The San Francisco 49ers finally crashed back to Earth on Sunday, falling 29-20 to the Atlanta Falcons on the road in Week 7. That’s it, folks, the undefeated dream is over, as they now sit at 6-1 on the season. This wasn’t just a loss, though. Even as 2.5-point favorites and outgaining the Falcons by over 100 yards, the Niners found a way to shoot themselves in the foot, making this one sting even more. They came into this game already “beaten up,” with only four active receivers and Mike Evans out, but what happened on the field was entirely on them.
Penalties: The Gift That Kept On Giving, To The Falcons
You just can’t make this stuff up. The margin for error was already low, but the 49ers decided to play Santa Claus with penalties all game long. First, in the second quarter, with them up 14-9, the Falcons were facing a 4th & 4 at the San Francisco 44-yard line. Easy stop, right? Nah. Osa Odighizuwa decided to jump offsides with an encroachment penalty, gifting Atlanta a fresh set of downs that led directly to a field goal to end the half. That’s points off the board that should have been theirs, pure and simple.
The Catastrophic 90-Yard Drive That Sealed Their Fate
But wait, it gets worse. Early in the fourth quarter, with the Niners down 19-14, they *had* Atlanta pinned on 2nd & 20 at their own 13. You stop them there, get the ball back, and you’re still in it. Instead, they hit Atlanta with *both* illegal contact and holding on the same play. Seriously? Another free first down! And it didn’t stop there! Later on that same drive, Jack Jones, who had already been flagged for holding, got called for pass interference on a 3rd & 8. What are we doing out there? And then, just to rub salt in the wound, they stuffed Bijan Robinson on a 3rd & 2 at their own 26, only to be flagged for 12 men on the field *and* offsides! That’s three different penalties on one drive giving Atlanta life. The very next play, Drake London takes it 21 yards to the house for a touchdown. What should have been a quick punt became an 11-play, 90-yard, five-and-a-half-minute TD drive that sucked the life out of San Francisco. Down by 12, they were forced to go for it on 4th & 10 from the Atlanta 23, and guess what? Sack. Game over, basically.
Late Game Blunders and a Kicker’s Nightmare
Even with all that, they tried to claw their way back. Late in the game, down six, on a crucial 3rd & 4 at the Atlanta 47, Brandin Cooks gets a false start, backing them up. Then Brock Purdy throws an interception on the next play. Just a complete unraveling. And then, the ultimate kick in the teeth: Eddy Piniero’s missed extra point on their final touchdown. If he makes that, they’re down eight, a two-possession game but at least *possible* with a late surge. Instead, it stayed a two-score game, making a comeback “highly unlikely.” Every single error, big or small, piled up and cost them that undefeated record.
So, the undefeated streak is gone. The 49ers now have a whole week to stew on what could have been. You can’t outgain a team by over 100 yards, be 2.5-point favorites, and still lose unless you absolutely beat yourselves. They gifted the Falcons way too many opportunities. This team needs to seriously clean up the self-inflicted wounds if they want to get back on track and show why they were considered undefeated for so long.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Niners Nation.
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