San Francisco comes up just short in 2012 NFC Championship game

This one will hurt. The 49ers had an ugly end to what was shaping up to be a cinderella season. It still was a season to remember.

Starting with the lock out and Camp Alex, San Francisco exceeded all expectations with their 13-3 record, NFC West Championship and second seed in the 2012 NFL Playoffs.

A thrilling win over the New Orleans Saints in which they had to come from behind twice in the last four minutes to win the game in the divisional round of the NFC Playoffs had the City by the Bay thinking magical things with Super Bowl dreams mixed in.

That's the way the ball bounces.
Photo by Tod Fierner

Just ask Kyle Williams who had played great in substitute of the injured starting kick returner Ted Ginn Jr., who was hurt in the win over the Saints.

With San Francisco leading 14-10 at the 11-minute mark of the third quarter Williams missed handled a bouncing Giants punt that was recovered by New York's Devin Thomas at San Francisco's 29.

The Giants would be in the end zone a few plays later when quarterback Eli Manning played pitch and catch with Mario Manningham on a 17-yard touchdown that put NYC up 17-14 with just over eight minutes left in the game.

The Giants would not have come close to scoring in the second half if it were not for the two muffed punts by Williams. That is not to say that Kyle blew the game. There is plenty of blame to go around.

The 49ers had one catch for three yards by a wide receiver.

That is not championship type football. I do not know if it was head coach Jim Harbaugh's game plan or if quarterback Alex Smith could not find anybody down field. Michael Crabbtree was nowhere to be found and I can't even name another receiver on the team.

It would not be so bad if Crabbtree did not hold out after he was drafted saying he should be paid like a top flight receiver. A chance to go to the Super Bowl and you can't get open. San Francisco's wide receiver's either need to resume practicing sooner then later and/or call their agents because they might be looking for another team.

The 49ers were a miserable 1 of 13 on third downs against the Giants in the NFC Championship game. If the 49ers could have sustained a few drives they would have blown the Giants out. Smith did not have a very good game, but he did put the 49ers in position to win.

Alex was 12 of 26 passing for 196-yards with two touchdown strikes to Vernon Davis. The first was a 73-yard pass, catch and run that gave San Francisco the early 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter. The second was a 28-yarder that put the 49ers up 14-10 with 5:18 left in the third quarter.

New York made a big defense stand of their own hold San Francisco to a short, 25-yard field goal that tied the score at 17 with 5:39 left in the fourth quarter. The 49ers started that drive at mid field,  but the drive stalled at the Giants six forcing Harbaugh to trot out his offensive MVP, kick David Akers.

San Francisco's defense played about as well as you can play in the second half. The only thing they did wrong in the second half was safety Dashon Goldson knocking two interceptions out of his teammates hands while putting starting cornerback Terrell Brown out of the game on the first one.

Brown's back up gave up Manningham's TD. Those two picks that Goldson messed up were just as important as Williams to fumbles.

That 49ers defense still played like champions. Just how dominate were they in the second half. New York had ten drives after half time. They punted eight times and scored the ten points, three in overtime, after the two fumbles by Williams.

Lawrence Tynes booted a 31-yard field goal on third down in OT sending half of New York City into a two week long party that will end up at the Super Bowl in Indianapolis in two weeks time.

Eli was 32 of 58 for 316-yards passing and two touchdowns. Victor Cruz did most of the dirty work, catching 10 passes for 142-yards. Both teams lead running backs, San Francisco's Frank Gore and the Giants Ahmad Bradshaw had 74-yards rushing.

Vernon Davis had 112-yards receiving to go along with the two scores giving him four in the playoffs.

San Francisco on the door step of another Super Bowl

Win over Saints leave San Francisco at the door step of another trip to the Super Bowl

You could not ask for a better day in San Francisco for the 49ers playoff game against the New Orleans Saints. The sky was blue and the stands were packed for the first playoff game in San Francisco in nine years. The game lived up to the hype as one of the games best defenses held one of the leagues best offenses in check until a wild final four minutes of the game left some breathless and others in tears.

There was also redemption. 49er quarterback Alex Smith has taken as much heat from a fan base as you can take since being selected number one in the NFL Draft seven years ago. Look at him now after he drove the 49ers not once, but twice to touchdowns that first gave San Francisco a late lead, then his second TD drive ended with him hooking up with tight end Vernon Davis on a 14-yard touchdown pass with nine seconds left for the game winner.

San Francisco's defense should get credit for not letting New Orleans offense get out of hand. Brees had time to throw the ball, but the 49ers secondary did a great job of covering receiver's down the field. San Francisco sacks Brees three times.

Defensive lineman Justin Smith was a constant presence in the Saints backfield and San Francisco gave up only 37-yards rushing.

The 49ers forced five Saints turnovers, picking off Drew Brees twice and forcing three fumbles. The first turnover came at the 49ers goal line and it ended a Saints march down the field after receiving the games opening kickoff.

New Orleans was making it look easy the first time they had the ball. That was until Donte Whitner delivered a viscous helmet to helmet blow to running Pierre Thomas at the goal line. Thomas fumbled the bal and he was knocked out of the game.

San Francisco's special teams forced two fumbles, none bigger then return man Darren Sproles coughing it up early in third quarter when New Orleans seemed to have grabbed the momentum away from San Francisco.

The 49ers jumped out to an early 17-0 lead. The Saints cam roaring back to go into the half down 17-14. San Francisco got the ball to start the third quarter, but they went three and out and had to punt. Colin Jones raced down field and put a hit on Sproles who fumbled setting up a David Akers field goal that made it 20-14 San Francisco.

The Saints had lost just five fumbles all season. Brees threw his first interceptions in five playoff games. San Francisco's D had carried them for much of the season and now the offense got in on the action. Alex Smith showed why he was the number one pick in the NFL Draft.

He did not turn the ball over and in the first quarter and last five minutes of the game, Smith went toe to toe with one of the best QB's in the game. New Orleans went ahead

Tight end Vernon Davis had a game to remember.

Seven catches and 180-yards later he was in the end zone running up to the goal post to dunk the football after catching his second touchdown pass of the game from Smith. As Davis ran to the sidelines, the same one he was famously kicked off of by then head coach Mike Singletary, it must have come to him about how much he has been through since getting drafted by the 49ers.

Davis started crying right there for everybody to see. Yes there is crying in football, especially when they are tears of joy.

San Francisco guts out big win in Seattle

They 49ers showed they might have the mettle to win in the playoffs with their w19-17 victory at Seattle Saturday. The win helped San Francisco keep their second seed on the NFC Playoffs and a bye week while also knocking the Seahawks out of the playoffs.

It is always nice to end the season of a divisional rival. To do it in a building that is not kind to teams makes it even better. David Akers just cemented his player of the year award for the 49ers against Seattle. Akers kicked his 42nd field goal of the year becoming the NFL's single season record holder with one game to go.

Akers has saved a team that moves the ball into the red zone before stalling. Akers is not mad at all. He has kicked San francisco into the playoffs and the 49ers are hoping their defense makes Akers the most potent weapon in the NFL this year.

Marshwan Lynch, from Oakland, did something nobody could manage all season. Rush for a touchdown. Lynch also topped the 100-yard mark. that was the first time anybody has run for over 100-yards against a San Francisco defense in over 40-games.

This is in the NFL mind you, not the SEC or something like that. Pretty impressive and a big reason why the 49ers will be a tough out in the playoffs if they do not turn the ball over. That is what set up Lynch's score, a turnover.

Marshawn said thank yo very much and found pay dirt with a four yard run with six minutes left in the game giving Seattle a 17-16 lead. Akers would kick his fourth field goal of the day with 2:57 left in the 4th quarter, a 39-yarder that won the game.

Akers also connected from 53, 29 and 44-yards in the game.

San Francisco trying to lock down second seed in the NFC

photo by Gerome Wright

The San Francisco 49ers outlasted the Pittsburgh Steelers to win 20-3 on Monday Night Football to improve to 11-3 and stay a step ahead of New Orleans in the race for the second spot in the NFC. The second seed gets a week off, and just about everybody needs that at this time of the year. Tight end Vernon Davis (left) had a big second half including the game clinching touchdown late in the third quarter.

49ers beat St. Louis, Patrick Willis get hurt

Winning a division in your first year as a head coach must be a great feeling. Jim Harbaugh has the San Francisco 49ers flying high after their NFC West clinching 26-0 win over the St. Louis Rams Sunday.

Frank Gore past Joe "The Jet" Perry on a two yard run in the second quarter. The Jet finished his San Francisco career with 7,345-yards. Gore now has 7,396 after rushing for 73-yards in the win over the Rams.

San Francisco held St. Louis tailback Stephen Jackson to 19-yards on ten carries. It is a good thing the Rams could not get anything going. The 49ers could only muster up 9pts until their first drive of the second half.

Alex Smith hit wide receiver Michael Crabbtree on a 52-yard pitch and catch touchdown that gave the 49ers some breathing room and a 16-0 lead. Smith played a good game finishing 17 of 23 for 274-yards and two touchdowns.

The 49er train keeps moving right along. San Francisco is 10-2 but two games behind Green Bay in the race for home field advantage in the NFC. Who would have thought San Francisco would be worried about the top spot in the conference just three months ago.

San Francisco only has one home game left, Dec 12th. against Pittsburgh. The 49ers stay in their division the other three games, all on the road, Arizona, Seattle and St. Louis will play host to San Francisco to close out the 2011 regular season.

San Francisco is one game ahead of 9-3 New Orleans. The second seed gets a week off and depending on how Willis bouncing back from his injured hamstring, the 49ers could use all the time they can get in order for Willis get get back healthy.

Patrick left the game in the first quarter but it was like he was still in the game.

San Francisco is much more then just one player.

Willis makes a lot of people's jobs easier no doubt, but against the Rams San Francisco did not need him at all.

The offense is still a work in progress.

With San Francisco's defense watch out if they ever get an offense that can put up points.

Harbaugh had a good defense at Stanford and he has brought it with him to the NFL.

Match that with a defense that was already in the midst of a 20-game streak of not allowing a 100-yard rushers when Harbaugh took over. San Francisco still has not allowed a rushing touchdown all season.

That is ridiculous. The D is also a reason why you have to take San Francisco serious in the playoffs. They did not slide through because their division was terrible and it was terrible.

All three teams combined have just two more wins (12) then the 49ers 10.

What more can you ask for

It has to be all good if you are a San Francisco 49ers fan. At 6-1, the 49ers have erased a decade of bad memories and terrible records in one swift move. New head coach Jim Harbaugh has turned things around and at the halfway point of the 2011 NFL season has San Francisco atop of ranks of the NFC.

With the sad state of the NFC West it seems that the 49ers are a week or two away from returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2002. Only one team has a  better record then San Francisco so far this year.

That would be the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers, who, at 7-0 are clearly still the class of the NFL. How far are the 49ers behind Green Bay. San Francisco boosts the NFL's toughest defense to score points on.

There offense is another story. It still struggles to score points, but running back Frank Gore is third in the NFL in rushing and the 49ers put up 48pts in a win over Tampa Bay. Quarterback Alex Smith has looked, well, like a quarterback this season.

Smith, has been run out of town by the fans for a few years now, but coach Harbaugh has been able to turn Smith into a winning QB. Alex has always been good at the end of games running the two minute drill. The problem the past seven years is Smith's play during the first three quarters of games has rarely left him in position to make a difference at the end of games.

San Francisco gets off to a sloppy start in 2011

Alex Smith did not do himself any favors with his play against New Orleans in both teams pre season openers down in the Big Easy. When he did get some time to throw the ball Smith was late with his passes.

Alex threw the ball behind a couple of receivers and he was just 2 of 7 for 10-yards passing against the Saints. That performance prompted san Francisco to push the panic button and bring in the retreaded Daunte Culpepper for a workout.

Smith signed a one year, five million dollar deal with San Francisco right after the lockout was ended and the 49ers were hoping they were set at QB. With the sad showing the offensive line had against New Orleans, the slow footed Culpepper will be a setting duck under center for San Francisco.

San Francisco has three rookie quarterbacks on their roster. McCloud Bethel-Thompson (out of Balboa HIgh in San Francisco) and Jeremiah Masoli ( from nearby Sam Mateo) have yet to throw a pass in the NFL.

Rookie Colin Kaepernick ( the teams second round pick out of Nevada) got his feet wet under center and he had a decent outing against the Saints. Kaepernick was sacked four times, but he seemed to get better at the game went on. Colin finished the game 9 of 19 for 117-yards two interceptions and zero TD's. he was the teams leading rusher, finishing with 47-yards.

Some of those came on a nice little 28-yard jaunt, but most were Kaepernick running for his life.

No QB can play very well behind a line like the 49ers put out there in New Orleans. Head coach Jim Harbaugh will have to get everybody on the same page with his new blocking schemes.

The 49ers have put a lot into their offensive line in the past few drafts and they will need that investment to start paying off this season.

San Francisco 49ers

#15 Michael Crabbtree Photo by Tod Fierner 1/23/2012 - The San Francisco 49ers like to run the ball and control the offense. Their tight end Vernon Davis is one of the best in the game, but they get little to no production out of their wide receiver's. Michael Crabbtree has not developed into the game breaking receiver many thought he would be coming out of Texas Tech. Crabbtree was the only 49er wide receiver to catch a pass during San Francisco's 20-17 overtime loss to the New York Giants in the 2012 NFC Championship game. An even bigger problem then that was Crabbtree had one catch for three yards.

San Francisco 49ers

Alex Smith has stood tall under pressure 12/6/2011 - The San Francisco 49ers are thanking themselves for not getting rid of Alex Smith. Not only has he led the team to a 10-2 record and a NFC West championship, Smith got the team together during the lockout and kept the team organized. That chemistry has manifested into a winning attitude that has San Francisco looking very much like a tough out when the playoffs start. Alex had one of his best games of the year throwing for 274-yards, touchdown passes of 56 and 54 yards with zero turnovers in San Francisco's 26-0 NFC West clinching win over the Rams.

The NFL

Coach of the Year Photo by Gerome Wright San Francisco can rest up and wait for their playoff match up in two weeks after locking down the #2 seed in the NFC due to a victory over the St. Louis rams in the regular season final. Head coach Jim Harbaugh seems to be a lock for the NFL coach of the year with the turn around of the 49ers in his first year on the job. The 49ers were 6-2 on the road which will play well if they must take a trip to the Frozen Tundra that could be Green Bay in a couple of weeks. More click here

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