San Francisco 49ers

Don't Expect a 49ers Turnaround Anytime Soon after Week 7 Loss to Buccaneers

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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The San Francisco 49ers fell in similar fashion to an OK Tampa Bay Buccaneers team in Week 7. And this just reinforces how bad the Niners are and why any sort of turnaround won’t happen for a very, very long time.

Week 7 was supposed to be a game in which the San Francisco 49ers had a chance to win.

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The Niners hosted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Levi’s Stadium, only to fall 34-17 in an eerily similar scenario to what has been seen numerous occasions during San Francisco’s six-game losing streak.

Tampa Bay, now 3-3, entered the contest with the 27th-best offense and was without it’s No. 1 running back Doug Martin.

Not like it mattered. Backup tailback Jacquizz Rodgers managed to crest over 100 yards on the ground before halftime and finished the contest with 154 rushing yards total.

If this was San Francisco’s lone problem, that would be one thing. But it’s just the tip of a slew of Niners problems head coach Chip Kelly is facing in 2016.

As such, don’t expect the 49ers to start turning things around anytime soon.

It wasn’t supposed to be this way. As ESPN’s Nick Wagoner pointed out after the game, San Francisco’s defense was supposed to be an up-and-coming strength this season. After all, the team invested a slew of early draft picks on guys like safety Eric Reid, defensive back Jimmie Ward, defensive end Arik Armstead and defensive end DeForest Buckner in recent years.

And where are the results? The Niners are on pace to be one of the worst defenses in recent NFL history.

It’s not going to get better anytime soon either.

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11/6New Orleans Saints11/13at Arizona Cardinals11/20New England Patriots11/27at Miami Dolphins12/4at Chicago Bears

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The 49ers probably could have won Week 7 against the Buccaneers. For the first time since, well, last season, San Francisco wasn’t facing a dynamic rushing attack. Tampa Bay had the 26th-best ground game prior to the season.

And yet Rodgers and Co. ensured the Niners’ run defense would stay at the bottom of the league.

Things won’t get easier, even with a Week 8 bye for San Francisco. The 49ers welcome the New Orleans Saints to town two weeks from now. And quarterback Drew Brees and Co. had the No. 2 overall offense in the league heading into Week 7.

Advantage: Saints. It’s easy.

It gets worse for San Francisco. In Week 10, the Niners visit the Arizona Cardinals, who handled the 49ers 33-21 on Thursday Night Football in Week 6.

Quarterback Tom Brady and the New England Patriots come to town in Week 11, and San Francisco then has to travel to Miami to take on the rebounding Dolphins the following week.

In reality, the next time San Francisco might pull off a win is in Week 13 on the road against the scuffling Chicago Bears. With the New York Jets on the schedule the following week, it’s feasible these two might be the only remaining victory possibilities the 49ers have in 2016.

The Problems

Well, simply put, there are too many.

San Francisco doesn’t have talent, which puts into question the efforts of general manager Trent Baalke.

Just ask Pro Football Focus’ Jeff Deeney:

The #49ers have had 44 draft picks over the last four drafts. There's no excuse for them to have this little talent.

— Jeff Deeney (@PFF_Jeff) October 23, 2016

Baalke deserves a lot of flak. And he’ll continue to receive it for the rest of the season. With each week, it’s becoming clear his draft strategy isn’t working. The 2015 multiple-player-departure excuse is wearing off quickly.

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There’s zero answer at quarterback, the team’s No. 1 running back — Carlos Hyde — is hurt again, the offense isn’t being sparked by Kelly and the defense is nothing short of an embarrassment.

But it’s more than just talent.

The problems stem from the top and permeate throughout the organization. And the only person who can realistically spark the needed changes is CEO Jed York.

Assuming York isn’t going anywhere — he isn’t — losses like these may actually do the 49ers some good. If anything, they force York and the front office to take a real hard look at the situation San Francisco is in right now.

And nobody should be safe, coaching staff or player personnel.

So that’s where the Niners are right now — a destitute team with few building blocks, a problematic front office and coaching staff and, worst of all, no discernible direction in sight.

Sit back and try to absorb it, San Francisco fans. This rebuild process hasn’t come close to getting off to a good start.

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