SANTA CLARA -- It doesn't take an analytics whiz to figure out why the anticipated 49ers-Ravens Christmas night showdown turned into a Baltimore beatdown.
The 49ers entered the Week 16 game with an NFL-best plus-13 turnover differential, but on Monday night, they lost the battle 5-0. Therefore, there is little mystery behind why the Ravens won 33-19 at Levi's Stadium.
"I think when you turn the ball over five times, that's usually what happens," 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said Tuesday in a conference call with reporters. "You can't have five turnovers and get none. You can't have over 100 yards in penalties [the 49ers had 10 penalties for 102 yards]."
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San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy threw a career-worst four interceptions. Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton picked off a Purdy pass in the end zone on the 49ers' first drive of the game, and the QB's next three picks -- each coming on re-directed pass attempts -- were immediately cashed in for 17 Baltimore points.
Each of Purdy's turnovers were different, featuring a combination of bad decisions and bad luck.
Simple story, right?
"It was just a loss," Shanahan said, declining to assign a deeper meaning to the defeat, which dropped the 49ers' record to 11-4 on the season. "You play a good team and you have five turnovers and you have all those penalties, it makes it tough to win."
San Francisco 49ers
The Ravens blew the game open with a 17-point third quarter after holding a 16-12 lead at halftime. In addition to the giveaways, the 49ers gift-wrapped another touchdown for the Ravens when punter Mitch Wishnowsky was penalized 15 yards for a late hit out of bounds at the end of a 23-yard punt return early in the third quarter.
"When you play a little sloppy with those turnovers and penalties and you're going against a good team, it makes it tough to win," Shanahan said.
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