"How on earth did the 49ers win that game? How on earth does a team that can't consistently run the ball or pressure the passer, featuring guys off the street in the starting lineup because their roster is held together by athletic tape and sheer stubbornness, beat the Rams, arguably the best (and the least injured) team in the NFL, 26-23 in overtime on Thursday?"
"The answer isn't complicated. It's a word that makes the spreadsheet jockeys of the NFL wince, but it matters more than cap space and draft capital: Culture. Kyle Shanahan's Niners have it in buckets. It's going to take them to the playoffs they can play sub-.500 football the rest of the way and make it thanks to this incredible, improbable start and if this team ever gets healthy (OK, healthier), perhaps even more."
"And to think that this was supposed to be a bridge year for San Francisco, whose front office has been focused on building for 2026 since before 2025 started. They're building something, all right: a winning machine. What else do you call a team that, even with their roster torn down to the studs backup quarterback, third-string pass-catchers, a defense that lost its superstar pass rusher is still able to win, on a short week, on the road (you can't call it a home game)"
The 49ers won 26-23 in overtime against the Rams despite lacking a consistent running game and pass rush. The roster featured street-signed starters and wide injuries, yet the team holds a 4-1 record and 3-0 NFC West start. Culture and leadership under Kyle Shanahan and Robert Saleh sustain resilience and late-game toughness. The front office planned a bridge year while building toward 2026, but current performance suggests a winning machine. If health improves, playoff qualification seems likely even with sub-.500 play the rest of the season. The team repeatedly scrapped and clawed through adversity on short weeks and hostile environments.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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