As the 49ers fell to the Kansas City Chiefs by a score of 44-23 on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium, their renowned defensive unit struggled up front and downfield.
While injuries have fostered a “next man up” mentality in the 49ers’ locker room, NBC Sports Bay Area analyst Donte Whitner believes the team needs a “must-win” mindset moving forward after Sunday’s performance.
“The 49ers were absolutely embarrassed by the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium, and though Jimmy Garoppolo turned the ball over and the offense only scored 23 points, I felt like it was enough for an elite defense to help pull out a win," Whitner said on the latest edition of "Hitner's Hot Take."
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As the 49ers Faithful know, the team’s elite defense certainly has taken some hits on the injury front.
Nick Bosa and Jimmie Ward returned to the defensive line and secondary, respectively, for the Week 7 matchup after missing time, but a few key players remain sidelined (Azeez Al-Shaair, Arik Armstead, Javon Kinlaw) or have been ruled out for the season (Emmanuel Moseley).
So while San Francisco’s defense isn’t at its full strength, Whitner knows there was more than enough talent on the field to get the job done against the Chiefs. And he didn’t hold back.
“And to speak about that 49ers defense, I didn’t see the 49ers defense that we were used to seeing in the first six weeks of the season,” Whitner said. “They had no answers to the [offense], they didn’t get any pressure on the quarterback, any hits on [Patrick] Mahomes until the middle of the third quarter.
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“They gave up nine big plays, very sloppy tackling.”
In Weeks 1 through 6, the 49ers’ defense ranked first and second in the NFL in yards allowed per game and points per game, respectively. But in Week 7, the unit allowed its most points of the season by a landslide.
Additionally, Mahomes’ 423 passing yards are the most surrendered by a 49ers defense during Kyle Shanahan’s tenure as coach (h/t Akash Anavarathan).
Still, Whitner acknowledged that the 49ers’ defense isn’t fully healthy. With an important matchup against the Los Angeles Rams looming next week, Sunday’s loss makes the 49ers’ Week 8 game all the more important.
“This 49ers team is going to have to heal up,” Whitner said. “This is a crucial moment in the season, 3-4 right now going into SoFi Stadium? You have to get it done this week. It’s a must-win for the 49ers.”
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If there’s any team the 49ers can get things back on track against, it’s the Rams, who San Francisco has defeated in their last seven regular-season meetings.
And with the NFC West still wide open for the taking, Whitner’s assessment of the game’s importance is spot on.