The San Francisco 49ers will officially be out of office for a few days following Tuesday's meetings and workouts. The Bye week comes at an opportune time for the red and gold, who are coming off their third-straight loss of the season and working through injuries to key playmakers on both sides of the ball.
In spite of Sunday's 31-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, the team heads into the Bye with optimism for the second half of the season. Veteran linebacker Fred Warner was quick to voice his confidence in the resiliency of the locker room in the team's final media availability before the break.
"The easy thing to do right now is to tuck away somewhere," Warner said. "Stuff is hard. You're down the last three games, hide in a corner. That's not the type of guys we have. That's not the type of guy who I am. I'm going to stand tall and continue to rally the team. I'm going to continue to show up and put the most work in that I can."
In Week 10, the 49ers will be on the road again, looking to right the ship against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Let's take a look at what national outlets had to say about the 49ers headed into the Bye week:
Lead Draft Writer Eric Edholm
"During San Francisco's first two losses, in Cleveland and Minnesota, it felt like the 49ers were a good team grinding through a rough patch. Sunday's home defeat to the Bengals made them look vulnerable for the first time this season. Between Brock Purdy's turnover spree and a defense that suddenly can't get off the field in big spots, San Francisco is dealing with multiple new issues. I don't know if the Niners can suddenly rediscover their clutch gene; either way, the Week 9 bye might be hitting at the right time. It's pretty rare to lose three straight regular-season games and go on to win a Super Bowl, but the Los Angeles Rams did it a couple years ago. Though the 49ers have crashed hard, their early-season dominance backs up a potential rebound scenario. For now, we're hanging onto them, just not as tightly as before."
NFL Writer Nick Wagoner on QB Play in the First Half of the Season
"On the whole, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has done more good than bad this season. He has passed for 2,033 yards, 12 touchdowns and a 68.3% completion percentage with two rushing touchdowns. Purdy was the ideal point guard the first five weeks, distributing the ball to his playmakers, making the occasional off-schedule play and, most importantly, taking care of the ball. While those first two attributes have continued, Purdy's ball security has taken a turn for the worse with all five of his interceptions this season, including four in opponents' territory, coming over the past three weeks. Perhaps not coincidentally, the Niners have lost all three games."
NFL Writer Mike Florio
"That win over the Cowboys seems like it was a very long time ago."
NFL Writer David Helman
"This is a fine time for a bye week. The swagger that seemed to drip from this team a few weeks ago has completely evaporated after a third straight loss. And while it's fair to point out some major injuries on offense, that doesn't explain why this vaunted defense has suddenly gone in the tank. A trip to Jacksonville is waiting after the week off, as the Niners search for answers for what's bothering them."
