The 49ers moved within field goal range in the final minute of their 19-17 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, hoping for a decisive moment for rookie kicker Jake Moody.
Running back Jordan Mason rushed three yards to the Cleveland 23-yard line with 45 seconds left. Coach Kyle Shanahan decided to run down the clock, and there were 10 seconds left when quarterback Brock Purdy launched the football into the natural turf of Cleveland Browns Stadium.
On third down and one 49ers timeout remaining, Moody missed a potentially game-winning 41-yard field goal attempt. From then on, the Browns took the lead and completed the victory.
After the game, San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan commented on the decision to milk the clock and kick the field goal on third down rather than fight for more yards with a timeout.
“We wanted to go [the clock] in case there was a bad snap or something, so we can improve it and play again,” Shanahan told reporters in Cleveland. “That’s exactly what we felt.”
Moody missed two shots Sunday – the 41-yard potential game-winner and a 54-yard attempt in the first quarter. The third-round draft pick was a perfect 9-of-9 on field goals and 20-of-20 on extra points before Week 6.
A kick through the uprights would have turned the result from a loss to a win, but Shanahan doesn’t put all the blame on his 23-year-old kicker, who is still building confidence in the NFL.
“It’s always hard to miss the last shot, but that’s what happens in football,” Shanahan said. “They played better than us today. That was the last game, but today was much more than just that.”
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