49ers’ beat-up defense overwhelmed in loss to Falcons

ATLANTA — After inside linebacker Nick Bellore was injured on the 49ers' third defensive play Sunday, he was replaced by Vinnie Sunseri. En route to their 13th straight loss, the 49ers (1-13) allowed 550 yards, the eighth-most in franchise history, as quarterback Matt Ryan and running back Devonta Freeman toyed with them before putting on baseball caps midway through the fourth quarter. Freeman had 139 yards on 20 carries and scored three touchdowns to headline a rushing attack that gashed the NFL's 32nd-ranked defense for 248 yards. The Falcons arrived on pace to score the ninth-most points (527) in NFL history. Starting inside linebacker Gerald Hodges was inactive because of an unspecified violation of team rules, which left Bellore and Michael Wilhoite as the their only inside linebackers. The 49ers tried safety Antoine Bethea at the position on their second defensive series and briefly used outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks, before Bethea finished the game at the spot. In addition to Bellore, the 49ers, who played without left tackle Joe Staley (hamstring), lost four other players to injuries: wide receiver Quinton Patton (shoulder), cornerback Jimmie Ward (shoulder),...