The San Francisco 49ers were shockingly upset by the Los Angeles Rams in their Week 3 matchup, but they had quite a few opportunities to ensure that they would come away with the win in this one. Some poorly timed plays hurt them, though, and a late drop from Ronnie Bell led to a fairly animated reaction from head coach Kyle Shanahan on the sideline.
With Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, and George Kittle all missing this game, guys had to step up, and that forced Bell into a bigger role. Unfortunately, he had a pair of drops in this game, and his second one, which came late in the fourth quarter, proved to be quite costly for the Niners, with Shanahan’s big reaction indicating just how important the play was for San Fran.
Kyle Shanahan, 49ers looking for Ronnie Bell to step up amid rash of injuries
Despite being a seventh-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Bell scored three touchdowns for the Niners last season, and it’s clear that he has the potential to be an explosive player for the team. Of course, he has to actually catch the football when it comes his way, which has been the main issue for him during his short time in the league.
With McCaffrey and Samuel set to miss a couple of weeks, and Kittle’s timeline being up in the air, the 49ers need guys to start stepping up for them. Jauan Jennings stepped up against the Rams in a big way (11 REC, 175 YDS, 3 TD), and Jordan Mason has been one of the best running backs in the league while filling in for McCaffrey.
It’s going to be to Bell, and probably Brandon Aiyuk, who has had a painfully slow start to the season, to fill the void these guys have left over the next few weeks. Given Shanahan’s reaction to Bell’s drop late in this one, though, it’s fair to wonder whether or not he’s already missed his opportunity to carve out a bigger role on offense.
With a 1-2 record, San Francisco has to find their way immediately, or else they may find themselves in a hole they cannot get themselves out of. A Week 4 matchup with the New England Patriots provides them with a great opportunity to bounce back, but if they continue to keep making these sorts of mistakes and somehow lose that game, they could end up being in some serious trouble.
