But Nolan and the 49ers have fared well in previous seasons. Nolan was successful on 12 of 25 (48 percent) replay challenges heading into this season.
Last year, the 49ers were successful on 4 of 9, tying them for ninth-best in the NFL. In '06, Nolan got 6 of 11 challenges overturned for a 54.6-percent success rate for third in the league.
A lot of attention has been focused on director of football operations Paraag Marathe, who is the team's chief contract negotiator. A couple weeks ago, Ralph Barbieri and Tom Tolbert asked me on KNBR who is the person in the booth who helps Nolan with the replay challenges. My answer - Marathe - surprised a lot of people.
Nolan said last season that Marathe provides statistical information from the coaches' booth. Marathe is also there for clarification on rules and helps on replay challenges.
"He's always right on it," Nolan said last season. "He's probably the best I've ever been around."
Marathe is still in the coaches' booth this season. He is the only non-coach in the booth. Let's be clear: Marathe is not in charge of challenging calls; he merely offers recommendations to Nolan. Of course, Nolan has the red flag. It's his final call. Sometimes he heeds Marathe's advice, I'm sure, and other times he may not.
According to his bio in the team's publications, Marathe also "manages the club's research and development efforts and assists the coaching staff with various strategic projects through the regular season and offseason."
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Speaking of stats, here are a few for you to digest:
--Since Nolan took over as coach, the 49ers are 3-15 in games that begin at 10 a.m., Pacific time. Their early victories have come against the St. Louis Rams (twice) and the Detroit Lions.
--The 49ers have converted just 5 of 14 on plays of third-and-1 or 2. The 49ers are just 3 of 7 on those rushing attempts, and 2 of 7 on passing attempts.
--The 49ers' defense has not fared well on rushing plays off left tackle. Opponents have run 31 times to left tackles for a 5.7-yard average. That ranks 29th in the league. That's the right side of the 49ers' defense, mostly where Justin Smith and Aubrayo Franklin generally lined up.
--When I covered this team during the Steve Mariucci era, I remember that it seemed as if they would always run the ball on second-and-10 after an incomplete pass. Unfortunately, I don't have access to the actual numbers. This season, when it's second-and-10, the 49ers have thrown the ball 83.3 percent of the time.
--When the 49ers have a first-and-10 in the opposition's territory, the 49ers have thrown 66.13 percent of the time and rushed just 33.87 percent.
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just 5 of 14 on plays of third-and-1 or 2 - That is just unacceptable..
I've always wondered why, when the League schedules eastern teams for home games that start at 1pm PST, do they almost always play other eastern teams?
Of 19 such games this year, only ONCE (San Diego @ Pittsburgh week 11) does a western team play a 1pm PST game in an eastern stadium. To me, that is a HUGE advantage for the home team.
Didn't Coach Walsh depart for east coast games on Friday? Does Coach Nolan do the same?
Yes, the 49ers still leave for East Coast games on Fridays. If you want to read more about the way the 49ers travel, check out my blog from last season. http://49ers.pressdemocrat.com/default.asp?item=704957. --Matt M.
So what Matt is saying is stay in bed this Sunday.
Thanks for the stats, Matt. I can never get enough as they always tell you something interesting. The one that jumped out at me was the left tackle running. I was skeptical that Justin Smith would perform any better than Marques Douglas. From watching him, I thought he's actually done pretty well but those stats tell a different story. I wonder if he's gambling a lot and not completing his primary job?
"Opponents have run 31 times to left tackles for a 5.7-yard average." Why is Franklin still in the starting lineup? He's been getting blown off the ball every game. It's time to see what Balmer has to offer. Of course Nolan is going to stay the course and stick with the vets. Need I say more?
Matt - You're getting away from the usual great reporting. The challenge/Paraag story may be good ratings for SRPD's editor but remains a distraction that actually benefits Nolan. Let's give it an honorable burial. Rather than focus on a defense on pace to match Dennis Erickson's 2-14 squad (28 ppg), the media continues harp on this side show. The real story for 2005-2008 is that Mike Nolan still has zero basis for claiming that he's any better coach than Dennis Erickson. Quite a benchmark. We can stop talking about abstractions. Dennis Erickson!
Let see, Nolan let's some doofus intellec from Stanford say when to throw the red flag, and he is only right thirty three percent of the time.
Nice, Hey Nolan, I will sit in the box for free you don't have to pay me a dime and I promise, I will bat more than .333 with the red flag. The more I learn about Nolan and what he does, Mike Nolan is a buffoon!
Football is not rocket science!
I don't know how the great Bill Walsh did it, but come Sunday morning at 10am, the Niners were ready to ROCK!! I mean they ride into town at 10am and beat the heck out of a team for sixty minutes. Then steal their women and drink their beer and kick their dog before leaving town at 3pm Sunday afternoon PST. It was just uncanny he was with a pro football team.
I want Urban Myer as the next head coach of the 49ers. This guy is the best college coach out there, and the great Bill Walsh loved Urban and how he coaches.
God I miss Bill Walsh, god rest his soul.
The numbers suggest that Martz's offense is strange and, since it is not providing wins, he should be considered "on probation" for a while; also that the D has major problems and, since there has been plenty of time to fix them, that something is wrong at the coaching/player development/player acquisition level. I think Nolan has to go--but what is to keep the Dennis Erickson nightmare from being repeated with a new bozo for a head coach? Nolan at least improved the team, and I think despite obvious problems, he knows a lot about the game. Anyone out there got enough moola to make the Yorks an offer they can't refuse?
Let's see, the Giants have been much better than the 49ers for a few years now, they are playing at home, it's a 10am game,
they have the best running back (in ypc) going against a team
that gives up rushing yardage at an alarming clip on their right side, and they have one of the best defenses in the league. And just to make things interesting, they are coming off a humiliating defeat on national TV to give them further motivation. Yet, I'll still subject myself to this carnage on Sunday morning. I sometimes wonder why.
John from HB Cali said it best.
"I don't know how the great Bill Walsh did it, but come Sunday morning at 10am, the Niners were ready to ROCK!!"
The 49ers always left on Friday under Bill Walsh. When do they leave now?
Matt,
I was curious to know what is the opponents % on 3rd and 1 or 2?
I feel like we never ever stuff an offense when they are third and short and we never ever make a 1st down on 3rd and short. Thanks
Matt, just as bad is the 49ers Def vs. 3rd and short rushing plays. Opponents are converting 71% of 3rd and less than three yards.
How much of the D-line problems do you believe are due to Bryant Young's retirement?
I'm starting the "Free P-Willy" campaign. The platform? Sign Haynesworth in the off-season. I like to build through the draft as much as the next guy, but an impact NT is hard to find in the draft.
If we're creating a wish list for the next HC - I want Jim Schwartz, Def Coordinator for the Titans, to be our next HC. He's had 9 years working with Fisher, who is one of the best coaches in the NFL.
The only college HC I would want is Harbaugh from Stanford. He's a good motivator and knows what it would take to win the NFL.
I would say this game is the least winnable on the schedule, but then visiting the Cowboys and Bills are about the same. Even though a win is unlikely, can they play well and stay in the game, or will they be down by multiple scores by halftime?
Giants 34, Niners 6 - and that's being nice.
Matt, why can't the 49ers just leave for the East Coast by Wednesday? I think all West Coast teams that need to go to the East should leave days earlier, not this Friday or Saturday. Matt, also, didn't the NE Pats stay out West all week for the game vs. the Chargers? 49ers should leave for the East Coast earlier, not Fridays. Your thoughts please?
Be like me, ask your job to let you work Sundays. I now work on Sundays and I'm happier to miss the 49ers games. Course I unfortunately have to miss Damon Bruce crying on the air now.