It doesn’t take much to notice this has not been the best start for the defending NFC Champion 49ers. They have struggled early on, crawling to a 3-3 record with brutal blown leads and eventual losses to the Rams and Cardinals. That dominance they had last year is just not there. It doesn’t help with all the bad injury luck they have had either.

On Sunday they faced a daunting foe, the defending Super Champion Chiefs, the team they lost to on the biggest stage back in February. Different game, same result. Three costly interceptions by Brock Purdy was just one of the blemishes on a disaster of a day for the Niners. The offensive line was manhandled all game long and the Chiefs once again showed why they are still the team to beat in the NFL. Patrick Mahomes is him, and showed it when it mattered most.

Injuries Continue to Mount

On a day when Jauan Jennings, the Niners’ best receiver so far this year, was out and Deebo Samuel’s immune system decided to take a dive, limiting his availability, the return of Ricky Pearsall was a beautiful sight to see. Pearsall received a standing ovation after his first catch which seemed like a pipe dream not long ago. What a whirlwind this young man has been through within the last couple of months. From being hurt in training camp, getting shot in an attempted robbery, to playing in his first NFL game. Did I mention he is only a rookie?

Of course, that heartwarming story was eventually overshadowed by the injury to Brandon Aiyuk. Tests further proved that he does indeed have a torn ACL and MCL which means his season is done. Combined with Aiyuk and Trent Williams being absent all of training camp, this season began to unravel even before it began for the 49ers. The chemistry is just not there. Of course not having Christian McCaffrey, Dre Greenlaw, Talanoa Hufanga, and Javon Hargrave, to name a few is rough, something just seems off.

Andy Reid continues to be Kyle Shanahan’s kryptonite. Shanahan is now 0-5 against Reid and the Chiefs. It seemed like his best shot to beat them was in the Super Bowl last year when they outplayed Kansas City for most of the contest. Unfortunately for Shanahan and the 49ers, the Chiefs have Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. Was it the Taylor Swift effect that night? Doubtful. The Chiefs just do what they do best and the 49ers were once again on the losing end.

What’s next for the Red and Gold?

The question now is, where do the 49ers go from here? Christian McCaffrey is nowhere near ready, Brandon Aiyuk is done for the year, the offensive line is in disarray, the defense has struggled, and that’s just scratching the surface. Brock Purdy can only do so much with very few weapons around him.

This is where Shanahan has to regroup and figure something out or this season is lost for good. Who will step up and hold the fort until the reinforcements arrive? That remains to be seen. Other teams in the NFC continue to get better and the last thing the 49ers want is to remain content as these teams continue to improve. The window back to the Super Bowl is still open but this team needs to rediscover their identity and find themselves fast. Maybe then they will find a way to finally solve, not only the KC problem but their own.