If you have one of the 49ers' starting wideouts on your fantasy football team, you have to be feeling a little nervous right about now. Both of those guys -- Isaac Bruce and Josh Morgan -- didn't catch a ball in tonight's game, and it wasn't as if the 49ers were trying hard to hit them. Jimmy Raye seemed content with lots of dump offs and screens. Shaun Hill said it was to take advantage of the Cowboy's up-field pass rush, but it was another conservative game plan from Raye. How conservative? One of the beat writers -- ok, it was me -- said Raye is making Jim Hostler seem like Don Coryell by comparison.
One of the reasons may be that the 49ers wideouts are still recovering from brutal, two-a-day practices. Josh Morgan said he's capable of running a 4.39 40, but with his legs feeling like Jello he'd be lucky to run a 4.5. Two-a-day practices ended last week, and the receivers are starting to get their legs back. When that happens, the timing between them and Hill should improve as well.
Only one injury -- what the 49ers are describing as a "mild concussion" to safety Michael Lewis. It's a bit more concerning than that because Lewis also suffered a concussion a week and a half ago in Napa. Lewis took a knee to the helmet. Mark Roman substituted for him and was the defensive player of the game. Not only did he have an interception -- no, that's not a typo - but he made a shoe-string tackle on Dallas speedster Felix Jones that probably prevented a 90-plus yard touchdown scamper.
There were no sacks for the 49ers, although pressure on Tony Romo led to Roman's interception. The 49ers have one sack this preseason, and that came when JaMarcus Russell stumbled on his own ...
The 49ers must reduce their roster by four players -- remember, Marvel Smith retired -- by Tuesday. That means that K/P Alex Romero's extra point at the end of the game might be his last for the 49ers for a while. Who helped themselves? Nate Davis and Kory Sheets were the offensive stars of the game and Davis, in particular, is threatening to knock Damon Huard off the roster. ... Eric Green forced a fumble late but it was Johnny on the Spot Reggie Smith who recovered it. The top four safeties are Dashon Goldson, Lewis, Roman and Smith ... Tarell Brown played a lot in the second half. Brown, another victim of the nutcracker, is going to have a hard time supplanting Dre Bly as the starter, however. ... Only one punt, by Andy Lee, ended up hitting the video screen, and it occurred in warm ups. None of the in-game punts came close. In fact, Lee booted two of the worst punts I've seen him make. You have to wonder if he was thinking about the video screen. With that thing looming 90 feet above, it makes for a bit of a home-field advantage for the Cowboys ...
-- Matt Barrows
