An Inconvenient Truth

37
16

Global Climate Change is the perfect description of Frank Gore's world. Last season he was on fire. 1695 yards rushing, 485 yards recieving (Average 106 rush yds, 30 rec yds per game).

This season it's an Ice Age. 175 rushing yards and 37 recieving yards in 3 games. That's an average of 58 rush yds and 12 rec yds per game, which is about half of what he was averaging last year.

The Steelers started the game by losing the toss and giving up an 11-play, 61-yard field goal drive to the 49ers where Alex Smith made two solid plays to convert 3rd downs to keep the drive alive. One was a rollout scramble on 3rd and 1 and the other was a pass on a bootleg. The Steelers made some adjustments on their defensive line to prevent this from happening the rest of the game. 0-3

49ers boot a kickoff deep to Awesome Rossum who takes it 98 yards to the house and puts the Steelers up 7-3.

That's why we got him.

As we kickoff to the 49ers, my dad notes that we're getting dominated in Time of Possession. Not that it matters. The Steelers force a 3-and-out bringing out Andy Lee (Pitt grad), whose leg is obviously on steroids. This guy was kicking the snot out of the ball all game.

Parker slices through the left side for 13 on the first play. Looks like a great start for the offense. But Kendall Simmons blows a block and Ben gets stripped while looking deep. 49ers ball. TOP at this point is SF: 8 mim, PIT: 30 seconds.

The Steelers defense looks like it's going to break after giving up a 3rd down completion to Vernon Davis down to the 10 yard line and Polamalu taking an offsides penalty, but they step up to the task and hold San Fran to a field goal. 7-6.

The 49ers kick away from Awesome Rossum this time, so no kickoff excitement. Parker carves up runs of 9, 5, and 6 before the drive stalls and Superman comes out to punt. B-Mac makes a great play to keep the ball from going in the end zone and we pin the '9ers at the 8.

I'm still looking for a photoshop image of Superman with Sepulveda's face.
It would be awesome.

San Francisco gets a first down on a Micheal Robinson (Penn State fans can cheer at this) run, but stall out and have to punt. Lee pounds a 66-yard kick that flips the field and sticks us inside the 10.

Heath makes a huge grab for 16 yards to move out of the shadow of our own goalposts, but we go run-run-pass-punt.

The 49ers respond by going 3-and-out and Lee booms a 63-yard kick into the end zone. Like I said...leg on roids.

The Steelers put together a solid drive on the back of two big runs by Parker of 23 and 17 yards and a hookup to Heath for 20. The Steelers march it down to the 15 and convert a 3rd down with a direct snap to Hines. Two plays later, Ben hits Jerame Tuman for the score.

4 TDs by 3 different Tight Ends in 3 games. Wow.
Drive Stats: 12 plays, 80 yds, 7:39 off the clock.
14-6

The 49ers come out firing in a 30-second drill to try to get in field goal range and hit a sharp pass, but 3 incompletions forces a 59-yard punt by Lee to end the half.

The Steelers get the ball to start the Second Half and put together a nice drive with two huge grabs by Heath Miller for 29 and 16. The Steelers fail to convert from the 18 and settle for a field goal. 17-6. Hines took two big hits on consecutive plays and didn't play much the rest of the game. According to reports, he has a bone bruise in his leg, but no other word about the injury.

The 49ers moved the ball on their next drive and settled for a 49-yard field goal after a sack by LaMarr Woodley and a called fumble by Vernon Davis was reversed to be an incomplete pass. 17-9.

The Steelers come back and move the ball down the field thanks to two catches on the sidelines by Santonio Holmes, the second of which he made a great play to come back to the ball for when Ben was flushed out of the pocket. Jeff Reed calls Nedney's bet on the 49-yarder and drills it. 20-9.

Farrior & Co. come up with a sack on 3rd down after San Fran had moved the ball inside the 35 and force a punt.

The Steelers come back with a heavy dose of Willie Parker who puts up some strong runs and we snag a few big chunks of yards on 18 and 17-yard grabs by Holmes and Miller. The drive stalls at the 17 and Reed tacks on another field goal. 23-9.

5 minutes to go. It's pretty much over at this point, right? Wrong.

Smith comes out gunning and throws one right into the chest of B-Mac who takes it 50 yards to paydirt.

30-9.

With 4 minutes to go, Smith doesn't let up, hitting Jackson for 20 and scrambling for 25. Smith only had 7 fewer rushing yards than Frank Gore did today. Ouch. Smith is in the zone and hits a reciever in the corner of the end zone for the 49ers only touchdown of the game. 30-16.

With Ward out, Daniel Superman Sepulveda takes his place on the hands team for the onside kick. Of course, the 49ers try to test him by kicking the ball right at him, but Sepulveda is Superman, and there's no kryptonite in the officially lisenced NFL pigskin.

The 49ers have 1 timeout left, so the Steelers need 1 first down to end the game. Naj pounds ahead for 5. Timeout. Naj grinds for 2 more. 2-minute warning. 3rd-and-3. No shocker here, it's Naj up the middle. Except San Fran forgot to tackle him and he turns on the afterburners and streaks 39-yards for the score. Following the touchdown he did (as Tunch Ilkin called it on the postgame show) the Hienz Field High Jump into the stands to celebrate.

Yahoo images is all over this one.
37-16.

The 49ers can't even run out the clock right so Homestead Charlie comes in for a kneel down and ends the game.

Coach Tomlin is 3-0.

Stats:
The Steelers scored every way possible: Field Goal, Kick Return, Rushing TD, Passing TD, Defensive TD.
Parker: 24 carries, 133 yds.
Woodley gets his 2nd sack in 2 weeks. He's going to be a force.
Awesome Rossum: 2 Kick Returns, 120 yds, 1 TD (98yd)
B-Mac: 1 tackle, 1 INT, 1 TD
Frank Gore: 14 carries, 39 yards. He gained less ground than a glacier today.
The Steelers have outscored their opponents 97-26 this season.

Other News:

Last week's post got my first comment in the 2007 Season.
Hooray I have readers!

The Ravens snuck by Arizona today on a last-second field goal.

The Bungals blew a comeback attempt in Seattle by fumbling on a kickoff at the end of the game.

The Raiders used the Denver strategy of calling a last-second Timeout to nullify a Cleveland field goal. The second try is blocked. Browns lose.

The Eagles put up 56 points wearing the ugliest uniforms ever created. They scored so much because Detroit didn't want to catch ugly by touching them, let along trying to tackle them. I would post a picture, but Blogger would shut me down because the internet can't handle that kind of ugly.