Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. He finished 18 for 32 for 255 yards before leaving with a stinger late in the game that isn\u2019t considered serious. But his performance looked much more like a player picked in the seventh round a year ago than one who came into the game as the favorite to win MVP<\/a><\/span>.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) reacts after throwing an interception during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Dec. 25, 2023. (AP Photo\/Godofredo A. V\u00e1squez)
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) stands on the sideline next to quarterbacks coach Brian Griese, left, during the second half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Dec. 25, 2023. (AP Photo\/Jed Jacobsohn)
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan stands on the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Dec. 25, 2023. (AP Photo\/Godofredo A. V\u00e1squez)
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) reaches to catch the ball as quarterback Brock Purdy (13) is taken down by Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith (0) during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Dec. 25, 2023. (AP Photo\/Godofredo A. V\u00e1squez)
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, middle, is tackled by Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Justin Madubuike, left, and linebacker Roquan Smith (0) during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Dec. 25, 2023. (AP Photo\/Godofredo A. V\u00e1squez)
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers, left, catches a touchdown pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Dec. 25, 2023. (AP Photo\/Godofredo A. V\u00e1squez)
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) reacts after throwing an interception during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Dec. 25, 2023. (AP Photo\/Godofredo A. V\u00e1squez)
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) reacts after throwing an interception during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Dec. 25, 2023. (AP Photo\/Godofredo A. V\u00e1squez)
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) stands on the sideline next to quarterbacks coach Brian Griese, left, during the second half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Dec. 25, 2023. (AP Photo\/Jed Jacobsohn)
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) stands on the sideline next to quarterbacks coach Brian Griese, left, during the second half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Dec. 25, 2023. (AP Photo\/Jed Jacobsohn)
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan stands on the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Dec. 25, 2023. (AP Photo\/Godofredo A. V\u00e1squez)
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan stands on the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Dec. 25, 2023. (AP Photo\/Godofredo A. V\u00e1squez)
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) reaches to catch the ball as quarterback Brock Purdy (13) is taken down by Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith (0) during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Dec. 25, 2023. (AP Photo\/Godofredo A. V\u00e1squez)
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) reaches to catch the ball as quarterback Brock Purdy (13) is taken down by Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith (0) during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Dec. 25, 2023. (AP Photo\/Godofredo A. V\u00e1squez)
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, middle, is tackled by Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Justin Madubuike, left, and linebacker Roquan Smith (0) during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Dec. 25, 2023. (AP Photo\/Godofredo A. V\u00e1squez)
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, middle, is tackled by Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Justin Madubuike, left, and linebacker Roquan Smith (0) during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Dec. 25, 2023. (AP Photo\/Godofredo A. V\u00e1squez)
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers, left, catches a touchdown pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Dec. 25, 2023. (AP Photo\/Godofredo A. V\u00e1squez)
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers, left, catches a touchdown pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Dec. 25, 2023. (AP Photo\/Godofredo A. V\u00e1squez)
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) \u2014 Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers seemed poised for another fast start when two big passes to George Kittle moved them into the red zone on the opening drive of the game.
What happened next set the tone for the rest of the game.
Purdy threw an interception to Kyle Hamilton in the end zone to thwart the drive and then kept giving the ball away in the worst performance of his career, sending the 49ers to a 33-19 loss<\/a><\/span> to the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night.
\u201cI have to look myself in the mirror and ask myself why or how that happened and why I made those decisions,\u201d Purdy said. \u201cOur team came ready to play and for me to make some decisions like that, it pains me. It\u2019s not fair to these guys. I have to realize that and understand that, and I have to get better for my team.\u201d
Purdy threw three more interceptions on the next six possessions to become the first 49ers player with four in a game since Colin Kaepernick in 2015. Purdy didn\u2019t produce a TD \u2014 either running or passing \u2014 for the first time in 20 career starts and looked overmatched against Baltimore\u2019s stellar defense. <\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t mind his demeanor,\u201d coach Kyle Shanahan said. \u201cHe stayed in there and kept battling. Our whole team struggled there in the second half, so it wasn\u2019t just him.\u201d
Purdy was far from the only problem for the 49ers, who came into the game as the NFL\u2019s most complete team but got dominated in all phases of the game.
The offense kept giving the ball away and produced only two scoring drives until Sam Darnold threw a late touchdown with San Francisco trailing by 21 points.
The defense couldn\u2019t keep up with Lamar Jackson, who beat them by running as well as extending plays to hit big passes in a turnover-free performance.
Even the special teams had issues, allowing a big punt return followed by a personal foul on punter Mitch Wishnowsky to set up one TD drive.
\u201cMixed emotions about it, honestly,\u201d linebacker Fred Warner said. \u201cWe know the recipe for winning football games for our team. We\u2019ve got to take the ball away on defense. We didn\u2019t take the ball away. We\u2019ve got to protect the ball on offense. We gave it away. So when you do that, that\u2019s how you lose games.\u201d
Despite the loss, the Niners are in a three-way tie with Philadelphia and Detroit for the best record in the NFC and can still clinch the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye with wins in their final two games.
They finish the season with games at Washington on Sunday and at home in Week 18 against the Rams.
\u201cOur guys are real disappointed tonight,\u201d Shanahan said. \u201cThey should be. But when it comes down to it, we\u2019re still in the same situation that we were before the game started. We\u2019ve got to take care of our business.\u201d
AP NFL: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/NFL<\/a><\/span>
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.<\/p>\n