[OutsiderFan]

1. Allowed blocked punt
2. Couldn't punch in from less than a yard on 4th down
3. Absurd roughing penalty on Niners DL on Murray*
4. Holding penalty on 3rd and 15 at Cards 10

Those are all back breaking mistakes in a close game.

I had a very bad feeling that with Samuel and Aiyuk out, the Niners would struggle to win, and might lose as a result. But they also missed Center Ben Garland. Then Kittle got dinged (my guess is knee bruise just like last year against Cardinals) and wasn't the same again.

Garoppolo would be fine with Larry Fitzgerald and DeAndre Hopkins.  Instead he had Kendrick Bourne and Trent Taylor. That said, Garoppolo definitely threw to Bourne too late on the penultimate Niners offensive snap.

* The late hit on Murray was bullshit. He dove forward, which isn't a slide that dictates he can't any longer be touched. Any ball carrier who falls down forward is still a live ball carrier until hit, unless the NFL has changed its rules and I am unaware of it.

[OutsiderFan]

1. Allowed blocked punt
2. Couldn't punch in from less than a yard on 4th down
3. Absurd roughing penalty on Niners DL on Murray*
4. Holding penalty on 3rd and 15 at Cards 10

Those are all back breaking mistakes in a close game.

I had a very bad feeling that with Samuel and Aiyuk out, the Niners would struggle to win, and might lose as a result. But they also missed Center Ben Garland. Then Kittle got dinged (my guess is knee bruise just like last year against Cardinals) and wasn't the same again.

Garoppolo would be fine with Larry Fitzgerald and DeAndre Hopkins.  Instead he had Kendrick Bourne and Trent Taylor. That said, Garoppolo definitely threw to Bourne too late on the penultimate Niners offensive snap.

* The late hit on Murray was bullshit. He dove forward, which isn't a slide that dictates he can't any longer be touched. Any ball carrier who falls down forward is still a live ball carrier until hit, unless the NFL has changed its rules and I am unaware of it.