BASTA: 49ers Close Fruitless Season With A Win; Coaching Situation in Question

((HT: BASTA/Baichwal))

This season has been full of ups and downs, with the 49ers showing great promise in some moments but then looking listless in others. Over the past four years, in the Jim Harbaugh and Colin Kaepernick era, the 49ers have had great success, except for this year. They went to three straight NFC Championship games, and even made the Super Bowl two years ago. However, this year all of the success that they had built up fizzled, going from a Super Bowl contender to mediocrity. Coming into today’s matchup against their division rival Arizona Cardinals, the 49ers were 7-8. They managed a 20-17 win today, ending their season at an even 8-8, maintaining Jim Harbaugh’s streak of no losing seasons.

The 49ers 2014 season looked promising as the preseason ended, and they continued to look extremely good, starting the season with a resounding win over the Cowboys. However, the 49ers’ hot start quickly ended, losing two games straight for the first time in Harbaugh’s NFL coaching career to the Bears and the Cardinals. Fortunately, they came back after this with strength, as they took their 1-2 record, and then won three straight games against the Eagles, the Chiefs, and the Rams. However, this 4-2 surge was stopped by back-to-back losses to the Broncos and the Rams, bringing the 49ers record to an even 4-4. The 49ers were then able to bear down and battle hard for three straight wins: an overtime win over the Saints, a defensive win over the Giants, and an Anquan Boldin led win over Washington, giving them a 7-4 record and putting them in a tie with the Seattle Seahawks, in the chase for the NFC Wild Card spot. However, the 49ers’ playoff hopes were quickly yet painfully stripped away, as the 49ers lost four straight games, including a blowout by the division rival Seahawks, a stinging loss to the awful Raiders, another bad loss to the Seahawks, and an overtime loss to the Chargers, forming the 49ers’ longest losing streak in the Jim Harbaugh era. With a 7-8 record, the 49ers tip-toed into today’s matchup, and were luckily able to grab a win, to give them a somewhat acceptable record of 8-8.

On Sunday, the volatile 49ers were on one of their good days. Frank Gore rushed for a season high 144 yards on 25 carries, continuing to add onto his franchise leading rushing totals. Some believe that free-agent-to-be Gore will retire after his tenth year in the league. However, Gore prides himself on his determination and resiliency, making it unlikely that he would leave after a subpar season like this one. Furthermore, he has indicated that he would like to continue his career with the 49ers, the only team he has ever known. Whether or not he plays next season, it is highly unlikely that he will remain with San Francisco due to the fact that they have been grooming rookie Carlos Hyde to be his successor. Furthermore, they simply do not have the money to pay him, even though he is still a very reliable running back at age 31.

Even so, in today’s game he set a couple milestones in what may be his last game in Levi’s Stadium. He recorded his eighth season gaining 1000

rushing yards, also becoming the 20th running back to make it to 11,000 rushing yards. Whether or not he retires after this season, he will have left a huge impression on the 49ers’ franchise, as one of the most consistent players to ever step on the field. ((thanks to BASTA for the photo))

In the passing game, Colin Kaepernick threw for 204 yards on 15 of 26 attempts and two touchdowns, including a 76 yard catch and run to Anquan Boldin. The touchdown catch came early in the first quarter, just after the Cardinals had executed a flawless drive to take an early 7-0 lead. This score tied up the game for the 49ers, shifting the momentum back in their favor. It also gave receiver Anquan Boldin a 1000 yard receiving season for the second year in a row, making him the first 49ers’ receiver to achieve this feat in franchise history. Here’s a link to that play, that capitalized on a breakdown in the Cardinals’ secondary:

Anquan Boldin’s 76-yard touchdown catch and run

The 49ers had a field day on defense, coming up with three interceptions off of Arizona’s backup quarterback Ryan Lindley, all of which extremely important in stopping Cardinals’ drives. The first came courtesy of linebacker Michael Wilhoite, who snagged a third down pass and prevented the Cardinals from taking a field goal attempt that could have changed the result of the game. Cornerback Chris Culliver snagged the next interception early in the third quarter on what looked to be a promising Cardinals’ drive, both ending their drive and giving the 49ers great field position for their own, one that ended in their second touchdown. This touchdown came on a play action drag route by the fullback Bruce Miller, for a three yard score. The third and final interception came in the fourth quarter from linebacker Craig Dahl right after a sack that followed the 49ers punting the ball at the two minute warning. This interception sealed the game as it took away the Cardinals’ final chance to come back in the game, and allowed the 49ers to kneel the ball three times for the win.

Today’s win was great, and it served as a reminder that the 49ers are an extremely talented and capable team that had the potential for much better results this season than they ended up with. The 49ers executed very well today, and they showed that they should return to their successful ways next year. However, it is now guaranteed that they will have to do so without the coach that brought them success after an extremely long drought: Jim Harbaugh.

Ever since the 49ers started losing, and especially since they fell out of playoff contention, the narrative of this season has been about Harbaugh leaving. People have been predicting whether or not he would leave, who would replace him if he did (we discussed some options here), and where he will go next. Jim Harbaugh is unquestionably a very talented coach, and even when there were allegations that he had lost respect in the locker room, his players were always proactive in stepping up and denying these rumors, speaking about how they like Jim Harbaugh as a coach and have the utmost respect for him. After today’s game, when speaking about Harbaugh’s departure, quarterback Colin Kaepernick said:
((HT: CSN Bay Area))


Out of the three questions that people have been asking for this season, one has been definitively answered, one has a very strong possibility, and one has yet to be answered.

The first and most pressing question was answered after today’s win: Jim Harbaugh is leaving the 49ers. Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers announced that they have mutually agreed to part ways, and he will either leave the NFL or be traded away to fulfill the remaining one year on his five year, 25 million dollar contract. After the game, Jim Harbaugh said:

“I’m forever proud to have been a part of this. It’s been a tremendous four years, it’s been a pleasure to work and serve for this organization…You work at the pleasure of the organization, that’s what we all do.”
Quote courtesy of ESPN

The second question about his replacement is the one that has yet to be answered. The 49ers organization will have to come up with a decision quickly. However, they would want to give their new coach as much time as possible with the team, especially if they look outside the organization. As it currently stands, there are only a few probable options for the coaching position next year, due to the fact that the 49ers need some resemblance of continuity. In addition, Trent Baalke will want a coach who he can control, unlike the abrasive Harbaugh. Also, the 49ers need a coach who can help Kaepernick develop. Currently, he is the only viable starting quarterback in the system, and he has shown signs that he can succeed at the NFL level, although he still needs guidance from a good coach. The three main options in no particular order are Vic Fangio if the 49ers look inward, and Adam Gase or Mike Shanahan if they look outwards.

Vic Fangio would provide the most continuity, as he has been the 49ers’ defensive coordinator for the past four years, joining with Jim Harbaugh from Stanford, and he has 15 years of NFL defensive coordinator experience. Throughout the past four years, Harbaugh has steered clear of the defense, knowing that Vic Fangio is fully capable of running that aspect of the team. If he is promoted to head coach, he would continue to run the defense, and he would give wide berth to current offensive coordinator Greg Roman to run the offense, and essentially the two would work in tandem. Also, he would nestle in nicely with Trent Baalke, and he is a much calmer presence that would not ruffle the management’s feathers.

Adam Gase would be another intriguing option, the hot name on the market this year after transforming Denver’s offense into a well-oiled machine as their offensive coordinator. Of course he would not have the same offensive tools in San Francisco, especially at quarterback and receiver. Hopefully he would be able to help Kaepernick grow, while also providing a valuable boost to the offense, leaving Vic Fangio to handle the defensive side of the game, as Harbaugh has done for the last four years. Experience coaching Peyton Manning give Gase valuable knowledge about the quarterback position, learning from an all-time great.

Mike Shanahan may be too old for the job at 62, but he has experience with the 49ers as their offensive coordinator from 1992 to 1994, and he also has 20 years of NFL head coaching experience. However, his last season as head coach was with the Redskins in 2013, guiding them to a woeful 3-13 campaign. Shanahan would have been a great option for the 49ers a few years ago, but now he is more of a fringe candidate, due to both his age and lack of recent success. Even so, he would probably provide the largest offensive boost of these three candidates, as he led the Broncos to win the 1997 and 1998 Super Bowls as their offensive coordinator.

Whether the 49ers end up with one of these three candidates or another candidate not listed will be mainly based on how much money they want to spend on a coach and how much control Trent Baalke wants to exert. Each of these coaches comes with a different price tag, with Vic Fangio being the cheapest and Adam Gase the most expensive. The 49ers should probably announce a coaching decision within a few weeks, and they will probably target somebody outside the organization first, and if that falls through, they will be safe with Vic Fangio as a very solid in-house option.

The third question is the one that has not yet been definitively answered, although Jim Harbaugh may have already internally answered the question. He received a quite lucrative offer to go back to the college level as a head coach for his alma mater Michigan, which is looking for a coach with his ability to take a team from rags to riches. He has proven himself extremely capable of raising programs from nothing to instant contenders, first at Stanford and then with the 49ers. However, he has been noncommittal when asked about Michigan, saying that “announcements will be made” about where he will go next year. Unquestionably, Jim Harbaugh is out of the picture for the 49ers, but his next location is still technically up in the air, although Michigan looks to be the destination. From the 49ers’ perspective, it would be better for Harbaugh to stay in the NFL so that the 49ers could trade him either for cash compensation or possibly even players. Either way, Harbaugh should have great success wherever he goes, while simultaneously earning a lofty paycheck.

The 49ers 2014 season is now over, and although it was subpar, the organization still has a bright future. It will be led by breakout rookies like Carlos Hyde and Chris Borland and young veterans Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid. The 49ers have a lot of talent on their team, and they are still very capable of contending next year, especially if they find a coach who can bring out the best in Kaepernick, so that he can finally get the Super Bowl ring that he so badly desires.

Morning Wrap: BASTA Bay Area Breakdown: 49ers Loss to Raiders

Kaepernick Awful As 49ers Fall To Raiders And Lose Playoff Hopes

 

By: Apurv Baichwal

Follow me on Twitter: @abaichwal

After watching today’s game, I was quite literally speechless. There was nothing I could say immediately after to explain what had just occurred, and all I could think was: “Was that even football?” The 49ers just lost their seventh game of the season in only thirteen weeks, making them 7-6 and effectively out of the playoff chase. To rub salt in this wound, the 49ers lost to their Bay Area rivals, the Oakland Raiders, and since these two teams will only face each other once this year, the Raiders can now claim that they are the best football team in the Bay Area (impossible, I know). Finally, to not just rub but literally pour salt into the wound, the Raiders just pulled their second win of the season out of thin air. Yes, you read that correctly: the 49ers are only the second team to have lost to the Raiders this season, and wow was this game bad.

After a crushing 19-3 loss to the Seahawks on Thanksgiving Day, the 49ers believed it was rock bottom for their team. How could they do worse than being crushed by their vaunted division rival? However, they astounded everybody everywhere as they reached new lows today in a demoralizing 24-13 loss to the dismal Raiders, effectively ending their playoff aspirations. The Raiders moved to 2-11 on the season with the win, a result that could eventually lose them the number one overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. Ironically, Oakland is suddenly the winner of two out of their last three, even after an abominable 52-0 loss last Sunday to Saint Louis. Today, the Raiders somehow managed to stand up to a physically superior San Francisco squad, and they quite simply controlled the game throughout.

The Raiders set the tone early, intercepting the first play from scrimmage. Kaepernick threw the ball to nobody, even though he was completely unhurried, and this single throw brought back haunting memories of the Kaepernick-of-old who would throw the ball to tightly covered receivers instead of out-of-bounds. Raiders’ safety Bradian Ross snatched the errant throw from Colin Kaepernick, supposedly intended for Michael Crabtree, and he returned it to the Raiders’ own forty-nine yard line. After the quick momentum swing, Oakland’s offense was somehow firing on all cylinders, for really the first time all season, with quarterback Derek Carr leading the Raiders all the way to the 49ers’ twenty-eight yard line. However, an unnecessary roughness penalty on guard Austin Howard stalled their progress, and forced them to settle for a fifty-seven yard field goal from their ace kicker Sebastian Janikowski to give them an early 3-0 advantage. From here, the Raiders never looked back as they continued to look like a really good football team on the field, not at all the way they have looked for most of this season.

Down 3-0 with just under six minutes to play in the first quarter, quarterback Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers broke through against Oakland’s surprisingly good defense, driving sixty yards on seven plays for a touchdown. Kaepernick connected with fullback Bruce Miller on an eight yard score to cap the drive, giving the 49ers their first lead at 7-3.

After that drive, San Francisco never looked comfortable again on offense, settling for just two field goals in the remaining three quarters. They struggled to convert on third downs, successful on just three of their twelve attempts, an anomaly for this team, and they only gained 248 total yards to Oakland’s 330.

Fortunately, the 49ers did take a 13-10 lead in the incipient stages of the second half, on Phil Dawson’s second and final field goal of the game, but they quickly lost that advantage. The Raiders subsequently marched down the field, going eighty yards on just eight plays to take a 17-13 lead, in a display of strong and swift offensive prowess. Rookie quarterback Derek Carr’s nine yard touchdown pass to fullback Marcel Reese capped the physical drive, the eventual nail in the coffin for San Francisco.

 

Overall, Derek Carr was as brilliant as Colin Kaepernick was awful today, as Carr completed twenty-two of his twenty-eight pass attempts for 254 yards, throwing three touchdowns and posting a 140.2 quarterback rating in the process. On the other hand, Kaepernick 18 of 33 passes for only 174 yards, one touchdown, and an ugly two interceptions. In fact, Kaepernick completed two passes more than 15 yards downfield today, yet both of his picks were also over 15 yards downfield. From this statistic, it is obvious that Kaepernick has not yet matured into a sharp downfield passer, as he still makes mental mistakes, and although he definitely has the arm strength, he does not yet possess the mental strength to consistently throw and complete deep throws. Colin Kaepernick was also sacked five times as the Raiders flummoxed San Francisco’s offensive line, forcing them out of their usual comfort zone and preventing them from adequately protecting Kaepernick.

The Niners finally found an offensive rhythm late in the fourth, when they converted a key fourth and one play at Oakland’s forty-four yard line with eight minutes left. Kaepernick threw a short seven yard pass to receiver Michael Crabtree, and kept both their game and playoff hopes briefly alive. He seemed to be in sync for the first time all game, but things changed quickly, with the Niners holding the ball at Oakland’s twenty-seven yard line down just 23-14. Suddenly, he started to lean on Crabtree more than he really should have, settling for short gains to connect with the receiver, and overthrew him mightily to set up third and long. Kaepernick was sacked by Antonio Smith on the ensuing play, forcing San Francisco to attempt a long forty-seven yard field goal. To make matters worse, rookie center Marcus Martin had to be helped off the field after the play with an apparent injury, hurting the 49ers at a position where they already have very little depth. Adding insult to injury, Phil Dawson missed wide left on his attempt from 47 yards, energizing the crowd at the O.co Coliseum, and completely deflating the 49ers. The Niners wasted five minutes and thirty six seconds on the drive, playing without a sense of urgency and letting the game, and their playoff hopes, slowly yet steadily slip away.

Overall, the passing attack was mediocre today, mainly due to Kaepernick’s ineptitude. Michael Crabtree and Anquan Boldin had the two highest receiving totals with 56 and 54 yards respectively, but these numbers are somewhat misleading since it took Crabtree nine and Boldin four catches to get there, meaning that thirteen passes only went for 110 yards, a terrible YPC average. With the 49ers playing from behind for most of the game, they also didn’t manage to get their rushing game going, and the Niners’ workhorse Frank Gore only finished with 12 carries for 63 yards. Kaepernick did manage 26 rushing yards on three carries, but this number was not enough to make up for his awful passing. On the bright side, even though the 49ers only managed 97 total rushing yards, this number was still superior to the Raiders’ 85, although Oakland managed to get a win where the 49ers could not.

On the defensive side, the 49ers were serviceable, but they tired due to the offense’s lack of production. Like last week against the Seahawks, the 49ers’s defense did not get ample rest time because their offense could not maintain many drives, and their fatigue showed on the field as they seemed slightly slower to the ball than usual. Even so, rookie linebacker Chris Borland still continued to amaze as he recorded fourteen total tackles, include twelve solo. He never seems to tire with the abundance of energy common to rookies, but also with the football intelligence only usually seen in veterans.

With the Niners’ second straight loss, they move to 7-6, two games out of the NFC Wild Card race with just three games left to play. They are now three games back of the first place Arizona Cardinals in the NFC, making it next to impossible for them to take the division. To do so, they would have to win their next three games, the Cardinals would have to lose their next three games, the 49ers would need to beat the Seahawks next week, the 49ers would need to beat the Cardinals in Week 17, and the Seahawks would need to lose at least two of their next three games. Essentially, the 49ers have no chance of winning the division this year. Even further, they are now in danger of missing the postseason for the first time under head coach Jim Harbaugh, as even a wildcard spot will be hard to achieve. Currently, both the Seattle Seahawks and the Detroit Lions are sitting atop the NFC Wild Card race with 9-4 records. The 49ers would need to beat out at least one of these teams to win the spot, meaning that they would need to win all of their games and half at least one of these teams lose two. Once again, the 49ers have a very slim chance of making the playoffs from the Wild Card position, although there is still a shred of possibility, especially if they beat the Seahawks next week.

Overall, the rest of this season looks very bleak for the 49ers, and it is an extremely uphill battle to even possibly get near making the playoffs. With a lot of luck and a lot of great football the 49ers could do it, but right now the odds are stacked heavily against them, and they have a lot of work to do as of now.

Stats and info courtesy of ESPN

Defense Strong and Anquan Boldin Stronger As The 49ers Grab A Win

((HT: BASTA Bay Area/Baichwal))

The 49ers came out strong today, in their usual style, with a strong defensive performance coupled with a solid offense. The entire team seemed to click, especially the defense, as they went out and began the game by forcing a three and out then scoring a touchdown. This three and out involved a nine yard sack by Aldon Smith, on the second play of the game, proving that he is unquestionably back to football and ready to return to his form and play amazingly. He seemed extra quick on the field, working extremely well with his fellow Smith, tackle Justin Smith, to basically hassle Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III through the game. In total, he finished with two huge sacks today, giving him two sacks in his first two games of the season. He looked great on the field, and fortunately seemed to work well with Ahmad Brooks, who was benched for the second half of last week’s win over the Giants, because he felt that his playing time was being cut into too much by the returning Smith. Today, however, both players managed ample field time, and they were both strong points in the 49ers’s overall stellar defense.

After Aldon Smith’s sack and Washington’s three and out on the drive, the 49ers picked up the ball with great field position on their own 41 yard line. From there, Kaepernick looked stellar leading the offense, as he managed to get the 49ers into the end zone with only five plays: three passing and two rushing. On this drive Kaepernick connected with Anquan Boldin twice, for 18 yards and then a beautiful 30 yard score to give the 49ers a 7-0 lead. This touchdown came on a gorgeous corner route, where Kaepernick perfectly landed the ball in Boldin’s hands for the easy score. You can view this touchdown below:

Anquan Boldin’s 30-Yard Touchdown Catch

After this score, the game was quiet for a while, as neither team scored until the second quarter. Until Washington’s score, the 49ers defense was perfect, as they forced RGIII and the ‘Skins to punt to end all four of their offensive drives. Unfortunately, this perfection had to come to an end, as the defense allowed Washington’s rushing attack to get going, allowing a one-yard rushing touchdown to tie the game 7-7.

The 49ers looked like they might lose the game momentum with this score, but they were extremely efficient to end the first half. With 5:33 to go in the half, they began a long drive from their own seven yard line that eventually resulted in a field goal. They ran twelve plays to pick up 70 yards, including six pass plays, four rush plays, and one sack. The highlight of this drive came on fourth and two at Washington’s 48 yard line. Vernon Davis was only able to pick up 12 yards on the previous play, even though the 49ers needed 14 for the first down after the sack. However, in his usually aggressive style, coach Jim Harbaugh decided to go for it on fourth and two, with only eleven seconds remaining. Kaepernick executed another brilliant pass on this play, this time a 25 harder to Michael Crabtree for the first down at the Washington 23. In a beautiful feat of athleticism, Crabtree rose up, snagged the ball, and managed to land both feet barely inbounds before tumbling to the ground out of bounds, keeping possession of the ball all the way. This play may have been the highlight of the game, due to both its importance and sheer athletic beauty. You can watch the brilliant catch below, beginning at 1:10 in this highlights video:

Game Highlights (Michael Crabtree’s 25-Yard Catch)

Going into halftime, the 49ers had now regained the momentum, and the lead, with a 10-7 score. Unfortunately, as has been the theme this whole year, they came out of halftime looking a whole lot worse than they did going in. The 49ers were held scoreless in the third quarter, with three rather ugly possessions. The 49ers were forced to punt twice, the first on a three-and-out, and Kaepernick threw an interception on a questionable pass intended for Boldin. To his credit, Washington had just put a rookie cornerback into the game, so Kaepernick wanted to test him, and see if Boldin could power through him for easy yards. However, he overthrew this specific ball to Boldin, allowing the rookie defensive back to come up with his first career interception. Also, on a side note, this interception was Kaepernick’s first in 129 passing attempts, as he has been really good as of late at not making errant throws. Hopefully, this one interception can be chalked up to a little bit of overeagerness in going after the rookie, and it should be a single mistake that is not repeated, as Kaepernick has made great strides in his control this year.

To begin the fourth quarter, this trend of fruitless offense continued, as the 49ers almost immediately punted again on a three and out. On the next offensive drive, Frank Gore actually fumbled the ball, in an incredibly unexpected moment. This is Gore’s second fumble of the season, with his first happening last week against the Giants. Once again this fumble was very unusual, as Gore is usually a very sure-handed back, and all of the laudatory comments made last week about the veteran still apply. Last week, I wrote:

“[Frank Gore’s] fumble was his first of the season, and it is very possible that it will be his last, simply because he has averaged 2.5 fumbles per season in his last four. Frank the Tank is called a tank for a reason: he is strong and sturdy. So, the 49ers coaches and their fans should put this fumble behind them if they have not already, as Gore is still a stellar running back and the workhorse for the 49ers.”

Obviously, Frank Gore just fumbled again today, therefore he did fumble again this season, but he is still Frank the Tank, and he is still an extremely strong and sturdy running back, and one of the most reliable in the league.

Gore’s fumble today, was also the 49ers’ second fumble of the game, as Carlos Hyde had one on the first play in the second quarter. Both running backs fumbled today, but Hyde’s fumble is the only one that deserves any worry, as he is a rookie running back and each and every one of his moves needs to be scrutinized, to make sure he can really be the future franchise rusher for the 49ers. Fortunately, this fumble was Hyde’s first of the season, so there is no need to worry about his fumble either. Overall, neither of these fumbles were very noteworthy, as neither Gore nor Hyde’s playing time will be affected, and the 49ers still managed to come away with a win.

Also, on a positive note, Washington were extremely inept at capitalizing on the three turnovers they forced. Simply the fact that they forced three turnovers off the 49ers was surprising, for two reasons, however. Firstly, this is the largest number of turnovers the ‘Skins have forced this season. Secondly, the 49ers were +10 in their turnover differential coming into today’s game, and only +8 leaving it, due to the fact that they gave up three turnovers, and only earned one of their own. Hopefully this sloppiness was just a fact of today, as the 49ers prey on turnovers, and their season is made or broken based on this statistic. Back to the positive note, Washington only managed three points total off of their three turnovers. More specifically, they only earned one field goal that came after a long drive following Gore’s fumble. So, although the turnovers hurt the 49ers statistically, they were not too big of an issue in the game, especially seeing as the Niners still came away with the win.

After the ‘Skins field goal, they went up 13-10 on the 49ers. This score fortunately did not last long; however, as the 49ers scored on their next offensive drive. This drive was 75 yards long, and it took eight plays, four passing, three rushing, and a sack. This sack came on the first play of the drive setting the 49ers back six yards. An interesting statistic is that Colin Kaepernick has been sacked 15 times on first down this season, the most in the league. Although this number sounds menacing, its simply an interesting fact, and nothing to get too worried about. From here, the 49ers managed to create a slow and steady, but successful offensive drive, as they broke into the end zone on a Carlos Hyde four-yard touchdown run, in a little under five minutes. This score gave the 49ers a 17-13 lead, and the final score for the game.

After this touchdown drive, the 49ers defense was strong again, as it prevented the ‘Skins from scoring. They forced one punt, but unfortunately the offense was not able to completely drain the clock due to the fact that Washington had and used all three of its timeouts. However, they very quickly ended Washington’s final drive, with a resounding defensive play. Justin Smith sacked RGIII hard from the back, forcing him to cough up the ball, right into the waiting hands of Ahmad Brooks. Brooks caught the ball to recover the fumble at the Washington seven yard line, sealing the game for the 49ers. This play was huge as it gave the 49ers the win, but it also gave Brooks a large role in the win, showing that the 49ers administration still trusts him, even after his questionable sideline antics last game. This fumble was also a sack, and it was the fifth one that the 49ers managed on Griffin III, as they completely dominated the ‘Skins offensive line.

From a statistical point of view, the 49ers completely dominated the game today, except in turnovers and rushing. They managed 246 passing yards to Washington’s meager 77, and their offense was generally more fruitful. However, Washington’s star running back Alfred Morris had a field day as he picked up 125 rushing yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. Even so, if you add up all of the ‘Skins’ offensive yards, you only get to 213, as they were generally held in check.

Colin Kaepernick was pretty good today, and probably better than his stats show, as he finished the game 20 of 29 for 256 passing yards, a touchdown, and an interception. He also rushed for 14 yards on nine attempts, but the Washington secondary mainly kept his rushing game in check. Anquan Boldin was the favorite target of Colin Kaepernick today, as he was a monster on the field. He recorded 137 yards and a touchdown, catching nine of his twelve targets, including one where he took a helmet-to-helmet hit, where the safety fell down dazed, but kept running to pick up five more yards. Boldin is a monster, and almost super-human when he gets going, and today was one of those days as he put on a showcase on the field. Michael Crabtree also had a reasonably good day today, although it pales in the face of Boldin’s, as he caught five of seven targets for 58 yards, including his stellar one mentioned above. Fullback Bruce Miller also had a respectable day, working hard as the all-around player that he is, and picking up 40 passing yards while catching all three of his targets.

On the other hand, the rushing attack was rather weak today, as Frank Gore only picked up 36 yards on 13 carries, and Carlos Hyde had a similarly poor day with 16 yards on seven attempts. Add to the fact that they each fumbled the ball once, and you get to a really quite poor day for the rushing attack today. Hopefully, they can get back to running the ball well, without fumbling at all, as they will need their rushing attack to be strong this Thursday, for the Thanksgiving matchup against the division rival Seattle Seahawks.

The Seahawk’s beat another division foe, the Arizona Cardinals today, giving them the same 7-4 record as the 49ers. Currently as it stands this is the NFC West standings:

1 Arizona Cardinals 9-2

T-2 Seattle Seahawks 7-4

T-2 San Francisco 49ers 7-4

4 St. Louis Rams 4-7

The Rams are effectively out of the playoff chase, but all of the other NFC West teams have a legitimate chance at making it. Today, the Seahawks proved that even the Cardinals, who are tied for the best record in the NFL, are mortal, and they pushed them down to a still stellar 9-2 record. The Seahawks and the 49ers play this Thursday, and the winner of this game will most likely be in the lead for a wildcard spot in the NFC. Currently, both teams are tied for the second Wild Card spot, and it is very possible that three teams from the NFC West make the playoffs, with both Wild Cards in this division. Above all, it is imperative that the 49ers win this Thursday, as a loss will make the road to the playoffs exponentially harder. So, hopefully, they can win this Thanksgiving, to keep their playoff hopes alive, while also defeating the hated Seattle Seahawks.

NOTE: We will not be addressing the Washington football team by their current official name due to its highly offensive nature. We will instead by addressing them by their city or a nickname, until the organization changes its name. This move is part of a boycott effort that is being followed by many people and organizations, including entire television stations, like CBS, and ex-football legends. We respectfully ask that the Washington team changes its name, due to the fact that it is currently a racial slur against Native Americans.

Morning Wrap: BASTA Breakdown--49ers Down The Giants

49ers’ Defense Stellar As They Stymie The Giants

By: Apurv Baichwal

–NEW YORK

Today, playing in his home stadium in the Big Apple in front of a sellout crowd, Eli Manning was absolutely terrible. The 49ers, on the other hand, actually played rather well, as their defense was stellar and their offense was good enough to grant them the win. Today they won 16-10, although the game never truly felt that close, as seemed to be completely unable to get a solid drive going without Eli Manning throwing an interception. All together, on the day, he threw a whopping five interceptions, making the Giants’ offense pretty stagnant, and the 49ers’ defense exemplary.

This game opened up with a 49er drive where the offense looked extremely solid and well-balanced. With seven rushing plays and four passing plays, the 49ers were able to work their way all the way down the field to the New York 16 yard line. However, once they got there, the usually sure-handed Frank Gore actually fumbled the ball, losing the 49ers a chance for an easy score. Here’s a Vine of the pretty unusual fumble that involved a Frank Gore trip, slip, and fall:

Although this fumble did not end up costing the 49ers in the game, it was still a huge surprise, as Frank Gore almost never fumbles the ball. In fact, this fumble was his first of the season, and it is very possible that it will be his last, simply because he has averaged 2.5 fumbles per season in his last four. Frank the Tank is called a tank for a reason: he is strong and sturdy. So, the 49ers coaches and their fans should put this fumble behind them if they have not already, as Gore is still a stellar running back and the workhorse for the 49ers.

After the 49ers drive was stopped short on Gore’s fumble, the Giants scored their first and only touchdown of the day on a pretty beautiful drive. They drove down the field in five plays and finished with a touchdown pass to their tight end Larry Donnell. After this score, the Giants were up 7-0, and it looked like they were controlling the game. However, the 49ers quickly responded with a field goal on their next possession, after a similarly long drive that fortunately ended in points this time. The Niners then forced the Giants to punt to end the first quarter, going into the second down 7-3.

The second quarter, as opposed to the first, was an amazing quarter for the 49ers. The only issue for the 49ers this entire quarter was that they were not able to actually punch the ball into the end zone; they repeatedly settled for field goals, a theme of this game. However, back to the positive, the 49ers opened up the second quarter with a drive and a Phil Dawson 37-yard field goal. On the Giants next possession, the defense put a quick stop to the Giants’ offense, as rookie linebacker Chris Borland recorded his first career interception. This pick came when he jumped the ball on a short route, and he ran it back 12 yards until he was tackled. He has been stellar in his last two games for the 49ers, recorded eighteen and seventeen tackles in the last two games, respectively. Essentially, he has been a beast on the field filling in for the injured Patrick Willis, who will not be returning this season. Fortunately, as we said last week, he is a great fill in, and is currently playing at a Pro Bowl level. Below is a Vine of Borland’s interception of Eli Manning:

After this interception, the 49ers ran a short drive, but were once again unable to get the ball into the end zone, settling again for a field goal. However, with this score they did take a 9-7 lead. Then, in an episode of déjà-vu, Eli Manning threw his second interception on his next drive, this time a short pass to the right literally intended for nobody except 49ers’ linebacker Michael Wilhoite, who caught the ball and ran it back one yard. Here’s a vine of that pick:

After this interception, the 49ers were once again unsuccessful on offense, not gaining any points this time. They took their 9-7 lead into halftime with another fruitless possession by each team.

Finally, in the third quarter, the 49ers managed to get the ball in the end zone for their first and last time of the game.  On the third play of the drive, Kaepernick hit Michael Crabtree on a post route, which he ran 36 yards into the end zone for a huge touchdown. This touchdown, which you can watch below (albeit in a very low quality Vine), gave the 49ers a 16-7 lead, and all the points they would need to win the game.

Unfortunately for the 49ers, the Giants responded to their touchdown with a field goal, cutting the lead to 16-10, and meaning that a Giants touchdown would give them a win, with the extra point. In a surprise play, the Giants actually decided to kick an onside kick in the third quarter after this score. Even more surprisingly, they caught the 49ers off guard and were successful in regaining possession. This play looked like a huge momentum change, as the Giants had just earned a free possession. Fortunately for the 49ers, however, Eli Manning continued his awful play and threw a deep interception to second-year safety Eric Reid on another ball that really wasn’t intended for any receiver. In the stat books, this throw was supposedly intended for Reuben Randle, but there was an obvious miscommunication, and Eli Manning made a poor decision and still let the ball fly, resulting in a pick to end the drive. Here’s a link to that pick:

Eli Manning’s Third Interception

After another long 49ers offensive drive, they once again ended fruitless, this time because Andy Lee fumbled the snap on the field goal attempt, meaning that they could not get the kick off. Instead Lee tried to salvage the play by throwing the ball, but it was an incomplete pass, turning the ball over on downs. So, the score stayed 16-10, even after each side had an extremely promising drive.

About halfway through the fourth quarter, Eli Manning threw his fourth interception of the game. This one came on a short pass to the left, as Eli Manning attempted the throw while being hit by Aaron Lynch. This time veteran cornerback Chris Culliver came up with the pick, falling on the ball to secure it. Here’s a link to Manning’s fourth pick of the game:

Eli Manning’s Fourth Interception

The 49ers were unsuccessful on offense after this pick, as was the theme through the game, and they punted the ball to the Giants. Here, however, the game got really interesting, as the Giants got extremely close to scoring. The Giants got the ball all the way down to the 49ers four yard line, and they and a first and goal from this spot. Fortunately for the 49ers, Eli Manning was still awful, and he threw three incomplete passes in a row. These three incompletions left the Giants with a decision to make on fourth and goal at the 49ers’ four yard line. With 4:50 to go and down by six, the Giants chose to go for the touchdown like most teams would. Oddly, the Giants’ coaches seemed not to learn from the four interceptions Manning had thrown, and the last three incomplete passes, and they put the ball in his hands to try to throw for the touchdown. Following the theme of the game, he tried to force the ball into a spot that simply was not open. This pass was intended for wide receiver and return specialist Preson Parker, but it was knocked away by cornerback Dontae Johnson. In a seriously lucky play, the tip went up, and rookie linebacker Chris Borland managed to get under the ball and snag it for his second interception of the day at the two-yard line. You can watch that pretty stellar pick below:

Together, Johnson and Borland saved the 49ers’ win, as that one play stopped the Giants drive, in a situation where they could have taken the lead. Each team had one possession after this, but neither did anything much, allowing the game to end with a 49ers win and a final score of 16-10.

On an interesting side note, Chris Borland is the second 49ers’ linebacker to record two interceptions in a single game in 40 years, with the company of Ken Norton Jr. from 1995. He is also the only 49ers rookie to ever grab two picks in one game. Finally, Chris Borland has 45 tackles on the season, including 13 today, which ties him for fifth among all rookies, but he has achieved this great number on only 200 snaps. Overall, Chris Borland has been amazing for the 49ers, filling in admirably for one of the best linebackers in the game. He’s a great rookie, and he should continue his development into a perennial Pro Bowl linebacker.

Now for some statistics from today:

The offense picked up 333 yards, a somewhat respectable number, but a low one all the same. Colin Kaepernick threw for 193 yards and one touchdown on 15 of 29 passes. He played pretty poorly, especially in the red zone, where he never managed to score a touchdown today. All together, the 49ers had four red zone trips: two of them resulted in field goals, and two of them resulted in no points. This number is unacceptable, and if the defense hadn’t carried the team with timely interceptions, the 49ers would have lost. They need to clean up their offense quickly, as they are in a good position to make the playoffs now, but they will need to capitalize on red zone opportunities and score in the future.

The rushing attack was actually pretty good today, as Frank Gore rushed for 95 yards on 19 carries, for a stellar 5.0 yards per carry clip. Those numbers are really good, and the only things that could have brightened his day would have been a touchdown or to have not fumbled. In the backup role, rookie running back Carlos Hyde had a pretty heavy workload of nine carries, but was only able to make 25 yards out of them including his longest run of the game of only seven yards. Finally, Kaepernick carried the ball eight times for 24 yards, but that number includes his long of sixteen yards. Together, however, the rushing attack was quite good, picking up 148 yards on 37 carries for a 4.0 yards per carry. One note for the total is it includes Vernon Davis’s one rushing attempt for four yards on a toss that was scored as a running play rather than a passing one.

Michael Crabtree was the only receiver who had a good game, as he finished with 85 yards and a touchdown on three receptions. His problem was that he was targeted eight times, so the completion rate was pretty awful. His day also only looks this good due to his 48 yard touchdown play. Anquan Boldin actually probably played better than Crabtree as he caught five of his six targets, but he only got 53 yards, as he mainly worked as a possession receiver. One good thing is that Kaepernick knows that he has a lot of weapons who can catch the ball, and he is really good at spreading the ball out to keep defenses guessing. For example, he attempted passes to nine different people today, meaning that defenses cannot target a single receiver and shut the offense down. The only issue is Kaepernick was rushing his throws today, and he was not very accurate, the main reason for his low completion rate of 15 for 29.

The offense needs to improve from this week, but the team still managed a win, which is all that matters at this point. The defense was stellar, although a lot of credit needs to be given to Eli Manning’s awful throws.

With this win, the 49ers’ record becomes 6-4. Also, with the reigning champion Seattle Seahawks struggling mightily this year, the 49ers are actually tied with them for second place in the NFC West. Currently, however, with the Arizona Cardinals leading the entire NFL with a 9-1 record, it is highly unlikely that the 49ers win the division. Even so, they could get into the playoffs from a wildcard spot if they just continue to win some games. Right now, they are a game back of both the Cowboys and the Packers in the wild card chase, but the 49ers have a better schedule ahead. Next Sunday, at 1:25 PST, the 49ers will take on the 3-7 Washington Redskins at home. This game should be an easy win for the 49ers, as long as they don’t completely forget how to play football. Hopefully, they can grab a win next week, because every game is going to count in the chase for playoff spots.

BASTA Breakdown:A Closer Look at 49ers OT Win at New Orleans

By: Apurv Baichwal

This game was, quite literally, the definition of a nail-biter. It went deep into overtime, after a closely-matched and hard-fought regulation period. The 49ers eventually ended the game victorious, with a score of 27-24, winning on Phil Dawson’s field goal in overtime. Both teams badly needed this win to maintain their playoff hopes, but the 49ers played just well enough to secure the win.

Following this season’s theme, the 49ers played extremely well in the first half, while falling off in the second half. They came out of the gates strong, scoring fourteen unanswered points. These points were made even better by the fact that they were both rushing touchdowns, as the 49ers went back to what makes them a great team, their rushing offense. As of late, they had attempted to pass the ball too much, and they weren’t allowing Frank Gore to run loose on their opponents. Today, the 49ers emphasized the run game, even though they had an even split with thirty-two pass and rush attempts each, and this rediscovered emphasis carried the Niners to the win. Frank Gore rushed for eighty-one yards and a touchdown on twenty-three carries, looking like the workhorse that 49ers fans were accustomed to seeing. This was a welcome change, as the 49ers have not scored a rushing touchdown in their last five games. Frank Gore had not scored a rushing touchdown since Week 2, and he had not topped 50 yards since Week 5. Essentially, the 49ers rushing offense has been lackluster as of late, and today’s revival on the ground showed that they are a more complete team offensively.

Frank Gore scored the first touchdown of that the game on a four yard run after an interception by veteran safety Antoine Bethea. Bethea picked off the Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees on their first drive, and after snagging the ball at midfield, he ran it back twenty-two yards to the nineteen. Frank Gore then carried the ball three times, scoring on the third play. The defense played really well today, especially through the first half, as they held a usually prolific offense, especially at the Super Dome, somewhat stagnant.

After forcing a punt on the Saint’s next offensive drive, the 49ers took the ball on a long, deep drive for another score. They started at their own 21 yard line then used eight rushing plays and five passing plays to drive the ball down the field and score. The rookie running back Carlos Hyde got the score this time, on a nine-yard run that he took outside to the left, giving him his first touchdown since Week 3. He has been a great complement to Frank Gore, allowing the veteran to take rests liberally, while also providing a more elusive and cut-back heavy style of running. The bruiser Frank Gore and the elusive Carlos Hyde have combined for some great results as they have torn defenses up together, providing two different looks and a strong extra dimension to the 49ers offense. Carlos Hyde is still quite obviously the backup, as Frank Gore always gets a much larger share of the touches than him, but Hyde has been quite efficient with his looks, helping the team wherever he can, as he also serves as the kick returner. Carlos Hyde finished today’s game with only four carries, but he still managed 36 yards and a touchdown, giving him a quite respectable showing for a backup.

After scoring 14 points straight to open up the first quarter, the 49ers regressed slightly as they allowed the Saints to score 10 points in response. Fortunately, the 49ers were able to tack another score onto their total, allowing them to go into the half up 21-10. This score came in the middle of the second quarter, after another long drive from the 49ers’ 20. This drive had a lot more passing involved, as Kaepernick passed for 68 yards on the drive. He also threw for the touchdown, on a beautiful 15 yard touchdown to the right side of the end zone that Anquan Boldin snagged while diving. You can see this great play below, one that showcases Kaepernick and Boldin’s connection:

Anquan Boldin’s 15-yard touchdown catch

After this score, both teams were quiet for the rest of the half, in addition to also being extremely sloppy. The 49ers’ defense made a great stop and forced the Saints to punt. The 49ers recovered this punt close to midfield, and with a 1:13 to go in the half, with one timeout, it looked like the 49ers could add onto their score. However, Kaepernick decided to hold onto the ball for too long instead of throwing it away, and he fumbled it as he was sacked. Now, the Saints won back the ball with even better field position. Fortunately for San Francisco, Chris Culliver caught an interception in the end zone, ending the Saints’ drive and preventing them from scoring.

Coming out of halftime, the 49ers looked just a little slower on both sides of the ball, as the Saints appeared to have the edge. The 49ers were held scoreless in the third quarter while the Saints picked up a touchdown, bringing the game to 21-17.

The 49ers have been woefully awful in the fourth quarter this season, and that theme continued today, although they still managed to score. In the middle of the fourth quarter, the 49ers gave up the lead for the first time, as they allowed Drew Brees to connect with this Pro-Bowl tight end, and arguably the best in the league, Jimmy Graham for a two yard touchdown. The 49ers were able to contain him up until this point, but Graham’s superior size and strength was too much for the 49ers cornerbacks on this play as he used his basketball history to box out Chris Culliver and grab the touchdown pass.



The game looked to be all but lost after this score, as the Saints maintained their 24-21 lead deep into the fourth quarter. Fortunately, after a long and sloppy drive, filled with countless dropped passes, Phil Dawson was able to hit a 45 yard field goal to tie the game. On this drive, the 49ers looked extremely desperate as they started from their 22-yard line then suffered from three dropped passes, the first two from Anquan Boldin, and the last from Michael Crabtree. With these drops, the 49ers were facing a fourth and ten situation where they had to go for the first down if they wanted to win the game. Kaepernick took the snap, rolled out right, waited for a seemingly huge amount of time for a receiver to get open, then eventually rocketed the ball 51 yards to Michael Crabtree, who secured the ball on the ground to extend the drive and put the 49ers in field goal range. You can view this marvelous, game-changing, season-saving play below:

Michael Crabtree’s 51-yard catch

On the subject of drops, all the 49ers receivers seemed to have butterfingers today, as they dropped an immense number of passes, hindering the 49ers offense. Both Michael Crabtree and Anquan Boldin are usually sure-handed receivers, but today they had four and two drops respectively. Boldin received 15 targets today, but was only able to catch six of them, a quite pathetic number for him. However, on the bright side, he was able to turn these six catches into 95 yards and a touchdown. Crabtree only caught three of his eight targets, and he finished with 62 yards, including his game-saving catch in the fourth quarter. Stevie Johnson was the only sure-handed receiver today, as he caught all three of his targets for 43 yards.

With Phil Dawson’s field goal, the 49ers tied the game 24-24 and took it into overtime. However, in another exhilarating play, Drew Brees actually completed a 47 yard touchdown pass to Jimmy Graham with the clock winding down. Fortunately for the 49ers’ this play was nullified by an offensive pass interference flag, that saved the 49ers. Since the clock ran out on this play, the game was taken to overtime, with the 49ers barely hanging on to the game.

New Orleans won the toss and chose to possess the ball first, but this decision was to no avail as the 49ers defense was extremely strong and managed to force them to punt. Unfortunately, the Saints’ defense was similarly good, as they returned the favor and forced San Francisco to punt as well. With the new rules to overtime, after the Saints had punted first, any score would win the game, and after the 49ers punt, the Saints could have won the game with any score. In the defensive battle of overtime, the 49ere were able to win on the next drive, however, as they completely stuffed Drew Brees and the Saints. They allowed one first down but then clamped down with a five yard sack to make it 2nd and 15. They then had arguably had the play of the game, as Ahmad Brooks came in for another sack on Drew Brees, in addition to a fumble, as he stripped the ball right out of Brees’ hand. Rookie linebacker Chris Borland, who is filling in for the injured Patrick Willis, fell on this fumble and recovered it giving the 49ers the ball only 17 yards away from the end zone.

Chris Borland is another story of this game, as he has been huge the last two games filling in for Patrick Willis. In today’s game he recorded a whopping 17 tackles in addition to the fumble recovery. Eleven of his tackles were solo tackles, and he also had two tackles for losses as he was all over the field making plays everywhere. He was also stellar in pass defense in an overall amazing day. Borland was drafted just this year out of Wisconsin by the 49ers, with the 77th pick, in the third round. He has proven himself mightily, as he had a stellar outing today, and an equally stellar outing last week against the Rams. Last week, he recorded 18 combined tackles, including 15 solo and three tackles for loss. He has been a great fill in for Patrick Willis, as he plays with the energy of a rookie and the smarts of a veteran.

Back to the game, Ahmad Brooks and Chris Borland earned the 49ers the ball on the 17 yard line with a fumble. The 49ers then decided to play it safe and immediately take a 35 yard field goal for the 27-24 win.

As stated before, this game was tight to the very end, with multiple shifts in the lead. The 49ers played well overall, with the rushing attack looking very strong, and Colin Kaepernick seeming to benefit from its strength. Kaepernick threw for 210 yards and a touchdown while completing 14 of 32 passes. All of these numbers could have been much better as well if his wide receivers had not dropped so many balls. Even with the sloppiness of the usually strong receiving corps, the 49ers still managed to provide enough offense to come away with the win. Going into next week’s away matchup against the middling New York Giants, the 49ers need to tighten up some of the sloppiness on the offensive side. Specifically, Kaepernick needs to continue his growth and realize that it is okay to throw the ball away when he does not have a play, rather than making an errant throw that could be picked off or taking a sack. Also, the receivers need to snap out of whatever funk they were in today, as there were many balls dropped that very clearly should have been caught. Essentially, their drops costed the 49ers about 100 yards of offense and a touchdown. Finally, the 49ers need to continue to use the rushing game like they did today, to allow both Frank Gore and Carlos Hyde to pound defenses and give the defense rest. The strong rushing attack should be the basis of their offense, and it should allow them to gain yards when needed and open up the passing attack for deep throws.

The 49ers move to 5-4 with this win, and  they maintain their playoff chances, although they are somewhat slim. They are currently third in the NFC West, behind the Cardinals and the Seahawks. They need to pick up a few more wins to raise themselves in the standings and give themselves a chance to earn a wildcard spot. Although the chances right now are slim, the 49ers looked better this week, and they should be able to use this game as an example and pick up more wins in the future.

CSNBayArea with some post game talk from Frank Gore:



Follow me on Twitter: @abaichwal

Colin Kapernick "Shaves" His Eyebrow--Or Does He?

So, why not play in to an Electronic Arts P.R video stunt?

Right?

As the "Story" goes, San Francisco 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick and Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson have a "Bet" over a Madden 25 (the new one) video football game.

Loser of Sunday nights battle between the two teams, was supposed to "Lose an Eyebrow".

Here's the "Payoff"--though we are quite sure this was "Post-Produced". But good try:

Harbaugh Evokes Emlen Tunnell At Presser

((HT: CSN Bay Area))

Jim Harbaugh went after Clay Matthews the only way he could...

At his Monday presser...

Evoking old school NFL-clothesliner LB Emlen Tunnell and telling Clay Matthews that he needed to come to a football fight with more than just an open hand gave the media some Monday fodder...

Which is never a bad thing...

Here's his NFL Films flashback moment...


Challenging a linebacker's manhood and telling some folks to "come with some knuckles..." if you're gonna fight...

Please continue winning Monday pressers with talk like this, sir...