49ers lose 3rd straight game in fall to Bengals
49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is tackled by Cincinnati Bengals’ Jordan Battle, short of a first down in second quarter during Sunday’s game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023. . Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle
2023.10.29 – The 49ers lose for a third straight week, Cincinnati intercepted quarterback Brock Purdy on back-to-back passes during the second half in a 31-17 loss to the Bengals on Sunday that sends San Francisco stumbling into its bye week.
While Purdy keeps giving the ball away, San Francisco’s heralded defense is struggling to generate stops and the early season dominance for the 49ers is firmly in the past.
“It hurts,” Purdy said. “But at the same time, this is going to be a good time for us to do some reflection and all of us are really hungry for the second half and the stretch that’s about to go down. So we’ll be ready for it.”
It’s been quite a reversal for the 49ers (5-3), who left here three weeks ago after beating the Dallas Cowboys 42-10 on national television to improve to 5-0.
But the mistakes they were able to overcome in that fast start to the season have been crushing the past three weeks in losses to Cleveland, Minnesota and now Cincinnati.
“This isn’t on any one coach or any one side of the ball,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “We haven’t scored over 20 points here in three weeks too. I think our defense needs to be better, our offense needs to do better, our team needs to do better.”
Arik Armstead and Nick Bosa both missed chances at a sack on a third-and-long on the opening drive that Cincinnati’s quaterback Joe Burrow escaped and turned into a conversion and ultimately a touchdown drive.
2023.10.29 (SF 49ers vs. CIN Bengals) Game Highlights
Cincinnati Bengals starting qb Joe Burrow (9) scrambles against San Francisco 49ers’ Talanoa Hufanga (29) in the second quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
2023.10.29 (SF 49ers vs. CIN Bengals) Game Highlights
2023.10.30 – 49ers vs. Bengals (49ers Wake Up with Bruce & Krueger)
2023.10.30 – 49ers vs. Bengals (49ers Wake Up with Bruce & Krueger)
There were several more missed tackles throughout the game for a team that had been one of the best at avoiding them during the first five games.
Burrow completed 19 straight passes at one point for the Bengals and finished 28 for 32 for 283 yards against a defense for the 49ers (5-3) that has uncharacteristically struggled in recent weeks.
But it was what he was able to do with his legs that was almost as important for the Bengals (4-3) after being severely limited before the bye week from his preseason calf injury.
There was the escape act on the opening drive that led to a completion to Tee Higgins. There was the time he audible into a QB draw on third-and-9 and converted with a 10-yard run. There was a 20-yard scramble to set up a field goal in the third quarter. There was the ability to play from under center which opened up opportunities for runs and play-action passes.
“I worked really hard on that all off-season and for four or five weeks I haven’t been able to really show that,” Burrow said. “So when you see hard work pay off, it’s exciting.”
“The common denominator right now is I haven’t been able to say through the last three losses that man, our defense had our best outing and we just happened to lose,” linebacker Fred Warner said. “We’re not playing good football on our side. That’s the reason why we haven’t won the last three games.”
2023.10.29 – SF 49ers vs. CIN Bengals (NBC Sports-Post Game)
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy pushed a back-to-back turnover in the fourth quarter and one of them was deflected by Cincinnati Germaine Pratt (57) for a 31-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals at Levi’s Stadium. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle
2023.10.29 – SF 49ers vs. CIN Bengals (NBC Sports-Post Game)
2023.10.29 – SF 49ers vs. CIN Bengals (NBC Sports-Post Game)
Then there were the late-game mistakes from Purdy, who has been much better this season playing from ahead than behind.
San Francisco trailed in only one of its first five games and never in the second half, but has had to play from behind the past three weeks.
Purdy threw two interceptions in the fourth quarter in the loss to the Vikings and had three more turnovers in the final 15:04 of this game to doom any comeback attempt.
The first came when San Francisco was in the red zone in position to tie the game at 17, but Purdy and Elijah Mitchell missed on a hand-off. Purdy then tried to improvise and threw a pass that Germaine Pratt deflected to himself for an interception.
On San Francisco’s next play, Purdy tried to fit in a pass over the middle to Brandon Aiyuk that linebacker Logan Wilson intercepted to set up the TD that gave Cincinnati a 14-point lead.
Purdy then lost a fumble late in the game when the Niners were in desperation mode, giving him six turnovers the past three games after having only one the first five weeks.
“Toward the end of the game, I was starting to force things and not see things clearly,” Purdy said. “Don’t force things, let the game come to you. If it’s not there, try to make something happen, but try to make a smart play as well. There’s definitely a fine line to it.”
2023.10.29 – SF 49ers vs. CIN Bengals (Larry Krueger-Post Game)
San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey (23) celebrated his touchdown and is congratulated by 49ers George Kittle (85) during the first quarter of their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023 (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
2023.10.29 – SF 49ers vs. CIN Bengals (Larry Krueger-Post Game)
2023.10.29 – SF 49ers vs. CIN Bengals (Larry Krueger-Post Game)
Purdy, who began the week in concussion protocol, threw for 365 yards but was unable to lead the offense to more than 17 points — marking the first time San Francisco had been held to 17 or fewer in three consecutive games since Shanahan’s first season in 2017.
NFL RECORD WATCH
McCaffrey scored on a 2-yard run in the first quarter, giving him at least one TD in 17 straight games, including the playoffs. That tied the NFL record set by Lenny Moore in 1963-64.
McCaffrey’s TD catch in the fourth quarter gave him at least one rushing and throwing in 14 games — one shy of Marshall Faulk’s NFL record.
INJURIES/INACTIVES
Bengals: Hendrickson (left ankle) left briefly in the first half but was able to return.
49ers: LT Trent Williams missed his second straight game with a sprained ankle.
UP NEXT
Bengals: Host Buffalo on Sunday night.
49ers: Bye week; visit Jacksonville on Nov. 12.
Related: Vikings outlast 49ers with two Cousins TDs
Related: See below – 49ers Mostert Epic Dash to Super Bowl!
Read more at: San Francisco 49ers Media Services / More AP NFL
JEstevez@EMIsportsCentral.com
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