Deebo Samuel, a standout player for the San Francisco 49ers, took to social media this week expressing his eagerness to be involved more in the game. Unfortunately for him, when the moment came during a crucial match against the Los Angeles Rams, he dropped a significant pass that contributed to a disappointing 12-6 loss, dimming the team’s playoff chances.
The pivotal moment occurred in the third quarter when the game was still tied at 3. Quarterback Brock Purdy aimed for Samuel on a critical third-and-10 play, delivering a pass that hit him right in the hands. However, Samuel failed to secure the catch, turning what could have been a touchdown into a field goal opportunity, much to the dismay of the home crowd, which responded with boos.
“I catch that ball, there’s nothing there but the end zone,” Samuel reflected afterwards, accepting responsibility for not making the play. His performance has seen a stark decline this season, recording only 97 yards in his last four games, which has confused fans. In his frustration, he posted on social media: “Not struggling at all just not getting the ball!!!!!!!” Although he later deleted the post, it sparked considerable chatter online.
In an attempt to involve him early, Purdy targeted Samuel on the very first play of the game, but it was disrupted. By the end of the night, Samuel had three receptions out of seven targets for just 16 yards, and carried the ball twice for three yards, marking a fifth consecutive game with fewer than 30 yards from scrimmage.
Head Coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged how pivotal that dropped pass was: “That was a big one. Third down, and with Deebo’s skill set, it was a shot and we didn’t score on the play. Deebo clearly needs to catch that ball,” he said.
The entire team struggled, only managing a total of 191 yards, the lowest in Shanahan’s eight-year tenure, and they scored their fewest points in a game since he became head coach in 2017. Shanahan assessed the situation, saying, “Not good enough. I thought we played good enough to win obviously on defense and special teams. But we didn’t get enough done on offense.”
The game featured a challenging first half due to heavy rain, with both teams having difficulty getting going. After the rain let up, the 49ers still failed to find their rhythm. Following a field goal to start the second half, the Niners’ offense stalled. Purdy missed deep throws to both Samuel and Ricky Pearsall, and ultimately saw one of his passes intercepted in the end zone.
In a self-reflection, Purdy remarked, “Looking back on it, second-and-11, just be smart, try to check the ball down when I can’t see where he is at. So, just got to learn from it.” This game marked another tough outing for Purdy, who has struggled to break the 160-yard passing mark in three of his last four games.
The loss delivered a harsh blow to the 49ers’ playoff aspirations, marking the first time since 2007 that a team didn’t allow a touchdown yet still lost a game. Purdy lamented the missed opportunities, stating, “I felt like I had a lot of plays left out there that I could have made for our team. I thought the defense and special teams played so good. I just feel like I failed the team.”
As the 49ers reflect on this setback, it remains clear they have work to do as they look ahead to the rest of this challenging season.
