Any hope that the 2024 San Francisco 49ers are some better version of themselves has rapidly been extinguished over the last six weeks, with a 29-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins acting as the latest batch of evidence that this year’s team never really had it.
Sunday was another ugly affair that felt winnable for the 49ers, but they were plagued by many of the same issues that have now officially catapulted them out of the playoff picture.
Losing in Week 16 didn’t really matter in a vacuum since the Washington Commanders win over the Philadelphia Eagles burned the 49ers’ ticket to the postseason. However, a handful of things jumped out that should matter long-term.