Panthers Knock 49ers Off Track

It seemed everything was lining up perfectly for the San Francisco 49ers.Coming off a bye week after five straight victories, the Niners not only were rested and rolling, but getting reinforcements as well. Wide receiver Mario Manningham and linebacker Aldon Smith – two potential impact players – were returning to the field, and San Francisco was exuding confidence after scoring more than 30 points in five consecutive games.But Sunday, all that momentum disappeared in a bruising and not-too-beautiful battle with the Carolina Panthers, who came into Candlestick Park with a four-game winning streak of their own and knocked off the 49ers, 10-9.The loss drops San Francisco to 6-3 and, most significantly, further behind the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West. Seattle improved to 9-1 Sunday with a victory over the Atlanta Falcons."It's a sinking feeling," said 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh to reporters after the game. "We didn't get the job done as a team. We'll bounce back. We'll come storming back."Not only did the 49ers run into a brick wall in the Panthers – whose defense was solid – but San Francisco lost tight end Vernon Davis and safety...