Niner Noise
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49ers grades vs. Cardinals: Fourth-quarter collapses hurt Kyle Shanahan

By Peter Panacy

San Francisco 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan (Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images)
San Francisco 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan (Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images) /
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GLENDALE, AZ – OCTOBER 28: Head coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers watches the action during the second quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on October 28, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ – OCTOBER 28: Head coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers watches the action during the second quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on October 28, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Special Teams & Coaching Grades

Kyle Shanahan’s approach to this game, offensively, hit a wall early. And while C.J. Beathard did a good job preventing turnovers, his inability to move the ball through the air was glaringly apparent for the vast majority of two quarters.

“He did a good job not turning the ball over,” Shanahan said of Beathard during the team’s postgame presser. “But no one else on offense had a good day.”

Week 8 Postgame Press Conference

Postgame reaction following Week 8 loss in Arizona.

Posted by San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, October 28, 2018

No, they didn’t. A flash here and there, but that was it.

Special Teams

Robbie Gould connected on both of his field-goal tries, so that’s good. And kick returner Richie James managed 52 yards on two run-backs.

But San Francisco punt returner Dante Pettis muffed a punt, which would have been disastrous if the Niners didn’t recover it.

Thankfully, that was the only major gaffe and it didn’t wind up hurting the 49ers in the end. Other things did.

Grade: A-

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Coaching

The 49ers had a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter, which was more than enough to win against an inept Cardinals offense. And a seven-play, 28-yard drive in the fourth quarter should have been more effective, but it petered out and led to the Cardinals’ first of two touchdown scores.

More painful, particularly after Fred Warner recovered an Arizona fumble, was the fact Shanahan’s ensuing offensive drive went only five plays and resulted in a net loss of one yard.

Shanahan’s fourth-quarter play calling wasn’t good. But his team was still in a position to win the game. So we have to turn our attention to defensive coordinator Robert Saleh once more.

Over the first three quarters, Saleh apparently understood Josh Rosen wouldn’t be effective under added pressure. And with only two legitimate weapons, Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk, through the air, one would figure Saleh would have dialed up more blitzes in the fourth quarter.

But he didn’t. And Rosen looked an awful lot like the Green Bay Packers’ Aaron Rodgers during the Niners’ 33-30 fourth-quarter loss on Monday Night Football in Week 6 — zero San Francisco pressure, Rosen hitting all his targets and the Cardinals moving the ball with relative ease.

The result? Fifteen unanswered points by Arizona and the Cardinals’ second win of 2018.

Next. 5 players to watch between 49ers and Cardinals. dark

Both against the one-win 49ers.

Grade: F