Carlos Hyde’s 193 rushing yards not enough in 23-17 loss to Jets

Complete Game Stats

Following last week's loss in Chicago, Bears linebacker Pernell McPhee had some choice words to write via Twitter. "Teams like that, we're supposed to beat them," McPhee said. "Ain't no secret." That's how far the San Francisco 49ers had fallen. A player on a team that was in disarray itself and had only two wins prior to beating the 49ers was quick to write them off. The statement by McPhee pretty much summed up the season for San Francisco, who had lost 11 straight games following the 26-6 beating at snowy Soldier Field.

The situation did not get better for the 49ers during Week 14. They went on to increase their losing streak to 12 games following a second-half meltdown against the New York Jets, losing in overtime 20-17. The 49ers defense came into the game with just 20 sacks through 12 games. They got to QB Bryce Petty six times on Sunday, including two by rookie DE DeForest Buckner.

The 49ers kicked off their home game against the Jets without an anchor along their offensive line. After starting 92 straight games, OT Joe Staley was inactive for San Francisco. That did not stop RB Carlos Hyde from having a career game against the Jet's highly respected front seven. He rushed for a career-high 193 yards on 17 carries against New York.

Jimmie Ward, who the coaching staff has called the team's best cornerback, started things off well for the 49ers defense. He picked off Petty on the first attempted pass and second overall play of the game. Shockingly, the play was the 49ers' first interception by a cornerback this season.

Against Chicago, quarterback Colin Kaepernick had just one completion in five pass attempts for four yards. He was pulled in the fourth quarter in favor of Blaine Gabbert but was announced as the starting quarterback against the Jets. With the ball at the Jets' 7-yard line for the 49ers offense's first possession, it only took one play to get into the end zone as Kaepernick found Hyde to give San Francisco an early 7-point lead.

That lead increased to 14 points after Hyde got the 49ers close to the end zone following a 47-yard run. RB Shaun Draughn capped the drive off with a 4-yard touchdown run. On the next drive, Kaepernick hit TE Blake Bell for a 30-yard gain. Strangely, the drive ended with a missed field goal by K Phil Dawson, who is typically reliable. It was Dawson's first missed field goal in his last 15 attempts. He missed his next field goal attempt, which came in the second quarter.

The Jets finally got on the scoreboard later in the second quarter when Nick Folk kicked a 36-yard field goal to cut the 49ers' lead to 11. On the first offensive play of the next drive, Hyde rumbled downfield on a 43-yard run. That play helped to set up a successful Dawson field goal to regain the 14-point lead.

A third quarter field goal and a fourth quarter touchdown run by Bilal Powell with 5:04 remaining brought the Jets within three following a successful run into the end zone by Petty for the two-point conversion.

One 49ers drive and a punt later, the Jets received the ball at their own 35 with 2:35 left in the game. The New York drive stalled at the San Francisco 32-yard line and Folk converted a 51-yard field goal to tie the game 17-17.

The 49ers received the ball to start overtime and drove down to the Jets' 45-yard line, but on fourth down, the Jets defense stopped Hyde from getting the necessary two yards and received the football with great field position.

The Jets drove 63 yards down field in six plays and RB Bilal Powell ran into the end zone for a 19-yard score to lift the New York past the struggling 49ers.

Kaepernick finished the game 15-of-26 for 133 yards and a touchdown. WR Jeremy Kerley led the team in receptions with five receptions for 50 yards. Hyde averaged 11.4 yards per carry.

For the Jets, Petty was 23-of-35 for 257 yards in just his second career start. Powell had 145 yards rushing and two touchdowns. WR Robby Anderson had six receptions for 99 yards.

Injuries

C Daniel Kilgore went down in the first quarter but was able to slowly walk off of the field on his own.

TE Vance McDonald injured his shoulder in the second quarter and left the half early to head into the locker room to be evaluated. He did not return.

LB Gerald Hodges left the game in the third quarter and was replaced by Michael Wilhoite.

WR Torrey Smith suffered a concussion at the end of the third quarter and was carted to the locker room. He did not return.

CB Keith Reaser had a migraine and was taken to the locker room for treatment.

Notes and Quotes

Head coach Chip Kelly was really pressed about the team's inability to perform in the second half as well as the first during games this season. "I look at it game to game," Kelly said as he explained that he can just talk about what happened against the Jets.

"I have tremendous confidence in Trent [Baalke]," Kelly said when asked about rumors that the general manager might be fired.

Kelly said that the conservative play calling in the second half was on him. "My job is to make sure I know if our players can execute and obviously we didn't," Kelly said. "So it's on me. I made the wrong call (to go for it on 4th down in OT)."

"Frustration isn't going to help us win," Kaepernick said following the game. "It's not going to help us change the course that we're on. We have to refocus again this week and get ready to go win."