There are few sensations worse than the feeling that you've been used. It is a oily, ugly emotion that sits butter-thick at the back of one's mouth. It can change the very air in a room. No good can come of this, yet lessons may be learned. Wariness for the future. Having felt that you've been used can set a mark on your psyche. Our two Bay Area teams both got used this wknd.
Our 49ers won over the Houston Texans. Yet we write this with a sneer, for the fix was in. Houston had but to lose this game to garner the top pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. The Niners, with a win last week over the Rams, were already out of the running for the first pick, but could have improved their standing in the NFL Draft had they lost against the Texans. And so it was.
The Texans came onto the field with a determination to win, personified by Fresno alum QB David Carr, who genuinely looked as though he was playing for victory. It was our thought that Houston's then-presumed-fired-and-now-is-fired Head Coach Dom Capers (whose bio has been removed already from the Texans' webite) would extend a middle finger to the Texans' ownership by going for the win in this game, and thereby granting the first pick to another team. The Niners' Coach Nolan II had his team working as hard as they could despite the obvious carrot to be had in losing. The Niners were rather overmatched early on in the game. Then, after the second quarter, unusual things transpired -- Carr was pulled due to injury for Tony Banks, one of the worst quarterbacks ever to play in the National Football League, and one-time holder of the record for most fumbles in a season. Oh, we thought to ourselves, someone must have put the call down to Capers' headset, threatening his kneecaps or his family or whatever he holds dear.
By SFist Christopher Rogers, contributing
With the score tied, thusly came the ultimate indicator: the Texans' placekicker Kris Brown "missed" a field goal try from within thirty yards. Brown has been a good soldier all year, missing game-tying or game-winning tries when necessary to complete a loss.Even as the two teams plunged into overtime, there was no question who would be the victor.
With Nolan urging them on, the Niners were still trying to win, yet the Texans had turned out their lights for the season and awaited the 49ers' blade on their collective throats. The Texans threw the game. Some players were trying their hardest to do their work, but with their overwhelming advantages, Houston could have won this game, just as they had dominated in the first quarter. But they went with the the first pick of the Draft, and on some levels, we cannot blame them.
As the Niners' left-footed Joe Nedney easily made the game-winning kick through the wind, the Niners on the field celebrated. In Houston, there is no question that the Texans' fans were elated as well. To their credit, in 2006 the Niners may retain some of their players who feel as though there is a nascent winning culture in the San Francisco franchise. Sure, Nolan has shown himself to be a real catalyst for change after the Erickson regime's debacle. This win hurts the Niners' draft position, but provides insight into the Nolan's attitude for the future; there is no easy path, we will win through hard work and steady growth. Of course, perhaps that's just AFS projecting.
As for our Raiders, forget it. The game wasn't on TV. The New York (American football) Giants had playoff positioning to play for, and for weeks now, it has been obviously the end of Norv. It had all the inevitability of a sunset. Now the question becomes what to do with the Head Coach job. Would Al allow a strong hand in the Head Coach's position that could lead the team to its potential? The Raiders have made a habit of settling for results far less then the sum of their parts. And that's unacceptable.
The NYG cut apart the aiders, keeping key players on the bench. Oakland's blue-chip offensive tackle Robert Gallery broke his right fibula. On the Raiders' sideline, many Oakland players wore long faces borne of frustration, of being embarrassed on their home field, of a season's promise long lost. The Giants got what they wanted from the Raiders, rode to the airport, got on the plane, and went home. The ending for this season is mercifully done for our Raiders. A new chapter is on its way. We shall see how Al decides to move. If His Al-ness's attitude towards the Head Coach position does not change, we can only expect our Raiders to be of use to opposing teams, as opposed to a point of pride for Oakland's fans.
Next in your American Football Spectacular: More on the Raiders' and Niners' possible futures tomorrow, as your American Football Spectacular tells the tale of the 2005 NFL season, and looks towards the future.
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