Ouch

And this is what happens when you can't drop the hammer...it was only a matter of time before a team stole one.

How about punting instead of lining up a Nedney 51-yard field goal in the first half (and having the punt sail into the end zone, netting 14 yards)?

How about letting the Rams kick a 51-yarder of their own just before the first half?

How about Antonio Bryant's holding penalty, negating Frank Gore's 28-yard run in the first half?

How about that silly delay of game penalty at game's end?

Let's not even touch the 24-yard field goal on 4th-and-a-centimeter...that's a debatable call...thing is, Nolan now hasn't trusted his team on 4th-and-really short for three games in a row. I'd say a top priority for next season is getting a reliable third/fourth-down guy who can a yard 95% of the time. If Michael Robinson's not the guy, let's get a fullback who is.

The team drops to 5-6 with games at New Orleans, at Seattle and at Denver remaining...with Philly, New York, Carolina and Atlanta all losing today, a win today would have been huge. 8-8 might get in as the last wild card spot...but 9-7 is probably more realistic. This would mean that the Niners would have to win two of those three road games. A win at Seattle might be possible. A win at New Orleans next week has to be wildly unlikely. If Brees is throwing for 350 yards against every opponent, I'd have to imagine San Francisco's minimal pass rush isn't going to slow him down too much...and Denver is totally out of the question, especially because the Broncos will still be playing for home field when the Niners roll into town.

The Niners are now in a spot where simply staying with mediocre teams isn't going to cut it. They are going to have beat a legitimate winning team--at their own place--to have a chance at the playoffs. It's nice to have a chance 11 games into the season...but the door is closing fast.

P.S. Vernon Davis, can you please start to get into the action? I'm sick of only seeing you once a game as someone who has just dropped a pass...