SAN FRANCISCO — This is the live blog for the NFC championship game at Candlestick park between the Niners and the New York Giants. I’ll be updating this frequently from the press box.
Since I’m sure all of you are watching or listening to the game, I won’t give play-by-play descriptions of action. Instead, I’ll give my feelings and analysis.
2:10 Ted Ginn Jr. (knee) is inactive today. So is Scott Tolzien, Shawntae Spencer, Moran Norris, Daniel Kilgore, Mike Person and Ian Williams.
That means Delanie Walker is active. He’s on the field warming up right now, so it looks as though he will play.
3:10 As soon as New England beat Baltimore, two Patriots scouts sat down right next to me. If the Ravens had won, I would have been joined by Baltimore scouts in the press box.
3:14 I’ve got to believe Jim Harbaugh is more happy than sad over that Ravens loss. Now his brother John can help him gameplan for the Patriots.
3:38 The Giants win the toss and choose to defer. The Niners will receive the ball first for a change.
3:40 Kendall Hunter returns a short kickoff to the SF 23.
3:41 The first two plays go to Frank Gore – first a run up the middle and then a swing pass out of the backfield for a first down. That’s how I thought the Niners would come out.
3:43 Mike Iupati’s right ankle just got rolled up on by a Giant. He’s clearly in pain. Chilo Rachal replaces him in the lineup of now. This is a big blow of the Niners early in the game – they’re a much shakier unit with Rachal in the game.
3:44 Snyder moves to left guard and Rachal goes to right guard.
3:46 On third and four the Giants rush their front four, Alex Smith has time to throw but he can’t find anything downfield. He checks down to Gore but throws it incomplete behind him. Andy Lee punts, and Chris Culliver makes the tackle at the NY 16.
3:48 Eli Manning goes for the long throw on second and ten to Travis Beckum. Carlos Rogers catches him from behind and breaks the pass up. Nice recovery by Rogers.
3:50 Manning hits a tightly covered Cruz for 12 on third and ten. Eli Manning may be the best quarterback in the NFL on third and long.
3:51 The Giants foolishly try running on first and second down. Third and eight.
3:52 Manning hits Nicks on the right sideline for ten yards and a first down. Cruz opened that pass up by streaking deep.
3:54 Bradshaw tries running on second and ten, picks up two. Here comes another third and eight. Niners need to get in Manning’s face here.
3:54 Ray McDonald strips the ball from Manning’s hand but right tackle McKenzie recovers. The Giants punt, and Kyle Williams returns it nine yards to the SF 27.
3:56 Mike Iupati is back on the field at left tackle.
3:57 Alex Smith gets his first pass of the game knocked down.
3:58 But then he makes up for it, of course. He comes right back and throws a perfect strike to Vernon Davis on the right sideline for a 73-yard touchdown pass. Davis beat Antrel Rolle on the play. And we thought the Giants were going to neutralize on Davis. 7-0 Niners.
4:04 It’s Tony Montana time.
4:05 Colin Jones makes the tackle on the kickoff at the NY 31.
4:08 Nicks makes a diving catch in front of Culliver for a 7 yard gain on third and three.
4:09 Bradshaw takes a draw around the left tackle on second and five for a seven yard gain. The Giants are in Niners territory.
4:10 Hakeem Nicks just went to the locker room. He appeared to hurt his shoulder on his diving catch.
4:11 Third and one at the SF 34. The Giants call sprint right option and Eli throws the ball away. They’re going to go for it on fourth down.
4:11 Jacobs runs up the middle and he appears to be half a football short.
4:12 He was short, indeed. Giants turn the ball over on downs. Niners ball at their 34.
4:14 Kyle Williams drops the pitch on the reverse but recovers the ball. Second and twenty. That’s a drive killer.
4:15 Gore gains six yards up the middle. Third and fourteen. Iupati’s hurt again – maybe he never stopped being unhurt.
4:16 Smith evades Osi in the pocket and throws deep for Kyle Williams, but the pass is short and almost picked by Ross. Lee punts. Giants ball at their 31. Not a great punt – just 39 yards.
4:17 Mike Iupati is walking off the field to the locker room under his own power.
4:18 Nicks is back, and on first down Manning throws over his head.
4:19 Jacobs up the middle for four. Now it’s third and six. It seems like the Niners have held the Giants to third and long for the whole first quarter.
Second Quarter
4:22 Manning hits a wide open Cruz for a 36 yard gain. Cruz beat Rogers on the play. Rogers acted like he expected help over the top from Whitner.
4:23 David Baas is injured on the play. He’s helped off the field.
4:24 Third and four. Guess what – Manning completes a short pass to Cruz for a first down. Ball at the SF 17.
4:25 Manning hits a wide open Nicks on a slant. Gain of nine.
4:26 Jacobs up the middle for two. First and goal at the SF 6.
4:27 On first down the Giants come out with three wide receivers and then call their first timeout of the half.
4:27 The Giants are 5-7 on third down so far. The Niners are 0-2.
4:30 Nicks drops a pass in the back of the end zone on first and goal. Rogers was close but he couldn’t make a play on the ball.
4:30 Manning completes a pass to an uncovered Bear Pascoe underneath for a touchdown. 7-7. Bowman acted like Whitner blew that assignment.
4:33 Williams returns the kickoff to the SF 22.
4:34 Smith play fakes, rolls out and throws 5 yards too deep for a wide open of Kyle Williams deep down the field.
4:35 It’s the option. Smith fakes to Hunter and runs right for eight. Good play.
4:36 Smith completes a pass to Williams, but Ross gets called for illegal hands to the face. Five-yard penalty. First down at the SF 35.
4:38 Gore up the middle for four and first down and eight on second. Roman needs to keep calling inside Gore runs – he’s averaging more than five yards per carry.
4:39 And then Vernon Davis gets called for a fifteen yard penalty. He needs to real himself in. Still, it’s first and ten back at the SF 32.
4:40 Gore up the middle for for seven. Roman’s calling a good game.
4:41 Gore around right tackle for nine yards and a first down. Ball at the SF 48.
4:42 Smith play fakes and throws a strike to Davis over the middle but he lets it go right through his hands.
4:42 Another option. This time Smith runs left and gains five. Third and five.
4:43 Smith steps up and scrambles for four yards before he’s tackled from behind by Pierre-Paul. Fourth and one and they’re going for it.
4:44 No they’re not actually. They take the delay of game. They were trying to draw the Giants offside. Not a bad call.
4:45 On the punt Will Blackmon calls for a fair catch and then takes off running with the ball. Five-yard penalty. Giants ball at the NY 19.
4:47 The Niners failed on that drive because they got greedy on first down when Smith threw to Davis. They were having success running and they went away from that.
4:48 Manning completes a 15-yard first-down pass to Cruz. Rogers slipped. Ball at the NY 40.
4:50 Third and two, Ray McDonald sacks Eli Manning with one hand. With three timeouts and the two minute warning the Niners can still afford to run the ball – and they should.
4:51 The Giants punt bounces out of bounds at the SF 16. 2:51 left in the first half.
4:54 Gore takes a pitch to the right and loses a yard.
4:57 Gore up the middle for two.
4:59 Smith steps up and scrambles for three. Giants call their final timeout of the first half.
5:00 Blackmon returns Lee’s punt to the NY 36. 1:36 left in the first half.
5:01 On second and ten Manning has all the time in the world to throw so he completes a 15-yard pass to Cruz.
5:02 Second and ten again, Manning hits Cruz for a first down again. This time for 11 yards.
5:03 Second and ten one more time, Manning his Cruz one more time, this time for 17 yards. Good coverage by Rogers, but a great throw and catch. Ball on the SF 21. 20 seconds left.
5:04 Delay of game on the Giants. Second and fifteen.
5:05 And Manning hits Cruz again. He’s good. Gain of 13.
5:06 Tynes makes the 31-yard field goal. 10-7 Giants with two seconds left in the half.
5:06 This all happened because the Niners called a pitch sweep to Gore on first down. He’s not quick enough for that play – he’s failed at it all year long. The Niners got too cute and it cost them three points.
Halftime
5:19 To recap – the Niners were driving easily in the second quarter by handing the ball off to Gore so he could run up the middle. Then, on one first down they got greedy, play faked and took a shot to Vernon Davis. He was open and the pass was accurate, so it’s hard to say it was a bad play call, but Davis dropped it. The fact that it was a pass made the play a risk they didn’t really need to take – Gore was ripping off seven yards every run. Now they’re losing and the Giants get the ball first in the second half, and they may not have as good of an opportunity to run Gore up the middle anymore. This falls on Roman and Harbaugh.
Third quarter
5:21 The Niners special teamers are dancing.
5:22 Touchback Akers,
5:24 On third and one the Giants come out with three wide receivers. Manning throws a swing pass to Bradshaw, but the running back alligator arms it. Incomplete. Giants punt. Williams almost drops it – he makes a diving catch. That was almost as disaster for the Niners.
5:28 Greg Roman calls a pass on first down and Alex Smith takes a sack. Loss of seven. That’s another drive killer.
5:29 Smith hits Gore out of the backfield for a gain of three. Third and fourteen.
5:29 And Joe Staley false starts. Third and 19. The Niners’ offense – players and coaches – are unraveling.
5:31 And they get bailed out. Illegal contact on Ross. Five-yard penalty and an automatic first down.
5:32 And then Greg Roman calls a brilliant play we haven’t seen before – fly sweep to Kendall Hunter, but he cuts back to the right and gains 14 yards.
5:33 Gore up the middle for four. Another good Roman play call. He’s stepping up.
5:33 The Giants put ten defenders in the box. Smith play fakes and throws incomplete at Davis’ feet. Third and six.
5:34 Smith rolls left and throws to Walker, but the pass is batted down. Time for another Lee punt.
5:35 The Giants run into the kicker and the refs throw a flag. They call it running into the kicker. It’s just a five yard penalty so the Niners decline it. Giants ball at their 10 yard line.
5:38 Cruz starts the drive by catching two passes for 17 yards in front of Culliver.
5:39 And then the Giants take him out of the game and run Jacobs up the middle for two yards. Inexplicable.
5:40 Third and five. Tarell Brown blitzes and Manning has to throw the ball out of bounds. Finally the Niners blitz and get pressure. Good adjustment by Fangio.
5:41 Kyle Williams returns the punt 25 yards to the SF 47 yard line before slipping and falling. He could have scored a touchdown if he had stayed on his feet.
5:42 Alex Smith still has completed just three passes. He’s 3-10, but his QB rating is a surprising 94.6.
5:43 Gore up the middle for two. The Giants stacked the box on that one.
5:44 Smith play fakes to Gore and then completes a pass to him in the flat. He was wide open and he gained 24 yards. Great play.
5:45 Touchdown. Smith play fakes again and hits Davis in the end zone for a 28-yard score. The Giants were back to stacking the box with ten defenders. You can’t run into that. Roman made the right call, and good for him. 14-10 with 5:18 left in the third quarter.
5:48 Touchback Akers.
5:50 Vernon Davis beat a corner on that play. He’s by far the Niners best WR.
5:51 Nicks catches a 15-yard pass on first down. No pressure on Manning.
5:52 Third and seven at the NY 38, and Ray McDonald sacks him again. That’s 2.5 sacks fort McDonald so far. Bowman has the other half of a sack.
5:54 The Giants punt, and the Niners get the ball at their 22.
5:54 DeMarcus Dobbs comes in the game as an eligible receiver. The Niners fake a reverse and Gore runs up the middle for four. Good play.
5:55 Smith telegraphs his pass to Gore in the backfield and Pierre-Paul knocks the pass down at the line of scrimmage. That’s two for Smith. He’s good for three a game. Third and seven.
5:56 Smith scrambles and checks down to Gore who picks up only four. Fourth and three.
5:57 Bowman tackles Blackmon at the NY 27. 1:55 left in third quarter.
5:58 Manning play fakes and rolls left but finds no one so he throws it away. Third and five at the NY 32.
5:59 Manning throws it up, Brown and Goldson go for the pick and Goldson blasts Brown. The pass falls incomplete, but Brown isn’t moving.
6:04 He stands. Two Niners trainers help him off the field. Pray for Tarell Brown.
6:04 Kyle Williams calls for a fair catch at the SF 12 before a Giant was within 20 yards of him. The Niners are missing Ginn in the return game – Williams looks like a nervous rookie.
6:05 Gore runs through a huge hole on the left side of the O-line for 11 yards on first down.
6:06 Smith completes a quick pass to Delanie Walker for seven yards. And Canty gets called for a 15-yard penalty. First and ten at the SF 45.
Fourth Quarter
6:10 Gore runs off right tackle, escapes a tackle and picks up six yards.
6:11 Justin Smith is eligible. Dixon runs behind J. Smith for a three yard gain. If he hadn’t tripped he would have picked up the first down.
6:12 Dixon up the middle for no gain. Fourth and one at the NY 46, and Lee is in to punt. He punts another short one which Blackmon fair catches at the NY 20.
6:15 Screen to Bradshaw on first down. No gain.
6:16 Aldon Smith gets a monster jump on the snap and sacks Manning for a loss of five. It almost looked like he was offside. Third and 15.
6:17 Manning fires a split second before he’s hit by Aldon Smith again. The pass is low and incomplete. The Giants have to punt again. The pass rush comes for the Niners in the fourth quarter.
6:18 Williams lets the punt bounce and it clearly hit his knee on the replay. The Refs don’t call it Giants ball, but New York is challenging. This is a challenge the Giants will win. They’ll have the ball at the SF 29 yard line. Williams should have been replaced as the punt returner in the third quarter with Reggie Smith or Chris Culliver, or anyone, really.
6:23 Giants ball at the 29. Kyle Williams is beside himself on the sideline.
6:25 On second and seven Justin Smith plants Manning as he throws. Third and seven at the NY 26.
6:25 The Niners bring Brock on a blitz, he doesn’t get there and Manning completes a pass to the vacated Nicks. Gain of 14 and a first down at the NY 12.
6:26 Bradshaw gains six up the middle but Baas was holding. First and 20 at the SF 22.
6:27 Manning throws high and incomplete to Nicks over the middle. Goldson helped knock the pass away. Second and 20.
6:28 Manning complete to Bradshaw in the right flat for five yards. Third and 15.
6:28 Manning hits Manningham in the end zone for a touchdown. He beat Brock on the play. No surprise – the Giants go after the young cornerback for the big play. 17-14 Giants with 8:34 left in the game.
6:31 Kyle Williams is back to receive the kickoff still, along with Kendall Hunter.
6:32 Semi-redemption: Williams returns the kickoff 40 yards to the SF 45.
6:34 Smith overthrows Walker on a wheel route, but the refs call a five-yard illegal hands to the face penalty on New York. First and ten at midfield.
6:35 Beautiful play – Smith steps up in the pocket and scrambles for 17 yards. He’s good at that.
6:36 Hunter takes a pitch right but immediately cuts back left and gains 18. He’s good at the cut back. Great calls on this drive so far.
6:37 Smith completes a short pass over the middle in traffic to Gore for five yards. Second and five at the NY 10.
6:38 Smith fakes a handoff, Tuck blows it up and Smith throws it away. Third and five. A touchdown is mandatory here.
6:38 Smith throws a high pass to Crabtree on the right sideline for a gain of three. Akers comes on the field to attempt a 25 yard field goal.
6:39 He makes it. 17-17 Giants with 5:39 left in the fourth quarter. The Niners moved the ball effortlessly on that drive, but they couldn’t score in the red zone. I guess they can’t run Vernon Post every time down there.
6:41 Akers boots the kickoff out of the back of the end zone.
6:42 The Niners are 0-9 on third down.
6:42 Manning overthrows an open Manningham down the right sideline. Third and nine at the NY 21.
6:43 Manning checks down to Beckum and Willis blasts him right away. The Giants punt of bounds and the refs spot the ball at the SF 35. Terrible punt for a few reasons – it was short, and it was out of bounds. The Giants had to make Kyle Williams catch another one.
6:45 On first down Smith play fakes and has all the time he’d ever need but he still throws it out of bounds. I do not understand that one.
6:45 Gore up the middle for three. Third and seven. Remember, the Niners are 0-9 on third down so far.
6:46 Now they’re 0-10. Smith gets sacked by three guys and loses ten yards.
6:48 Lee punts it 55 yards. Giants ball at their 26. 3:04 left in the fourth quarter.
6:48 Willis blitzes and sacks Manning for a loss of 11 on first down. One of the biggest plays of the game for the Niners. Second and 21.
6:50 After a six-yard gain, Goldson forces Bradshaw to fumble, but his forward progress had already been stopped. That looked like an accurate call to me. Third and fifteen.
6:53 Whitner blitzes and gets pressure. Manning throws up a pray to Cruz 40 yards down the middle of the field but the pass is just a few inches too deep. The Giants punt and Kyle Williams fair catches it at the SF 29. 1:47 left in the fourth quarter. I still expect the Niners to win.
6:55 Smith escapes a sack and throws the ball away. That was the best throwaway of his career. Taking a sack there was not an option.
6:55 Smith rolls right and fires a pass at a wide open Crabtree’s feet. That’s the old Alex. The Niners need the new Alex. Third and ten.
6:56 Smith airmails Walker down the middle of the field. Awful throw. Niners are now 0-11 on third down. Lee punts. Giants ball at their 18 with 1:18 left in the fourth quarter.
6:57 Cruz slips and Manning’s pass falls incomplete. Second and ten.
6:58 Manning slides left and makes an unbelievable pass to Bradshaw deep down the left sideline for 30. First and ten at the NY 48. 1:05 left.
6:59 Bradshaw off right tackle for two. Second and eight.
7:00 Manning completes another pass to Bradshaw. Gain of four. Third and three at the SF 46 with 32 seconds left in the fourth.
7:01 Cruz almost makes a David-Tyree magic catch over the middle of the field but he drops it. Fourth and three, and they punt.
7:01 But first, delay of game on the Giants. Fourth and eight with 27 seconds left.
7:02 Williams returns the punt to the SF 39. 19 seconds left to gain 30 yards to get into field goal range.
7:04 Smith completes a three yard pass to Gore who’s tackled in bounds. The Niners call a timeout. Terrible situational football there.
7:05 Now Smith takes a sack and the Niners use another timeout. Situational football is supposed to be Smith’s strength but he’s not executing well down the stretch.
7:06 Smith completes a long pass to Walker that doesn’t end up in a touchdown. The Niners go 1-12 on third down in regulation.
Overtime
I’m going down the field. Back at you later.
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Grant, I think your tweet broke twitter.
And am I glad to see Delanie is out on the field? Heck yeah.
I got my magenta Tshirt on,eh,uh,you can guess what color fruit of the loom boxers, and..Levi’s. I have to draw that line someplace. But hey-if you got red pants on ,more power to you!
GOOOOO NINERS!!!
I have no fingernails left. I’m starting in on the flesh.
Grant, look forward to your feelings and analysis. Good to hear DW is back but we’ll miss TG. Given the field, defense needs to tackle well today. Now all the weather sites are saying little to no rain only cloudy until 7pm.
What they’re not saying is the heat that we’ll put on Eli and the beat down we’ll put on NY
Niners all the way!
Mr. Walkers’ presence gives the Giants another weapon to consider, however I need to know how effective he can be and more importantly can he secure the football for his team. Losing Mr. Ginn is big in a game like this. Mr. Williams fielding punts has me nervous. Secure the football first and formost.
Williams must protect the first.
So Williams on punt returns and Hunter on kick returns? Lets do this boys!
Let’s go 9ers every day all day!!!
We will miss Ginn but he’ll be back for the Super Bowl!!! go niners!!!
It’s looking like a Harbowl right now
let’s see what they do here on 4th down. What would you do? kick it or go for a 4th and 6?
I would never trust Cam Cameron with a 4th and 6 play call.
That should be a bang bang play with something underneath – they only needed 6 yds. Bad play.
4th and 6, let’s see if Flacco can make a play if they don’t kick.
I’m glad New England is winning, I’d rather face the Pats in the Super Bowl.
It’s much easier to dislike the Patriots than the Ravens. The networks are praying for Brady.
If N.E. wins this game, TB still has never had a signature play. It’s always a field goal for him. lol
lol
Raven’s last chance…
I hate NE
Brady looks like he has hemeroids!! on the sideline….he can barely sit still.
Boldin wins it!!!! watch
oh my!!
They had it!!! damn….
JF isn’t too bright. Jeez go for the first down..
How many times do we have to see Kraft high fiving?!!!
OK where is TB’s signature moment??!! A missed field goal. lol
wow!!!!
They got lucky!!!
The Ravens snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
N.E. won by the skin of their teeth! Yawn…TB is no JM!!!
Damn, I forgot we have to put up with MStrahan during the half time and after the game. Uuuuggghhh!
Nah,I called it Brady vs 49ers last week. Right now? 24-20 SF over Brady. Today, 26-16 SF.
When the announcer said the Ravens kickers was 16-16 this year that range..I knew he would miss. One day-we find out all has been preordained.
I wouldn’t bring that kicker back next year.
WCO and Ravens would have won. They had no one underneath…
Go for the first down and get out of bounds with enough time on the clock for one shot.
He runs, he gets a 1st down.
Bad, bad choice.
Tom Brady is overrated. Yep, I said it.
I think the niners match up well against the Pats. I’ll take our offense against their defense, and our defense over their offense any day. Now we just gotta get through the Giants first.
It’s our time! GO 49ERS!!!
C’mon Lets Roll!!!!!!GO 49ers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Lagunitas Maximus isn’t calming my nerves. I may have to switch to mainlining scotch.
I’m on my second Coors Light. Not working for me, either
Too light! lol
Well I have some Natty Ice too, it’s a little stronger lol. The whiskey got polished off on Friday
!!!!!!!!!! that’s all
This Alex Smith sit-down with Bradshaw is fantastic
Agreed. I enjoyed the sit-down with Young earlier today as well
Bradshaw had it tough early in his career.
@Grant – that press box must be crowded. No one will see it if you stab those Patriots’ scouts.
#justsayin
OK, keep the mistakes to a minimum and rock the Giants every time you can.
This is for our first Super bowl in 17 years. Lets win this!
Niners 34
Giants 17
Niners roll to the Superbowl. 4 straight wins on the road is tough enough. Playing a complete, well coached team is even tougher. Nice try NY.
More east coast bias when JBuck says “the game tonight”. Doesn’t he know it’s afternoon in 2/3′s of the country. Uuuggghhh! I know I’m sensitive but I need my testiness/nastiness!
White towels!!
We defintely got the better singer. Did you hear Steve Tyler destroy the anthem for the AFC game? Shades of Roseanne!
+1
I think the fans are booing the Giants players on the moniter, lol
She hit the High C.
Hello Niner Nation….. Its time to put the naysayers and hatas to bed. Go NINERS
AS needs to take off on some long runs a la SY against the Cowboys in 1994!
Oorah!!
For advid bloggers, I saw Bob Padecky on NFL Network on the top 10 wr tandems. I’m from chicago n live in the south now, I had never seen him before. U guys remember his short tenure after branch on this blog?
Yes. Padecky’s time here was less than stellar, to say the least.
no injury please!!
OK Chilo, we NEED you to step up.
Pick off Eli..
I think Eli will tet up deep early.
test us
looking for a whooooo lick!!! come one D Goldson!!
set the tone early 3 and out!
Not a good 1st possession
Pass rush… need some pass rush
yep.
There it is!!
we have to win on 3rd and long
Where’s the pass rush!?? Damn!!!!
DB’s need help come on pass rush!!!
yeah
yeah!!
KW run north to south not sideways!!!!
Today is proving the NFL’s dominance. These Championship games are breaking the internet.
Joe Buck trying to slam SF “Man its cold in San Francisco”(3 tines already)..yeah 55 not the nice 30f in New England!
OL has to cut block on those quick slants
Iupati is back
Great freakin passss
why the flag
BEAUTIFUL throw and catch! YEAH NINERS!
VD in the house!
Beauty!!!!!!
VD don’t give up yds with a stupid UC penalty!!! Damn play smart.
It’s just such a stupid penalty. Act like you have been there before.
I don’t see why it was flagged…
He posed on the television camera platform.
What did I say this week?
AS great deep sideline throw!
The packers can jump into the stands but we can’t get up on a stand?wtf? it wasn’t choreagraphed like the Lambeau leap!
He was in similar to earlier AFC game. Refs better not over turn!!
Ed Hochuli is such a tool.
Called it correctly…all that matters. Clean!
TOUCHDOWN 49ERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Remember when people said Alex couldnt throw deep on the sideline?! Love this team.
9ers got themselves a long term QB!
Yeah.
Wrong there,
That clash of the Titans looks like a great movie.
Back to the Candlestick clash of Titans..
VD come on ‘humble hearts”!!
akers, make up for it now!!! pick up your boy VD!! I would half pooch kick
Now it is time to crack some helmets and know a QB or some other skilled player out da game.
tony montana…tony montana……
On those Eli quick throws bat THE BALL d-line!!!
Damn they can’t run get to him!!!!! Come on Dline
Refs aren’t calling the holding
Eli’s uniform needs some mud huh?
short!!
Stopped short! I love it
our house!!
Not in this house.
That is how you play D!
No points allowed.
Hit with a dose of Frank.
Defend the fortress!!
Why get cute????????
Stop it with a wet field?? Come on JH!???
There was nothing cute about that.
whew!!! thank god!!
good God… my liver just exploded
What the hell was that? Lucky they got it back.
Terrible call
Wet field come on GR!!!!!
screen to Hunter..
They need some runs come on… play smart!!
See if we can get a 3 and out.
Damn it get to Eli or we’re in trouble
Fangio needed to do something different too much time!!!
wow-waay too many third down conversions.
Eli slower than a turtle and they can’t get to him – all day!! This is bad.
Baas out, let’s hope for some bad snaps.
This d is playin soft
Going to miss Iupati big time
Too easy! Momentum change..
They couldnt run it in…
DG needs to get out of the end zone there
If they hit eli and couple of times early he isn’t the same guy in the 4th qtr. Now this will be a dog fight!! Fangio too conservative.
Eli’s getting too much time.
We need a drive that takes up at least 4-5 mins.
Man, I miss Ginn. There will be plenty of short kicks today.
Damn, wide open.
Yeah we know how you feel BigP. jeez!!
What are you saying Hofer? He was wide open, right? I was surprised he didn’t hit it, he’s been on.
All I’m saying is Eli is elite and he missed against the 9ers during the season – wide open! It happens but yest he missed it.
A little sensitive.
No Intense! lol
He had him
MC needs to show up now.
Is DW going to catch anything?
That’s it – beat up that Giants’ D-Line with the power runs
They called a trap play and it still worked, lol
Jeez, early game they let them play… NY Ref?
VD needs to calm down!!
Vernon needs Singletary to give him a call about now
NY media is pssing me off!!
refs are calling ticky-tack penalties.
Let them play!
a little T bow in the play calling today?
have the refs stopped the Giants once??! NO!
Do the Tighten Up.
We need a stop here before they get the ball in the second half
c’mon defense…
just like that!
MSC, I’m too damn intense…I’m going to have a heart attack if they don’t get to eliM. Luckily on my second glass of NZ Sauv Blanc (hey Grant what is LC drinking – lol)
Coke – he’s right behind me in the press box.
Grant, I’m sure he’ll have a nice bottle with dinner! lol
I hear you Hofer. I’m using a Lagunitas IPA to keep my heart rate down.
Outside of the Tampa Bay game have the 49ers had ONE game this year that wasn’t a heart attack?
Come on D – playing too damn soft!!
YES!!!
Archie Bell and the Drells
I think we’re in good shape. Would love to get 7 or even 3 here on this drive going into halftime.
good job D
We had to blitz to get that sack. d-line plus aldon smith needs to step up 2nd half.
I don’t like the conservative play calling…..I still don’t want trick plays
I think the weather/game conditions have dictated what we’re doing. I honestly think Roman has called a good game.
Need a score on this drive to go in with momentum. The D stepped up. Come on O!!!
If nothing else throw the ball down field once or twice to get these guys thinking about it deep. KW baby!!!
Too conservative…it was too easy for NY to flush Smith. Nope,play calling has been bad.
Need talent on offense..where is MC???
I don’t like this. Nothing to Crabs all game
We need a turnover
Looks like someone just threw a punch at Aldon on that 15-yard completion
All of the 49er ticket holders who sold their tickets to Giants fans need to be banned from the new stadium.
yeah hear the CRUZ chant what BS
FANGIO call something
This is pathetic
D line needs to get there hands up
Is anybody ever gonna cover Cruz?
Rogers is getting killed out there, COME ON DEFENSE!
obviously 4 man rush is not working get someone on him FANGIO
..carlos rodgers …..F@#% cmon do something…..
Is Cruz invisible to Rogers?
Ridiculous plan for the defense. No pressure.
Maybe you don’t quite understand. Their offensive line is playing well. Blitzing is not our game. Fangio is blitzing once in a while on 3rd down anyway, but the players need to step up. There is nothing ridiculous about our defensive scheme.
…..wish they could put shwante spencer in and sub Brown for rodgers……this is too easy…….dammit!!!!
…..SS inactive
Exactly what happened at the end of the last game they played, except they needed a TD, not a FG. Manningham dropped a sure TD as well. Frustrating.
Cruz is killing us, make the halftime adjustment.
What do you think they should do? Can’t really double him. He’s too quick and they’ll just burn us with their other receivers. Our d-line will just need to beat their o-line.
rogers is getting beat on almost every play.
MC needs to appear at some point, right?
We’re in trouble.
2nd half Harbaugh needs to get on Roman about the play calls. 49ers had two promising drives running the ball and then went pass happy and stalled.
They need to drain some clock – defense has been on the field WAY too much in the 1st half.
Need more VD and where ris Crabtree… where are the screen passes.
D needs to force some turnovers and get more pressure. Brooks has been absent for the past 2 months.
Let go Niners…!!!!!!
How is it every time Cruz turns around-he’s open? Everybody in the stadium know the ball is going to him. Except Rogers.
If you watch, there is no bump on the line. He is giving Cruz the inside every down. So all Manning has to do is lead Cruz. I said the giants would score 37 this game and I’d like to Thank Rogers for making that prediction look a lot stronger for me.
exactly, need to jam cruise then run with him. You may give up big play but we are not getting pressure on Manning to play off Cruise.
But over all the D is doing fine keeping everything in front. THE O NEEDS TO PUT POINTS ON THE BOARD!
Smith-2 completions???
Stan, only 7 passes. The passes are there need to open up. It would be nice if MC would show up at some point…
Grant states, “5:06 This all happened because the Niners called a pitch sweep to Gore on first down. He’s not quick enough for that play – he’s failed at it all year long. The Niners got too cute and it cost them three points.
Totally agree. They had the lead and if you use those plays, have the field position advantage not at your own 20. Stupid call. BTW, where is MC??
He’s been blocking well on runs, and he was open on a slant when Smith got his pass knocked down.
Understand but when has he shown up when needed? VD and AS was last week.
Horrible play calling. Defense too conservative… Where’s DW? MC?
This is what it would look like if we were playing Madden 2012. Superbowl? BA BYE
Ahhh, the prediction I forecasted. An emotional let down by the 49ers. Rogers isn’t covering the slant and it is there all day every play. You have a rookie lineman and their center is out, yet you can’t get pressure on Manning. This isn’t a superbowl team. This is a team that like the Oakland Raiders of 2000 is trying to completely rewrite its playbook and be cute. I’d expect this sort of coaching in an NFL madden PS3 game.
I’d be nice if the Niners had another receiver threading thanks VD.
I knew that the conservative offensive play calling at the last first half drive was gonna bite em in the ass.
Time to stop the Giants on the opening series.
Too many Giants fans in attendance.
This game was forecasted last night in South Carolina. Harbaugh is Romney’s campaign manager. He say that the 49ers were suppose to win this game on paper, so he packed up and took the night off, only coming to the field to pick up his trophy. Time of possession is pitiful. Defense is gased.
Lets all calm down and trust the staff makes the right adjustments.
Exactly.
Razor, you’ve right! Just frustrating when they only throw 7 times and AS misses it is on the staff to trust more and not allow the Giants to control the game clock. Forget the run and focus on the pass rush and helping the DB’s that is how EManning has done it all year especially in the 4th qtr – 9ers plan playing to the Giants (EMannings) strengths!!
play calling? HAHAHA the pregame report said that the 49ers were going to lock it down even more the second half because they expected field conditions to be even worse. You have Gore breaking off run after run and you yank him and bring Hunter. That is a great receipe for success with a nice spice of Mrs. Dash/ Vernon Davis personal fouls. Guess the stage is too big for him.
you’ll get nothing and like it!!
3 and out!
kyle….
That was a scary catch. What was he thinking.
Kyle Williams on kick returns scares me. One thing Ginn does well is to hold onto the ball.
Why isn’t my name showing?
Wow Alex he had Crabtree for a nominal gain. Why take a sack.
Not open!! Are you watching. jeez!
Horrible play calling!!!
Thank you Joe Staley.
Quickness at RB helps good run KH!
Go KH.
Need more of him
I think the 49ers are looking a little too long down the field. It’s like they want it all right now instead of being patient like there were all year long. Let’s get back into the field position game. Run the ball. Short passes. Let it open the field up and take some pressure of the pass rush.
Yep, need to go back to WCO passes and small chunks at a time. Now the question is can the defense stop emanning?
That is a perfect assessment Medic
Their O line is holding like crazy!!
Umi was lined up offsides.
Refs suck this game
Disappointed seeing Crabtree give up on that last offensive play
This team does not look focused like Harbaugh said they were. Someone needs to let the team know it’s gonna take more than the one TD they got to win it.
EM all day long can’t stop crap!
come on… where’s the answer to Cruz?
Jam Crus on the line and/or run LBs under the slant curls
V Cruz is what we want Crabtree to be. Just sayin
They need to double Cruz…he is EM’s guy!
Alex Smith has completed three passes today.
He should be allowed to leave. Loser. Bust. Suck-ass QB. Just worthless.
Jordo you can’t double post too obvious. lol
That isn’t Jordan, it’s telecat, or brotherwilliams, or whatever other stupid alias he wants to go by. He is a cancer.
Go off yourself, troll.
Not Jordo, never was, you’re an idiot.
if it wasn’t for Alex Smith….. we all weren’t here
Finally a stop
Put T brown on Cruz
Good play, let’s get some points on the board.
Need to get something here.
GOT IT!
play big nickle
Secondary is playing horrible. Cruz is eating us alive
Time to turn the Mo around
AS to VD again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
VD!!!
Touchdown!!!
VERNON. EFFING. DAVIS!
I moderated myself just in time.
Jeez, if only they had more receivers than VD on offense…oh the possibilites!
Not sure what’s going on with Crabs..I wonder if he’s still thinking about last week…
We have Kyle “Scatback” Williams and Michael Droptree! What more do you want?
Our D needs to show up now.
Cruz- 124 catches this game-no TD, VD-2 catches two TDs!
VERNON!!!
Note Kyle Williams tackling Davis after that and preventing another UC call? :-D
MSC, how are you holding out? Need beer? I’ve had two glasses of wine may need another! :)
I’ve almost finished a six-pack of Lagunitas. I may have to draft the wife into wine buying duty.
Need some pressure on Eli – somehow someway
I dont know about you guys, but I’m as calm as Joe Montana in the pocket during a SB!!! My wife’s kinda losing it tho! lol
Thank you Alex and Vernon. Am I only one who sees that when we run then hit them play fake they can’t stop it!!? They have to pick their poison, either stop the run or stop the pass they can’t do both against us
Plays are definitely there to be made! Love it!!!
Bring it home now.
woohoo
Now play some damn defense! Wake up defensive back field
Good things happen when the 48ers throw the ball-see?
oop. 49ers..
And I’m not even drinking-yet.
All started with that great punt by AL, and KW return
Can you imagine if we had a couple of ball breaking play making receiver’s along with VD? I feel we are only running in a couple of cylinder’s and we are still good.
Great
Now lets double cover Cruz. He is too fast to put one man on him and try to bumb him. You miss and you give up a td.
Lets run Frank
I say we stick with the run and the play action, both TD’s came off it
If they can’t get to EM then get your damn arms up!
Maybe Vernon will be enough, if they can pressure Manning more, then we can take it down.
Eli is starting to look rattled – need to hit him some more
That dude heard footsteps
NY cant run. Beat them down.
Like that!
3 sacks now
How about a slow methodical drive now?
SF is fnever frigid
Yeah,Buck hates that we rip him..
Dobbs split right? lol
Obviously not many passes JH and staff are worried about turnovers!
Grant:
Can you tell if the receivers are getting open or not?
Working the field position game is Jim…
Gaints holding the whole game!
Man! They definitely aint calling the holds
nooooooo……why now….noooo
Come on Dashon look for you teammates!!! That was an interception!!
Took a hit to the chin-he saw stars for sure…
…get up T. Brown…plz get up…..noooooooooo
Damn, that sucks. Glad to see him getting up.
Who takes his place now?
Culliver.
I think Culliver…
we have spillman too right?
Giants starting to get frustrated.
I don’t think Delanie Walker is getting enough credit for playing with a broken jaw. If you watch the contact he is making, it is all being absorbed by that jaw. Reminds me of the old commercials, You wouldn’t make it in this league.
If he was a NY player he would get his due from JBuck!
Yeah Aikman looks at him like he’s nuts when he talks about frigid SF..his wife must those intitials..
No pain,no gain.
49er D has been awesome..Cruz the exception. Smith is warming up…jeezez NEVER thought he would be a clutch player. Never. But,he’s doin it.
GR please why Dixon?
Lousy call!
fake it here
GR too conservative…or???
Too conservative, like always.
We manage to win games in spite of Roman. That being said, he does make great calls when we absolutely need a big play.
Let’s not get too conservative now fellas, mix it up, that would’ve been a perfect play action opportunity
not a good punt, net 30 yards…..
Not much of a punt-40yards?
Terrible punt…what ever happened to coffin corner kick? lol
last week was bad too
Give AS the chance to make big plays.
No TBrown so we need a play. Come on Fangio don’t sit back and wait for EManning to pick you clean.
Keep trying to run the ball giants. I need the laughs.
ALDON. EFFING. SMITH!
AS!!!
Eli heard footsteps on that one… mwahahaha
Good pressure guys!!! Eli looks real human against an actual pass rush, which they haven’t faced on their 4 game win streak
Aldon the KRAKEN smith!!
joe Buck go suck me!!!
Sh$%, I think it did touch his knee.
COME ON, WILLIAMS!
Unacceptable!
I dont get dancin around it..asking for trouble.They got it.
Williams is really disappointing me in the return game. He has to be able to see he touched the ball and fall on it.
He didn’t touch it – it is angle. Jeez1
Yes, it did touch him. You could see it bounce off of his knee.
I say- its not incontoversible.or whateva!
They’re trying will them to win.
Come on it’s not clear. BS!
This God damn idiot we have returning kicks keeps doing this crap. He did the same crap last week against the Saints as well. What the hell is he thinking.
Stupid stupid stupid
this could cost us the game.
What was he thinking!
Kyle Williams may have just lost the game. I just unfollowed his useless ass on twitter.
…ed you have to give me this one…….
OMG looks bad for the home team
WTH KW?
KW has to get out of the way regardless. Coach him Seely! Damn!
shhhhhhhhhhhh
Wow,a shot at the SB..for a pure stupid play. Maybe.
Stupid, Stupid play!~
KYLE WILLIAMS!!!!!!!! WHAT THE HEEEEELL!!!!!
Need a turnover or at least a stop.
Call the damn holding!!!!!!!!!!!!
Get a pick come on D!!
on third and long
Shame williams
The tuck knee strikes!
REALLY? 3rd and long and you rush 3?
Ref could call holding the whole game and nothing one crap call! No wonder EM has all day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
what was he thinking? Kyle…..come on man!!
I never thought we would miss Ted Ginn so much
For all Ginn was, his greatest strength was he always protected the ball well.
redemption time KYLE
3rd down is killing us.
Need a TD drive. Hope to see lots of Gore
let’s go O
I say it’s Crabtree time!
Williams killed us . Even if he had this return Go niners anyway from Italy at 3 35 a.m. here
Alex time!
Hands to the face with DW – wonder why
Atta boy! Making plays.
With good protection that play action is a touchdown
Damn Akers is good…Nedney the second.
The Giants are picking on Brock can Fangio do something?
nervous
My liver can’t take much more of this.
It went for a good cause…
Willis!
I am just nervous anytime I see williams back to return a kick
The Giants special teams did us a favor there not letting Williams make another mental error.
Amen but he got the last 3 pts
slow methodical drive, lets go!!!!!
0-9 on third down, lets get one!
GR calls = 3rd and long all day!
Come on O give me something!!1
Gotta get rid of that ball… gah!
Wide receivers need to step up if we get it back
It’s obvious weakness on offense is the WR’s. Look at the diff with the Giants!
Yup – the 49ers have to get some WRs this offseason
Our D needs a turnover
well regardless of the outcome, you have to be proud of these guys for leaving it all on the field. It’s just too bad a practice squad guy cost them the superbowl. I still appreciate all they did for the fans giving them something to cheer for in the post season!
DOWN!
Patrick Willis, our big time player making big plays in big situations! YEAH 52!
Big time sack, have to make a stop.
A NY ref…fixed!
the f ing refs again!!!!
Quick whistle
We will get it back, BELIEVE! This is our game to win!
That was a perfect strip, what a bunch of B.S.!
Bad bad call
get the ball back and set up akers!!
No 3 man rush, BRING THE HOUSE!
Fangio?!!
Getting rid of theball at that point doesn’t matter. Avoiding a turnover does.
We must hold them on 3rd down.
I think that was a good call he was going backward when the ball was stripped and the whistle blew
Ed Hochuli screws the pooch YET AGAIN and he still has a job as an NFL referee.
YES! The trap is set!
Alex time!!!
1:47 left between our Niners and the Super Bowl. Tied game. This is where legends are born, let’s go!!!!!!!!!
we got to get something more on 1st down
alex is clamming up
Alex looking panicky..
That’s not what I wanted to see
DBHHBDHSBHDBSHDBHJFOKJMOIEFKIEO
come on LEE!!
Missed him-wide open too.
Damn chocking now… NOOOOOO
We need a WR to get open. Forget tight end
Come on D
Playmakers are needed there is only VD and he is doubled or triple teamed!!
He missed those passes, flat out.
We can’t let him do this
COME ON DEFENSE!!!! turnover time right here. Lets get it back….
49ers 0-9 on 3rd down. 0-9.
That’s the story of the game.
FORGET the prevent
darn I am disappointed with the play calling. The run has worked all game and I don’t understand not running it on first down to just take soem time off the clock. Shame.
Never call the holding…never!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Alex looks like he has been told not to lose the game, instead of trying to win it.
No play makers get it!
They would be ahead right now if Smith had hit Williams earlier, he was wide open.
So few chances and this is where you go BigP? Sad. AS and VD only talent as playmakers and you go to the gutter. jeez
Yeah, almost as sad as you popping up with your excuses for every poor throw.
BigP where is MC WHERE?!!!
He has his hands tangled in his shoe laces from trying to catch Smith’s passes.
BP, Ok if that’s all you got! lol sad. I always knew you had no faith in AS. It’s obvious and most said it in pre-game shows, 9ers don’t have WR’s. AS came through last week never have seen it from MC.
I have faith, he hasn’t played well on the last few series. 1-12 on 3rd down. You shouldn’t talk about faith, all you do is pop up and cry about the receivers every two minutes.
On to the positive…
This play calling is crap. Game over
Smith was tackled
wATCH FO RTHE FAKE
One good pass and catch and Akers for the win.
Only count on VD!
19SECONDS!…ARGHHHH…I WANT A SUPER BOWL!
We need someone else other than VD to step up, they’re doubling him and no one else is getting open
Come on 20+ yrds, & FG to win!
just throw the damn ball
alex..gotta go to the endzone..
Ok D let’s do this!
our D is money, lets get a pick 6 here on a tipped pass
Kind of a sick thing to say, BUT maybe this is a good thing our D comes out in overtime to strip the ball and run back for a score.
…..SORRY, STAY POSITIVE I KNOW!!!
Let’s go Niners!!!
This has been the worse game plan ever. We have Gore who has being doing decent in this game and we keep throwing the darn ball.
When is Grant going to post 49ers win?
Should have been a pick..!
Godson needs to watch where his guys are! Come on now
Goldson keeps knocking passes away from our guys, heh
GREAT D!
49ers can win with a FG now
What do you say ALEX?? Come on Baby, let’s get this over with…
Hope DS’s attempt to take a pick from his own teammate doesn’t cost us.
lets run again, it brought us here
The offense needs to put this away. This is for the freaking Super Bowl!!
No WR separation AS needs to run.
Just take off AS nothing open…
Have another glass of wine Hofer.
Can someone explain to me why we haven’t run the ball in our base set since the 3rd? why get away from what’s working?
FG…jeez don’t want to go negative.
We’ve got to do more than that
What a bad time for Gore..bad call…again.
Really, a shotgun draw?
AS RUN, RUN , RUN
Why isn’t VD a yard back
They are not calling plays to win this game.
49ers now 0-11 on 3rd down.
What is wrong with Andy Lee?
a fg wins this game
that hand off to Gore was a waste.
Can I get a screen?
how about a WR screen?
Roman should be looking at this Giants offense. RUN the GD ball.
D LINE must get their hands up
Have to make a stop..no more 1st downs. please!
The playcalling has been terrible on offense almost like they’re trying to throw the game away
Holding every damn down. Giants getting away with murder!!!!!
CUT ALEX CUT ALEX CUT ALEX CUT ALEX CUT ALEX CUT ALEX CUT ALEX!!!!!!
Jordo your shtick is getting old enough with the double post.
Idiot Hofer,
I don’t double post. Just because smith is gagging, find another poster. He doesn’t have it. He’s bounced6 passes to crabtree tonight.
Don’t you have some cats to sodomize?
Go suck start a shotgun.
Really Hofer??? I see open receivers and I’m at the game. Smith missed badly the last twodrives. He’s locked on Vernon. Missed KW and MC three times at their feet. But you go and protect him like you always do. Also missed a wide open KW for a TD earlier. Accuracy…
OK your so right Bay…couldn’t be KW who screwed up or lack of separation. lol
exactly! Not open, gotta throw at feet
Short hops don’t cont in baseball. You have to throw the ball in the air Hofer. Alex looked like crap tonite. Just admit it. At least he will get his extension.
I’m looking for a turnover here… Def score DONE!
The saddest thing is that we don’t have receivers that can get any separation. Bring in hastings
You got that right! Get some receivers other than VD and you’ll see the BIG difference.
Praise the lord!..
come on offense!!
The Cowboy comes through with another big time play! Team MVP.
holy eff me
Unbelievable.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Kyle williams needs to be cut
Seely can you coach these damn reserves??
WR get an F today
Get rid of this guy!
Williams…
That’s. It. KW has cost us the Super Bowl.
Yup. I feel numb. To lose like this.
ffffffffffff
It’s all on KW but it does feel like we never tried to win this game.
Wow how anti-climatic is that? Kyle Williams screws us over twice in crunch time… Amazing…
Kyle Williams had better be cut tomorrow. What a useless pile of crap.
Wow.
Speechless.
KW and a crap 4th Quarter by Alex cost us a SB
You’re a piece of crap
Alex is not quite ready for prime time. There are receivers running open. Smith almost seemed to look to run too early sometimes. One thing is for sure, Alex Smith clearly can’t throw on the run. He bounced the ball all over the field tonight.
If the wr ain’t open what difference does it make if you throw it over his head out of bounds or at his feet? Either way you’re just throwing it away!!! Looked pretty intentional to me!
“Alex is not quite ready for prime time.”
Never heard such nonsense after last week. Get him some clutch receivers equal to VD’s talent at WR and the 9ers will be back!
Let’s see what TB and JH think based on draft and AS receives a long term contract.
I called it the whole game…he’s gonna blow it. Not only once but twice!!
Wow. This isn’t how to end the season.
NFC Championship Co-MVP’s for NY Kyle Williams, Dashon Goldson
All who hate Williams -raise their hands.. so,its everybody I see.
No Stan, it’s not everybody. Especially not me.
Did K.Will make big mistakes? Yes.
But the defense couldn’t put pressure on Manning in the 1st half and it looked like Cruz was going to have a dream game.
Alex missed a wide open K.Williams for what could have been a TD.
The offensive line had too many lapses never allowing the running game or Alex to get into rhythm.
Yes, we will need to find more playmakers for Alex next season. A WR that can separate should be priority. Crabtree has had his moments, good and bad, but him not being able to separate will limit the offense.
Still, as mentioned earlier, we still had a good chance to win this one except for the K.Will crucial mistakes, and that’s goin to leave a bad taste for a long time.
Good run, and we came back onto the football landscape in a big way.
Thank you 49ers for an exciting ride!
Thanks blog family for all the ups and downs this season (mostly ups).
See ya’all come draft time…
The Giants are going to win.
I can’t. Believe this. 1990 all over again.
If the Giants have any class they should vote williams a share if they win the SB.
Well the networks got their game they always wanted!!
Doesn’t matter MC didn’t show up and no WR’s couldn’t win SB anyway!
These coaches did not call plays to win the game. Greg Roman is too conservative. I wish he would have gotten the Penn St job.
Bay
No one on offends played well in the 4th quarter.
Imagine trying to win with MC and KW as the WR’s…not!
Yet they would have won if Smith didn’t overthrow a wide open Williams by five yards.
Well, the offense had the opportunities to win the game. 1-13 on 3rd down. Less than 50% passing. They were able to rush for 150 yards, very frustrating way to finish the season. I feel bad for this defense, they were definitely championship caliber.
C’est vrais. Offense not great today.
Goddamn Kyle Williams.
Cut his ass now.
Williams gave NY 10 points…A goat for life.
He’s gone in the offseason!
KYLE WILLIAMS YOU’RE DONE! TWICE?!?!?!?!?!? COME OOOOOOOOONNNNN!!!!!
K. Williams lost this game for us
That and some terrible play calling toward the end of the game.
I agree and the OC too
49ers need to trade up for Blackmon, our wide receivers are such trash.
To get this far with such a limited group – then you’ll hear all of the anti-AS bloggers crawling out after hiding last week when AS proved what he could do with real playmakers.
Something needs to happen, because our guys are NOT getting it done. I like Crabtree, but in the big games you HAVE to show. He left Alex hanging big time!
Sorry offense
The better Team won.
No, they surely didn’t. Kyle Williams gave them 10 points, and that early whistle on that fumble was ridiculous.
Dude the Niners played terrible the entire game. The plays that were called were crap.
I agree tkamb!!!
Bs, NY got lucky.
NY and the networks got their game. Done, no more football. Who cares!
yes they did. That Bradshaw fumble was game over!
You can say what you want about the offense playing bad but if you think this loss isn’t on Kyle Williams you’re smoking something serious…
The entire team played poorly and Williams helped out even more with it.
But his turnovers were momentum killers, On the first one we had their O stopped completely and he gave them excellent field position. The second one I don’t think I need to mention
Cmon-its Williams..how stupid to let the ball hit his knee…then the fumble..he undid a whole year. Ted Ginn with a broken leg would have done better.
our team was young and KW didn’t step up and play. He muffed the reverse in the first half and two on punts.
WTF was up with Crabs. Why didn’t B. Edwards produce.
Great season but we can beat anyone and should be beating down the Patriots.
HIHIHIIHIHIHIHI
BAWAHHHAAAHHHHA
…..FARK!!!!!!!!
1/1000000 ON 3RD DOWN..SMITH SUCKED
Gutless. Post with your real avatar. No one takes your seriously! Contract on the way! lol
The miss picks too… awe man it just didn’t go our way today
What did Crabtree have 1 catch? Williams thought it was Christmas, for the Giants he was Santa Claus , he kept giving and giving.
I knew there was trouble when Vernon Davis got called for two big penalties early on. And look what happened, he didn’t show up down the stretch.
Always, always, turnovers. Man, I knew it before the game when they said TG was out. I didn’t trust KW and it was his lack of playing time and experience as the punt returner. Seely needed to really coach him up!
I always get nervous when K. Williams is returning kicks. He always takes a risky decisions. He’s made them work out all year long, but in a game like this, you gotta let some of those go. Don’t try and be a hero, just do your damn job!
Thanks a lot Kyle!
You just got me a big fat contract next year….
A QB AWAY FROM SUPERBOWL
lol…if only anyone took you seriously. lololololololol!
No,even though Alex played very poorly,we still would have won in regulation if Ginn had been able to play. And the WR’s didn’t help all that much …but of course Alex missed at least 3-4 wide open receivers for TD’s during the game. So we were close but we were a return man AND a QB away from an easy win. Kudos to the defense ,they deserved better.
But I am proud of my Niners. Even though I predicted 10 wins this season,I never thought we were going to the SB and we almost did. Great season and we are only starting the Harbaugh era !
TIM, wrong as usual. We’ll see how the brass feels in April when it’s time to draft talent. Can you say WR!
Alex didn’t lose that game
We’ll see by how the brass drafts in April. You can count on a WR!
Hofer:
I said the WR’s didn’t help much…but Alex had wide open receivers at least 4-5 times for easy TD’s and he hit one and made horrible passes on the others. Alex had a horrible,pathetic game,but of course it was not all his fault. If Williams doesn’t implode we win even with bad QB play. Alex would have probably played better in 2 weeks indoors. Too bad we don’t get to enjoy that. Oh well,I enjoyed the season very much and I look foreward to an even better team next year.
Alex will be back and maybe he keeps getting better. I hope so !
…So,I don’t see where I was “wrong as usual” ???
You don’t really believe Alex played well do you ? Come on now,get real for a change will ya ?
Let me put it this way for you…IF Williams doesn’t mess up twice we win easily…IF Alex played a average game of NFL QB,we win easily. If Goldson doesn’t knock away two interceptions ,we win easily.
I am not blaming Alex,I am saying what happened and am blaming a bunch of players who did poorly. It happens,so accept it,Alex can’t play great every week,like he did in the 1st and 4th qtrs last week.He had a very bad day,no big deal,it happens to the best of them,it just happened to happen to Alex today (along with Williams etc etc ).
Hof:
I think we get (draft ot FA)at least 1 stud WR and a corner and a RB or two.
And by the way,I like Williams a bunch and feel sorry for him.I hope he has a great year next season as a Niner ! (and that goes for Alex too !)
Thanks a lot Kyle!
You just got Ted Ginn a big fat contract next year….
Oh well…goodnight…we gave it a good fight.
Not really
That’s what we get for not signing a real WR at the end of the season. why was he back there again?
Crabtree is junk
Williams showed that you can’t count on him.
Defense barely survived the game.
The defense played lights out! Two really stupid mistakes (by ONE guy) cost us the game!
You call that playing lights out? Rogers was getting beat all night. They gave up over 400 yards to the Giants. Forced no TO. they gave up over 140 yard to one receiver. thats not lights out. the only lights out was when Goldson hit Brown
Trade up and get a WR. Most other pieces are in place. Obviously no “go to” guy other than VD.
KW was not good, but the playcalling wasn’t good either.no 3rd downs, can’t win that way.
No weapons. This team would get killed in the SB. Come on MC and KW?
The rest of the team did what was needed to win. Kyle Williams lost this game. Period.
Amen to that!
MVP! Kyle Williams!
Well, we know what our focus will be in the offseason/draft….WR, WR, WR, bookend OLB.
It’s been a great ride and the team exceeded expectations. JH has something good here to build upon. They did a great job but there are pieces missing. Mainly playmakers on offense. FG has lost a step and the WR’s can’t get separation. I know there will be those that disagree especially the WR’s but we will see how they see it in April when it’s time to draft some more talent…
It will be interesting to see how well they do with a training camp under their belt. I just hope Roman calls plays next year to help the team convert 3rd downs.
We certainly topped expectations! I’m disappointed, but I’m excited about where we’re headed. Some upgrades in the offseason and the anger from today will help us get over the hump.
Hofer it was a great year, we couldn’t overcome the Ginn injury. Also, he would have given us something at wide receiver.
I told my wife when KW screwed up the first time that JH should put somebody else as punt returner because he surely would be nervous and about to do something else wrong.
At least he should have ordered him to fair catch it all the way.
Really, I didn’t expect him to fumble again, but we should not have taken the chance.
I guess resigning Ginn is a top priority.
Yes resign Ginn!!!!!
Heck no. Get rid of every damn receiver on this team. Bring in receivers that can actually run routes and catch the ball.
Seely should have coached him how to play it safe and not try to be the hero. Always, always, always turnovers…KW was over his head.
OK we made it to the NFC Championship game. No one expected this in Sept. We should be going to the Super Bowl, but we had a better year than any of us could have hoped for.
The question is can we improve next year? If we can we can be a force for the next few years.
Great season, but man, what a terrible way to end it. I feel sick.
Talk to you guys in a couple months.
Cant believe that we lost because Ginn could not play tonight, we need a big time receiver for next year, they were doubleing Vernon and the WR’s could not get open.
Nice run, period!
A couple of mistakes by K.Williams were ‘killers’ but if we’re going to start pointing fingers there is much to go around.
O-line was sub-par.
WR’ were non-factors.
Running game was marginal.
Alex had accuracy issues in the 2nd half and overtime.
Still, we were in the game until Williams two mistakes.
Kudos to the 49ers 2011-12 season for a GREAT RIDE!
Exactly, played better than the talent. EM has top notch receivers and the 9ers will be going there in the draft.
Faithfull what an amazing season and i am sitting here completely shocked to watch this team lose!!! I truly believe this team had the ability to win the superbowl. The stage was too big for KW and he made three very crucial mistakes. I feel sorry for the team and the defense. They allowed only 10 points if you take the turn overs out of the picture. We need the following next year:
- We need at least two very good Wide outs
- We need to sign Ginn as a return man
- We need to sing Josh Morgan (man we missed him in this game)
- one or two DBS
- Another RB
- D Line that can put pressure from the middle
- a new Guard
I really had hoped for Crabs to be something special, but he didn’t show up last week, and he didn’t show up today. Alex and Gore, were balling all game. Vernon had his moments. The O-line did a great job against a stellar front 4, but not one single receiver gave contributed positively.
It’s easy to blame the QB (we know who they are) but MC didn’t show up last week or this week when it was big time football. AS and VD made it happen last week but no WR’s (thank god for VD) will prove a need for the April draft.
Absolutely. Vernon was the only threat in the receiving game. I’m curious to know how things would’ve turned out if Morgan played. He’s not a super star, but he was having a pretty season up to that point, and the offense wasn’t even clicking yet. I think we get a good receiver in the offseason, bring Morgan back and let the top three battle it out for the starting job. I don’t think Crabtree makes it as the #1 (maybe not even #2). Hey at least it would force him to participate in training camp.
Hof I am very proud of Alex, He scored points and put us in the position to win. The reason we lost was the turn overs. I truly believe if we did not muff the punt when we were up by 4, niners would have won the game. Oh well. GO NINERS
Every WR needs a QB that can complete passes to them.Why do you think Crabs wanted a different QB …so he could make his incentives in his contract and go to the Pro Bowl etc. He believed (and rightly so I guess) that Alex could not get him there.
Of course we all want and hope that Alex can get better and has not reached his ceiling,but also we should all hope that there is something better in the teams future at QB than what we have seen this year. If it’s alex that is the upgrade,then GREAT,if he has reached near his ceiling,then we need a better QB,just like we need better WR’s and Corners and RB’s etc. Upgrade ,upgrade,upgrade,all across the roster…And I am sure JH and Baalke are already planning to do that where needed.
TIM, cite your sources.
Yeah I realize that you’re old and senile, but you really need to wake up. Stop making stuff up to satisfy what you wish was real in the crazy fantasy world you live in.
I wouldn’t give Ginn a fat contract he is a straight line runner. KW has more upside. He just blew it today.
AS was not great but I bet the WRs and TEs were not open down field.
Play calling could of been better. Screens draws and so on…
Oh Dashon played good but he saved two INTS for Eli!!!
this sticks in my mind the most….game changers …. that weren’t
Funny to sit here and read people put all the blame on Kyle Williams. Yea he was a main factor but it was in no way ALL his fault. The offense had plenty of chances to win the game and we didn’t. Alex, Oline and the WR’s were all off beat the whole game. If you are stupid enough to blame Kyle and Kyle alone then maybe you should stay off this blog
Excuse me? Kyle Williams GAVE the Giants 10 points. Giants won by 4.
The rest of the team did enough to win. It wasn’t pretty but it was enough to win.
Kyle Williams GAVE the game to the Giants. He was the MVP of this game.
Adam, despite the offensive production this team was up by 4 points before the KW muffed the punt and then we where again in the position to take over and the fumble! KW changed the game and put the Giants in the position to score 10 points from his turn overs. This was a field position game and KW missed up! Offense was missing Ginn and Morgan. Even Bray could have been used as a decoy!
yes, the first muffed punt was a huge mistake. Huge momentum swinging play after niners just sacked eli and forced 3 & out…
Just my opinion in sports. A loss can never be put on one person’s shoulders alone. Team sport=Team loss
Yes you are entitle to your opinion but KW had a very bad game:
Muffed hand off but likely we recovered!
Muffed Punt = 7 points for Giants
Fumble in OT For GOD SAKE = niners lose. Did you see how the defender just tipped the ball out of his hands!!! I guess he is very young and was not paying attention to the situation! anyway i feel sorry for him since he probably is going to hate life for the next few years.
I still blame Craig for 1990,and Kyle for the OT fumble can’t put it on anyone else.
We will use this as motivation for next season. I dont see us cutting KW. Harbaugh and Baalke have more class than that. He will bounce back
Love it when I hear “MC was open on several plays” yeah right with lineman in AS face…such a one-sided comment. Look at EM he has 3 WR’s that could all start for this 9er team. MC is a major disappointment. Big games didn’t show up!
MC needs to be opened a lot more than on several plays.
Several plays are still just several catches (assuming he hangs onto them). #1 WR’s need to be opened and catch the ball more than several times a game.
JR found a way to be open a lot more than several times a game. And don’t tell it was JM or SY who threw JR open all the time. Because I remember a bunch of times seeing JR get himself open a lot of times. And JR made all those other backups look pretty darn good as well. Then JR went to the Raiders and made journeyman RG (who I actually always thought was good) become a Pro Bowl QB.
So, yeah. JR made JR that good. MC is going to be compared to JR like AS is to SY and JM. You may not think it fair for either, but it is true.
you know fumbles happen but that first one, he had no business going near the ball and it wasn’t the first time it’s happened.
It was a great ride! I’ll take that right now. Disappointing loss…great year. Who would have thought they would get this far! Thanks Niners!!!!!
+1
Well, it’s 2am in Brazil.
I”l try to get some sleep now.
It was a real good fight and the team made me proud tonight as they did all year.
But you could sense that this wasn’t our night.
Other than the KW mistakes, we had a sure INT that turned out in a incompletion and injured Brown, and the Bradshaw non-fumble that was a very questionable call.
The turnovers weren’t bouncing our way today. It happens sometimes.
I believe it’s the Peter King jinx.
Man, the guy suck at predictions. Any team that he picks is bound to go home. Hopefully he won’t pick the Niners agains in his lifetime.
after the niners had run two running plays for 15 and 17 or so yards the play calling got weird…rollouts and throws had not worked well before why go back to them…..slants got loss in the play calling at the end …. and actual run plays were not aggressive after those two long ones in a row……
biggest wildcard in this game was the niners kept knocking each other out of sure interceptions…… to me that was the game changing moment that didn’t happen
oh well congrats NYg
Kyle Williams should never have been returning punts. He had a horrible game.the man was indecisive the whole game. He dove to catch a punt and almost got killed earlier in the game. He fumbled the trick play on a pitch right in his hands from 2 feet away. He fair caught balls that he should have been returning. He knew the ball hit his knew on the 1st fumble and didn’t go after it. Then he fumbles the punt in overtime. He played the worst game of his life and hopefully the last as a 49er. We lost the turnover battle, we lost the game.
Alex couldn’t complete a pass in the 2nd half. Even when he rolled out, Crabs was working his way back to alex but Smith kept throwing the ball low to him. Webster did a decent job on Crabtree but he was open as well as others late in the game. Smith was too cautious with the ball late. Didn’t want to risk the turnover.
Agree with most of your post. The 9ers don’t have the talent. FG has lost quickness (his 1st step) and the WR’s just aren’t playmakers. If not for VD, there would be no threat.
I forgot about the trick play. Terrible mistake indeed.
And the diving punt catch was atrocious.
Looking in retrospective now, we should have seen the TOs coming. KW gave us signs from the beginning.
We REALLY need at least 2 better WRs if we resign Morgan. Otherwise it’s just Crabtree, and he still did not perform as a top 10 pick.
I really hope that was K Williams’ last game as a 49er….at least returning kicks. We sorely need some talent in the receiving game.
Blame Seely. He needs to tell him to catch the ball or get out of the way. KW tried to be the hero and it backfired!
Nope Hofer, I’m not blaming Seely. A 9 year old kid knows to get the hell away from the ball on a punt.
Hell, a retarded donkey would know to get away from the ball on a punt.
MSC, agreed just needs a reminder. Don’t try to be the hero and end up being the *goat*!
Hofer,
Alex has to work on throwing through passing lanes as well. You can’t throw balls through defensive linemens hands. 4 batted balls a game is just too many. Niners definitely will have to address the receiver position as well as a couple of others. They need another corner as well. Not far away from being back here next year. The Braylon experiment not working hurt as well. Oh well. Good season Niners!!
Jordan,
I chalk that up to the ability of the Giants defensive line (they are tall and very athletic) but he does have too many batted down. That being said, there are several throws he makes, like the pass to Crabtree on third down before they kicked the field goal, that are purposely thrown around the defender. Initially it looked like the throw was high and inaccurate, but when you watch the replay, he had to throw it there to get the pass around the defender in his face.
Jordan I was at the game. EVERY receiver got separation today and Alex either missed them with bad 4th quarter throws or just didn’t see them. How far did he overthrow a WIDE open KW? Seems he got separation there?
I said last week Alex needs to do it two weeks in a row. Well he didn’t.
The guy next to me said it best. Eli played to Win and Akex played not to lose.
19 seconds left and VD single covered and he never threw it down field. Nothing to Lose. 19 seconds and he still playing safe.
Eli should’ve had three picks. Playing to win? Really?
Alex could’ve played better, but he is not the reason we lost.
Doesn’t matter what Bay thinks he’s been *wrong* many times especially as it relates to AS. JH and TB will go after a WR in the draft and that will validate what the issues are (believe Bay or JH?).
Bay,
I was there as well and saw what you saw. Alex played late and in overtime like he was waiting for the defense or special teams to make a play. He has to be much more aggressive with the football. Receivers were open, Williams was open a few times. Alex needs to throw to taller receivers. He’s just not comfortable with guys like Williams. Crabtree gets separation, just not enough to make Smith feel comfortable. Smith threw it at his feet all day. You have to be able to throw the ball aggressively. We lean on our defense and special teams too much.
Jordo. you and Bay seem to be *wrong* most of the time. Let’s see what the brass thinks about the receivers come draft time. lolololololololol!
Overtime, third and 12, Smith threw a laser to a well-covered Davis between two defenders for 11 yards. Pretty aggressive decision.
Yeah he was inaccurate on a few throws, but I didn’t see him playing conservative.
Hofer today you are being an a$$. You want to attack my credibility fine. Usually you say I cannot see the receivers open on tv. Today I saw it live. Alex took a huge step backwards tonight in the 4th.
We all thought he would grow from the Saints game. Well he didn’t. Consistency and accuracy are not Mr Smiths friends. Guess your limited view on Tv gave you a better view though.
If Grant calls it straight you’ll see how bad of a joke job it was. And KW…. Wow.
Hofer,
Im disappointed that the front office didn’t do anything about the wide receiver position the minute Josh Morgan got hurt. They had another chance when they decided to get rid of Edwards. So When we blame the wideouts we did have, we should also blame the front office for not even trying to find us some competent help at the position. That came back to kill us in this game for sure.
Bay, debate or disagree all you want. We’ll see where TB and JH go in the draft. Period. Case closed!
BTW, perfect throws to VD his only speed receiver albeit a TE!
Jordan is 100% correct regarding the receivers. The fact that we had Crabtree, Williams, and Swain as our top three receivers over the last several games is embarrassing. Crabtree is a solid #2, and Williams is no more than a #4 at this point. Swain looked terrible when he played. I know there weren’t a lot of options this late in the season, but our lack of depth at the position came back to haunt us.
Next year we have Crabs, Morgan, and KW as our 2-3-4. We NEED a legitimate #1, no question.
Jordan’s on the money… our receivers are laughable…
separation was created due to AS throwing KW open….KW had not quite cleared the defender when AS decided to throw the ball … i kind of think that the track being wet didn’t allow KW to exhibit a burst of speed.. saw eli overthrow some rcvrs as well.. saw eli throw two should have been picks that would have been game changers except the defenders knocked each other off the ball.. how about the perfect pin point bomb to VD at goal line…
AS did have a lot of balls batted down and this needs to be addressed….I like KW as a rcvr, he just had a bad day as a return person…
I saw the same with the recievers being open and not getting the throws. Thats why I said earlier Harbaugh and Smith have to work on this next year.
@ninermd
The experts who watched the game, and at least 9/10 of the fans calling in to KNBR who were also at the game, all said that the WR’s are not getting separation, and there was nobody who was open for AS to throw to (really focusing on the WR’s here. The RB’s and TE’s were open).
MD, you’re not being balanced with your opinion. The WR’s weren’t open. A good neighbor of mine who played football at a high level in college saw the game in person and he said the WR’s weren’t open. TK of the Merc says the same thing in his article. Come on dude call it straight.
I was also at the game and saw our WRs mostly blanketed. The comebacks when Alex scrambled were pathetic attempts that had the WRs in a bigger knot of defensive players than if they’d just extended their routes. Alex did miss that long ball to Williams but I’m sure had he caught it, he would have just fumbled it through the end zone for the trifecta.
I am proud of Alex and this team. Thank you for a great season and i hope we can take it all the way to the superbowl next year. GO NINERS
+1
Agreed. Tough to watch them lose a game that could have gone either way.
And to have the two monumental mistakes on special teams when that unit has been a strength of the team all year was extra deflating. I know a lot of people were calling for more Kyle Williams all year long, but he really did us in tonight. Good young player, but I agree with those that point out we need some more play-making threats outside to help open things up – draft or free agency. Kudos to the Giants on a tough fought game; holding the niners to 0 3rd down conversions (or 1)?
Again, congrats on a terrific season.. it’s great to have been able to root them on for this long after years of futility. Looking forward to the off-season to see what this team does to improve from here.
Let the idiots go back to blaming Alex. As usual they will think they’re right but so clearly wrong.
Nobody takes them seriously. AS will be signed for a long term contract and a WR will be a high draft choice. All the validation you need. lol
Right you are sir.
We all know the Alex haters will be at full hating force all offseason!
Hopefully they can past all of that and start talking about posible players they will bring in.
RESIGHN: Alex, C. Rodgers, Ginn, Morgan, Goldston.
9er,dodger,laker4life,
Who cares what they think. AS is a big time QB when he gets his chances and proved it last week. He’ll be re-signed for the long term and the draft will yield some playmakers. Looking forward to a full year of getting ready.
Giants didn’t win it the 9ers lost it. The networks will be happy…no SB watching for me1
Yeah i dont think i can watch it either, too painfull, i cant even watch any sports channels for at least the next 2 days.
I think we would not be this upset if we lost a straight up game, but to loose because of special teams is what hurts more!
I agree. Every other unit play their hearts out. The special teams unit actually played well, but K Williams really blew it for us. We were in position to win and he blew it.
We lost because we committed two turnovers today and did not create any. We lost the turnover battle for the first time in a long time. Spec teams was not good today…they actually were poor, so yes #10 did paly a big part in this disaster. Turnovers gave the NYG 10 points. This game is over in reg without that. The other terrible factors were no open WR’s which made Smith look less that servicable, but at least he did not force it. We need a big WR who can get open, another DB and depth with best player avail depending on who resigns. This was a great year and AS is ok in my book with Harbaugh behind him. Go Niners!
Right you are Sac. Can you say WR in the draft?!!
Stuck with Kyle Williams for two more years and his whopping 1.86 million dollar contract. Cant cut him yet.
No but you can trade him….and if need be, cut him. I’d rather pay the 1.86 million ticket to go to the super bowl.
I think the signing bonus is the only thing that counts against cap space (?), so cutting him only amounts to a 60K hit… either way, kid’s camp fodder at best…
There is a negligible cap hit for cutting the guy that cost the 49ers a trip to the Super Bowl. $100K at most.
Even if it was a 10 million dollar cap hit it wouldn’t be fair to the rest of the team to keep him. Everyone else did their jobs. He lost the game.
Kyle Williams should probably be put on suicide watch for a little while…he just played the worst game of his life on the biggest stage of his life. He’s gotta be balling his eyes out right now. Friends shouldn’t leave him alone tonight.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/prospectrankings/TSX/2012_WR
No fast recievers in this year draft. Only Crabtree type recievers.
There are a few diamonds in the rough. Need players that want the ball. MC still has upside but we’ll see over time if the 9ers overdrafted for him.
Victor Cruz was undrafted.
There are good wide receivers out there. They aren’t playing for the 49ers but they are out there.
49ers need a clean sweep at WR. Cut the entire bunch and get some decent receivers in here.
Bring on Deshaun Jackson. He could quickly gel with the team as he did in Phili.
I would like D. Jackson with V. Davis, Morgan, Crabtree and D. Walker.
I’d only sign D Jax as a return man otherwise he looked alot like Ginn as a Wr this year.
Crabtree is a secondary reciever. Alex is better throwing to fast recievers in stride like Vernon Davis not Recievers that sit and wait for balls. Crabtree is always going to be overthrown because of lack of foot speed.
I said earlier in the week that if MC ran precise routes a la JR, he would get the necessary step to catch and get YAC. He’s not fast enough or talented enough to trust just throwing the ball up a la CJ. As I said earlier, debate all you want but we’ll see who the 9ers draft in the 1st and 2nd round (WR and RB)!
Jed/Trent, go get Dwayne Bowe and draft 2 wideouts in your draft to compete for a starters job. It was clear today that we have no explosive passing threat outside of Vernon Davis.
This playoff experience will serve us well in the future. How hungry will Culliver, Aldon, Bowman be for next year?
This team is in great shape once it gets a new look at the WR position. The Alex doubters, give me a break! You give Alex a receiver who can get open and separation, the Niners win that game. Crabtree is a bust, if VD can get open why can’t Crabtree? Slow, and not very motivated to being in SF, trade maybe?
I wouldn’t say not motivated but *two* big games he doesn’t show up? They you have commentators say AS is *only* 2 of 7 in the first half?!! No kidding! Can you commentators say WR!!? EM has three WR that would start over our three here in SF period!
Your ‘hate’ for Crabtree is in full view Hofe. Crabtree made one catch that was obviously thrown high. And the other passes thrown his way were at his feet.
Yet you blame him for not having enough speed to separate. What’s next, are you going to blame him for Alex missing a wide open K.Williams who did have significant separation on a DB?
C’mon Hofe, we win as a team, and we lose as a team. Stop the finger pointing dude. Shake it off, and let’s come back next season. Yes, a speed WR is priority. So is a ‘shut-down’ DB. But who can argue with the kind of season we had?
Nooobody!
AES, I’m not the only one saying MC hasn’t shown up. All of the analysts were saying it and LC has said it as well. If I’m wrong, we’ll see during the draft (unless they go after a big name FA). If I am, I’ll tell you so in a comment here in April!
BTW, I’ve replayed much of the game and if the balls weren’t thrown at MC’s feet they would be picks. No separation!
No true about the passes to Crabtrees feet. He came back for balls that were badly thrown. He didn’t even have a chance to catch them. Put the ball somewhere so he has a chance to catch the ball.
Jordo, I re-played them. They would not have yielded many yards anyway because they were underneath passes for 3-4 yds. And again as I point out, they would have been intercepted (take a look at you DVR I have).
“You give Alex a receiver who can get open and separation, the Niners win that game.”
You mean like when KW was wide open for a TD and Smith overthrew him by five or six yards? That would have been 21 points.
didn’t overthrow VD the second time on a spot on pass at the goal line….can’t just pick on the KW throw and say he can’t hit wide open rcvrs ….. and looking at the replay of the KW pass it looked to me he was trying to throw KW open because KW had not quite cleared the defender when the ball was gone…..just one of those plays….
this was an unfortunate game at the wrong time in unfortunate conditions…..
I would not say the defense played lights out….cruz had 10 catches for 140 yds…. and so many of them on 3rd downs and so many of them with big separation…. NYG WR made all the difference in this game….front 6 of the defense did play lights out..
Eli had overthrows as well but he had WR that were making great catches….and he should have thrown two picks but the niners knocked themselves out of certain interceptions….each of those missed interception opportunities were game changers
One hell of a year but sucks its ending. Our D played lights out I don’t understand K.Williams trying to do to much… We just needed something and I hate it ended like that but we will be better next year and I like the way our team is playing but we need help at the WR postion it is just bad haha
Mike Wallace is a free agent.
Damn u keep bringing up good options, i like those WR’s!!!
Alex Smith didn’t lose this game. He didn’t win it, but he sure didn’t lose it.
How many quarterbacks go that many quarters in must-win games without a pick?
What a game. What a season. The Niners were in position and should have won tonight. I know you don’t get to this position too often, so you have to win when you do. But dammit. The team tried.
We’re a hell of a team. We’ll get better. As hard as this is to take, we’ll be back. I’m shell-shocked. I’m torn up, like all of our fans. But what a year. We’ll be back.
After the New Orleans game Alex is untouchable. He did what he could against the Giants and it would have been enough to win if Kyle Williams wasn’t a moron.
and how many TD passes did the elite Eli throw with an exeptional group of wideouts??? Smith held his own in the playoffs in the first year of Harbaugh’s offense, now give him a couple more playmakers on offense and let’s see what happens
niners had two picks that they knocked each other off of….eli was damn lucky
@niner61
Good point!
AS threw just as many TD passes as EM did. Even though EM has the playoff experience. EM has the better WR core (not even worthy of comparison). Yet AS had the Niners the lead more than not the whole game.
I feel sorry for our defense, they played their hearts out, the play calling was horrendous, why can’t we throw the ball down the middle for 7 or 8 yards , every time it’s third down it like we are building Rome. The receivers get a F, Lowell was right MC disappeared, KW was horrendous, KW should get a room with that Ravens kicker and be named the biggest choker’s of the season. This is a good team, we know we have a QB, need another power runner behind Gore, he might have another 2 year’s top, and the draft is rich with receiver’s
Well said!
Our D did everything in their power to win, Hats off to them.
The D held the Giants to 20 points. That should have been enough to win.
Hats off to Justin Smith, Pattrick Willis and the rest of the D. Great game for them.
Add the trick play and KW screwed up three times…
We’ve been through these championship game losses before Hof. Never easy but this has been a great year anyway. The Niner future is bright again if they can re-sign most of these guys.
Baalke did a great job drafting, but I really question his in-season GMing to get us a viable WR to help Alex out. Anything would’ve been better than what we had. Ginn is always hurt, Williams is nothing, and Crabtree should be considered close to a bust considering his draft position. He disappeared once again when needed most. But Brandon Lloyd was available for a bag of chips, and we passed. TO was an option(although not a great one), and Derrick Mason is sitting there. ANYTHING other than what we did to help out Alex, who had Vernon and…..and…..well, Vernon to throw to. Baalke brought nobody in,(except Swain) and, it haunted us.
Getting Brandon Lloyd would have been huge. A 5th or 6th round pick was the *cost* which seems pretty cheap NOW! Sometimes you need to pull the trigger and BW didn’t have a problem. The 9ers had injuries with JMorg going down and counting on TG and KW. BL would have helped get MC more oppty’s!
I’ll be the outcast and say that there is no way Kyle Williams should be cut. That’s just emotion speaking after a difficult loss. Yeah he was the biggest reason we lost the game, but chances are he will never have a game this bad again. He is young and has potential. Yes it’s frustrating that his HUGE mistakes cost us a shot at a Super Bowl, but imagine what he feels like right now. I feel for the guy.
@LSX
I totally agree; Kyle Williams has a lot of time left in a 9er uniform. I’ll bet that even msclemons has had a bad day or two in his/her life. Tomorrow’s a new day, and I didn’t bet anything on the game. Now let’s get our FA’s signed, and pick up a couple big ugly WR’s. The attitude’s established; now let’s fill in the missing pieces. Joshua Morgan, time to get back to work.
Twice again crabtree no seperation from cory webster. Bring on Mike Wallace. No good wrs in draft well fast ones at least. Sign him asap.
The troubling thing about Kyle Williams is that he doesn’t have the cerebral ability to occupy a roster spot here. Every mistake he made was stupid and inexcusable.
You also gotta take that the giants didn’t give alex much time to pass he was always moving around… Not saying he played great but the whole offense needed to step up and they didnt . Special teams killed us 2 fumbles idk we will get better
I trust Trent Blake to upgrade the necesaary skill positions. WR and maybe RCB.
All week I had a bad feeling about Ginn not playing, I tip my hat to Manning , sacked 6times and hit over 20, made plays but did have more weapons, Still a remarkable season compared to where we were! Hope to have many more good memories in the future still amazing that the whole year we were in all of our games, Glad to have Harbaugh! Time to Cowboy up as they say and no kicking dead horses!
So is Bowe and Colston, and Jackson but will all be franchised?
Bowe is a headcase and Colston is just another DropTree. DeSean Jackson could be interesting though.
DeSean Jackson is trash, and way too small. Bad fit for us.
Keep in mind, K.Williams had 4 dumb plays….the touch, the fumble, a running up close muff play(which was way to risky), and a fair catch with nobody 15 yards around him.
Thank you to all that Blog, You made for a very entertaining year! You made me laugh and spit out my cheerios, My six year old enjoyed some of the comments he was allowed to her.Lots of people spelled their guts all year, I still think we have a bright future, No fun to not get to the big dance! Be safe out there, lots of bad weather here in California, So who gets the trophy manning or Brady?
Sh-t! Just read that Crabtree and Wallace were both drafted in 2009. Wallace is free agent though because he was a second rounder. Who did we draft in the second round that year? Glen Cofee. Couldve had Brian Orakpo insteaad of crabtree then Mike Wallace in the secound round.
So was Hicks! Hopefully we get a game changer
Maybe MC will come around next year. Unfortunate he didn’t show up when it counted!
More likely when training camp opens MC will be like “ow, my foot! I can’t practice!”
49ers need a clean slate at WR. Williams, Ginn, Crabtree – they all suck. Bring in some guys that can run routes and actually catch the ball.
Msclemons you beat me to it. I’m really interested to see if Crabs can make 0-4 on training camps/preseason.
@Freddy P
“…and if a bullfrog had wings, he wouldn’t bust his a$$ every time he jumped…”.
I don’t care what nobody says. This loss is on kyle, alex and the coaching staff. No explanation needed for Kyle. Alex was terrible on 3rd downs and for much of the game. Take away those two passes to VD and he was TERRIBLE!!!! And the coaching staff for not sticking with the run game and making adjustments on offense. As much as I hate to admit it we don’t deserve to win after being so terrible on 3rd down. Elite teams and elite quarterbacks are good on 3rd down.
…the thing is, you can’t take away those two throws to VD. They were on the spot, big time throws in a tough, sloppy, field position ball game… and he made them when the opportunity was there.
…in my eyes, the biggest failure was not finding a way to continue to get gore the ball down the stretch. With 1:47 (+/-) left in the 4th, with 3 timeouts, I thought we panicked – calling 3 passes in a row – when they were giving us numbers to run. Even if we decided to spread it out and run a draw, we needed to force the issue (remember in ’81 championship game BW marched the majority of the field on the ground when the entire stadium thought they would throw it).. hell, with 3 time outs I gladly would have taken 2nd and 5 with a chance to stay on schedule and move the chains. Instead … 3 & out and 14 seconds off the clock.
Live and learn, I suppose.
Hopefully the coaching staff stays in tact and they will take their mistakes into the off season and turn them into strengths.
You are dead on Larry. Greg Roman went Marc Trestman on us in this game. He kept leaving the run even though the run was working.
Gore and Hunter were gashing the Giants. And Roman kept getting stupid calling passes and gadget plays.
I’m not sure what happened to Roman over the last few weeks. He went from calling a solid ball control offense to being Mike Martz. I guess he was trying to buff his resume for a job somewhere else.
Ya, probably just a case of out-smarting themselves and getting too caught up in the chess match. They(O coaches) do all the film study and tendency breakdown so they obviously have pretty strong reasons for the decisions they make, but it just seems like Gore was hitting the inside run game like a mad man. However, I was a bit perturbed when he kept tapping out in crucial situations. The one time they did commit to slamming it 3 times in a row after a nice 6 yard gain on first down, he tapped out and they fed Dixon twice in a row, coming up short on 3rd and 1. Gore breaks that 2nd down arm tackle 9 times out of ten. That was the wrong time to have Dixon in the game… but that sort of timing seemed to be hurting the niners all night long.
Deshaun is small so he wont fit in with our blocking schemes. Wallace is over 199. Wallace wont be franchised because of Antonio Brown and Emanuel Sanders Steelers can let him walk.
Colston? He’s a free agent and he said he ain’t giving the Saints no hometown discount!
Where the hell was MC!!!!!!!!!!!
Two playoff games, and he produced zilch!
Man, he better show up at every single mini-camp and his foot better not be giving him any problems.
How come the Giant WR’s could use the advantage of knowing where they were going, and our WR’s couldn’t?
I am sure there are those here who will claim the WR’s were wide open all game long, but you know what? YOU’RE WRONG!
The announcing crew never once said, wow, look at all those open targets for AS to hit, but he just can’t make the throw.
JM and SY had DC and JR to throw the ball too on the outside. It is clear the Niners have NOBODY who can show up in the big games. And that is what we will need. A WR who can get open!
WR, WR, WR. Please come to SF.
it’s just like ED said after the game, the Niners have Gore and Davis but need some playmakers at the wideout position. Dwight Clark echoed the same thoughts in the CSNBA postgame show. It’s been a great year and I can’t wait for training camp to start. This team will really be solid having this year and an off season under their belts, now if they can re-sign most or all of their own free agents.
Bay loves ED will he believe him? lol
Great season for a 1st year coach. Now its back to the draft board.
We’ll be back!!!
Kyle Williams should be a shrunken head to hang on the rear view mirror!
He should be more game intelligent since his father is an exec for Sox. Oh well, how many did SY teams lose before they won one?
Man Stan, I usually cringe at your comments, but that one actually made me laugh. Way to bring some levity.
Agreed Hofe, but since when did we started giving an ear to the analyst?
Did we give Cosell any credence when he was less than positive about Alex?
Even worst, some here had the unmedigated gull to critique Steve Young when he didn’t give Alex a resounding approval.
But when the pundits give Crabtree a negative shake, we are all ears.
C’mon Hofe, what happened to supporting every player on the team? This would be a good time to step-up.
AES, not debating at this point. We’ll see during the draft and I’ll either say I was wrong or I’ll just be happy we got some more playmakers at WR.
Totally agree Hofe. We will need to find more playmakers this offseason. But until we do, i’m going to support the ones we have right now. That should have a familiar ring to it.
K.Will had a terrible game. But some of the posts being directed at him are way out of line. This is the same Kyle Williams that most people on this blog were clamaring for just 4-5 games ago. Now, he is the target for all the underhanded posts? No one could feel worse about this loss than he does.
Let’s get real (not necessarily directed at you), everybody has some ‘bad’ days, didn’t A.Rodgers have one last week? This is sports, not everyone wins. Bad plays, bad breaks, and bad decisions are a part of it.
Hofe, all and all, it was a great season. Alex will be back next season and the Org will make the necessary moves that will get us over the top.
Thanks, Grant for allowing us the space to ‘vent’ and be ‘thrilled’ over the team we so dearly love!
Completely agreed, AES. Great post.
Clamoring for Kyle Williams? Dude… 20 catches all year… clamoring? Sorry man, but I didn’t see that on any blog… guy’s run of the mill at best… Bottom line, the ‘niners current wideouts suck top-to-bottom… Morgan’s the only keeper in the bunch and I’m still not sold on him as a #1… Granted, Williams wasn’t the ONLY problem in this game, but his turnovers were the BIGGEST…
Hey Grant when you were down on the field did you get to hear anything that was said by the players/coaches after the Williams fumble?
As mad as we are all at Williams, His team mates appear to have lots of class and are not throwing him under the bus.
Thats what I wanted to know if they consoled him or kinda just stayed away for abit.
… no need to throw him under the bus, when he did a perfectly good job of diving under it himself… If he’s still on the roster next year, color me shocked…
I understand after last week the people on this board who say Alex isn’t to blame for today’s loss. But the jury is out on whether this is the guy you want to entrust this great team to….if there are better options than Alex Smith, I hope we’re not too emotionally attached to him to pursue them.
Not saying Alex Smith won’t get better. I just think even with much better receivers, he can’t be the best QB we can possibly get.
I like him better then Flaco, Not a lot of great QBs out their, we get more playmakers develop our young QBs and we build if Alex stumbles we see what the kids can do, Gore is diffently slowing down, going to be intersting, Rogers , Goldston, Brooks and others well want lots of money, We have a great foundation, Hope we can get over the hump. Going to be a tougher road next year, Glad we have Aldon Smith,
I’m guessing it’ll be pretty unpopular in the locker room to get rid of a guy or a group of guys after the season the 9ers had.
I’m okay with giving Alex a 2 yr deal… if he can’t get us over the top, hopefully either Kaep or Tolzien develop. But I really feel we need to pick up an established #1 WR — should give us a better read on the rest of our receiving core.
It’s just too bad Braylon got hurt on the 1st play of game 2. He was making plays in the preseason. Just never seemed right after the injury though.
Oh well, they’re unlikely to repeat the type of turnover margin they had this season next year, so they probably need to get a lot better.
I understand all of you being upset and blaming this loss on Alex and Williams. Not sure about the Alex part because it is so hard to get a good read on TV. As for Williams, he gave them 10 points. Those plays killed them today.
The thing I don’t get is why they got away from the run so much in the 4th and OT. They were pounding out yards, but late they just went into the shotgun and away from their base offense. This was asked of coach in postgame, but it was the standard response.
I just hope he can duplicate his brothers success and make the playoffs an annual occurrance. The only difference being a Super Bowl.
Agreed. This morning looking at the defense, offense and ST, the 9ers matched up well in all areas but the WR especially with the injuries to JMorg and TG. Easy to blame the QB that came through last week big time and twice this game especially when some were *wrong* with their analysis of AS and his play with two poor HC’s. So close…
Another thing that is mind boggling to me….the continued, repeated, 3rd down throws SHORT of the marker, to targets who ran routes short of the markers. They killed us. 3rd and 8, we run a 6 yard route and throw a 6 yard pass. Hell, 3rd and 5, we throw a 3 yard pass. It’s almost as if no matter what the distance, guaranteed a pass at least 3 yards short of the marker. And we did this all season too. C’MON ROMAN!! FOOTBALL 101!! Terrible.
GR knows the limitations and it ain’t QB…
+infinity to the power of infinity.
The QB has no limitations??? Have you been watching this vanilla offense all year?? We are limited offensively at QB and wide receiver. Alex played too careful with the ball. The receivers weren’t open enough. Should have run a lot more.
Jordo, give it up. The national blogs are saying the WR’s weren’t involved this week or last and AS *will* get his long term contract. We can debate all you want, won’t make you right. lol
BTW, look for a WR in the draft.
Our OL played quiet well for the most part. Our D had 2x the sacks as the Giant’s vaunted DL, and they played great.
We need WR’s to make plays. Dwight Clark even said it. AS needs more playmakers, and after that…he said WR’s.
MC couldn’t even get a freakin slant with his big body? He couldn’t get any separation with the advantage on this field that he knew where to go and the DB didn’t.
Every time they showed any of the WR’s on a pass route, none of them looked any good. You want to be a #1 WR in the NFL. You need to make plays and show up in the playoffs. For 2 whole games, he didn’t. AS may not be the next JM, but I am certain now that MC will never come close to becoming the next JR. Worst performance by a Niner WR in playoff history.
He and all the other WR’s are on a very very short leash with me now. Don’t be surprised to see a whole new starting WR’s tandem come next season. Look at the teams that made it to the Super Bowl, and you will see that they have a lot of good/great WR’s. Look at our team, and we don’t have one.
If we had even one, we win this game. We go to the Super Bowl and TB gets crushed under our defensive pressure.
I think injuries finally caught up to us. How much of a difference would it have been to have Ginn and Josh Morgan in that game?
KW does not have the experience of TG, but even I know (somebody who has never played the game at any level) that when a ball is rolling on a punt, you had best get away from it, or get down and get it.
And considering what actually happened, it was best to just let it go.
The Giants did NOTHING against us the whole 2nd half on offense. And, they only had 10 points after the 1st half. Eli wasn’t getting it done.
Then KW does something that I know not to do and we give the Giants another shot after we made them go 3 and out.
It’ s not always the plays that are not made, is the plays that won’t be made that are the difference in games.
As much as I bashed Alex and took heat for it here, the guy really improved his play and was NOT the reason for this loss. He had NOTHING to throw to except Vernon. And then Vernon got doubled, and we had nobody to take the heat off him. My god, it was a skeleton crew. Crabtree is our #1 WR and he is nothing. Did he even have a catch? He can’t even get open. Ginn is out, and K.Williams is nothing. Cutting Edwards and signing Brett Swain is the best Baalke could do????
Well, at least we still have our 6th round pick that Denver wanted for Brandon Lloyd!! Nice going, Trent.
1 catch for 3 yards when we needed 5 on 3rd and 5 in the 4th quarter near the end zone.
WR’s need to make plays. Need to make something out of nothing. Need to make catches they have no business making. I saw the Giants WR’s make quite a few of those. Nada for Niner WR’s.
I think the reason that Trent didn’t want Lloyd, Owens, etc was that he didn’t want an a_ _ _ _ _ e coming onto a team where everything seemed to be working. And it came within 3 points (and some crushing mistakes of course) of being a right decision. Well, now the team has to do what Harbaugh has been preaching, and get better. Upgrade at your weakest positions.
One comforting thought is that either the Giants or the Pats will be on the losing end of the Super Bowl.
I wished I share your optimism… The way I look at it is either the Giants (Coughlin) or Pats (Brady) win the Super Bowl… Makes me puke just thinking about it… *retch*
Networks couldn’t be happier. They forget there are viewers west of the Mississippi River.
amen to that!
just got back from the game…havent seen a lot of replay
gonna say what i honestly thin and if that ruffles feathers, panties, or drawers, well thats tough
defense was HEROIC. absolutely heroic. time and time again we needed sacks and stops amd they delivered. its a damn shame this unit had to be part of a losing game.
obviously this will be forever known as the kyl williams game. someone pls activate the suicide watch on this kid
wide receivers apparently missed the team bus. crabs was non existent and should be very concerned with his future with the team
alex was saddled by no wrs, but he threw some real stinkers on – again – relatively short routes. i mean, the kind of balls i threw in intramurals in college.
i havent been to a niner game in some time so havent seen alex play live in a regular season or playoff game. i was shocked at how he apparently has been told to look at only one side of the field, because it is clear that he almost never looks at both sides of the field. ive never seen a championship caliber qb who only works one side of the field.
our offense did not perform today. yes the giants defense is good, but we had the ball with two mins left in the game, then handed the ball to Eli with 1:29 left. the D gave the offense the ball in overtime, and we did nothing.
we clearly need an entire new raft of wide receivers. frank gore has been a true hero but is clearly on his last legs. the skill players need a complete revamping. Alex? he has shown magic just when i get down on him the most. can he win a super bowl for the niners? yes, but only if he has a HEROIC defense behind him and i fear Pro Bowl quality wides and rbs. yes, alex is probably good enough for us to get to the promised land, if you build a cadillac around him to take us there. he is definitely our starter, but will we be so lucky as to find a calvin johnson and a young frank gore? to me, and as Harbaugh himself says, youre always getting better (or youre falling behind). therfore, even if alex is our #1 you need to keep looking for the joe montana who replace steve deberg. every position is constantly in competition, and so is qb. at least keep looking for a qb who can scan both sides of the field.
Great post. BTW, JM and SY had JR and JT. Huge difference!
Montana won TWO superbowls without Jerry Rice and John Taylor.
I’m on the Alex bandwagon but lets not be ridiculous please.
MSC, it’s not ridiculous. Read JM’s book the “Art and magic of Quarterbacking”. He said he didn’t throw the long ball well or have confidence to do so until JR joined the team. Just saying…
Hofer, like every 49er fan I’ve read JM’s book. But the fact remains. He won two superbowls without JR.
Giving Jerry Rice the credit for Montana’s success is plainly offensive.
MSC, well then you’ll need to decide if FS and DC are better than KW and MC. lol
Hof… we do know one thing and that was Joe’s best receivers weren’t Charlie Young and Russ Francis on those pre JT/JR teams!
@msc
Dwight Clark was not a top 3 guy, but he managed to make big plays (The Catch anybody?) when needed.
Besides, in 1984, JM did have the first RB in history to run for 1,000 and receive for 1,000 yards in the same year. A feat only matched once since.
So, I hope you don’t forget or dismiss Roger Craig’s greatness in the Niners winning the Super Bowl in 84 msc.
**Charle Young** and both were Pro bowl TEs.
How come we didn’t use a lot more of KH? Not just this game but all year?
The Giants like every other team didn’t stop KH runs to the outside. The problem is we don’t run him outside or use him in the passing game nearly enough.
Maybe the Niners should have tried what I recommended. Set VD out wide and have him take 2 defenders with him and just pass it quickly to KH and have him run as fast as he can. Nobody on the Giant D was catching up to him when they did use him.
Hammer, meet nail… run, run and more run… THIS was the game to do it…
@bigandbold
Would have liked to have seen them both in the backfield this game and both go out to receive the ball. See how that Giant LB core would have handled that.
Do you think Eli or any other “elite” Qb would be a star with our wr core? We missed Ginn and Morgan in that one!
montanaman, was just wondering the same thing. i mean, this team including alex overcame one horrible mistake by KW and might still be playing if not for the second. Eli has Cruz, who is clearly an impact-type guy, and Nicks who is really good…manningham is also talented, just inconsistent. alex traded blows with eli all game. i definitely dont want to jump back on the “dump alex” bandwagon which i was on up to this year. but i just see something missing. now he has made great strides this year, and maybe another year or two will have me going gaga over him. i do think that if the niners had either nicks or cruz today, we win this game going away.
i prob should have left it with “point one, defense was heroic” and “point two, receivers were apparitions” but i was in fact shocked by the inability to scan the field and couldnt help but mention. hey, a draft like this past one, but focused on offense, anf we might trounce the whole league next year.
this has been a great year…im grateful for the niners to getting me this fired up again. hopefully great things ahead….but you do like to convert these opportunities when they come up. the world doesnt wait for you to make magic happen…
Point taken, but when you’re relegated to selling Ginn or Morgan as #1 receivers it only illuminates a bigger problem… both those guys are #2′s at best… we need a playmaker outside… yesterday!
@montanaman
I challenge anybody to find a WR core which so badly stank in the playoffs as ours did who happened to make it to the Super Bowl in history.
AS had more yards running the ball than the WR core had in receiving yards this playoffs. It would have been a miracle if the Niners had made the Super Bowl with such a horrid WR performance as ours.
I think back to last game, and to add this one on top of that…I am just very PISSED at our WR’s.
Ginn as a punt returner! Morgan, I believe was on track for a big year.
Fes,
Very well said. I’m glad it came from you. I get hammered for saying si but Alex seems like he only has one read on passing plays. He never throws to a 2nd receiver downfield. His 2nd look is always in the flat. I was at the game as well. Please tell me that you saw receivers open on offense like I did. Often times, they didn’t get the ball thrown their way. There are only do many defenders on the field.
Alex is simply too safe. An open receiver to him, more times than not is a receiver that is wide open. He just got too comfortable throwing the ball away tonite.
I hope we bring in Josh Johnson next year. Competition is healthy. Let’s see if Alex can win a job instead of being given one.
@jordan
It seems to me that that’s the game plan for him at this stage in this offense. The coaches seem to have the handcuffs on him. It seems to be alot of specific one-read plays to me. I remember Montana looking at several reads but he had lots more time in the WCO then. What I’m trying to say I guess is it seems that its the coaches to blame for the “too safe, one-read mentallity instilled in Alex. I think if AS has confidence in himself he would surprise them on occasion and give them more faith. Then again, he throws a pick 6 and he might be finding the pine.
Personally, I like Alex but improvement in these areas that you mentioned above has to be a huge priority in the off season. Like JM, he has to show defenses that blitzes are a bad idea. Then maybe he’ll have time for 2nd and 3rd reads. Agree?
i did, jordan, and i see that grant duly noted sone of the bad throws. heck, i watched Joe make some bad throws, but in playoff football where the game is hinging on every good or bad play, the bad ones are incredibly costly. i have to say, plays that look puzzling on tv (eg incomplete pass that hits open receiver in the foot) looks mind-bending in real life. in real life, there isnt a lot of doubt when a play stinks.
again, dont mean to rag on alex, id rather that anyone interested take my testimony that our D played like Norse gods destined for valhalla. late in the game, when justinsmith was whipping up the crowd, me and most everyone else would have grabbed a scimitar and rushed the opposing lines. truly medieval.
Fe,
Alex played a very decent first half. He used his legs and threw two beautiful strikes to Vernon. Great players rise to the occasion in key moment. When those moments came up today, our QB took two steps backwards.
Had he not missed a wide open KW, we would be talking about Williams emergence in the passing game. Oh, and we would have won the game.
And you are correct, he doesn’t scan the field. I’ve said that all season.
He skipped balls in at least tree times. On Crabs lone catch, he stared him down giving the defense time to close on him, then he threw it high.
Reality is we need another receiver. But no top free agent will come here with Smith as their QB. Someone mentioned DeSean lol. Please.
Alex did really good things this year. Shut me up a bit. Protected the ball well. But his lack o consistency, and his accuracy issues coupled with his lack of field vision will always be there no matter how many plays he learns.
You are correct, Alex does not scan the field.
Typical comment. Like I said debate all we want we’ll see what happens here when there are some top notch receivers – VD, JMorg, the draft, whatever.
Hofer it’s not a debate. I can be critical of Carlos Rogers for getting torched in the first half. I can be critical of The play calling, and I can be critical of KW for his bonehead muffs. And yes, I can be critical of AS. You on the other hand do not have the ability to call it straight when it comes to our QB. Everyone else sure. Especially if you can use them as an excuse for the QB. 12-26 and less than 200 yards. 1-13 on 3rd downs…. Speaks for itself but go ahead and make excuses.
yes alex had a good first half, no question about it.
the sad thing is, we were just one play from winning this outright inregulation. we needed one guy on offense to make a play. didnt happen. if you wanna go down in history, someone has got to make a play.
gotta give credit to the giants. normally our D hands us the ball 2-3 times a game, and today the gmen held on to the ball.
hey, its only Year 1 of the Harbaugh era. so far their personnel calls have been great. cant wait to see what decisions they make in the next few months
Guys, it’s not Crabtree’s fault that he is the best WR on this team. The opponent’s best CB is lined up against him because he is the only legitimate WR they have.
If we get a TRUE #1 WR, everything else will fall into place. Davis will see less double coverage. Crabtree would be a fantastic #2, he just isn’t fast enough to get consistent separation when he is covered by a great cornerback. We have always known this.
Yes, he’s been saddled with poor play on the other side. Could have been different with JMorg playing. Still need another WR.
In Hindsite world, Hicks should of been the pick and not Crabtree.
LSX
Every #1 WR faces the #1 CB on every team. It is up to the WR to just be better. MC is not. Not for 2 straight playoff games. Mind you the Saints nor the Giants have a Deion Sanders like CB.
JR went up against #1 CB’s all the time. When he went up against the #3 CB, do you know what the difference was? No difference at all. He kicked the crap out of all of them regardless.
Good point!
DS,
That is my point. Crabtree isn’t good enough to be lined up against a great CB every single game. We need someone better/faster than Crabtree that can be our true #1. Think of it like baseball; Crabtree is like a setup man playing closer. If you get a legitimate stud as your closer, your 2nd best reliever doesn’t have to act like a closer. Then your setup man (Morgan) can go back to being a middle inning guy where he belongs. Williams/Ginn/whoever can be the innings eater or lefty specialist or whatever instead of being the 6th inning guy.
Hopefully you get the point I’m trying to make.
Agreed LSX… we have a nothing but setup men at WR… gotta get busy in free agency…
You could make a similar analogy about a starting rotation. We don’t have a #1 starter. We don’t even need a Lincecum or Halladay, we just need a James Shields or a CJ Wilson. You add a top-of-the-line player, and each guy gets bumped down a notch, so you actually upgrade your entire position group at every spot just by adding a single player.
@LSX
I get it.
But, even an average WR could get something against a good CB. I don’t think the Giants have any real good CB’s, so you see where I am going with this. A few catches for 1st downs at least!
Nothing for 2 games. Minus that one TD early in the game last week, I am just mad.
This whole week screamed Crabtree to me. After last week’s dismal perforamance (and that was his best playoff game) I really thought this week was perfect for him.
Big WR can use his body to block out the CB to get those 5-15 yard pass receptions to help move the chains. Bad weather really favoring the kind of WR who is a great route runner (something I heard MC was), and more…it just seems to me like he fell.
And, I like your point about the Niners WR’s not even needing a real Tim Lin. Just a guy who can demand some attention and come up with something on the outside would have won us this game. Didn’t need to be a 150 yard 12 reception type game.
DS, I get what you’re saying, and I agree.
The Packers, Giants, Saints, Colts, Eagles, even the Cardinals have at least three solid receivers. We don’t.
Mark it down now….cannot wait for the Giants return to the Stick next year.
Not going to take the pain away. Too bad the lights stayed on, the way Williams was playing, it might of helped us get the ball back if it was dark, I would not want to be in his shoes, The play that got me the maddest was the one he did not fair catch, he should of stayed far away, ball clearly hits him, does not try to get it back and then whines at refs after the reply and reversal, Lots of bad words in my head, I have not said any but I may need to go on a walk and scream at rocks.
If it makes you feel any better, I said enough bad words for the both of us…
By the way….someone mentioned RB….I agree, we need one badly. Gore is coming to the end. We should keep Hunter, but Dixon should be cut TONIGHT(with Kyle Williams). He provides absolutely nothing. Couldn’t even get a f-ing yard. CUT HIM. Complete misuse of personnel there anyway….why was he even running those 3rd down balls in such critical situations??? Use your best guys!! Jesus! Forget bodyweight! Speed and quickness are more important today! Why pick the NFC Title game to have brainfarts?? The misuse of Dixon, the 3rd down routes ran short of the marker, the cutsie trick reverse playcalling……etc etc…..what a bad day to have the biggest brainfarts of the season.
Not defending Dixon here… he’s a dime-a-dozen player, cut him or don’t, I don’t care – but he’s only as good as his blockers and Justin Smith (?!) is not his best blocker… Like you, still scratching my head over the play calling and formations…
I like Donte Whitner’s quote “It is not the end of the world, It just feels like it!
“3:14 I’ve got to believe Jim Harbaugh is more happy than sad over that Ravens loss. Now his brother John can help him gameplan for the Patriots
Jinx much? …fergawdsake…
Not sure if you guys noticed, the NY punt returner – Ross – was extra careful protecting the ball. On the flip side, f-king k. Williams showed little regard for ball security. Specials Team coach shares some of the blame for not drilling this into William’s head.
The defense played an outstanding game. Special teams and horrible play calling let us down big time.
Williams had the same issues in college, simply brainless… cut him now, cut him tomorrow, cut him in preseason, doesn’t matter… he’s indicative of the ‘niners problems at wideout and will be lucky to make next year’s roster…
Williams has been shaky on punt returns sine he was given the job. He dunked earlier in the season on a punt. Bobbled a couple of fair catches. Who can forget the play he got knocked out on, when he assumed he was down because he slipped. He never should’ve been back there to start with. He won’t make this team next year.
Ironic how bad Harbaugh looks now for throwing with Kap to morgan with the blowout against Tampa bay. Think we could’ve used Morgan today?
Jordo, great point forgot about the throw from CK to JMorg when the game was in hand. uugghh!
There is alot of good news, I bet the Niner’s will be picked to win the Super Bowl next year and we will have free agents who want to play here and player’s will want to play with JH. We need to sign Carlos Rogers, get a couple of kick ass receivers, MC can’t be the number one receiver next year and even though Josh Morgan is a good we need to step it way up. Sign Tedd Ginn and have him just play on special teams, and get another power back , FG is slowing down.
@Neal
Wanna bet that every single FA WR isn’t going to think that they are going to be the one to put the Niners over the top now?
Niners can pick from the cream of the crop. Burgess didn’t come here this year because he thought the Jets had a better chance to reach the Super Bowl than the Niners. Don’t think that Burgess or anybody feels that now.
Especially after the WR’s see how bad our WR’s were in the playoffs and how good and how close we came to the Super Bowl this year. They should all be breaking down the door.
I wonder though what it would take to get LF from AZ? 2 1st rounders and MC? I’d do it in a heartbeat.
Receivers care about $ ad their numbers, so they can make more money. We will have to find quality receivers in college to play for thus team. The lure of a super bowl ring is not enough to come here knowing your numbers will shrink in this offense. It’s going to have to be a veteran who has made his money and wants a ring.
Kyle Williams is Freddie P. Soft, Who Knew?
lmao…
People are talking about Alex Smith or Michael Crabtree or the OL and it just isn’t right.
The 49ers had this game 17-10 if Kyle Williams didn’t choke up 10 points gift wrapped for the Giants. Plain and simple.
The team did enough to win. One player choked up a loss.
@msc
KW was way too loose with that football in OT.
That hit was not a hit worthy of being a fumble inducing hit. KW kept moving the ball back and forth and never had the 3 points of pressure on the ball.
I am prod of this team. It exceeded expectations and left it all on the field. They gave us a lot to cheer on. I wish you all a great year and hope to hear from everyone again next season. I’d also like to thank Grant for making this blog available to us each season. I’ll see you all again in July!! Great season even if it didn’t end at the superbowl.
Agreed…Football’s supposed to be entertainment. Well, if you didn’t get your money’s worth from this team this year, especially compared to the previous 8 seasons, you’re not a true fan!!! Can’t wait for July!!
Giants MVP today….. Kyle Williams.
Sad… but so true!
As a coach, NO game comes down to one (or even two) plays. Hopefully, Williams will come to realize that. It takes a whole game AND ALL the players. What bugged me was the atrocious play calling in the Niners last two series before the end of the. What the hey, they only needed FG!
I’m seeing a lot of folks on Twitter comparing Kyle Williams to Roger Craig. Samuel Lam, Michael Erler, etc. etc. They make the comparison seem like it’s a good thing.
They’re all forgetting that Roger Craig was let go after that fumble. Plan B. When one guy lets down 52 others he has to go.
Did anyone else think that on the muffed punt play the recovering Giant should have been flagged for not coming back into the field of play quickly enough after being blocked out of bounds? He was out of bounds for a long time if you watch the replay.
Williams looked antsy to me every time he circled a punt. He muffed a punt in a Bowl game. I watch replays of the first muff and he’s going toward the ball. Another punt he’s making a diving catch, and finally the overtime disaster. He was just the wrong guy to have back there period. Why not Hunter, you watch him putting both arms around the ball when he had some touches. That could be 2 Super Bowls we gave the Giants.