Is this the end of the Nolan era?

It should be! If you will recall three post ago I mentioned the four games that we are currently in were crucial to the season and possibly the job of Mike Nolan. Well after the past two games I have come to the conclusion that Mike Nolan is not the answer.

Mike Nolan has had enough time to put together a winning season and has yet to come close much less make the playoffs. The addition of Mike Martz was supposed to be the missing link to this problem because offense was all we needed. Nolan put players in a defense that was supposed to be the strength of the team. What went wrong?

I hate to say it but at times Mike Nolan seemed more concerned about what he was wearing rather than the performance of his team. Well after six games in the 2008 season the wheels are falling off. The Niners lost to Philadelphia today 40-26 after leading by 9 points at the end of the third. Nolan's defense gave up 23 points in the final 11 minutes of the game and the Niner's who looked like they were going to dominate an opponent they lose focus and lose the game.

Don't get me wrong the players played hard and the Niner's seemed to be firing on all cylinders. Special teams blocked a field goal and returned it for a TD. Frank Gore was running over people and JT hadn't been sacked but then the fourth quarter came.

It is my opinion that the 49ers must move on NOW. The 49ers have lost three in a row and with the team traveling to the meadowlands next week and have a good chance of losing their fourth straight. Mike Nolan will not do what is necessary to salvage the season and there is a good chance that he will poison the current roster. The Niners could promote Martz to interim head coach and then make a play for Bill Cower. He is a master of defense and with the talent on the Niners roster he will easily turn the defense into a unit that is worthy of elite consideration.

One thing is certain that Nolan, like Alex Smith is done in San Francisco. If not now he will be gone by seasons end. To wait means that the will be competing with Oakland, St. Louis, Seattle and other teams for his top tier coaches. If they settle then we will be having this same discussion in 4 more years.

Thanks Mike for giving it the ole' college try but for the sake of the 49er's faithful it is time to move on.