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Happy Tuesday, Niner Gang! I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving (and didn’t think too much about Niners football). Somehow, things continue to get worse for the 49ers on AND off the field. Let’s take a look at what’s been going on:

Weekly Updates

• The 49ers placed Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason on the IR. Isaac Guerendo is now the 49ers’ RB1 … just like we all expected at the beginning of the season 🙃

• Another injury: DT Kevin Givens has a torn pec and is out for the remainder of the season

• Talanoa Hufanga had his practice window opened to return from the IR

Tidbits from the Week

• Legendary 49ers RB Roger Craig was snubbed yet again from the Pro Football Hall of Fame as he did not advance to the finals for the 2025 class

• NFL insider Adam Schefter says: “I have gotten zero indication that the 49ers are looking to move on from John Lynch or Kyle Shanahan”

• Joshua Dobbs was elevated to QB2 over Brandon Allen for the game against Buffalo. No indication on whether that move was just for this game due to the weather conditions, or if Dobbs will be the backup QB going forward for the remainder of the season.

• In absolutely devastating news, Trent Williams and his wife Sondra announced that their newborn son passed away earlier this week. Sending my best to the Williams family ❤️

Fan Trivia

Have fun and test your 49ers knowledge!

Game Recap

Where to even begin..
The 49ers continue to find ways to outdo themselves with disappointing games. I don’t think many 49ers fans expected the team to go into Buffalo in the snow and pull out a win, but we did expect them to at least show some fight and heart (particularly after a string of disappointing and lackluster games). The performance Sunday was anything but inspiring.

Christian McCaffrey looked primed to have a breakout game. After a slew of successful early carries, McCaffrey took off up the middle and looked en route to the end zone before he was tripped up by a shoestring tackle. On the next carry, McCaffrey went down untouched and will now almost assuredly be out for the remainder of the season. That felt symbolic of the 49ers season: what looked like a long TD run to put the 49ers ahead 10-7 instead turned into a play that was a drive-killer and will sideline CMC for the season.

Another symbolic play was when Kyle Juszczyk fumbled on the half yard line on 1st and goal! The 49ers continue to find new and exciting ways to drive down the field and come away with 0 points. Also, that play call from Shanahan was suspect at best. A FB dive (and Juszczyk’s 1st touch of the game) on 1st and goal when your RBs have had consistent success seemed like Shanahan getting too cute with the play-calling.

The only positive that I can think of that came out of that game is that not all 22 Niners starters got hurt.

Next up on the docket for the 49ers is the Chicago Bears. While Chicago isn’t exactly a juggernaut this season, they are frisky, and they did just fire their head coach, which typically gives teams a jolt of energy as they play for an interim coach. What seemed like a sure win before the season for the 49ers now looks like a 50/50 game at best. Here’s to getting back in the win column!

Fan Poll

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FOUR-ty Niners Graphics

FOUR-ty Niners Facts

1) Over the last 3 games Ricky Pearsall has run 63 pass routes, and has 0 catches on 3 targets

2) The 49ers are the first defending conference champion since the 1970 merger to lose consecutive games by 25+ points

3) The 49ers only had THREE of their defensive starters from the Super Bowl playing this week against the Bills

4) The 49ers run defense ranks over the last few seasons:
2022: #2
2023: #26
2024: #28

Highlight of the Week

This was a really cool moment before the game on Sunday: Christian McCaffrey found a 49ers fan in the stands who has just beaten cancer and ran over to him to deliver him a football. There were a few 49ers fans in attendance who had signs showing that they had just beaten cancer, and man that really puts things in perspective.

I don’t believe in curses, but with each passing day I’m becoming more and more convinced that the ‘Madden Curse’ is real and is terrorizing the 49ers this season. I’ve run out of words to try to explain everything that’s been going on within the 49ers’ organization this year. From injuries to family deaths, it’s truly astonishing the misfortune that has fallen upon the 49ers in the last 9+ months. Hopefully we’ve now hit rock bottom and everything moving forward is on the up and up!

Bang Bang Niner Gang!