49ers Actually Make Saints Look Decent

How bad are the San Francisco 49ers?

So bad that the New Orleans Saints, a team that had not won since the season opener, beat them, 24-6, Sunday.

It was the biggest margin of victory for the Saints in their series against the 49ers.

“We’re searching for answers and I’m beating myself up trying to find a way to get more out of our players on both sides of the ball,” 49er Coach Steve Mariucci said. “You’ve got a frustrated team right now.”

The victory ended the longest losing streak of Coach Mike Ditka’s career and ended a decade of futility for the Saints against San Francisco, which had won the last seven games, 11 of the last 12 and 14 of the last 16.

“It’s not going to make our season,” Saint cornerback Ashley Ambrose said. “But for a little while it feels great to get some of that monkey off our back.”

The 49ers (3-6) have lost five in a row. The last time that happened was in 1980, when they lost eight straight.

“Before, we were so successful that now that we aren’t people are taking advantage of it and taking their frustrations out on us and pushing us around,” 49er linebacker Ken Norton Jr. said.

Billy Joe Tolliver, the goat so often during the Saints’ seven-game losing streak, was the star. The second-string quarterback rushed for two touchdowns and passed for a third.

Tolliver, who had thrown four touchdown passes and 10 interceptions going into the game, did not turn over the ball against the 49ers, electing to scramble rather than force passes. He completed 12 of 15 passes for 242 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 36 yards. Tolliver rushed for two first-half touchdowns and passed to Andre Hastings for an 11-yard score in the third quarter.