers injury report (eeeeek): 

Injured Reserve (IR)

• Nick Bosa (DE): Torn ACL, out for the season.
• George Kittle (TE): Hamstring strain, likely out until Week 7.
• Ben Bartch (OG): Ankle injury.
• Spencer Burford (OL): Knee injury.
• Kevin Givens (DL): Pectoral injury.
• Jacob Cowing (WR): Hamstring injury.
• Trent Taylor (WR): Undisclosed injury.
• Jakob Robinson (CB): Forearm injury.
• Tre Tomlinson (CB): Undisclosed injury.
• Patrick Taylor Jr. (RB): Shoulder injury.
• Tarron Jackson (DE): Undisclosed injury.
• Lucas Krull (TE): Foot, Eligible to return Week 9.
• Ben Bartch (T): Ankle, Placed on IR September 17.
• Kalia Davis (DT): Hand, Requires surgery.
• Robert Beal Jr. (DE): Ankle. 

Physically Unable to Perform (PUP)

• Brandon Aiyuk (WR): Knee, reportedly targeting a Week 6 return.
• Malik Mustapha (S): Knee (ACL), Practice window could open soon. 

Doubtful for Week 6

• Yetur Gross-Matos (DE): Hamstring injury, likely to miss some time. 

Questionable for Week 6

• Alfred Collins (DT): Knee sprain.
• C.J. West (DT): Thumb injury.
• Upton Stout (CB): Ankle injury, not a high ankle sprain. 

Out for Week 6

• Brock Purdy (QB): Toe injury, week-to-week.
• Jauan Jennings (WR): Ankle and Shoulder.
• Ricky Pearsall (WR): Knee.
• Jordan Watkins (WR): Calf. 

Other Notes

• Mac Jones started at quarterback in Week 5 due to Purdy’s injury.
• George Kittle (TE) is expected to return around Week 7.
• Malik Mustapha (S) is nearing a return from ACL injury and his practice window could open as early as this week.

Mad props to 12th Man for travelling to Levi’s South and bringing home a gut-wrenching hard-fought victory over the Rams last night. Mac Jones, wounded, cramping, and shovelling bananas down his gullet all night, managed to will the 49ers to a win without any starting WRs, TEs, or run game.

The defense gave up 450 yards, but made the last crucial stop in OT on 4th and one from the 12 yard line. Very reminiscent of Pete Carroll NOT going with the run in Seattle’s Super Bowl loss, as Matt Stafford and co amassed 378 in the air, and only 78 on the ground. McVay even fell on his sword after the game calling it “a shit call”.

Heroes all over the place. Amazingly, Kendrick Bourne overcame his terrible game last week to go for 10 and 142 as he gashed the Rams secondary all over the place. The one drop did kill a drive however. Recent practice squad grad Trevis Gipson recovered a botched pitch by Blake Corum to thwart a deep drive by LA, and Alfred Collins had a strip/recovery on Kyren Williams on the one yard line to kill an LA drive late in the game.

CMC had 139 yards from scrimmage, mainly on 8 catches for 82 yards (and 22 carried for 57 yards [eeeek, 2.6 per]), and Bournse of course, but Jones spread the ball out to 7 different guys. Notably, Jake Tonges with 7/41 yards and (GASP!) a TD pass on 1st and goal.

Still troubled by the lack of a running game, and the red zone badness. Shanny mixed things up on those first 2 drives, and then went back to bland bullshit fails on the next 4 red zone appearances, nearly getting Jones killed on yet another obvious 3rd down pass play on 3rd and goal.

And, after the Ram goal line fumble, Shanny went WAY conservative. 1st or 2nd down BEG for play action but instead we burned 8 seconds off the clock and allowed LA to time the score. We didn’t even try any kind of misdirection runs.

Hey 12th, did you take any pics?