I felt like I was taking crazy pills in the 1st half, and am still not entirely sure what to make of that. The 49ers weren't even playing especially bad (other than the COMPLETELY UNFORGIVABLE fumble by McDonald that I saw coming a mile away. What a tool.), but St Louis actually did look like they'd gone back to 1999.
It fit a little too perfectly, what with the no-name QB who'd been bagging shoes at the local mall 10 months ago or whatever coming in to save the day and carry his team to an improbable win on "let's celebrate the only time in our history we've ever been exciting or relevant" night. The pit of my stomach was full of bile and dread and fear. He was making actual plays. The 49ers were not blowing coverages, this guy was stepping away from free-running defenders and throwing balls into impossibly tiny windows, and on the other end his no-name receivers were making the kind of catches that signal "hey defense, nice try and all but you're screwed tonight". The penalties by SF were maddening and stupid and frustrating, but even without them St Louis looked like they were simply better for, oh, 29 minutes and 30 seconds. Then they stupendously, amazingly, and all at once decided collectively to remember "oh shit! We're the Rams aren't we?!".
Yeah, it was Janoris Jenkins who blew the coverage, but I choose to believe that was The Rams Way rearing its ugly head. Man coverage with no help over the top when the opponent is at their own 20 and has under a minute left? The Rams Way. Blame Jenkins all you want, but what the hell was that coverage?! It's a long list of awesome 49ers moments in recent years, but for me that play is right up there. So much meaning and history and narrative just kind of fell into place in a space of 80 yards. That's the kind of play where as a completely irrational fan you're thinking "hey, all we need is a defender to fall down or something, then we're right back in this thing!", except it actually happened, because The Rams. They are the Rams and always The Rams shall they be.
Then all was well for the rest of the game. Sure, maybe SF should have taken the 3 points at the end there, but I'm pretty sure they were like "hey, it's the Rams, whatever". Vance McDonald: I know you're annoyed that Vernon was an idiot and cost you a TD, but maybe you should, you know, FIGHT FOR THE GODDAMN BALL a little more when you're hit at the point of a catch. He should have caught that. Between that and the fumble, I'm fired up at McDonald after that game. Gross performance.
Seattle loses at home, the 49ers continue their pretty impressive night game play under Jim Harbaugh, and Kaepernick wins me the week in fantasy football. It went well this weekend!
That TD to Boldin is why I should shut the hell up any time I want to bash Kap. That play, man. Quick: how many other QBs in the league could make that play? Oh, ZERO! That throw was UNBELIEVABLE and he made it with like 5 guys in his face throwing off-balance. Dayumm.
