The Denver Broncos offense scored only nine points against the San Francisco 49ers defense on Sunday night. The Niners offense, Jimmy Garoppolo specifically, provided two of the home team's 11 total points after the quarterback stepped out of the back of the end zone for a safety.
The 49ers offense couldn't get much going with Garoppolo at the helm. The quarterback finished the game 18-of-29 for 211 yards, a touchdown, an interception, and a passer rating of 81.3 in his first start of the season. Yet, the defense accepted the blame for San Francisco's record falling to 1-2 in a game in which they were favored.
"We've got to play a full four-quarter game," linebacker Fred Warner said after the 11-10 loss in Denver. "It doesn't matter how dominant we are throughout the game. That last drive, we can't let them get down there and score like that. And also, we've got to get the ball back for the offense. We had multiple opportunities to get after it, and we end up with zero (turnovers), and they end up with three. You'll lose every time [when you are] minus three."
Warner added, "We had a couple of opportunities, and we had even more opportunities to really attack the football. It just didn't go our way tonight."
Of course, the game ended with Russell Wilson doing Wilson-like things against a familiar NFC West foe, making plays happen with the game on the line, and breaking the hearts of 49ers fans everywhere.
Defensive end Nick Bosa noted that the team was determined not to let Wilson take advantage of the defense yet again, and for most of the game, the unit made the Broncos quarterback look below average. That obviously didn't hold up through four quarters.
"We did a good job for a good portion of the game, but we've just got to be more sound in our rush lanes and be a little more sticky in coverage, and we're going to do that as the season goes on," Bosa said.
Bosa didn't want to place the blame on other teammates. Instead, he pointed toward himself, saying he could have done more in the game.
"I know for myself, I could have made some more plays in that game," Bosa shared. "I definitely was a little quiet at times, and the type of player I want to be, I want to be able to affect games more than that. And I know a lot of guys [on our] defense feel the same way. So, we've got to take the ball away."
Despite the frustrating loss, Bosa feels the 49ers have a talented roster and can bounce back.
"We've been here before, and it's just part of the game," he said. "It's never easy, and I think our team is built for that."
This loss may sting for a couple of days, but the 49ers tend to put disappointments behind them quickly and focus on the next opponent. That will be a division matchup against the Los Angeles Rams at Levi's Stadium on Monday, October 3.
While they are only one timezone away, the plane ride back home will seem longer as the team looks back on the missed opportunities in what should have been a very winnable game. Most of the players probably feel the 49ers should be 3-0 right now rather than one game below .500.
For Warner, he'll ponder what his defense could have done on Sunday night to ensure a different outcome.
"I truly feel like we could have helped [the offense] out a lot in certain areas," Warner reflected. "Like I mentioned before, some of those missed [opportunities] getting the ball back for them, and getting them in favorable positions."
