SANTA CLARA — Preseason games are supposed to be perfunctory, forgettable affairs. They’re dress rehearsals — glorified practices — where the score doesn’t matter.
The main goal of these contests is to execute the boiled down gameplan effectively and get out without any injuries.
The 49ers did neither on Thursday.
Yes, there were some positive moments from rookies Richie James and Jullian Taylor, and yes, Reuben Foster and DeForest Buckner both had big defensive plays in the first quarter, but all-in-all, the 24-21 win over Dallas was a no-good, very bad day that highlighted the 49ers’ biggest issue going into the 2018 season: a lack of depth.