After a grueling 12-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, the San Francisco 49ers have lost all hope of making it into the playoffs. It was a miserable performance from the 49ers, especially on offense. With the season effectively over, here are four takeaways from the game.

Let’s start with the positive. Dre Greenlaw was great in his 2024 debut. He was the only bright spot in the 49ers’ loss to the Rams. No one expected Greenlaw to look as good as he did in this game. I thought he would count quickly and be rusty from the blitzes of the Greenlaw we’re used to.

Well, it was more than just flashes. From the moment he stepped onto the field he was in tears. You could see a clear difference from Greenlaw in the starting lineup. The defense was in the middle and locked in. He made everyone around him better just by his presence. If he can look like this for the rest of the season, the 49ers need to re-sign.

Time for the negative. Brock Purdy enters 2024 with the chance to increase or decrease his value through a contract extension after the season. At this point he definitely hurt it. The 2023 Player of the Year is a shell of his former self. Now you could say he’s probably playing injured. His throwing shoulder may not be completely healthy yet. But Purdy has made some terrible decisions all season.

The deep throw to Jauan Jennings in the fourth quarter that resulted in an interception was one of his worst turnovers of the year. He also predetermined and committed to receivers much more often. Purdy has regressed this season. He’s not a bad player by any means, but there are limitations to his game that should lead the 49ers to give him a lucrative extension.

Deebo Samuel complained on social media about his lack of involvement in the crime. He got his wish against the Rams and it immediately became clear why he was underused. Samuel stinks. He doesn’t contribute anything positive to the 49ers’ offense. He was a player with a negative influence.

It’s impossible to pinpoint anything from his game that would benefit the 49ers. The great player he was in 2021 and even last year appears to be long gone. It seems slow, limited and desperate. Samuel is never allowed to touch the ball again. On the other hand, the 49ers are essentially out of the playoffs, so losing is the best thing for them, and bringing Samuel in will help with that.

Even with Nick Bosa back in the starting lineup after a week-long absence, the 49ers’ pass rush is useless. Leonard Floyd, who was great without Bosa, was non-existent. No one else managed to make a difference. Matthew Stafford was way too comfortable out there and he made the 49ers pay for it, especially on the final drive of the game.

The 49ers can probably make some schematic changes to improve the pass rush, but ultimately they lack talent on the defensive line. The 49ers need to make the defensive line one of their top priorities in the offseason to avoid having such a mediocre pass rushing unit again.