SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) -Mike Singletary tries to block out the speculation about his uncertain future with San Francisco, insisting he refuses to read newspapers or other reports and that he knows full well what could ultimately happen in a matter of a month.
“I think one of the saddest things about our society today, anybody can say anything and write anything and have no responsibility,” Singletary said. “For me, everything I say I’m responsible for. So any kind of reports or whatever that come out, and I know that there are many, I really don’t read them. If it’s true, it’s true. But until I know it’s true, my eyes are on Seattle.”
His once-favored 49ers (4-8), still reeling from their surprising 0-5 start, might be mathematically eliminated from playoff contention if they lose at home Sunday to the NFC West rival Seahawks. Team owner John York and his team president son, Jed, have expressed their frustrations with this disappointing season and might decide to fire Singletary with two years remaining on his four-year contract.
“If it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen,” tight end Vernon Davis said. “But everything that goes on upstairs, we kind of leave that to them.”
Singletary said Monday he is undecided on his starting quarterback – Alex Smith or Troy Smith – for the must-win game with Seattle, which thoroughly shocked San Francisco 31-6 in Week 1. That one still stings.
Troy Smith has started the past five games in this season of constant change for the Niners, but Singletary was contemplating another switch Monday on the heels of Sunday’s 34-16 beating at Green Bay.
Troy Smith took over after Alex Smith, the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2005 out of Utah, separated his non-throwing left shoulder at Carolina on Oct. 24.
There have been so many other fluctuations along the way for this franchise. Offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye was fired after a loss at Kansas City in Week 3 and replaced by quarterbacks coach Mike Johnson. Brian Westbrook has been thrust into a bigger role after do-everything running back Frank Gore went down with a season-ending fractured right hip last week at Arizona.
An inexperienced offensive line features a pair of rookies and a center who hasn’t played the position since college. The leader of the line, left tackle Joe Staley, is injured.
On Sunday, Westbrook had nine carries for 31 yards and rookie Anthony Dixon nine for 33 – far from what this team can get away with to stay in contention. Singletary had said late last week the Niners needed to be more creative to compete without Gore.
Troy Smith went 10 for 25 for 194 yards with a touchdown pass and an interception Sunday, but will Singletary and his staff decide to turn back to Alex Smith because of his knowledge of the entire playbook and ability to throw deep?
While Davis would prefer to know who is going to set up behind center, he knows his job is to worry about catching the ball no matter who’s throwing. Davis made four receptions for a career-high 126 yards and a 66-yard touchdown grab just before halftime – San Francisco’s longest play from scrimmage this season and Davis’ team-leading fifth TD catch of the year – in the loss to the Packers. Not much else went right for the offense on a day the 49ers had possession for only 22 minutes, 49 seconds to more than 37 minutes for Green Bay.
“Yes, we were on the field a long time but that’s something we could’ve controlled, and we didn’t,” Singletary said. “We couldn’t get off the field after a while. That was probably the most disappointing thing. … (Also) just the overall physicality that we didn’t play with. I just thought that we could’ve done a better job, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. We could’ve done a better job tackling.”
The 49ers managed only four first downs via the rush.
Davis acknowledges everybody will have to come to play Sunday if the Niners have any chance to extend their season and end a seven-year playoff drought.
This is it.
“We just have to attack everybody we play pretty much. It’s as simple as that,” Davis said. “We don’t have time to make no mistakes. We have to go because if we lose to any of these teams, then probably nothing’s going to happen for us. But we have a good shot if we win all four games. That’s what we need to concentrate on. That needs to be our big focus – win each game, one game at a time.”
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