Singletary won't play blame game
Alex Smith attempted two low-percentage passes late in Sunday's game at Seattle.
ELAINE THOMPSON / Associated PressPublished: Monday, December 7, 2009 at 8:33 p.m.
Last Modified: Monday, December 7, 2009 at 8:33 p.m.
SANTA CLARA -- The 49ers’ game Sunday was filled with questionable calls.
Coach Mike Singletary felt referee Alberto Riveron and his crew repeatedly failed to give the 49ers the benefit of the doubt on calls — and non-calls — both obvious and not.
But the 49ers did plenty of damage to their playoff hopes with some questionable calls of their own.
“Obviously, there were bad calls made and I think in every game there are bad calls made,” Singletary said. “For me, there were just a few more than I had witnessed maybe since I’ve been in the league.”
The first crucial non-call might have been the most obvious when Singletary made the decision to go for it on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line. Seahawks linebacker Leroy Hill appeared to grab 49ers tight end Delanie Walker and spin him around while Alex Smith’s pass was in the air.
Still, Walker nearly made the reception in the end zone, but the ball popped loose when he hit the ground. The 49ers fully expected a penalty, which would have provided a new set of downs. But head linesman Ed Camp, who had a good view of the play at the sideline, never reached for his flag.
When asked if there was one call in particular that upset him, Singletary answered, “There were many.”
Singletary said he was also displeased that Riveron did not follow protocol and give the 49ers’ defense ample time to make substitutions after the Seahawks made quick personnel changes on offense. The 49ers burnt a timeout before the first play from scrimmage because of confusion over personnel groupings.
But Singletary said he did not want to use the officiating as an excuse for the team’s loss, which drops the 49ers three games behind the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC West race with four games to play.
“I just want to make sure that our players, coaching staff, our fans, everybody involved with the 49ers, everybody that cares about the 49ers, I want them to understand that this is not about the referees,” Singletary said.
“So I don’t want to put this on the referees. I certainly feel that some of those calls were questionable, but if we had done what we were supposed to do, we overcome that and we win the football game.”
The 49ers made many of their own questionable calls, including a mind-boggling decision to call for a reverse — involving return men Arnaz Battle and Brandon Jones — on a first-quarter punt.
Singletary said he should have prohibited special-teams coordinator Al Everest from attempting the trick play in 35-degree temperatures with the 49ers dominating the game in the first quarter.
“The miscommunication was, we worked on it in practice, therefore ... we might do it in the game, but we’re not for sure going to do it in the game,” Singletary said. “That’s my fault for not making that more plain.”
The final questionable calls involved the 49ers’ final offensive series when they took over in a tie game at their own 11-yard line with :51 seconds remaining.
After picking up 7 yards on first down, the 49ers tried two shots down the field. On third down — needing just 3 yards — Smith attempted a low-percentage deep pass. The shortest route being run by a potential receiver was 12 yards down the field.
The pass was nearly intercepted. As it was, the 49ers were forced to punt after a possession that lasted 30 seconds. The Seahawks got into position for the game-winning field goal as time expired.
“Once again, you look for better calls after the calls are made,” Singletary said. “If we make the plays, then we’re not talking about the calls. I just wished they would’ve worked but, no, I don’t question the calls at all.”
The 49ers have thrown the ball 73.1 percent of the time in their past two games. And that’s just fine with Singletary, as he gave offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye a resounding vote of confidence.
“Absolutely, I think that Jimmy has adapted and adjusted,” Singletary said. “I think he’s going 180, 360, anything that I’ve asked him to do he’s been more than willing to do and I think that he’s done a fine job.”
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