1) Kap: Missed some throws, but some of his receivers didn't do him any favors. Underthrew Vernon, but Vernon got both hands and his chest on it. McDonald dropped 2 (and the stumble was embarrassing). Still though, I can't put it all on the receivers. His did miss some guys out there and Nolan was definitely confusing him at times.
2) Crab: Its funny. I watch him move around before the snap and he doesn't seem like himself. He seems to shuffle a bit and seems like the leg is bothering him. Then the ball is snapped and he looks like...well...he looks like Crab. He doesn't seem to have his top gear, but he looks MUCH, Much better than I could have hoped.
3) Gore: Man, after all those carries that guy can STILL consistently make the first guy miss in tight spaces. Not every run was perfectly blocked yet he STILL finds open space. He is eventually going to run out of gas, but I am enjoying him in the twilight of his career.
4) Willis: WOW. One hell of a game. He came to play last night. Poor Steven Jackson found himself the recipient of several of Pats woo-licks (and if you don't know what that means, turn in your 49ers fan card).
5) Whitner: Speaking of Woo-licks, I really have to eat crow this year on Donte Whitner. While the media constantly spoke glowingly of both Goldson and Whitner, I have never seen them as more than big hitting but poor in coverage Safeties. Whitner has had himself a hell of a year though. I think he's BETTER with Reid out there than with Goldson out there. That was a MONSTER hit on Jackson, and total unadulterated BS that it was flagged. They are now throwing a flag if its simply a big hit. That's unacceptable. That ain't football. He followed the rules and got flagged for it.
6) Reid: Rough game for the rook. He was bound to have one. He got juked bad on a long reception and then got beat in the endzone...
7) Brock: Brock also had a rough game. He was beaten several times and was also back there on the long TD...
8) Bowman: Was looking to be the goat in that game after missing the onside kick. It muct have been killing him out there...
9) Redemption: In a single play, three different players who had been having rough nights made a huge play when it counted. Reid was a part of that all out blitz and applied the pressure on Ryan that forced him into that short pass to Douglas. Brock regognized the route IMMEDIATELY and broke for the ball, forcing the ball out of Douglas' hands and into the air. Bowman, who later admitted he was still feeling the weight of missing the onside kick, blitzed up the middle, realized he wasn't going to get there, and then did what great players do...he stayed in the play and ran to the ball. The efforts of Reid and Brock set the situation up for Bowman to make a play for the ages because none of them ever gave up and simply KEPT PLAYING.
I've been lucky enough to see Garrison go 96 in overtime live. I saw the Vernon post. I saw Kap got for 181 yards. I add this play to that list of plays that I will never forget. From being so down after the Falcons got the ball to the jubilation of seeing Bowman streaking down the sideline...damn...what a way to send the ol' girl out.
10) Can't let myself hope: We've all done the math. I'm not going to say what MIGHT happen. I'm looking at the #5 or #6 seed because I don't even want to discuss the other option. I'm hoping for the 5 seed.
[ Edited by Marvin49 on Dec 24, 2013 at 7:18 PM ]
