Who's Hot & Who's Not: 49ers Week 10 Temperature Check
Tough division loss. Who shined through anyway and who contributed?
The San Francisco 49ers returned to Levi’s Stadium on Sunday for round two against the Los Angeles Rams. It did not go well for the Faithful. We will dive into what went fine and what else contributed to the loss. Buckle up.
Hot
George Kittle
If there was any 49er that left everything out on the field for Sunday’s game, it was George Kittle. Kittle had nine catches for 84 yards and a touchdown, but his effort was what truly stood out. His first quarter diving catch for a first down was impressive, but his touchdown catch was even more so. For someone of his size to slam the brakes on the sideline and then turn and dive into the endzone was spectacular and was a showcase of his athleticism. For a game that was out of reach from the get-go, Kittle’s effort was the driving force behind the 49ers keeping the game as close as they did.
Mac Jones
Despite playing from behind all day, Jones played with poise and was incredibly efficient. Going 33/39 for 319 yards with three touchdowns, Jones was again distributing the ball quickly and effectively, completing passes to nine different receivers on the day. Deep into the fourth quarter, Jones’ completion percentage was above 80 percent, which is truly exceptional with how the game played out.
Brian Robinson Jr.
Robinson continued to get himself more involved in the offense with eight carries on the day for 41 yards. His hard-nosed running was good for a 5.1 yards per attempt average on the day. His standout play was on a pitchout that went behind Trent Williams that was good for only 11 yards but added a new wrinkle to the offense.
Special Teams Play
The special team’s unit as a whole has really begun to find its footing over the last few weeks. The kick return units are showing signs of life and seem dangerously close to breaking some big plays and Thomas Morstead has been outstanding this season with his accuracy.
Cold
Jauan Jennings
Yes, Jennings had six catches for 71 yards and a touchdown, but his early mistakes were a large contributor to the hole that the 49ers found themselves in. On the team’s second drive, Jennings was responsible for an early false start and then coughed up the ball after a 13-yard catch deep in Rams territory. Jennings continues to plague the 49ers offense with negative plays on a weekly basis.
Defensive Front
The defensive front on Sunday was virtually non-existent. Robert Saleh’s defense could not generate any pressure on Matthew Stafford throughout the game. Even when Saleh sent additional blitzes, the Rams stonewalled them and Stafford capitalized and took advantage of the defense.
Jake Brendel
The human turnstile returned to the starting lineup on Sunday, and not so coincidentally the run game was visibly less effective. Brendel also led the offensive line in pressures allowed, giving up four on the day.
Dee Winters
Early in the season, Winters appeared to be a suitable replacement for Dre Greenlaw. Since Fred Warner’s season ending injury though, Winters has been more of a liability, especially in pass coverage.
Deommodore Lenoir
Targeted three times on the day. Lenoir gave up 33 yards and two touchdowns. Lenoir certainly did not have his best day of the 2025 season on Sunday as Stafford was not afraid to look in his direction.