It can get chaotic in a blink of an eye… Especially if the franchise can’t seem to find a W. It seems worse when a franchise like the 49ers is taking the hit. Yes, folks, we have set the bar so high for them that this season’s 6-7 is looking like a mess. Maybe it is. But even if it is not… Deebo Samuel subtly blamed it on the offense for not helping him improve his individual numbers. That’s not on us, the fans, at all. “Not struggling at all just not getting the ball!!!!!!! 🤷🏾‍♂️,” he posted on X in reply to the post that said otherwise. He is struggling. That’s not us saying it but the community notes.

Yikes! Enter Community Notes: “He leads the team in drops. He is struggling.” You can bet that Deebo isn’t a fan of Elon Musk’s “fact-check everything” era because that note was spot-on. His production has dropped like, well, his passes. Over the last four games, Samuel has just 85 receiving yards. As a runner? It’s even bleaker—32 carries for 92 yards and a single touchdown all season. Compare that to last year’s numbers, and you start to see why defenses are catching on to his game.

His frustration is real, though. With only 97 scrimmage yards on 17 touches across four games, his rookie-year lows are coming back to haunt him. This is the first time since 2019 that Deebo has failed to hit 50 scrimmage yards in four straight games. For someone like him, that’s uncharted territory.

But it also sums up the Niners in a nutshell this season. They are clueless. Because of this, the faithful is clueless: How have gotten here?! And everyone’s asking the same question. After going toe-to-toe against the Chiefs in SBLVIII, they were the favorites to challenge KC again this season. But, so far: it has been FAR FROM IT.

Still, Deebo insists it’s not about throwing shade. “Just cause I voice my opinions doesn’t mean I’m hating on any of my teammates!!” he clarified on social media. Okay, Deebo, but if it’s not Brock Purdy or the O-line holding you back, then what’s the deal? And San Fran can’t afford the team losing chemistry. Oh, no! That’d be the last thing Coach Shanahan would want to handle. I mean, pointing fingers has never aged well. We won’t even take you down memory lane, this season has provided us with perfect examples so far.

The Patriots as an organization has looked like a breaking dynasty under Jerod Mayo. As for Mayo? He has been in the thick of it, shrugging off the responsibilities. That’s not the Foxborough style. Never has been. So, the result? They are out of the playoff race! Similarly, the Jets… Aaron Rodgers’ infamous line: “There’s 11 guys on the field. Sometimes it’s my fault.” Result? The Gang Green’s apple has fallen with a 3-10 losing record.

But the 49ers are hanging there… The good thing is Kyle Shanahan is a smart guy. All this chaos that unfolded? He handled the situation with maturity, brushing off the drama as locker-room chatter.

Don’t write Deebo Samuel, just yet…

Kyle Shanahan had to step in on Tuesday to put some context around Deebo Samuel’s frustrations. “Deebo wants to help us out, and the only way he helps us out is getting the ball more,” Shanahan said. Fair point, right? He even added that he and Samuel talk daily. Their discussions are from everything related to the strategies to how to get him more involved. Still, Shanahan wasn’t thrilled about Samuel going public, calling it “water under the bridge” within the team but advising, “Don’t let the outside frustrate you.” A coach playing mediator? Sounds like a Tuesday in the NFL.

But let’s not pretend there isn’t some truth to Deebo’s dip in opportunities. He’s averaging six touches per game this year, a notable drop from his 2021 peak of 8.5 touches. And it’s not just fewer chances—it’s less production. His 53.8 scrimmage yards per game is tracking as the lowest of his career. Add in just two touchdowns, and yeah, it’s not the Deebo we’re used to. The numbers after contact don’t lie either—1.28 yards per rush this season compared to 2.07 last year. Teams aren’t biting on the “Deebo in the backfield” trick play anymore, and it’s showing. Instead, they are enjoying him there.

And if, for one, you think there’s an exaggeration to that, the following numbers rest the case perfectly well.

It’s clear that his overall production, including yards and touches, has decreased compared to 2023. But despite the struggles, teammates like George Kittle and Brock Purdy aren’t losing faith because they know he’s built differently. Kittle insists Deebo is “very close” to a breakout game, pointing out that defenses have simply adjusted. Purdy, meanwhile, has nothing but love for his receiver.

“I want to get Deebo the ball every play if I could.” Now that’s a QB backing his guy. But let’s face it—the 49ers’ injury-riddled offense has leaned hard on Deebo in the past, and they’ll need him again as they push for the playoffs.

Deebo himself put it best: “When it comes, it comes.” And with the Rams on deck, a team he’s torched for 88.2 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns in nine career games, maybe it’s time. A red-hot Deebo is a beast no one wants to face. Those numbers reflective of that. It’s in there somewhere…time for him to unleash it.