On the game’s first offensive play Sunday, 49ers quarterback Troy Smith heaved a deep pass to Michael Crabtree.
It was incomplete. But it sure seemed looked a message was being sent: They Niners were 9½-point underdogs on the road and they were going to adopt a go-for-broke mentality.
Maybe an onsides kick at some point. Possibly a little razzle-dazzle. OK, at the very least, a sweep outside with Brian Westbrook?
It never happened.
It’s not shocking that the Niners lost. The Packers are a superior team, particularly at Lambeau.
Think a quarterback isn’t the most important player on the field? Yes, I
know, almost everyone does — with, ahem, a few notable exceptions.
Sunday’s game was another classic example. Put Aaron Rodgers in a red
and gold and place Troy Smith in those Curly Lambeau specials the
Packers were wearing and the 49ers might win 34-16.
So the loss was no big surprise. The most frustrating aspect for Niners fans, I’m guessing, is that their team played it safe.
Trailing 14-13 in the second quarter with the ball at their own 28 with
46 seconds and one timeout left, they were content to trot in into the
halftime locker room carrying a deficit, a timeout in their pocket and
preparing to go on defense to start the second half.
Four plays into the third quarter — a period in which they’ve now been
outscored 76-20 — they trailed 21-13 and the complexion of the game had
changed on Rodgers’ 61-yard touchdown toss to Donald Driver, whose
retro uniform was evidently slathered in bacon grease and Country Crock.
“For them it was a little too close for comfort (at halftime) so they
came out slinging the ball,” Niners coach Mike Singletary said.
“Obviously that was a good call on their behalf.”
Yep. Sure was.
And the Niners came out doing what exactly?
In fairness, it might not have mattered if Singletary and offensive
coordinator Mike Johnson had morphed into Vince Lombardi and Bill
Belichick with a dash of Jon Gruden and Jim Harbaugh on the side.
Still, it might be more tolerable to lose while acknowledging, for example, that Westbrook isn’t Frank Gore.
Westbrook had nine carries. And, on the play-by-play sheet, seven of
those runs were up the middle and one was over left guard. Westbrook did
run outside on one occasion … when San Francisco was trailing 34-16
with three minutes remaining.
Last week, the Falcons beat the Packers 20-17 in a game in which running
back Michael Turner (23 carries, 110 yards) attacked Green Bay on the
outside.
Those Falcons. What a bunch of pansies. The physical, excuse me,
fhysical Niners are going to establish the run. Up the gut. Even if my
daughters — and Packers defensive tackle B.J. Raji — know what’s
coming.
“Unlike last week where Michael Turner and those guys were bouncing it
outside, these guys were determined to hit it downhill in the A and B
gaps,” Raji said. “I knew myself and the D-linemen we have, if we did
our jobs, we’d be fine.”
And the Packers were fine.
No surprise there.
And, really, at this point, no surprise that the 49ers had no surprises for Green Bay.
• Here’s the game story. Donald Driver’s catch-and-run was the play of the game.
• Here’s the notebook. The Niners chose caution over aggression late in the second quarter.
• Here’s the report card. Way to go, Jeff Reed!
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