49ers vs. Vikings: The good, bad and ugly from Week 1 loss

The Ugly

The 49ers lost this game because they were sloppy, inconsistent, and hurt. That’s the crux of the issue. Rarely does a team get the chance to win against a top team in their conference, but the 49ers lost their opportunities. Let’s look at some of the ugly parts of the game.

Drops

The 49ers were tied at second for the most drops last year behind just the Atlanta Falcons. With the recovery of Pierre Garcon and addition of Pettis, the 49ers were hoping that it would no longer be a problem for the team. They were wrong.

Pettis dropped a touchdown, Garcon dropped a touchdown and had only two receptions on six targets and Kittle dropped a long pass right before the pick-six and a potential touchdown.

Ouch.

That doesn’t take into account other players who had dropped the ball, both literally and figuratively. This is a major problem the 49ers have to address.

Turnovers

This is pretty self-explanatory. You don’t win football games if you turn the ball over. It just rarely happens. The 49ers had four turnovers with Garoppolo’s three interceptions and Morris’ lost fumble. These plays directly impacted the game. This is something that has to be fixed if this team wants to be considered a contender this year or future years.

Injuries

This, however, is not something the 49ers can control. Linebacker Malcolm Smith was unable to play the game due to a previous injury. Marquise Goodwin injured his quad and couldn’t play the second half of the game. Both right guards, Mike Person and Joshua Garnett, suffered injuries and couldn’t play, making Mike McGlinchey, rookie starting right tackle, slide in.

Finally, Brock Coyle suffered a concussion during the game, according to Kyle Shanahan (h/t 49ers Webzone).

The 49ers were seemingly plagued by injuries last year, and that cycle threatens to repeat itself. Availability is the No. 1 skill a player can have, and right now, the 49ers don’t have it.