5 stats reveal why 49ers are 3-5 halfway through 2021
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: 49ers aren’t scoring much in the first half
Whether it’s due to a sluggish start, the third-down woes, play-calling or whatever, the Niners are having difficulty getting on the board early in games.
Sure, that might have been workable in Week 2 when they were facing off against a challenged Philadelphia Eagles offense. But when tasked with going up against better offenses, such as those of the Cardinals or Seahawks, it’s not hard to see how things can get out of hand early. And this issue might be magnified with even more challenging offenses on the horizon.
Read More: Game grades from 49ers’ deflating loss to Cardinals
To date, San Francisco is averaging a mere 10 points scored in the first half of games this season, which ranks 22nd in the league. Putting things into contrast, in 2019, the 49ers were averaging 15.4 first-half points on the year, which was fourth best.
Granted, the flip side points out the Niners are surrendering an average of 11.2 first-half points so far this season, which means the deficit isn’t too tough to overcome. But considering how many issues they’ve had trying to stage a comeback this season, it’s not surprising to see why games frequently get out of hand after halftime.
And, no, San Francisco’s point differential against opponents in the second half of games isn’t great either, coming in at minus-0.9.