Shanahan bemoans 49ers' mistakes vs. Ravens, but he's ready to move on
Shanahan bemoans 49ers' mistakes vs. Ravens, but he's ready to move on originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SANTA CLARA -- It doesn't take an analytics whiz to figure out why the anticipated 49ers-Ravens Christmas night showdown turned into a Baltimore beatdown.
The 49ers entered the Week 16 game with an NFL-best plus-13 turnover differential, but on Monday night, they lost the battle 5-0. Therefore, there is little mystery behind why the Ravens won 33-19 at Levi's Stadium.
"I think when you turn the ball over five times, that's usually what happens," 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said Tuesday in a conference call with reporters. "You can't have five turnovers and get none. You can't have over 100 yards in penalties [the 49ers had 10 penalties for 102 yards]."
San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy threw a career-worst four interceptions. Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton picked off a Purdy pass in the end zone on the 49ers' first drive of the game, and the QB's next three picks -- each coming on re-directed pass attempts -- were immediately cashed in for 17 Baltimore points.
Each of Purdy's turnovers were different, featuring a combination of bad decisions and bad luck.
Simple story, right?
"It was just a loss," Shanahan said, declining to assign a deeper meaning to the defeat, which dropped the 49ers' record to 11-4 on the season. "You play a good team and you have five turnovers and you have all those penalties, it makes it tough to win."
The Ravens blew the game open with a 17-point third quarter after holding a 16-12 lead at halftime. In addition to the giveaways, the 49ers gift-wrapped another touchdown for the Ravens when punter Mitch Wishnowsky was penalized 15 yards for a late hit out of bounds at the end of a 23-yard punt return early in the third quarter.
"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.
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