Kyle Shanahan Aug 18, 2018; Houston, TX, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan reacts during the fourth quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

This Weekend in NFL Stupid highlights the dumbest moments and decisions in football throughout the season. Coming out of Week 3, we’re focusing on two stupidly conservative decisions from the San Francisco 49ers in Kansas City.

The stupidest of the stupid

Down 35-7 late in the first half against the hottest offense in the NFL, the 49ers shied away from taking a shot at the end zone and kicked a field goal.

They had time to spare inside the San Francisco 25-yard line when they became conservative. They weren’t likely coming back anyway, but what’s the point in settling for three points when you’re trailing Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs?

Down 38-24 with just over five minutes left in the fourth quarter, the 49ers shied away from taking a shot on fourth down and kicked a field goal.

Come on, Kyle Shanahan. Again, I know it was a long shot on 4th-and-goal from 17 yards out, but you don’t get much out of three points there. Have to assume you’re only getting the ball back one more time and do everything you can to make it a one-score game. San Francisco had just scored but the touchdown was nullified by offensive pass interference. Shanahan should’ve had quarterback C.J. Beathard air it out and hope for a catch or a defensive penalty on Kansas City.

Lightning round

This was a 15-yard penalty Thursday night…

The NFL is doing so much to protect quarterbacks, but these guys have to do a better job protecting them from themselves…

Here we go again

And again…

Final stupid word

Ya’ll see what Baker Mayfield did? Ya’ll wonder if the Cleveland Browns might have won in Week 1 or Week 2 had Mayfield been the starting quarterback? Hue Jackson and the Browns’ decision-makers get a special shoutout here for stubbornly sticking with Tyrod Taylor for two and a half weeks, even though it was plainly obvious at the conclusion of the preseason that the more capable No. 1 overall pick gave them a better chance to win.

Jackson made the same mistake Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien made with Deshaun Watson last year.

Stupid.

About Brad Gagnon

Brad Gagnon has been passionate about both sports and mass media since he was in diapers -- a passion that won't die until he's in them again. Based in Toronto, he's worked as a national NFL blog editor at theScore.com, a producer and writer at theScore Television Network and a host, reporter and play-by-play voice at Rogers TV. His work has also appeared at CBSSports.com, Deadspin, FoxSports.com, The Guardian, The Hockey News and elsewhere at Comeback Media, but his day gig has him covering the NFL nationally for Bleacher Report.