49ers Focus
By Robert Haugh

Having transformed a losing 6-10 team into a 13-3 Super Bowl-contending team, the 49ers’ staggering Cinderella season woefully came to an end, suffering a gut wrenching 20-17 overtime loss to the New York Giants on Sunday, January 22 at Candlestick Park.

Despite many fans and media pointing the 49ers’ heartbreaking loss to two major gaffs by wide receiver and punt return man Kyle Williams, the 49ers simply didn’t perform well enough for the win on Sunday.

The offense had many opportunities to score touchdowns, including the drive to tie the game with minutes remaining. However, after reaching deep into the red zone, they only came up with a field goal. The 49ers’ offense also had two possessions in overtime, both ending in punts.

Going 1-for-13 on third downs was a major downfall as well. Though the offensive line played well, the 49ers’ receivers could not find ways to get open – a testament to the Giants’ secondary playing exceptionally well.

Alex Smith, likely the league’s most improved player, didn’t do anything extraordinary, but did keep the 49ers in the game on a few bootleg scrambles, and also connected on two long touchdown passes to tight end Vernon Davis. Smith, unfortunately, missed his marks on a few passes, but the majority of in incompletions were actually keen throwaways.

Most fans and media members envisioned the 49ers in pre-season as a middle-of-the-pack team, but coach Jim Harbaugh, his coaching staff and the talented players proved many wrong by knocking off the Saints in divisional playoffs and nearly reaching the team’s sixth Super Bowl appearance.

Though the 49ers’ Cinderella season has come to an end, Harbaugh will fine-tune this 49ers team throughout the off-season. The 49ers of 2012-13 won’t be a Cinderella story at this time in 2013 - they may very well be upsetting next year’s Cinderella story as they are marching into the Super Bowl.