Sunday the 49ers lost to the woeful Carolina Panthers 23-20. And David MF'ing Carr was a big reason why.
Carr was 5-13 for 67 yards (Wait...did he actually complete FIVE passes? Funny, I don't remember that). He also threw a back-breaking interception to set up Carolina's winning field goal. He missed receivers high. He missed receivers low. He completely sucked.
What was Carr even doing in the game? He was in there because Alex Smith got hurt when rookie tackle Anthony Davis executed a perfect "Ole!" non-block on the Carolina DE, who immediately lit up Smith and landed on him hard, injuring his left shoulder.
The 49er
Well, all is definitely NOT right with the world.
I'm not blaming Carr, understand. There's more than enough blame to go around, all around.
It's time to clean house on this poorly coached, underachieving team.
Who needs to go? Head Coach Mike Singletary. Defensive Coordinator Greg Manusky. Alleged Cornerback Nate Clemons.
Why Clemons? Because, even though he had a sack and made a couple of slick plays, he is ALWAYS out of position and ALWAYS gambling for the pick (and getting burned as a result). He sucks. Clemons has to go.
Why Manusky? The defense keeps making the same mistakes, over and over. The color commentator noted that every team in the league is coaching its backs to bounce running plays to the outside against the 49ers when the middle is clogged, because there'll be no outside contain. He's absolutely right. And it's been that way all season. The one thing a 3-4 defense should ALWAYS do well is outside contain. But the 49ers outside linebackers are never at home. Never. That's the blame of coaching. Manusky has to go.
Why Singletary? This one breaks my heart, because I absolutely LOVE Mike Singletary. I love everything about him. That is, everything about him except his attention to detail and his complete inability to either manage the clock or make in-game adjustments. Sorry, Coach. I love ya. But Singletary has to go.
Who stays, and why? Offensive Coordinator Mike Johnson, Quarterback Alex Smith, RB Frank Gore, and Linebacker Patrick Willis. The last two are obvious: Willis is all-world in a confused and poorly coached defense. Gore is all-world in an offense that has trouble getting out of its own way.
So how do Alex Smith and Mike Johnson make this list?
For the first time since Norv Turner in 2006, Smith has an Offensive Coordinator who's worth a shit. And that's why Mike Johnson stays. He has taken what was a predictable and uninspired offense and turned it on its ear. The color commentator from Sunday's game marveled at how the 49ers would come out in an "obvious" passing formation and run, in an "obvious" running formation and pass. The offense has been extremely effective in spurts, and Johnson is the reason why. Considering he has had 4 weeks to make-over Jimmy Raye's gawdawful excuse for an offense, what he has done is spectacular and deserves being rewarded.
Alex Smith's turnovers are down the past few weeks because he's not being put in bad spots where turnovers are practically inevitable. And he's shown so many flashes of brilliance this season that he's just GOT to get one more chance.
This season is over. It really sucks to be in 2004-mode when I started the season in 2002-mode (the last time the 49ers won their division).
Thank God hockey season has started. Go Caps!
