Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 291

November 17, 2024

Kurtenbach: After another embarrassing collapse, it’s time to call the 49ers what they are

SANTA CLARA — They’re battered, bruised, injured, and tired.

They’re a team that had big hopes coming into the season but now has only big disappointments to show for it.

And at 5-5 on the season following a 20-17 loss to the Seahawks Sunday, the Niners are still technically alive in the NFC, a conference where mediocrity reigns.

But I don’t hear a pulse.

Do you?

There’s no way you could after another lifeless game and another fourth-quarter collapse to a division opponent in which all three phases of the game—offense, defense and special teams—contributed significantly to the demise.

The 49ers who took the field on Sunday were not a one-off edition. This is the team we’ve seen since July when they began a dull, boring training camp. They’ve posted a few decent moments against awful teams this regular season, beating the Jets in the season opener and playing one great quarter against the horrendous Cowboys before their bye week. But the steady form of this team has been underwhelming. They play as if they believe they’re entitled to better, and that championship form will magically arrive and stick around until February.

Of course, that’s not how professional football works.

“We have to be better. We have to execute better,” Trent Williams said Sunday. “Sloppy…. We shot ourselves in the foot.”

You could say that after just about every 49ers game this season.

And while we’re repeating ourselves, I’ll again tell you that this team can’t seem to get out of its own way.

Call it a Super Bowl hangover if you must, but playing 20 games — 17 regular-season games and three more in the playoffs — every season for the last three seasons has taken its toll. This is what’s left.

Yes, these Niners have reached their expiration date. And to think that this front office spent so much time and money to keep it together.

The evidence is littered on the sideline, with players wearing 49ers-branded sweatshirts. It’s on the field, with unknown players playing key roles and key players who don’t look like the guys we saw last season.

Tight end George Kittle — arguably the most important man in the Niners’ offense — was sidelined for Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury. Williams had a bad ankle and, given the 49ers” offensive line depth, had no choice but to play. Nick Bosa played through a hip injury to play Sunday, only to be knocked out of the game by an oblique injury.

“I guess I was compensating,” Bosa said.

And now the Niners will likely have to find a way to compensate without him for at least the next few weeks.

Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel are ostensibly not injured, but they’re playing like shells of their former selves.

Against one of the worst run defenses in the NFL, McCaffrey averaged 4.2 yards per carry Sunday. That’s solid, but when McCaffrey fails to hit hole after hole, such praise rings hollow.

Samuel, meanwhile, is out of juice. Using the wide receiver like a battering ram would always lead to the demise of the “wide back,” and it’s here now. He’s no longer a one-of-a-kind weapon — he’s a detriment to moving the ball on offense.

It’s a tough watch.

But at the same time, the idea of having a veteran team is that, even if they collectively lose a step or two, they’re so experienced that they can handle the little things that win football games.

The Niners don’t even do that. They’re a bad situational football team, flailing in the red zone and on third downs on offense and consistently failing to make big stops on critical defensive series, like the one that won the game for Seattle.

And then there are special teams, which are inarguably the worst in the NFL.

Sunday’s contributions to the wooden spoon race: a booted kick return (which luckily went out of bounds) and a never-in-doubt touchback on a punt to set up the Seahawks’ game-winning touchdown drive. Seattle didn’t have anyone back to return, and punter Pat O’Donnell — in his first game with the Niners — didn’t come close to pinning the ball deep in Seattle territory.

The fact that such an error feels inconsequential amid all the special teams follies the Niners have committed this season speaks volumes.

Oh, and head coach Kyle Shanahan went 0-for-2 on challenges Sunday. It seemed as if he used up all his offensive creativity on finding ways to keep his backup tight ends off the field in two tight-end sets, opting for an additional tackle instead.

This is the worst kind of football team: a conceited but objectively mediocre squad.

Sunday’s fourth-quarter collapse, finalized by an 11-play, 80-yard Seattle drive during which quarterback Geno Smith scrambled for gains of 29 yards and the game-winning touchdown, was the Niners’ third in four divisional games this season.

Perhaps this latest loss will change that point of view. They’ve slept through months of wake-up calls, but maybe this is the one that takes.

“It’s not like us,” Fred Warner said of Sunday’s game. “But that’s what we’ve shown this year, so I guess… that’s what we are.”

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Published on November 17, 2024 18:22

What the 49ers said after losing to the Seahawks

The 49ers again could not hold onto a second-half lead against an NFC West foe, losing Sunday to the Seahawks by a score of 20-17.

Geno Smith’s 13-yard scramble with 12 seconds left gave Seattle the win and came two plays after he scrambled for 16 yards to enter the 49ers’ red zone.

That fateful drive and the rest of the fourth quarter were played without Nick Bosa on the field for San Francisco after he entered the game listed as questionable to play with a hip injury.

Smith finished the day 25-of-32 passing for 221 yards and an interception (Isaac Yiadom) while Brock Purdy was 21-of-28 for 159 yards, a touchdown and a pick (Johnathan Hankins). Christian McCaffrey ran 19 times for 79 yards and Purdy racked up 40 yards and a score on five rushes, but it wasn’t enough.

Here’s what coach Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers had to say after seeing their six-game winning streak over Seattle snapped at home:

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan walks on the sidelines during their game against the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)Kyle Shanahan

On Smith’s scrambles:

He was just getting through the d-line. Everyone was in coverage. One was versus zone, the first one. The next one, I believe was

On if Bosa’s injury was the same hip injury as before:

No, I think it was a different one. … Not hip, oblique.

On evaluating Purdy’s game:

Same as everyone. Did some good things and missed some things.

On Kittle missing the game:

No setback, just couldn’t go. Would have been too risky.

On the message to the team:

We had every opportunity to run away with that and put it away. Though the defense did a bunch of that, you know. Especially getting the turnover in the third quarter. I felt real good about going in and scoring, and couldn’t overcome the penalties. It happened on two of our drives that cost us points. I think at the end of the second quarter and also in the beginning of the third quarter.

On missed opportunities:

When you have opportunities and you hurt yourself with penalties and a few missed opportunities, you got to finish it there at the end. I was disappointed because I thought the offense had every chance to do that and we didn’t get it done there.

On demoralization of having Bosa out:

We don’t think about that in the moment.

On Bosa’s injury outlook:

It’s his other hip and he couldn’t return to the game, which means it’s bothering him. So we’ll see how he is tomorrow. Hopefully it’s not too big of a deal, but that’s all we know right now.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) runs for yardage while being tackled by Seattle Seahawks’ Ernest Jones IV (13) in the first quarter of their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)Brock Purdy

On the loss:

We had some mishaps with some penalties and some opportunities where we’re moving the ball and we just kept hurting ourselves. So operationally, I feel like we gotta be better and can’t hurt ourselves.

On the path ahead to make the playoffs:

You gotta do it one at a time, you can’t look too far ahead. Up next is Green Bay and we have to be all-in on that and not look up. We just have to look down and do our jobs.

On the Seattle defense:

They did a good job with taking away our opportunities to go deep. They kept everything in front of them, it felt like.

On Kittle being out:

When you’ve got an explosive tight end like George who can run, block, catch the ball, do everything, a defense has to account for him.

On penalties:

It’s the NFL — you never want to put yourself in a hole. The guys across on the other side of the ball, they’re the best of the best in the world at what they do and so anytime you have some kind of holding, false start or something that can hinder you, it’s never a good thing.

On the loss:

Just because we had success the last couple years doesn’t mean the next play or just because something bad happens to us, we’re just magically going to make up for it. We got to have the chip on our shoulder to go take it every single play and down in a game. Just got to get back to that mindset.

San Francisco 49ers’ Nick Bosa (97) walks off the field after being defeated by the Seattle Seahawks during their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. The Seattle Seahawks defeated the San Francisco 49ers 20-17. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)Nick Bosa

On how he’s feeling:

Not great. That’s why I had to stop playing.

On the new injury:

I guess I was compensating. Pushed through last week. The same thing happened to my other oblique.

On being out at the end:

Brutal. The most important time in the game for me to be out there, I wasn’t able to be. I hate missing time. That’s why I pushed through last week.

On the playoff push:

It’s kind of hard to think about the big picture right now but we have a lot of games left and all we got to do is get in the dance.

San Francisco 49ers’ Fred Warner (54) walks off the field after being defeated by the Seattle Seahawks during their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. The Seattle Seahawks defeated the San Francisco 49ers 20-17. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)Fred Warner

On the final drive:

We just couldn’t get a stop. Geno, kudos to him, using his legs to extend the drive and ultimately get into the end zone. We got to find a way.

On blowing leads:

It’s just infuriating, honestly. But I’m always going to have all the confidence in the world and everybody that we have in our building. All the answers are in here, it’s just about doing it.

On blowing leads after being such a winning team in recent years:

It’s not like us, but that’s what we’ve shown this year so I guess until we stop doing that, then that’s what we are.

On Smith’s touchdown scramble to win it:

We were in man coverage, so that means it’s going to be hard for us to get to him if he escapes because everybody’s got their back turned to him. So yeah, gotta be better.

San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey (23) runs against Seattle Seahawks’ Derick Hall (58) in the first quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)Christian McCaffrey

On the mood in the locker room:

Not great. Definitely a tough loss. But just like any week, you gotta correct mistakes, get back to it and we got a big one this week.

On the blown leads:

I think each game has its own lens and they’re all different. This game, as an offense, I got to make a better read on one of those runs and maybe close it out there. So from my perspective, that’s what I got to do. It’d be great to not give them the ball back at the end there and be able to ice it.

On whether he feels like himself:

I feel like I can be a lot better. To miss time with ain injury is always tough. It’s not an excuse but I know I can be a lot better. I feel it. It’s coming, I just got to get rolling.

On whether this creates a chip on the shoulder entering Packers game:

I think we all have a chip on our shoulder for a lot of different reasons. It’s more about execution than an effort thing. We just got to execute better as a unit.

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Published on November 17, 2024 16:58

49ers Studs and Duds: Jauan Jennings can’t beat the Seahawks by himself

SANTA CLARA — Jauan Jennings tried.

The 49ers wide receiver — their No. 1 option at this point in the season — did his best to drag the Niners to a win on Sunday. He dragged some Seahawks along the way, too.

But one man — even an incredible player like Jennings — couldn’t do enough to beat an entire NFL team by himself, as Seattle quarterback Geno Smith used his feet and arm to drive 80 yards in the final 2:26 to lift the Seahawks to a come-from-behind 20-17 win that the Niners should have put away countless times throughout the game.

The Niners are 5-5 on the season now, with arguably their toughest back-to-back stretch of the season — at Green Bay, at Buffalo — coming down the pipe.

STUDS

Nick Bosa • DE

» Overtly playing through a hip injury, he played one of his best games of the season, taking on triple teams from Seattle, but still finding his way to the ball repeatedly Sunday. The downside: He missed the end of the game with what coach Kyle Shanahan said was an injury to his other side. His absence proved noticeable on the final drive.

Leonard Floyd • DE

» He was flying off the edge and punishing Seahawks linemen into the ground. It might have been Seattle’s fault, though — their offensive line is brutal.

Jauan Jennings • WR

» He had two tough penalties in the game, but he was also the best player on offense. It wasn’t even particularly close.

And nothing quite says “stud” like his third-and-11 catch on a snap taken at the Seattle 21 in the fourth quarter. The throw was short of the line-to-gain, but Jennings — football player he is — took not one, not two, but four Seahawks with him three yards forward and over that line, picking up a must-have first down, setting up the Niners’ go-ahead score (which he caught) two plays later.

Jennings caught 10 passes for 91 yards in the game. With Christian McCaffrey not showing the same kind of burst we saw in prior years and the rest of the Niners’ offense struggling Sunday, Jennings put the team on his back Sunday.

DUDS

De’Vondre Campbell • LB

» Late. Again. The 49ers’ linebackers had poor games on Sunday (Dee Winters might have been the standout), but Campbell was attacked again and again, particularly late. It’s a story we’ve seen a handful of times before this season. If teams aren’t taking advantage of him early, they save those looks for late. Sunday, the Seahawks waited until they needed yards in bunches and went right after No. 59. Geno Smith — not exactly Lamar Jackson — ran right past him on his 13-yard game-winning touchdown run.

Aaron Banks • LG

» Missed a block or two every single series and had two key penalties in the game. Rare was the snap where he didn’t end up sitting on the ground. It was a legitimately brutal game from the left guard — the kind you can’t help but notice and never really unsee. It raises questions about whether he’ll start again this season.

Jake Brendel • C

» He was caught with a brutal hold on a third-and-1 in the red zone, but he had been a weak point on the line all game. If not for Banks’ poor play, Brendel’s would have stood out more.

Deebo Samuel • WR

» Division games are supposed to be more physical — they’re pound-it-out affairs.

Samuel barely touched the ball Sunday before two final flails. Not once did he make his physical presence known. We’ve known for a long time that Samuel’s game would precipitously fall off at some point. You can only take so many hits in this league, after all.

It seems the time has come.

Pat O’Donnell • P

» His first game as the Niners’ punter might be his last.

O’Donnel’s first punt of the game — a no-stress affair — was middling, but when given a shot to pin the Seahawks deep in their own territory with 2:45 to play in the fourth quarter, and with Seattle opting not to put a returner back, he kicked it into the end zone on one bounce. It wasn’t even close to being downed by the Niners.

Is it the most egregious special teams error this season? Not even close.

But is it a significant error? You bet. The final score says as much.

Kyle Shanahan • HC

» Challenged twice and lost on both. Not only has he let special teams turn into an actively harmful phase of the game, but he’s also failing in the other responsibilities as a head coach.

Oh, and his offense is hardly world-class right now.

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Published on November 17, 2024 16:17

Instant analysis of 49ers’ 20-17 home loss to Seahawks

SANTA CLARA – Linebacker Fred Warner, sporting a red welt above his right eye and familiar heartache inside his black jacket, knew just how to summarize the 49ers’ feelings after Sunday’s 20-17 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

“It’s just infuriating, honestly,” Warner said.

“That’s a good word,” running back Christian McCaffrey said.

It was the 49ers’ third defeat this season via a fourth-quarter collapse, the others also coming against NFC West opponents — at the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3, and at home against the Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 6

If the 49ers (5-5) fail to win a third straight division title, it will be that trio of losses that ruins them. Sunday’s was assured once Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith scrambled 13 yards for the deciding touchdown with 12 seconds remaining, capping an 80-yard drive inside the final three minutes.

Next up is a visit Sunday to the Green Bay Packers, who improved to 7-3 after winning in Chicago 20-19 on a blocked field goal as time expired.

“It’s NFL football. Every game is going to be close like that,” 49ers linebacker DeVondre Campbell said. “We’ve just got to find a way to get it done.”

Seattle Seahawks starting quarterback Geno Smith (7) scores the game-winning touchdown against San Francisco 49ers’ Malik Mustapha (6) and San Francisco 49ers’ Isaac Yiadom (22) late in the fourth quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

The Seahawks (5-5) snapped a six-game losing streak to the 49ers thanks in massive part to Smith’s heroics on the final drive. Smith completed 7-of-8 passes for 54 yards and had a 16-yard scramble two snaps before his touchdown. Smith overcame a sack by Leonard Floyd, all while Nick Bosa remained on the sideline with a new hip/oblique injury that forced him out in the third quarter and could shelve him longer.

“It’s not like us,” Warner said of late-game defense in his seventh-year tenure. “But that’s just what we’ve shown this year, so I guess until we stop doing that, that’s who we are.”

“At the end of the day, we’ve got to find a way to close games and we have to emphasize that,” cornerback Isaac Yiadom said. “I still feel like we are a great team. I’ve been on 5-5 teams and sometimes it’s like you’re confidence isn’t there, but I still feel like we are a great team.”

Remember when defensive issues overshadowed Jauan Jennings’ heroics in last season’s Super Bowl? Well, it happened again in this game, and it happened in a Week 3 loss at the Rams. After losing to the Rams despite his prolific outing (175 yards, three touchdowns), Jennings declined to speak with reporters at his locker, and he again declined interviews after this one (10 catches, 91 yards, touchdown).

Jennings delivered what should have been a winning touchdown catch earlier in the fourth quarter on a drive that stayed alive with a pair of his third-and-long conversions. Up until Smith’s final touchdown run, no play Sunday was more impressive than when Jennings, on third-and-11, carried four defenders to the 8-yard line for a 13-yard gain to set up his touchdown.

San Francisco 49ers’ Jauan Jennings (15) runs after a catch against Seattle Seahawks’ Coby Bryant (8) in the fourth quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

Two snaps later, Brock Purdy faked a handoff and found Jennings open for a 3-yard touchdown and the 49ers’ third go-ahead score of a back-and-forth game. Earlier on the drive, on third-and-11, Jennings made a 14-yard grab at the Seahawks’ 20.

Jennings’ final grab was a 5-yarder on third-and-11, and because his second effort wasn’t enough to move the chains, the 49ers punted to renew the Seahawks’ comeback bid.

With 2:38 remaining, the Seahawks took over at their 20-yard line with Bosa sidelined. DK Metcalf opened the drive with an 11-yard catch that 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan unsuccessfully challenged. Smith then peppered the 49ers’ defense with an array of completions before finally racing through himself for the winning points.

“I knew the contain wouldn’t be great and if I could find a lane somewhere in there, I could get out there and make some plays with my legs,” Smith said.

“They just made plays at critical moments,” Campbell said.

Smith ran just four times (29 yards), and he completed 25-of-32 passes for 221 yards. Purdy scrambled five times (40 yards) and completed 21-of-28 for just 159 yards.

The 49ers defense figured to have locked up this win once they stopped the Seahawks’ on a fourth-and-1 charge at the 49ers’ 37-yard line, with just under four minutes to go. Dee Winters and Ji’Ayir Brown were officially credited for stopping Zach Charbonnet, with other help coming from Maliek Collins and Warner.

“We had a chance to put them away a number of times throughout the game,” Shanahan said. “Our defense played great all game until that last drive. If you let people hang around, that’s what happens.”

San Francisco 49ers’ De’Vondre Campbell Sr. (59) and San Francisco 49ers’ Malik Mustapha (6) tackle Seattle Seahawks’ Kenneth Walker III (9) in the first quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

The 49ers fell behind 13-10 with 3:25 left in the third quarter, when Kenneth Walker’s 1-yard touchdown run capped the Seahawks’ 70-yard drive, most of which unfolded after Bosa recorded his second sack of the day and exited for treatment on his left oblique/hip after he struggled the last two weeks with a right hip issue.

The 49ers’ offense noticeably lacked George Kittle’s pizazz as the All-Pro tight end missed his second game this season with a hamstring injury. They have now lost 11 of the last 14 games he has missed, dating back to November 2020.

McCaffrey again delivered over 100 yards from scrimmage in his second game back from Achilles issues, but none of his 19 carries (79 yards) or four receptions (27 yards) went longer than 11 yards, and he kicked himself for not icing the victory in the closing minutes.

After dully taking a 7-6 lead into halftime, the 49ers emerged with an eye-opening play: Pass rushers Floyd and Bosa flushed Smith out of the pocket and he unloaded a sideline pass Yiadom easily intercepted in Seahawks territory.

Yiadom’s return to the 27-yard line put the 49ers in scoring position, and they ultimately cashed in with a 33-yard field goal from Jake Moody for a 10-6 lead. More penalties (holding on Aaron Banks; illegal formation on Jennings) and another injury (Kyle Juszczyk) kept that short-field drive from being more potent.

The 49ers matched a season-high with nine penalties (54 yards).

Purdy used his legs to altogether spark, pause and finish the 49ers’ initial scoring drive for a 7-3 lead. He had a 9-yard scramble on the second snap, then after stumbling for a 5-yard loss on a rollout, he promptly raced to the front right pylon with 10 seconds left in the first quarter. It was Purdy’s fourth rushing touchdown in as many games, a career-high for a season.

The 49ers’ special teams again delivered chaos but escaped blame for this one as Jordan Mason muffed a second-quarter kickoff return but the ball ricocheted off his knee and out of bounds; the 49ers’ ensuing 7-minute drive yielded no points but multiple penalties, a sack and a punt.

“It was one of those games you couldn’t hurt yourself,” Purdy said. “We had mishaps with penalties, and had opportunities where we were moving the ball and we hurt ourselves. Once we have momentum, we have to finish drives.”

Ten games in, it’s looking more like they could finish out of the playoffs for the first time since 2020.

“It’s hard to think of the big picture. We have a lot of games left,” Bosa countered. “All we have to do is get in the dance and I still have confidence.”

San Francisco 49ers’ Nick Bosa (97) leaves the field following their 20-17 loss to the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

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Published on November 17, 2024 16:11

Warriors’ Kerr not surprised Draymond Green’s foul upgraded to flagrant

SAN FRANCISCO — After some gamesmanship from Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins, the NBA retroactively upgraded Draymond Green’s take foul on Zach Edey from Friday night’s game to a Flagrant 1.

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr agreed with the league’s decision.

“He grabbed him,” Kerr said after Golden State’s Sunday practice. “Definitely a take foul like they called. I had no problem with it being upgraded to a Flagrant 1. I mean, that’s not a basketball play. It was more than a take. A take foul, you reach — a guy dribbles by you and you reach and grab them. This was holding a guy and tripping him in transition. I agreed with the Flagrant 1.”

After tripping on a drive with 7:06 left in the third quarter, Green locked Edey’s leg between his arm and side, preventing the Grizzlies rookie center from initiating a fast break.

The game devolved from there into a parade to the free throw line, with the flow of the game being significantly disrupted by physical play and officiating. The Warriors won, 120-117, but Kerr called the last quarter and a half “disgusting.”

At the end of the game, Green picked up two technical fouls — his third and fourth of the year — for his first ejection of the season. Kerr, who also picked up a late technical, was irate and screamed at the referees after the final buzzer. Moses Moody separated his coach from the refs.

“I’m not going to go into the officiating,” Kerr said. “I lose my mind sometimes. I’m really competitive. I’m not proud when I go overboard, and I probably went overboard. I just didn’t like the way the game unfolded in the second half. I’ll leave it at that.”

Jenkins and the Grizzlies were also upset by the way the game was officiated. Jenkins called out Green’s play on Edey in his postgame press conference, complaining that the play wasn’t reviewed in the moment.

“We were about to start the break, and (Edey’s) been playing really hard to try to outlet,” Jenkins said Friday. “Draymond grabs his leg and pulls him down. Doesn’t get reviewed. I know there’s a code in this league and I don’t understand how that wasn’t reviewed. Very disappointed.”

On an Instagram post displaying part of Jenkins’ quote, Green commented, “Shut up.”

Although Green isn’t on pace to beat his stated goal of fewer than 10 technical fouls this season, he has had an outstanding start to the season. He has captained a defense that ranks fourth in the league in efficiency and has helped Golden State’s elite ball movement.

“He’s been one of the keys to everything that’s happened to this point,” Kerr said. “Leading the defense, his energy in practice and leadership. Demanding execution in practice and in games. Draymond has been the very best version of himself. And that’s going to continue. I can see it in his eyes that he wants to have a great year. He wants us to have a great season. He’s totally committed and has been brilliant.”

Notable

— Lindy Waters III, who hyperextended his knee after making an incredible chase-down block on Friday, practiced Sunday and is expected to play Monday in Los Angeles. The guard took a scary fall but avoided a significant injury.

— The team is still waiting to learn more on De’Anthony Melton (sprained left ACL). Kerr said he’s still getting evaluated and the club should know more in the next few days. Melton will join the team on their trip to Los Angeles for Monday’s Clippers game.

— Kings guard De’Aaron Fox scored a combined 109 points over Sacramento’s past two games. The Warriors’ first of four meetings with the Kings is Jan. 5.

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Published on November 17, 2024 14:33

49ers updates: Niners lose to Seahawks at home

For the second time in less than 40 days, the 49ers are facing the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.

In their recent meeting on Oct. 12, the 49ers raced out to a 23-3 lead in the third quarter, then allowed that margin to dip to just five points before sealing a 36-23 win.

This time, the 49ers will have the NFL’s reigning Offensive Player of the Year, Christian McCaffrey, who returned to action last week in a win over the Buccaneers after missing the season’s first two months with Achilles tendinitis.

McCaffrey will contribute to a run game that has been dominant in the 49ers’ six-game win streak over Seattle.

The Seahawks won’t have starting center Connor Williams for the matchup after he retired this week, citing personal reasons.

San Francisco has several stars listed as questionable on the injury list entering Sunday afternoon: Left tackle Trent Williams is dealing with ankle and wrist injuries, while Bosa has a hip injury and George Kittle has a hamstring issue. Starting guard Aaron Banks (thigh) is questionable, too, while punter Mitch Wishnowsky was placed on injured reserve this week as the 49ers signed Pat O’Donnell to punt.

Meanwhile, cornerback Charvarius Ward will miss a second consecutive game as he mourns his daughter’s death.

Seattle receiver DK Metcalf is expected back from a two-game absence due to a knee injury.

Follow along below for game updates…

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Published on November 17, 2024 12:15

49ers-Seahawks pregame: Kittle scratched; Williams, Bosa active

SANTA CLARA — The 49ers have lost 10 of the last 13 games George Kittle missed since November 2020. They’ll try to buck that trend today.

While Kittle’s hamstring injury scratched him from the 49ers’ lineup against the visiting Seattle Seahawks, the 49ers will have two other mainstays who were questionable with injuries: left tackle Trent Williams and defensive end Nick Bosa.

Kittle, who caught his team-leading seventh touchdown pass in last Sunday’s win at Tampa Bay, showed up on the injury list Wednesday with a hamstring injury that kept him out of that day’s practice; he was limited Thursday and Friday.

The 49ers (5-4) have won six straight against the Seahawks (4-5), and Kittle has been a difference-maker along the way. He has seven touchdowns in his last five meetings with Seattle, including two scores on five catches in last month’s 36-24 road win.

Before dawn Sunday, Kittle was deemed “unlikely” to play by ESPN’s Adam Schefter and it would otherwise take an “uphill battle,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported.

A hamstring injury resulted in Kittle’s only other missed game this season, a Week 3 loss at the Los Angeles Rams. The 49ers are 7-11 without him since 2017.

Williams went through a 15-minute workout with head trainer Dustin Little and offensive line coach Chris Foerster, looking more comfortable the longer he tested what appeared to be his left ankle. The 49ers have lost their last three when Williams has not played — in 2022 at Atlanta, and last season against Minnesota and Cincinnati. He did not practice this past week and was visibly hobbled by an ankle injury, though he was not seen wearing an orthopedic boot.

Bosa battled through a hip injury last Sunday against Tampa Bay and rested rather than practice this past Wednesday and Thursday. He has played every game since his 2021 ACL comeback, with the exception of an October 2022 loss at Atlanta.

Today’s other inactive from the 49ers:

QB Joshua DobbsCB Charvarius WardDL Kevin GivensOL Ben BartchDL Khalil DavisWR Ronnie Bell

OTHER ROSTER MOVES

Punter Pat O’Donnell will make his 49ers debut today in place of sixth-year veteran Mitch Wishnowsky, who went on injured reserve Saturday with a back issue that’s plagued him since training camp. O’Donnell is a nine-year veteran who played eight years with the Chicago Bears and last punted for the 2022 Green Bay Packers.

Adding to the 49ers’ defensive depth is the return of lineman Yetur Gross-Matos from a six-game hiatus (knee), as well as the practice-squad elevations of safety Tashaun Gipson Sr. and recently signed cornerback Nick McCloud.

Gipson, a 49ers’ starting safety the previous two seasons, played strictly on special teams (11 snaps) last Sunday in his return to the club while starters Ji’Ayir Brown and Malik Mustapha played all 61 defensive snaps

SEAHAWKS’ MOVES

Deactivated by the Seahawks were tight ends Noah Fant and Brady Russell; linebacker Trevis Gipson; tackle Sataoa Laumea; wide receiver Dareke Young; cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett; and, defensive end Myles Adams.

The Seahawks are coming off an eventful week in which leading tackler Tyrel Dodson was released and center Connor Williams retired. Saturday, they poached their practice squad to sign wide receiver Cody White and tight end Tyler Mabry to the active roster, and to elevate safety Ty Okada and linebacker Patrick O’Connell.

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Published on November 17, 2024 11:38

Horoscopes Nov. 17, 2024: Danny DeVito, this year is about enjoying life, not enduring it

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Rachel McAdams, 46; Dylan Walsh, 61; Danny DeVito, 80; Martin Scorsese, 82.

Happy Birthday: Plan to have some fun this year. Don’t hold yourself back or put too much onus on things that don’t matter. This year is about enjoying life, not enduring it. Use your imagination, be creative and take the road less traveled. If you stick to a budget and don’t go into debt trying to appease yourself or someone else, you’ll discover the happiness you desire and deserve. Your numbers are 6, 14, 17, 25, 34, 41, 44.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Speak up, share your opinion and prepare to defend your concepts and decisions. Refuse to let physical confrontation step in when words can suffice. Put your energy into fitness or a physical outlet that tires you out and makes you feel good about yourself. Put health and well-being first. 4 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Be careful handling domestic situations. You’ll meet with opposition if you assume everyone is in cahoots with you. Do your research, ask direct questions and formulate an enticing plan that captures the imagination of everyone involved. Love, romance and self-improvement are in the stars. 3 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Keep life simple. Refuse to make mountains out of molehills. Stick to the truth, keep your life simple and dedicate your time to self-preservation, learning and staying out of other people’s business. Dodge a bullet and spare your reputation; when others go low, you go high. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Explore the possibilities and consider what you enjoy doing most. Wrap your head around using your skills, attributes and experiences to get the job or initiate a pastime that stimulates your body, mind or soul. Making others happy depends on making yourself happy first. Romance is in the stars. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Apply pressure where necessary. A high-energy approach to life, love and happiness will help you achieve your goal and give way to making a difference to others. Learn to incorporate anyone who may stand in your way into your plans to avoid interference. Words matter; use them wisely. 4 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Too much of anything will slow you down. Think before you act or jump into something you don’t fully understand. The information you receive will be the opposite of what transpires. Protect yourself by sticking to what you know and trust. Don’t give anyone the right to decide for you. 2 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Your ability to absorb and dispense information appropriately will help you leap forward. Get into discussions that will encourage positive change and help you reflect and revise what’s no longer working in your favor. A change of scenery will offer clarity and permission to move forward with your plans. 5 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): A change is encouraged. Put your energy into figuring out the best way to achieve your goal and executing your willpower and physical attributes to succeed. A healthy regime will help you run a top-notch operation at home dedicated to your happiness. Romance is in the stars. 3 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Refuse to let anyone bully you into doing something you don’t want. Use your intelligence and outsmart anyone who gets in your way. Be blunt, make choices that encourage you to put your energy where it counts, budget and make financial improvements that ease stress. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Pay attention to detail; the results will outshine your expectations. Self-improvement will boost your confidence and encourage you to commit to someone or something you want to pursue. Put your energy into freeing your mind from the need to please others when pleasing yourself offers better results. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Sign up for something exhilarating. Stretch your mind and devise a plan that allows you to make a difference to something or someone you care about. A networking or social event will be enticing, but it could also put you in jeopardy of receiving false information or encountering financial loss. 5 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Be careful what you wish for; what you see and what you get will differ. Focus on learning, researching and recognizing when someone is trying to manipulate or take advantage of you. Trust instincts over words, and don’t commit to anything until you get what you want in writing. 2 stars

Birthday Baby: You are expressive, helpful and persistent. You are disciplined and compassionate.

1 star: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes. 2 stars: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others. 3 stars: Focus and you’ll reach your goals. 4 stars: Aim high; start new projects. 5 stars: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

Visit Eugenialast.com, or join Eugenia on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn.

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Published on November 17, 2024 03:01

November 16, 2024

College football: MPC clinches fourth straight conference title

MERCED — It’s not just a bid for perfection in the regular season or supremacy in chasing a fourth straight conference football title that is serving as incentive for Monterey Peninsula College.

The potential to host a bowl game in three weeks may hinge on how the Lobos finish the fall after clinching no worse than a share of their fourth straight American Golden Coast Conference title after Saturday’s 63-0 road win at Merced.

MPC and De Anza are both 9-0 going into their conference finales next week, with the Lobos hosting rival Cabrillo next Saturday at 6 p.m.

“The only game circled on our calendar is Cabrillo,” MPC coach Ronnie Palmer said. “It’s a rivalry game for us. They have a running back that leads the state in rushing. It’s our sophomore night.”

Barring an upset, both the Lobos and De Anza, who rallied to beat Siskiyous Saturday, will end up undefeated and likely ticketed to meet in the American Division Bowl. Where will be subject to a committee decision.

“I don’t know how they do the polls and numbers,” Palmer said. “I don’t get into it. We’ll play whoever it is. What I didn’t want to do is have an overnight game. I don’t think we can afford the play somewhere that requires an overnight stay.”

The reigning four-time American Golden Coast Conference champions Lobos are making case to host the event, having outscored their last two opponents 131-0 — scoring 195 points in their last three games.

“The focus turned to Cabrillo pretty quickly,” Palmer said. “We’ll show up and have a great game plan for our sophomores and try and end the season the right way.”

The Lobos, who came into their final road game against Merced fourth in the state scoring, used five touchdown passes from Eric Gibson to blow the game open in the first half.

Gibson, who threw for a college career high four touchdowns in last week’s 68-0 win over Hartnell, tossed scoring passes to Marina graduate Julius Robinson, Salinas High product Zach Ball, Christian Nieves, Nakoa Villanueva and state leader Devin Ellison.

Ellison came into the game with 14 receiving touchdowns and 17 on the season for the Lobos, who are ranked No. 24 in the latest JC Athletic Bureau poll and No. 3 in the American Division behind Pasadena City and De Anza.

“What was frustrating for me is people losing their cool and not staying focused in the second half,” Palmer said. “The rotations stay consistent. My emphasis is we’re trying to find ways to get better. The penalties started showing up. That’s a lack of maturity.”

As dynamic as the Lobos offense has been in their last three games, the defense has produced back-to-back shutouts. Prior to last week, MPC hadn’t blanked an opponent in five years.

“Some of it is timing,” Palmer said. “Catching these teams at the right time. Some of it is having a lot of spark and interest. It was fun to watch the energy of our team.”

The Lobos, who came into the game with 18 interceptions — three for pick sixes, picked off three more passes with Jayden Freidt, Ameir Pickett and Glenn Beal Jr. all recording one.

“In certain phases, we’re playing as well as we have in my four years here,” Palmer said. “Our defense is playing well, especially in controlling the line of scrimmage and playing with technique. Our offense is balanced and playing at a high level. It’s not perfect.”

Kieryus Boone, who is second in the state in rushing, added two more rushing touchdowns to his resume for the Lobos, going over 1,100 rushing yards, while Monterey graduate Darius Garrard and Miekael Brooker both rushed for touchdowns.

“There is a level of confidence,” Palmer said. “Special teams have been very solid. We have two local DI kickers that can both kick it out of the end zone. Our guys are blocking on punts and kickoff returns. It’s a collective team effort from 47 kids.”

San Jose 56, Hartnell 14: Snapping a string of six quarters without a point is something to build off of after the Panthers dropped their third straight game to remain winless in conference play.

In its last two games, Hartnell has been outscored 124-14 in falling to 1-8 on the season.

Receiver Isaiah Duarte took a turn behind center and tossed touchdown passes to Alisal grad Damian Gonzalez and Elijiah Perkins for Hartnell, who closes the season on road at Coalinga.

Gonzalez put together his best game as a collegiate for the Panthers, rushing for 90 yards on 26 carries, while turning four catches into 62 yards and a touchdown.

Duarte threw for 140 yards and rushed for 56 for Hartnell before suffering an injury in the fourth quarter. Christopher Phillips finished with nine tackles, while Jacob Peinado collected seven tackles and a sack, and Khameron Perkins and Isais Morin six tackles each.

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Published on November 16, 2024 17:49

CCS cross country: Marina captures schools first ever section team title

BELMONT — The magnitude of the milestone likely won’t set in tonight, or even on the ride home. In fact, it may not hit six cross country runners from Marina until the banner goes up in the high school gymnasium rafters — forever.

As for historic achievements this will be hard to duplicate as the Mariners brought home the school’s first ever Central Coast Section team title in any sport, capturing the boys Division IV cross country championship Saturday at Crystal Springs in Belmont.

Champions of the Gabilan Division, Marina outdistanced runner-up and perennial Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League power Santa Cruz 74-95. It’s the first team title from a county team since King City won the Division IV title in 2019.

“It took me a couple of seconds to realize what we just did,” said senior Miguel Flores, who finished 10th overall for Marina. “To tell you the truth, it hasn’t sunk in. Maybe tomorrow. Everyone was excited, screaming.”

Two years ago, this same group of runners for Marina finished 13th out of 13 teams at the section finals, before climbing to fifth last year.

“We’ve had an individual champion,” Marina coach Jacob Bermel said. “But we have never climbed to the top of the mountain as a team. This is new territory for us. We were last two years ago, and now we’re champions.”

Flores, who has been Marina’s primary No. 2 runner most of the season, surged to the front, overcoming metal barriers to run a career best 16:23.2 over the 3.01-mile course.

“During the first mile, my legs were giving out on the hills,” Flores said. “The second mile I was losing a bit of steam. When I got to the final fifth of the race, I said it’s now or never. So I kicked. It was a big PR for me.”

Following Flores for the CCS champion Mariners and cracking the top 15 was Kevin Azpeitia, who ran 16:35.1 and Tarin Riner, who was a few strides behind in 16:41.0. Juan Carlos Perez, Eduardo Bernal-Samaro and Victor Cano rounded out the squad.

“Marina is very much a community school,” Bermel said. “We’ve had a lot of support on campus and from the other sports. Winning the Gabilan Division two weeks ago was a big deal.”

The goals going to state, which is slated for November 30 at Woodward Park in Fresno, aren’t necessary time or placement, but to achieve another milestone for a group that has been together for three years.

“Every year we know how to peak and perform when it matters,” Bermel said. “This group has great chemistry and seems to rise to the occasion.”

A blistering first mile proved difficult for Mack Aldi to maintain, as the Carmel senior settled for a third place finish and a return to the state meet in Division IV.

“I went out in 4:55 for the first mile,” Aldi said. “Then I hit the top of the hill and lost motivation. It just happens. I think I went through the second mile in 5:25. It was 30 seconds off my personal best which was unfortunate. It was a mediocre race.”

Aldi, a state meet qualifier last spring in track and Carmel’s school record holder in the 800, covered the course in 15:50.1, with Eli Fitchen-Young of Santa Cruz winning the event in a course record 14:23.50.

“I never seem to have a good race at CCS,” said Aldi, who will be joined by teammate Jasper Bolante. “I have been playing out the state meet in my head. The goal is time, not placement. It’s hard to process state being my last meet. It has been my life since high school.”

Gonzales’ Giovanni Ochoa is going back to the state meet for the third straight year, advancing in the Division IV finals by finishing fourth overall, setting a personal best by 28 seconds at Crystal Springs in 15:35.5.

“Consistency is what really matters,” Ochoa said. “I felt like I executed the race. We worked on hills this past week, in sliding down, moving my arms and breathing. I just let it rip the last mile.”

While the experience of competing in the state meet is beneficial, the goal for Ochoa is just to be healthy.

“The last two years I’ve gotten sick a week before the race,” Ochoa said. “Obviously it had an effect on my performance. I just need to stay healthy to have a good race. Woodward Park is a fast course with a lot of rolling hills.”

Gabilan Division champion Gustavo Perez finished fifth overall in the Division I finals for Alisal to extend his season, advancing to the state championship, clocking 15:30.1.

Greenfield’s Fabian Serrano has qualified for the state championships in Division III as the third individual for the second straight year, finishing among the top 10, while Angel Ramirez of Seaside advanced in DIV and Wells Lilly of Palma in DV.

Yaretzi Cornelio was the only female from the county to extend her season into Thanksgiving weekend, as the Alisal distance ace used a massive personal record to place 11th overall in the Division I race.

“During the first mile, I felt pretty strong,” Cornelio said. “I knew I needed to be in the top 12. Going on just how I felt, I was in front of some girls that usually beat me. Today I just felt more prepared. I felt stronger.”

The sophomore was clocked in 18:57.5, setting an Alisal school record for the Crystal Springs course. She was the third individual finisher not associated with a state qualifying team, and the first Alisal girl to qualify for state in 17 years.

“What I remember about Woodward Park is my coach telling me this is your last hill and there were like four more,” Cornelio said. “I know I have to get out quicker at state. I just want a personal record.”

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Published on November 16, 2024 16:26

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