Monday, February 4, 2013

SF 49ers: Why Oh Why?

Until the day I die I will never know why the SF 49ers called three straight passing plays -- all to the same player -- in their last offensive drive of the title game, and all in the opposing team's Red Zone. They had all the momentum, and were in striking distance of the end-zone. On top of that they had in Frank Gore the league's best short-yardage runner, and in QB Colin Kaepernick, the league's best rushing quarterback. And yet, to the horror of everyone, offensive-coordinator Greg Roman proceeded to call three straight passing-plays to wide-receiver Michael Crabtree. 

Crabtree has been QB Colin Kaepernick's favorite target all season long and the Baltimore Ravens knew this. They had been double and triple-teaming him all afternoon long. Why, oh why did the 49ers insist on calling these bone-headed plays to a marked receiver when running it in would have been a much better option. Why oh why?? Even a draw-play by the QB would have put the team into the end-zone.

Anyway, we'll never know what possessed Greg Roman on that Sunday evening. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, the play-calling of the 49ers in that final drive was a "riddle wrapped in a mystery". It was a case of lousy play-calling at its worst and it spoiled a fine season by the Bay Area's finest sports franchise.

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