The San Francisco 49ers have been one of the most disappointing teams in the NFL this season, as they sit at 5-5 heading into Week 12.
That's the same record as the Los Angeles Rams, and that's in spite of the fact that the Rams actually began the season 1-4 (funny enough, their one win during that stretch came at the expense of the 49ers).
So, what exactly has gone wrong in San Francisco? Why are the Niners—who are coming off of a Super Bowl appearance—struggling to win games?
Well, a big reason for the 49ers' issues has been their inability to close the door when they have a lead.
San Francisco has blown three fourth-quarter leads this season, including Week 11 when it lost to the Seattle Seahawks on a late rushing touchdown by Geno Smith.
Afterward, frustrated head coach Kyle Shanahan opened up on the Niners' late-game miscues.
"[We] let them hang around," Shanahan told reporters. "And when you let people hang around, that's what happens."
To make matters worse for the 49ers, all three of those aforementioned losses came against NFC West opponents. With that, San Francisco has become the first team since 2000 to blow three divisional games it led by four points or more in the fourth quarter.
The Niners are just 1-3 in divisional matchups this season, which does not put them in a very good spot when it comes to figuring tiebreakers at the end of the year.
Going into the season, the 49ers were widely viewed as NFC favorites. Many pegged them as the most talented team in the NFL, which was understandable given that they are absolutely loaded on both sides of the ball.
However, injuries and regression have severely disrupted San Francisco's campaign.
The Niners are locked in a three-way tie for second place in the NFC West. They are still just one game out of the lead, as the Arizona Cardinals sit at the top of the division at 6-4.
But based on the way the 49ers have been playing, it's becoming harder and harder to envision them putting together any sort of consistent run during the second half of 2024.
Meanwhile, the Rams have won four of their last five games. They will face San Francisco again on Dec. 12.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/rams/ as Rams' Hated Rival Coach Unveils Bleak Reason for Shocking Struggles.