Well into the first quarter of Sunday’s game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys, the Niners looked like a team that was hitting its stride, correcting the mistakes of its first three games, and generally on the up and up. And then, it wasn’t.
It was 14-0, quarterback Blaine Gabbert was in a zone. In fact, he looked like the second coming of Joe Montana, ok not exactly, but he looked really good, going 8-of-11 for 112 yards and a touchdown in the first half. The defense was in total control of the game, before it all went wrong. The 49ers’ stopped Dak Prescott and the Cowboys on 3rd and 6 when safety Jaquiski Tartt was called for unnecessary roughness. The Cowboys had an automatic first down and continued their drive that ended in a touchdown. San Francisco was not the same the rest of the day.
“We talk about all the time, penalties that keep drives alive are things that hurt you,” said Chip Kelly. “I didn’t see it. They said they blew a whistle. I didn’t hear a whistle on the field. I don’t think anybody heard a whistle on the field. But, if they called it, then it happened.”
Kelly wasn’t the only one who didn’t see the penalty. The fans certainly didn’t see it, and Tartt himself didn’t realize it happened. He said he did push Prescott but he thought the play was still alive.
“I didn’t realize that it was on me,” said Tartt. “I couldn’t hear the whistle. Everybody was still playing. Their linemen were still trying to block me, so I don’t know.”
And with that, the game unraveled. The 49ers lost 24-17 but it looked worse than that. Running back Carlos Hyde had an ok day with 74 yards rushing and a touchdown, while Gabbert finished the day 16-of-23 for 196 yards with one touchdown and one interception. It was a well under thrown ball to Torrey Smith that, had it been well-thrown, would have resulted in a touchdown.
“That’s on me,” said Gabbert. “I go to throw him to the middle of the field. I got to throw him to the hash and I just cut it a little too earlier and just missed him wide.”
The 49er defense continued to struggle every which way, allowing the Cowboys 439 yards of total offense, making it three weeks in a row that teams have been able to move the ball about the field without trouble. However, there was a defensive bright spot in rookie cornerback Rashard Robinson, who started in place of the injured Jimmie Ward and broke up three passes on the day.
But with the loss and the flaws and the bad calls, the worst part of this game was the injuries. Linebacker NaVorro Bowman left the game with a lower leg injury, as did defensive lineman DeForest Buckner. They both had boots on their legs and Buckner was on crutches. Both will undergo MRIs Monday. The loss of either player would hurt the team, but the loss of Bowman would be devastating to a young team that is desperate for leadership.
So, there you have it Niner fans. It was a rough day all the way around in Santa Clara, and there’s no rest for the weary, as the Arizona Cardinals are coming to Levi’s in just a few short days.
“We have to come right back tomorrow morning and get ready because we have a game on Thursday,” said Kelly. “So, probably the best thing for us is to get ready to go play a football game again very quickly on a short turnaround.”
We’ll hope for the best. Go Niners!