The San Francisco 49ers boasted the best defense in the NFL. Then, the Kansas City Chiefs treated it like a cute little plaything during Sunday's blowout win at Levi's Stadium.
There is plenty of blame to go around when discussing the embarrassing loss suffered by the San Francisco 49ers in Week 7 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Jimmy Garoppolo cost the team points with a ill-conceived prayer of a pass that was picked off in the end zone during the second quarter. Trent Williams did the same when he was beat like a drum by Frank Clark, who had a free shot at Garoppolo in the end zone for a safety in the fourth.
And don't even get me started about right tackle Mike McGlinchey. I have my blood pressure to think about, after all.
The 49ers special teams put together a woeful performance as well. In particular, another blown kickoff coverage started the second half. After the play was over, a Jauan Jennings penalty (late hit) tacked on another 15 yards to set up Patrick Mahomes and Co. with their first offensive possession of the half with a 33-yard field.
Then the avalanche began. From that moment until the game was well in hand late in the fourth quarter, the Chiefs went on to score touchdowns on four consecutive drives. A game that was 14-13 in favor of the Chiefs suddenly became a 44-23 blowout win that leaves the 49ers with more questions than answers nearly halfway through the 2022 campaign.
Another way to look at the broad picture of how Sunday's loss went down for the 49ers is this: After Garoppolo's touchdown to Ray-Ray McCloud midway through the first quarter (putting the Niners up 10-0), San Francisco was outscored 44-13.
If not for the missed field goal by Harrison Butker late in the second quarter, the Chiefs would have scored on seven-out-of-seven drives from the point after going down 10-0 until going up 44-23. As it was, they scored six touchdowns in a seven-drive span.
Quite simply, the previously-dubbed "elite" 49ers defense was exposed.
Nick Bosa managed one sack, and nobody else got a sniff. Patrick Mahomes was barely touched all game long. The continued absence of Arik Armstead was keenly felt in Week 7.
Kansas City could do whatever it wanted to offensively. The Chiefs offensive line owned the line of scrimmage, leading the way for 112 yards on 21 carries (5.3 yards a clip), and keeping Mahomes comfortable in the pocket.
This led to the most humiliating experience the 49ers' vaunted secondary has gone through to date in 2022.
Mahomes threw for 423 yards and three touchdowns on 34 attempts, averaging an absurd 12.4 yards per attempt. He completed passes of 57 and 45 yards to Marquez Valdez-Scantling and JuJu Smith-Schuster, respectively.
Things started out great. The tip-drill interception by Talanoa Hufanga, who was once again assisted by Tashaun Gipson, inspired great hope for a while.
But after that?
The secondary was roasted. Burnt toast. Every other analogy you can think of that illustrates being completely useless.
Perhaps even worse was the way the Chiefs tore into the 49ers edge defense like it didn't even exist. Mecole Hardman scored three touchdowns, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire another, attacking the edge.
In every conceivable way, the San Francisco defense was dominated by Kansas City's offense.
This includes coaching. The game plan and play-calling from defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans was the worst we've seen in quite some time. He was outfoxed and outmaneuvered at every turn by Eric Bieniemy and Andy Reid.
One of the starkest examples of this was the 3rd-and-20 conversion by Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon on a simple screen.
That type of breakdown just cannot happen. That's the type of crap you expect to see from a bottom-feeding, rebuilding squad.
All told, the defense that came into Week 7 as the league's best, allowing just 255.8 yards per game, gave up 529 yards at an average of 9.1 yards per play. Outside of the lone interception in the first quarter, the 49ers could NOT get off the field on third downs, either. Per
Jeff Deeney of PFF, Mahomes went 6-of-7 passing for 183 yards with a touchdown and that interception on third downs in Week 7.
The worst part about the 49ers' defensive collapse is that, if all else failed this year, at least previously we could count on our defense to stay the course and keep us in striking distance.
Before the nightmare that was Week 7 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
It's certainly worth acknowledging that Mahomes and Travis Kelce and the Chiefs offense as a whole is top-rate. Losing to a team like the Chiefs isn't embarrassing.
But losing the way the 49ers lost on Sunday? Well...that's a problem.
It will be fascinating to see how Ryans and his defense bounces back next week when the 49ers travel south to take on the hated Los Angeles Rams.
If there are problems on the defensive side of the ball in that game, then it'll really be time to panic.
