Up and down the field, except a final stand on defense, the game was mostly lethargic for the red birds, as if they didn’t want to win in San Francisco, something they hadn’t done since 2008 as the TV graphics told us.
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The Niners were whistled for 13 penalties for 81 yards, they gave the Cardinals seven first downs by virtue of penalty and were called for four separate pass-interference infractions inside their own 5-yard-line, with the Cardinals finally cashing in on a 1-yard plunge from rookie David Johnson. The way they got there, however, was more than a little controversial.
– Wide receiver Smokey Brown looked better than he has in weeks, running full speed down the field, his hamstring apparently not a problem. Carson Palmer completed 24 of 40 passes for 271 yards to lead the Cardinals.
Kaepernick’s statistical profile certainly reveals a quarterback that has declined to a low point, especially considering that he will finish 2015 ranked in the bottom five of quarterback rating, with career-lows in many key offensive categories. “He hit me right in the face with the crown of his helmet”. The score was tied 13-13 at the time, but later that drive the Cardinals would take it in for the winning touchdown. But what also hurt was allowing Palmer to complete a 34-yard pass, off his back foot, to J.J. Nelson at the 1-yard line.
Quinton Dial, on his roughing-the-passer penalty: “No, this can’t be, this can’t be real….” Hall of Fame defensive end Michael Strahan said the hit was “no where near a personal foul”. “You call running into a player when nobody even touched you”, Boone said.
After the game, individuals from both sides spoke their minds. Bruce Arians said the Cards are hoping Jerraud Powers’ injury is a calf and not an Achilles issue, but either way, it puts Justin Bethel up again. “Mightily. They can’t count to three”.
The end result was the same, but it was a different defensive team on the field for the 49ers on Sunday in a 19-13 loss to the Arizona Cardinals at Levi’s Stadium.
49ers guard Alex Boone couldn’t hide his frustration with the game officials, and he’s not alone with that sentiment.
There weren’t just bad calls in the 49ers-Cardinals game. In Gabbert’s first start, against Atlanta, McDonald caught two passes – just the second time in his career he had more than one catch in a game. It was just one of those games.
Two starts later, however, this has become increasingly clear: Gabbert has gotten a bit carried away with this check-down stuff. That happens in every sport: baseball; basketball; hockey; and, of course, football. These officials are human, after all. But at least the game was kinda fun to watch for a change?
Steps have been taken in the college ranks to address those kinds of errors.
“Protections and getting us in and out of runs, all of those things”, coach Jim Tomsula said.
Gabbert looks McDonald’s way, but since he doesn’t run a hot route, Johnson is right on top of him: “When (offenses) see guys blitz, they turn it into a quick curl or a slant”.
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“I think for us to respond like that after losing the way we did the first game says a lot about this team”, inside linebacker NaVorro Bowman said. “Wins are hard to get in this league”. Instead of just sitting on their hands, making excuses, and switching assignments, Roger Goodell and Dean Blandino need to do something to fix this.
