I was at this game. Don't adjust the 49ers too high in your power ratings for this one. They looked OK, but Jax looked AWFUL. This week they play Hou and the game is a pick. I think a lot of money is going to come in on Jax because it is a sportsmemo Best Bet and because they "need" this game and it's a division game blah blah blah. The game planning for both teams was terrible. Jax tried to throw too much when they have one of the best RBs in the game, and he looked good when they gave him the ball. Garrard confuses easily and should not be trusted to lead that team, esp. when you have MJD in the backfield. At any rate, I will be taking Hou when the line hits 1'.
SF won the game because Jax lost it. In the third quarter, Jax takes the kickoff and marches down the field, but Garrard did not protect the ball and fumbled it -- yet another TO in the red zone for this team. (This stuff evens out eventually, right?) The 49ers hardly had the ball in the 2nd half but turnovers and missed FGs (one in each half) made them the winner. Jax made some good halftime adjustments on both sides of the ball but were done in by the performance on the field. If you want Jax vs. Houston, take them now.
As for the Niners, they need the game vs. Seattle to set up the showdown with AZ in two weeks, ostensibly for first place because AZ plays the Vikings this weekend. (SF would hold all the tiebreakers if they win these two games.) sportsmemo has the Seahawks as a best bet too, and this game is also a pick. I had lined it at SF -3 and had hoped to get Sea at this line. It's good to want things. I think a lot of money will go on Seattle, and I will not be playing this game, but if you want SF, wait.
The SF play calling continues to suck out loud. Not a lot of throws downfield (even when the game was close). The reason they benched Shaun Hill was because Alex Smith would throw deep, right? But the numbers were good for Smith. He had a good game. Maybe the simple playbook is what is necessary for him to succeed because he has a new OC to play for every year. But it was so predictable. Lots of running up the middle in obvious running situations etc. Jax made the adjustments at halftime like I said, but the offense could not get them back in the game because of stupid mistakes.
Jax should have gone for it on 4th several times in the first half. Many 4th and 5-type situations near midfield. However, Jax's first punt resulted in Brandon Jones catching it inside the 10 without calling for a fair catch and getting nailed right when he caught it. Perhaps they were hoping it would happen again. Bad field position hurt the 49ers in the first half, but again, Jax could not capitalize on it.
Del Rio did get a little more aggressive in the 3rd, going for it on fourth down, but his team did not get the job done. I think putting it all in perspective explains the FG attempt a little bit, although when he missed that one, too, I think the team gave up. Most (if not all) of SF's sacks occurred after that play. But again, the SF offense could not move the ball in the second half. That game was winnable if Jax could have kept its heart in the game.
I hope some of this information is of use to someone. I go to games so rarely that I thought I would try to give a different perspective. It's unlikely that a lot of you got a chance to watch this game, I would think.
