The 49ers aren’t among the most penalized teams in the NFL this season. In fact, with 77 penalties in 12 games they rank 10th among the least-penalized teams. But that number is a bit deceiving.
As the season has progressed and the Niners have fallen into oblivion – they’ve lost 11 straight after a season-opening victory – the team’s play has become sloppier under first-year head coach Chip Kelly.
Through the first seven games of the season, the 49ers never committed more than six penalties in a game and were the least-penalized team in the league. Over their past five games, however, San Francisco never has committed fewer than seven.
In Sunday’s loss to the Bears in Chicago, the 49ers were flagged 11 times for 106 yards. In their previous four games San Francisco was penalized seven times for 65 yards, 10 times for 69 yards, nine times for 100 yards and nine times for 78 yards.
For a team with so many deficiencies on offense, defense and special teams, the 49ers can’t afford to make those type of mistakes.
Against the Bears, the 49ers blew a chance to score a touchdown early in the game when they received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for excessive celebration that pushed them back 15 yards and forced them to settle for a field goal.
Kelly said after the game he understood the enthusiasm but said his team must be smarter.
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“We go over all of this and (that is) not a disciplined play by us and we will re-emphasize what we have to do in terms of discipline and poise,” Kelly told reporters. “Play with emotion and not let emotion play us. I like when guys have emotion, but not when it jeopardizes us.”
As Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com pointed out, the 49ers also had a holding penalty that wiped out a big gain and a pass interference penalty that set up a Bears touchdown.
As the 49ers prepare for Sunday’s game against the New York Jets, Kelly said his coaching staff would “really emphasize” the need for playing smarter, penalty-free football.
Kickoff for Sunday’s game at Levi’s Stadium is set for 1:05 p.m.
