This is what Brent Jones said about the 49ers’ Super Bowl defeat Monday on KNBR.
Q: What was the toughest part of that game to swallow for you?
BRENT JONES: The toughest part about it was I thought they were completely unprepared to play the first half. I was really, really disappointed, especially how they had come out against Atlanta in the first half. You can talk all week about how it’s just another game – they looked like deer in the headlights. Not communicating. Broken coverages. Dumb penalty. Turnover. It was just a horrible first half.
And so I thought with the extended halftimes, you make some adjustments. When they ran the kickoff back, I thought you’ve got to be kidding me.
All of that being said, I felt like the power outage was the greatest blessing we could have ever gotten. If that didn’t happen, I think we would have just been tsunamied and lose by four touchdowns. But that, for whatever reason, calmed their nerves. The Ravens, I don’t know why, but it seemed like it bothered them more. John Harbaugh was going off. Even though we didn’t come out and get a first down, something clicked. Maybe guys realized time was running out. And they started looking like the 49ers that we’re used to seeing for a good part of this season.
When they had that momentum, I thought this is their game and they’re going to win this. Even when the defense gave up a field goal I said OK, our offense is going to march down the field and score. When we got down there I thought OK, matter of time.
The second down pass – OK, I’ll let that one go.
The one-yard flare route on third down was stupid.
And I just do not like either winning the Super Bowl or losing the Super Bowl on a fade route. I think the fade route is a 1-in-3 at best. That’s not the call you’re looking for in that situation. That’s a Nervous-Nelly call. I didn’t like it.
All of that being said, Frank Gore was gashing those guys. We’ve got the best offensive line in the National Football League. If you want to give it Frank Gore four times on the five yard line and they stop us I say well done, you guys win.
And to wait until seven minutes left in the third quarter to score your first touchdown – come on. That’s just…come on.
And then the first play of the Super Bowl. That’s inexcusable to be quite honest. It’s not just another game. You can say that during the week, but you’ve got to respect the big stage. Until the blackout, we looked completely baffled, which isn’t a good look.
Take that, and then say OK, we’ve got some talent on this team. We’ve got some young guys that really can make some things happen out there. They battled back. It would have been the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history.
And we’re on the cusp, we’re right there. We got down there to the five and we just panicked.
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