For the first time since Jim Harbaugh became their head coach in 2011, the San Francisco 49ers played a meaningless December game in which they had no shot at the playoffs. Eliminated by virtue of their loss to the Seattle Seahawks last Sunday, Harbaugh’s team started off strong at home against the San Diego Chargers on Saturday night, playing as if it had nothing to lose, racking up 355 total rushing yards and reverting to the power ground game that had defined it over the last four seasons. The 49ers had a 28-7 halftime lead, and looked for all the world as if they, and not the San Diego Chargers, still had a postseason chance to fight for.
