The San Francisco 49ers, winners of seven straight games and freshly minted NFC West champions, have a tiny flaw that could prove fatal down the line.
No, it’s not third-string quarterback Brock Purdy, who may have a higher ceiling than Jimmy Garoppolo thanks to his mobility and better-than-anticipated downfield throwing ability. It’s not the interior of the offensive line, where the law firm of Brendel, Banks and Burford has also outperformed expectations. It’s certainly not anywhere on the team’s beautifully violent defense.
Rather, I’d posit that the flaw resides on special teams.