In a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the score indicated, the 49ers beat the stuffing out of the St Louis Rams yesterday in one of those beautiful fall days that make Niner games all that much more enjoyable than the good old days of Giants games at the venerable, and nearly defunct, Stick. A game that started with a pre-game shoving match picked that theme right up with a lot of chippiness on both sides of the ball. Pushing and shoving, late hits, and a really terrible violation of Vernon Davis’s giblets was the theme of the day.
The Rams were coming off 2 big wins against what were thought of as bona-fide contenders in Indy and Chicago, but the 49ers made Kellen Clemens look like, well, Kellen Clemens. The Niners kept breakout rookies Zac Stacy and Tevon Austin completely in check. Stacy had 72 yards, and Austin had 4 catches for 25 yards, and was a non-factor returning kicks. The starting defense pitched another shutout, giving up only 2 FGs in the game, and were hitting everything in sight. WRs started getting alligator arms, which led to drops, and a Carlos Rogers pick.
The only real black mark was the fumble by Gore as the Niners were driving to put the game away. However, Jeff Fisher did us a solid and inexplicably tried a 4th quarter fake punt deep in his own territory. The Niners stopped it easily and salted the game away on the next play with the TD to VD. This was after recovering from being tackled by his (ahem) leg. The rest of the game was backups and garbage time.
All in all a good win against a decent team. As they have shown this season, the Niners can beat fair to middling teams. AZ did us a solid as well by losing to Philly, but then again, Philly suddenly is a contender for that last playoff spot on the back of Nick Foles’ golden arm. Philly has Deetroit coming to town while we of course have our big showdown with Seattle. After that, Philly has Chicago and Dallass (and the Vikes). The Niners have it pretty easy with Tampa, Atlanta and AZ.
There’s plenty of time to talk about Seattle, but let’s just see how they do against Nawlins tonight. I tell ya one thing, the Niner passing game was immediately better with Crabs in there yesterday.
Forty Niners Forever 
Niners 30 – Hawks 24
Gotcha Kev, NJ, Man. Let’s git ‘er going fer the stretch run
Point differential has narrowed of late from out of this world +27 from the Nip, +10 RT, +7 Kevin to +3-4 from the rest of us. Place yer bets O mighty seers of future Forty Niner fortune and fame!
It would do a world of good to beat these guys at home.
I’m hoping against hope we can shut them down on offense and get an early lead to build on. Chasing these guys is not a recipe for success. Besides, they have come back in a lot of their wins. They’ve looked bad winning and looked great winning. The point being they are winning. This should be their toughest road game, though.
20-16 Niners.
If the Niners can’t beat them who can?
Carolina. The Super Bowl winner comes out of the NFC this year.
Carolina had them beat to start the year, but lost it on the late DeAngelo Williams fumble.
To me the Niners are a better team than the Panthers. I get they lost to them but I think the Niners win that game 9 times out of 10.
If the Niners get to a playoff game in Seattle, secretly put the radio equipment that the QBs have in their helmets into all the offensive players’ helmets. That gets rid of the noise problem…
Get the league to declare noise over 120 db illegal. 15 yard penalty every time it happens…
It used to be the case that the ref would issue a penalty for excessive noise that didn’t allow the visiting O to get their play off. Now it is a celebrated thing.
Yeah, I’m serious about what the league should do in looking at this. Why should one team, due mostly to the configuration of its stadium and acoustics, have a huge advantage over the visitor because the visiting team can’t communicate over intentional crowd noise? I’m not trying to be a wuss here about home field. But, if the Niners brought in jet engines and allowed the crowd to turn them on when only Seattle was on offense, wouldn’t that be considered illegal advantage and banned? Why is that any different than using the crowd and stadium acoustics to render communication by the visiting offense essentially impossible?…
NO tried noise-cancelling earplugs yesterday. Take the results as you will.
We could always turn the lights out if they jump out to an early lead.
yup it worked before.
And what’s up with all the “investigation” drama over the Tomlin screw up. They have the replays, are they going to call for a senate select committee to take testimony, too? Unsportsmanlike penalty on the spot and maybe give Jones the TD. Big fine levied against the coach and move on.
Otherwise those officials at the Redskins game better be next in line for the $100k fines and another $100k from their union if Goodell wants to penalize the team, too, in Tomlin’s case, if the “integrity of the game” charge means anything. As well as fines and flags for everyone else that steps onto the field during a play. Jim and most of you other coaches, you know who you are, I’m looking at youse guys.
Yeah, the hooraw around the Tomlin thing is baffling at best, ludicrous at worst. Give him a 15 yard penalty. No, now we hear Pittsburgh might lose a draft choice over it. Total joke. Especially when you take into account the monumental fuckups by the refs in recent games. But yeah, fine Frank Gore $6,500 for showing too much calf, and fine Clay Mattews $7,500 for nearly removing Kaepernick’s head on an OB tackle. Justice? Equality? Watch out for the fashion police. It’s like the old Canon camera commercials. Image is everything. The rest is window-dressing.
BTW, there’s some old footage of John McKay when he was coaching the Bucs trying and failing to keep his team from getting too close to the sidelines. Funny stuff.
Look, Tomlin did that on purpose. It’s easy to figure that out. What coach “accidentally” turns his back on the play, looks sideways until immediately before the runner gets near him, then jumps into and then back off the sideline in front of the runner? No coach “accidentally” does all that is the answer. And, has an S-eating grin immediately after. The runner could have gone for a TD, he slowed and altered course to the inside — then got tackled. If he makes the TD, the Ravens beat the spread. People in Vegas may not be happy with that. That is what’s driving this for the league. I’d go with a suspension. Coaches aren’t players. Keep your coaching ass off the playing field when there’s a play in motion. It’s bad enough most of them come halfway onto the field in between plays, and Harbs is one of the worst offenders…
Send him a box of chocolates if he promises not to do that again. Second offense he loses his big toe.
OK time to stick my oar into Tomlingate.
If a coach interferes with a play, intentionally or not, it should be a 15 yd penalty tacked on to the end of the play and a first down. It should also be a hefty fine on the coach (6 figures) and the possibility of a suspension (that Jets coach for instance) if intent can be established.
I don’t agree with taking a draft pick from the organization, even the Steelers.
As for the Skins ref BS, that crew should be removed from any post season consideration automatically for screwing up that badly and effectively killing any chance (slim) of the Skins tying the game.
I would also evaluate their body of work as a whole after the season to make sure they are worthy of bringing back next year and tenure be damned.
As for your other point Chuck about how unevenly fines are levied it’s an utter farce. Goody has made a mockery of the whole thing. Is Merton Hanks still the guy handing out the fashion tickets?
Personally, I don’t think Tomlin interfered on purpose. Seems like he was embarrassed after realizing his mistake, but either way he shouldn’t have been there. He broke rules doing it and did interfere. I would have thought awarding the TD as a penalty and a hefty fine would have been appropriate. Then throw a flag and a fine every time some other coach and/or players ignore the rules and step on the field during game play. Suspension and draft picks are too heavy-handed and overkill. Always seems designed to flaunt Goodell’s unlimited power.
Good point on the Vegas angle, Snarkk. That hadn’t occurred to me but it makes perfect sense to explain all the hoopla.
Playoff scenarios for the NFC West from Matt Barrows:
NFC West
With Seattle three games ahead of the 49ers with four games to play, it would take a meltdown of colossal proportions for the Seahawks not to win the division. The 49ers’ best hope is to finish December so strong that they earn the No. 5 seed and the Panthers the No. 6. That might mean that instead of going on the road to Seattle in the divisional round, the 49ers go to New Orleans and, if they win, then presumably play Seattle in the conference championship. Goosebumps, anyone? An even more ideal scenario: Carolina somehow pulls off a road win in Seattle in the divisional round and the conference championship is played in San Francisco. How’s that for a goodbye to Candlestick?
49ers: SEA (11-1), @TB (3-9), ATL (3-9), @AZ (7-5)
Seahawks: @SF (8-4), @NYG (5-7), AZ (7-5), STL (5-7)
NFC West Playoff Scenario from Matt Barrows:
With Seattle three games ahead of the 49ers with four games to play, it would take a meltdown of colossal proportions for the Seahawks not to win the division. The 49ers’ best hope is to finish December so strong that they earn the No. 5 seed and the Panthers the No. 6. That might mean that instead of going on the road to Seattle in the divisional round, the 49ers go to New Orleans and, if they win, then presumably play Seattle in the conference championship. Goosebumps, anyone? An even more ideal scenario: Carolina somehow pulls off a road win in Seattle in the divisional round and the conference championship is played in San Francisco. How’s that for a goodbye to Candlestick?
49ers: SEA (11-1), @TB (3-9), ATL (3-9), @AZ (7-5)
Seahawks: @SF (8-4), @NYG (5-7), AZ (7-5), STL (5-7)
Final thought…….BLEEP HIM! He ain’t worth it.
What’s most egregious about Tomlin isn’t the fact that he stepped onto the playing surface, he didn’t belong on the white runway in the first place.
That area is designated for the Officials to maintain an operating lane.
I don’t for a minute feel as though Tomlin would stoop to that sort of an antic but, he’s clearly not supposed to be in the ‘paint’ to begin with.
The Official even had to navigate around him and, still didn’t flag him.
The Officiating in the League this Season is at an all time low.
I see no major difference between the ‘Pro’ and Replacement guys from last Season.
Snarkk to your point about the Seattle noise factor, I’ve asked the same question.
What happened to that rule from years back?
It isn’t doing the ‘Game’ any favors to have an opposing Team playing at a disadvantage.
I stay out of that debate for the most part, because it does paint us as ‘Whiner’ Fans but, it does present the visiting Teams with a major handicap.
No logical reason from a League perspective to allow the game to be influenced in that way and continue to sell the ‘Integrity’ of the game.
Why not put an all out effort into promoting a Boat Horn Day or something for the game on Sunday?
Every Fan in attendance should pack one and be permitted to use it as a way of showing ‘Fan Support’.
I saw a piece about the Seattle plane banner being planned.
Let’s drum up some of our own ‘Home Field Noise Machine’ support.
Send a message to Goodell that SF Fans can disrupt and sabbotage Seattles’ Offense too.
Those over-caffeinated weenies in Seattle think it’s great to eff with opposing Offenses and simply call it Fan Support.
Time for SF Fans to step up find a weapon of their own to obstruct the game too.
Fog Horns, Megaphones, Boat Horns whatever, show these guys we can make noise too.
Hell, I’ve seen those horns called Fan Horns anyway.
Be a Fan, bring a horn and some extra freon.
Jed should even consider supplying them since these ‘Zero Carry’ rules basically prevent you from carrying anything but your car keys into the game anyway.
C’mon Jed, let’s make some NOISE!
Yeah, they banned mechanical noise makers years and years ago. I used to have one of those annoying-ass plastic horns back in the 60s-70s that were made famous in the world cup soccer games. They tear the shit out of your lips but they are loud as hell.
Still think Seattle is doing something to jack up the noise.
Chuck the Seattle stadium’s design provides a ‘clam-shell’ effect which more or less is an echo chamber of sorts.
I’d suspect there are some sort of amplification mechanisms too but, who’s going to investigate?
I believe they stopped the ‘crowd noise rule’ sometime back because it wasn’t easy to enforce and certainly provided a built in delay factor.
What should be done is to have an official of some kind that can monitor sound levels and hold all teams to the same standard.
This game has gone so far as to provide booth reviews and ‘flying cable-cameras’ on field so, why not level the playing field for everyone with some sort of enforceable sound levels?
It is a major advantage when the home team can audible and deter or completely influence the visiting teams from doing the same.
Let’s just hope we can get ourselves into the Post Season and see whether our Staff has devised anything to improve our communictions.
I’d like to think we’re smart enough to have some things going on behind the scenes already.
I have seen placards this year being utilized on the sidelines.
Thing is, I don’t think that necessarily aides the OLine.
Might help the the WRs outside certainly who can look to either sideline.
Be great if we had enough foresight to have a choreographed series of plays that could be run from hand signals in a No-Huddle fashion.
Get something that Marv Levy used years ago in Buffalo.
Gas a Defense with a package of plays everyone can adjust to on the fly.
See how things go……
I do recall some sort of devices being used back in the Walsh-era though.
Didn’t Steve Wallace have a hearing impairment?
I saw Brees with the device in his ear last night which sort of makes no sense unless it’s there for him to hear the play calls in his own helmet.
The crowd noise impacts audibles and snap counts which screws up play timing overall.
Cheapens the game IMO.
Clearly disrupts the game when false start penalties start changing down and distance that ruin chances for an Offense to get into rhythm.
Might as well allow all fans the ability to carry pocket mirrors and pocket lasers, blind opposing players on sunny days while they’re at it.
Fan participation just the same I’d say?
I think every time Seattle is a visiting team somewhere the home stadium should get the crowd all the help it needs to render Seattle’s offense unable to hear its own signals, just like Seattle’s home fans do to visitor offenses. This will bring the issue to a head, and force the NFL to figure something out and lay down some enforceable rules about the noise in Seattle. Who wants to see one single team have an artificial and unfair advantage over every visiting team? That’s not what the NFL parity is all about. It’s got to the level of being ridiculous…
Exactly Snarkk.
‘Game Integrity’ only fits when Goodell wants to hand out fines.
Seen any penalty flags thrown for ball spinning yet?
I haven’t.
Must see spinning balls at least twice every Sunday.
Officiating on the whole sucks A$$ lately too while we’re at it.