The 49ers lost an NFL-record five consecutive games by three points or fewer during a season-opening nine-game losing streak last year.
In Kyle Shanahan’s second year in charge, the 49ers have gotten no better at closing out games when victories were hanging in the balance.
On Sunday, the 49ers squandered a 12-point fourth-quarter lead in an 18-15 road loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Two weeks ago, the 49ers led a late lead get away in a 33-30 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
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The common theme in both of those losses is that neither the team's offense nor defense was able to close out the victory. Another first down or two late in the game would have enabled the 49ers to win those games. And the defense, which played well most of those games, were run through the shredder late in the games against Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers and Arizona rookie quarterback Josh Rosen.
The 49ers are 1-7, after getting swept by the Cardinals, and all alone at the bottom of the NFC West.
“I definitely think we should be better than 1-7,” Shanahan said Monday on a conference call with Bay Area reporters. “Regardless of injuries, regardless of what has happened, there are a number of games in there that we could’ve won. And when that happens, you need to win some of those. And we’ve come up short.”
In addition to the losses at Arizona and Green Bay, the 49ers also had a two-point loss at the Los Angeles Chargers and committed five turnovers in a 28-18 loss to Arizona at Levi’s Stadium.
San Francisco 49ers
“The bottom line is, when you don’t do that and you don’t get it done, our record is what it is,” Shanahan said. “I can’t sit here and be positive about that, but I do know deep down that it does come down to just a couple of plays here and there, and those are plays that we’re capable of making. Those are plays that we’re capable of making going forward, too.
“You can’t control what’s already happened, but you can control what happens in the future. And I got to find a way as a coach to make sure I get our guys more prepared for those -- better at those situations and able to make those plays really when it counts, in the fourth quarter, not the previous three.”
The 49ers have a quick turnaround this week, as they face the Raiders (1-6) on Thursday night at Levi’s Stadium.