Sunday was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day for the 49ers.
First, San Francisco built a 14-0 lead over the visiting Dallas Cowboys only to stumble and lose 24-17. That drops the 49ers to 1-3, with three consecutive losses.
Plus, the 49ers await word Monday on the seriousness of injuries to inside linebacker NaVorro Bowman and defensive lineman DeForest Buckner. It’s possible that Bowman could be lost for the year, which would be an enormous blow. Both Bowman and Buckner had to be carted off the field Sunday.
It was hard to find any positives from another disappointing Sunday. One of the few was rookie cornerback Rashard Robinson, who played very well in his first NFL start.
With starting corner Jimmie Ward out with a quadriceps injury, Robinson, a fourth-round pick this spring from LSU, earned the start by outperforming Keith Reaser in practice in the week leading up to the Cowboys matchup.
Robinson shined. He was in on five tackles and was strong in coverage, batting away three passes. He prevented one touchdown by knocking away a pass in the end zone intended for receiver Brice Butler.
Said Niners head coach Chip Kelly: “He just had a really good week of practice. We felt like he deserved the opportunity. I thought he stepped up and did some really nice things today.”
Sports
Sam Monson of the analytics website Pro Football Focus put Robinson on his list of the top 10 NFL players from Week 4, based on their PFF grades.
“This was an accomplished performance from the rookie corner, who allowed just three catches for 20 yards on six targets, breaking up the three passes that fell incomplete,” wrote Monson. “Robinson has impressive physical tools and, based on this performance, it appears he could be a real find for the 49ers.”
The 49ers now must regroup and prepare for the Arizona Cardinals, who come into Levi’s Stadium for a Thursday night game. Kickoff is set for 5:25 p.m.
