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145 thoughts during 49ers loss to Falcons in Week 15

By Jeremy Wohlfart

George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers.(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers.(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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Join Niner Noise’s resident Australian as he writes down his thoughts during the San Francisco 49ers important Week 15 matchup vs. the Atlanta Falcons.

  • It’s time for some more San Francisco 49ers football!

    • With the Seahawks (again!) narrowly beating someone, the 49ers need a win to stay ahead in the NFC.

    Also, a win clinches a playoff berth for the team.

    Here we go, Atlanta to start with the ball.

    Such a different looking defense for the 49ers today.

  • Good start to the game for Marcell Harris, big open field tackle.
  • Ugh, defensive holding penalty against D.J. Reed there.
  • I’m very interested to see how the young corner duo of Akhello Witherspoon and Emmanuel Moseley work together, as they are the future of the position.

    • Good work by the 49ers, even with the penalty they didn’t give anything big up early for six plays.

    Further to thought No. 7, Reed is the nickel of the future too.

    Here we go, time for the offense to start big as we.

  • Gee, Joe Staley got beaten badly there. He’s regressed unfortunately.

    • Well that drive went nowhere fast.

    Great special teams coverage there,  a relief after some big gains were conceded against New Orleans.

  • Dre Greenlaw read that play absolutely perfectly. Almost had a chance to nab that.

    • The defense comes up big again, both offenses haven’t been hot to begin with.

  • How is it that Raheem Mostert bounced around so many teams and nobody realized how good he is?

    • He’s just making guys miss.

    Last week the 49ers didn’t need to run much early because the passing game worked so well, it’s the opposite right now.

    Five different players have rushed for the 49ers in the first ten minutes. All out rushing attack right now.

    4th and 1 in your offensive half, damn right you go for it here.

  • George Kittle doing his best fullback impression out of the backfield, and it’s a first down.

    • Ugh, I just hate dumb penalties. This could hurt the 49ers momentum now.

  • Gee that should have been an interception, not Jimmy Garoppolo‘s best throw.

    • Ohhh this is going to hurt Atlanta, and the 49ers get a break!

    This will end 0-0 in the first quarter, but the 49ers are driving and should at least get a score.

    The patented Garoppolo sneak gets the first down.

    Garoppolo hasn’t been his sharpest in this game, but I suppose after putting the team on his back it’s forgivable as long as we win.

    Kittle does not take a backwards step. Ever.

    TOUCHDOWN! Mostert falls over the line and the 49ers take the lead.

    7-0 to the good guys.

  • Julio Jones didn’t look like he got the foot down, Kyle Shanahan wasn’t letting that go without a challenge.

    • Play stands, hard to tell conclusively.

  • Matt Ryan driving the Falcons down the field here.

    • Excellent work to force the third down there by the run defense.

    They’ve not been able to sack Ryan yet however.

    Big third down here, it would dent Atlanta’s momentum to make them settle for a field goal.

    Ugh, Ryan is finding guy underneath way too easily. 1st and Goal for the Falcons.

    Ugh, touchdown to Jones. 7-7 game now.

    I would like to see them scheme a pass for Garoppolo to throw deep. The successful implementation of the run should open up some play action.

  • A good throw under pressure, Kendrick Bourne did drop it but to be fair it was a bit hard to catch low when you’re streaking towards the sideline.

    • Defense needs to bounce back here.

    The defense is not bouncing back here.

    Jones is entirely too open, he’s not been blanketed at all.

    Finally some good defense on Jones, although it very nearly got caught anyway.

    As I say that, I see that Jones in fact held.

    Atlanta are challenging here, so the question is if holding was in fact interference here.

    I could see this play going either way. Depending how the referee sees it.

    Nope, it stands.

    Good work by the pass rush to impact Ryan, and the Falcons will need to settle for three here.

    10-7 to the Falcons.

    Two minute drill is going to start on a false start here. Ugh.

    The 49ers have just been flat offensively, at least passing wise.

    And that’s why it’s not a shock that the 49ers just ran that into the offensive half.

    That might put a bit more pep into the offense at least.

    Finally a big pass, and no surprise it’s to Kittle.

    Kittle again! He’s been about 99% of the passing offense in this half.

    1st and Goal for the 49ers, as long as they take care of the ball they should be able to at least tie it.

    Atlanta keep calling for a timeout, they’re trying to get the ball back it looks like.

    Not surprised they ran there, they can bleed the clock out and make sure the Falcons don’t do any heroics to end the half.

    I’m going to guess a slant to Kittle for this third down.

    Well it was an out route to Kittle, unfortunately not a great throw. Kittle turned into a defender there.

    On the plus side, it’s 10-10 now.

    Falcons kneel it out, 49ers to get the ball back for the second half.

    Onside kick! Gee that was something unexpected.

    Falcons have it, but flag down. Did it go far enough?

    No, illegal formation. Rekick.

    Whew. That was actually a pretty good kick.

  • Richie James with a good return, could have been even better if there wasn’t a last second trip.

    • Kittle just used the hit stick on that one.

    How on earth did Garoppolo manage to get yards on that? He looked sacked about five times.

    No good for the offense there, Kittle has been the only productive receiver and it’s allowing the Falcons to target him on third down.

    49ers get a fortunate flag again, a block in the back negates a big return for the Falcons.

  • Finally a sack! Sheldon Day gets to Ryan.

    • Good work by the defense to stop Atlanta, can the offense respond?

    Well not if Garoppolo is going to be sacked like that.

    I don’t agree with that roughing the passer call, as much as it helps San Francisco.

    Ugh a false start on third down is not how you kick start the offense.

    The 49ers could at least get the field goal here.

    And it’s good, 13-10 to the 49ers.

    Some positive momentum at least.

  • Nick Bosaaaaaaaaa!!!!

    • This is a good response for the defense.

    Atlanta’s penalties have been the difference maker so far.

    So for all the offensive struggles, the 49ers could go up by two scores here.

    Why not give it to Kittle again? It’s almost ridiculous how little the ball has been passed to anyone else.

    Cowboys blowing out the Rams, so the 49ers will make the playoffs regardless now.

    Kittle again, it’s amazing how he continues to get open.

  • And with that catch, Kittle passes the great Mike Ditka for most ever yards for the first three seasons by a tight end.

    • Oh that’s not good, a fumble and the Falcons recover.

    No doubt, that’s a fumble.

  • That’s actually the second fumble by Matt Breida today, the first one going out of bounds.

    • How was that not intercepted! Ughhhh!!!

  • Reed knocked Fred Warner as he was about to grab it.

    • On the plus side, the 49ers stopped the Falcons and the turnover doesn’t hurt them.

  • Ughhhhh. The first time we see Deebo Samuel today and it’s just simply dropped.

    • Bourne with the first down, the drop won’t cost them there.

    Big third down here.

    This’ll be holding, but the third down was incomplete anyway so it doesn’t matter.

    FUMBLE!

    WHAT A BIG PLAY!

  • Kyle Juszczyk scoops it up and now it’s 1st and Goal!
  • Ross Dwelley with the huge hit to knock it out!

    • TOUCHDOWN!

    It was only right that Juszczyk got a chance to get the score.

  • Robbie Gould missed the extra point, so it’s 19-10 to the 49ers.

    • Can the defense keep going? They’ve held up admirably well being so short of starters today.

    Why. Does. Julio. Jones. Not. Have. A. Defender.

    He should be double teamed literally every snap.

    Falcons are driving here, that missed extra point may end up hurting.

    Ugh, 1st and Goal for the Falcons on that interference. Jones has been unstoppable today.

    And that’s a touchdown. This is not boding well.

    19-17 to the 49ers, that missed extra point is looming over the 49ers heads.

    This reeked of a trap game, and sure enough that’s what this is.

    The 49ers need to bleed the clock, because the Falcons are just going to give it to Jones.

    Good first down by Mostert, which will chew at least a little more time here.

    I get the idea of being aggressive, but when it doesn’t pay off like that last pass then you have to ask why.

    Well they did it again and this time it did pay off, so the aggressiveness at least pays off here.

    Two minute warning, can the 49ers get the first down here?

    Damn that almost worked, but Kittle fumbled the ball.

    This is a big fourth down.

    Looks like they’re going to go for the three points here.

    Gould shakes off the miss and it’s 22-17.

    49ers just need to stop the Falcons here and they’ll win.

    Here we go, the 49ers just need one more stop.

    Falcons driving down the field here…

    I am baffled why Jones is not in double coverage. Absolutely baffled.

    I hate these close games.

    Eight seconds left, it’s going to come down to these last few plays.

    Ugh.

    No no no!

    Another last second loss.

    The fans are screaming but I don’t think it will be overturned on that.

    The ball comes loose afterwards, but I don’t think this is overturned.

    It’s called incomplete!

    Oh that could be big!

    But there’s still five seconds to go, it may end up being moot.

    NOT IN THE ENDZONE!

    Wait, yes it was!

    Ohhhhhhh wow.

    The play is under review, but it broke the plane.

    dark. Next. 49ers fall into trap game in Week 15, lose to Falcons at last second

    This is going to be a touchdown and the 49ers will lose by the most narrow of margins.

    Well ok not so narrow, with that fumble return touchdown.

    It’s a disappointing loss, but the 49ers can still get the first seed if they win the last two games.

    Thanks for joining me today. Go Niners.