Bears vs. 49ers: Full Report Card Grades for San Francisco
This was not the way the San Francisco 49ers were supposed to debut Levi's Stadium versus the Chicago Bears in Week 2.
For San Francisco, this 28-20 loss might as well be the story of having "snatched defeat from the jaws of victory," as Chicago was trailing 17-0 at one point during the first half.
While credit must be given to the Bears for staging the comeback, the story will likely be about all the things the 49ers did to lose this game. In short, the second half featured more woes than can be summed up in a simple slideshow.
But the negatives will certainly follow this team throughout the week.
"That is what you call a fourth-quarter choke
— Pete Prisco (@PriscoCBS) September 15, 2014"
Costly, stupid penalties plagued San Francisco throughout the game. A series of bad turnovers also thwarted any hopes of a 49ers victory in the stadium's debut.
It was an ugly loss with relatively few positives to draw upon.
Still, we'll try to break down everything about San Francisco's Week 2 performance. What went right? What went wrong? How will this carry forward as the 49ers try and prepare for Week 3 against an Arizona Cardinals team that currently leads the NFC West with a 2-0 record?
There may not be an easy answer here, but let's figure out what can be pulled away from this forgettable loss.
Quarterback
1 of 10
After posting positive numbers in Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys, quarterback Colin Kaepernick fell hard in Week 2 against Chicago.
In spite of passing for 248 yards, Kaepernick turned the ball over four times—three of which were for interceptions against a Bears defense that also sacked him four times.
It was not his best game, rather, probably among one of his worst.
"This is the first time Colin Kaepernick has ever thrown multiple interceptions against anyone other than Seattle.
— Michael David Smith (@MichaelDavSmith) September 15, 2014"
During the first half, Kaepernick looked as if he was in sync with his corps of receivers.
Kaepernick also led all 49ers rushers with 66 yards on the ground.
All of that changed in the second half, however. Two of his interceptions landed in the hands of Bears rookie cornerback Kyle Fuller, who seemed locked in against Kaepernick.
Unlike Kaepernick's 2012 dominance of the Bears, Chicago seemed to have an answer for the 49ers signal-caller after halftime. The decision process was clearly not there.
Granted, Kaepernick suffered from the lack of protection given along the offensive line late in the game, but he clearly made some mistakes in the second half.
This was a problem San Francisco could simply not overcome. Had Kaepernick not posted a good amount of passing yards and 60-plus rushing yards, the grade given would be as low as it could possibly go.
Grade: D
Running Back
2 of 10
Aside from 31-year-old Frank Gore, the 49ers' thin crop of running backs would not have graded out too well.
Since the 49ers are carrying only two running backs on their roster after releasing LaMichael James, it's easy to break down each player.
Starting with Gore, we can look at plenty of positives. Gore netted 63 yards on 13 carries—an average of 4.8 yards per carry. This is a step up from what Gore gave us in Week 1 against Dallas, so it is a good sign knowing that he is not ready to "slow down" and give his No. 1 spot over to Carlos Hyde.
Gore also notched the first regular-season rushing touchdown on an eight-yard rush in the second quarter.
"They call him #TheTruth! TOUCHDOWN Frank Gore. https://t.co/TLRMk0cIOz
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) September 15, 2014"
Hyde was supposed to be the complementary back to Gore—spelling the veteran and adding another layer of prowess to San Francisco's vaunted running game.
The heir apparent to Gore, Hyde was disappointing in his second NFL game. On four attempts, Hyde totaled zero yards.
Let that number sink in for a second—zero. While the hype behind Hyde should still carry over for a while, this game might be a slight reminder that he is still a rookie.
"Tonight is a good reminder to slow the roll on the Carlos Hyde hype. 4 carries, 0 yards, 0 TD. Frank Gore: 13/63/1.
— Ian Kenyon (@IanKenyonNFL) September 15, 2014"
But on the whole, San Francisco's rushing game amounted to 129 yards against a Bears defense that gave up 193 rushing yards to the Buffalo Bills in Week 1. Remove Colin Kaepernick's 66 yards on the ground, and the 49ers running game does not exactly come out as a bona fide factor here.
The 49ers abandoned the run after not getting enough of the run blocking they needed to establish this attack over the course of the game. Yes, there were a few positives but little more.
Grade: C
Wide Receiver and Tight End
3 of 10
It was Michael Crabtree who scored the first regular-season touchdown at Levi's Stadium. He also led all 49ers wideouts with 82 yards on seven receptions.
After rookie linebacker Aaron Lynch blocked a Bears punt in the first quarter, Colin Kaepernick found Crabtree in the end zone for a three-yard touchdown reception.
"Happy birthday @KingCrab15! WATCH HIS TOUCHDOWN:http://t.co/OZbpPbrjje pic.twitter.com/DFgkJfcFA2
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) September 15, 2014"
Crabtree's touchdown reception was one of only a few highlights emanating from the 49ers' crop of pass-catchers, as the rest of this unit failed to generate any sort of separation from Chicago's depleted secondary. Offseason acquisition Stevie Johnson was able to haul in two key receptions, as was Anquan Boldin.
The 49ers tight ends also suffered injuries, as both Vernon Davis and Vance McDonald left the game in various portions to different injuries.
McDonald was able to return, but Davis was seen on crutches after the game, per Paul Gutierrez of ESPN:
"Vernon Davis (ankle) seen on crutches
— Paul Gutierrez (@PGutierrezESPN) September 15, 2014"
But the last memory of San Francisco's receiving corps is of Crabtree failing to grab the final pass from Kaepernick with time waning in the fourth quarter.
The 49ers' last drive summed up what the game essentially turned into—a lost opportunity.
Grade: C-
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Offensive Line
4 of 10
Like many aspects in San Francisco's 28-20 loss in Week 2, the offensive line was a tale of two halves.
We can separate some of the penalties for a minute, but the 49ers O-line fell out of contention following halftime—essentially preventing the offense from generating anything on the ground and through the air.
Let's take a look at the statistics from a protection standpoint.
Colin Kaepernick was sacked four times for a total loss of 16 yards. Right tackle Jonathan Martin bore the brunt of the blame, having given up two sacks on one particular drive late in the half, per Eric Branch of SFGate.com:
"Jonathan Martin on this drive: 2 sacks allowed. #49ers
— Eric Branch (@Eric_Branch) September 15, 2014"
Anthony Davis remains sidelined with an injury, and Martin has taken his place. In the first half—like the majority of the O-line—Martin's play was up to standard. It was in the second half where this unit fell off.
Kaepernick was not able to get adequate protection and the O-line looked overworked by a vastly improved Bears pass rush.
San Francisco's running game stalled out as well, forcing the 49ers to become one dimensional late in the game.
It hurt, and in a bad way.
Grade: F
Defensive Line
5 of 10
While Ray McDonald's off-the-field concerns did not escape discussion on Sunday Night Football, San Francisco's defensive line also failed to live up to the bill of being a vaunted defensive element.
Defensive end Justin Smith added his third sack of the season, getting to Bears quarterback Jay Cutler early in the first half.
This was essentially the only worthwhile moment from the 49ers pass rush, aside from a drawn penalty from second-year pro Quinton Dial.
Dial's hit certainly appeared to change how Cutler performed throughout the game, as indicated by Tom Pelissero of USA Today:
"Before the big hit from Quinton Dial, Jay Cutler was 8-of-18 passing for 38 yards. After the hit, Cutler was 15-of-16 for 138 and 4 TDs.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 15, 2014"
While the D-line was able to generate pressure early, it was too inconsistent to throw Cutler off for the duration of the game. As a result, he was able to pick apart San Francisco's defense and utilize the size of wide receiver Brandon Marshall.
If the defensive line was able to generate a bit more pressure against Chicago's O-line, the game story might have turned out a bit different.
This wasn't the case, however, and Cutler made the 49ers defense pay.
Grade: D+
Linebacker
6 of 10
In spite of the continued absences of NaVorro Bowman and Aldon Smith, the 49ers' crop of linebackers actually looked halfway decent in Sunday's 28-20 loss to the Bears.
We won't get into the penalties just yet—those are reserved for later—but instead we'll focus on some of the good signs from San Francisco's linebacker unit.
While Bowman's rehabilitation is ramping up, per Josh Alper of NBC Sports, Michael Wilhoite has proved to be a suitable backup at the start of the season. He made a number of good plays, including solid coverage on Bears running back Matt Forte.
"Michael Wilhoite with some fantastic coverage on Matt Forte. Great work by Wilhoite to break up the pass attempt. 3rd and 10.
— Niners Nation (@NinersNation) September 15, 2014"
But the biggest storyline surrounding the play of 49ers linebackers has been the efforts of rookie Aaron Lynch.
Lynch blocked a punt early in the first quarter which led to a San Francisco touchdown. At the time, this seemed to give the 49ers all the momentum they needed moving forward. He also nearly recovered a fumble but failed to fall on the ball, allowing the Bears to recover, as described by Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area:
"Aaron Lynch had visions of a TD. He tried to scoop and score, but did not secure it at the 5-yard line. Still Bears ball. Third and 28.
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoCSN) September 15, 2014"
There will obviously be more rookie mistakes from players like Lynch, Chris Borland and other first-year pros on the 49ers roster.
Fortunately, Lynch is looking as if he may be an ongoing contender for playing time as the season progresses.
Grade: B-
Secondary
7 of 10
Speaking of rookie mistakes, Jimmie Ward had a game he would probably like to forget as Bears wideout Brandon Marshall scored all three of his touchdowns against the 49ers rookie.
Perhaps it is best that Ward learn early what it is like to match up against the 6'4" Marshall, but the results were not particularly pretty in this Week 2 matchup.
"Brandon Marshall with his 2nd TD catch for #Bears, again against first-round pick Jimmie Ward. #49ers lead trimmed to 20-14 with 13:35 left
— Cam Inman (@CamInman) September 15, 2014"
Ward was part of a secondary that gave up a combined 95 yards to Marshall and fellow wideout Alshon Jeffery.
Granted, the defensive backfield did not receive a lot of help from the 49ers pass rush, but this particular unit does not grade out too favorably after the loss.
The secondary was without No. 1 cornerback Tramaine Brock (toe), and Chris Cook, who was inactive in Week 1, saw his first snaps, per Christian Gin of Examiner.com.
While the secondary was able to put forth a decent effort in some areas, especially in the first half, Chicago's passing attack was gradually able to pick apart this weakened unit. Without an answer to rush the passer, the defensive backfield was essentially at the mercy of Chicago's offensive weapons.
"@MattBowen41 49ers really don't have a matchup for these guys in their secondary.
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) September 15, 2014"
It will be interesting to see whether or not the 49ers will have an answer when the secondary gets fully healthy. Receivers like Marshall and Jeffery do present problems San Francisco will face again—large-bodied wideouts with speed.
How will this unit match up after being taken advantage of in Week 2?
Grade: F
Special Teams
8 of 10
San Francisco's special teams was perhaps the only 49ers unit that retained its effectiveness over the course of the entire game. There was no first or second-half woes here.
Kicker Phil Dawson put to rest any concerns of whether or not Levi's Stadium's new sod would affect his game. Dawson converted two field goals—a 27 and 24-yard kick, respectively—which accounted for six of the 49ers' 20 points on the night.
"Phil Dawson good from 27, and it’s 10-0 49ers. Nice to see Dawson get that field goal after his miss last week
— Niners Nation (@NinersNation) September 15, 2014"
We've covered Aaron Lynch's efforts on the Bears' first punt of the game, so that helps increase San Francisco's special teams unit grade here.
Rookie Bruce Ellington muffed a punt but was able to fall on the recovery.
The 49ers kick coverage units also looked solid enough to warrant a good grade. Unfortunately, special teams could not carry San Francisco to a victory in Week 2.
Grade: B+
Coaching
9 of 10
We have largely avoided the talk surrounding San Francisco's 16 penalties on Sunday Night Football.
Sure, a large portion of these penalties can be thrown into the realm of rookie mistakes, as many of these were on 49ers rookies and second-year pros. But penalties are aspects that need to be coached out of players.
It's discipline, plain and simple.
The 49ers were undisciplined, committing those 16 penalties for a total of 118 yards, per Eric Branch of SFGate.com:
"#49ers: 16 penalties, 118 yards.
— Eric Branch (@Eric_Branch) September 15, 2014"
No matter how much talent one has, it is difficult for any team to win games when committing that vast amount of penalties. Such penalties kept Chicago's drives alive and kept San Francisco's defense on the field longer than it should have been.
Switch that with the 49ers' need to sustain some offense in the second half.
Offensive coordinator Greg Roman seemed to go back to his old ways in the latter portion of the game. There was that goal-line stand with three runs up the middle—no touchdown.
Then there was the apparent abandonment of the running game in the third and fourth quarters—surprising considering the score differential and Chicago's problems stopping the run in Week 1.
"Greg Roman is up to his same old nonsense. Stop trying to be so cute and let your running backs run the ball.
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_PPI) September 15, 2014"
San Francisco's coaching staff had ample time to stem the tide of the would-be debacle in the second half. The 49ers were completely unable to do anything of the sort and the problems continued to snowball.
If there is a positive, head coach Jim Harbaugh won a challenge and is 1-0 at Levi's Stadium in the regular season.
Grade: F
Final Grades
10 of 10
QB: D
RB: C
WR/TE: C-
OL: F
DL: D+
LB: B-
Secondary: F
Special Teams: B+
Coaching: F
Cumulative Grade: D
As stated before, San Francisco essentially snatched this defeat from the jaws of victory.
For the majority of the first half, the 49ers controlled all the momentum, plays and pressure that one would expect in this apparently lopsided matchup.
While credit is due to the Chicago Bears for coming back and keeping up their own pressure, San Francisco did more to lose this game than Chicago did to win it. It was a story of mistakes, lost opportunities and lackluster play all around.
These are elements that need to be shored up as the 49ers head off to Arizona to take on the 2-0 Cardinals in Week 3.
On the positive side of things, San Francisco can look back at what worked in the first half and try to build on that. The second-half woes might also provide an excellent learning experience for the large number of young players on the roster.
But these learning experiences should not have to repeat themselves too often.
The lesson of "keeping a foot on the gas pedal" needs to be taught now.
All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com and ESPN.com unless otherwise indicated.
Peter Panacy is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report, covering the San Francisco 49ers. Be sure to check out his entire archive on 49ers' news, insight and analysis.
Follow him @PeterMcShots on Twitter.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
