Rob Gronkowski believes the San Francisco 49ers lost to the Atlanta Falcons because they failed themselves, not because Atlanta played a perfect game. The former tight end pointed to a long history of injuries plaguing the 49ers roster before Sunday’s 29-20 loss at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. He argues that the team’s magic will return once healthy players like Mike Evans come back after the bye week.
The 49ers dropped their first game of the season on Sunday, October 25. They now sit at 6-1 overall but face a critical injury list. According to Heavy.com, Gronkowski voiced serious worry regarding the injury bug still affecting the squad. He remains a firm believer that these issues will not affect the team in the long run.
The Injury Cycle Question
Gronkowski asked a blunt question during his podcast. “Why are the 49ers always injured? We’re not even talking about this year, not last year, I’m talking about the last 4-5 years. Why are they always injured?” He noted that many guys are on injured reserve but designated to return. The panic meter for the San Francisco 49ers is not going off according to him.
On Monday, roughly 24 hours following the defeat, head coach Kyle Shanahan addressed the media. Shanahan disclosed that seven players stand a strong likelihood of returning after the bye week. Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel and Demarcus Robinson are among those included in that group. Nick Bosa, the star pass rusher, is expected to return after missing the last few weeks.
Self-Inflicted Wounds
The core of the loss was not a lack of talent from Atlanta. Gronkowski further stated that magic will diminish somewhat if weapons around you are absent. He thinks the magic will return immediately once Mike Evans and company resume play after the bye week. His final take on the game was sharp and direct.
“The 49ers beat themselves more than the Atlanta Falcons won this game.” This statement cuts through the noise of the final score. Brock Purdy, who is currently playing at an MVP level, functions as a huddle extension of Kyle Shanahan per Gronk. The system works when the personnel is healthy. The Falcons just capitalized on the mistakes San Francisco made.
Atlanta’s Path Forward
The Falcons are now 4 spots higher in power rankings according to reports. They sit at No. 21 after the upset win. This team faces its true challenge on the defensive side. Jeff Ulbrich’s unit sits fourth against the run yet ranks only 29th against the pass. Converting high pressure numbers into sacks is the key to the next game.
In Week 9, James Pearce will become eligible to return from suspension which will help the pass rush. The Falcons must keep Penix upright to beat them. The 49ers loss proves that even the best teams can fall if they hurt themselves first.