After a very slow and painful start, I was still thinking that we are going to win the division.  Then we lost to Carolina and my heart sank and depression set in.  I knew our backs were up against the wall and we could not lose another game.  Now with two wins in a row behind us, it doesn't look as bad as I thought. We still need to win this week and every remaining game in our division to have a chance.  Nothing sucks more than having your season end in September and that is what almost happened. We are still just hanging on by a thread, but that thread gets bigger with every win.  With all that said, we are in a must win this week.  Seattle should loose this week and with a win we can move to only 1.5 games out. (why 1.5 games, because Seattle wins the tiebreaker). We have one game left with Seattle and if we win that then it moves us even with them.  This is why every game in our division is a must win.  We still have a few tough games left and hopefully can win most of them.  This game against Tampa Bay is not going to be easy because things keep going their way.  Yes, I said it. Tampa Bay have been lucky this year and playing like a team.  They have a young team with very few, if any  "super stars".  We have a lot more talent on our team, but haven't been playing very much like a team. With bad play calling, stupid penalties, and the ball not bouncing our way, we have looked pitiful.  We are much better than our record shows and it is time for the 49ers to show us who we thought they were (division winners).

Just keep winning.

I was born in San Francisco in 1967 and grew up with a father that loved sports.  It was well known around the house that you had to love the 49ers and hate the Rams and Cowboys or else.  So I grew up watching the cowboys knock the 49ers out of the playoffs over and over again.  That was why “The Catch” was the greatest play in the history of sports to my family. 

I loved those days that soon followed.  The 49ers were good, their defense was hard hitting, and you had great players on the field and off the field that you could look up too.  I knew the offense very well in those days, calling the next play from my couch in the living room. Most of the time I would get the call right, or in my eyes, close enough to call it the same play.  But now I live in “Hell” Southern Mississippi. 

I can’t afford Direct TV being a single parent with 4 children and the 49ers are rarely on national TV anymore.  This year I was lucky enough to get a baby sitter for my children and watch the first two games at a bar.  The third game I listened to most of it from my daughter’s phone, however it kept cutting out.  I missed the last 10 minutes of the game but saw the big plays later on ESPN. What I have seen and heard reminds me of a young 1980’s team that was on the verge of greatness. 

The defense can hit and are playing tough like I remembered.  We got a good running team with Gore and Coffee. Hill reminds me a little of Montana.  Now before you start saying that I am crazy to compare Hill and Montana remember I watch Montana when he was battling Steve Deburg for the starting position. Deburg had a better arm and often played better but he didn’t control the game as well.  It took time for Montana to get comfortable with the game.  Montana also had the great play calling and the birth of the West Coast Offense at his disposal.  I think Hill can be a very good QB in this league.  What he needs is better play calling.  He probably will never come close to what Montana did, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t do very well. 

We need to go back to the short passes to spread out the defense so that we can run the ball.  Give Hill this and I believe that we can become unstoppable.  The pieces are in place and Singletery has the team in the right mental state that is needed to get better.  The players have bought in to his way of thinking and I don’t see any “Divas” that will get in the way. To sum up my message to this team is stay the course.  Keep trying as hard as you can. Don’t get to cocky. And please mix up the play calling and give Hill the tools necessary to win the games. 

 We lost last week because we could not get one first down when we needed it.  I did not see that part of the game and don’t even know what plays were called, but I would bet a 5 yard slant over the middle or a screen might have worked.  Please keep up the good work because we are all counting on you.

From a loyal 49RFAN