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There is something wrong with the 49ers.  They used to say something stinks in Denmark.  Something really stinks in Santa Clara.

I got on the J.T. O’Sullivan bandwagon after the preseason game against the Bears, because I saw a guy who was learning from his mistakes.  I saw a player who was progressing quickly.  We got some hint of this after the 49ers lost to Arizona, and then won back-to-back games against Seattle and Detroit.  The fact that O’Sullivan threw for 321 yards on the Seahawks said something to me.

I’ll admit to not being really excited when the season started.  Nervous excitement, maybe.  I haven’t really seen enough of any game to provide a good analysis, that’s why I haven’t written a post for every game.  During that farcical quarterback competition–you know, the one where Alex Smith and Shaun Hill had about four days to do something before the reins were handed to O’Sullivan–I was concerned.  The Head Coach provides about zero leadership for this team, and Martz provided some.  I was willing to give Martz a break on O’Sullivan, and accept the idea that Smith would be the #2 man in yet another new offense.

We need Alex Smith now more than ever.  J.T. O’Sullivan threw two interceptions and fumbled four times against New York.  FOUR TIMES!!!  Gone is the chance to see how learning on the bench would benefit Smith.  Gone is the chance to put Smith in for the struggling O’Sullivan to see what he can do.  The book is far from written on Smith, because he hasn’t taken a single regular season snap under Martz.  Injuries cannot be pinned on him.

But it appears the book is written on O’Sullivan.  Eight teams have contributed to this book.  The 49ers appear to be the Ninth chapter in the book entitled, “Why J.T. O’Sullivan is not an NFL Quarterback.”  The book also appears to be written on Mike Nolan, entitled, “Why Mike Nolan is the Worst Head Coach in the NFL.”  I am not excited about this team, and not just because of yet another losing streak.  Barely surviving against the Seahawks and soundly beating the winless Lions does not encourage me.  The leadership of this team stinks, and I can root all I want for the players–but until the leadership changes, this team will continue to lose.

If Matt Hasselbeck comes back to the Seahawks, they’d be in a better position, clearly.  However, if they start Seneca Wallace again, I daresay the 49ers will be in a position to win.  But the Seahawks will be looking for revenge after losing at home, and J.T. O’Sullivan has been figured out by NFL defenses.  If the very depleted Seahawks come in to San Francisco and lose, Mike Nolan will see this as some sort of validation before the Bye, and tell us all how the team has improved, and how losing was a challenge, and gosh aren’t challenges fun?

In the end, the 49ers will finish this season with a losing record unless O’Sullivan suddenly turns into a different player.  I suppose it’s possible.  But Mike Nolan is still the same coach, and all the analysis in the world can’t change that.