Oh, not on the field. Stop dreaming. Trent Dilfer, who started against the St. Louis Rams yesterday for the sore-shouldered Alex Smith, was powerless to alter the fortunes of his team's six-day, two-city No Touchdown Tour.

But after the 13-9 loss, Dilfer dignified the postgame quizfest with a moment of clarity.

"We have been poor in situational football," he said. "It comes down to how you play when things are hardest. Things are more difficult in short-yardage situations, red-zone situations and third-down situations. That is this game.

"The common denominator with the good teams I have been with is we have been good in those situations. And the common denominator with the poor teams I've been with is that we have struggled in those situations."

It doesn't qualify as divulging state secrets to point out that the 49ers have not enjoyed much success this season. Sunday's loss was their eighth in a row.

When things have been hardest? During those eight losses, the San Francisco offense has converted 31-of-112 third downs (28 percent). That matches their season total, which ranks last in the NFL.

Red-zone situations? The 49ers have reached the opponent's red zone 17 times in the past eight games. It hardly matters that six touchdowns and seven field goals have resulted. More telling is the infrequent nature of the visits—little more than twice per game, which is ... wait, we have the official NFL statistical designation here somewhere ... ah, here it is: really quite pitiful.

That leaves short-yardage situations, but they'll have to go unquantified. Frankly, our eyes are still crossed from watching them the first time.

"We have lost for a reason," Dilfer said. "That is because we are not a good situational football team. That is a fact. The challenge is fixing it. We are trying very hard to do so, but we're not having any fruits of our labor."

When an offense is as horrific as the 49ers' has been lately, it's difficult to sort through the dreck and come up with any meaningful analysis. Dilfer is on to something here.

It isn't enough for an offense to be great, good, competent or even borderline functional. It needs to be great, good, competent or borderline functional at critical junctures of a game. It seems almost cruel to invoke comparisons with the 49ers' Super Bowl teams, but what the heck:

Those offenses could run the ball for 2 yards, guaranteed, upon command. They could complete a 12- yard pass at will. They had the poise and diversity to reach the red zone, and party on once they got there.

Those offenses had an identity. The current 49ers offense has none. It has no go-to play, and no go-to player. It is stunningly unimaginative. It lacks speed, so opposing defenses can fearlessly cluster near the line of scrimmage. It overpowers no one.

Even when everything goes right, something seems to go wrong. Sunday's game was there to be won late in the fourth quarter. Trailing 13-6, Dilfer drove the 49ers to the St. Louis 28-yard line. On first down he threw a nice pass to tight end Vernon Davis near the goal line, putting it high where only Davis could get it.

He went up and got it. It would have been a brilliant catch—these things happen occasionally in the NFL — but he dropped the ball when he fell hard in the end zone.

On second down, Dilfer found Darrell Jackson in the end zone and hit him right in the hands. As 49ers fans know by now, that's a flip of the coin. Jackson dropped the ball.

"That's a play I expect to make," said Jackson, party of one.

"All of us need to do a better job of finishing plays," Dilfer said charitably.

There isn't much that can be done about the current state of the offense. Demoting offensive coordinator Jim Hostler would thrill legions of dissatisfied customers. But he would have to be replaced by someone, who would be stuck with the current playbook.

And, not to pile on, with the current personnel as well.

No, Dilfer's observation comes into play next offseason, when it comes to time to upgrade what you've got. Then it would behoove the 49ers to seek to establish a power running element, for those pesky first-and-goals. And a reliable medium-range passing game, for those nettlesome third-and-six's. And speed, to stretch the defense from side to side and top to bottom. And more hands with fewer thumbs.

In the meantime, they can give thanks for the intangibles Dilfer gives them.