About two weeks ago, I introduced the concept of "hinge point" games. A hinge point game is easy to define; Porter’s Dictionary says: A hinge point game is a game that can define the trajectory of your season.

The first one started against the New York Giants, and that was something of a good start. That set up a potential frenzy at the trade deadline, which never happened–more on this later.

However, it also led directly into the next one, a huge divisional clash against the Los Angeles Rams, with a chance to take control of the division and their destiny. Unfortunately, the team didn’t just lose, it crumbled, going down 42-26 and putting in one of their most disgraceful efforts of the year. The defense was nowhere, the offense tried gamely to patch holes in a ship now gushing out water, and the overall taste left in the mouth was bitter. That only leads to one conclusion.

Today's Hottest Take: The 49ers are Not a Playoff Contender

If Sunday convinced me of anything, it’s that this team just isn’t ready to be where it is. There’s a reasonable chance that they win their next three games against teams as poor as the Cardinals, Browns, and Panthers, but it would only solidify a false record that the likes of the Colts, Bears, and particularly Seahawks could puncture late in the season. That’d hand Seattle a likely divisional tiebreaker, too, shutting off the team’s best route to the playoffs.

To be honest, that might be for the best. This young defense and injury-plagued offense has nothing about it other than occasional grit (that seems to show up only fortnightly) to suggest it would do anything other than humiliate itself in the playoffs. This isn’t a team you can see picking up wins in January. It’s barely a team you can see winning in December.

It’s probably time to take care of oft-injured players like Brock Purdy, Brandon Aiyuk, and Ricky Pearsall, let a young defensive unit continue to gain experience, and come back and try again next year. That experience might hold them in good stead eventually, when they’re capable of competing in games that actually mean something.

What You Need To Know: John Lynch Was Right

It feels like the team’s top brass might agree with me, as the traded deadline came and went without any moves by the 49ers. To be fair, the team had already made four trades this season, didn’t really have the ammunition for more, and were entering into a sellers market, particularly when lunatics like Jerry Jones are ready to pony up their draft picks for average-to-good talent.

Perhaps most importantly, though, this team didn’t "feel" like the 2019 and 2023 Super Bowl outfits that got a shot in the arm from big name trades; this team felt a long way from paydirt. I did wonder if Lynch kept his hands in his pockets because he knew some of the wins post-Fred Warner injury were a mirage. If he did, he was right to do so, as one player wouldn’t solve this defensive unit. Whinge and whine as much as you like, you know It’s true, and throwing away future picks to patch up a team playing backups of backups wouldn’t have fixed whatever the hell has gone on with the defensive scheme in the two recent terrible losses to Houston and Los Angeles.

Before You Go: Robert Saleh Is Out Of Ideas

Perhaps the most maddening part of the collapse on Sunday was the performance of the defensive unit, who were much a joke and an embarrassment across all categories. The team can no longer stop the run, and rarely winning early downs makes their already-blunted pass rush even more non-existent.

Meanwhile, the decision to play two of the same prototype of safeties in Ji’Ayir Brown and Malik Mustapha continues to baffle, with no one offering any coverage capability. Marques Sigle is now in witness protection, whereas the likes of Jason Pinnock continue to look as though they’re going through some sort of identity crisis yet remain on the field.

Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh has to turn this around. He’s received a lot of plaudits this season for his "resurrection" of the 49ers defense, but my current view is that he’s lost his grip on things schematically and is content to hide behind those major injuries for the reason why.

Saleh needs to get his fastball back. That might just mean stopping relying on "solid veterans" (sOlID vEtErAnS) and letting the youth take their lumps, much like earlier in the season. Fans tend to be a lot more forgiving of players growing into roles and finding out how to play than they are of veterans picking up one last payday but stinking up the joint. It’s hard to be proud of this team currently, which is a great shame given some of the nice moments they’ve given us this season.

Let’s see if they can turn it around next week.