This might sound a bit on the nutty side, but this is exactly the kind of game Mike Singletary needed to experience as head coach. I'm looking at the big picture. This is the kind of game that will do more to prove Singletary as a head coach than any victory would've done.
This was an emotional loss for an emotional man. And Singletary handled it with aplomb. He handled it like a leader. I walked out of the locker room this evening very impressed with Singletary and his message to the team.
Oh, sure, a victory would have been a nice reward for such an outstanding all-around effort. But a victory might have given the team false hope that they've turned the corner. Singletary can use a game like this as a learning experience for his players - and, especially, for himself.
"My heart is torn out because we lost," Singletary said. "It also tells me something: We just have to learn how to finish games."
That is No. 5 on Singletary's list of "49ers formula for success." And the 49ers did not finish. They have a long way to go before they can finish the job.
"We have a vision that we believe in thoroughly," Singletary said. "But that vision did not get carried out today."
* * *
Quarterback Shaun Hill played a gritty game. He played like nails in the first half. In the second half, he committed three costly turnovers.
"It's very frustrating," Hill said. "Our guys fought so hard. It was very frustrating that my turnovers in the second half really put the defense with their backs against the wall a couple of times. We had a great drive going and I threw the interception trying to hit Frank (Gore) on the check down. So any one of those three (turnovers) could have changed the game."
Hill was crestfallen afterward, as you would expect.
"I was sitting at my locker and he (Singletary) came up and patted me on the shoulder," Hill said. "It's great to have that kind of encouragement from coach Singletary and I do appreciate that. I just really wish we could have gone out and gotten a win for him tonight, and it was there for the taking."
* * *
The entire nation was watching breathlessly when tight end Vernon Davis was called for unsportsmanlike conduct after removing his helmet in the aftermath of catching a very impressive 18-yard scoring pass late in the first half.
Singletary approached
"I told him, 'Great catch, (but) let's remember to stay smart,'" Singletary said.
* * *
Here's what
"Me and coach Singletary are best of friends,"
In what way?
"In every way,"
Where you concerned what he might say to you after the penalty?
"No, I wasn't concerned because I didn't do anything foolish,"
There was an NFL Network report Sunday that Singletary apologized to
"I don't think he did, but he didn't need to apologize because he didn't do anything wrong,"
I asked if Davis, who is an emotional person, can relate to an emotional head coach such as Singletary.
"I do," he said. "I just like to win. I'm a winner. I compete."
* * *
The 49ers bungled the final minute of the game, no question about it.
There was confusion after Jason Hill was stopped at the 1-yard line. That play began with :52 remaining. The 49ers looked like they wanted to send on their short-yardage personnel. But then they decided to spike the ball.
Shaun Hill had to get everybody settled down and avoid any kind of penalty. He spiked the ball with :20 remaining. "We knew what we needed to do," Hill said. "It was just a matter of getting lined up legally before we could do it."
After Frank Gore's run to the outside was stopped for a 1-yard loss, the 49ers had one final play from the 2-yard line with :04 remaining after a replay challenge.
On that play, Michael Robinson Robinson - not Gore -- got the call up the middle. But he was stuffed by linebacker Clark Haggan a yard shy of the end zone.
"The clock started as soon as the whistle blew, so we just did what we could do," Robinson said. "I always expect the ball, so I wasn't surprised. They made the play and we didn't."
Offensive coordinator Mike Martz, who made the play call, was not available for comment after the game.
Said Singletary, "Coach Martz felt there would be a cavity inside, so he made that call."
As for the final hectic seconds, Singletary admitted, "Yeah, we could've done a heck of a lot better job."
I got a question Matt. I saw that Gore was down with like 16 sec left. By the time they lined up there are at least 10 sec. How did the ref determined that there are only 4 seconds left after the review?
When Hill spiked it as the replay request came from upstairs, there were only :02 remaining on the clock after the spike. But it was determined that the clock would be reset to :04. Apparently, that's when referee Tony Corrente got the word that the play should be under review. --Matt M.
All around poor finish. The 9ers, the refs and the MNF commentators. Kornheiser sucks. It was good to see Singletary walk over to Davis and not go off. It shows his growth as a leader, sometimes a quiet word, sometimes the club. I still don't understand the run call. Tackling was again an issue.
I thought the niners would get ripped tonight. I'm glad they were competitive. I feel terrible they still suck. At least their not the lions.
Matt, do you think they can beat the Rams?
I am officially on the LOCAL BLACKOUT wagon. This is not against Singletary, but bay Area deserves a lot better then this. Please, I urge 49ers fans do not go to the Rams game. Do not buy tix. Urge Rams fans if they have anymore left don't buy tickets. I want an empty stadium. I want local blackouts. We need to send JEd a message that this crap stops. This is not right. I don't care if officiating screwed us which they did. I want a local blackout please! No more 49ers home games on the TV, local blackouts!
I'm with Darren. You got my vote.
The team shows definite positive strides and you want a blackout. Wow. So much for 'the faithful'.
faithful went out with walsh. attitude reflects ownership.
So when this team shows some heart, you want to give up on them Darren? You are not a fan, neither are you Chip. Faithful until the day I die.
I say no, and we finally get our local blackout.
You think I the fan should shell out 80 bucks to see this? You think a Rams fans should fly in from St. Louis and shell out 80 bucks to 'preserve' the game and have it on TV while the rest of the 95% get the BETTER GAME? Everybody, with exception to Carolina, got to see a GREAT GAME on CBS at 4pm EST last week, why should I the 49ers fan have to see a bad quality game from 49ers/Rams? I remember when the 49ers/Raiders played, I got to miss the Dallas/Phil game, where TO was first taking on the Eagles! That was a better game but nooooo, 5% of the Bay Area must be held hostage to this garbage from the 49ers and the Raiders, that also get JOKE COMMENTARY like Ron Pitts or JC PEarson!
Faithful is like tolerence, you can tolerate so much of it until it's time to set strong punishment:
And the first punishment is LOCAL BLACKOUT!
Hey, if the so called Prop 8 people want to cry and whine about their rights, what about my damn right as a football fan to ask for good football from my team? They don't want to give it, then maybe we ought to band together and go on strike, and that means LOCAL BLACKOUTS!
This had to be the best 49ers game I have seen in a few years...they played a heck of a game. The end was heartbreaking, but you have to admit, it was a fun game to watch! Singletary had the team playing tough.
Shaun Hill played okay (except of the 3 turnovers in the 2nd half), but this really shows the need for a solid quaterback.
@Darren- you should be thankful you get to see 9ers games. i live in wisconsin and see the 9ers play maybe once a year on primetime. if you really wanted to catch other nfl games, then why don't you get the sunday ticket on directv or head to a sports bar/restaurant and catch a game there.
hey essefaithful, i work in milwaukee and am also a niner fan. right on brother! by the way there is a way you can catch the games on your computer. if you're interested lemme know.
yeah, i'm in jersey. using way too much of my monthly income for that sunday ticket but its worth it to see my niners even if they do lose.
Darren, you are an idiot ! I'd rather watch 7 games like last night then like the first games we played. I've probably been watching these guys much longer than you (since '77) and I'm not going out of my tree like a hysterical nutcase . It'll take time for Singletary to make progress- let him get some of his own guys in before you judge him. The 9ers aren't going to be sold so get over it. Jed will have to be the man. Thanks Matt for the great articles recently.
Yep, I'm here in Colorado. Don't bitch about having to watch the niners play... even if the broncos aren't playing, I'm stuck watching some crapfest AFC West game and they NEVER have a double header where another team is playing along side the broncos. This past weekend, instead of Indi - Pitt, I got SD - KC. Hopefully next year I can afford sunday ticket, but for now, I get to watch a team I hate, or two other teams that completely suck (at least SD has the capacity for a good game).
Look, Weary, this was the ONLY MEANINGFUL game on the schedule. You got Rams, they're bad. Miami, not that good. Bills, beatdown coming up. Jets, Favre has our number. Cowboys, Romo will be back. Redskins, find a way to beat us since we give games away. Where's the W at? WHere's the 7 and 9 season?
Where's the motivation if you beat a crap Rams team? My win should come over a Miami, a Cowboy, A Jet, a Bill, those have more meaning then the Rams! I hope for a local blackout in the worse way, this is a joke. Goodell should fix the scheduling in this league!
Yeah Darren ummm. you're def not a true fan. No matter how good or how terrible this team is, I stay true to the team. Yeah we had our glory days. Won 5 superbowls? better than none. It will take sometime to fix this team and how they performed last night, they really have a better attitude and that they stepped up. I live out here in Socal and I drive my butt to a bar just to catch a Niner game, happy to watch my team play. Your fair weather self can switch to Titans or Dallas if you want.but asking for blackout? yeah get off this site pls.
Matt keep up to good work. I hope they sign Singletary for next year.
Yeah I'm tired of the "Boycott the game! Don't buy tix!" talk too. Sure we deserve better but at least they're trying, Nolan is gone and you can see the changes already. I'll never stop watching the Niners even when they're really bad because I'm a real fan. What's amazing is that I still get mad when they lose and they've been losing for six years.
You have the right to get Directv and NFL Sunday Ticket.
Hey Matt, wasn't one of the points of this new blog format to weed out knuckleheads that can't come up with more than one idea? I'm not for censorship but this guy Darren is ridiculous with his repetitive negativity. If he doesn't want to watch the games great, but most of us are fans that like to debate our team's pro's & con's and he's wasting valuable oxygen on the site.
You miss the point. Wins mean you improve. Losses of any kind regardless is STILL A LOSS. We lost to a team that's a joke and makes our division a joke because there's only one team winning it. NFC East, 4 teams. AFC East, 4 teams. NFC North, 3 teams, even the packers are still in contention. AFC South, Colts may be out of the division, but still have a shot of the playoffs. See, each division has CONTENTION, not mediocre as the NFC West has had. Arizona is getting a gift wrapped division and it's not right. You know what will happen to Arizona? They will go to the playoffs and take on either Dal/Wash/NY/Phil and lose, or take on Minn/GB/Chi, and lose, or take on Tampa/Car/Atl, and LOSE. It's too obvious, you know why? Because Arizona has to face the BETTER superior team. Oh sure, maybe against Dallas they had a chance, but they had to knock around Romo. When it comes to crunch time, Arizona will make the NFC West the continued laughing stock because the 3 other teams continue to play their roll of who wants to draft in the top 5?
What repetive nature do I have? I gave an opinion. NOt my fault the 49ers do the same thing, 16280. What improvement was there? Did Hill throw for 300? Who was the #1WR? Did we put pressure on Warner? Did we stop Arizona? Did we shut down Boldin/Fitzgerald? If this team had done their job, and the refs had done their job, I wouldn't be as mad as Jim Mora and Mike Ditka.
I plan to continue to buy my tickets and will watch on TV their away games. I plan to blackout Darren's comments as I have become bored with them.
I too was very impressed with Singletary...I hope these next 7 games go well so we can sign him to a long term contract and allow him to build his staff and bring back the glory to the 49ers.....