Warriors in the Pros (w/UPDATE)

Jason Elam kicked a game-winning field goal for Denver as time expired to beat the Steelers 31 to 28.

Ashley Lelie actually played! And he actually caught a pass! Two passes actually, for 52 yards. Still, the 49ers' offense sputtered as they lost to the Giants, 33 to 15. Anyway, Lelie got some good reviews. Here are a couple--

Erik Larson of 49er Huddle:

The 49ers finally gave Ashley Lelie a shot in the second half, and to no one’s surprise except maybe the 49ers’ coaching staff, he was able to get open deep and Dilfer found him for a 47-yard completion, the 49ers’ longest pass play of the year. It’s still a huge mystery to me how the 49ers could not have been playing this guy.

John Crumpacker of the San Francisco Chronicle:

Player of the game: Lelie. Granted, he caught only two passes but one went for 47 yards and showed the utter stupidity of keeping him on the sideline all season to this point. As a wide receiver of another generation said famously, just throw him the damn ball.

UPDATE: Another review, this one from Craig Massei of SF Illustrated

Thumbs up: If Ashley Lelie can get open like that, it really makes you wonder why the 49ers were so stubborn in not using him earlier in the season while their offense was flat-lining. Lelie's 47-yard reception - when he blew down the right sideline past the New York defense - was San Francisco's longest offensive play of the season. It also was his first catch of the season. To be sure, something doesn't sound quite right about that last sentence.

Earlier today, the Advertiser had a McClatchy Newspapers article that may explain why the coaches weren't playing him. Right.

Lelie's teammate Isaac Sopoaga had one tackle in the game.

Ikaika Alama-Francis was inactive for today's Lions game.

Pisa Tinoisamoa had 3 tackles for the Rams.

Mat McBriar had a great game, punting 4 times for an average of 50.5 yards, pinning Minnesota back deep in their own territory several times.