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49ers fall to the Falcons and remain winless
By Morris Phillips October 3, 2010 |
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The 49ers just need to win a game. Lucky for them, it appears as if the NFC West might wait for that to happen. Embarrassing performances have alternated with encouraging ones for the 49ers after a last second loss to the Falcons, 16-14. At 0-4, the 49ers aren’t done, mostly because somebody from the NFC West has to make the playoffs. But part of the reason the 49ers are clinging to life are the two, encouraging outings. This was one of them. In fact, this one came down to the end of one play. Nate Clements’ game-winning interception of Atlanta’s Matt Ryan and return should have sealed this one with a minute to go. But Clements was intent on scoring a touchdown, and not on securing the ball, leaving the opportunity for the Falcons’ Roddy White to strip Clements and give Atlanta one more chance. “I’m sure he thought he was going to score, and that’s all there is to it. I think Roddy White made a great play coming up behind him and knocking the ball out. All the blocking was in front of (Clements), and it’s that guy behind you that you can’t see,” coach Mike Singletary said of the pivotal play. As a result, the 49ers 14-0 lead, built in the first 11 minutes of the game, was wasted. The offense never responded to Atlanta’s recovery, going the final three quarters scoreless. The flat offense left the door open for the Falcons to move from their own 7-yard line, the point of the fumble recovery, to the 49ers 25-yard line, 68 yards, in 12 plays over the final 82 seconds. At that point, Matt Bryant kicked the game winner, a 43-yarder that moved Atlanta to 3-1 on the season. Singletary praised the preparation and game management of new offensive coordinator Mike Johnson afterwards. And while the first 10 plays of Johnson’s tenure produced Vernon Davis’ effort-fueled touchdown reception, the final 46 plays produced nothing. And the cruel truth is that just three points would have been sufficient on this day. If a scapegoat exists, it would have to be Alex Smith, who threw two picks, both at short range, and failed to complete passes downfield, especially glaring on the couple of opportunities where he had open receivers. Smith completed 21 of 32 passes for 188 yards, but he averaged just 5.9 yards per attempt. And although he passed for 10 first downs, the 49ers offense spent more time on the sideline, than on the field, as the Falcons ran 19 more plays than the 49ers and that factored heavily into the doings of the final minutes, when the staunch 49ers defense appeared spent. The defense was considerably better this week than last when the Chiefs shredded the 49ers running and passing, and for that matter, the defense was clearly better than it was last year in a 45-10 loss to the Falcons at Candlestick that prompted numerous personnel changes. This time, the defense succeeded in pressuring Ryan, and picked off two passes. When the Falcons attempted to run, the 49ers held their ground as well, allowing Atlanta just 98 yards rushing. But 102 of Atlanta’s 357 total yards came on the final drive, which has 18 plays surrounding Clements’ interception and fumble. Taylor Mays was the surprise starter at safety, replacing Michael Lewis, who left the team earlier this week. Mays had a mixed impact, recovering a blocked punt for his first NFL touchdown, but also providing Ryan an obvious target when he matched up against tight end Tony Gonzalez, in a mismatch of experience that produced a key first down for the Falcons in the final minutes. Michael Crabtree played a bigger role with five catches for 58 yards, but no 49ers’ completion went for more than 20 yards all day. If Smith and his receivers can’t make a greater impact with the vertical pass game, the 49ers will likely experience more long afternoons. Luckily, the competition hasn’t run away. The NFC West is currently populated with 2-2 teams and the winless 49ers. Statistically, the 49ers compare to the other three, but they do rank last in points scored, and that’s where San Francisco must make its greatest strides to get back in the race. The 49ers return home on Sunday night to face the Eagles, likely without Michael Vick, who was injured on Sunday in a loss to the Redskins. |
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