49ers vs. Bengals live blog

SANTA CLARA

This is the live blog for the San Francisco 49ers Week 15 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. I will update this frequently with information and analysis from the press box.

Here are the 49ers inactives:
WR DeAndrew White
CB Chris Davis
LB Michael Wilhoite
LB Aaron Lynch
G Brandon Thomas
G Jordan Devey
G Alex Boone

Here are the Bengals inactives:
QB Andy Dalton
WR Mario Alford
S George Iloka
OT Jake Fisher
TE Tyler Eifert
DT Marcus Hardison
DT Pat Sims

12:40 Looks like Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters will win Defensive Rookie of the Year. Niners passed on him to draft Arik Armstead.

12:49 Marcus Martin is playing right guard. Andrew Tiller is playing left guard.

12:53 Here are some fun vines of Niners starting inside linebacker Gerald Hodges:


1:00 Here are the injured players Trent Baalke has drafted:
Tank Carradine
Marcus Lattimore
Brandon Thomas
DeAndre Smelter
Trey Millard
Keith Reaser

Zero have worked out.

1:23 The Bengals win the toss and defer.

1:28 On third-and-13, Gabbert throws the check down pass so fast Shaun Draughn can’t even turn his head around. Niners punt.

1:31 Tank Carradine is starting at defensive end in a four-man front.

1:32 McCarron scrambles for one-yard on third-and-4, and the Bengals go three-and-out.

1:39 Shaun Draughn runs for 19 total yards on the first-three plays of the drive, then gets flagged for unnecessary roughness after the fourth play. Gabbert pads his stats with a 10-yard completion on third-and-15. Niners punt.

1:45 Jaquiski Tartt stops Giovani Bernard for no gain on third-and-1, and Bowman stops him for a loss of one on fourth-and-1. Inspired play-calling by Hue Jackson.

1:46 Earlier in that drive, A.J. Green beat Tramaine Brock deep for a gain of 37.

1:49 Gabbert completes a two-yard pass to Blake Bell on third-and-three. You can’t make this stuff up.

1:53 Harold blitzes up the middle on third-and-6, hits A.J. McCarron and forces a bad throw. Bengals go three-and-out. NaVorro Bowman is having an excellent game. He made two tackles on that series.

1:58 Quinton Patton commits a false-start penalty on third-and-5, and Gabbert throws a six-yard pass to Blake Bell on third-and-10 as the first quarter ends.

2:04 Bengals go three-and-out again. Niners defense playing well against a backup quarterback.

2:05 Niners start for their 43.

2:10 On third-and-11, McDonald drops a pass and Adam Jones picks it off. Brutal drops. McDonald has feet for hands.

2:14 Jimmie Ward breaks up a pass intended for A.J. Green on third-and-8. Ward is having a good season.

2:17 Erik Pears commits a holding penalty on first down. Fifth penalty of the game for the Niners.

2:19 Gabbert throws a first-down pass to Anquan Boldin on third-and-10, and Boldin fumbles. The Bengals recover. Seems time for Boldin to retire.

2:25 Shaun Draughn is questionable with a knee injury. Time to play the fifth-string running back.

2:27 Jeremy Hill punches the ball in the end zone from one yard out. 7-0 Bengals, who may have already scored enough points to win.

2:32 Travaris Cadet whiffs in pass protection on second-and-8, Gabbert gets sacked for a 10-yard loss, the Niners go three-and-out and Bradley Pinion kicks an 18-yard punt. People paid to see this.

2:43 Hill again scores from one-yard out. The Bengals lead 14-0, and the Niners seem to have quit. Defense played hard for a while, though–credit where credit is due.

2:48 The Bengals pick off another pass McDonald dropped.

2:49 Next play, McCarron throws a touchdown pass to a wide open tight end. 21-0 Bengals. The Niners have quit. Mark the time.

2:54 Fans boo the home team as it walks to the locker room for halftime.

3:20 Bengals drive down the field and kick a field goal to open the second half. 24-0. Hue Jackson is making a good impression on his future employer.

3:20 Kenneth Acker gave up two long catches on third down during that drive.

3:21 Jimmie Ward might be the 49ers’ best defensive back.

3:22 Draughn is out with knee injury.

3:25 Gabbert scrambles for six yards on third-and-10. Good halftime adjustments by Geep Chryst.

3:27 Dontae Johnson injured on the punt return.

3:31 Giovani Bernard just ran over Eric Reid. Second scat back who has trucked Reid the past two games. Previous one was Duke Johnson.

3:33 Ian Williams pushes a pulling guard into Jeremy Hill, who fumbles. Niners recover.

3:36 Gabbert overthrows a wide-open McDonald in the end zone.

3:39 TOUCHDOWN 49ERS!!!!!!!! Bruce Miller scores from one-yard out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3:46 Jimmie Ward blitzes and sacks A.J. McCarron on third-and-12. Ward has not quit.

3:48 Niners commit penalty No. 9–holding on Marcus Martin–as the third quarter ends.

3:52 Martin injured on first play of fourth quarter.

3:54 On third-and-12, Gabbert checks down to a covered receiver instead of throwing downfield to Blake Bell who is open. Pass incomplete. Niners punt.

4:00 Martin is questionable with a head injury.

4:09 Gabbert overthrows Torrey Smith on third-and-19, then yells at Smith for some reason. Get this clown out of here.

4:10 Bengals block Phil Dawson’s field goal attempt.

4:14 18 people still in the stands.

4:15 Eric Reid sacks McCarron on third-and-11.

4:16 Martin has a concussion and is out.

4:19 Gabbert rolls out and throws a grounder to Bell on third-and-2.

4:20 Gabbert completes a nine-yard pass to Patton on fourth down.

4:21 Next play, Erik Pears gives up a sack.

4:23 Gabbert throws off his back foot to Boldin in the end zone. Touchdown. Gabbert gets his 14 points — a model of consistency.

4:25 Dawson to attempt an onside kick.

4:26 Nick Bellore appears to recover the ball, but the refs award possession to the Bengals. Jim Tomsula is challenging.

4:30 Challenge successful. Niners ball down by 10 with 2:16 left.

4:31 Gabbert completes a 27-yard pass to Bell just before the two-minute warning.

4:33 Gabbert throws deep for Simpson and gets picked off by Shawn Williams. That’s why Gabbert doesn’t throw deep.

4:42 Geno Atkins blows by Andrew Tiller and sacks Gabbert, and that’s the game. Stay tuned for grades.

This article has 256 Comments

  1. Inactive: Lynch, Devey, Thomas, Boone, Wilhoite, White, Davis.

    Anyone disappointed Devey isn’t playing?

    I wish they’d play White and Thomas.

    1. They are playing to get a W. Damn player development. It’s the same thing Baalke criticized Harbaugh for.

      1. One difference though: Harbaugh was playing for home field advantage. These guys are playing for their jobs.

      1. Yeah, he was one of the guys I would have been very happy to get. And he’s definitely the one playing the best of the guys I highlighted! Breshad Perriman – out all year. Cameron Erving – disaster. DeVante Parker – had a couple of decent games recently, but overall not much. Bud Dupree – ok, but nothing that flash. Sheesh, not a good year for most of the rookies I highlighted leading up to the draft.

    1. He’s obviously playing well – especially for a rookie – but he’s diamonds or doughnuts. Willing to take a risk to make the big play, but has given quite a few big plays too. I believe even with the 6 INTs he’s given up more TDs on the season, and he’s one of the most targeted CBs in the league so he’s getting plenty of opportunities on the ball.

      So, while he’s showing that he’s likely going to be a good one, I don’t think he’s been as good this year as the 6 INTs suggest.

      1. Also, he has the luxury to have a great Chief’s pass rush.

        Niners’ CBs are fine.
        When (if) they getthe privilege to play behind a good pass rush they will shine.

        This team has a lot of bigger problems than not drafting a CB on the first round.

  2. Ode to Harbaugh:

    They smile in your face all the time they want to take your place (Tomsula, Jed, Paraag, Baalke), the backstabbers,

    All you fellas who have someone (a coaching job) and you really care,
    then it’s all you fellas who better beware,

    someone’s out, to get your lady (i.e. coach job), a few of the fellas–they sure look shady (Tomsula, Jed, Paarag, Baalke)

  3. Team speed was an issue last year and there was a stated effort to improve in that area, however, the GM seemed fixated on hand size over foot speed. Unless the team is in the business of leading the league in opening pickle jars this approach seems to be lacking. Good luck 49ers.

    1. Dust mite

      Smelter and White opening pickle jars at midfield…I’ll stick around for that….

  4. What exactly is it you are trying to prove with Gerald Hodges, Grant? That you are vindicated in bashing him in previous weeks? Sure looks like a guy that was picked up mid-season and is still learning his responsibilities on the fly. Given the rest of the team had all TC + the season to do the same, made plenty of mistakes over the first half of the season (and still make mistakes), can hardly say it is a shocking development that he may not have everything down right now.

  5. Why not let Harbaugh R.I. P……? He had everything but a free ride to the SB, and he piffed it away…’you want GW Bush back too ?

  6. C’mon Grant: Be fair and make a comment about Hodges making the play to force AJ out of bounds on third down.

  7. Kansas City Chiefs go to 9-5
    as they cruise past the Chiefs.
    Question for the Niners: when was
    the last time you fellas scored 34 points?

    Thot ya didn’t need me, huh? Think again.

    Question for Kapurnicus: when was the last
    time you put up 24 points in the first half?

    TAKE OFF THE EARPHONES; I’M TALKING TO YOU.!!!

  8. On third and 3, they can’t run routes far enough to make sure they are past the first down marker.

  9. It’s awesome how none of our guys have any f’n clue about getting past the first down marker before making their cut or move. Do the coaches not teach them this or are they really that bad at playing their position?

      1. It’s called adjusting your route, yea the play probably called for him to come out of the backfield and cut after a only a few yards but when you’re looking for a first down and you have a man covering you most good players know to adjust their route so they have a better chance of making a play. That one is on the player to recognize the situation and make the right adjustment.

        1. Yeah, but since it was an out to the flat, the receiver needed to run past the first down marker and then do a 90 towards the sideline. If he jogged it, it would take quite a bit more time. I agree with you of course, but who knows what these coaches are teaching and calling. By cutting it short, it’s almost a guaranteed completion because the defense will give it to you. Maybe that’s all the coaches care about.

  10. Look around Kaepernick I mean Gabbert,Draughn wide open on the swing pass. Maybe it is the system and not the QB,do we teach this how is it possible that we have 2 QBs that take sacks,run out of bounds short of the line of scrimmage instead of throwing the ball out of bounds,throw the ball one yard short of the 1st down marker and not see the field.

  11. Gabbert is taking the check down to a whole new level. Your a 4 win team, throw the ball past the 1st down marker. Watching paint dry is more exciting!

  12. How many weeks does Patton have to make a knuckleheaded mistake before he gets benched…I want to see White play at WR. Patton’s act is old.

    1. Patton isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer. He doesn’t realize you’re suppose to learn from your mistakes. He’s the same guy that tried to report to training camp before it was time. Just flew out on his own. He’s a real keeper!

  13. What’s the point in Gabbert throwing passes on 3rd down that are short of the line to gain? He’s been doing that his whole career!

  14. Is there a chance that they are calling plays to make/keep Gabbert’s stats look good so they can justify keeping him as the starting QB next year? By the time several months pass, people generally just look at the summary statistics not individual plays.

  15. Staley is playing a monster game. He is even pealing Bengals off the pile when was the last time that happened.

  16. Does Tomsula yet again have nothing in his hands…he is the only coach in the league who doesn’t have anything in his hands. you know like a play sheet, a rolled up news paper, hell a blank piece of paper. Something…anything

    1. His fingers are too short and fat to hold anythig. Besides, he needs his hands free to groom the mustache!

    1. Yep. See Gran’t earlier thread today. Flown before the game. Probably because of flight restrictions during the game.

    1. Still holding out that Mr sack himself and throw short of the down marker will transform into Palmer?

  17. The intrigue will come after half time. If the offense doesn’t respond to the challenge I say 50-50 on the OC being around next week.

  18. Finally throw a pass long enough to be a 1st down and we fumble! Wasting a gre A T defensive effort. We’ll lose this one 6-0

    1. Third-and-10, Gabbert tries to pass for a first down to Anquan Boldin, but Boldin loses the ball in the end zone. Resilience returns to the Bengals. Looks dordle like Boldin should hang up his cleats.

  19. Best part of that play was Boldin just laying on the field and watching the play. This team has zero desire to even be out there playing. If this was 2012 would Boldin have just laid on the field after having the ball ripped from his arms and watch the defender just run away with it?

    We have rookie TE’s that don’t know to adjust their route so they can make a first down and we have receivers that just lay on the field after making a fumble and make no effort to pop up and tackle the guy.

    Fire the coaches at half time.

  20. 1:49 Gabbert completes a two-yard pass to Blake Bell on third-and-three.
    ———-
    Worse then that it was a 1 yard pass with 1 yac. Truly pathetic.

  21. This has to be, by a pretty substantial margin, the worst game I’ve ever seen out of any Niners team, which is saying a lot.

    Actually, it’s probably one of the worst NFL games I’ve ever seen. Niners should consider starting their Cheerleader Squat.

      1. Hey Grant, NYG down 35 to 7, but they rallied and almost won. Too bad the 49ers can’t win 38 to 35.

    1. The team is playing with no heart or fire. I’m not ready to get off the Gabbert train, I think he can still do a few things and manage the offense. But this coaching staff has got to go!

      1. Gabbert zhould be going as well. He’s been horrible his entire career and he always will be. He’s a career backup. Period.

          1. He’s leading guys too far with his throws across the middle of the field. It’s hard to accept a concussion for a 4 yard reception when you’re 4-9. Gabbert has been totally inaccurate today unless he’s throwing the ball 1 yard down the field.

  22. At least we have our punter of the future!!! This guy kicks like the backup junior varsity punter on a high school team. The guy that doubles as the backeup nose tackle!

  23. Un-f’n-believable that Baalke/Tomsula has somehow eclipsed Donahue/Erickson in putting one of the worst 49er teams ever out on the field. I honestly in my time thought I’d never again see 49er football be that bad but here we are.

  24. I’m sure there is language in the ticket agreement that prevents you from doing so but if not I’d explore the idea of suing the team for a refund if I was a season ticket holder. That’ll be one way to hold Jed accountable.

  25. Harbaugh would try to add points now and Tomasula will just run it and be happy to be only down by 14.

    1. Was wrong,now wish I was right. Fire Baalke can’t believe we wasted a 2nd round pick on McDonald,The guy is more miss than hit in the draft.

  26. I have to say I was wrong.
    I did not think Tomsula would be as bas as Singletary.
    But he is. His OC and offense are as bad as Jimmy Raye’s days.

    And that they had to settle for Chryst because they could not get the guys they wanted reminds me of when Scott Linehan said thanks, but no thanks to Singletary.

    So I guess we are all the way back.
    This year and next to re-stock the roster through the draft and FA and hopefully we get a good CS by 2017.

    1. We are not stocking anything through the draft with balke. He knows how to stick the picks. He has no clue how to use them. Take his drafting responsibilities away!

      1. Ok, if you say so.
        But that’s the same thing people used to say about McCloughan and then now everybody keeps saying how good of a scout he is.

        It’s amazing how the picks turn to be better when you have a good CS to use them.

  27. Please cut McDonald. Put him out of his own misery. 2nd round pick. That’s really sad. Can’t blame the defense in this game. The offense and special teams set up all the Bengals scores!

  28. This 49ers team is just as bad if not worse with Gabbert playing QB. Just wait until next year when people have a good amount of game film on Gabbert. It’s only goin to get worse.

    1. KY,

      The league already does have game film on Gabbert. That’s why the Jags gave him away to us for a song! He’s nothing but a career backup!

      1. It’s been a while since he played. Everyone praised his quick release and decision making. He has sometimes put the niners in good positions. Teams have began to figure him out. I would like to believe he has improved some since he left the Jags. If not we have bigger problems.

  29. Just what the doctor ordered. Sometimes you have to go through Chemo to get rid of the cancer….

  30. FFS there’s no reason at this point to not just throw in Thompson and let him get some live action.

    1. Too bad we can’t get the real CBS game. I’m sure 49ers fans are begging CBS to cut off the 49ers game!

  31. Meanwhile, the Raiders game is a lot more EXCITING baby. Can the NFl please move the 49ers to LA and give the Raiders LEvi Stadium? Please?

  32. If this does not convince York to fire Tomsula after 2 games of NON COMPETIVE in nature, something is seriously wrong!

    1. Darren: Tomsula should have never been hired in the first place. That was the most ridiculous coaching hire of the last decade.

  33. Wow! No heart. No emotion, flat out quit on both sides of the ball. I sure hope JY is present at this game!

  34. Well, I want Chryst relieved of his position and replaced by Logan. The reason is we need to know what we have in Logan. Otherwise, he’ll just replace Chryst during the offseason because no one else will come to this dumpster fire. If Logan fails now, he’ll almost have to be replaced by an outsider during the offseason – and I’m okay with that replacement being a college guy who wants to get into the NFL.

    1. I want to see Tomsula FIRED, NOW! I do not want to hear another feebled excuse and IT”S ON ME!

  35. I’m not down on Gabbert as this poor offensive performance is not just on him. But I’m starting to lean more towards taking Goff if he is available.

  36. Well, that was awful. Lets see, offense starts the game throwing short of the first down marker on 4 or 5 consecutive 3rd downs, then they have a complete meltdown with two INTs off McDonald dropped passes, a fumble by Boldin, and a shanked punt.

    The D started out looking good, but continual short field told in the end, and now they look like they’ve lost their energy and will to try hard.

    All in all, horrendous.

    1. At this point, Scooter, the team needs to be blown up. There is no light at the end of any tunnel.

      1. Funnily enough, I still think the D isn’t that far away from being pretty good. But they need the offense to be competitive, and are missing a few key pieces.

        The offense though, sheesh. That’s definitely in need of some big changes.

        1. Agree, defense shows promise – but we don’t see the kind of consistency that Fangio/Donatell brought to the defense.

  37. On the plus side, I’ve figured out what Baalke looks for in a receiver. Hands of stone. If you can’t catch, you are perfect.

  38. Some good news: San Diego is up 23 – 0. Maybe they’ll play well the last couple of games and we’ll move up in the draft.

  39. Will this dung heap of a team score today? Will that zombie Vance McDonald give up more interceptions today? Wow, the offense has no interest in playing today at all. Fire Chryst now, anything to shake the manure off this team and make watching the last two games worthwhile. We so have to hire an offensive minded HC, sick of watch 15 years of boring offenses.

      1. Oh, how I wish he had taken my advice. He is so stubborn, he does not sit Pears or elevate Hayne. His play calling is pathetic and he still refuses to put a man in motion. A player does go in motion, then stops, which defeats the whole purpose of putting a man in motion. He finally starts running the hurry up with quick snaps, but only after the outcome is decided.
        I keep telling him to get the players focused on stopping shooting themselves in the foot, but does he listen?

        1. Actually Seb Patton has been flagged for illegal motion 2 weeks in a row. They put Boldin and the TE’s in motion too. He stinks.

          1. The coaches should teach the players how to go in motion legally. This is not Arena League, but they put a player in motion because it gives that player an advantage. In the NFL, the player can be in motion as long as he does not advance towards the line of scrimmage. The coaches should study the Niners -Broncos Super Bowl XXIV game and see how Roger Craig, when put in motion, would create mismatches that the Niners exploited for a 55-10 victory. The Niners scored twice each quarter and basically stomped the Broncos.

            1. Seb do you really think the players get to this level and don’t know that rule? But you’re changing the subject, you said they should use motion and they do. Every NFL, college and HS team use motion these days. Every NFL defense had seen it before too.

              1. When you motion then stop, then it is just a time wasting shift. Must say you are persistent, staying on this post.
                I have decried their bunch sets and lack of motion, and in the Browns game, I saw a couple laterals, but what I want to see is the same gameplan they ran 2 years ago playing the Cards. They started out running the no huddle with sweeps and reverses. They scored 2 TDs, then did not run that scheme again.

    1. I’d blame it on Jed’s interpretation of the analytics, and his penchant for paying minimum wage.

  40. This Stat underscores Tomsula’s incompetency. He is 0 for 6 in coaching challenges this year. Pathetic!

    1. But those numbers show consistency–no better stat… Now, the trick is to flip the numbers… They haven’t figured that out yet.

    2. You actually need stats to understand Tomsulas incompetence? This pathetic excuse of a coaching staff should speak for itself.

    3. If that underscores incompetency so firing Harbaugh may have been the right thing to do because he was pathetic in that department too.

  41. This organization is terrorizing its fan base. Perhaps if the situation is brought to the DOJ’s attention they will categorize it as a terrorist organization that way we can get federal help in here.

    1. That’s one approach…other approach would be to assert that poor 9er performance leads to increased levels of fan flatulence–releasing more methane into atmosphere…leading to accelerated climate change. That could lead to a complaint filed by state and fed government. What say you?

  42. Working script for a major motion picture being revealed. Title… ‘Jed on a Plane’, starring Samuel L. Jackson.

  43. 3:21 Jimmie Ward might be the 49ers’ best defensive back.
    ———
    o.O

    You are something else.

  44. Looks like they’ll have no choice but to fuel up the Hayne Plane for take off next week….

  45. “3:21 Jimmie Ward might be the 49ers’ best defensive back.”

    How many time Grant has said that this year, each time about a different DB?

    As I remember, he said, at least, the Reaser was their best CB, than Acker, than Tartt was their best defensive players and it was not close. Now it is Ward.

    And there may have been more that I don’t remeber right now.

  46. Niners only have 4 first downs! That’s pathetic! I certainly hope they don’t get any garbage yards or scores!

    1. In the 1st round of the 2016 NFL Draft, The San Francisco 49ers select:

      Place Kicker——-Fill in yourself 49er fans.

  47. So I’m curious for all you Alex Haters — What would you do if the Chiefs actually make it to the SB, and Alex finally gets to play in one, in the Niners’ new stadium?

    That would be ironic!

    Don’t think it can’t happen! Pats are vulnerable with all their injuries! They already beat the Broncos twice pretty much!

    Steelers are a great team but might not even get in!

    1. I hope Alex Smith does win a SB to stick it to the 49ers, but I think NE or GB got the better shot. Maybe Ari, but not quite yet.

      1. The Chiefs could do it. They have a solid defense, and their RB is pretty good. Alex doesn’t make that many mistakes and they run the West Coast dink and dunk offense.
        It would be a team win, less brilliant play from Alex, but hey you never know. If he plays like he did in the Saints Divisional game, it could happen.

  48. Reid may be done. He plays to safe and that has never been his style.
    Concussions have disrupted his game.

  49. That ball was catchable and Mcdinald doesn’t even make a move for it. I’m done! Leaving the exits now!

  50. Reid used to deliver those type of hits, now he’s receiving them. Concussions have totally disrupted his playing style.

  51. The 49ers organization is simply sublime. An early good night to everyone and a Happy Holiday.

  52. TomD

    December 20, 2015 at 3:40 pm

    In the 1st round of the 2016 NFL Draft, The San Francisco 49ers select:

    Place Kicker——-Fill in yourself 49er fans.

    1. Jimmy the T’s eloquent post-game repartee
      sums up the current Niner situation even better

      Can’t wait for this one …

      (grab the popcorn !)

  53. Bowman needs to do nothing with Lemonier as he was just doing his job out there and helping the 49ers lose. Bowman needs to lose like a man.

    1. Grades … ??

      Are you kiddin’ ??

      That one is easy when the team quits
      ‘just shortly after kick-off !

      Lemme spell it out for you, Cassie …

      “F” !

  54. the Niners are 4 and 10 on the season.
    Who’s got it better than us?…..
    (sez the ghost of Harbaw)

    1. Vernon says he’s having trouble catching passes in Denver because they aren’t thrown hard enough. He said he got used to caps passes being lodged in his body when tried to catch them, making them more difficult to drop. Lol

  55. I love the late cosmetic points against the prevent defense. Good news is me and my son can go see the new stadium for cheap if there are any home games left this year! Notice I said, to go see the stadium!?!?

  56. I would like to keep Boldin but not make hime a WR. He could be a really good passing TE. If he beefed up he could be tough.
    It was a nice pass by Gabbert but those are empty calories. It’s good to see him make a few progression reads but he missed some easy throws.
    Pears is horrible. Holding calls are just as bad as sacks.

    I was pretty tough on Kaep. I don’t think he would have done any better, and the coaching staff didn’t make him a better QB, that’s for sure.

    If he can work on his mechanics, with a really good offensive minded HC, like Sean Payton, even an Andy Reid. He would do okay.

    This year’s failure is obviously coaching staff. It just takes a few bonehead plays and mistakes at the wrong time to derail this team.

    1. Bold in is done after this season. This is a young man’s game. You don’t turn 35 year old wide outs into tight ends, you retire them. Hopefully that was a joke.

  57. One week BG is the short term future now he’s a clown Grant? Vance couldn’t catch because Kap throws an “uncatchable ball” now he has feet for hands? All true. But come one, show some consistency Cohn.

  58. Gabbert is the king of garbage time. He does this crap every week when the other team is ready to go home. This was another ass kicking. Suddenly, teammates are jealous that Kaepernick gets to move on to another team! *Puts Beats headphones on.

    And he throws another pick to seal the deal after the Bengals woke back up. Go figure. This should put an end to the Blaine Train nonsense that certain people have been preaching about.

  59. Alex smith aka past cpt checkdown
    Blaine Gabbert…. THE NEEEEW Cpt Checkdown!
    I’m finally on board for a qb pick!
    Keep Gabbert as a backup.

    1. I’m just about ready to get off the Gabbert train! But at the same time, it’s hard to tell what plays are being called. I don’t mind the check-downs, but he does it way too soon on a few plays.

      I’m so ready for a new coaching staff. It’s just idiotic football being played with dumb penalities and cowardly play-calling on the offensive side. At least Mangini is playing crazy with those blitzes!

  60. Well, the second half was more bearable than the first. The offense was still mostly bad, but really impressed to see the way the D played that second half. The Bengals didn’t throw a lot at them second half, but still, played well.

    The offense though, by golly they sucked. Started to move the ball a bit more that half, but still had significant issues in pass protection, more dropped passes, and Gabbert missed some key throws again. Including missing Simpson at the end on his final INT. He’s not a good QB, and while he may look a little better with Hyde and a hopefully improved OL next year, he is not the future QB for this team based on how he has played this year.

    Trent Brown was much better than Pears at RT, but Pears was just as bad at RG. Boggles my mind that he has been starting all year.

    Jimmie Ward played his best game of the year today. He had some excellent pass break-ups and was strong in coverage, but also came up with a sack and a TFL. Great game by him. Bowman and Hodges both played well in the middle, but I thought the 49ers best player was Ian Williams. He was a handful all game. Eli Harold showed some good things too, which was good to see from a player I’ve not typically been that impressed with this season.

  61. Hey Jack I kept waiting for the TD drive by Gabbert to win the game. What happened to it?

  62. I think the niners dodged a bullet. If Andy Dalton had not been injured it would have been truly ugly.

  63. Matt Maiocco ✔ @MaioccoCSN
    #49ers CEO Jed York when I approached him in hallway: “We’ll talk about everything at the end of the season.”

    1. Funny…last year York had a lot to say. He just couldn’t stay away from the public to spew all his idiocies about Harbaugh, directly or through others.

  64. I’m glad Gabbert didn’t make that pass in the end zone. He’s definitely a work in progress but this was a bad loss, mainly because the offense keeps mis-firing with the the picks and dumb penalties.

    We need a new coaching staff, This is a rudderless ship and it the Niners keep Tomsula they are dumber then he is. It’s the eyeball test. He doesn’t have what it takes to be a HC. Get someone better.

  65. From Maiocco:

    “The 49ers actually outgained the Bengals in total yardage in the game. The 49ers, who came into the game averaging a league-low 289.4 yards per game, had 318 yards of total offense. The Bengals’ offense gained just 242 yards. But the 49ers also committed 11 penalties for 98 yards.”

  66. So, heading into the Browns game Matt Maiocco said he thought the 49ers would almost certainly retain Tomsula next year, and that it would take a lot of really bad defeats to close out the year for him to go. I wonder what Maiocco thinks now about Tomsula’s chances of staying…

    1. I wonder what Jed York thinks now. He probably thought it would not get this bad but after today’s debacle, what excuse will it be now?
      The players have quit.There is no denying that. Everyone witnessed it today live!

      1. The stadium was half empty. It was a lifeless game. Crowd not even into it.
        A better coaching staff could make this team competitive. They have no philosophy or vision on offense. So sad. Defense has some players, but needs a pass rusher. What happened to Lynch? I thought he just had a concussion?

    2. The defeats will not matter, we are stuck with Tomsula for at least another year. York/Baalke will not want to own their mistake too quickly and always remember, Tomsula comes cheap.

      1. I have to disagree. The players effort on the field says they are not willing to play hard or professional for that matter for Dumbsula.

        1. What would happen if the Chiefs play in the SB with Alex Smith? It was Harbaugh that made the switch but it would be sweet irony if he played in that game! It could happen! They have a championship caliber Defense, and make just enough plays on offense to be a threat!

          1. Even sweeter if a small airplane pulls a Jed banner across the south bay skies a few hours before kickoff…

    3. Scooter, the agenda is set. The announcers bemoaned the terrible offseason the 49ers had with players leaving, retirements, and injuries. They have given Baalke and York the excuse they need to keep Tomsula another year as pathetic as it is.

    4. Well, considering that York went through all sorts of troubles to get rid of the best coach this team has had in a decade, only to hire the inept Tomsula, I imagine York will stick by Tomsula. Winning with class….York is such a buffoon.

  67. 9ers booed off the field at the end of the half. Eddie D and past 9er greats at halftime wave to a half empty stadium. Nice job Jed; really nice…

  68. 49ers FO:

    Kaepernick not medically cleared to be on the sidelines today.

    Kawakami:

    “The 49ers are PR incompetents, temperamental and insular. They’re the North Korea of the NFL.”

    1. Thought so. Kim Jong Un is really Jed’s half brother–both are rather soft looking. Good thing Jed doesn’t have nukes… Although he does have Tomsula…

  69. It takes a few years for defensive linemen to find themselves in the NFL. I know it is early, but I am not encouraged by the play of Arik Armstead. I have seen him flash pocket collapsing strength a few times. What I mostly see is him whiffing on plays right at him, or if the play is close to him he does not seem able to identify the ball carrier. Too many times I see him jogging after the play goes in another direction.

    It is early, but we may have whiffed on a very important draft pick.

      1. Oh, there’s plenty of buffoonery to share around. John York, Jed, my dad (yes, even him), low ball coaching staff. The equipment guy…

    1. I’ve actually been encouraged by what I’ve seen of him, but I guess I had low expectations from him this year.

      1. If you don’t mind my saying, it’s more likely because you don’t expect draft picks to make an immediate impact particularly the first round pick. However, many others do. But let’s not get into that here – there’s plenty of time for that (again) in the off season :)

        1. True, I’m more forgiving of rookies than most. Way I see it is he’s done enough to convince the coaching staff to give him a decent number of snaps, and has been very effective generating pass rush pressure. That’s encouraging from a rookie to me, even a first round pick.

          1. Actually, I see what you’re saying and agree with you to a degree. But, I think, the 2016 draft will have huge expectations of our first couple of draft picks (assuming that one of those picks is not a QB).

  70. I heard this during the broadcast and almost threw up. Here’s what they said courtesy of Maiocco:

    “I had a chance to talk to Al Guido, the COO for the 49ers beforehand,” Feely said on the broadcast. “They knew what they were getting into when they had all defections. (He) said they underestimated a little bit the impact that it had in the locker room, specifically the lack of leadership. . . But I think they’re confident with Jim Tomsula going forward.”

    1. Jim is a teacher, a fine one. Let’s give him a 15 year run. After all, winning with class is the goal.

  71. Woody Allen said it best:

    “Those who can’t do, teach. And those who can’t teach, teach gym.”

  72. I get sick to my stomach watching the greats get rolled out and the painted end zone reminding us of the great EDDIE D teams that won. I think there should be a law of robbing someone else’s success and acting like it’s your own. Yorks are frauds!

    1. The K: It is pretty bad. They got lucky the Bears and the Ravens self-destructed, otherwise their record would be much worse than it appears.

      It is too much to expect a well coached team when Tomsula and the rest of the crew are cast offs and re-threads, 3rd rate NFL coaches. They are not exactly the coaches you want to build a winning NFL franchise around. They had one but they ran him off.

Comments are closed.