© Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
You can sometimes afford to be sloppy when the team you’re playing against has most of its roster on the shelf and is almost entirely devoid of confidence. That’s what should have been the case on Sunday night, as the 49ers, beleaguered defensively, actually held their own against the Eagles’ offense, missing five wide receivers, two tight ends and two key offensive linemen.
But Nick Mullens and the 49ers’ offensive line were having no part of a supposedly easy win, losing 25-20 in rough fashion. There were moments of brilliance, yes, as Mullens threaded the needle to George Kittle at least thrice, and Brandon Aiyuk sent Eagles safety Marcus Epps into the netherrealm on a surreal 38-yard touchdown.
Moments do not equal a win.
Certainly not for Mullens, who, by the end of his Sunday nightmare, was relieved by C.J. Beathard.
How did that happen?
Look no further than the first series of the game, when Kyle Juszczyk was open for a would-be 88-yard touchdown, or at least close to it. Instead, Mullens sailed it over his head.
Actually, let’s look a little further, specifically to the moment where Mullens probably lost his backup spot.
Nick Mullens with the worst interception today…#SundayNightFootball #SNFonNBC #49ers pic.twitter.com/EkTyE58siG
— TimeoutSPORTS__ (@TimeoutSPORTS3) October 5, 2020
I mean… what explanation is there for that?
This was a recurring theme. As Kyle Shanahan dialed up some bits of deception, Mullens failed to get rid of the ball quickly, and as the game spiraled, he began targeting the wrong team. He fumbled once and threw two interceptions.
Mullens did this against an Eagles defense which had yet to force a single turnover in three games this season. Against an Eagles team which entered Sunday night with a league-worst 8-to-1 turnover differential.
The Eagles are not a great team. Not a good team. They are poor. This Eagles team was reeling, hurt, and gave San Francisco every chance to put the game away.
Yet, just like was the case last season, coming off an extended stay out East, the 49ers came home sluggish, and wasted every opportunity they had. The emptiness at Levi’s Stadium looms larger and larger.
The positives to take from Sunday’s game were that George Kittle and Deebo Samuel returned, and when they and Aiyuk had the ball in their hands, they were dominant, combining for 56 rushing yards and one touchdown and 201 receiving yards and one touchdown.
The defense was mostly solid, as Kwon Alexander seemed to recover the player he once was and flew around the field with relentless energy.
And the last positive? C.J. Beathard.
The man who has been rightly criticized for his ineptitude was genuinely slinging the ball in his relief appearance. He gave San Francisco a chance with just a tick past five minutes remaining, charging down the field for a quick touchdown. The all-important two-point conversion (made necessary by the Eagles’ early, successful attempt) failed, making it a 25-20 deficit and necessitating another touchdown drive.
He had a last breath drive attempt with 1:46 remaining, starting at San Francisco’s own 12-yard line, because Trent Taylor, who was crushed earlier on a punt return, declined to try and return the ball.
Check that–it began at the 7-yard line after a Trent Williams false start. Williams had a horrible night, as did his right-side counterpart in Mike McGlinchey. The entire offensive line, really. The Eagles’ front of Fletcher Cox, Javon Hargrave, Brandon Graham and Derek Barnett ran riot against them.
San Francisco took one too many looks over the middle of the field though, and two consecutive pressures thrown away by Beathard left a Hail Mary attempt for the win. It failed, and the 49ers are now 2-2, with only themselves, and injuries, to blame.
One last bid of bad news? The 49ers are likely down another edge rusher, and likely for a substantial period of time. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Ziggy Ansah, who left to head into the locker room at the end of the first half, likely tore his bicep.
#49ers pass-rusher Ziggy Ansah, declared out with an arm injury, is feared to have suffered a biceps tear, source said. He’ll have an MRI to confirm, but potentially another major injury to an SF defender on the edge.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 5, 2020