Niners need a kicker, luck and a win

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The San Francisco 49ers need a new placekicker. Surely they will have one before Monday is done. The 49ers need a victory. They may get that in a few days. The Niners likewise need a break. Who will guess when one might occur?

The intent is not to seek sympathy for the Niners, who over the past decades have had their share of good fortune and success. And even if that were the intent—nothing is normal in the business of pro sports—none would be provided.

But for all the things that went right through the years when the 49ers were winning, including last season when they came within a victory—albeit a very significant victory—of taking the Super Bowl, so much has gone wrong this screwball season of 2024.

Not only are the Niners stumbling along with a losing record of 2-3, but the situation seems to be even bleaker than the numbers. On Sunday at Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco had built a 13-point lead over the quite mediocre Arizona Cardinals and then lost on a field goal with 1:37 remaining. Yes, the temperature climbed to more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit by the second half and yes the Cardinals train in the desert where temperatures are in that range daily, but good teams overcome such difficulties, which is why they are good teams. The Niners, on Sunday, could not. What the Niners similarly could not overcome was the loss of their kicker Jake Moody, who injured an ankle while trying to do what kickers and quarterbacks should be reluctant to do, make a tackle.

San Francisco after consecutive defeats to two other West Division teams, the Los Angeles Rams—blowing a big lead in that one—and the Cardinals, are in more than a bit of trouble.  They do have a chance to make a correction quickly when they play the Seahawks in a Thursday night game at Seattle. However, that could end up as another loss for the Niners, no matter who they pick up as their new kicker.

You’ve often heard the line that defense wins. And that’s not untrue, but you need a little offense, and it would be unfair to blame the defeat against the Cardinals on the D even though the Niners had built a large advantage. San Francisco scored only one touchdown on offense and was shut out in the second half. The Niners were without their All-Pro back, Christian McCaffrey, as they have been in every game this season, yet backup Jordan Mason has done more than an adequate job. It’s just like a jigsaw puzzle, the pieces don’t fit with the Niner offense. San Francisco outgained the Cardinals 384 yards to 358. And yet, the Niners were unable to do what we’ve become used to them doing, taking the ball and getting it into the end zone when needed.

It was needed Sunday and maybe it will show up for Thursday’s game along with the new kicker.

Nobody said winning would be easy, but it has become very hard for the Niners the last few games.