Patriots win game of keep-away with 49ers

By Matthew Barrows
The Sacramento Bee

last updated: October 06, 2008 02:34:32 AM

SAN FRANCISCO -- Linebacker Patrick Willis is the paragon of politeness, a Southern gentleman whose answers are invariably peppered with "sirs" and "ma'ms." After San Francisco's 30-21 loss to New England on Sunday, however, Willis had a hard time snapping out of game mode and into locker room decorum.

He sat at his locker and stared coldly into space for 10 minutes. He was the last player to leave the showers, and after dressing he declined to speak with reporters.

"I'm not talking to you. Sorry," said Willis, who had a game-high 18 tackles. "I'm not doing any interviews."

The middle linebacker had to have been distraught at what has become the 49ers' biggest weakness -- the heart of their defense.

As was the case in the opener against Arizona, Willis and his teammates simply couldn't get off the field Sunday against Matt Cassel and the New England offense. Using a straight-forward attack, the Patriots controlled the ball for nearly 40 minutes, including a 36-minute stretch in between the second and third quarters during which New England scored 17 points while 49ers' offense couldn't muster a single first down.

Defensively, the 49ers opened the game in their familiar "Big Sub" package, which calls for two linebackers and five defensive backs.

New England's counter move was predictable. Like each of the 49ers' previous opponents, they reacted by pounding the belly of the 49ers' defense.

Last week, the Saints ran Deuce McCallister up the gut. Sunday, it was 220-pound Sammy Morris who got the call. After rushing no more than 10 times in New England's first three games, Morris had 16 carries for 63 yards against San Francisco as the Patriots finished with 144 yards rushing.

"They had the ball for far too long," 49ers linebacker Takeo Spikes said. "We have to give our offense more opportunities."

The 49ers offense didn't help matters. Quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan and his receivers got off to a quick start, scoring 14 points in the first quarter. The second touchdown capped perhaps their most efficient drive of the season, one that required only three plays to travel 58 yards before O'Sullivan found Isaac Bruce in the back of the end-zone for a six-yard score with 5:25 left in the opening quarter.

At that point however, the hot streak went cold.

The 49ers didn't get another first down until the beginning of the fourth quarter. And when the defensive players desperately needed a rest in the third quarter, O'Sullivan threw the second of his three interceptions.

San Francisco's defense had success in getting after Cassel, sacking him five times. Still, Cassel was able to methodically move the Patriots offense, especially on third down.

New England punted only once from the second quarter on and converted 8 of 17 (47 percent) third-down opportunities. The 49ers, meanwhile, converted only one of nine (11 percent) of their third downs.

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