Sunday started off brilliantly for the 49ers but it ended with the same result as the first three weeks.
Matt Bryant hit a 43-yard field goal with two seconds to play -- the only two seconds they’d lead all day -- to give the Falcons a 16-14 victory in a game that saw them down 14-0 before the end of the first quarter. Bryant’s kick came after the 49ers blew a chance to seal the victory early in the game-winning drive.
Nate Clements picked off a Matt Ryan pass, but fumbled when Roddy White ran him down. Harvey Dahl recovered for the Falcons and then Ryan led the team 68 yards in 12 plays to secure their third victory in four tries. Ryan completed 6-of-9 throws on the drive, including two third-down passes, and helped remind people why he was dubbed “Matty Ice” in the first place. Roddy White continued to build his burgeoning resume with three catches for 41 yards on the drive.
Give the Falcons defense a good deal of credit for the win as well. After giving up 88 yards and a touchdown on the first San Francisco drive, they shut things down for the remainder of the afternoon. The 49ers managed just 174 yards and Alex Smith threw a pair of interceptions to put away any hopes that things would change instantly because of Jimmy Raye’s departure.
