49ers lose in Final Minute to Saints, Monday Night Football Recap

Say hello to my friend
Patrick Willis

At work right now, nursing a hangover, still seeing flashes of last nights game every time I close my eyes. What a heart breaker. I may be the only one counting, but that's five losses in a row to the once divisional doormat New Orleans Saints. As a 49er fan who has served four years here in Saints country while attending LSU, I can assure you I would rather go toe-to-toe with Patrick Willis in a nutcracker drill than loose another one to the Saints. Ugh, at least we covered the spread.

Click the jump for my ADD fueled mini rants about the game.





Thoughts after 49ers loss to Saints:

- Insult was added to injury on my ride to work, when this converstation occured on the local talk radio:

Radio Host to Sports Guy: "That was one hell of a game last night. Not a lot of happy gamblers this morning, it seemed like everybody was taking the Saints to cover the spread."

Sports Guy: "Yea the 49ers were tough last night, just shot themselves in the foot with too many turnovers."

Radio Host to Sports Guy: "Yea, they sure did look tough, and that Rookie Gore looked awesome"

Sports Guy: "Yea, he is a young guy that the 49ers really like, i dont believe he is a rookie, he has been there for a year or two, but he is an explosive runner out of Georgia I want to say, and the 49ers like him a lot."

Me: **Banging head against steering wheel**

- As discussed with friend Lee via text message, Saints fans arent cute anymore. Sure it was great when their run of futility was snapped with a Super Bowl win over the Colts, but at this point the novelty has started to wear off. Its like staying at a party to long because you haven't found a ride home; its three in the morning, the chicks are gone and your out of booze, yet Saints fans are still running around yelling "Who Dat" with no signs of letting up.

- Who the hell is Phillip Adams, and why the hell is he returning punts!?

- Is Alex Smith not good, or just terribly unlucky? He looked great most of the game, making  throws, scrambling for first downs, and leading the comeback charge. Yet, he still managed to kill two drives in the endzone with interceptions. And oh how unlucky those picks were! Saints defenders came out of nowhere and batted those balls into teammates hands. I felt for Alex after the second one, you could see the frustration on his face, almost like, "what the hell does a guy have to do to catch a break around here?" My theory: Curse of Montana and Young. Those two sucked every ounce of good karma from Candlestick Park. Until we move to a new stadium, the curse continues.

- Every morning I set an alarm to get myself out of bed. I also set an additional alarm that goes off ten minutes after I wake up and reminds me to not forget that Frank Gore is still on the 49ers and he is still freakin awesome. Good lord, how unappreciated is this guy? He's a stallion! With all the talk about Crabtree, Davis and Patrick Willis, we often forget about the little guy who has been holding down the 49er's rushing attack for the better part of the last decade. I mean he does it all; inside runs, outside runs, catching the ball, blocking. You cant say enough about what he has given us throughout this tumultuous period in 49ers history. If for no other reason, we need to have a winning season for Frank Gore. His career just can't be wasted by the 49ers ineptitude. But ironically enough, the reason we are likely to have a winning season is in fact because of Frank Gore....

- Which brings me to my next point; damn, the offensive line looked good. I mean real good. The blitz protection was fantastic and the run blocking was spectacular. Frank Gore only needs a glimmer of open daylight to explode up field and the line gave him more than enough room to find cracks in the Saints defense. Possibly the greatest satisfaction of the game was watching big ol' Mike Iupati pulling across the line and crushing Saints defenders. It made me want to "Iupati like its 1999." (trademark of David Woodside's epically awesome fantasy football team name)

- The 49ers executed nearly a flawless gameplan, exposing the Saints weakness and nearly pulling out the upset. Attention NFL coaches, the bluepritnt to beat the Saints is now available in paper back and hard cover. Make your checks payable to Mike Singletary and Staff. Thank you.

- In Case you cant wait for it to ship, here's a tip: Control the tempo, pound the run game and keep the Saints offense off the field. Defensively drop 7 back in coverage and do not give up the homerun ball! The 49ers executed to near perfection, expect for one small detail. THE TURNOVERS! Oh, the turnovers.

- About the turnovers. The problem I have with them is that in many instances it was becasue we placed inexpierienced players in crucial situations. Why is Phillip Adams back there to return that punt? Our offense was clicking, we were poised for another touchdown drive, why put someone back there that you do not fully trust. Can't Crabtree stand back there and take the fair catch? If Adams is a big play guy, and I have no idea if he is, I can understand putting him back there to try to get a big return. Just don't put him back there in the fourth quarter, when all you need out of him is a fair catch.

- Moving on from that murderous muffed punt, we can not overlook the ensuing goal-line stand. It showed the strength and character of our defense and is a great sign for games to come. The 49ers defense had just forced Drew Brees into a three and out,  the team was only down two and all of a sudden the Saints were on the 18 yard line looking to score. I thought for sure they would punch it in and go up nine, but it was not to be. The defense stepped up, got the stop and kep the momentum in the 49ers favor.

- The leaders of that defensive stand, and the overall awesomness of the D all night were Abrayou Franklin, Patrick Willis and Justin Smith. Cant say enough about them. Leaders. Winners. All of them. The D faced all kinds of adversity in this game, but those three continously fired up their team, made plays and powered through tough situations. Kudos to all of them.

- Mmmm... Kudos

- How dumpy is Candlestick Park? The 49ers do play road games right? Haven t they noticed that they play in the junkiest stadium in the entire league....well aside from Oakland. It's embarassing for the Bay Area to play in that stadium when the whole world is watching on national TV. If stadiums were quarterbacks, the Cowboys new palace would be Drew Brees and Candlestick would be, well.......you already know I'm gonna say Alex Smith right?

- p.s: The Oakland Colusieum would be JaMarcus Russell

- Now for real text messages from last nights game:

Justin Saints Fan: Who Dat (predictable)
ME: Two Words. Patrick Willis. Dats who.
Justin Saints Fan: Well thats great, considering none of us know who that is
ME: (After P-Willy lights up Reggie Bush) Reggie Bush, Meet Patrick Willis... Bitch

Daniel: (After first Alex Smith pick) Must kill Alex Smith, Must kill Alex Smith...
ME: Do it, do it...
Daniel: (After Delanie Walker Fumble) Must kill Delanie Walker...Must kill Delanie Walker..
ME: Murder him...
Daniel: (after fumbled punt) Must kill...... who the hell is that guy!?
ME: FML

Marc: (before game tying drive) If we march down and fumble in the red zone again, i'm burning my house down.

ME: I dont care what the experts say, Reggie is worth every penny. So dangerous. Always. 
Lance Saints Fan : If Reggie scores again and does the heisman pose I will nut myself. Not butter

David Saints Fan: Whats your call on the game?
ME: Payback for all those speeches i had to give at chapter. Saints gonna get hammered. (Un-informed readers note. Looser of 49ers/Saints always gave a speech at chapter meeting, informing fraternity of other teams greatness. Yea, i was the only one who ever gave a speech.)
David Saints Fan: Yea, as in Saints gonna get hammered at the victory party tonight! I feel sorry for you Californian's and your non- open container laws."
ME: No matter. Fans will probably get high instead.
David: (directly following 49ers loss) "I was gonna beat the Saints, until i got high..."

ME: FML

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Go Niners. Forever Faithful.