It's official. The 9th game was even worse than the previous eight and won't change this fact: this year's 49ers are one of the worst teams in NFL history according to Football Outsiders' 2007 rankings (through week 9). Needless to say, tonight's crapfest won't improve things when comparing this squad to the 2004 team (-46.5 total DVOA) and 2005 team (-65.9% total DVOA).
I started comparing the 49ers' stats from 2004 and 2005 to what this current team has put up - and then I threw up on my keyboard. In almost every single category, this team is worse. The defense is slightly better and is getting screwed week after week by having to stay on the field for close to 40 minutes a game, as they were tonight. Alex Smith's passer rating is 57.2 through tonight's game. Steve Young absolutely bashed him during the 4th quarter of tonight's game. I've made my position clear. I think the most telling stat is the number of games (five) the 49ers have lost by more than 20 points this season. In 4 of those (they were in the Steelers game through three quarters) this team has not even been competitive. Even against other awful teams (Baltimore and Atlanta) there this sense of foreboding gloom that this team will find a way to lose. The only players from this team worth keeping are Willis, Clements, Gore, Staley (since he cost us a top-5 pick) and Andy Lee. That's it. Everyone else is free to join Jonas Jennings as a forgettable part of a thoroughly forgettable era that seems like it will extend into the next decade.
Many players are quitting (see: Darrell Jackson), Nolan has his own personal struggles to get through, and the season is officially over. The only question now is where do we go from here? Each week feels like bottom - and then this team finds a new circle of hell to take its fans to. Next stop - Satan's throneroom.
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