Deebo Samuel has been clamoring for more targets in the San Francisco 49ers' sputtering offense in recent weeks. He had his chance on an open slant in the middle of the third quarter of Thursday night's loss to the Los Angeles Rams, but instead had one of the worst drops of his NFL career.
On a third-and-10 from the Rams' 31-yard line, Purdy found Samuel in stride for a sure first down and potential touchdown, with plenty of open field in front of him, but the standout wide receiver couldn't haul in the pass, bobbling it until it hit the turf.
In a game where points came at a premium, a touchdown would've put the 49ers up 9–3 ahead of an extra point opportunity. The team would settle for one more field goal, ultimately falling 12–6 in a game where all points were scored on kicks.
Teammate George Kittle tried to keep Samuel's spirits up after the loss, but the former All-Pro believes the drop ultimately cost his team the game.
"George is George," Samuel said, per NFL.com. "He said, 'I've seen you make that play a million times. Don't let it eat you up.' But I feel like [if] I make that play, we win the game."
Kittle and coach Kyle Shanahan both spoke about the impact of the drop after the game, but clearly Samuel is taking it as hard as anyone.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Deebo Samuel Had Brutally Honest Reaction to Horrible Drop vs. Rams.
