Atlanta will not recover easily from this loss. Along the way, reports of locker room rifts surfaced, and Tomsula downplayed them as if they were harmless, Italian-family dinners. A loss to the lowly 49ers is inexcusable. However, that has not been the case over the past four games as interceptions and penalties have out-numbered touchdowns. White stressed the need for upping the tempo again like the team did earlier in the season. And field goals are not going to put you in the elite class of teams.
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Kaepernick, who has completed 59.0 percent of his passes for 1,615 yards this season with five interceptions against just six touchdowns, is in contract until the 2020 season after inking a lucrative six-year contract worth 4 million last year with the 49ers.
November 8, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, US; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11) is upended by San Francisco 49ers strong safety Jaquiski Tartt (29) as cornerback Dontae Johnson (36) and free safety Eric Reid (35) look on during the third quarter at Levi’s Stadium.
“I said last week that the decision was made for Blaine to go into the Atlanta game”, he said.
The Birds were down 17-13 at the half, and neither team added to their total in the third. The unit is much healthier than the offense, so continued impressive play is critical to any success the team might have the rest of the way. When the 49ers especially needed a play to help kill the clock, Gabbert responded with a 5-yard bootleg run for a third-down conversion with two minutes remaining.
The Saints’ Marcus Murphy had three kick returns for a 27-yard average and three punt returns for a 7-yard average, but he also lost a fumble that set up a field goal in the first quarter.
“Our defense allowed just 17 points”. But does the fact that Blaine Gabbert was literally quick on his feet reflect poorly on Kap who was sacked 28 times in the previous eight games?
They clearly threw the 6-3 Falcons off balance by ditching their zone coverages in favor of more blitzes and pressure on Ryan.
In Sunday’s victory over the visiting Atlanta Falcons, the inside linebacker, in his comeback season from knee surgery and a long rehab, roamed from sideline to sideline and was incredibly active in helping to limit the NFL’s leading rusher, Devonta Freeman, to just 12 yards on 12 carries.
QUINN’S CALL: First-year Falcons coach Dan Quinn went for a late field goal on fourth-and-goal from the 1 rather than trying for the lead.
So, uh yeah: Let’s at least acknowledge a few of the great performances because being all doom and gloom all of the time is not fun.
The one area where the 49ers have constantly played to the level – or higher – of their opponent has been special teams.
At the start of the season, the Falcons appeared to be thriving under offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan.
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ATLANTA INJURIES: Falcons rookie wideout Justin Hardy was active for the second straight week and made four catches for 17 yards in place of Leonard Hankerson, inactive because of a hamstring injury. He grabbed ten catches but did not cross the goal line.
