The 49ers were able to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory on Sunday.

San Francisco entered the locker room at halftime with 23 points and a 13-point lead. At the end of the game, the 49ers walked into the locker room as the losing side with 23 points. A few weeks ago it was the Los Angeles Rams, and on Sunday the Arizona Cardinals took advantage of San Francisco’s collapse.

There wasn’t one big reason why the 49ers fell apart in the second half, but many factors were at play. A quick look at the 49ers’ second NFC West loss of the season:

The Brock Purdy Experience

If Brock Purdy ever gets a commercial in Michael Vick experience, it would be a sickening drive that ends in a seven-yard gain and goes out of bounds after getting the first down. Sometimes I’m not sure Purdy knows where his legs are going; his body is just along for the ride.

Sometimes that chaos can lead to good things, like the three first downs Purdy was looking for. But sometimes that chaos can lead to negative consequences, like picking up a sack after eleven seconds of running around, setting up a third-and-23, and shutting down the offense beyond already limited field goal range.

Purdy’s entire game – both with his feet and his arm – was a rollercoaster experience. Kyle Shanahan put a lot of faith in Purdy, with the quarterback dropping 41 times: 35 pass attempts, two sacks and four scrambles. And there were some ups. Purdy leaned heavily on Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle, targeting the duo 24 times, with Aiyuk’s best performance of the season connecting with Kittle for San Francisco’s lone offensive touchdown.

Unfortunately, the Purdy rollercoaster had more downs than ups. Purdy threw two interceptions in the second half and turned the ball over at least once for the fourth straight game, the longest streak of his career.

There were a few throws in the second quarter that, with better accuracy, could have led to touchdowns. With the offense knocking on the door in the Arizona Five, Purdy found Kittle on the flats with the pylon close, but the throw was high, forcing Kittle to halt his momentum to secure the catch just short of the goal line. Two plays later the 49ers would elect to make a field goal. As the quarter ended and the red zone approached, Jauan Jennings had a step on Jalen Thompson, but Purdy couldn’t get enough on the throw to lead Jennings, allowing Thompson to catch up and force an incompletion.

Purdy has impressed in recent weeks, but there was too much commotion in his game on Sunday, and there is reason to believe it cost the 49ers the game.

Special teams play the game

Finally! An unexpectedly positive special teams play for the 49ers to review.

Arizona had a chance to tie the game at 13 late in the first half, with Chad Ryland lining up to attempt a 45-yard field goal. The stairs lifted off the ground, but not for long. He collided with Jordan Elliott’s huge, fully extended hand, sending the ball onto the line. The ball bounced favorably 49ers into the pocket of Deommodore Lenoir, who returned it for a touchdown.

Not only was it a 10-point swing, but a swing forced by a special teams unit known more for mistakes ultimately turned one their way. It might even be a sign from the football gods that the 49ers’ special teams fortunes were turning.

The luck of the special teams did not change

After the Lenior score, San Francisco kicked the ball back to Arizona, with DeeJay Dallas coming back. Dallas took the ball out of the end zone and made a decent return of 38 yards.

On the return, Dallas took a tackle attempt from Jake Moody — Moody entered Sunday with zero career tackles — rolling Moody’s right ankle. Moody had to be helped off the field and later transported to the locker room.

Less than five real-time minutes later, the blocked field goal for a touchdown set up the 49ers’ second-most important special teams play.

From that moment on the game strategy changed. Mitch Wishnowsky would make a 28-yard field goal before halftime, but could not be trusted on Sunday. With a chance to extend a ten-point lead, a Jenning penalty and a Purdy sack set the 49ers back to a fourth-and-23 at the Arizona 27. Unsure if Wishnowsky could handle a 45-yard attempt, Shanahan was forced to stay out of the offense to try fourth and forever. Kittle got shocked trying to catch Purdy’s pass – right before the marker, I might add – and the ride ended. Arizona would respond with a touchdown and the two-point conversion to cut the San Francisco lead to two.

Even on the 49ers’ final offensive possession, what would be considered comfortable field goal range for Wishnowsky? 30 meters? 25? The Moody injury ultimately led to the 49ers needing a touchdown in a situation where a field goal would have sufficed.

Somehow, San Francisco’s special teams unit found a way to make an impact in a 49ers loss.

Introducing the Jordan Mason tracker

This tracker is strictly dependent on Christian McCaffrey’s health, but is something to keep an eye on. After finding out he would be the Week 1 starter just hours before the start of the season, Mason has developed a pace that is better than McCaffrey’s impressive 2023 season.

And that’s where we’ll start tracking. Most rushing yards through five games in 49ers franchise history:

1. Jordan Mason (2024) – 536
2. Christain McCaffrey (2023) – 510
3. Garrison Heart (1998) – 481
4. Wendell Tyler (1984) – 477
5. Frank Gore (2006) – 465

Not bad for a running back making his first career start this season. Mason added 89 yards to his total on 14 carries on Sunday, but was held without a touchdown for just the second game this season. His 34-yard run in the second quarter was the longest run of the season for the 49ers and Mason’s first 30-yard rush of the season, and even then it wasn’t the impressive run of the day for him. The running back sent Sean Murphy-Bunting into the shade with a stiff yardage en route to a 20-yard run, but that drive would end with a Mason fumble.

The start to Mason’s season has been remarkable, and he has earned an improved touch share each time McCaffrey returns. We’ll be regularly following Mason’s progress as he tries to move up in 49ers history.