The last time a report card was this easy to fill out was 1967. I was 9 months old, and I told my parents that the 49ers deserved failing grades across the board for their 45-3 loss to the Detroit Lions at Kezar Stadium on Oct. 29, 1967.
The 49ers’ loss to the Falcons on Sunday was their worst home defeat since that game.
I fill out my report card immediately after the game. I do the best I can. But a lot of times I miss some stuff. Later, I’ll freely admit that I could’ve graded it differently here or there.
This time, I’m sticking with my grades. Check out my 49ers report card right here.
* * *
Cornerback Dre’ Bly has received a lot of criticism for showboating 75 yards from the end zone after intercepting a Matt Ryan pass. As he was bringing the ball into his body, Roddy White stripped him of the ball, causing a fumble.
In all fairness, here is Bly’s explanation of the play . . .
On if he thought his interception was a touchdown:
“I wasn’t sure where Roddy White was. When I catch a pass like that, and I get a head-start, when it’s just me and the quarterback, I was gauging if I was going to cut back on the quarterback. And that’s when the dude stripped me.”
On if he was showboating on the return:
“I did it when I caught the ball. I’m going to be me–that’s who I’ve been. I like to have fun when I play the game. When I make plays, I’ve made a lot, I express myself. But I had that ball tucked, and he got the ball. That was a great play by Roddy.”
On if he knew Roddy White was behind him:
“I didn’t know where he was. I knew that I had to get on my horse, but I didn’t know he was that close to me. But when he stripped the ball, it wasn’t like I had the ball up here. The ball was right here, and the ball came out as I was coming to the ground. The ball was out when he hit my hand, and it came out. Like I said, I’ve made a lot of plays in this League, I have fun when I play, and that’s who I’ve been. I fumbled the football, I’m mad that I did, but I’m not going to beat myself up. I’ve just got to move on and get ready for next week.”
On if Mike Singletary spoke to him about the fumble:
“He just said, ‘high and tight.’ We work on fumbling drills in practice, tucking the football and causing fumbles, and I fumbled the football. Predominantly, when I throw the football, I throw left-handed, but when I run with the football, and when I return punts, I always keep it in my left hand. So, probably the better thing for me to do, probably was to put it in my right hand. But, he made a great play. I have to give him credit. He was able to cause a fumble, and the ball came out.”
On if the celebrating had anything to do with the fumble:
“I feel like if I would’ve had the ball like this, if he hit my arm, it wouldn’t have even been close, because I felt like I fumbled the football as I went down to the ground. Like I said, I’m going to be me. That’s who I’ve been my whole life, that’s who I was in college, I have fun. Dre is going to be Dre. I felt like I had the ball tucked at the time, and he made a great play. I’m going to be me. Like I said, I’m going to be me. I’m not going to change who I am.”
* * *
Singletary said after the game that he did not see Bly showboating. Singletary meets with the media at 11:45 a.m., and we’ll see how he answers that question after watching the film.
* * *
Comments are closed.