The 49ers' late-game collapse was not the result of just one thing in particular.
Multiple factors played into San Francisco's 20-17 NFC Championship Game loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday at SoFi Stadium.
After jumping out to a 17-7 lead through the first three quarters of the game, the 49ers' offense failed to score in the fourth, hardly getting the ball to any of their playmakers on offense.
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SIGN UP HERE With 10:01 remaining in the game, San Francisco faced a fourth-and-2 from the Rams' 45-yard line while leading 17-14. Coach Kyle Shanahan kept his offense out on the field, only in an attempt to draw the Los Angeles defense offsides.
The Rams did not take the bait and the 49ers punted, much to the chagrin of many who believed that Shanahan should have gone for it. The conservative strategy might have played a role in San Francisco's demise on Sunday.
When asked about the decision to punt after the game, Shanahan stuck by his decision.
"We just didn't want to," Shanahan told reporters after the game. "We were up three points and didn't think it was the right decision."
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Of course, Shanahan's decisions on fourth down were not the sole reason for the 49ers' season coming to an end in such a heartbreaking way.
If they had converted on fourth-and-2, there's certainly a chance that San Francisco would have marched further into scoring position, potentially adding to their score and building a lead that could have resulted in their second Super Bowl appearance in three seasons.