SANTA CLARA — The morning after didn’t change coach Kyle Shanahan’s view on the 49ers’ key factors in Monday night’s 33-19 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
“When you play sloppy with turnovers and penalties against a good team, it makes it tough to win,” Shanahan said on a Tuesday morning conference call with reporters.
Here are 10 quick updates:
1. PURDY’S HEALTH
Quarterback Brock Purdy is responding well after sustaining a left-shoulder stinger for the second time in two games. Purdy exited with eight minutes remaining after getting sacked and feeling a similar jolt of pain through his arm as a result of that nerve irritation.
Purdy had no ill effects last week after experiencing a stinger in the 49ers’ win at Arizona, and Shanahan expects a similar progression this week. “Just watching him how he was that (last) week and how he was today, I think he’s going to be fine,” Shanahan said. “I don’t think it’s going to bother him.”
Purdy said after the game he, too, had no concern about the stingers affecting him going forward, with the next game Sunday at the Washington Commanders (4-11). Purdy said Monday’s fourth-quarter stinger wore off but the game situation (down 21 points, down a few linemen) didn’t entice Shanahan to send him back in and pull Sam Darnold. The stinger at Arizona kept Purdy sidelined only five minutes.
In 2018, 49ers safety Jaquiski Tartt battled shoulder stingers during that season and missed the final four games because of that issue.
2. THIS WEEK’S PLAN
As was the case the past two weeks, the 49ers’ first practice will be conducted at a walk-through pace with no pads, and, this Wednesday’s session will start later so players can catch up on their sleep and so coaches can “tidy up” their game plan. The 49ers will fly Friday for their fifth cross-country trip this season. They last played in Washington in October 2019, a 9-0 win in the mud.
3. INTERCEPTION REVIEW
Film review confirmed that Purdy’s first interception was a poor decision, with safety Kyle Hamilton picking off the attempted touchdown throw to Deebo Samuel in the end zone. “There was space that flashed, he reacted and let it rip,” Shanahan said. “He thought he could squeeze it in there but you can’t against that coverage. … The others were real unfortunate plays.”
Shanahan credited interception No. 2 to the Ravens’ cornerbacks for blitzing, tipping the ball and grabbing it. Interception No. 3 came on what Shanahan termed a “50/50” pass to Kittle that Hamilton tipped into the air. The fourth interception came after a linebacker’s coverage took away Brandon Aiyuk as an option, so Purdy correctly made the right read to check the ball down to McCaffrey, but Purdy’s arm got hit as he threw (always a nightmarish sight after last season’s NFC title game).
“The play wasn’t great as a whole for the offense after that,” Shanahan said.
4. VERRETT’S CAMEO
Shanahan said the plan was to “experiment” with cornerback Jason Verrett’s comeback and give him four to eight snaps. And now? “We’ll see what it is going forward,” Shanahan said.
Verret entered after halftime at nickel back and got credited with five snaps in his first action since the 2021 season opener when he tore an anterior cruciate ligament, followed by a ruptured Achilles in November 2022. Verrett, on his third snap, surrendered a touchdown to Nelson Agholor that put the 49ers in a 23-13 hole.
Shanahan said he had no qualms with the 49ers’ usual nickel back rotation — Deommodore Lenoir slides inside to cover the slot receiver, Ambry Thomas enters at right cornerback — and that inserting Verrett was also part of strategic development.
5. PUNT RETURN CHANGE?
The 49ers could move on from rookie Ronnie Bell as the return specialist, a role in which he has struggled in three games since Ray-Ray McCloud went on Injured Reserve. Bell muffed the punt return out of bounds, following the first-quarter safety that put the 49ers ahead 2-0.
Said Shanahan: “That was a bad miss Ronnie had. That was a lack of concentration. We can’t have him do that. He’s got to be better in that area.”
Running back Christian McCaffrey, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and fullback Kyle Juszczyk were named as potential candidates to field future punts, if they move on from Bell until McCloud is eligible to return in Week 18.
6. LAMAR JACKSON’S GROWTH
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson took a major step in securing his second NFL MVP honors (2019 was his first). His flick-of-the-wrist passing and mobility caused predictable problems for the 49ers. “He picks and chooses when to do it and when not to,” Shanahan said. “He’s very effective in the pocket and extremely scary when he gets out of it.” Jackson threw for 252 yards and two touchdowns, and he had a 30-yard, third-and-16 conversion run to set up a field goal before halftime.
7. JAUAN JENNINGS MISSED
Wide receiver Jauan Jennings remains in the concussion protocol, after missing all of last week’s practices as well as Monday night’s matchup that could have used his physical presence. “This was a big one for Jauan to be out,” Shanahan said.
8. CORNERBACK PLAN
Ambry Thomas, who broke up Jackson’s first pass attempt, left with a hamstring injury. He has been impressive the past two months stepping in as the No. 3 cornerback. Verrett or rookie Darrell Luter Jr. could be an option to step in there, as might be Sam Womack III, who was a healthy scratch Monday night.
9. INJURY UPDATES
Shanahan had no further updates on Monday night’s injuries, including those to left tackle Trent Williams (groin), left guard Aaron Banks (toe) and offensive tackle Jaylon Moore (concussion).
Defensive tackle Arik Armstead (foot, ankle) will go through rehabilitation this week but Shanahan did not list him among those likely making a practice return, those being tight end Ross Dwelley (ankle), running back Elijah Mitchell (knee) and linebacker Oren Burks (knee).
