49ers Bulletin: Clear limitations, softest part of a soft schedule, and that dreaded big toe

The 49ers have exceeded expectations so far this season when you factor in the terrible injury luck they’ve endured. A respectable 6-4 mark, propped up by a 3-0 start enjoyed while the team was (mostly) healthy. The last six weeks have given fans both plenty of reason to believe, and plenty of reason to sulk. In short, the current outlook for San Francisco is something of an enigma. 

Performances like the one we saw on Sunday at Levi’s show the extreme defensive limitations that this depleted, young, and largely inexperienced Niners’ defense has. An elite quarterback leading a high powered offense isn’t something the current version of this defense can combat. On the same token, the offense has proven that it can score enough to keep the Niners in games, as was the case on Sunday for most of the afternoon until the Rams finally made them tap out in the fourth. George Kittle bluntly summarized what it will take from his unit to keep the Niners afloat as the season comes down the stretch.

There is reason for optimism, though. Even if it’s been reduced to the schedule. The next four games are, at least on paper, all games the Niners should win. If they do that, they’re 10-4 and very likely in the playoffs. Even if you contend it’s likely that SF will drop one of these four, 9-5 heading down the stretch is far from a bad mark. 

What fans must grapple with is the quite obviously lown hanging ceiling hovering over the Niners like a dark cloud. It’s hard to look at the current two deep and the future gold jacket dawning IR laundry list and imagine anything better than a Wild Card exit. But hope springs eternal, and as the great Mike Krukow says, just get into the dance. 

Even as the party line from the 49ers’ has firmly been in support of Brock Purdy as he continues to work his way back from a nagging turf toe injury, Mac Jones’ continued success has led some to the opinion that he should remain the Nienrs’ starter even with Purdy’s return approaching. And it’s not just a fringe of the fan base, Fox’s Tom Brady said as much before the game on Sunday. 

Kyle Shanahan continued to acknowledge his newly expensive starting quarterback’s lingering ailment after the loss. When asked if at some point the Niners may have to play Purdy even if he’s not 100%, Shanahan admitted it’s a possibility.