With great effort, the Niners built a 21-13 lead at halftime before losing 40-34 to Detroit. In a game where many expected the Lions to be eliminated (raises hand), the 49ers proved they could take a Super Bowl contender to nearly sixty minutes.

At best, this is a team that can keep up with Detroit, but it’s also a team that blows the lead and can’t come back. The problem is that both Dr. Both Jekyll and Mr. Hyde show up every week, leading to San Francisco’s 6-10 record.

The same goes for Brock Purdy. A career-high 377 yards in which he played a central role in the leadoff – followed by two interceptions on missed throws that were crucial in the loss.

This is Brock Purdy 2024. Kyle Shanahan, John Lynch, Brian Griese and Purdy need to figure out why this player won’t show up in 2025. A subtle positive I took away from this game is that Purdy was more willing to throw the ball away and out of reach in this game, but as always he needs to be more consistent.

Is Purdy the franchise answer? I don’t think so, but he’s all they have at the moment. Therefore, I expect an extension and not a big investment in free agents. Still, it would be wise for the team to develop a cost-effective Plan B each year. Purdy is a bridge until they find the one.

Play balls

Ricky Pearsall – His breakout game, eight catches for 141 yards and a touchdown.

George Kittle – Another brilliant game for the second consecutive unanimous All-Pro season. Eight catches for 112 yards.

The patchwork offensive line – They showed up. Two practice squads signed off other teams and showed up. Purdy was sacked just twice, while Isaac Guerendo and Deebo Samuel ran for 50 yards on 12 carries. All in all not bad.

Nick Bosa – Eight tackles, two sacks, four tackles for loss and four quarterback hits in his best game of the year.

Penalty flags

Jake Moody – Missed field goals of 51 and 58 and a narrow extra point as the icing on the cake. The Jake Moody Experience is on tour for another concert in Arizona next week and this has to be it. You can’t rely on him. Shanahan needs to get the L for drafting a bust kicker in the third round rather than delaying it another year and hoping for a turnaround. He’s upset, so are you. Stop doing this to your team.

Nick Sorensen – Detroit has the best offense in the league, but that requires a certain level of aggressiveness to counter it and no vanilla zones far off the line.

THE VIEW FROM 10,000 FEET

Detroit’s starting defense is decimated by the most injuries in the league, so this isn’t the game to draw positive conclusions from. However, one downside is a concern: Purdy had the ball with a chance to win the game, and for the second straight game he threw a pick.

If the Niners plan to extend Purdy, they must also create a plan on how to best optimize him in free agency and the draft. The obvious solution is a big investment in the offensive line, which Shanahan will keep an eye on given his stubborn past.

So what are the alternatives? Purdy was paired with star player Christian McCaffrey, draft Ashton Jeanty, the all-world returnee from Boise State. But that requires Shanahan to turn his back. OK, then Tyler Warren, the do-it-all tight end for Penn State. Kittle is 31 and it would be a welcome change if the Niners employed 12 players next year. Niner fans may want to tune in to Boise State-Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.

Regardless of the decisions in free agency and the draft, the Niner trade needs to meet with Purdy and go over every interception. Why it happened, determine what Purdy’s fault was, what needs to change, and how you can learn from it and adapt. This is the process Mike Holmgren used with Joe Montana. Worked.

NEXT

A quick roadie to Arizona for the season finale. One loss and the Niners secure the 11th pick in the draft. You cannot rise higher.