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49ers vs. Chargers: Breaking down the good, bad & ugly from Week 4

By Peter Panacy

CARSON, CA - SEPTEMBER 30: Quarterback C.J. Beathard #3 of the San Francisco 49ers lies on the ground after throwing an interception at the end of the game against Los Angeles Chargers at StubHub Center on September 30, 2018 in Carson, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
CARSON, CA - SEPTEMBER 30: Quarterback C.J. Beathard #3 of the San Francisco 49ers lies on the ground after throwing an interception at the end of the game against Los Angeles Chargers at StubHub Center on September 30, 2018 in Carson, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /
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CARSON, CA – SEPTEMBER 30: Wide receiver Dante Pettis #18 of the San Francisco 49ers is taken down and injured on the play in the first quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at StubHub Center on September 30, 2018 in Carson, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
CARSON, CA – SEPTEMBER 30: Wide receiver Dante Pettis #18 of the San Francisco 49ers is taken down and injured on the play in the first quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at StubHub Center on September 30, 2018 in Carson, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /

The Ugly from Week 4

Later in the game, I jokingly tweeted out what the title of my never-will-be-written book would be about the 49ers’ 2018 campaign:

Like it or not, it’s pretty much to the point.

San Francisco was again beset by both injuries and missed tackles throughout the contest, which certainly didn’t aid the team’s chances to pull off the road win.

Given the close margin, these likely cost the Niners that same chance.

Missed Tackles in the Second Half

In the first half, things were different. It looked as if coordinator Robert Saleh’s efforts to curtail the Niners defense’s tackling woes were panning out. After all, the 49ers entered the contest with a league-high 43 missed tackles on the year.

San Francisco’s defenders were mostly wrapping up Chargers ball carriers in the first half and, not surprisingly, the defense looked stout enough.

That all changed in the second half, though, as it appeared the 49ers remembered how poor they’d been at tackling all season.

Plays like this one illustrate the ongoing problems where, essentially, there are four missed tackles on one Chargers run.

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Injuries… Again

During his postgame presser, Kyle Shanahan couldn’t explain why his team has been subject to so many injuries early this season.

And that injury bug bit the Niners again in Week 4.

Two of the more serious ones befell left tackle Joe Staley and wide receiver/punt returner Dante Pettis. Pettis suffered a knee injury on San Francisco’s first punt return of the game, while Staley suffered a knee injury in the second quarter. Neither player returned to action.

The good news is the team doesn’t believe either injury is too serious, which is good considering Staley’s replacement, Garry Gilliam, struggled mightily in pass protection filling in on the left side.

Defensive Consistency

Early on, the 49ers defense looked sharp… almost as if there were 12 defenders on the field, all swarming around and frustrating Philip Rivers and the Chargers.

Yet there were lapses too, particularly a blown coverage by linebacker Reuben Foster that allowed tight end Antonio Gates to score arguably the easiest touchdown of his stellar career. Fellow linebacker Fred Warner was also a victim of a lack of safety help over the top, allowing Chargers running back Austin Ekeler (lined up in the slot) an easy score.

As a result, the Niners coughed up their early lead and failed to regain any of the momentum in the second half. Turnovers and offensive mistakes didn’t help matters much, but the 49ers defense lacks both the players and scheme adjustments necessary to hold any sort of safe lead right now.

Saleh’s Cover 3 Seattle Seahawks-like scheme doesn’t have the personnel to work, and the lack of talent is showing.

49ers vs. Chargers: Full Week 3 grades and analysis for San Francisco. dark. Next

We’ll see if Saleh and the defense bounces back at home in Week 3 against an Arizona Cardinals offense starting a rookie quarterback, Josh Rosen. But for now, things aren’t looking good at all for this unit.