LAS VEGAS: For the San Francisco 49ers, one other season got here a irritating end with an inevitable query: What if?
What if the Niners hadn’t botched a punt return to arrange a landing for Kansas City? What if San Francisco might have transformed a 3rd down and run down the clock for a sport-successful subject purpose on the finish of regulation? What if the 49ers scored a landing on the opening drive of extra time?
And maybe most significantly, what if the Niners didn’t need to run into Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs within the Super Bowl once more?
“I was speechless,” defensive finish Nick Bosa mentioned about his mindset following a 25-22 extra time loss to Kansas City within the Super Bowl on Sunday.
“There’s not really much to say at this point. It’s going to hurt. It’s going to hit in waves. But that’s life.”
It’s changing into an all-too-acquainted feeling for the 49ers. They blew a ten-level lead within the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl for the 2019 season and misplaced to Mahomes and the Chiefs when one key cease or huge completion might have modified that consequence.
They then squandered one other 10-level lead within the fourth quarter of the 2021 season’s NFC title sport in opposition to the Rams when a dropped potential interception by Jaquiski Tartt proved expensive.
Then an elbow damage to Brock Purdy on the opening drive of the NFC championship sport final season in Philadelphia ended that season.
Now a group with 62 wins in previous 5 common seasons and playoffs has no title to point out for it.
“It just hurts,” Purdy mentioned. “We have the team obviously to do it, to win the whole thing, and come up short like that. The way things have been the last couple of years here, everyone wanted it so bad.”
For some time it appeared like this might be the 12 months that the Niners received all of it for the primary time since 1994. They led 10-0 early on Sunday however then stalled offensively within the third quarter and botched a punt return that arrange a brief Kansas City landing drive.
There was a blocked further level early within the fourth quarter that stored the Chiefs inside three factors. There was a batted down go on third down with lower than two minutes to play that led to a subject purpose and loads of time for Mahomes to tie the sport.
There was a missed blocking task on third down within the pink zone on the opening drive of extra time, main to a different subject purpose.
When the protection couldn’t cease Mahomes, it ended up in a loss on a 3-yard TD go to Mecole Hardman.
“We had every opportunity to win that game, and we didn’t take advantage of our opportunities,” All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner mentioned.
Despite the disappointing ending, the season had many brilliant spots. The Niners earned the highest seed within the NFC due to a excessive-powered offense. Purdy established himself because the group’s franchise quarterback a bit over a 12 months after being picked final within the NFL draft.
The offense had a number of dynamic playmakers, led by Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey and go catchers like Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel and George Kittle.
The protection was sturdy many of the season led by gamers like Bosa and Warner.
The Niners have most of their key gamers from this season beneath management for 2024, with solely 4 starters from the Super Bowl headed without cost company.
The largest questions come at defensive finish, the place midseason acquisitions Chase Young and Randy Gregory, together with Clelin Ferrell, are eligible without cost company. Ferrell, who was harm for the playoffs, appears the probably to return after a robust common season in opposition to the run.
The different key participant who might head to the open market is security Tashaun Gipson. But with rookie Ji’Ayir Brown displaying flash this season and 2022 All-Pro Talanoa Hufanga set to return from a knee damage, the Niners might stand up to that loss.
After again-to-again years and not using a first-spherical choose, San Francisco can have the chance to fill a gap with a premium draft choose at No. 31.
The Niners are projected to have 10 picks on Days 2 and three of the draft, together with further choices within the third and fourth rounds.
Adding depth to the offensive line and secondary might be priorities.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)
