Sunday, January 19, 2014

49ers questions we want answered

The 49ers lost to their division rival, the Seattle Seahawks. Seahawks never paid their dues with their current team, as the 49ers have previously done in losing to the New York Giants in OT at home and blowing a potential Superbowl win last season versus the Baltimore Ravens.

While watching the 49ers move down the field win with a win in sight, we have so many questions to ask this team?

Jim Harbaugh: Why didn't you take a timeout? You had 3 timeouts, a 1st down, and were on the 21 yard line with a win on the line. What was your reasoning to hit the end zone after getting a 1st down?

Colin: Why didn't you run the ball like you did the previous 3 quarters. You dominated the Seahawks' defense with running over 100 yards in the first half. Did you reflect back on the mere fact that you didn't run in the last sequence of the Superbowl last year and this probably cost your team a ring? Why not run again to reach closer to the end zone?

Jim: Did you think Seattle would shut your team out in the 4th quarter? Your team had many chances to win this game because Seattle also made mistakes to not score after turnovers or risk going on 4th down instead of kicking a field goal after Bowman got injured.

Colin: What adjustments are you going to make? You were right about the 49ers going 6-0 to close the season and ending with a 12-4 record. How many more years do you think the 49ers have until the window closes? Joe Montana analyzed you as a quarterback that needs to work better in the pocket. However, we see you as a prolific runner who can go untouched. Why not use this advantage in the closing minutes? It is obvious the 49ers were widely regarded as the better team in this game and could have proved this with managing the game clock better. 45 seconds is plenty of time to win a game. Is taking a risk to hit the end zone so quickly the best option the team had in the final seconds?

Jim: What was the hurry to reach the end zone? There were 3 timeouts remaining. Your opponent used all but one of their timeouts and maximized with scoring a touchdown to take the lead in the 4th quarter. How did the defense allow a touchdown on 4 and 7? This touchdown nonetheless cost your team the game? We see the 49ers reaching the NFC Championship game again. This time we want to see your team get home field advantage. Did you see the referees making calls that went against your team such as not calling roughing the kicker or giving the ball back to Seattle after an apparent fumble in which Bowman got badly injured?

There you have it 49ers fans. Our San Francisco 49ers failed to reach the Superbowl a second straight year. Seattle couldn't defeat the Atlanta Falcons on the road last season and now they earn the right to represent the NFC in the Superbowl. The 49ers paid their dues and lose another close game that comes down to the wire again. Are we watching the Philadelphia Eagles again? A great team that never delivered a title under Donavan McNabb?

Whereas the 49ers have won 5 titles in franchise history, their current group have squandered three chances to reach number #6. Crabtree is the player who could make or break the past two seasons. He was involved in both potential game winning drives that resulted in losses. We really want to see the 49ers reach their goal. In sports, the game is never fair. Seattle hadn't struggled enough to reach the Superbowl again.

Three seasons ago, the Seattle Seahawks were nothing. Last season they couldn't defeat the Falcons after storming back from 21 down to take the lead in the 4th quarter. Their home field advantage this season just helped them get some game-changing calls. If Seattle lost by 1 point, we would look back on Pete Carroll's decision to refuse kicking a field goal on 4th down while at the goal line.

The 49ers earned another opportunity to win a title. It is frustrating to see this great team go down. Against the Giants, a special teams player dropped the ball twice that hurt their Superbowl chances. The next season the 49ers reach the Superbowl, only to lose the game on failed chances in the closing minutes. Now, this game tonight put salt on the wound with getting so close to shut the gloating Seahawks up and we miss it by a tip in the end zone.

After this NFC Championship game, we remember feeling the same way after watching the Los Angeles Lakers beating a better Sacramento Kings team in 2002. Something has to give. The 49ers must figure out how to win the big game in the 4th quarter.

49ers will win the Superbowl next year. We had to believe that with failure there is great opportunity to succeed. Go Niners!


No comments:

Post a Comment