Banged-up 49ers limp into their bye week after a 29-20 loss to the Falcons

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — For most of the first half, it looked as if the banged-up San Francisco 49ers were poised to head into their bye week with seven straight wins and an undefeated record.

Then the impact of the absences of key players mounted, they couldn't hold onto the ball and then gave a game away to the Atlanta Falcons in a 29-20 loss Sunday that will sting for the next week for everyone from coach Kyle Shanahan on down.

“I think it’s going to sour everybody’s week, Kyle’s week,” tight end George Kittle said. “He’s probably just angry at the world. But like everybody else. I’m not going to be incredibly happy the entire time. But I think that’s good.”

Despite missing almost all of their top receivers, the 49ers (6-1) scored touchdowns on two of their first three drives to take a 14-3 lead. That's when the game turned with Christian McCaffrey hobbled by a strained hamstring.

Kaelon Black lost a fumble with San Francisco driving for another score, Brock Purdy threw two interceptions in the second half and Kittle lost a fumble late that sealed the first loss of the season for the Niners.

San Francisco had the ball inside the Falcons 30 on five of its final six drives and scored on just one of them, also getting stopped on one fourth down.

“I think our guys know the mistakes we made,” Shanahan said. “Anytime you have four turnovers to zero, it’s really hard to win in this league.”

In all, it's been a successful start to the season for the 49ers, despite injuries to several key players. They won the opener in Australia against the Los Angeles Rams and a Week 5 road game against defending champion Seattle to head into the bye week in first place in the NFC West.

They hope to get several key players back when they return next week or soon after, including receivers Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel and Demarcus Robinson, and defensive end Nick Bosa.

But they know there's more work to do in the second half of the season.

“Unfortunately, we’re not going undefeated this year. That’s how I look at it,” linebacker Fred Warner said. “It’s not just about winning. We have to continue to get better as a team. I feel like today we didn’t get better; we took a step back. That doesn’t mean that we can’t use this vibe the right way, get healthy, get our mind right for what we have ahead of us and be better going forward. I’m excited about the challenge.”

Stopping explosive runs. San Francisco has been the stingiest defense when it comes to preventing long runs and that held up against Bijan Robinson on Sunday. Robinson's longest run was 12 yards as the Niners did a good job bottling him up. The Niners have allowed a league-low five runs of at least 10 yards this season.

Special teams. Kicker Eddy Pineiro missed his fourth extra point of the season to go along with his three missed field goals for a league-worst seven missed kicks. The kick coverage also struggled, allowing returns of 61 and 38 yards to set up two scores for Atlanta.

Black as a runner. Despite the lost fumble, Black showed good flashes in the game as the backup to McCaffrey. The rookie led the team with 63 yards rushing and scored on a 30-yard run that was the longest touchdown run for San Francisco since the 2023 season.

Pass rush. After having their first back-to-back games with at least four sacks, the Niners struggled to get pressure on Michael Penix. They had no sacks and just three pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. San Francisco is hoping to get a boost if Bosa can return after the bye. He has missed the past five games with a calf injury.

Shanahan said he was optimistic that McCaffrey could play when the Niners return from the bye. ... DB Upton Stout (shoulder) was active but didn't play Sunday but should be ready after the bye week.

49. The 49ers have trailed by at least 10 points in the fourth quarter 49 times in the regular season and playoffs under Shanahan and have lost all of them. Every other team has at least one double-digit comeback in the fourth quarter in that span. The most recent time San Francisco did it came in Week 16 of the 2016 season against the Rams with Chip Kelly as coach.

The 49ers have the week off before hosting Las Vegas on Nov. 8.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy scrambles before throwing a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons in Atlanta, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates III (3) intercepts a San Francisco 49ers' Brock Purdy pass during the second half of an NFL football game in Atlanta, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan James (29) fumbles the ball after being tackled by Atlanta Falcons' Xavier Watts, left, during the first half of an NFL football game in Atlanta, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

San Francisco 49ers' Dominick Puni (77), Luke Farrell (89) and Atlanta Falcons' Gervon Dexter Sr., center, scramble to recover a Jordan James fumble during the first half of an NFL football game in Atlanta, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, left, talks to line judge Brian Perry (97) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons in Atlanta, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Kiah Stokes had 13 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots as the Golden State Valkyries moved within one win of a championship in their second season, beating the Atlanta Dream 64-55 in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals on Monday night.

Angel Reese finished with seven points, 15 rebounds and five assists — a big difference from her two standout performances in the first two games of the series at Chase Center. Reese shook her head when whistled for the second of her three offensive fouls with 7:43 to play.

Fans screamed and clapped thunder sticks following the final buzzer as Stokes spoke from the floor to chants of “MVP!”

“We appreciate you,” a smiling Stokes said. “We got one more.”

On a night leading scorer Gabby Williams struggled to find her shooting touch, Golden State found that “strength in numbers” mantra coach Natalie Nakase has praised all season long and everybody made an impact. Veronica Burton had 13 points and eight rebounds.

On Saturday, Nakase had changed up her lineup for a 67-62 Game 4 win by inserting Tiffany Hayes and Kaila Charles into the starting five. She stayed with those two Monday night, and it worked again. Hayes, who played 10 seasons for Atlanta and came out of retirement two years ago, had 12 points — and Nakase has said she wants to win it all for the veteran guard.

Williams began 2 for 11 and missed all four of her three 3-point tries, but she converted a three-point play with 9:08 remaining put the Valkyries ahead 49-42 and finished with nine points on 3-for-14 shooting and six rebounds.

Atlanta will now try to stave off elimination at home Thursday in Game 6 and force a deciding Game 7 back here at Chase Center on Saturday. The Dream hurt themselves with 17 turnovers that led to 21 points for Golden State.

Stokes hit a key 3-pointer with 2:46 to go in the third quarter and another with 7:21 left in the game, which ignited chants of “Ki-ah! Ki-ah!” from the crazed, rally-towel waving “Ballhalla” home crowd at Chase Center.

Stokes has recorded three or more blocks in six straight games, tying her with Lisa Leslie in 2003 for the longest such streak in a single WNBA postseason.

The Valkyries used a dominant second half after they led 25-22 at the break, the lowest scoring first half combined score in WNBA Finals history.

Rhyne Howard’s three-point play with 4:59 left in the third pulled Atlanta within 34-31, but after that it was Stokes, Burton and the Valkyries coming up with all the crucial plays on both ends.

Golden State owner Joe Lacob promised a championship within five years in a bold declaration when the expansion franchise was granted to the Bay Area three years ago, yet this season has exceeded even what he could have envisioned.

Neither team could find a flow from 3-point range in the first half as the teams combined to shoot 5 for 29 from deep — 3 of 16 by Golden State and 2 for 13 by Atlanta.

Earlier Monday, the league announced Game 6 would be played at 17,000-seat State Farm Arena in Atlanta starting at 12:30 p.m. EDT on Thursday — a time when many fans on both coasts will be working.

“I’d like to see it be a national holiday for all WNBA championship games so whatever somebody can do,” Dream coach Karl Smesko said. “I hope everybody gets to see it somehow and I know that for some people it’s not realistic, they have jobs and won’t be able to make it. So I’m disappointed for that but I’m really hopeful that as many people can see the game as possible.”

See AP’s full WNBA coverage here

Golden State Valkyries guard Tiffany Hayes, middle, holds onto the ball against Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard (10) and forward Naz Hillmon during the first half of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball finals, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) reaches for the ball next to Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Williams during the first half of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball finals, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Golden State Valkyries guard Tiffany Hayes (15) drives to the basket against Atlanta Dream guard DeWanna Bonner (24) during the first half of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball finals, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) celebrates with guard Te-Hina Paopao (2) and guard Allisha Gray, right, during the first half of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball finals against the Golden State Valkyries, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Williams (1) shoots against Atlanta Dream guard Isobel Borlase (20) during the first half of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball finals, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Williams (1) hugs Golden State Valkyries guard Kaila Charles (6) after Game 4 of the WNBA basketball finals on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard (10) attempts to shoot against Golden State Valkyries center Kiah Stokes (41) in the second half during Game 4 of the WNBA basketball finals on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Williams (1) high fives fans after Game 4 of the WNBA basketball finals against the Atlanta Dream on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Streamers fall from the rafters following the Golden State Valkyries victory over the Atlanta Dream in Game 4 of the WNBA basketball finals against the Atlanta Dream, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, in Atlanta. (Dan Hernandez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)