49ers have to swallow these 5 brutal truths after lopsided loss to Packers

The 49ers learned a lot about themselves in Week 12's loss to the Packers, and most of it isn't good.

Parity in the NFL can be a painful, painful thing.

The San Francisco 49ers were a lucky bounce away from achieving Super Bowl glory last February, ultimately losing in overtime to the Kansas City Chiefs. Still, a star-studded roster led many to believe the Niners would be right back in the thick of things in 2024.

Well, not so much. Not even close.

At 5-6, coming off the heels of an ugly and one-sided 38-10 defeat at the hands of the Green Bay Packers, head coach Kyle Shanahan's squad resembles something much closer to a bottom-feeding team contending for a top-10 pick in the NFL Draft than one aiming for the postseason.

Sure, San Francisco was without much of its star power for the game because of injuries, including quarterback Brock Purdy (shoulder), defensive end Nick Bosa (hip/oblique) and left tackle Trent Williams (ankle). But that doesn't help explain the myriad of self-inflicted gaffes and mistakes, as well as the wholly uninspiring play from a one-time contender that needed to display a sense of urgency.

With the 49ers' diminishing playoff chances suffering yet another brutal blow, Shanahan and Co. have to face some ugly realities as they try to endure the final stretch of the regular season.

Especially these five.

No. 1: 49ers aren't a playoff-caliber team

For those hoping the Niners somehow pull off a second-half surge like they did in 2021 or 2022, that proverbial ship has pretty much sailed. Sure, the NFC West remains up for grabs despite San Francisco being in last place but trailing the division lead by only one game in the standings.

But, considering the 49ers' final six games on their schedule, is it possible to find five wins? Perhaps over the scuffling Chicago Bears or inconsistent Los Angeles Rams, and maybe there's an upset-kind of road victory over teams like the Miami Dolphins or Arizona Cardinals.

However, with games against Super Bowl-caliber squads like the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions looming, it's nearly impossible to envision a scenario where the Niners get to a 10-win season to secure a postseason berth.

If anything, seven wins sounds about peak.

No. 2: 49ers are emotionally 'checked out' (even if they won't admit it)

San Francisco has been a Super Bowl contender since 2019, making it at least to the NFC Championship game every season since aside from the injury-riddled 2020 campaign.

However, with no rings to show for it and a yearly tradition of gut-punching losses, one can only fathom the emotional drain such seasons have had on the core members of the roster.

And that doesn't even account for all those extra games tacked onto what are already long, taxing regular-season campaigns.

To quote Tracy Sandler of Fangirl Sports Network:

"The injuries started piling up early in the season (actually before) and haven’t stopped. Playing 60 games in three seasons has taken its toll physically and certainly emotionally, as none of those seasons have ended with a Super Bowl victory. And it’s not about to get any easier."

While any loss generally won't induce good vibes, it's hard not to see the body language from core players like linebacker Fred Warner that has become too common in 2024:

He'd never say it, but the 49ers are spent. They know it. So does everyone else.

No. 3: Christian McCaffrey can't, won't save the season

Remember how a so-so Niners squad kept anticipating the healthy return of All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey after eight weeks? After all, the reigning Offensive Player of the Year was going to be the needed X-factor who'd turn San Francisco's otherwise anemic offense around simply by his presence.

Well, it hasn't happened.

Not only have the 49ers lost two of the three games they've played since his return, but the offensive output has actually declined, too:

Not all of this is squarely on McCaffrey, of course. But it does illustrate the point the All-Pro tailback simply isn't the difference maker the Niners thought he'd be.

No. 4: Deebo Samuel might be hitting his 49ers twilight

For the previous two seasons, wide receiver Deebo Samuel was riding the coattails of his outstanding All-Pro 2021 campaign in which his dual-threat usage made him one of the NFL's elite.

The time has long since passed to continue citing that year as an example of what's to come.

Samuel was borderline atrocious against Green Bay, letting two passes slip through his hands with one of those going for an interception. And, on the night, he had a mere one catch on four targets for just 21 yards.

Not the kind of performance one might expect from a supposed elite-level weapon.

With just 43 receiving yards over the last two games, while also receiving no shortage of criticism for his output as of late, Samuel is looking more and more like a "has been" than anything else. His separation from defensive backs hasn't been there, and it's probably time to give up on using him as a running back, evidenced by his career-low 2.9 yards per-rush average this season.

If Samuel's one-time best strengths are no longer strengths, San Francisco has to at least consider viable options elsewhere.

No. 5: 49ers roster needs a major overhaul

Samuel is only one such player whose future could be in doubt. And McCaffrey's injury issues this season cast a shadow on his long-term impact as he inches closer to being on the wrong side of 30 years old.

Left tackle Trent Williams is 36 years old and will hang up his cleats in the not-so-distant future. Center Jake Brendel has turned into a notable liability up front, too, while left guard Aaron Banks is hitting free agency this offseason.

As far as other pending free agents go, cornerback Charvarius Ward is unsigned in 2025. So is safety Talanoa Hufanga. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw, too.

Regarding the defensive line, about the only notable positive has been defensive end Nick Bosa, while the rest of the cast has been marginally average, at best.

With the 49ers poised to throw bankloads of money at quarterback Brock Purdy this offseason, getting both younger and cheaper becomes not just a priority but also a necessity.

It's not a full-blown rebuild. But, to quote Fox Sports' Colin Cowherd, the Niners need to "hyper-aggressively reboot."

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