Why Sherman finds 49ers unrecognizable after loss to Packers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The 49ers’ 38-10 loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 12 has left many doubting San Francisco’s ability to reach the 2024 NFL playoffs.
Even some 49ers alumni are worried the team’s season won’t extend beyond Week 18.
In Monday’s “Richard Sherman Podcast” episode, San Francisco’s former cornerback discussed how his old team is unrecognizable amid its current struggles.
“I don’t recognize this team,” Richard Sherman said about the 5-6 49ers. “There’s not a foundation, there’s not somewhere to say, ‘Hey, they’re a defensive team’ or ‘They’re an offensive team’ or ‘They run the ball well’ or ‘They do this well.’ So, I’m slowly but surely — just begrudgingly — losing hope in this season.”
Sherman’s right — the 49ers are unrecognizable. San Francisco finished the 2023 season 12-5 and a few plays away from defeating the dynastic Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII, and now those days feel long gone.
The 49ers haven’t been themselves this season. They’ve had frustrating injury luck and inconsistencies across the board, plus, San Francisco’s special teams unit is the league’s worst.
Making matters more grim, the 49ers, already on a two-game skid, will face playoff contenders — the Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Rams, Detroit Lions and Arizona Cardinals — in four of their last six games.
Schedule-wise, help is not on the way, which also worries Sherman.
“Every game is a must-win,” Sherman said. “If they lose another game, the playoffs are pretty much out of the picture and you’re playing for pride at that point just because of how well these other teams are playing. We just talked about two other wild-card teams with two and three losses [9-3 Minnesota Vikings, 8-3 Packers].
“And then you have teams in your division that have beat you continuing to elevate. [The] Seattle Seahawks’ defense has found their rhythm [and] their offense scored against an Arizona Cardinals team that hasn’t given up a touchdown in two games. If they start to find their footing and create distance, I get even more stressed out about [the 49ers] because I just can’t understand where the wins are going to come from.”
The 49ers are the NFC West’s anchor and trail the 7-5 Washington Commanders by two games for the conference’s seventh seed and final wild-card spot. San Francisco star quarterback Brock Purdy still is recovering from the shoulder soreness that kept him out of the loss to Green Bay, too.
As Sherman implied, much must go right for the 49ers to make the playoffs. But there are games on the schedule for a reason — San Francisco’s season isn’t over just yet.
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