Chargers vs. 49ers: Full Report Card Grades for San Francisco
A 28-7 third-quarter lead was not enough for the San Francisco 49ers as they fell victim to a 38-35 overtime defeat at the hands of the playoff-hopeful San Diego Chargers in Week 16.
Many of the same stories that have followed San Francisco over the course of this season repeated themselves in this Saturday night prime-time contest. There were a plethora of injuries. A general lack of production out of some key players hurt the 49ers' efforts.
And then there was a complete fourth-quarter collapse—so frequent an occurrence in 2014.
"The #49ers fall to the Chargers in overtime. Game Story: http://t.co/fUHSU4qpe8 pic.twitter.com/AdBbunQ7lm
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) December 21, 2014"
San Diego outscored San Francisco 28-7 in the second half, summarizing all that has gone wrong for the 49ers after halftime this season.
A game-ending field goal from Chargers kicker Nick Novak—following a fumble on a return from 49ers wideout Quinton Patton—sealed San Diego's victory.
The 49ers will do no better than a .500 record this season. At 7-8, San Francisco could not play the spoiler role against its Southern California rivals. The Chargers' playoff hopes remain alive, and the tumultuous season in San Francisco gets even more turbulent after this rough home loss.
Some units graded out particularly well considering the loss. Others didn't. Injuries played a major role, but a number of problematic issues plagued San Francisco throughout.
Grades are based on in-game performance, impact and statistics.
Let's take a look.
Quarterback
1 of 10
Quarterback Colin Kaepernick emulated more of his 2012 self during the first half of Saturday's game. He was assisted largely by an effective ground game, thanks to running back Frank Gore, which helped set up many of the plays that had made Kaepernick well-known within the league.
This old approach gave the 49ers a 21-point lead. While Kaepernick's stat line over the first half didn't exactly jump off the charts, San Francisco was able to get some effectiveness out of its offense.
Kaepernick's only passing touchdown came at the 13:36 mark of the second quarter—an eight-yard pass that found wide receiver Bruce Ellington.
Yet the Chargers got to Kaepernick in the third quarter. Pressure forced him to fumble the ball on the goal line, and San Diego defensive lineman Corey Liuget hopped on it for a touchdown in the end zone.
The fumble signified a change in momentum. But Kaepernick responded on the subsequent drive with a 90-yard rush.
Tyler Emerick of 49ers.com described what happened on the play:
"Kaepernick quickly bounced back from his turnover on the 49ers next series with his most explosive play of the season. Backed up deep in the shadow of his own end zone, Kaepernick escaped out of the pocket and broke free for a 90-yard touchdown run, his since the playoffs in January.
The run, the second-longest in team history and the second-longest touchdown scramble by a quarterback in NFL history, gave the 49ers a 35-21 advantage.
"
"Colin Kaepernick ran 90 yards for a TD vs. SD, the 2nd longest run by a QB in NFL history http://t.co/wW8jcb9X9z pic.twitter.com/nV1N9SYbA6
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 21, 2014"
This play was effective, but the 49ers lost any momentum in the fourth quarter.
Kaepernick finished the contest with 15 completions on 24 attempts for 114 yards. The lone turnover was his lost fumble. San Francisco's quarterback finished with a quarterback rating of 87.8—certainly an indication that Kaepernick did not finish strong after an impressive first half-plus.
"Through 15 games, Colin Kaepernick still doesn't have a 4th quarter TD pass in 2014. (225 minutes of football). #49ers
— Christian Gin (@Christian_Gin) December 21, 2014"
But one can't ignore his 151 rushing yards on seven attempts.
Grade: B
Running Back
2 of 10
San Francisco's offense resembled its pre-2014 self to start off Week 16.
Running back Frank Gore was a critical element in this approach. He started San Francisco's scoring with an impressive 52-yard touchdown run on the 49ers' opening drive.
This was the longest run since 2011, when Gore had a 55-yard rush against the Detroit Lions, per Christian Gin of Examiner.com.
Gore's first-half stats were more than impressive, as provided by 49ers.com:
"Frank Gore’s first half stats… 14 carries 129 yards 1 touchdown #SDvsSF pic.twitter.com/8gBqiM5YDi
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) December 21, 2014"
The 31-year-old veteran finished with 158 yards on 21 carries plus the touchdown. Gore averaged 6.1 yards per carry on the night.
San Diego's defense did a good job of limiting Gore in the second half, which ultimately proved to be a decisive approach considering its effect on the rest of the offense.
Gore did have one significant gaffe—a chop block that nullified a would-be touchdown play from tight end Vernon Davis.
That play was called back, and the 49ers were unable to find the end zone.
Fullback Bruce Miller's goal-line fumble also hurt the mark, albeit just a bit. The 49ers controlled all the momentum at that point and even thereafter.
Still, Gore's efforts—even in a losing cause—are worth commending. It's hard to think that fans might only see one more game with the all-time franchise rushing leader in a San Francisco uniform.
Grade: A-
Wide Receiver and Tight End
3 of 10
On the positive side of things, Saturday revealed the emergence of rookie wide receiver Bruce Ellington.
Injuries to wideouts Stevie Johnson (knee) and Michael Crabtree (knee) opened up the door for Ellington to have a more bona fide role on offense.
He did not disappoint. The rookie posted two touchdowns during the contest. His first was an eight-yard reception to start off the second quarter. Ellington backed that scoring effort up with a one-yard end-around rush with 11 seconds remaining before halftime.
"The Bruce is loose! @BruceEllington gives the #49ers a 28-7 lead just before halftime. #SDvsSF
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) December 21, 2014"
Sadly, Ellington was one of many injured players the 49ers would have to overcome. He was ruled out of the game with a hamstring injury, per Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee.
Anquan Boldin led all wide receivers with 61 yards on seven receptions. No other pass-catcher had more than two receptions on the night.
There was nearly a Vernon Davis sighting during the matchup. The tight end nearly broke off a 63-yard touchdown reception. But an illegal blocking call against running back Frank Gore negated the would-be score.
San Diego ended up scoring a defensive touchdown on the subsequent play.
"A chop block negates a @VernonDavis85 TD. Next play, SD sacks Kap, recovers a fumble for a TD...
— Scott Kegley (@ScottKegley) December 21, 2014"
But the worst wide receiver mistake came in overtime. Scantly used wideout Quinton Patton fumbled a kickoff return, after which the recovering Chargers were able to kick a game-winning field goal.
It was, widely, a tough showing from this unit. While there were some bright spots, some additional effort would have been nice.
Grade: C-
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Offensive Line
4 of 10
The 49ers arguably had their best starting lineup along the offensive line in Week 16 in comparison to the rest of the season. Much of the difference came from starting right tackle Anthony Davis, who appeared in only his sixth game of the year.
Rookie center Marcus Martin made the start over backup lineman Joe Looney.
This lineup helped San Francisco gain some substantial yards on the ground during the first half. Running the ball plays into this unit's strengths, and the stats showed.
Yet the O-line did suffer from some mistakes. Left tackle Joe Staley committed three illegal-formation penalties, per Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee, and was also flagged for a holding call on a would-be touchdown by wideout Anquan Boldin.
"What did Joe Staley say to warrant penalty from Jeff Triplette? "I told him he's terrible at his job." Exact words? "No, I'm paraphrasing."
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoCSN) December 21, 2014"
But the O-line did not avoid the widespread injuries that decimated the 49ers roster. Guards Alex Boone and Mike Iupati missed some time, and Martin also had to come out for a few plays.
All were able to return to action—a good sign—but the 49ers offense was unable to generate the same up-front push late in the second half.
At least San Francisco allowed just two sacks.
Grade: B-
Defensive Line
5 of 10
San Francisco's defensive line in Week 16 looked nothing like what one might have expected at the start of the season.
Defensive end Justin Smith is the lone remaining incumbent from the end of last season. The combination of Ian Williams and Glenn Dorsey at nose tackle has been supplanted by second-year pro Quinton Dial. Ray McDonald has since been released after his alleged involvement in a sexual assault case earlier this week.
McDonald's dismissal pushed backup end Tony Jerod-Eddie into the fray.
Eric Branch of SFGate.com broke down the sudden drop-off in professional experience:
"Career starts of #49ers starting defensive linemen Saturday vs. #Chargers: Justin Smith (215), Quinton Dial (5), Tony Jerod-Eddie (2).
— Eric Branch (@Eric_Branch) December 19, 2014"
The lack of experience was a part of the reason why the 49ers couldn't get much pressure on Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers. This forced defensive coordinator Vic Fangio to dial up more blitzes over the course of the game. It worked in the first half but not so much in the second.
On a positive note, the D-line held San Diego to less than 100 rushing yards during the contest. Yet Rivers was able to pass for 356 yards, so the absence of pressure hurt the 49ers' chances.
Still, there were some notable stats from key linemen. Both Jerod-Eddie and Dial had two quarterback hits apiece. Dial registered seven tackles and one sack.
If only that pressure had reached Rivers a few moments earlier.
Grade: C
Linebacker
6 of 10
As was the case with the defensive line, the 49ers were forced to overcome a shortage within its linebacker corps.
Standout rookie Chris Borland was placed on injured reserve prior to the contest. This opened up more playing time for linebacker Nick Moody.
Moody registered seven tackles during the contest, but it was clear the 49ers were suffering from a drop-off in their tackling abilities.
"Nick Moody seems to not be able to tackle
— Tre9er (@Tre9er) December 21, 2014"
With Borland out, Michael Wilhoite emerged as the tackling leader for San Francisco. As a unit, the linebackers made some notable plays against San Diego's ground game. But San Francisco's pass-rushing linebackers—Aldon Smith and Aaron Lynch—didn't have as much of an impact.
Smith registered just one tackle, while Lynch posted one quarterback hit.
It was backup linebacker Dan Skuta who recorded one of two 49ers sacks of quarterback Philip Rivers on the night.
But the 49ers got a scare when Lynch exited the game with an injury in the second half. He was able to return but later came out once more, per Kevin Lynch of SFGate.com.
Attrition was going to affect San Francisco's linebackers entering this matchup. It took its toll over the course of 60-plus minutes.
A lack of pressure up front forced defensive coordinator Vic Fangio to dial up more blitzes. A depleted secondary was not able to respond.
Had San Francisco's outside linebackers generated a more effective pass rush, there could have been added help with coverage.
Grade: C-
Secondary
7 of 10
It's going to be hard to pick on the 49ers secondary after its Week 16 performance against quarterback Philip Rivers, tight end Antonio Gates and the rest of San Diego's receiving talents.
But, ultimately, it was the secondary that could not come up with the key play to thwart the Chargers' late comeback.
An omen of what would happen came early when safety Eric Reid was removed in the first quarter with a concussion, per Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area.
Reid's absence didn't seem so bad in the second quarter. Fellow safety Antoine Bethea picked off Rivers and returned the interception for 49 yards for the touchdown. It was Bethea's first touchdown in his nine-year career.
"#49ers SS Antoine Bethea jumps the quick-slant pass to TE Antonio Gates en route to a 49-yard pick-six.
— Ryan Sakamoto (@SakamotoRyan) December 21, 2014"
Bethea's pick was one of three interceptions from the defensive backfield. Cornerbacks Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox each recorded one of their own as well.
While these stats helped early on, the attrition and inexperience began to take their toll late in the game.
Backup safety Craig Dahl had a rough game in Reid's stead.
"Wherever there's an opposing team's TD, there's Craig Dahl.
— Dylan DeSimone (@DeSimone_80) December 21, 2014"
Players like Gates exposed some of the more inexperienced 49ers defensive backs later in the contest. Depth backs like Dontae Johnson and Marcus Cromartie had a difficult time matching up with the potent Chargers aerial attack that had gained momentum in the second half.
Cromartie played due to another injury to Cox. Cornerback Leon McFadden was also among the injured, per Tyler Emerick of 49ers.com.
Three interceptions would usually indicate a high grade. It's also a tough assignment to overcome the injuries on the field.
But this unit, sadly, was the ultimate weakness within the 49ers defense. It graded out low as a result.
Grade: D+
Special Teams
8 of 10
Kicker Phil Dawson missed his lone attempt on the evening—a 60-yard try that would have ended the game for San Francisco. But his kick didn't have the distance, and it sailed to the right. It's hard to fault the veteran for his efforts as regulation expired.
There were some positives on special teams despite the loss.
Many of these came from rookie Bruce Ellington, who had struggled as the 49ers' return man previously this season.
He averaged 23.7 yards on three kick returns and 11.3 yards on three punt returns. The efforts stood in stark contrast to other showings, which made his game-ending injury that much more unfortunate.
"Chargers 3 and out followed by nice little Ellington punt return. He’s having himself a game
— Niners Nation (@NinersNation) December 21, 2014"
Perrish Cox and Quinton Patton also had notable returns on kickoffs.
Grade: B
Coaching
9 of 10
A quarter-by-quarter coaching evaluation might go something like this:
- First quarter—A
- Second quarter—A
- Third quarter—C
- Fourth quarter—F
It's been that way for most of 2014, and the offense has usually been the element that could not respond to a second-half adjustment.
Against the Chargers, the defense was finally forced to give way. The elongated list of injuries meant the defense could no longer hold the line as it had done in previous games since the middle of the season.
Two fourth-down conversions from the Chargers in the fourth quarter speak to this.
A lack of offensive adjustment after halftime thwarted any realistic chance for San Francisco to hold on against San Diego's comeback.
"With all the injuries, I think that was a pretty impressive performance by the 49ers. But, once again, not enough second-half offense
— Joey Akeley (@Jakeley_BR) December 21, 2014"
Second-half offensive adjustments have not been the 49ers' forte at all this season. While the first-half game plan seemed to fit right into San Francisco's strengths, nothing of the sort carried over into the third and fourth quarters.
Fingers will, once again, point at head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman. It's not a new story.
But their biggest fault was not installing a game plan over the final 30 minutes of regulation that would have put the 49ers into the best position to win. Neither Harbaugh nor Roman could account for the flurry of injuries. They didn't lose three fumbles, and they didn't physically commit nine penalties.
Yet the helm of any football team requires an effort that goes beyond these obstacles. San Francisco has struggled with them all season.
Grade: D
Final Grades
10 of 10
QB: B
RB: A-
WR/TE: C-
OL: B-
DL: C
LB: C-
Secondary: D+
Special Teams: B
Coaching: D
Cumulative Grade: C
Week 16 will count as one of the toughest losses for the 49ers in 2014. San Francisco had led 21-0 and then 28-7. This was the lead San Francisco carried into the second half.
Second-half adjustments have not been the 49ers' strength. But in previous games, a fully reinforced defense might have been able to hold that lead. Injuries took their toll here.
Yet injuries cannot bear the entire blame. There was a lack of execution in a variety of areas. As seen in many of the slides, many units had standout performances that were offset by lackluster efforts and/or critical mistakes.
It's an example of inconsistency, which has plagued San Francisco this year.
"Kaepernick reacts to loss vs. Chargers. "We can't have the mistakes that we had tonight." WATCH: http://t.co/QhhPbxdzT4
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) December 21, 2014"
Both San Diego and San Francisco made mistakes. However, it was the Chargers who played with more desperation in the waning minutes.
This, ultimately, proved to be the difference.
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 @PeterPanacy on Twitter.
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