Having a 5-6 record entering Week 13 isn't how the San Francisco 49ers drew it up.
Injuries have played a part in their decline this season, but they were in it until the end of three games this season that ended as losses. The championship caliber 49ers of last season would've never lost the games to the Los Angeles Rams, Arizona Cardinals, and Seattle Seahawks.
They should be sitting in a fairly comfortable position at 8-3. Unfortunately, that isn't the case and it's why they aren't a good football team this year. It may seem shocking to see how poor the 49ers are this season, but it really isn't surprising at all.
The writing was on the wall throughout all of training camp. It started with the holdouts of Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams. Then it was Christian McCaffrey who was ruled out of camp with a calf strain that eventually became Achilles tendinitis. The vibes surrounding the 49ers were extremely down.
It felt weird all around with them until they went out and defeated the New York Jets in Week 1. They beat the Jets in a somewhat dominant fashion. It temporarily put to rest all of the bad vibes with the 49ers that stemmed throughout training camp.
However, fast forward to Week 13 and those vibes are valid. You can even take it further back than training camp. The moment the 49ers lost the Super Bowl to the Kansas City Chiefs nearly 10 months ago, it took a part of them away that they can't find this season.
That part is the desire, drive, and motivation to be great this year. This is an exhausted team that recognizes their best shot to win it all last year. Injuries were amazing for them last year, the NFC was weaker, and they faced the worst Chiefs team ever since Patrick Mahomes became the starter.
It's all caught up with the 49ers. Injury luck is not with them, the mental fortitude isn't there, and there is no happiness. The 49ers are losing games this year similar to how they lost the Super Bowl. It feels like it is haunting them and they need a break to let it bury deeper.
They are bound to get that break at the rate they are going this season. Another loss is on the horizon for them with Brock Purdy's status up in the air against the Buffalo Bills this week. Their playoff chances aren't dead thanks to the NFC West being average, but this isn't a playoff team.
2024 will be chalked up as a distraught season with the hope of rebounding next year.
