Missing a field goal within 40 yards is very rare for Joe Nedney and although that field goal didn’t cost them the game it would have changed the outlook of the end. With those three extra points it would have been a seven point game meaning a Bears touchdown in the final seconds would have only tied it not given the Bears the lead. As I said before this wouldn’t have changed the outcome of the game but in such a close game the special teams needs to come up big as they one of the strong points of the team, especially in those situations where they are looking at a very make able field goal.

Andy Lee also disappointed me on a couple of punts, and that is a very rare statement for me to make. Lee has been one of the best punters in the league for the last three years but last night he managed to kick the ball well into the end zone with a chance to pin the Bears deep late and, when kicking from deep in Niner territory, only managed a 39 yard punt to put the Bears at mid field. For a kicker that is known for his strong and actuate leg both of those are rare occurrences and the Niners were lucky to survive both without giving up a touchdown.

The offense, on the other hand, didn’t surprise me as much as it looked the same as what I had been seeing all year. Unfortunately this offense hasn’t seen much growth under Jimmy Raye so far this year, and while that is not all his fault as things have come up, it is discouraging that the unit has not grown more in sync with each other. If we give them the field goal that Nedney missed they still only managed to put up 13 points in a game where the defense forced 5 turnovers. Given how many times they had the ball that makes the success rate for the offense very low, and even though the Bears defense is good lets not forget that this is a Niner team that is trying to prove it belongs in the playoffs, and playoff teams take better advantage of opportunities than that.

Alex Smith played well enough for the Niners to win the game and did a much better job against the cover 2 in his second go around with it this season completing over 69% of his passes against the Bears but his lone interception showed why the Niners are still having trouble getting the ball down field despite starting a strong armed quarterback. Smith has shown on his many touchdown passes to Vernon Davis that he does a good job pushing the ball down the center of the field but his accuracy isn’t the same when he throws deep to the outside. On the interception Crabtree’s position clearly gave him the inside against his defender but Smith threw it to the outside, maybe that is what the route initially called for but Crabtree can’t be blamed for taking what the defense gave him, Smith just needs to do a better job of recognizing where to put the ball and get it to that spot better.

The offensive line could have obviously done a better job but that is just how it is going to be all year. They once again looked solid in the run game though, which is very important to the Niners eating up the clock and creating third and shorts like they want. Frank Gore also showed that when given holes he can be very productive rushing for over 100 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries. His carries also became very important to how much clock the Niners ate up at the end of the game.

If the Niners can get a little more out of their offense by finding someway to put some life into it, and if they do they have a chance to have a better second half of the season thanks to an easier second half of their schedule.