The San Francisco 49ers suffered their first loss of the 2025 NFL season, falling 26-21 to the Jacksonville Jaguars on September 28 at Levi’s Stadium. Moreover, this game marked the return of starting quarterback Brock Purdy, but it was a game to forget for him.
Purdy recorded two interceptions and a fumble as San Francisco turned the ball over four times against the Jaguars. In a tightly contested game, the turnovers can be the deciding factor in determining which team wins.
After the loss, Purdy spoke to the media and shared his frustration over his inability to take care of the football in the loss to Jacksonville.
“I mean, we can’t do it,” Purdy told reporters after the loss (h/t KNBR). “It’s the NFL, and it starts with me—throwing better balls and being smart with the ball. So I think it really starts there, and I just got to be better. But outside of that, as an offense, it’s something we harp on every single day, and our team knows it.
“Offense needs to protect the ball. Defense needs to go take it. That’s our thing. And so today, the offense—we didn’t succeed in that area. So it hurts. It’s the NFL, man. If you give the ball away like that, teams are going to capitalize on it. And the Jaguars did.”
Are the 49ers Depending Too Much on the Passing Game?
San Francisco faces a quick turnaround, taking on the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football. The loss to Jacksonville might serve as a wake-up call for the 49ers to refocus on fundamentals and get their running game going.
So far this season, San Francisco has won two games without leaning heavily on their rushing attack. Still, relying on Purdy for 38 pass attempts that resulted in two interceptions isn’t sustainable, making it vital for Kyle Shanahan and his team to establish the run.
49ers Need to Get the Running Game Going
The 49ers need to get the run game going to take pressure off the passing game. San Francisco’s running game has struggled since their Week 1 game against the Seattle Seahawks. The 49ers managed just 77 rushing yards against the New Orleans Saints and 73 against the Arizona Cardinals. Their ground attack saw a modest uptick with 83 rushing yards against the Jaguars.
Nonetheless, the main issue of their lack of a running game is their offensive line, at least for one analyst. CBS Sports NFL analyst Leger Douzable criticized the 49ers’ offensive line, saying they’ve struggled to create running lanes for Christian McCaffrey and Brian Robinson Jr.
“I’m going to harp on something that I’ve been harping on with the San Francisco 49ers all year long, and it’s the lack of depth on the offensive line,” Douzable said on September 28 on “CBS Sports HQ.” “The offensive line has not been able to move anybody in the run game. We know what Kyle Shanahan is all about—the run.
“It sets up their entire pass game because he mirrors it right. Everything looks exactly the same to be able to throw those in-breaking routes. We know Brock Purdy is really good when it comes to timing and throwing the football in the middle of the field, but it’s hard to do that if you cannot establish the run game.”
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