will we ever win?

49errors

If the Eagles were a good team this game would not have been in doubt late in the 4th quarter. After they went up 24-10 they would have put the 49ers away and just played out the rest of the game. But if the Eagles were not playing the 49ers, it probably would not have been in doubt either, but with the Eagles on the losing end.

Once again the Eagles started the game with terrible kick coverage and a somnambulant effort by the defense and they were quickly behind 7-0. Alex Smith looked like Joe Montana. Kolb, in response, led the offense in a very efficient drive to tie the game at 7. Kolb was perfect on the drive and looked like he had his confidence back making decisive and accurate throws and even overcame a killer holding penalty.

But after trading impressive opening drives, the teams' offenses reverted to their usual selves. 49ers began a trend they continued all night on the next drive - bailing out the Eagles defense by making a critical mistake, this time a Frank Gore fumble. And the Eagles offense began a trend they continued all night as well - failing to make the most of the 49ers gifts and stalling out, this time only getting a field goal.

The next 49ers drive ended with a bad Alex Smith interception; the next Eagles drive started with promise but ended with a sack. You get the picture.

Eagles did take advantage of a DeSean Jackson punt return as the player of the game (and near goat), LeSean McCoy ripped off a 29 yard run for a TD to put the Eagles up 17-7. The defense would go soft before the half and the 49ers would get a long field goal, but crucially they would also miss a closer one in the closing seconds after Kolb was sacked and fumbled. This miss of course would prove to be huge.

The second half was more of the same from both teams - the 49ers making mistakes and the Eagles repeatedly failing to take advantage of them and of their good field position as they repeatedly failed to convert on third down. It was looking like the Eagles were going to find a way to blow the game. But then Alex Smith stepped up with a killer bad play and let Brandon Graham swipe the ball out his hand and Quintin Demps would scoop it and run it in for a TD putting the Eagles up 24-10. The 49ers fans then rained downed thunderous boos and chanted for David Carr.

Then, just like the Detroit game, the defense relaxed and Smith led the 49ers to a relatively easy TD to make it 24-17. Eagles offense did respond with a crucial Akers field goal in a whipping wind, but the special teams would once again fail spectacularly and give up a huge return on the following kickoff. The defense couldn't stop the 49ers from scoring another TD to make it 27-24, but the 49ers were running out of time. One Eagles first down after the kickoff and the game would be over, but they didn't get it because McCoy slid down short of the first down like a dummy.

So 49ers had 1 more chance to win or tie. Two crucial plays were made to preserve the victory for the Eagles. The first was by Nate Allen who blitzed and batted down a pass that Frank Gore would have probably run in for a long TD or at least into easy field goal range. The second was by Trevor Laws who hit Smith as he threw which resulted in a Trevard Lindley interception and the end of the 49ers hopes.

Other notes:

• Fokou made Sean McDermott look like a genius by making several big plays.
• Frank Gore should get some new cleats, maybe the same make and model as McCoy's.
• Asante Samuel's coverage was missed in this game.
• After a slow start, the defense stopped the run pretty good for the majority of the game.
• Don't know if the Eagles were doing anything or Smith just sucks, but Vernon Davis seemed an afterthought for most of the game.
• I like the way Kolb throws the screen pass. He zips it in there instead of floating it and giving the defense more time to close.
• On the Kolb sack where he fumbled either Jackson or Chad Hall was left uncovered way downfield.
• Mike Bell still sucks even though the Eagles run game was very impressive this game.
• Why does Andy Reid suck? On third and 1 with the team driving he calls a stupid wildcat play with Buckley as QB, who as far as I can remember last touched the ball opening game and fumbled. Shocking that the play failed along with the drive.
• Celek dropped a bunch of passes this game.
• Last 3 trips to San Francisco the Eagles have returned a fumble for a TD.
• Singletary wasn't ripping Smith on the sidelines, he was encouraging him.
• Herremans may have saved the game with his excellent hustle and fumble recovery technique.
• Bradley yelled at Lindley to go down and not risk a fumble after his interception. Smart call.
• Eagles were terrible on 3rd down conversions, only converting on 3 of them.
• Eagles thankfully reduced their number of penalties.
• In the new Cialis ad the dude is literally pitching a tent.
• I can't wait for the 18 game season. Has everyone looked at the injury list not just for the Eagles, but for the entire league?