NE vs SF, second half
Posted: Sunday, October 05, 2008 by Travis Cody inMaybe I'm losing my sense of humor, but I think the new Jack-in-the-Box commercials are bashes at men and I don't like them. And I believe I'll use my consumer power and stop eating at JITB as long as these commercials run.
My Dodgers travel to Philadephia on Thursday for game 1 of the National League Championship Series. The Phillies closed out Milwaukee today in 4 games.
NE gets the ball to start the second half, and SF brings the kitchen sink and sacks Cassel on 1st down. But then NE runs a screen pass to get the yardage back and then some, bringing up 3rd and 6.
Cassel is able to hit WR Wes Welker on a quick slant for the first down and the Patriots are on the move again. NE is helped by back to back SF penalties. The Patriots have them guessing and they are on the field for much too long.
There we go! SF got pressure on NE and sacked Cassel for the 5th time, forcing the punt. Good news not to give up points on that drive, but now the offense needs to get a drive going to keep the defense of the field.
Dammit! O'Sullivan tried to force a ball into double coverage and threw an interception at the SF 24 yard line. Now the defense has to try to hold NE to a field goal.
Well, so far so good. Cassel throws incomplete in the endzone, then the defense stuffs the run for a one yard loss and it's 4th and goal from the 2 yard line. But then NE runs the direct snap to Kevin Faulk, who gets the TD to extend the lead to 24-14.
Ppppppppffffffffffttttttttttttt.
Any semblance of an offensive game plan is gone from the SF side of the ball. O'Sullivan isn't getting any good reads, the receivers aren't getting open downfield, and the running game is getting stuffed. And now they have just gone 3 and out again.
And the defense has just been on the field too long to be effective against the NE offense. Through the end of the third quarter, NE has had the ball for nearly 30:52 and 66 plays, and SF for only 12:46 and 28 plays. Unless you're hitting big plays for scores, that just isn't going to get it done.
I shall try and look at this from the positive side...NE leads 27-14, which is 13 points, which means that SF is two big plays from taking the lead, and there is still almost the entire 4th quarter to play.
Well there's a couple of first downs, one on another of those direct snap plays to Gore and the next on a pass from O'Sullivan to WR Bryant Johnson. And now there's another first down on a run from Gore.
Move the chains, sustain the drive, get points.
After a dropped pass, the 49ers get a break on a pass interference against NE. That's going to put the ball down on the 8 yard line. That's a 31 yard penalty.
There we go! O'Sullivan to Bruce for the TD. And now the 49ers are within one score at 27-21 with 10:22 to play in the game. It's good to see them compete.Now it's about the defense. Can they hold NE?
They gave up a few first downs before forcing a 3rd and short. NE challenged the spot of the ball, and replay confirms the correct spot which makes it a first down. Dangit.
SF needs to get a stop right here to keep NE out of field goal range. NE does get the first down, but there is pass intereference on the offense for blocking downfield as the pass pass was thrown. That pushed the Patriots back out of field goal range. Although SF holds on 3rd and 20, the Patriots did pick up enough yardage to get back into field goal range.
NE makes the 49 yard field goal to push the score to 30-21.Now SF needs 10 points in the final 4:42.
Allen Rossum gets good field position out to the SF 35 on the kick return. I'm not sure why the 49ers are huddling. They should be in the no huddle to increase the tempo. NE is going to give up the short stuff, and SF needs two scores.
You have to give yourself a chance. Anything can happen. Earlier today, Indy scored 3 TDs in the final few minutes of the game to come back and beat Houston.
But O'Sullivan is sacked on 3rd down, bringing up 4th and 16. O'Sullivan is forced to scramble and throws an interception.
Damn.
Oh well. The 49ers were competitive. But there's still a lot of work to do to consistently win.
Jack in the box that brings back some fond memories of Sacramento Ca.