49ers get george kittle kittle vs. RAMS during the Time Drive

It’s not like tight end George Kittle has been in action since returning more than a month ago from a hamstring strain.

He has been as organized as ever, cracking down on his co-workers while at the same time encouraging them to do great things. It didn’t hurt two quick running plays against Atlanta and New York’s new torch came with key blocks and set the visual tone.

But tight end and quarterback Mac Jones were never given the same Good-Day Pass connection as Brock Purdy. That changed in a big way Sunday in a 42-26 loss to the Los Angeles Rams at Levi’s Stadium.

When he goes back, he knows where his bread is. It starts with Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle. Jones knows all about getting McCaffrey the ball and now he and Kittle are on the same wavelength in the passing game.

Kittle was caught passing 84 yards and hit on a 13-year-old yard from Jones where he stayed out of bounds, crossing the line before his knees hit the ground.

“My senior year (at Iowa), I was playing the same way by the beach,” Kittle said. “My back foot hit out of bounds as I was going into the end zone, and they called me out of bounds at the 1-inch line. I was actually thinking that when I was fouled. ‘ which is a wild flashback from nine years ago.”

The points were rewritten to get the final score, no one was happy with it. But getting the kittle back on offense is a big deal and will go a long way toward finding the postseason in their future. They are third behind the Rams and Seattle in the NFC West at 6-4, but look at the next four games.

They traveled to Arizona (3-6), were beaten on Sunday by Seattle, tied with the Rams and two teams heading into next Sunday with injured cards. Then it came back to Levi’s against Carolina (5-5), which was better than expected but it also put its toes at home against a very bad New Orleans team.

After that, the 49ers went to Cleveland (2-8), lost to New York, of all teams. Finally there is a week 14 bye, then you come home to play Tennessee, which had a bye week and is 1-8.

Not exactly an execution line. And while nothing is certain, you can make a strong case for the 49ers to be 10-4 before the final four games of the season: at Indianapolis (8-2), at home against Seattle (7-2) to close out the season.

Even if they lost all three, the 49ers would at least be on the verge of a Playoff berth, something that looked hopeless when Nick Bosa and Fred Warner lost time. But 11 wins looks possible despite the heavy losses.

Bosa and Warner were there in the locker room cheering on their teammates, but they can’t take that physicality and leadership to a field like the Kittle Can. And when Kittle is a regular part of the passing game, it changes the 49ers’ personality and outlook.

“He brings energy and life to the offense and he’s strong,” Kyle juszczzzzyk told juszczzzzyk, The Lokwencation, he brings energy and power. “There aren’t many tight ends that can make Premiers like us today, where they’re subservient to the sideline, and get a touch of the run game.”

All the power in the world couldn’t overcome the 49ers who lost two turnovers by Jauan Jennings and a fourth down by Jones. And committing seven penalties for 45 yards on the Rams.

No one is arguing against the Rams having a better roster. They’re a legitimate Super Bowl contender and they showed it against the 49ers, who were seriously challenged.

The 49ers’ offense has been challenged to be something close to perfect. That didn’t happen Sunday, but the Kittles believe things will get better, and they’ll get a little boost health-wise when Ricky Peasall Jr., Purdy and possibly Brandon Aiyuk join the team when healthy.

“I absolutely believe we can score points, and I really believe our defense is going to get better every week,” Kittle said. “I truly believe that.”

Jones was 9-for-9 against targets, with just eight receptions for 68 yards and a touchdown in three games since returning as a reserve. His last nine catches came against Cincinnati in 2023, and his last against Cincinnati in 2021 – 13 catches for 151 yards.

Jones did not confirm that Kittle received contact until he said he had.

“He made a good play, made a quick catch and got inside,” Jones said. “And he had a lot of good catches in the game covering a lot when they put him and stuff so he did a good job.”

But 20 points, kittles warned, is not enough. And it is clear that without the penalties and turovers, it would have been a game like the 26-23 time to win at Sofi Stadium that Oct. 2. The RAMS post the strongest offense the 49ers will see throughout the regular season.