Shame of the Game- 49ers

[doctord56]

I agree that it's Ted Ginn. Two catches for a lousy 6 yards, dropping a pass that would have kept a drive alive, not getting open, and generally doing nothing to help the team win.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

Take a look at the NFL average for field goals 45-50 yards (success to failure).  Check Carpenter's stats against those. 

And the game "wasn't on the line."  Miami was up 14-3 at the time.

People seem to forget that it was also something like 4th and 3 in a spot where a lot of coaches GO FOR IT.  14-3, you get the ball to start the half, the 49ers are owning the ball when they have it, why not put your foot on their throat and try to sustain the drive?

...but yeah, let's blame it on the rookie kicker.

I'll stop short of saying the game was "on the line" but it was a crucial point in the game.  The Dolphins had just put together their first long drive of the entire second half.  They're up 14-9 (not 14-3), and a field goal would've put the Niners in position to need a TD and 2 pointer to tie the game.  By missing that field goal, the Niners not only had a chance to drive for the winning TD, but they had a much shorter field to do it. 

[dolfan13]

People seem to forget that it was also something like 4th and 3 in a spot where a lot of coaches GO FOR IT.  14-3, you get the ball to start the half, the 49ers are owning the ball when they have it, why not put your foot on their throat and try to sustain the drive?

yeah if anything that was the coaches fault right there. kicking and missing is an additional 7 yard change in field position versus just going for it and not making it. plus its an attitude/mindset type thing...

the toss pitch play before was freaking terrible though, so all around the coaches dodged some key mistakes they made on that last possession.

[Brian Fein]

Why is it that no one gives the SOTG to Luke Polite?  He only had 2 carries for 4 yards and generally did nothing to help the team win.  Why not Vonnie Holliday, who only had one ASSISTED tackle and generally did nothing to help the team win?  Why is it that when Ted Ginn has a meager game, he automatically gets the SOTG for NOT having 8 catches for 140 and 2 TD's?

[Dave Gray]

The kick would've put Miami up by 8 points, Maine.  That's a big, big deal.

Plus, he was kicking with the wind.  The fact that he's a rookie doesn't matter.  You need to be able to make a 47 yard kick with the wind.  ...and at the very least, have the distance for it.

Carpenter had a very good game otherwise, and I'm not blaming him for anything.  But I do think that kick falls on him.

[MaineDolFan]

^^I think we were not on the same page.  I was merely saying to Tommy that I didn't believe the SOTG should fall on Carpenter.  I kind of disagree that a 47 yard field goal is automatic, even in the wind - it is still a kick that a majority of kickers DO make.  So in a way we're eye level now.

And you're right about the importance of the kick, for some stupid reason I thought that kick was before the half.

[Dave Gray]

Had we lost the game, I would've probably chosen Carpenter, because most likely, that would've been what cost us.

However, as was, the D-Line didn't apply pressure.  Again, we had a few sacks, but until that last play, they came from good coverage downfield.    The QB had a lot of time to throw.