49'ers @ Saints

One call I did not like was the head ref Corrente coming in all the way from the other side of the field and overruling the ref who had the best view of the White fumble across the endzone line. The ref that was right there to make the proper call was ruling it down at the 1 yard line.

If you look at where the ball landed, it was a good 3 yards to the right of the pylon. Anybody that understands angles could not definitely say the ball crossed out of bounds AFTER it crossed the endzone line. White had the ball near the sideline when he lost control. Did it probably cross directly over the pylon? Probably. But if the ref gets his call at the 1, the replay official has to overrule it and I am not sure they would have. Corrente should not have overruled him with no good view of where the ball traveled. That was crazy to me.

Worst yet, the contact by Boldin on White as he makes the interception should have ruled it down right there. The replay official got it wrong as they were assessing both the initial interception and down by contact and if the ball did indeed cross the goal line in bounds and then went out of bounds in the endzone.

 

Since 2008, teams that win the turnover battle by 2 (San Fran did this vs New Orleans Sunday), win 81.8 % of the time. Add in a failed 4th down at the 49er 40 and you've essentially lost the turnover battle by 3 (over 93 % losing percentage).

The Saints overcame great odds to win this game.

That being said, we are not winning in Seattle if we can't limit our turnovers and at least come out even in the turnover battle.

Two things I did not like with our game plan. We passed 44 times and ran it only 22 times. And we ran it successfully, so it made no sense to have a 2:1 ratio pass to run. It's time for Sean Payton to totally embrace the fact that it appears our run blocking issues are over. Going for it on 4th and 4 from the 49ers 40 was highly questionable (more questionable that one of our primary targets on the play was the 3rd string TE Hill). We set the 49ers up to go down and nearly put the game in peril with a 27-17 lead had they gotten into the endzone (the ref missed a holding call on White near the goal line on Davis, luckily). Drew Brees has to throw that ball away instead of trying to be the hero on the interception to Brooks. Punt the ball, pin them back deep. You're up 14-10. Instead, you're suddenly you're down 17-14.

Sean Payton's best game plan offensively this season was against Chicago. We didn't force anything. We played situational football perfectly. We failed in almost every aspect of situational football vs San Francisco. Luckily we have a great defense and Drew Brees to bail us out.

That Seattle game is likely to be in the neighborhood of 23-20 once again. If Sean Payton wants to put up 34 instead, we're probably going to lose due to turnovers.

 

It did, but consider, SF's offense only crossed the Saints' 35 yard line on the defense once in the whole game. Both of their TDs came after being set up in the red zone by turnovers. Their offense could not move on the Saints, so its not unreasonable to assume they would have gotten at best a FG out of the turnover, with plenty of time for Brees to respond. Also, don't forget the refs botching the Corey White interception call. Mike Pereira said that play should have been blown down by contact at the point of the interception. If they get it right, the Saints get another possession already in FG range. As it was, SF got the ball back and got a FG. 6-10 point swing. Like I said earlier, these things have a way of balancing out.

 

I am hoping now that the fine is $1 million.

Ray Lewis once paid someone off to beat a murder rap.

So this is one of those nothing to see here people kinda things.

 

4th Quarter Stats:

Brees
10-14, 144 yds, 104.4 QB Rating

Kaepernick
2-7, 15 yds, 39.6 QB Rating

Brees threw for 144 yds in just 12 minutes of play. That equates to 720 yds passing for an entire game.