All the optimism the San Francisco 49ers had coming into the

SANTA CLARA Solomon Thomas Color Rush Jersey , Calif. (AP) — season crumpled less than a month into the campaign when quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo blew out his knee.Talk of a playoff run and a return to the upper echelon of the NFC was put on hold for yet another year as the 49ers were headed to a fourth straight losing season instead.Despite the injuries to Garoppolo and projected starting running back Jerick McKinnon, coach Kyle Shanahan said he believed the Niners should have done better than finish 4-12, a drop of two wins from his first season in San Francisco. "I look at this year and we went through some tough things this year," Shanahan said. "I look back on it and with the stuff we went through, are you going to have a great record? You have a chance to. But, odds are it's going to be tough. We only won four games. I'm not happy with that despite what's happened. I believe specifically going through the games and everything, I think we should have won seven. So, I'm down about that."The 49ers hope the experience the young players got, plus the expected returns of Garoppolo and McKinnon next season, will be enough for the franchise to end a stretch of losing that began when Jim Harbaugh was forced out as coach following the 2014 season. San Francisco has lost 47 games since Harbaugh left, tied for the worst four-year stretch in franchise history.The one possible bright spot is that run of ineptitude from 1977-80 led to a Super Bowl title the following season. Whether the Niners have enough pieces in place even to be a playoff team next year remains in question."It's hard to say," cornerback Richard Sherman said. "It's hard to tell without your guys out there. Without Jimmy G, you got your franchise quarterback you lose, what, three games into the season. You lose the running back you just paid, no games into the season. Your starting receivers get banged-up. You lose a safety a game almost every game all the way up until the 10th, 11th game. I think it will be tough to know how good we'll be until we have a consistent unit out there and show some continuity."As much as the season-ending knee injuries to Garoppolo and McKinnon in September set San Francisco back, there were plenty of other issues on the team that need to be fixed if the Niners are to have any success in 2019.The defense set an NFL record for futility with just seven takeaways, including a record-low two interceptions. The defensive members of the 2017 draft class expected to be building blocks provided little impact, with first-round lineman Solomon Thomas getting only one sack, first-round linebacker Reuben Foster getting released after another arrest, and third-round cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon struggling.Those problems overshadowed the few highlights: a blowout win in the final Battle of the Bay against the Raiders; a home win against Seattle in December that snapped a 10-game losing streak to the Seahawks."We're not going to sit here and say anything too positive about this season," said left tackle Joe Staley, one of the only remaining ties to the winning teams under Harbaugh from 2011-13. "It's kind of been a downer for everybody. But the thing I am proud of is we've been out of it for a little bit, but we keep fighting every single week and the guys still show up. … I'm proud of the effort of the guys. But at the end of the day, it's not an effort business. It's a results business."The 49ers will need to get results in 2019 in the third year under Shanahan and general manager John Lynch.The duo has provided strong leadership and Shanahan has proven to be a top play caller, as evidenced by the success he had late in the season with undrafted free agent Nick Mullens at quarterback.The hope is the offense will be even more dynamic with a full season of Garoppolo at quarterback, the speedy McKinnon at running back after missing the entire season with a knee injury, and big-play tight end George Kittle, who set a record at the position with 1,377 yards receiving for the season.But questions remain about Garoppolo, who was given a $137.5 million, five-year contract last offseason after leading the Niners to a 5-0 record as starter at the end of 2017.Garoppolo wasn't nearly as efficient in his two-plus games this season before the injury. He threw three interceptions in an opening loss at Minnesota, took six sacks the following week in a win against Detroit, then fell behind 35-7 the following week at Kansas City before eventually going down with the torn knee ligament.But the Niners are counting on Garoppolo to be a difference maker in 2019."We put more pressure on ourselves than anyone," Garoppolo said. "All that's just hearsay and stuff. We went through a whole offseason of that last year, so we're prepared for that. We just have to keep getting better as a team, coming together, getting together in the offseason and working. That will help us going forward." The Jacksonville Jaguars are without running back Leonard Fournette for the fourth time in two seasons.They went 3-0 without him in 2017.Fournette is inactive a week after straining his right hamstring in the opener against the New York Giants. Fournette tested his hamstring before Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots, but the Jaguars opted to be cautious with him in Week 2.The Detroit Lions will be without star pass rusher Ezekiel Ansah against the San Francisco 49ers. Ansah is inactive with a shoulder injury.Inactives for Sunday’s games:INDIANAPOLIS-WASHINGTONColts: T Anthony Castonzo, OL Denzelle Good, DL Denico Autry, CB Chris Milton, RB Christine Michael, DE Tarell Basham, CB Lenzy Pipkins.Redskins: WR Maurice Harris, S Troy Apke, RB Samaje Perine, OL Geron Christian, OL Casey Dunn, DL Caleb Brantley, CB Adonis Alexander.CAROLINA-ATLANTAPanthers: WR Curtis Samuel, WR Damiere Byrd, LB Andre Smith, G Trai Turner, TE Greg Olsen, DE Bryan Cox Jr., DE Efe Obada.Falcons: CB Isaiah Oliver, RB Devonta Freeman, DE Steven Means, G Ben Garland, T Matt Gono, WR Russell Gage, DL Justin Zimmer.KANSAS CITY-PITTSBURGHChiefs: S Eric Berry, RB Darrel Williams https://www.49ersfanshop.com/Mike-Mcglinchey-Jersey , CB Charvarius Ward, LB Ben Niemann, OL Austin Reiter, OL Kahlil McKenzie, DL Justin Hamilton.Steelers: QB Mason Rudolph, WR Justin Hunter, CB Joe Haden, S Brian Allen, OG David DeCastro, T Zach Banner, DE Tyson Alualu.HOUSTON-TENNESSEETexans: DE/LB Jadeveon Clowney, WR Keke Coutee, WR Sammie Coates Jr., CB Kayvon Webster, T Roderick Johnson, DE Carlos Watkins, DE Christian Covington.Titans: WR Cameron Batson, S Kendrick Lewis, LB Aaron Wallace, T Dennis Kelly, T Taylor Lewan, T Jack Conklin, DE Matt Dickerson.LOS ANGELES CHARGERS-BUFFALOChargers: WR Travis Benjamin, DE Joey Bosa, LB Emmanuel Ellerbee, C Cole Toner, T Joe Barksdale, G Forrest Lamp, DT T.Y. McGill.Bills: DE Shaw Lawson, WR Ray-Ray McCloud, CB Taron Johnson, G Ike Boettger, G Wyatt Teller, T Conor McDermott, TE Khari Lee.MINNESOTA-GREEN BAYVikings: QB Kyle Sloter, RB Roc Thomas, RB Mike Boone, C Pat Elflein, G Bryan Weitzmann, DE Tashawn Bower, DT Jalyn Holmes.Packers: WR Equanimieous St. Brown, S Josh Jones, S Raven Greene, CB Deante Burton, LB Oren Burks, OL Alex Light, WR J’Mon Moore.MIAMI-NEW YORK JETSDolphins: WR DeVante Parker, QB Luke Falk, QB David Fales, CB Cordrea Tankersley, RB Kalen Ballage, T Zach Sterup.Jets: S Marcus Maye, CB Derrick Jones, CB Juston Burris, G Dakota Dozier, TE Jordan Leggett, DL Foley Fatukasi, LB Josh Martin.PHILADELPHIA-TAMPA BAYEagles: QB Carson Wentz, WR Alshon Jeffery, RB Darren Sproles, G Chance Warmack, T Jordan Mailata; G/T Matt Pryor, DE Josh Sweat.Buccaneers: WR Justin Watson, CB Brent Grimes, RB Ronald Jones II Jimmie Ward Jersey , DT Vita Vea, DE Noah Spence, OL Alex Cappa, OL Mike Liedtke.CLEVELAND-NEW ORLEANSBrowns: WR Josh Gordon, LB Christian Kirksey, TE Seth DeValve, DT Emmanuel Ogban, DL Ifeadi Odenigbo, DT Devaroe Lawrence, QB Drew Stanton.Saints: WR Cameron Meredith, CB Arthur Maulet, OL Cameron Tom, OL Will Clapp, TE Dan Arnold, DE Trey Hendrickson, DT Tyeler Davison.NEW ENGLAND-JACKSONVILLEPatriots: DB J.C. Jackson, CB Keion Crossen, OL Brian Schwenke, DE Derek Rivers, OL Marcus Cannon, WR Corey Coleman, RB Kenjon Barner.Jaguars: RB Leonard Fournette, LB Leon Jacobs, DT Eli Ankou, OL Chris Reed, OL Josh Walker, OL Will Richardson, DE Dawuane Smoot.DETROIT-SAN FRANCISCOLions: WR Brandon Powell, RB Ameer Abdullah, OL Jamil Demby, G T.J. Lang, OL Andrew Donnal, TE Hakeem Valles.49ers: WR Marquise Goodwin, LB Malcolm Smith, OL Erik Magnusson, OL Matt Tobin, G Joshua Garnett, DT Jullian Taylor, T Shon Coleman.OAKLAND-DENVERRaiders: DE Fadol Brown, T T.J. Clemmings, DT P.J. Hall, WR Dwayne Harris, T Justin Murray, CB Nick Nelson, RB DeAndre Washington.Broncos: QB Kevin Hogan, LB Alexander Johnson, G Sam Jones, S Shamarko Thomas, DE DeMarcus Walker, T Elijah Wilkinson, CB Isaac Yiadom.ARIZONA-LOS ANGELES RAMSCardinals: QB Mike Glennon, WR Tent Sherfield, DE Markus Golden, T Andre Smith, DT Olsen Pierre, OL Korey Cunningham, TE Jermaine Gresham.Rams: WR Brandon Allen, LB Mark Barron, RB John Kelly, LB Trevon Young, DT Sebastian Joseph-Day, WR Michael Thomas, DT Tanzel Smart.