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49ers beaten by turnovers, lose to the Titans
By Morris Phillips November 8, 2009 |
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How about Alex Smith’s arm combined with Shaun Hill’s decision-making? In a winnable game that was tied after three quarters, Smith’s three interceptions and one lost fumble stood out as the difference in a 34-27 loss, the 49ers fourth straight after a promising 3-1 start to the season. Coach Mike Singletary benched Hill, a quarterback who didn’t beat himself, in favor of Smith, who “gives the team the best chance to win.” Given the decision to change quarterbacks, can the 49ers find a way to become a consistent winner? “It comes down to finishing football games. And that is what we are not doing,” Singletary said after the game. “I’m sure there are a lot of other things you could come up with as to why we lost. Bottom line is turnovers for us.” Smith finished 29 of 45 for 286 yards with a pair of touchdown passes to Jason Hill to keep the 49ers in it. But when Smith attempted to connect with Josh Morgan with the 49ers trailing 27-20, Titans safety Vince Fuller broke the play up, sending the football up for grabs, and cornerback Courtland Finnegan made the pick and effectively finished the game with a 39-yard return for a score. Earlier, Rod Hood’s interception set up Vince Young’s 7-yard touchdown run that gave the Titans a 10-3 lead. Then in the third quarter, Smith’s hand was bumped as he attempted to throw and the fumble was recovered by Keith Bulluck. Tennessee cashed that in too, with Chris Johnson’s one-yard run tying the score at 17. And with Tennessee up 24-20, Chris Hope picked off Smith and that led to a Rob Bironas field goal that gave the Titans a seven-point lead. Throughout, Smith struggled to recognize the Titans’ complex schemes and then deliver the ball in a timely manner. Once again, a beat up offensive line failed to give Smith the time he needed. Still, Smith used his mobility and improved accuracy to deliver strikes, as evidenced by Vernon Davis’ career-high 10 catches and 102 yards in receptions. But when he turned it over, Smith threw the ball into a narrow spaces and suffered the consequences. “You have to do everything you can to minimize turnovers in a game,” center Eric Heitmann said. “Certainly when you have four, it’s too many and everybody on offense plays a role in that.” On defense, the 49ers had to deal with Vince Young running and passing, along with the NFL’s leading rusher Chris Johnson. More often than not, the 49ers were stretched thin, unable to contain the duel threats. Young connected on a pair of game-changing pass plays with Justin Gage, and Johnson rushed for 135 yards and two touchdowns. On Johnson’s longest run of the day of 41 yards, he narrowly missed going 81 for a score, as a replay showed he stepped out of bounds with his heel halfway to the endzone. On the play, safety Michael Lewis found out how fast Johnson is, as he took a bad angle in attempting to cut down the speedy runner. He has extraordinary speed, but we knew that coming in,” Takeo Spikes said of Johnson, while expressing his disappointment that the defense allowed 152 yards on the ground. With the first half of the season looking just like the last two under Mike Nolan with fast starts followed by a string of losses, the 49ers must look forward immediately. The Bears come to Candlestick on Thursday night, and the 49ers must prepare for the quick turnaround. In starting 3-5, the 49ers have yet to beat an opponent outside the NFC West. Chicago, who was embarrassed 41-21 by Arizona at home on Sunday, provides the 49ers with an opportunity. |
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