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Thanks,

Matt M.

Running back Frank Gore and linebacker Patrick Willis are two young guys who are turning into leaders in the 49ers' locker room. But neither had much to say after the team's loss to the Patriots on Sunday.

They are young players, and figure to be a big part of the future of the team. Although it might not sound like a big deal, it's important for leaders to talk after games -- win or lose. (OK, especially, after losses.) Teammates look around and see who is standing up when things aren't going well. They notice those things. Nobody wants to get the reputation as a front-runner -- someone who's only willing to talk when things are going well.

Both Willis and Gore spoke today in the 49ers' locker room at their training facility in Santa Clara.

* * *

Gore started speaking with the media after the game. He answered a couple questions before declaring he didn't want to talk any more. This was a one-time occurrence. Gore was voted by the beat reporters as the winner of the Garry Niver Award last season for his professionalism in dealing with the media. He takes the game very seriously. He doesn't let these losses just roll off his back. The fact he felt so bad after yesterday's game was completely understandable.

Just minutes ago, he answered questions from the media for several minutes. Gore said he has confidence that things will get better. "Man, we're going to be fine," he said. "We just have to play as one."

He said he likes to do different things in the offense, and especially liked the challenge of being split out wide with a cornerback covering him. Gore ran a perfect post route and scored a touchdown. It's the first time in his career he caught a pass from a wide-receiver position.

* * *

Willis declined to answer questions after the game. He also did not want to talk after the opening-game loss to the Cardinals. As Willis gets more mature he'll learn that leaders speak up. They don't pass the buck onto teammates to answer questions.

"It was just frustrating to know we should've won the game and we didn't win the game," Willis said today. "It should hurt after every loss. But this game right here hurt worse. . . . It was no offense to you all."

Willis said the 49ers' main problem in Sunday's game was their attention to detail. Willis had an outstanding game last season against the Patriots. He was credited with 18 tackles at the time of the game. In the coaches' film review, Willis' number was adjusted to 22 tackles (14 solo, 8 assists). Gore and Willis are two fantastic players.

* * *

Today was a good day for both Gore and Willis. The fact they made themselves available to the media shows that it's important to them to be true professionals and do things the right way.

* * *

Coach Mike Nolan held his usual Monday press conference, and spoke about Sunday's 30-21 loss to the Patriots. Among the topics he discussed was tight end Vernon Davis, who was again held without a catch.

In fact, Davis has just five catches in five games. He clearly has not yet fit into Mike Martz's passing game. After all, a year ago, Davis caught 52 passes for 509 yards and four TDs.

When it comes to Davis' game, Nolan borrows a thought from the great Meat Loaf in saying that two out of three ain't bad for the No. 6 overall pick in the 2006 draft.

"He's done an outstanding job blocking, both pass and run," Nolan said. "So he's two out of three already. In order to utilize your exceptional speed, it's better with the ball in your hand. Otherwise you're just running fast and it looks good.

"The objective is to get the ball in his hand. He has a responsibility to himself to run the correct routes. By no stretch would I say he's a bust. He is good at two out of the three, and he'll continue to get better at the third part, but that's a matter of working at it."

Nolan said Davis remains after practice to run routes and gain the trust of QB J.T. O'Sullivan. "He's not short on work ethic," Nolan said of Davis.

In other highlights from Nolan's press gathering:

--He was asked for the first time about his job security. Nolan said he feels he's always coaching for his job. (That may never be more true than now. If the 49ers' losing ways continue, the Yorks will unquestionably have to consider whether a change should be made at the bye week.)

--Nolan was late for his press conference. He said there were a lot of things to fix from the team's loss to the Patriots. He said, "There are a lot of things we've got to work on." He said there were obvious reasons for the 49ers' shortcomings. He said some were technical.

--On Randy Moss' deep pass. The 49ers were playing a three-deep zone, with Walt Harris and Nate Clements sharing the responsibility on that play.

--Nolan disputed the notion that Harris is near the end. After all, Harris was one of the few players in the secondary who was not beaten deep the previous week against the Saints, he said.

--Nolan acknowledged that teams have been able to sustain drives against his defense. He said the Patriots used the same running plays they use against every other team. He said the defense just needs to do a better job of fulfilling its assignments and tackling.

--Despite two rough weeks, Nolan said it is important to remind his team that it is still in the thick of the NFC West race. The 49ers are just one game behind the division-leading Cardinals.

--Michael Robinson played four snaps on offense. He said O.C. Mike Martz is still getting a handle on what these players can do. Because Robinson missed most of training camp with a knee injury, Martz does not yet have a firm idea of how to use him.

--O'Sullivan has thrown five interceptions in the past two games, but Nolan said, "I believe J.T. gives us our best chance to win." Earlier, Nolan talked about how he believes this is a better team than a year ago. He added, "It was evident a year ago where our shortcomings were." (Pretty sure he meant a position that starts with the letter "q" and ends with "k".)

--He reiterated the importance of getting the ball in the hands of Frank Gore. Up until the 49ers fell behind by two scores and ended the game with 10 consecutive passes, the 49ers called 25 pass plays in the huddle,compared to 12 Gore runs. Gore had just 16 touches in the game, including four pass receptions.

Whatever the 49ers are doing defensively, it's just not working.

The 49ers and Patriots blitzed roughly the same percentage in Sunday's game. The Patriots made it work. The 49ers did not.

In fact, the 49ers were far more effective when they were rushing just four men, if you can believe that.

* * *

Here's the breakdown of what Patriots QB Matt Cassel did, depending on how many defenders the 49ers rushed:

3-man rush: 2 of 3 for 15 yards. (Passer rating: 78.5)

4-man rush: 12 of 17 for 107 yards with two interceptions (Passer rating: 47.5). Also, three sacks for minus-14 yards, and one scramble for 6-yard gain.

5-man rush: 7 of 9 for 128 yards, including that 66-yard TD pass to Randy Moss (Passer rating: 155.8). Also, one sack for minus-7 yards.

6-man rush: 1 of 2 for 9 yards (Passer rating: 62.5). Also, one sack for minus-5 yards.

These stats do not include a play-fake at the goal line that resulted in an incomplete pass.

* * *

And here's how J.T. O'Sullivan did against the Patriots' pass rush:

3-man rush: 3 of 6 for 16 yards with one TD and one interception (Passer rating: 56.3). Also, one scramble for 8 yards.

4-man rush: 8 of 15 for 91 yards and one interception (Passer rating: 44.0). Also, two scrambles for 6 yards.

5-man rush: 1 of 6 for minus-1 yard and one interception (Passer rating: 0). Also, one sack for minus-8 yards, two scrambles for 10 yards, and one pass-interference penalty for 31 yards.

6-man rush: 2 of 2 for 22 yards and two TDs (Passer rating: 152.1).

* * *

The Patriots controlled this game on the ground, though the numbers don't necessarily reflect that. New England rushed for 144 yards on 43 carries. That computes to just 3.3 yards per rushing attempt. However, the Patriots recorded 10 first downs on the ground. When the game was still in question, the Patriots converted on three of four rushing attempts on third-and-short. When they failed on third down, the ran the ball on fourth down and scored. They also ran the ball to score a 2-yard touchdown with :06 remaining in the first half.

New England had four drives in which they held the ball for nine or more plays. Those drives netted the Pats 13 points and a lot in the time-of-possession game. They were very balanced between run and pass on those drives.

* * *

The 49ers spent a good portion of the game in their "big sub," with defensive back Donald Strickland in the game. But the 49ers weren't good in short-yardage situations - and that has nothing to do with "big sub." The 49ers couldn't seem to stop the run in sub, base or goal line.

Still, the Patriots dictated the 49ers' extensive of "big sub" with plenty of three-wideout formations.

"They were trying to match up their personnel," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. "So depending on what group we put out there, I think determined what group they put out there, for the most part. They have a lot of different substitution packages, which Mike (Nolan) always has. Those are hard to get ready for and adjust to. And there's a lot of odd (things) and guys standing up and floating around and all that.

"So with the crowd noise and all, it was good game-planning on his part, and he gave us a lot of different personnel groups. As we shuffled ours, he shuffled his, so that's kind of the chess match you have with Mike."

* * *

Note on my quickie grades from the previous post . . . yes, I probably was a little harsh on O'Sullivan. If Delanie Walker keeps running, instead of going into that backpedal, he at least breaks up that deep pass and perhaps catches it. Walker also failed to make a catch on a crossing route on the first drive that would've gone for HUGE yards. Also in the first quarter, Bryant Johnson did not adjust to a pass that O'Sullivan threw deep. It looked as if Johnson had time to turn toward the sideline and made the catch. Isaac Bruce let a third-down pass slip through his fingers. And Arnaz Battle dropped a pass near the sticks in the second half.

I'll stand by my offensive line grade. They created some nice running lanes for Gore, though they failed to block up that third-and-1 in the second quarter. Also, O'Sullivan escaped the pocket on five occasions to scramble, but that doesn't mean that all of those were blocked poorly. He generally had good time to throw down the field.

When the Patriots rush four men, which is their norm, you never know which four men it's going to be. The 49ers' line had to sort all that out on every snap.

* * *

Both sides of the ball for the 49ers played poorly again. The defense could not get off the field, and the offense could not stay on. The 49ers failed to get a first down on seven of its nine drives through the first three quarters of the game (not including the kneel-down at the end of the first half). Heck, even their two touchdown drives lasted only four plays apiece.

* * *

From the pages of Monday's Press Democrat . . . "Patriots play keep away, overwhelm 49ers" and "Niners retire Steve Young's No. 8." And, there's also the Q&A with Steve Young at the Cohn Zohn.

* * *

The 49ers jumped out to leads of 7-0 and 14-7, and then disappeared

OK, more accurately, their offense disappeared -- literally. The 49ers were nearly lapped by the Patriots in time of possession. San Fran held the ball for just 20:08, while the Patriots offense was on the field for 39:52.

Things are starting to get serious, now. The 49ers will have to pick things up before the bye week or there could be changes in order.

Here's what coach Mike Nolan had to say about the defense:

"I know we brought pressure. It's a good example of getting five sacks. (I know) how excited people get about sacks and how they think they're directly related to winning. That should give you a great example that it really isn't. To win is all about having more points than the other team. It gets down to staying on the field offensively on third down and getting off on defense, and a lot of other things. But it's never one area."

The big play of the game, which seemed to give the Patriots a lot of confidence was that 66-yard TD pass from Matt Cassel to Randy Moss. The 49ers did a corner blitz on that play, but did not get to Cassel in time.

* * *

INJURY REPORT: The only reported injury was to S Michael Lewis. He aggravated his right elbow injury in the fourth quarter. His status for next week's game is uncertain.

* * *There were a lot of disappointed players in the 49ers locker room. Justin Smith said, "We lost a game we should've won today."

Patrick Willis declined to speak with reporters after the game.

* * *

Speaking of Justin Smith, he can't believe the personal foul that was called on him late in the second quarter. Smith sacked Cassel for a 7-yard loss on third and 6 from the 49ers' 10. However, referee Mike Carey called a personal foul on Smith, saying he used Cassel's helmet to bring him down. Smith said he grabbed Cassel by the back of the neck.

"Whatever. I don't agree with it," Smith said. "I know I had him by the neck. That's part of the body. That's like grabbing his arm. I sure as heck didn't grab his facemask. I don't know."

* * *

QUICKIE REPORT CARD

Quarterback: D-minus

J.T. O'Sullivan had his second bad game in a row. He completed just 14 of 29 passes for 130 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. O'Sullivan did a better job of avoiding sacks, however.

Running back: C-plus

Gore had just 16 touches in the game, including 12 carries for 54 yards. He also caught four passes for 24 yards, including a 16-yard TD. It's just that the 49ers offense was not on the field long enough to make any kind of difference.

Wide receiver/tight end: C-minus

Isaac Bruce caught two TD passes, as he had a team-leading 49 yards receiving. Vernon Davis was another non-factor with zero catches.

Offensive line: C-minus

The protection was all right most of the time, but there were certainly times in which things broke down and O'Sullivan had to escape the pocket to avoid sacks. O'Sullivan was sacked just once in the game.

Defensive line: F

The line did not play strong. This unit got pushed around quite a bit, as the Patriots rushed for 144 yards in the game and always put the offense in second-and-short situations.

Linebacker: B-minus

Takeo Spikes had an interception early in the game. Patrick Willis had 18 tackles and Spikes added 14, but many of those tackles happened too far down the field.

Defensive back: F

Nate Clements and Walt Harris had double coverage on Randy Moss, who still got behind them for a 66-yard TD midway through the first quarter. Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel had 259 yards passing.

Special teams: C

It was neither good nor bad for this unit. Andy Lee had a good statistical game, as he averaged 54.0 yards on five punts, including a career-long 81-yarder.

Coaching/overall: F

They just continue to push the wrong buttons. The 49ers got some pressure with their blitzes, but they were also burned badly on occasion. The 49ers are on a two-game losing streak, and they're in danger of seeing this season spiral out of control.

--Matt Maiocco

Niners inactives: QB Jamie Martin (third QB), CB Reggie Smith, CB Shawntae Spencer, OLB Roderick Green, LB Ahmad Brooks, C Cody Wallace, T Jonas Jennings and LB Manny Lawson.

This means that Tully Banta-Cain might see more action than originally figured. Green is a nickel pass-rusher at defensive end. Banta-Cain could see a lot of action on third downs. Also, CB Marcus Hudson will be in uniform for the first time this season.

* * *

The 49ers have waived DE Larry Birdine from the practice squad. They'll shuttle in somebody else next week to get a look at a new player.

* * *

Patriots inactives: QB Matt Gutierrez (third QB), WR Kelley Washington, WR Maurice Price, CB Lewis Sanders, LB Eric Alexander, C Dan Connolly, T Wesley Britt and LB Shawn Crable.

* * *

We'll be keeping an eye on whether the 49ers, as expected, play a lot of their patented "B.S." defense in today's game. Oh, that means, "Big Sub," of course.

* * *

Joe Nedney just nailed a 55-yarder in warmups. That apppears to be the outer limit of his range, if the team gets in that situation. Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski just hit the cross bar from 53 yards. (It bounced through.)

* * *

Just returned from the field. Steve Young was getting the hero's welcome. His number will be retired at halftime. He has a bunch of family and friends here. Brent Jones and Jerry Rice are among those former 49ers in attendance.

* * *Arnaz Battle, Takeo Spikes and Jeff Ulbrich are the captains for this game. Mike Carey is the referee. The last time Carey handled a Patriots game, they lost in the Super Bowl. Patriots win the toss and they defer. The 49ers receive the opening kickoff.

* * *

FIRST QUARTER

--Rossum catches ball 7 yards deep for a touchback.

--Delanie Walker and Vernon Davis both on the field for the first play . . . Gore gains 1 yard.

--On second down, pass off Walker's hands. That play would've gone for some big yardage. It's third and 9.

--Good pressure on JTO. He throws it away. Time to punt.

--Niners defense opens with nickel, as Haralson comes out and Strickland enters before the snap. Maroney gains 4 against the Big Sub.

--Great pressure on Cassel. He's hit as he throws and Spikes with the interception and a 13-yard return to the NE 45. There's 12:51 left in the quarter. The Big Sub works!

--JTO throws deep for Walker, and Brandon Meriweather makes the pick. Walker did not play that one well. Walker was back-pedaling on that ball. He stopped running. Pats take over at the 4.

--Maroney stopped for two short gains. It's third and long. Banta-Cain is in, along with Goldson and Tarell Brown. Willis sniffs out the shovel pass to Welker. Pats to punt.

--Clements was hiding in front of the 49ers' bench. He caught the punt and came all the way across the field for a 13-yard return. Niners at the Pats' 30.

--Big third-and-2 coming up . . . JTO scrambles close to the first down, but there's a flag. Pats called for defensive holding.

--Bajema is in for a two-TE set . . . Gore splits out to the left. He works a post pattern vs. Pats CB Ellis Hobbs and makes a fantastic catch for a 16-yard touchdown. That's something we haven't seen yet this season. It's 49ERS 7, PATRIOTS 0 with 8:57 remaining in the quarter.

--Nice return (poor tackling). Pats take over at 37 after Hobbs' 35-yard return.

--Strickland is the team's fifth defensive back. The plays are playing primarily a 4-2-5 defense, with LE McDonald, LT Sopoaga, RT Franklin and RE Justin Smith.

--Welker catches short pass, and Strickland with the nice tackle. Gain of 2.

--Tarell Brown was a step late getting to Cassel on a corner blitz. That gave Cassel enough time to hit Moss on a 66-yard TD vs. the coverage of both Walt Harris and Nate Clements. Harris was playing the role of a safety on that play. That looked easy. It's 49ERS 7, PATRIOTS 7 with 7:35 remaining in the quarter. That reminded me of New Orleans -- minus the hangover.

--Rossum with 34-yard return. Niners take over at the 36.

--The Patriots, by the way, are playing five DBs, too. JTO hits Bruce for a 38 yards.

--Counter play, Gore pops a 16-yarder with Battle lined up in the backfield, behind JTO.

--Nice protection. JTO finds Bruce in the end zone. That was easy, too. Think people in New England are talking about the Patriots' B.S. defense, too? It's 49ERS 14, PATRIOTS 7 with 5:25 left in the quarter. Brilliant series for Mike Martz and the offense.

--Delanie Walker just made a heck of a play. He blew up the blocker, wrapped up Hobbs and threw him down like he was a pillow at the 24.

--Niners decline an illegal formation to set up a second-and-8. Pats get near the first down on Kevin Faulk's run. They'll bring out the chains . . . it's a first down.

--Moss wanted no part of that end around. Ronald Fields is in for Franklin, and he helped hold Moss to 2 yards.

--Morris pops a 14-yard run.

--Haralson's going in; Strickland out. They are out of the big sub.

--RB Sammy Morris went out wide. Haralson followed him out there. Cassel throws to Moss instead for a 5-yard gain.

--Cassel sacked. Haralson and Banta-Cain combine for the sack. Haralson rushed from an ILB spot. Patriots will punt.

--Snyder with a false start. Moves it back to the 15.

--Niners will have a third-and-9 at their own 21 at the start of the second quarter.

SECOND QUARTER

--Bruce can't come up with the catch on a deep out. JTO led him a little too much, but it's a pass Bruce expects to catch.

--Lee hits a horrendous punt, but it gets a nice bounce for 45 yards. No return. Pats take over at their own 34 with 14:44 left in the half.--Niners open this series in 4-3-4 defense, with Balmer on the field. LaMont Jordan gains 9 yards.

--Now, the Big Sub is back, but the Pats had three receivers on the field.

--Clements gets some redemption. He intercepts Cassel's deep pass for Moss. He wanted to lateral it to a teammate, but held onto it and was tackled at the 49ers' 6. That's where the 49ers take over with 13:11 left in the half.

--Third and 5. Niners with three wides on the field . . . Pats come with blitz. JTO gets out of the pocket and throws it away.

--Lee finally gets off a nice punt. Fair catch -- a 46-yarder.

--Niners show 3-4 defense on 8-yard pass to Welker.

--Franklin with the tackle on Jordan. He's hurt. They're looking at his right leg. Timeout on the field. He limps off the field. Kevin Faulk is in to replace him. It'll be second-and-9 from the 49ers' 44.

--Strickland good coverage on Welker for an incomplete pass. He comes off the first on third down when the 49ers go with their Sub or dime package. Gaffney catches an underneath pass and drags Michael Lewis for the necessary yardage.

--Morris gains 9 yards on a third-and-1.

--Niners call first timeout, as they had just 10 defensive players on the field. Banta-Cain came on late, and Balmer ran off. Balmer stays off. Pats have first and 10 at the 16.

--Third and 6 . . . Niners' dime defense on the field. . . . Niners get there with the four-man rush, as McDonald gets the sack.

--Gostkowski in for the field goal from 35 yards. It's good. 49ERS 14, PATRIOTS 10 with 5:22 left in the quarter.

--INJURY UPDATE: Jordan has a leg injury. His return is questionable.

--Michael Robinson is on the field for the first time on offense this season. He lines up at fullback on first down, a 5-yard Gore run.

--On third-and-1, Baas comes in as a tight end. Gore gets stuffed.

--Lee with a nice punt. But Haralson called for ineligible man downfield. Lee will have to punt again.

--Lee uncorks one -- an 82-yarder -- but it's only a 62-yard net, as it rolls into the end zone. The Pats take over at the 20.

--At the two-minute warning . . . the Pats will have a first down at their own 48.

--Patriots are moving down the field, mixing the run and the pass. Four-man rush. Easy pitch and catch to Moss at the 14-yard line.

--Third and 6 from the 10 . . . TBC and Haralson are on the field to rush the passer . . . four man rush. Smith with the sack . . . but he's called for tackling Cassel by the helmet, a personal foul. The Patriots will have a first down from the 6 with :14 remaining.

--Cassel completes pass to Watson. He's stopped at the 2 with :09 left in the half.

--Faulk with the touchdown from 2-yards out. Franklin and Balmer both got destroyed right up the middle. The penalty on Smith was a killer. It's PATRIOTS 17, 49ERS 14 with :06 remaining in the half.

--Balmer fields the kickoff and goes into a barrel roll. JTO takes a knee and we're going to halftime. The Steve Young ceremony is upcoming.

HALFTIME

--Brent Jones is introducing Steve Young. Among the former players up on stage: Dwight Clark, Eric Davis, Junior Bryant, Steve Bono, Harris Barton, Dana Stubblefield, Derrick Deese, Dave Fiore, Randy Kirk, Jamie Williams, Guy McIntyre, Keena Turner, Jerry Rice, Tim McDonald, Steve Wallace, Jesse Sapolu.

--Young thanks John, Denise and Jed York for bringing in everybody. He thanks Eddie DeBartolo, and says he couldn't be here because of some medical issue.

Young says, "Man, am I a lucky guy." Said he was coached by the best. Bill Walsh, George Seifert, Steve Mariucci and all his coordinators. He said he's thankful to the fans for giving contributing to all the memories. He concludes with "Go 49ers!"Lowell Cohn is down on the field. He'll be speaking with Steve and he'll transcribe the interview and put it on his blog at some point in the second half.

--KEY STAT FROM FIRST HALF: Time of possession -- Patriots 20:03, 49ers 9:57.

THIRD QUARTER

--Patriots, because they deferred, get the kickoff. There's a holding penalty, so New England starts at the 21.

--Niners blitz on first down and actually get a sack. Sopoaga drops Cassel for 7-yard loss.

--Third and 7 . . . five-man rush. First down to Welker.

--Patriots have confusion on offense. They use their first timeout of the second half.

--OK, we have a couple seconds. This defense should be a lot better than what they're showing today. Sure, they've recorded two interceptions. But this has not been a good performance. The run defense is being overwhelmed, the pass defense has been so-so, and Manusky needs to be bringing more pressure. All pretty elementary, right?

--Back to back penalties on Harris (holding) and McDonald (offside).

--Strickland came up to make the tackle of Maroney for 2-yard gain. Strickland is playing pretty darn well.

--Balmer getting a lot of action this drive at LDT, as the 49ers play a 4-3.

--Short yardage situation, but Morris easily gets the first down.

--Second-and-10. The Pats have been getting big yards running the ball in this situation . . . shot gun formation . . . draw play to Faulk for 2 yards. That sets up a third and 8.

--Niners bring a blitz (can you believe it?). Cassel spins away from Haralson, but he can't get away from Willis. The Pats are called for holding, but the Niners decline the penalty. They'll punt.

--Some players are running onto the field for the 49ers. I'm not sure who they are. Hold on a sec, I'm going to check . . . oh, those are the offensive players. I forgot what they look like. Hey, at least they're all nice and rested.

--JTO is intercepted by Rodney Harrison. Don't know why he would've thrown that pass to Battle. Bad, bad decision.

--Patriots at the 24. . . Morris gains 14 yards on two rushes.

--Pats have the ball at the 1. Any chance of the 49ers putting together a goal-line stand?

--Incomplete on second down. Why didn't they run?

--Franklin submarines Morris and trips him up. Franklin is down, injured after the play. That was quite a play he made. Morris is stopped for a 1-yard loss, bringing up fourth down.

--Patriots offense is still on the field. It looks as if they're going for it.

--Direct snap to Faulk. He takes it in for the touchdown from 2 yards out. The Patriots take a page from the Dolphins' playbook. Now, it's PATRIOTS 24, 49ERS 14 with 5:25 remaining in the third quarter.

--Niners take over at the 20. They open with three wides.

--Pass to Gore loses a yard. On second down, Davis is out and Morgan is in. JTO scrambles for 8 yards. It's third and 3.

--Pass to Morgan loses 4 yards. Niners are 0 for 6 on third downs.

--Cassel to Welker for 20 yards. The Pats are destroying the 49ers.

--On third and 10, the Patriots beat the 49ers blitz with a pass down the field to Gaffney -- an 11-yard gain.

--It'll be third-and-5 when the fourth quarter begins.

FOURTH QUARTER

--Niners show a no-man line (everybody is standing up) and bring a blitz. Michael Lewis bats the ball down on the blitz.

--Gostkowski in for a 40-yard attempt. It's good. PATRIOTS 27, 49ERS 14 with 14:53 left in regulation.

--This is a must-score drive for the 49ers.

--Direct snap to Gore, who carries 7 yards and a first down.

--Bryant Johnson (remember him) catches a pass on a drag route and gains 14 yards.

--Battle drops the pass on second down.

--Jason Hill and Morgan come in; Bruce and Davis go out on third down. JTO tries to get it deep for Battle. It's pass interference on Meriweather. Niners have the ball at the 8-yard line.

--Niners don't run on first down. JTO throws it away.

--Second down . . . Gore carries to the 5. This might be four-down territory.

--Touchdown to Bruce, running along the back line of the end zone. Nice protection, and CB Deltha O'Neal was nowhere near where he had to be. It's PATRIOTS 27, 49ERS 21 with 10:22 remaining. Now, let's see if the defense can do anything.

--Third and 2 . . . Cassel to Moss vs. Strickland's coverage. It's a gain of 8 and a first down.

--Patriots have a third and inches at the 49ers' 34. All the Pats need is a FG to make this a two-possession game.

--New England is challenging that last spot.

--Mike Carey says they're going to re-spot the ball, and re-measure for a first down. It's a first down, so the Patriots win the challenge and they won't be charged with a timeout.

--Niners stop Morris for no gain on first down. Plays is held up with Michael Lewis down. It looks as if they're working on his right arm. His right elbow has been injured for a couple weeks.

--They blitz on second and 10, forcing Cassel to throw it away.

--This is a big third and 10 from the 34 . . . Welker takes a receiver screen and gets the first down. But, they call offensive pass interference. That's a 10-yard penalty and moves the Patriots out of field-goal range. Moss was blocking before the pass was thrown.

--It's third and 20 from the 44 . . . Gaffney with the catch. It's not a first down, but the Patriots have the ball at the 31. It'll be a 49-yard field goal. Remember he barely hit from 53 in pre-game warmups.

--Gostkowski made the field goal with A LOT of room to spare. It's PATRIOTS 30, 49ERS 21 with 4:42 remaining.

--INJURY UPDATE: Lewis has a right elbow injury. His return is questionable.

--Rossum returns to the 49ers' 35.

--Pass to B.Johnson for 11 yards.

--Timeout on the field, as Pats CB Jonathan Wilhite is injured. Hobbs went off after the previous play, but now he's back.

--Lowell Cohn's Q&A with Steve Young is up on his blog. Read it here.

--JTO is sacked on third down for an 8-yard loss. It's fourth down. This is the game. Fourth and 16. That was the first sack for the Patriots. The 49ers don't get the first down. In fact, O'Neal gets credit for the interception.

--And that's a wrap, folks. I'll be heading down to the locker room.

* * *

Pass-rusher Tully Banta-Cain was among the last 49ers to leave the locker room Sunday in New Orleans. That's unique because Banta-Cain did not even suit up for the game.

He said he was in no hurry to go anywhere, and he wanted to buy a little time for his iPod and laptop to fully charge for the trip home. But he also said he's been doing a lot of soul-searching after being inactive for the first four games of the season.

"It's been an emotional four weeks for me," Banta-Cain said. "I don't think I've been inactive since my rookie year when I was on PUP. . . . I've been reflecting a lot these last few weeks on my life and my career."

Banta-Cain is likely to make his season debut Sunday against his former team, the Patriots. Because of Manny Lawson's injury, Banta-Cain will suit and play primarily on special teams. He also hopes to get in a few snaps on defense. He has been asked to know several different positions, so he could be used as a backup for Justin Smith, Parys Haralson or Roderick Green.

It seems coincidental that Banta-Cain will be playing against the Patriots, after spending his first four seasons in New England.

"Obviously, you don't want a player to go down," Banta-Cain said. "But I knew at some point something would happen. I wasn't going to sit on the sideline without pads on for 16 games. That fact that it's against my ex-team at home, I couldn't draw it out any better."

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INJURY REPORT

Patriots: LB Eric Alexander (hamstring), CB Lewis Sanders (hamstring) and WR Kelley Washington (ankle) are doubtful.

49ers: T Jonas Jennings (shoulder) and CB Shawntae Spencer (knee) are out; LB Manny Lawson (hamstring) is doubtful.

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Saints safety Kevin Kaesviharn got fined $25,000 for a helmet-to-helmet hit on 49ers receiver Josh Morgan.

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Patriots coach Bill Belichick talked today about Steve Young, Michael Robinson and Justin Smith. Read the transcript of his meeting with the Boston-area media. Also, if you want to read more about the Patriots, please tune into the best Patriots blog, Reiss's Pieces, from Mike Reiss of the Boston Globe.

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When the 49ers faced the Seahawks on Sept. 14, they went up against an offense that did not have its top three wide receivers (Nate Burleson, Bobby Engram and Deion Branch).

Furthermore, in pregame warmups backup QB Seneca Wallace, who was expected to see significant action at receiver, sustained an injury and was out for the afternoon. Three minutes into the game, the Seahawks lost starting wideout Logan Payne to a season-ending knee injury.

The 49ers stuck with their game plan. They played at least five defensive backs the entire way. The strategy seemed counter-intuitive. But here were the results:

--QB Matt Hasselbeck had the worst passer rating of his career fourth-worst passer rating of his career. He completed just 18 of 36 passes for 189 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. (Passer rating of 42.5.) He was sacked once for minus-7 yards.

--The Seahawks' biggest offensive threat was rookie TE John Carlsen, who caught six passes for 78 yards. Niners SOLB Manny Lawson did not play defense in the game, as his playing time was sacrificed for the extra defensive back.

--With a smaller defense on the field, the 49ers surrendered 169 yards rushing on 24 carries. Julius Jones gained 127 yards on 26 carries, including a 27-yard touchdown run. The Seahawks had 11 first downs rushing and 11 first downs passing.

--The Seahawks' offense scored 23 points (not including a defensive touchdown, and they scored another touchdown on a 46-yard drive after a fluke blocked punt play). The 49ers won 33-30 in overtime.

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The 49ers have three main personnel groups for defense:

Base - four DBs with either of their 3-4 or 4-3 fronts.

Big sub -- five DBs, generally with S Dashon Goldson replacing Lawson.

Sub - six DBs, generally with Goldson and CB Tarell Brown in, and Lawson and LB Takeo Spikes out.

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The 49ers have played a lot of big sub and sub this season. They rank 19^th in the league in passing defense and 21^st in run defense. (Sixteenth in passing average, and 12^th in rushing average.)

Up until last week, the 49ers had done a good job of avoiding the big play. Through four games, the 49ers have given up seven pass plays of 25 yards or more, and four of them came against the Drew Brees and the Saints. They've given up only two running plays of more than 15 yards.

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Yesterday, I spoke with 49ers defensive coordinator Greg Manusky about the team's big-sub and sub packages.

Q: When you're in the big sub and sub, does it make you more vulnerable, softer, against the run?

Manusky: "No, I don't think it does. There are different situations and different game plans, based on the offenses we see from week to week - what we have to take away and what you don't have to take away so much. It might be the receivers when you play Arizona, it could be the run game if you played a great running team. Each and every week you play football your game plan is not going to be the same. You have to game plan for what they're doing. If you always want to play vanilla and basic, you're going to find yourself behind the stick."

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Where I believe the 49ers went wrong against the Saints is that they did not put enough pressure on Brees. On the first drive of the game, Spikes hit Brees as he was throwing for an incomplete pass. On third down, Patrick Willis came around to force Brees into a third-down incompletion. The Saints attempted 35 passes, and the 49ers brought five pass-rushers just eight times. On those plays, Brees completed 3 of 8 passes (one of those was a delayed blitz when Willis recognized a flea-flicker and tried to get to Brees, who threw a 52-yard completion).

On plays in which the 49ers sent just four men, Brees picked them apart. He completed 18 of 24 passes for 315 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

Q: Does having big sub or sub in the game limit what you can do blitz wise?

Manusky: "No. What it does is it expands it so a team has to prepare for base, big sub and sub. Sub's always going to be there on a third-down situation the majority of the time. Teams have to work two different fronts. It's different for them. For us, it's what we normally do. They have to work a 3-4 defense, as well as a 4-2ish defense."

Q: It seems as if you don't blitz much out of your sub packages . . .

Manusky: "There was pressure when we played Detroit. We had pressure when we played that sub package. Sometimes you'll get some pressure, and sometimes you won't. Hasselbeck's rating wasn't very good. We did get after him. If you look at the situation, especially with Drew Brees and Hasselbeck, they aren't guys who don't get sacked. We know that. You still want to put pressure on them. Pressure is good. Even on the first third down with Drew Brees, we had pressure in his face, and he got rid of the ball (for an incomplete pass). That's why he's a Pro Bowl player, and Matt Hasselbeck is as well. He knows when to unleash the ball and get rid of it, and not create sack situations. We got to keep on forcing the quarterback, sometimes with a four-man rush, sometimes with a three-man rush, and sometimes with five or six. Those quarterbacks are good quarterbacks."

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Lawson did not see much action against the Saints before he sustained a hamstring strain that has also knocked him out of Sunday's game against the Patriots.

Q: Early last season before he got injured it looked as if Lawson was turning into a very good player. How can you limit his role to just first downs, or in the case of the Seattle game, not even play him at all?

Manusky: "I'd love to have Manny on the field the whole time. It's just the situations that arise from the other offenses giving you the personnel. You got to look at it from this standpoint: you're taking off a linebacker and you're always putting in a DB that has some better coverage skills than maybe Manny Lawson does. That's how we game plan it. Manny's a productive player and he keeps on growing. We got to get him into game situations where he's matched up for pass rush and cover guys as well."

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Bottom line: Every team in the league matches personnel groups. Every defense will put extra defensive backs on the field when the offense goes with three- and four-receiver personnel groups. That's just logical, and that should not change.

However, against teams the 49ers don't believe can hurt them against the run, they've also used a lot more of their big sub packages against base offensive personnel. It seems in those games, the opponents' run game has been an annoyance more than anything.

The 49ers played mostly big sub against the Saints. That was the right call. It's just that they could've done a better job of pressuring Brees and playing better football on the back end.

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OK, I'm with everybody else on the planet. I think Patriots coach Bill Belichick is outstanding. But I also know one thing: Belichick is a lot better coach when Tom Brady is his quarterback. When Brady is his starting quarterback, Belichick's NFL head-coaching record, including postseason, is 101-27 (.789).

But when Brady is not his starting quarterback, Belichick's overall record is a not-so-hot 43-59 (.422).

Patriots backup QB Matt Cassel will make his third start since high school on Sunday at Candlestick Park.

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From the pages of today's Press Democrat . . . "Gore could be center of attention behind center."

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There are no changes to the 49ers' injury report. LB Manny Lawson, T Jonas Jennings and CB Shawntae Spencer are still out.

As reported yesterday, the 49ers have no plans right now to fill Spencer's spot on the roster because there simply is no void that needs to be filled. The 49ers began the season carrying more defensive backs that normal.

When asked yesterday if this was a money issue, Nolan said, "No, not at all."

However, the 49ers are also saving money (and salary-cap room) by not filling the roster spot. They're saving anywhere from $17,350 a week (for a rookie or first-year player) to $48,820 a week (for a player with 10-plus years of experience) by not filling the roster spot.

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LB Tully Banta-Cain's chances of suiting up for Sunday's game against his former team are "better than favorable," Nolan said.

With Lawson out, Parys Haralson will start at OLB. Haralson is capable of playing all three downs. When Haralson needs a rest, Banta-Cain is likely to take over.

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Nolan on the Bill Belichick-Mike Martz matchup: "Both he and Mike, when they go against each other, will try to figure out some little wrinkles to show one another."

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From the 49ers' PR department . . . The 49ers' offense is 97.2 yards better per game than last season. The last team with that large of an increase (over a full season) was Martz's 121.3 improvement with the 1999 St. Louis Rams. . . . J.T. O'Sullivan ranks among the top deep passers in the NFL after four games. On passes thrown 21 yards or longer in the air, O'Sullivan has completed 62.5 percent and has a passer rating of 127.1. O'Sullivan is 10 of 16 for 318 yards and a touchdown on those passes.

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From the desk of the great Lisa Goodwin in the community relations department . . . The 49ers announced Bernadette Dutra, founder and president of OneChild, is the winner of the 2008 49ers Community Quarterback Award. In honor of her contributions to the community, NFL Charities will present a $10,000 grant to Dutra today at a team luncheon in San Mateo hosted by former 49ers quarterback Steve Bono.

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