Tripped up for 6th loss in a row

<p>ATLANTA -- Leads of any kind are foreign territory for the 49ers, but for an instant, it appeared they would actually find themselves ahead in the fourth quarter.</p><p>The 49ers had the ball in the hands of their fastest player, yet he was tripped up from behind with a shoestring tackle at the 1-yard line.</p><p>Although the play occurred in the middle of the fourth quarter -- on second down -- the 49ers' window for victory immediately slammed shut. And so it goes for the 2007 version of the 49ers -- a team that lost for the sixth consecutive time Sunday.</p><p>The 49ers' saw virtually all hope for their season extinguished with a 20-16 loss to the lowly Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome.</p><p>The Falcons are a team in disarray. It's been that way since the first day of training camp. Quarterback Michael Vick was suspended for the season. He awaits sentencing on federal charges stemming from an illegal dogfighting ring.</p><p>But the 49ers were the ones who looked like the lost cause on Sunday.</p><p>"For all of us, it's hard to take," 49ers quarterback Alex Smith said. "It's very frustrating."</p><p>Smith, making his second start since returning from a separated right shoulder, again did not look sharp. He often misconnected when his receivers got open. And the receivers did not help him with three dropped passes.</p><p>Smith completed 17 of 38 passes for 149 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions. The 49ers' final two possessions ended with Smith throwing picks on passes intended for Darrell Jackson and Arnaz Battle.</p><p>"I felt good today," Smith said. "The shoulder felt healthy. It'll get better and better every week. It's only been five weeks since I tore it. It definitely gets better each day, which is a good thing. Other than getting hit, it felt good."</p><p>Things started well for the 49ers, who played without running back Frank Gore because of an ankle sprain. The 49ers scored a touchdown on their opening drive for the first time this season. But they failed to get into the end zone on their final 12 series.</p><p>The defining moment came in the fourth quarter.</p><p>On a second-and-goal from the Falcons' 10-yard line, Smith rolled right against a blitz. He held the ball as long as he could before delivering a pass to tight end Vernon Davis.</p><p>Davis, who caught a career-high seven passes for 77 yards, looked as if he would get into the end zone to give the 49ers a 20-17 lead. However, Falcons free safety Chris Crocker made a diving tackle to stop Davis at the 1-yard line.</p><p>"I had no idea where that guy came from," Davis said.</p><p>Said Falcons coach Bobby Petrino, "It was a great play. We had a blitz called and (linebacker) Demorrio Williams did a nice job of going after the quarterback and Chris played the pass."</p><p>The 49ers called timeout before the third-down play. Coach Mike Nolan said he wanted to have two plays ready to go because he considered it four-down territory. However, those plans blew up when Michael Robinson was thrown for a 3-yard loss.</p><p>The 49ers settled for the last of kicker Joe Nedney's three field goals. Nedney made kicks from 49, 32 and 22 yards.</p><p>Robinson played 36 of the team's 64 offensive snaps in place of Gore. He gained 67 yards on 17 carries and caught two passes for 2 yards. Maurice Hicks, who played the other 28 snaps, carried seven times for 49 yards and caught one pass for 3 yards. He scored the 49ers' only touchdown on a 9-yard run in the first quarter.</p><p>The 49ers got the ball back three times in the final seven minutes, but managed only one first down.</p><p>"This was a very winnable game for us," 49ers defensive lineman Bryant Young said. "We had hoped this would be the beginning of a winning streak, but it wasn't. You've got to give Atlanta credit. The team that won made the least mistakes."</p><p>Most of the 49ers' mistakes came on offense.</p><p>The 49ers continued a remarkable streak in which they have now gone 20 consecutive games with fewer than 200 yards of net passing.</p><p>Smith missed open receivers Bryan Gilmore and Delanie Walker on pass plays that could've resulted in touchdowns. Battle, Walker and Jackson also dropped passes that could have produced significant gains.</p><p>"Some of it was due to the pressure," Smith said of his overthrows. "There are times when the ball has to come out. They were giving some different looks. (The) pressure caused me to have to get the ball off and I missed a few. It was that kind of game, a pressure game."</p><p>And, now, the pressure is clearly on the 49ers to keep this season from spiraling out of control.</p><p>The 49ers opened the season with playoff aspirations and expectations. Now, those hopes seem unrealistic. The 49ers probably must sweep their three upcoming games against NFC West opponents, beginning next Monday in Seattle.</p><p>"Next week is a must-win," said Robinson. "We got to have it."</p><p>Again, Nolan promised that his team would continue to work hard to break out of their string of incompetence.</p><p>"It is hard to keep coming in each week and (saying) the same thing," Nolan said. "We do have an incredibly hard-working group that will continue until we pull out of this thing. I don't believe the season is lost, and I don't think it will be a loss until people quit, and that is not going to happen.</p><p>"We will continue to fight till the end."</p><p>However, the end looks as if it is coming much sooner for the 49ers than anyone could've predicted.</p><p>You can reach Staff Writer</p><p>Matt Maiocco at 521-5492 or matt.maiocco@pressdemocrat.com.</p>