FOXBORO, Ma. – The 49ers beat the Patriots 41-34 and clinched a playoff berth. Here are the grades for the 49ers’ defense and special teams.
Defensive line: B. Justin Smith did not play particularly well, and then he left the game with an elbow injury. On the other hand, Ray McDonald played his best game of the season. He had half a sack all season, and he had two Sunday night. This group did a good job stopping the Patriots top running back, Stevan Ridley, but they could not stop the scatback, Danny Woodhead, who averaged 5.1 yards per carry and scored 2 touchdowns.
Linebackers: B. Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman had 22 tackles between the two of them. Bowman also forced a fumble. Aldon Smith was in Tom Brady’s face the entire first quarter, but he didn’t get hardly any pressure the rest of the game. He did intercept a screen pass. He did not record a sack. Ahmad Brooks did not have a sack or a tackle. These guys couldn’t get to Brady in the second half, and as a result the Patriots scored four touchdowns in about 11 minutes.
Secondary: C. Carlos Rogers intercepted a pass and returned it to the Patriots’ five yard line. Donte Whitner forced a fumble, Dashon Goldson recovered it and returned it 66 yards to the Patriots three yard line, which set up a touchdown. But over the last 18 minutes of the game, these guys were dominated. Rogers couldn’t cover Wes Welker, and neither Tarell Brown nor Chris Culliver could cover Brandon Lloyd. Whitner also gave up a touchdown to Aaron Hernandez. And Goldson was flagged for another helmet-to-helmet hit.
Special teams: C. David Akers missed another field goal, this time a 39-yarder. He pushed it to the left. In warm-ups, he was hooking kicks wide right. He was all over the place. The 49ers should cut him. It seems he’s lost all confidence. Ted Ginn Jr. did not play well, either. He fumbled a punt, and he almost fumbled two – a bouncing punt came about a centimeter away from hitting his shin. He was making Kyle Williams mistakes. It seems Ginn has lost his confidence, too. I wouldn’t be surprised if he loses his punt returning job. He already lost his kick returning duties to LaMichael James. If Ginn can’t catch punts, what does he bring to the team? LaMichael James, on the other hand, is establishing himself as a lethal kick returner. He averaged 33 yards per return, and he made perhaps the biggest play of the game. After the Patriots tied the game 31-31, James returned the kickoff 62 yards, which set up Crabtree’s TD pass one play later. If James can catch, he should be the 49ers punt returner, too.
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way.too.harsh
Style points only count in ice-skating. Perhaps that is where your bailiwick rests.
Defense gave up 34 points. That’s an F. I’d say Grant was generous with the C’s and D’s.
The first half was an A+, the second half was a huge F. The pass-rush was clearly winded late in the 3rd and most of the 4th, no thanks to 4 dud drives in a row by our offense. I think that contributed quite a bit to the success Brady had.
I’d give ‘em a C- all told. 34 points, yes, but it was a strange game, and Brady had a career high in pass attempts, which is saying something.
Clem
An F ? Neither the Patriot players nor their fans agree with you on that, nor I for that matter. This fan base, at least as expressed here is sooooooooo f****** negative!
Mad at the coaching staff that brought the team to a marquee matchup. Mad at the players who’ve won a whole lot more games than they’ve lost these two seasons. Mad (still) at Kyle Williams. Probably still mad at Roger Craig. Still mad at Dave Parks. Still mad that Sayers scored 6 times. Still mad at the loss to the Lions in ’58.
They need to replace Akers ASAP.
Grant, I find the grade you awarded to the secondary a bit unfair. As you already blamed the coaches for changing the defensive game plan I think you are too harsh on the DBs. By your own assement they were playing a style that could not succeed. I think that fact dramatically reduces the “blame” that falls on the players. Also, remenber who they were facing and the shambles he has made of almost every other team he has played.
All in all I think the fellows performed better than a “C”. I would have given them at least a B- or maybe even a B.
Agreed — there was no pass rush for much of the second half.
LMJ couldn’t catch punts consistently in the preseason – turnovers waiting to happen. Perfect for kickoff returns, disaster for punt returns.
Potential disaster, but less of a potential disaster than Ginn.
Totally agree on special teams. Akers need to be shown a pink slip, he can’t kick anything much over 35 yards. Any FA kicker can do that, and they might be able to actually kick a 40-45 yard to boot. Ginn is garbage, just a bumbler all the time and hasn’t contributed anything to the team all season. If Kyle Williams hadn’t got hurt Ginn might already be gone.
Goldson’s “illegal” hit set up Aldon’s interception. That boy was scared of getting hit for a couple of series after that. He braced for the hit instead of catching the ball on that play.
I am fine with that penalty. Keep bringing the wood Dashon!
Why is it that the press can’t let the Kyle thing go. You guys some times are like girls. If someone messes up its like Kyle pose or what not. he played his ass off this year. Let it go!
Until another player costs the 49ers a shot at the Super Bowl every gaffe will be compared to Kyle. He is the benchmark for game losing mistakes.
Well said, MS. How stupid was Ginn trying to pick up that bouncing punt? Then he muffs one. Classic Kyle.
A couple calls were very questionable IMO.
1. The D.Goldson hit on Hernandez.
2. The I.P. on T.Brown inside the five.
These two bogus calls in particular led to TD’s.
The Patriots did a good job in nullifying A.Smith and J.Smith came out with an injury.
Aside from that, the defense played 49er HarDbaugh and roughed up the Patriots like I said they were going to do throughout the week.
Overall defense: B
AES
Goldson’s hit led to Aldon’s INT, not a TD.
Correct, thanks.
I’d like to add the fumble by walker. It looked like one of those bam bam plays.
Is anyone concerned about J Smith? Grant please fill us in as soon as you get the news on his MRI. That would be a devastating loss. Not only coaching hurt the second half but not having him out there was hurt as well.
I know I’m very concerned…..he’s having an MRI today….I expect we might be told something later today/tonight.
@ Angus
Not if JH can help it. Keeping injury info obscure is something Harbaugh is clearly on a par with BB>
I think his absence was a bigger factor in how the defense performed in the second half. He’s the best player on that squad, hands down. Aldon didn’t get the same opportunities when JS was out, and the secondary had to work twice as hard because Brady didn’t have JS in his face putting pressure on him.
It takes an extra 1 or two OL’s to contain JS – with him out, it freed up their offense to spread out a little more and gave Brady more opportunities to make plays.
We have heard how bad LMJ was returning punts in preseason and that he is “improving” if he is not there yet who else can return punts not only to bench ginn but if he gets injured? I know DW returns kicks sometimes but can he do punts too?
Ironically, Goldson’s penalty might have gotten the Niners the ball, as Hernandez flinched noticeably the next time he was thrown to and dropped an easy pass.
We’re going to feel Justin’s loss if he can’t get back. His injury highlights the need for a DE/DT focus in the upcoming off-season.
Akers needs to go. Period.
Our safeties are so freaking Fysical! WHOOOOO! We need to sign Dashon to a long contract, first thing, post-season.
If Lord Vic hadn’t switched coverages midway through the 3rd qtr, I wonder how well our defense would’ve held up to the NE onslaught. Tough to duplicate the results of the first half when they were told to go away from what was working in the 2nd.
I new the refs would help new england—pass interferance led to a free touchdown—–bad call –just normal official blundering–wait till the playoffs and see these kind of calls ruin seasons
Not one ounce of love for Andy Lee under the special teams breakdown? That is pathetic. Pinning the Patriots back at the 3 yard line with a little more than 2 minutes to go in the game. That was beautiful.
You are absolutely right bout that oversight. He is rock solid and shows up! I blame the momentum change on the coaches when they went conservative for the second scoring drive which allowed Brady to get in sync. Our coaches need to learn from Pete Carroll in the sense of not letting up until it is OVER!
A win is a win though, GO 9ers!!!!