The San Francisco 49ers suffered a collapse against the Arizona Cardinals, with Nick Bosa and defensive assistant Nick Sorensen differing in their perspectives on what went wrong.
After the game, Bosa expressed frustration over the team’s mid-game adjustments. He had two tackles for loss and one pass defended in the 24-23 defeat.
“They were giving us a different look on the zone read,” Bosa commented on October 6. “In all our losses, our preparation has been solid. But teams are playing us differently, and we need to improve our adjustments.”
On October 8, Sorensen countered Bosa’s statement, disagreeing with the idea that adjustments were the issue.
“I don’t think it was a matter of not adjusting. We made changes, whether we brought pressure or played two-high,” Sorensen explained. “We talked about it on the sideline, and I don’t believe there was any major breakdown or failure to adjust late in the game. We were switching things up and presenting different looks.”
Regardless of the cause, the 49ers’ defense might deserve some slack. Head coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged the team’s costly turnovers were a major factor in the loss.
Shanahan Defends RB, Addresses Turnovers
During his post-game press conference, Shanahan was asked about running back Jordan Mason’s role in allowing quarterback Brock Purdy to be pressured on his final interception.
Shanahan explained that Mason had little chance to prevent it due to the Cardinals overloading the blitz on that side. He noted that Purdy needed to release the ball faster.
“No, they blitzed, and when two guys blitz the back, that means you’re hot and need to get rid of the ball quicker,” Shanahan said. “We all share the blame. In the second half, we had four possessions, and three of them ended in turnovers, with the fourth being a turnover on downs. Focusing on just the final turnover doesn’t tell the whole story.”
This insight helps relieve some of the pressure on the defense. Though the 49ers only turned the ball over in their own territory once, asking the defense to continually make critical stops in such a close game was a tough challenge.
Purdy on Complementary Football
Echoing Bosa’s remarks, Purdy also acknowledged that the 49ers aren’t playing cohesive football right now. In a recent press conference, he emphasized the need for all phases of the game to work together.
“It’s a team game,” Purdy said on October 8. “For four quarters, when the defense makes a stop, it’s on us as an offense to go score. And when we’re clicking, the defense and special teams step up as well. That’s complementary football, and that’s how you win in this league.”
San Francisco has little time to regroup, as they face the Seattle Seahawks on October 10, providing an immediate chance to restore their rhythm.
