San Francisco 49ers: 3 Big takeaways from loss vs. Packers in Week 6

The San Francisco 49ers suffered heartbreak in a thrilling 33-30 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Here we look at three takeaways from the defeat.

Aaron Rodgers produced another memorable comeback on Monday Night Football to condemn the San Francisco 49ers to a gut-wrenching defeat.

Led by C.J. Beathard, who produced one of the best performances of his career on the primetime stage, the 49ers led 30-23 in the fourth quarter. However, they could not keep Rodgers at bay. After he tied it up by connecting with Davante Adams, the Packers superstar led them down the field following a Beathard interception and Mason Crosby kicked the game-winning field goal.

The loss, which drops the 49ers to 1-5 on the season, will be particularly tough to swallow for Kyle Shanahan and his team given how many chances they had to put the game away after arguably their best all-round performance of the year.

Here, we look at three takeaways from a dramatic affair.

49ers can’t find way to finish

The 49ers were in command of the game for almost the entire second half after taking a 24-20 lead into the interval, they controlled the clock with the running game and, as their defense stiffened and frustrated Rodgers, had numerous opportunities to put the game away.

Yet after a huge red zone turnover on downs by the defense that gave the 49ers ball with a 30-23 lead still intact, the offense mustered a total of four yards on their final three drives, inviting pressure on the defense under which Robert Saleh’s unit eventually buckled.

The biggest miscue of those three series came on their final drive, as Beathard attempted a deep shot to Marquise Goodwin on third-and-three only to produce an inaccurate pass with pressure in his face that was intercepted by Kevin King. That came after Richie James had set the Niners up with excellent starting field position with a kick return to which penalty yardage was tacked on.

Rodgers, with the help of a questionable illegal contact penalty that negated a third-down sack from DeForest Buckner, surgically led the Packers down the field for the game-winner on the subsequent drive. While Green Bay fans revel in a memorable win, many Niners fans will be questioning the wisdom of Shanahan and his decision not to run the ball and milk some of the clock on a manageable third down.

The illegal contact penalty will also be the subject of much contention but the cold hard truth is that, with a chance for a huge upset in front of them, Beathard and Co. could not finish. On a night that produced so many positives, that will be what frustrates Shanahan and the Niners the most.