Once again, Ahmad Brooks sacked Drew Brees. Once again, Brooks went high, grabbing Brees around the shoulders. Once again, Brees fumbled. Once again, the Niners recovered, clinching the game.
And in that split-second, you had to wonder if once again, the refs would agree, as Brees whined last year: "That's got to be a flag."
But this time, they didn't.
And to Brees's credit, he didn't whine; the whining, instead, was Jimmy Graham's. After catching Brees's Hail Mary at the end of regulation, Graham insisted that he
hadn't pushed Perrish Cox out of the way, apparently unaware that NFL games are videotaped. And despite the footage of Graham's two-handed shove, Cox had to defend himself against charges of flopping, as if any player would give up a play on the ball and instead depend on an NFL ref. Even the notion that he
sold the call was a little ridiculous; if you're six-foot and 198, and you're shoved by a guy who's six-seven, 265—and if, at the time, you're running full-speed—you'll be too busy
sailing to do much selling.
But now that we're done with this week's edition of Reffing Weekly—or is it Reffing
Weakly?—let's get back to the game, the first of eight straight must-wins.
After the Rams debacle, Greg Roman became entrenched as Public Enemy #1. ("That's news to me," Roman said, proving that he doesn't spend enough time on this site.) And on Sunday, almost poetically, he had to face his demons immediately. Although Antoine Bethea picked off Brees's third pass at the Saints' 41, he returned it almost precisely to the 20. And so, Roman would start in the red zone, where his offense, inexplicably, ranked dead last.
And continuing this year's theme of repeating the past, I remember a team with the same problem. It had scored only 3 touchdowns in 19 red-zone trips. "Frankly I've never seen anything like it," an observer wrote. "This team, which once was imbued with unshakable confidence, now looks like it just
knows it can't score. [And] with each failed trip, the pressure mounts, increasing the odds that the slump will continue."
That team was Roman's, from three years ago. And sure enough, the slump has continued.
But
this time, for once, Roman didn't get cute. Frank Gore left tackle for five (and a facemask). Frank Gore left tackle for three. And Frank Gore left end for four and the score.
Then again, maybe Roman
does read this site.
It's weird. On the one hand, you give credit to Roman for proving he
can learn, eventually. On the other, when you think of the time he's wasted, the games he's lost, and yes, even the
titles he's squandered, you just can't help but shake your head.
In any event, Roman kept going. After a run-run-pass-punt by the Saints—see, even Sean Payton can lose his mind—Roman engineered a 13-play drive that consumed 7 minutes and 79 yards. Gore again led the way to the 20, and then, once more: Gore, Gore again, and Carlos Hyde for the score.
As you might know, I'm generally a pass-first guy. But here in the red zone, I've been as exhausted as anyone by Roman's cuteness. By now it couldn't be any clearer. Here in the red zone—with Gore, Hyde, Kaepernick, and an offensive line that's built for the run—the Niners should never pass again. (Except, okay, for fades to Anquan Boldin.)
Of course, the Niners didn't score another touchdown, because only
some of Roman's demons live in the red zone; the rest live in the second half. An 85-yard drop by Boldin was deadly, but there was more than that. Whether the issue is Roman, Kaepernick, or both, the quick-hitting, high-percentage pass is virtually absent from this offense. And as the Saints clamped down on Gore, the Niners countered with their usual mid-to-deep shots, with predictable results.
Don't get me wrong here. I'm not pining for Alex Smith's ceaseless dinking, which would be stratospherically hypocritical. I'm pining, instead, for the WCO: dink, dink, dink,
boom. But what we're getting is boom-or-
bust, and until a minute and a half remained, all we got were predictable busts.
Until, that is, fourth-and-10.
You don't have to say you believed that anything magical would happen here.
I didn't, certainly. This was going to be the end. And what a tragic end it would be. All that talent, done by week 10. A tragic end, to a tragic era.
But there's a reason why we watch, of course. Why we invest of our hearts and souls. Why, despite the pain of it all, we just can't summon the power to stop.
As these Niners always seem to say, This right here.
This is why.
Or, as Kaepernick himself might say:
Boom.
After the Hail Mary that wasn't, the fumble that was, and the weirdest game-winning field goal on record, we were left to sift through what it all means. On D, the return of Aldon Smith and the emergence of Chris Borland merely offset the dispiriting news about Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman. (So much for health.) Nevertheless, that this is still the league's #2 unit is nothing short of miraculous; it should be good enough to win.
Which brings us back to the O, and Roman.
Every step up precedes one back. Early success gives way to late madness. Whether anything's sustainable here, I'm too exhausted even to guess.
But the Niners have lost the luxury of thinking ahead. One must-win down, seven to go. And that, in the end, is what it all means.
The Niners live. For one more week, the Niners live.
Analyst Steve Palazzolo unveiled a first-round mock draft for Pro Football Focus, attempting to forecast the selections for each NFL team within the top 32 picks. While the San Francisco 49ers concentrated on strengthening the defensive line in free agency, Palazzolo envisions the team continuing to fortify that side of the ball.
In his mock draft, Palazzolo predicts that the 49ers will select former Iowa State cornerback T.J. Tampa with the No. 31 overall pick.
"Tampa's unique fluidity and size for a cornerback make him worthy of a top-75 pick," reads the analysis from Pro Football Focus' big board. "If he can clean up his footwork, he can
It's evident that the San Francisco 49ers engaged in long-term financial planning. Much discussion has centered around the feasibility of the team committing significant financial resources to two wide receivers, Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. Some skeptics question the wisdom of such heavy investment in a single position, especially considering that the 49ers handed Samuel a substantial three-year extension merely two years ago.
Adding complexity to this debate is the impending contract extension for quarterback Brock Purdy, positioning him to become the highest-paid player on the team. He will likely even become one of the NFL's highest-paid players. Where he ranks in average salary will depend upon whether he can replicate the stellar performance of his Pro Bowl 2023
With the NFL Draft just two weeks away, the San Francisco 49ers hosted their annual local pro day at Levi's Stadium. The event showcased 44 players, including four veterans, all vying to impress coaches and team decision-makers and earn a roster spot. The 49ers have 10 selections in the upcoming draft.
NFL local pro days provide draft prospects with ties to the local area an opportunity to showcase their talents to team personnel. These prospects typically hail from nearby colleges or have other connections to the region where the team is based.
Terrell's Son Seeks an Opportunity
Hall of
The San Francisco 49ers have experienced success in the latter two days of the draft, discovering hidden gems capable of becoming key contributors. Some examples include tight end George Kittle in the fifth round in 2017, linebacker Fred Warner in the third round in 2018, wide receiver Deebo Samuel in the second round in 2019, and, famously, quarterback Brock Purdy with the final overall pick in 2022.
Pro Football Focus recently pinpointed one draft fit for each team on Day 2 and another for Day 3. Contributor Dalton Wasserman handled the duties for Day 2, zeroing in on former Oregon defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus, who can excel on the edge or interior in
