Niners’ skid grows to five

Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO

Kevin Kolb passed for 253 yards while capably filling in for injured Michael Vick, and Quintin Mikell returned Alex Smith’s fumble 51 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter of the Philadelphia Eagles’ 27-24 victory over the winless San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night.

LeSean McCoy rushed for a score and Trevard Lindley made a last-minute interception for the Eagles (3-2), who forced five turnovers and survived San Francisco’s late rally for their fifth straight win over the 49ers (0-5).

Smith passed for 309 yards, but also committed three turnovers. He received thunderous boos from the Candlestick Park crowd and an apparent tongue-lashing from coach Mike Singletary before leading two fourth-quarter TD drives.

It has been 31 years since the San Francisco 49ers have been this bad.

Their five-game losing streak to open a season is the worst since they lost seven in a row to begin a 2-14 season in 1979 under first-year coach Bill Walsh. Two seasons later, the 49ers won their first of three Super Bowls under the late Hall of Fame coach.

This team is coming apart in every way in Singletary’s second full season in charge. When Smith committed his second of three turnovers and the team’s fourth of five overall early in the fourth quarter, Singletary removed his hat and scratched his head on national TV.

Kolb made the best play of a scoreless third quarter with a 19-yard run for a first down on a third-and-18 play.