Gore's injury opens door for Hill to shine

The 49ers, for whatever reason, were reluctant to ask Hill to do too much late in Sunday's game against the Vikings. It looked as if he won the game with a 5-for-5 performance with 89 yards passing on the go-ahead drive. But, then, they took the ball out of his hands on the final two drives. The reason Hill won the starting job in training camp is because he demonstrated leadership, a calm under pressure and the ability to make good decisions. Why not trust him to exhibit those qualities when the 49ers need a first down to win the game? After all, Hill is at his best on third downs and in the fourth quarter with passer ratings in the top five in the NFL in those situations. On third downs, Hill has completed 22 of 29 passes (75.9 percent) for 238 yards with a passer rating of 111. He's been even better in the fourth quarter, completing 23 of 30 passes (76.7 percent) for 235 yards with two TDs and no interceptions and a passer rating of 120.8. * * * If...