At times, Asomugha looking lost in coverage

Here are some observations and ruminations from the 49ers victory over the Eagles:

Is it safe to say that Nnamdi Asomugha hasn't played the way you would want from a $60 million investment?

The Eagles cornerback has struggled in his first four games with the team, and struggled is about as kind as you can put it. Asomugha looked fine when he was lined up opposite 49ers tight end Vernon Davis and was strictly responsible for manning him up.

But there were a few times in zone when he looked completely lost. Of course, his worst play came in man-to-man coverage. Asomugha was playing close to the line against Michael Crabtree when he bit on a stop-and-go and was beaten for a 38-yard catch.

Asomugha could have limited the damage when he caught up to the receiver but whiffed on another would-be tackle.

The pass is back

You can bet after the Eagles ran 10 times more than they passed last week against the Giants - and lost - that Andy Reid and Marty Mornhinweg were going to come out guns-a-blazing against a stubborn 49ers run defense.

In the first half alone, Michael Vick dropped back a whopping 30 times. Total run plays: seven. And guess what, it worked. The Eagles racked up 293 total yards in the first 30 minutes.

Babin is a hit

Can't say we weren't skeptical when the Eagles signed big-money free agent Jason Babin after a 12 1/2-sack season in Tennessee. Babin looked like a one-hit wonder. But so far he's been anything but for the Eagles.

Through the first four games Babin already has seven sacks. On one of his three sacks Sunday, Babin forced 49ers quarterback Alex Smith to fumble into the waiting hands of defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins. The Eagles offense converted the turnover into a touchdown and took a 20-3 lead into the half.

Of course, the 49ers also ran at Babin on a crucial third and 7 in the fourth quarter. They gained 14 yards and scored the go-ahead touchdown on the next play.

Other than an occasional play like that, however, Babin's only other issue is that he needs to cut down on the penalties. He took a roughing-the-passer penalty in the third quarter.end

Still a problem

There was no Casey Matthews to blame after 49ers running back Frank Gore eased his way through the middle of the Eagles defense for a 40-yard rush in the first quarter.

The rookie Matthews was benched this week, just one week after he lost the middle linebacker job and was moved to weak-side linebacker. Matthews has been a whipping boy for fan discontent, but Gore's run proved that there is something systematically wrong with the Eagles' run defense.

Nevertheless, the 49ers offense was an ineffective one, and, well, Matthews' replacement, Brian Rolle, was an upgrade. Can the Eagles get someone to replace safety Jarrad Page, who was faked out of his jock on Gore's burst?

No relief for Jackson

Vick said all week that DeSean Jackson would have a breakout day on Sunday. The Eagles tried to make it happen early - using misdirection to help Jackson get open on the game's first play.

The ball was underthrown but still should have been caught. Jackson needs to come up with catches like that if he wants to live up to his own billing as being one of the great receivers in the NFL.

Jackson did end with six catches for 171 yards, including a 61-yard bomb that he almost turned into a touchdown.

Overall, though, Jackson had his troubles. On the Eagles' second drive, Jackson was outmuscled by Carlos Rogers on yet another play drawn up specifically for him.

As Rogers returned the interception, Jackson waved to the referees for a pass-interference call he didn't get and didn't deserve. Not exactly proving your point, DeSean.

Contact staff writer Jeff McLane at 215-854-4745, jmclane@phillynews.com, or @Jeff_McLane on Twitter.