Niners drop another to a beatable opponent

By Marc Hudgens  |   Monday, November 05, 2007  |  Comments( 6 )

San Francisco 49ers
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As I was checking back over the game stats on NFL.com, to the right was a Sheraton Hotels ad titled "Pillow Fight Time Out."

That's probably the most appropriately titled ad you'll find to describe yesterday's San Francisco-Atlanta contest.

The Falcons, mired in turmoil even aside from the Michael Vick fiasco, are the second consecutive beatable team the 49ers faced. Last week it was the New Orleans Saints, whom San Francisco lost to. The Niners managed to drop another Sunday, 23-16.

What started off hot for San Francisco quickly cooled down. On the 49ers' opening drive, quarterback Alex Smith hit his targets consistently, which set up a 9-yard touchdown scamper for running back Maurice Hicks. After that, though, the 49ers couldn't muster anything.

In the second half both teams relied heavily on field goals, which didn't offer much excitement. The Niners twice got inside the Falcons' red zone, each time failing to score a touchdown.

Sure, Frank Gore was injured with a sprained ankle, and Smith has a bum shoulder. But it wasn't as if the team was tearing its opponents up when healthy. Therefore, the injury excuse, the same one coach Mike Nolan was using awhile back, doesn't fly.

If any hope for this season existed, that's certainly out the window now for 49ers fans. At 2-6, San Francisco's season, it seems, is all but over. Considering the Niners were considered a preseason playoff contender, their fall from grace has come as quite a surprise to many.
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About Marc Hudgens

Marc Hudgens has been with RealFootball365 since 2007, covering college football, specifically Clemson and Oregon. He also writes for SouthernPigskin.com covering the ACC. He enjoys the acidic wit of Hunter S. Thompson, is a freelance graphic designer and has written several screenplays. He...
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