This one is blamed on execution
by: Bryan Hersh
One can never really lay blame on a specific player for losing a football game - it is after all, a team sport. The 49ers loss this past weekend - which all but eliminated them from playoff contention, can certainly be blamed on the execution of players. Fortunately, there's enough blame to be spread around, so take your pick:
- Vernon Davis for dropping two touchdown passes
- Delanie Walker for dropping one touchdown pass (not the easiest catch, but certainly the ball was where it needed to be).
- Frank Gore for fumbling the ball away on the most crucial drive of the game
- Arnaz Battle & Brandon Jones for a botched hand-off on a punt
Yes, there was reason to blame the coaches too... plenty of it to be frank - but at the end of the day, the coaches put the 49ers in position to win this game over and over again. They were helped drastically by a great defensive effort (Patrick Willis deserves an honorable mention) and by the best performance of Alex Smith's career - but, they did coach the game well enough to win. The players just did not make the plays they had to.
With the 49ers all be eliminated from the playoffs there are a few things that the team can look at establishing to close out the season. Alex Smith has performed well and seems to get better each week. The team would be hard pressed not to look at him as their Quarterback of The Future. Although this game was not lost due to coaching, there is much to be desired on the coaching front - especially on the offensive side of the ball. I continue to suggest that it is not too early to make changes.
Beyond that, the 49ers have the rest of the season to lament on the chances they blew this season. It seems that like this game, this season's theme has been "Blown Opportunity". A year ago fans may have been willing to look to the next season and say "we are better than our record dictates, so let's make a go of it for one more year". I do not think that is the case this year. I know that I will not be content unless positive changes are made to this team, starting at the front office and trickling down. If Alex Smith continues to play well, the 49ers will have an anchor on both sides of the ball (Smith and Willis). That means that they may finally have the foundation they need to actually take the team in a specific direction and build it in that image.
Imagine a season next year where the following woes are addressed:
- Pass rush
- Safety
- Offensive line
- A running game that can subsist with a passing game
- Offensive coaching that does not result in repetitive 3 and out syndrome
- Defensive coaching that is not based on bending until you break
Funny, that laundry list looks quite a bit like it has the past few seasons... thankfully, quarterback and receiver may have fallen down the priority list a bit. Surprisingly, this offensive coaching staff has managed to even make Frank Gore look inept. The time for change was 2 weeks ago. Better late than never………….
Bryan Hersh is the Founder and President of 49ers Paradise, www.49ersparadise.com He is a good friend and supporter of Hooked on the Niners. Please contact Bryan with any questions or comments at bryan_hotn@49ersparadise.com