49ers’ loss to the Ravens: Turnovers, penalties doom San Francisco
SANTA CLARA — The highly anticipated Christmas night showdown between the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens turned into a one-sided affair as the Ravens dominated the game. The 49ers, who entered the game with an NFL-best plus-13 turnover differential, lost the turnover battle 5-0, leading to a 33-19 defeat at Levi’s Stadium.
49ers coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged the impact of the turnovers and penalties in a conference call with reporters on Tuesday. Quarterback Brock Purdy threw a career-worst four interceptions, with each turnover immediately resulting in Baltimore points.
“It was just a loss,” Shanahan said. “You play a good team and you have five turnovers and you have all those penalties, it makes it tough to win.”
The Ravens capitalized on the 49ers’ mistakes, blowing the game open with a 17-point third quarter after holding a 16-12 lead at halftime. In addition to the turnovers, a late hit out of bounds on a punt return also gifted the Ravens another touchdown.
“When you play a little sloppy with those turnovers and penalties and you’re going against a good team, it makes it tough to win,” Shanahan said.
The defeat dropped the 49ers’ record to 11-4 on the season, but Shanahan declined to assign a deeper meaning to the loss, attributing it to playing against a good team and making too many mistakes.
The 49ers will look to bounce back from the disappointing loss in their upcoming games as they aim to secure a spot in the playoffs.