49ers @ Raiders live blog: Fourth quarter

OAKLAND — This is the live blog for the fourth quarter of the 49ers’ Week 14 game against the Raiders. I will update this frequently with information and analysis from the press box.

3:44 Vic Fangio calls a blitz on third-and-8 and Derek Carr completes a 27-yard pass to Mychal Rivera.

3:49 Carr completes a 5-yard TD pass to Rivera on a back-shoulder fade in front of Leon McFadden. The officials are reviewing the play.

3:52 They confirm the ruling. Touchdown. 24-13 Raiders.

3:55 Bruce Ellington returns the kickoff to the Niners’ 20.

4:00 The Raiders are flagged for illegal contact on third-and-10 from the Niners’ 42. Automatic first down.

4:02 Kaepernick throws a 4-yard pass to Crabtree on third-and-6. Fourth-and-2.

4:03 Kaepernick completes a 7-yard pass to Crabtree over the middle on fourth down.

4:05 Kaepernick throws a pass over Crabtree’s head on second-and-8 from the 25. Third down.

4:06 Antonio Smith beats Marcus Martin and sacks Kaepernick for a 4-yard loss on third down. Marcus Martin is injured. He’s walking off the field slowly.

4:08 Phil Dawson hooks a 47-yard field goal attempt wide left. You’ve got to be kidding. 5:03 left.

4:10 Has Jed York fired Jim Harbaugh yet?

4:12 The Raiders go three-and-out and the Niners call a timeout with 3:30 left.

4:13 First-and-10 at the Niners’ 23.

4:14 Khalil Mack sacks Kaepernick on first down. Fourth sack of the game.

4:15 Kaepernick ends the game in style, throwing a pick right to Charles Woodson. Who was Kaepernick trying to throw to?

This article has 179 Comments

      1. If you are referring to the QB trade after the 2012 season……. It turns out both QB’s they had were the not answer to the 49ers long term QB question. The search will continue.

  1. A defense can only carry a team for so many games before it’s going to have a let down performance like today. If you have an offense that is functional then you can still win on those days when you have one that isn’t you get what you see before you.

  2. Two stories of the game
    – Carr is playing better then CK.
    – The 49ers ran out of healthy CBs. 3rd string slot corner getting scorched.

  3. Sure glad the 49rs have a sense of urgency and look good in practice because in games they look like poop
    Now that the season is over can they please fire the entire offensive side of the coaching staff.

  4. Whatever if Harbaugh is gone I don’t really even care at this point. This team just lost to the Raiders, that is unacceptable.

  5. After this pathetic showing, Kap, Roman and Harbaugh should be fired before they leave the Coliseum. Let them make their own way home. No team bus for them. Take BART you losers.

    The 49ers have disintegrated. I can accept the defense having trouble with Culliver out, but the offense is so ghastly, it actually is starting to turn my stomach. the only way to end this is to rid the team of the biggest problems.

  6. Goodnlbye Harbaugh..It was fun while it lasted..Good job Jed weak stadium and back to the bottom of the league..

    1. Weak stadium? LOL. The attitude towards the stadium would be completely different If the team wasn’t playing like complete dogspit. But hey maybe a stadium has more influence on the outcome of the games then coaching and execution.

  7. So much for apologies by ownership. Same poor team performance. Expecting the offense to change with the same coach is insane

  8. Why dont we run a hurry up offense when we dont need it. Why dont we throw screen passes….that why we need a new offensive coordinator. Why everytime someone runs a fly sweep we still go up the middle. Why dont we throw a jump ball to our TE in the red zone. SMH. I’m done with all these coaches except Vic.

  9. I’m so stoned I don’t really care…but I got stoned because this is the result I expected, and I didn’t want to throw a chair through the TV.

  10. How are we supposed to run a hurry-up offense if our QB can’t even handle running the non-hurry up version.

  11. We got bailed out by the penalty. If you guys think this is unbearable, the. Next week is going to be really fun.

    1. the nail in the coffin is ready and so is the Undertaker to take away Jim Harbaugh from teh 49ers. Rest in Peace!

  12. I have to believe we can finally the say the team has given up. You had to believe this day would eventually come.

    I think the most telling thing about this game is that I don’t think to many people will be very surprised.

  13. Kapernick and harbaugh are low hanging fruit but I still feel York the dork and balke are and will be just as big of a problem. I hate saying this but dark days could be here for awhile!

    1. I sure am. I’m excited. Best opportunity to get rid of Harbaugh andmaybe draft within the top 15, ah yes! We can still trade with teh Raiders.

    1. Well, it’s never too early to start on next year….Bench CK and Harbaugh, bring up Tomsula as interim, make Vic asst. head coach in charge of Defense, and hold a summit of the coaches and find out if they’re willing to work in that system. It’s too late for this years playoffs, but it would be a running start toward what needs to be cured for 2015.

  14. So now Dawson does his impression of the Happy Hooker. Complete team failure on display. If you didn’t know the records you would think the Niners are the one win team.

    1. I’ll be rehearsing with the band. No reason to even record the remainder of the games, any wins are meaningless so why watch them? I bet the last home game is played before an empty stadium.

  15. Now that the season is over, I am curious when the overhaul starts. Does Gabbert start next week? Are Roman, Chryst, Lombardi, Curry, Seely, and Mangini gone?

    1. I would say all of them are gone. Only Woody will remain from the current offensive coaching staff.

      This is as pathetic a performance as i’ve seen since the Singletary era. In fact, it is very Singletary-like.

  16. If York doesn’t fire Roman after this train wreck than he has absolutely no balls……If York does the right thing…He has brass balls.

    1. Because it’s been Roman out there telling colin where to throw ints? You remember the first play of the game when Beats by Dre was scrambling around, guess that’s how Roman drew it up right?!

  17. Grant is going to into the stratosphere with his game grades in search of letters beyond Z.

    End of the season, end of the Lombardi window, end of the Harbaugh era.

    New coaches, new players, back to the drawing board.

    Sigh..

  18. I all seriousness– it’s unacceptable to be outplayed by a rookie who is on a very bad team.
    It’s time to accept that kaep has along ways to go.

    1. Harbaugh is a good coach, but he hitched the team’s fortunes on kaep and gore. Gore is getting. Old and they don’t trust the rookie. Every game this year for kaep has getting worse and worse.
      There’s really nothing else to say.
      Alex smith was a temporary answer but he’s not long term either. Why not start gabbert and see what he can do? We know kaep is done for the year, he’s pressing way too hard now

      1. Gabbert is CRAP and he has been his whole career. We know what he is. We don’t need to see what he can do. Let Kap continue to take his lumps. We,definitely need to look for a new QB. Our offensive line takes 65% of the blame for this horrible offense. KAP takes 25% and give the last 10% to VD. He quit on this team.

        1. Maybe Gabbert is crap, maybe he isn’t. This season is done. Kap got his money. He’s not getting better anytime soon. We’re paying him way too much to learn how to be a QB. Cut him loose, regroup next year. Compete in 2016. It’s too bad because the SB will be in Levi’s next year.

    2. Fan,
      Yes, Kap was outplayed by a rookie QB today, but the stinkin’ raiders outplayed all our position players today.

      CK has taken a huge step back this season and that is what is unacceptable. It’s unacceptable that the O-line took a step back. It’s unacceptable that our once all-pro TE has disappeared. It’s unacceptable that our once reliable WR’s have uncharacteristically dropped passes this year.

      It’s unacceptable that our OC decides to start calling pass plays when F.Gore was finding success running in the 1st half.
      It’s unacceptable for Harbaugh to lose a time-out in the 1st half trying to argue a TD to a raider offensive lineman when there was no way it was going to be turned.

      It’s unacceptable for our pass-rushers to rarely put pressure on their rookie QB allowing for him to have 4-5 seconds to scan the field and find an open receiver.

      But hey, today is your day Fan, today you can hold your head high and bask in the demise of Kap.
      Why spoil your day by pointing your finger at anyone besides CK, right?

      1. It brings me no joy to see how pathetic Kaep is. There are plenty to blame in this loss but at some point we have to point out the main problem, and it’s the offense led by this QB.
        The Defense is starting to give up and that’s bad, and yet they only gave up 24. The offense only scored 13. Even if we get those two FG, that’s 20. That’s on par with what they’ve done all year.
        Like I said, issues start with the guy they are paying 120 million a year.
        All QBs have bad days, and will make bad reads. Kaep is lost all there. You might as well play with one less player, this is not a fair fight when it’s the Niner offense vs. any defense.

  19. Ok. The only thing that will make me slightly feel better is if Seahawks also do not make it to the playoff. Go Cardinals :)

    1. Ricardo:

      Since I live in Seattle, I couldn’t agree more wholeheartedly so. I won’t be able to walk on my street tomorrow.

      1. If they beat the Eagles today then I want the Eagles to win the NFC East and hopefully Dallas and Seahawks are tied and Cardinals winning our Div. Man that is a lot of ifs :(

  20. “Colin, you seemed to have been perplexed by the Raider defense today….what did they do to make things difficult?”…..” I didn’t play well….I have to play better…” Really? Tell us something we don’t know Einstein….

  21. What a mess. I actually hate almost anyone. But har/rom/col are the first. To be the way they are and ruin our chances for the 6. Whoever will be in charge, will need time to fix this. Thanks from Italy, sincerely for all this blog fans, ironically for the aforementioned trio.

  22. What’s wrong with the offense…Harbaugh? Roman? I think we have the answer….QB is horrible…the comments by Gannon really covers it. He has no idea how to play the position. Blame the coaches but blame them for not seeing his limitations and realizing that at some point defenses will catch up to them.

  23. not sure what I am more mad about
    1. the 49ers not making the playoffs
    2. that I wasted $100 on a Kapernick shop rag

  24. Does this team win another game this season?

    Last year we lead the league in Pro-Bowlers, this year I see one guy only, Bethea.

    With a coaching change it will also be time to revamp the OL, it just plain stinks.

  25. Looks like the Harbaugh/Kaepernick train has officially derailed!
    Heads will roll and the CK7 era likely has come to an end.

    1. That might be the case AES. Although, I would still like to see CK in a different offensive system and better OL. But I won’t be surprised if CK is gone after this season.

      1. Yeah, I agree with you Ricardo…..Id like to see CK in a different offensive system as well…..like the system in Jacksonville or New Orleans

  26. LOOK, its a bird, its a plane, NO ITS SUPERMAN, no wait, its Jim Harbaugh EGO disowning him…..

  27. Even Harbaugh’s face says he’s already checked out. No reason the team should do anything but go through the motions at this point.

  28. SEA will win today, thus eliminating the 49ers from any playoff chance. Say goodnight, Gracie. What a pathetic display.

    JH just looks like he’s totally checked out. Jed should fire Roman and Harbs today, and let Fangio coach the team the last two, with Woody as OC. Woody knows how to run the WCO. Time to step up, Woody.

    1. I agree with firing Harbaugh and Roman. Let’s see what we have in Fangio, Tomsula, and Chryst. That might help the FO with making the future decisions.

  29. I think we can pretty much guess the grades;

    F for the entire team. Was there a single bright spot to the day? Well I guess if you’re on the hurry up and blow up the front office side of the fence then I’m sure a performance like this only helped your cause.

  30. Well, injuries killed us. #7 killed us. The team has thrown in the towel and we need some changes with this coaching staff. Time to see other options at QB. We need to make moves now because this is all we will get from #7. It’s time to end it now than sit and watch us do what we did with Alex smith.

  31. Didn’t get to watch the game today. I’m glad I didnt. Our team is awful. I don’t know what needs to happen but something does. No need in getting rid Harbaugh now. Let him coach. We might as well throw the season so we can get decent draft picks. That’s what I’m looking forward to, the offseason and the draft.

    1. NO!
      Don’t fire him…BENCH HIM! Keep him on the bench until he lives out his contract or someone offers us something in trade for him. We’re paying him, let’s get something for that money…Same for CK

  32. How can a team with good players go so bad, so fast? Is it Harbaugh? Is it Kap? Roman? I don’t know, but I have a theory that I think is at least plausible.

    Early in the season, and even at times last season, it was rumored that Harbaugh had lost the team. But in spite of rumbles from a couple of players, each one to a man swore allegiance to Harbaugh. They would not say a bad thing about him.

    But suppose Harbaugh did lose the team? The players greatly appreciate that he has never uttered in public a single negative word about them. Maybe they decided to give him the same break.

    That theory allows an interesting interpretation of Kap’s news conferences. Could it be that Kap is mocking Harbaugh? And could it be the reason for how bad Kap is suddenly playing?

    I suppose we’ll find out soon enough.

  33. I feel sick. I actually feel physically sick. Harbaugh needs to go. Roman needs to go. And most important of all , #7 needs to go. Time to clean house. Does anyone get fired this week is my only question.

    1. Larry Krueger on KNBR said Friday that Harbaugh et. al. would be fired on Monday
      if the Niners lost. Krueger is often wrong, but he’ll get this one right.

      1. Someone needs to be the sacrificial lamb for this pathetic display. Wether its Harbaugh or Roman it doesnt matter. They will both be gone next month.

  34. Krapernick has shown within a few weeks time that he will never be an elite QB. Doesn’t have the composure, character, of football IQ to be anything more than mediocre. I was thinking the Niners should give him one more shot next season with a real OC, but I no longer feel that way. Time to clean house on the offensive side of the team, from the coaching staff down to the players, this team has become like the Nolan-Singletary teams, unwatchable.

  35. Hey #7…Put the beats by dre on and hip-hop onto the bus…..You shamed your home town of Turlock Ca….Your jersey is worth as much now as those “beanie babies” from the early 90’s.

  36. 49ers results so far this season, including pre-season:

    L L W W W L L W W W L L W W W L L

    Based on that they should finish 10-6. :-P

      1. Captain,
        Hope there’s enough support on that limb for one more person because I’m not giving up just yet.
        I wouldn’t be surprised to see B.Gabbert get a start in Seattle and break the c-hawk curse.

        CK is 0-3 in Seattle, that says it all. It’s time to see if Blaine is worth keeping around.

    1. If this holds true I’ll be happy, even if we do not make the playoffs. Right now we are an embarrassment. I have the same feeling I had we the niners were having multiple losing seasons.

  37. Hey #7 – Doing curls 10 times a day does NOT make you a better QB! Ask Tom Brady.

    Put the dumbbells down #7.

  38. Unless Gabbert suddenly turns his career around we have no QB for the future. Maybe we should throw the rest of the games (although there’s a good chance we’ll lose them all anyway) so that we can get the highest pick possible. If fear dark times ahead.

  39. I feel like the fever has been broken. As a long time fan who has disliked JH since he incorrectly chose Kaepernick, and Greg Roman for failing to organize the weapons into a potent offense, this too shall pass. Just remember the difference between fool’s gold and real gold. Chin up 49er fans, now that York has a new stadium, it will be easy to attract true talent. Mr. York, you have Eddie D blood in you. Let me see that fire! If you know what I mean… thank you. And to Jim, you know, you tried your best, but like always, your gambles tend to fail. Sometimes you actually have to know what you’re doing, not just toss it up and rely on luck, or Luck. Good luck on your next venture and thanks for the work you put in.

  40. Saw some of the highlights of Hairball’s postgame press conference, and he looks like a dead man walking. He clearly knows he is done, time to fire him right now, it will be a relief for everyone involved to see him and Roman out the door. Plus we need the best draft position possible.

  41. Firing Harbaugh is only a fraction of a major problem. Who replaces him? If they can’t come in and win now, they will not do.

    We have a team that can win now. We need to start by being able to win our conference. Which will not be an easy task, I expect the Rams to draft another QB, maybe Winston. They will be better next year.

    I hope York doesn’t Fire Harbaugh without a plan in place. We need someone to right this offensive ship next year.

    1. KY:

      I hear what you are saying, but I’m thinking we should fire Harbaugh and Roman now, since they’re both gone after this season anyway. This might give the FO a chance to evaluate potential options from within the team. Maybe Chryst will call a better game than Roman. Maybe Fangio or Tomsula will be able to get the players riled up enough to play.

      Or maybe we should just chuck it all and get the highest draft pick possible.

      1. Cubus:

        I don’t know what to do. I am really at a lost for words and I can almost debate anything. I’m so confused. The problem with a new coach & QB. They only have a small window to win a championship now. This te is better than the team Harabuagh took over(at least when everyone comes back).

        I’m open for anything that involves winning. This is an embarrassment.

      2. Cubus, firing Harbaugh now and elevating one of Tomsula, Fangio or Mangini to interim HC runs the risk of alienating the guys that aren’t promoted to interim HC.

        1. Scooter:

          I’m not following, maybe because I’m still angry. Can you spell it out more for me. Thanks.

          1. E.g., if they choose to promote Tomsula as interim HC, they run the risk of alienating Fangio if he thinks he deserves a shot as HC, and vice versa. Basically you are giving one of the internal guys an unfair advantage in the HC search at the end of the season, by letting them have an audition.

          2. Plus there is the fact that if you fire him you lose any possibility of trading him. Granted you probably wont get a lot for him any more but its better than nothing.

            And when everyone in America knows you will be parting with him what do you gain from firing him now?

            1. Yes, this is a good point that needs to be considered when deciding how to move forward. As I posted already, I don’t think we’ll get anything in a trade for JH so my opinions are based on that assumption.

        2. Sorry. I think I follow. But don’t you think they have an idea of who they might want from within the organization. What will change between now and January in terms of who is the front runner within the organization for the HC job?

          1. Sure, but by doing something now they are removing what may otherwise be seen as a level playing field. E.g., if Fangio doesn’t get the HC job at the end of the year, is he more likely to stay as DC if he thinks he’s at least been given a fair go to state his case?

            1. Scooter:

              Not sure why the playing field should be level. The transition plan needs to be worked up and finalized. I’m of the mind that it’s a good idea to start sounding out your options now. But I admit that it is not easy and might not work.

          2. Cubus:

            I don’t think York has a clue what he’s doing. I could be wrong, I hope I am wrong but this looks bad all the way around.

    2. Actually, as an organization, it would be better to lose the remainder of the game so that the problems can be addressed with higher round picks each round.

  42. Only a really desperate team will trade for Harbaugh. Any potential team will just wait for him to be fired. We’ll get nothing in return.

  43. C’mon Grant, post your “Grades” article already. I’m not done raging and I need my therapy time :)

  44. I am speculating as to why the 49ers lost so badly, but I did observe Kap on the sideline sans his signature, straight out-of-the-box, flat billed, good luck cap- #7 looked virtually undressed! However, this made me uncomfortable seeing Kap’s eyes welled up with tears posed to cry at any moment. For the good of his teammates, perhaps he should go back to wearing his cap over his brows to hid his emotions.

  45. Back to crap.after so many years 49ers are officially back to being a horrible team .
    Good players will leave , no one will want to come and great players will be past their prime –/oh we have no QB!

    1. Nah, that day of infamy was the “Hot Hand Day”… when Harbaugh benched a better long term prospect because he got all emotional about a short term prospect. He squandered the prime years of guys who should have SB rings. I’d be seriously angry at JH if I was one of the 49er vets. Not just tired, truly angry at the ridiculousness of that day.

      1. Hey, Alex was only the second rated passer in the NFL when he was benched, and he had an incompletion — one of them — in his last full game as a 49er.

      2. Alex Smith was never going to be the long term answer.
        They tried to get Manning before that season started. Alex should have known his time was up and signed elsewhere.

        1. It’s absurd to compare Smith or Kaepernick to Manning. Completely emotional logic… the same tide that pushed for this poor guy Kaepernick. I would have preferred the alternate universe where the 49ers kept Alex Smith these last 3 years. They would have had a better chance at winning long term. He’s been really good on a much worse team in KC.

      3. “Better long term prospect.” LMFAO. Really? It’s almost surreal that this is still a topic of conversation nearly 3 years later. When you have time, watch that “better long term prospect’s” game-sealing pick 6 today. See the small hands and weak arm on full display. Yes, he is smart, and can no doubt read “progressions” better than CK. But his physical limitations are liabilities that could not and will not ever be overcome, no matter how much talent surrounds him. Harb had nothing to lose by taking the gamble on CK in 2012, because the incumbent was never going to win a SB anyway. Obviously, the gamble did not pay off, because there is no 6th Lombardi trophy in the case at 4949. We had our shots, and missed, and the window slammed shut this afternoon. But it was a gamble worth taking. There was “value” in the play at the time. Ultimately, as it turns out, neither of the two QBs were the answer.

        1. The incumbent wasn’t going to win? That’s absurd and illogical. The gamble was not worth taking. Kaepernick backers are so ridiculous. I know exactly what Alex Smith was, and he was a better choice than Kaepernick has been these last three years. All the success in KC, a MUCH less talented team, proves everything you believe completely out of the water. You and your type of fans got your way, and the other side hates it. The ‘we want Carr’ crowd got their replacement and he lost to a Carr… and lost the season in the process. And the coach. And hopefully his job. You will never know if Alex Smith would have been the answer, so just don’t bother, and your criticism of Alex Smith on KC is just ignorance. Harbaugh gambled away your best chances as a fan for your favorite team to win a Super Bowl. Kaepernick was simply not poised in the pocket and so not clutch in the big moments. Alex Smith, as crazy as it sounds, was. Look at the Saints game, and the Lions and Eagles, etc. We will never know what might have happened without Kyle Williams giving the game away. Oh well.Turn the page, but don’t pretend that this was the best option. Our window shut because the wrong option closed it, likely prematurely.

          1. Josh,

            It sounds crazy because it’s not true. We’ve been watching Smith choke against quality opponents before and after he left here. He’s still choking and he choked today as well. The bottom line is that we need a quarter back and hopefully we find one in the draft next year.

            1. Jordan

              you just don’t get it do you. Had it been KC who went to the Chiefs, he would have been out of football for at least a year and a half by now. Andy Reid will have at least two new WR’s to go with Bowe next year, and Alex will see the playoffs long before the niners do.

        2. And what I suspected about the “dual threat” QB came true. He would be figured out and forced to pass from the most effective place on the field to pass… the pocket. This is not Kapernick’s strength. I don’t blame the kid for not being something he’s not. I blame Harbaugh for putting him into the situation without preparation. He needed to sit on the bench and learn the position before he became starter. The 49ers needed to keep Alex and refine the great success that began that second year. But no, they started Kaepernick, and people blamed Alex for past team failures when he was performing at an extremely high level. Ya… tat DERP on your bicep and kiss it. Now everyone knows how to stop Kaepernick, and he has no choice but to work out of complete weakness, with no time to improve to the level the team needs him to be. Harbaugh put him in that position. Even if Alex never won, Kaepernick would have had time to learn the position, and the NFL would not know how to stop him so easily.

      4. You hit it out of the park, Josh……these guys play for the chance to win the ring, and since JH developed the huge man crush for Krapernick, he’s put himself in a very tough spot, and it’s gonna cost him his job….if he’s gone, but gets hired by
        another NFL franchise, let see how much confidence he has in #7, The Boy Blunder, and see if he tries to initiate a trade for him….my gut says he’s gonna stay away from #7..

  46. MikeMcC,
    Not sure if you know that today is the anniversary of Pearl Harbor.
    If this was an attempt at sarcasm perhaps a different quote may have been a little more appropriate bud.

    1. Oh! December 7th is the anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor??? I didn’t know that and just happened to post that randomly!

      (That is sarcasm. The “day of infamy” was a joke. Sorry it offended you, you self-righteous d-bag.)

  47. The players are still here, try Gabbert next week, try Tomsula as interim HC and see if the players coelesce around him….Remember, He was cast into this following Singletary. I thought then that he should be the coach.

  48. We saw real QB play today from Carr. It was refreshing compared to suffering through our Kaep led offense. We need to lose out to get a higher pick. We need to make Roman the scapeboat of the problems and fire him now, Keep Harbaugh and Kaep starting to try and raise/maintain their value. Trade Harbaugh for Carr. Hopefully, trade them Kaep also.

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