49ers vs. Atlanta Falcons

Matt Ryan threw for 329 yards and two touchdowns and the Atlanta Falcons crushed the 49ers 45-10 at Candlestick Park. Michael Turner ran for 97 yards and three touchdowns. Roddy White caught seven for 124. Shaun Hill threw for 198 yards and an interception. Glen Coffee ran for 45 and a touchdown. The 49ers' defense surrendered 45 points and 478 total yards. The 49ers fell to 3-2.[1][2][3]

Matt Ryan went for 329 passing yards Sunday afternoon at Candlestick. The Atlanta Falcons crushed the 49ers 45-10 in the kind of home loss where the Singletary defensive identity, the team's argument for being an NFC playoff contender, came apart at every position.

Michael Turner ran for three touchdowns and 97 yards. Roddy White caught seven for 124. Tony Gonzalez added three catches for 39. The 49ers' defense surrendered 478 yards. Shaun Hill threw for 198 and an interception. Glen Coffee scored the 49ers' only touchdown. Joe Nedney made one field goal.

3-2. The kind of home loss that, against a real NFC contender, exposes the gap between a 49ers team that has played defense and a Falcons team that has played offense. Singletary postgame called the performance the worst of the season and pledged a rework of the defensive plan during the bye week. The bye comes next week. Then a road game at Houston in Week 7 against the Texans and Matt Schaub.

Falcons 45, 49ers 10. Margin: -35. Five-game record: 3-2, +14 differential.

* Matt Ryan: 22-of-32 for 329, 2 TDs, 1 INT.
* Michael Turner: 22 carries for 97, 3 TDs.
* Roddy White: 7 catches for 124.
* Shaun Hill: 15-of-38 for 198, 0 TD, 1 INT, 45.7 rating.
* Glen Coffee: 12 carries for 45, 1 TD.
* 49ers D: surrendered 478 total yards, 45 points.
* 49ers' first home loss of 2009.
* 49ers 3-2 (heading into bye); Falcons 4-1.

A 45-10 home blowout by the Atlanta Falcons at Candlestick. The 49ers fall to 3-2 heading into the bye week.

How it unfolded

Atlanta scored on its opening drive with a Michael Turner touchdown to make it 7-0. The 49ers answered with a Joe Nedney field goal. Atlanta added a Ryan touchdown to push the lead to 14-3. The second quarter was three more Atlanta touchdown drives (Ryan, Turner, Turner) and the lead grew to 35-3 at halftime. The third quarter was a Glen Coffee touchdown to make it 35-10. Atlanta added a fourth-quarter touchdown to push the final to 45-10.

The turning point

Atlanta's three-touchdown second quarter. With the 49ers down 14-3 and still functionally in the game, the Falcons scored 21 unanswered points in the second quarter and turned the home game into a runaway by the half. The defense, the team's identity, was on the field for almost the entire 15-minute period.

By the numbers

Hill 198 passing on 38 attempts with no TD and an INT. Coffee 45 rushing on 12 carries with a TD. Davis 1 catch for 9. Morgan 78 receiving on 4 catches. Ryan 329 passing on 32 attempts with two TDs. Turner 97 rushing on 22 carries with three TDs. White 124 receiving.

Personnel watch

Michael Turner with three touchdowns, the kind of opposing back day the Singletary front had not allowed all season. The defensive front, generating no sacks of Matt Ryan, looked like an off-day. Vernon Davis a non-factor (1 catch). Frank Gore inactive (ankle).

What it means

3-2 with the bye next week. The kind of home loss that, against an NFC contender, sets the season's competitive question into something the team has to answer coming out of the off week. Houston on the road in Week 7. The Atlanta loss is the kind of result that produces a Monday-morning film-room conversation about whether the early identity was real.