San Francisco 49ers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Full Report Card Grades for 49ers
Five hundred and thirteen. That's the total number of yards the San Francisco 49ers allowed to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Whether beating them through the air or on the ground, the 49ers were simply dominated on both sides of the ball, losing their sixth consecutive game, 34-17.
The 49ers are desperately looking for answers on the defensive side of the ball. I would've thought fifth-round pick Ronald Blair would be used more at defensive end to help set the edges, but he wasn't. This team better start making some personnel changes, because the unit on the field is simply not getting it done.
Quarterback
1 of 9
Colin Kaepernick did not live up to the team's expectations at quarterback. From making an ill-advised throw downfield resulting in an interception by Bucs safety Bradley McDougald, to holding onto the ball longer than needed, Kaepernick didn't have his best game Sunday.
However, Kap did make some nice runs on the go and threw a "touch" 17-yard touchdown pass to running back Shaun Draughn.
In the end, it just wasn't enough, as Kaepernick completed 16 of 34 passes for 143 yards and one touchdown.
Grade: F
Running Backs
2 of 9
The team's best running back Sunday was none other than DuJuan Harris. Surprised? Don't be. He may be diminutive, but his heart and determination on every snap can't be ignored. The shifty running back would play well, despite limited snaps, rushing 11 times for 39 yards.
Not much else to report from this group as running back Mike Davis did little in the run game, finishing with just 21 yards.
Grade: F
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
3 of 9
The 49ers' wide receivers unit just isn't that good. Plain and simple. Any time a running back is your leading receiver through three quarters of play is not a good sign. Yes, I'm talking about Draughn, who still had just 37 receiving yards.
Wide receiver Torrey Smith was targeted twice on the way to 17 yards, while the second-leading wide receiver was a tie between Aaron Burbridge and Jeremy Kerley, at 15 receiving yards apiece.
The grade is pretty much self-explanatory.
Grade: F
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Offensive Line
4 of 9
The 49ers offensive line committed numerous penalties while being unable to move the chains between tackles. A unit that saw its running backs only gain 56 yards through three quarters has to know that performance is not good enough to win in the NFL.
Penalties are unacceptable and considered drive-killers. Both right tackle Trent Brown and right guard Joshua Garnett were culprits down in the trenches Sunday, as Brown was called for two illegal-formation penalties and Garnett was flagged for holding penalties.
To make matters worse, the offensive line gave up four sacks.
Grade: F
Defensive Line
5 of 9
The 49ers' first-round pick (No. 7), defensive end DeForest Buckner, continues to struggle on the stack-and-shed. With a prime example of a play that saw Buckner give up outside leverage to allow Jacquizz Rodgers to escape for a 45-yard run, it's clear Buckner needs to do a better job in maintaining gap integrity in the team's 3-4 base. However, Buckner did finish with a pair of nice tackles at or near the line of scrimmage, so kudos to him for that.
As a unit, things weren't much better, as the team allowed Rodgers to run wild for 154 yards. You can blame former 49ers defensive coordinator Eric Mangini last year, and you can blame it on Jim O'Neil this year, but the players are the common denominator. They just aren't getting it done. Coaches coach, and players play.
Coaches aren't the ones missing open-field tackles; they aren't the ones being undisciplined in setting the edge. It ultimately comes down to the players, and they continue to struggle in this area week in and week out.
Grade: F
Linebackers
6 of 9
The 49ers front seven continues to struggle in run support. To say these are "fixable" day-one problems is an understatement. This is Week 7 going into Week 8. Two-hundred forty-nine. That's the number of rushing yards the unit allowed.
Unacceptable.
Football is a team sport, and no one shined other than outside linebacker Aaron Lynch, who finished with three tackles and one sack before leaving the game with an ankle injury.
Grade: F
Secondary
7 of 9
Rashard Robinson didn't have his best outing, allowing two touchdown passes through the air.
Robinson wasn't the only one who struggled, as fellow cornerback Tramaine Brock and free safety Eric Reid were liabilities that, in turn, allowed Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston to complete 21 of 30 passes for 269 yards and three touchdowns.
Grade: F
Special Teams
8 of 9
Niners rookie wide receiver Aaron Burbridge made a huge rookie mistake when he bumped into Jeremy Kerley on a punt return, causing Kerley to fumble.
But Burbridge wasn't the only one who disappointed on special teams. The coverage unit continues to whiff on open-field tackles. It's been a problem since Week 1, and the unit still hasn't cleaned up its tackling, allowing punt returners to gain valuable extra yardage.
However, punter Bradley Pinion did place three of his six punts inside the opponents' 20-yard line, so there were some positives there.
Grade: D
Coaching
9 of 9
The 49ers weren't necessarily out-coached; they just don't have the horses to win games right now. The game plan was simple: run the ball on offense and make life easy for Kaepernick to use the zone-read option.
But unfortunately for the 49ers, their defense continues to be a glaring weakness, giving up 249 yards on the ground. Not happening.
Grade: D
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