Maiocco's Observations: Banged-up 49ers come up short vs. Packers

BOX SCORE

GREEN BAY, Wisc. — The 49ers took the field Sunday with three of their most important players sitting it out.

Quarterback Brock Purdy and defensive end Nick Bosa were declared out for the game before the 49ers traveled on Friday. On Sunday, the 49ers announced left tackle Trent Williams as one of their inactive players due to an ankle injury.

The Green Bay Packers took advantage of the 49ers’ key absences in a 38-10 victory over San Francisco at Lambeau Field.

The Packers improved to 8-3 on the 2024 NFL season, while the 49ers fall to 5-6. The 49ers' chances of reaching the playoffs took a major hit with six games remaining.

The 49ers have their most difficult test of the season next week when they hit the road to face the Buffalo Bills, who will be coming off their bye week.

Here are the takeaways from the 49ers’ Week 12 game:

Allen Up And Down In Rare Start

Backup quarterback Brandon Allen got the call with Purdy unable to play due to a right shoulder injury.

Allen had a difficult opening two series of the game before ending the first half on a good note.

Allen, 32, had last appeared in an NFL game 1,075 days ago. He played in the final game of the 2021 regular season with the Cincinnati Bengals when Joe Burrow was resting for the playoffs. It was just the 10th start of his NFL career.

Allen played with a splint on his left middle finger from an injury he sustained in practice two weeks ago. FOX’s Tom Rinaldi reported Allen has a broken finger. He appeared on the injury report during the week of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers game in Week 10.

The 49ers did not gain a first down until the 6:20 mark of the second quarter. They were trailing 17-0 at the time.

Juice finally gives the 49ers a first down 🧃 pic.twitter.com/jPJYxGot45

— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) November 24, 2024

But the 49ers’ offense came to life on that drive. Allen capped an 11-play, 65-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown pass to George Kittle.

Kittle puts the 49ers on the board 😤 pic.twitter.com/DlIojMPQfo

— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) November 24, 2024

Then, it looked as if the 49ers might have a chance in the third quarter. But Allen’s pass went through Deebo Samuel’s hands, and Packers defensive back Xavier McKinney made the interception. McKinney returned it 48 yards to set up a Packers touchdown that made it a 24-7 game.

Allen’s final stat line consisted of 17 completions in 29 attempts for 199 yards and one touchdown with one interception.

Defensive Overhaul

The 49ers’ defense looked completely overmatched against Josh Jacobs, Jordan Love and the Green Bay offense.

The 49ers missed 10 tackles in the first quarter, which FOX reported was the most for any NFL team in a quarter this season.

Not an ideal first quarter for the 49ers' defense 😬

(via @NFLonFOX) pic.twitter.com/MCcr2F4EHy

— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) November 24, 2024

Linebacker Fred Warner and cornerback Deommodore Lenoir were the only 49ers defensive players who started the playoff game last season against Green Bay and Sunday’s game.

With Bosa out of action due to hip and oblique injuries, the 49ers’ starting defensive line consisted of defensive ends Leonard Floyd and Sam Okuayinonu, and defensive tackles Maliek Collins and Jordan Elliott.

In the playoffs last season against the Packers, the 49ers lined up with Bosa, Chase Young, Arik Armstead and Javon Hargrave as their front four. The 49ers rallied with 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter for a 24-21 victory at Levi’s Stadium.

The 49ers got pushed around up front on Sunday, as Jacobs rushed for 106 yards and three touchdowns on 26 carries.

The 49ers were not good in any area, including a sequence in which they were penalized for 12 men on the field on back-to-back plays.

Shanahan’s reaction after the 49ers were flagged for consecutive 12 men on the field penalties 😳 pic.twitter.com/dCh4dYbBeF

— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) November 24, 2024

Penalties Plague 49ers

The 49ers dug a hole for themselves in Week 11 with seven offensive penalties.

It was more of the same for the 49ers on Sunday.

The 49ers’ most damaging penalty came at the start of the second half when backup tight end Eric Saubert was called for holding. The penalty nullified Samuel’s 87-yard kickoff return. Instead of taking over at the Green Bay 5-yard line, the 49ers opened the drive at their own 21.

The 49ers put together a couple of first downs before the drive stalled on Allen’s incomplete pass for Christian McCaffrey on a fourth-and-2 play from the Green Bay 39.

Rookie right guard Dominick Puni had a rough game. He entered the game with just one penalty on the season. On Sunday, Puni committed three penalties. He was called for two false starts and offensive holding in the first half.