Unless your real name is schottenheimer, I wouldn't worry about it.
Does San Fran get no credit for playing the defense they're capable of playing? I like debating you, because we're both stuck on one particular notion about Schottenheimer. I'm rewatching the plays involving Austin right now (9 of them), and here's how it went down.
1. Short pass (under pressure) for a first down when they needed a first down (3rd and 4)
2. Clemens uncorked a long one and overthrew Austin by about 5 yards.
3. End-around for 10 yards
4. Cook cleared out the underneath zone, Austin had room to run, but SF converged. Still a first down when they needed one.
5. Designed pass play FROM Austin to Pettis. Pettis was wide open for 6. Bad throw.
6. 50 yard pass to Austin (clear pass interference, but no call). Austin couldn't get separation even though he had a clean release.
7. Bad pass - short middle - intercepted
8. Short right - first down.
9. Hurried pass - caught at the 3 (good defense) and tackled. One more step, and it's a TD.
I also counted three other plays in which someone else was targeted, but Austin would have been the better option.
I know you want Austin to light it up every week like he had the previous two games, but we're not the St Louis Tavons, and Schottenheimer is giving him opportunities to make plays like he is for everyone else. Unless they can execute, we won't see the rewards of those play designs. They go over these things in practice (against our own defense), and the ones that work - or show the promise to work - are the ones that make it to the game day playbook. By my count, Tavon Austin alone left 6 points on the field when he missed on his *pass* to Pettis. Which isn't a big deal since those types of missed opportunities are present in every game that every team plays. The bottom line, though, is that Tavon isn't going to get many opportunities to go 70 yards for a TD against defenses like the one he faced yesterday. Particularly when that defense is geared up to take him out of the game. If anyone blew it, it was Cook. It was HIS day to shine yesterday.