San Francisco 49ers' Ugly Loss to Bengals Proves Changes Must Be Made

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Someone has to go.

Not everyone, of course. The San Francisco 49ers can wait until after the season to make most of the changes they need to make. But, someone has to go after Sunday’s ugly 24-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Someone has to go right now.

The Niners have to show they still have standards and still care about the product they put on the field. Their fans don’t seem to care anymore—half of Levi’s Stadium looked empty Sunday afternoon. Your heart goes out to the fans who actually showed up. They paid to see this.

Paid to see the 49ers commit 11 penalties and convert just two of 14 third downs. Paid to see tight end Vance McDonald tip two passes to the other team for interceptions. Paid to see the offense score zero touchdowns in the first quarter for the 14th straight game this season. Paid to see Bradley Pinion punt the ball 18 yards. Paid to see the defense give up 24 points at home to an offense missing its starting quarterback and Pro-Bowl caliber tight end.

Tony Avelar/Associated Press

“Who wants to sit there and watch that?” wide receiver Torrey Smith said in the locker room after the game.

Someone has to go right now.

Who should that someone be? Maybe the Niners will give us a clue.

Torrey, what is the issue with this team?

“Playing all conservative in the first half,” Smith said. “Can’t win like that. When we play aggressive, we move the ball.”

“Do you mean play-calling aggressiveness?” a reporter asked.

“A little of everything,” Smith said.

Let’s call that half a vote for offensive coordinator Geep Chryst, and half a vote for quarterback Blaine Gabbert. Both are conservative to the max. Gabbert seems afraid of throwing past the first-down marker on third down, and Chryst can’t figure out how to score in the first half. Both deserve demotions.

Let’s poll another player. Anquan Boldin, what do you think is the issue with this team?

Eric Risberg/Associated Press

“Too often we get off to slow starts and then try to get it cranking in the second half,” he said in the locker room. “That shouldn’t be the case. I feel like we should be aggressive coming out and just keep it going throughout the entire game.”

Make that another vote for Chryst, the Niners’ timid play-caller. Respected veterans seem to think he’s the problem.

What does head coach Jim Tomsula think? What’s his theory on the problem with his team?

Eric Risberg/Associated Press

“It’s the fine focus,” Tomsula said at his postgame press conference. “Tackling, which was cleaned up today. But, the problems that we’ve had and the problems that come up are fine focus. We need to focus, and we need to make sure that we make those plays.”

“Is fine focus another word for concentration?” asked a reporter who didn’t understand the phrase Tomsula may have just invented.

“Uh…I think it falls within that,” Tomsula said, clarifying nothing. “But, my point is when the play is to be made, whether it be tackling or catching or blocking, the fine focus is you see the play through. You have to see it through.”

Whatever that means.

Let’s leave Tomsula at the podium temporarily and ask a couple of his players to explain “fine focus.”

NaVorro Bowman, can you explain what Tomsula meant?

Eric Risberg/Associated Press

"

Fine focus means…you’re focused throughout the week during practice. When Sundays come, you have to let it loose but still be focused. I think there’s some immaturity there with our team. To understand that Sunday is the day that you go out there and make those plays. Sunday is the day where that perfect that you wanted to have or that you did have, Sunday is the day to have another perfect day. I think the lack of fine focus is right there, where guys won’t just go take it. Coach is right. He sees it in practice. We’re doing everything that they’re asking us to do, but we’re not taking it to that next level on Sundays.

"

Let’s recap. Apparently, fine focus means playing well on Sundays. What a concept. Back to Tomsula:

“Jim, why is fine focus still an issue after 15 weeks?” I asked.

“It’s been up and down, OK?” he said. “And, we have got to make sure that we make that play and finish it. I don’t have the answer on why it’s a problem today. I don’t. I have to find that answer.”

Follow his logic. The Niners don’t play well on Sundays—bad fine focus—and Tomsula doesn’t know why. After 14 games, he still can’t figure out how to fix the issue he identified.

Tomsula seems to be suggesting he should get the ax. Who are we to disagree?

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All quotations obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.