Then, Shaun Hill insisted he should remain in the game. He made a convincing argument.
Singletary said he saw something in Hill's eyes, so he told J.T. O'Sullivan go to sit down. He was sticking with Hill.
What a decision that was. Hill threw for 127 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to lead the 49ers to an incredible 17-16 victory over the Rams. The game was brutally boring through more than three quarters until the 49ers came to life.
In playing so poorly for as long as he did, Hill turned it around. He unquestionably deserves a lot of praise for the way he was able to somehow pull out this victory. That shows a lot about this guy.
Hill said he might have put too much pressure on himself to make plays with a large contingent of family and friends at the stadium. He also wanted to help Isaac Bruce reach a couple milestones. Bruce finished with seven catches for 61 yards to go over 1,000 receptions in his career and move into second place, past Tim Brown, in career receiving yards.
When asked how difficult it would've been to get benched, Hill said, "It would've been real tough. It was tough when it was being considered."
Hill had three interceptions in the first three quarters.
"I was even going to take him out," Singletary said. "The only thing that stopped me was the look in his eyes. He said, 'Don't do that, coach. I'm going to be OK.' I said, 'All right, let's go.' I'm really proud of him."
* * *
Singletary told the story about why he changed his mind about Hill in the locker room. He also called up Josh Morgan, who made the game-winning TD catch, Bruce and cornerback Tarell Brown, who clinched the game with a last-second interception.
When Bruce was called, his teammates broke into cheers of "Bruuuuuce!"
As for the final TD, both Morgan and Jason Hill were running deep fades. Both could have made the catch, but Morgan went up and got it. Shaun Hill insists he was throwing to Morgan.
* * *
INJURY REPORT: S Michael Lewis (shoulder stinger) went back in the game. OLB Parys Haralson had his ankle re-taped after sustaining a sprain. He's expected to be fine.
* * *
What?
OK, this does not seem to make a bunch of sense, but a 49ers source tells me that former baseball player Darryl Strawberry was a guest in the
* * *
Here are my quickie grades, which are influenced a lot by the victory:
QB
B-minus
Shaun Hill was about as bad as an NFL quarterback can be for most of the game. But when it mattered most, he found a way to pull out the victory. For that display of perseverance, he deserves a lot of credit and he gets a higher grade than the numbers show he deserves.
RB
C
DeShaun Foster gained just 36 yards on 12 carries. He also got beaten for a sack in blitz pickup. Michael Robinson kept the ball in "Wildcat" once and gained just 2 yards.
WR
B-plus
Isaac Bruce made history with a couple milestones as part of his seven-catch, 61-yard day. But rookie Josh Morgan made the play of the game when he went up to make a 48-yard scoring grab with 82 seconds remaining in the game.
OL
B-minus
Although there were four sacks allowed, the line did a solid job most of the time. Shaun Hill held the ball too long some times and could have avoided sacks. Some sacks were not the line's fault.
DL
B-minus
The line jumped offside four times in the first half. Although Steven Jackson gained 108 yards, it took him 32 rushing attempts to get there. Justin Smith had six tackles and a sack.
LB
B
Patrick Willis had 13 tackles, including a big stop for a 3-yard loss in the final minute when the Rams needed just 10 yards for a game-winning field-goal attempt. Takeo Spikes also had a tackle for loss.
DB
B-plus
The 49ers had a mess up in the secondary on a 30-yard TD, but Michael Lewis, Walt Harris and Nate Clements broke up two passes apiece. Tarell Brown clinched the game with an interception in the final minute.
ST
B
Andy Lee had an outstanding 54.8 average (47.2 net) on five punts. Joe Nedney's 48-yard field goal in the opening quarter gave the 49ers a lead. The 49ers did nothing great or bad in the return game.
Coaching/overall
B-minus
Without the final 4:03 of the game, in which the 49ers scored 14 points, this game easily would've been an "F." But the 49ers somehow found a way to win a game on the road that it had no business winning. There was a lot of questionable stuff, but a win covers up a lot of blemishes.
* * *
Matt: did anybody ask why most or all the Niner kickoff and punt returns went toward the sidelines? Rossum basically helped the Rams keep him contained.
Ray McDonald is becoming the Kwame Harris of the D-line. He's becoming a major problem with his offsides.
I'd much rather see Lawson in on 3rd down.
I wasn't all that impressed with Martz's game plan, especially early on. I think there was too much concern for Bruce's stats. Got tired of the announcers saying how well the Ram D was playing when it was either poor play calling or just poor execution by the O or both. The only fun watching this game was the last 4 minutes but I'll take it.
Got to give props to Michael Lewis. He's a beast on run support & tackling. Still makes me nervous on pass coverage though. I was hoping Reggie Smith could get more PT at Strong Safety who right now I see as the future successor. Get this guy some PT!
(Reminder: Reggie Smith started 20 games at Strong Safety in Oklahoma. In his 3 years he had 22 passes deflected & 8 INT's. Plus he's also a physical tackler.)
It was nice to see Tarell Brown make the big play, I am hoping next year we will see a young and quick secondary of Brown, Reggie Smith, Dashon Goldson and Clements. We really need an influx of speed in the secondary, which will lead to more picks, if we can get that one pass rushing stud in FA or draft.
I'm sure Hill was aiming for morgan... but I'm glad Singletary decided to keep Hill in, because JTO would not have done any better in that situation. The defense did a great job at the end of the game shutting the rams down keeping them out of FG range. From watching the game on TV it didn't look like foster was taht bad, but looking at 32 yds rushing really makes me miss Gore all the more. I think he is a must next week. Just tape up that bad boy and get your 22 Frank!
By trusting his players, Singletary has shown more wisdom than had he tried any lineup change, however big or small. Coaching is about getting the most out of your players and your opportunities and Singletary achieved both today.
I knew we would lose the challenge play after the 1st replay. (Damn that Rook Avery made a heck of a play + he's coming along) But good call by Coach Sing just to give the Defense a breather. They were gassed. Also, I wonder if a challenge call is a little longer break than a regular timeout? If so, if you have some to burn (ex - have a good lead) you could use that for rest purposes as a strategy before a critical series or down in a game.
I can't help it but it has to be said again.......Roman SUCKS. Can Coach Sing please end the agony & bench this liability?? ANYBODY, ANYBODY to take his place PLEEEASE. He just sits back there looking lost. Either that or he gets burned. So useless.
quick thoughts - Morgan goes for the ball, while hill always waits for the ball........i liked out coach Sing coaches from the sideline....i was one of those that wanted Hill benched, good stuff on our first comaback in yrs - he his still a back-up, ..Sims is a bum........"In playing so poorly for as long as he did, Hill turned it around. He unquestionably deserves a lot of praise for the way he was able to somehow pull out this victory. That shows a lot about this guy."..HERE we go again RELAX with the praise, we just played the RAMS the 2nd worst team in the nfl...
Jason Hill needs to learn from Josh Morgan when going after balls. Morgan goes up to get the ball. Hill actually stays low which allows the defenders to make plays.
Great win!! It's gonna be verdy interesting to see the moves
coach Singletary makes with respect to coaches, and the
draft. I for one can't wait.
the cardinals are the worst team ever to qualify for the playoffs.....next yr the west is ours......go niners
Well, I'm happy about the win. But...
We've been here before with meaningless, late season wins that give us the false sense that are "almost" there. The team is playing better under Singletary, but we still need significant upgrades at wide receiver, defensive line, and yes...QB. I'm still not sold on Hill as a number one going in to next year.
This win was for Joe Starkey ......
Starkey's call on Morgan's TD catch was so awsome! Vintage Starkey. I'm gonna miss him.
The things I learned from the Niners win today:
1. Mike Martz's game plan sucked in the first half. No ball control, too few runs, and no playcalling adjustment for blitzes.
2. Foster can't see. If the hole isn't right in front of him he is not going to gain yards. There where cut back lanes on most of his runs that he didn't see. We need a true backup running back.
3. Vernon can't be trusted with the ball in his hands. And why aren't we seeing Delanie in the offense?
4. Our O line played great. They ony gave up one sack on a missed assignment by Staley, he blocked down because he didn't think Tino was going to blitz. Other than that great job.
5. JTO would not have won that game, not even close.!
6. Shaun Hill is a winner. Not a great QB? Maybe not, but he has a winnng record as a starter. I don't know that you mess with that chasing the next Montana. He starts next three years while we groom our young prospect we draft. If Shaun continues to win, and hopfully that includes playoff wins, then the young guy continues to sit. He's not pretty, but he's pretty effective wouldn't you say?
York should offer the head coach job to Singletary this week, before the end of the season! Singletary has really developed the teamwork the Niners sorely needed. Marx is questionable for O Coordinator.
You "fans" are so fickle. During the game you're all grousing and pissed off. Then 2 lucky plays, one the hail mary to Morgan and two, the very poorly thrown pass by Bulger that we intercept with a minute to go, and everything is fine, Singletary is coach of the year and we're just about set for next year.
Actually, this game shows none of that. It does show that the team was very poorly prepared, both strategically and emotionally; it shows they played just like a Nolan team for 56 minutes and were getting soundly thrashed.
I know it is unAmerican not to have an opinion, but I don't think there is enough evidence to decide that Sing is the guy for the future. I agree he has earned consideration, he has declined the opportunity to fail, but he has not necessarily shown that he has what it takes to lead this team to - and successfully through - the playoffs.
Lastly, I don't think it is a good measure to compare Sing to Nolan this year. Oh, I do think Nolan had to be fired, should have been fired one year ago. But looking at the season before it even started, you could see it was set up for Nolan to do poorly and his successor to do well. That is because we plaeyed the toughest teams in the first half AND we were still implementing Martz'a new scheme. I and others said the O wouldn't perform well until the second half as they needed the time to perfect Martz'a scheme.. That plus the development of the new receivers (Bruce, Johnson,Morgan, Zeigler, even Hill) all gave the team the liklihood of performing much better in the second half than in the first. So, it is not all Sing; he is merely the beneficiary of what went before.
You could make an argument that based on recent results, Gore is much more important to the team than who is head coach. Just another way of saying it's the players that win or loose the games. Rarely it's the coaches.
By the way, the plainers not only "loose" the game, they can tighten it too. (hey just a joke, forgive me Realfan49). Hey guys, Sing is doing a wonderful job. He looks like he may be a great one. Gruden, Shanahan...no one wins them all. Re: Hill. Jury still out. Why not chase the next Montana? You won't reach the star unless you aim for them (did I say that?) And you don't spend 3 years developing a young QB in today's NFL (not ones you pay well, anyway). We have Flacco and Ryan this year, but Russell getting better for the Raiders in his second year and Cutler started out well even in his first year. Though I say, let Tebow sit for 8 games and watch Hill before he starts.
Hi Matt, The team is showing character. It is now a no-brainer in signing Sing as coach. As far as Martz is concerned my take is that he will not get any offers for a head coaching position. He's the kind of guy that people don't seem to warm up to. Needless to say he is one of the top offensive minds around and by keeping him we can only get better. If the GM reads this blog please NO SYSTEM QBS in the draft.
Let's take off the rose colored glasses and shine a light on this game. Our 49ers are a joke. Ownership is the worst in team sports, led by the face of the franchise, Lucky Sperm Jed. This team is VERY poorly coached. Hill is the definition of career back-up. His fluttering passes make Billy Kilmer look like John Elway. A QB with that weak of an arm can not play in the windy Bay area, much less indoors like today. If the Yorks had a clue, which they do not, they would take a page from the Dolphins and go out and hire a top football person to head up the organization and bring in the right people. Jed, McCloughan, and Marathe are more like Moe, Larry, and Curly than Walsh, Ralston, and McVay. The Yorks will NEVER spend the money to bring in a Mike Holmgren type to run the show. If the three stooges stay in place and keep Singletay, next year will just be a replay of every year under the Yorks. Boycott the stadium! Do not renew season tickets! Send the Dorks a message, we're mad as hell, and we are not going to take it any more!!!!!!!!!
What is the asking price of Cassel or Tom Brady?
Can we get our hands on Haynesworth or Suggs?
2 obvious issues for the offseason..
Improved QB play, DL pressure.
Good win on the road, ugly, but it shows that the HC is getting effort even in garbage time of another lost season.
IMO, if the guys don't want Singletary they lay down.
Quite the opposite has happened, they rally around the coach and make necessary effort to make a play.
I can see Martz moving on, we need more WCO influence, underneath routes are our strength, Jason Hill is not a deep threat, Morgan will be.
Winning any regular season NFL game is great and winning on the road is even better. That said, yes, it was the Rams, and, yes, we've seen this late season surge before, and it was a fake out. But I still like that we went into their stadium, and beat them with 2 touchdown drives in the last 7 minutes. That has to be a confidence builder and motivator for the future.
Coach has solidified his position. Finishing the Game! The Rams are a sorry lot. What it did show is we need D Line & O line help.
Yea, even though it was the rams, it's not like they get totally beat up on every week. This is the first time in a long time they've had Jackson THEIR best player on the field, while ours, Gore, was on the sideline. coming form behind and winning is definitely something that needs to be learned regardless of the opponents record. It is something the niners have missed in their losses to Arizona and Miami.
And although wins now "don't matter," a win against the Rams is more valuable than a win over the Jets. So although this was an ugly win, don't knock it like there wasn't anything gained and making the niners out to be the trash of the league.
not all of that was meant for you RK
I think this was an important game to have-- this season when it doesn't matter. Sing found out that he isn't magic and the team still has big problems. We stunk for 53minutes against a lousy team, and he has 4 months before draft day to figure out what to do about it. The defense needs a few new players; the offense needs a few new players and a new coordinator. (I think Martz is a goner). I also think that Matt's grade for the o line is generous. It appeared to me that the Rams were controlling and getting too much pressure and we had no answer for it (even though yes, some of that was the result of Hill holding too long.) Matt, I'd like to see what you think after you get a look at the tapes.
What this game made me realize is next season ends the day gore or staley goes down for the better part of the year.We need to get jordan gross and percy harvin to make and keep us in playoff contention.In other words ,the primary emphsis must be domination in the trenches and a triple- threat speedster who can take it to the house as a receiver,returner and runniing back.Jeremy maclin would be great too.
Show of hands, how many of us wanted to see JTO today?
I sure did, and I was surprised to see what Singletary did whwn Jason Hill and Shaun Hill were having issues on the miscommunication and INT3.
He's cvry involved coach, especially one who is known for defense.
If this guy hasn't earned a permanent job I think it's crime.
These guys play hard, he's an excellent communicator, and he motivates each and every guy to give a little more.
Put a good Exec in the front office and give this guy the keys and I see him as another playoff bound rookie HC.
Very impressed with his leadership skills.
Walt Harris is no slouch in the speed department either.
The ball was underthrown for Hill to get it. Did you see how fast he got down the field? Ran right by his defender. He had to slow down, turn around, and wait. I think the ball was indeed intended for Morgan, but it's a strange play where two receivers end up within a few feet of each other.
I don't think Vernon Davis is being used well. Why don't we see some short passes over the middle to him? Then let him use his strength and speed to gain yards after the catch. I see mostly long passes, few of which are getting caught.
I liked the screen pass - aside from the fumble. Vernon didn't use his blockers well, but short pass plays similar to this could be a very effective weapon and a way to utilize Vernon's talents.
Speed doesn't mean he HAS to be used as a wideout. Handoff, sweep, reverse, screen, short slant.....
Rame, Vernon is not much of an open field runner and my guess is Martz is trying to find a creative way to utilize his speed.
Truthfully, he probably would be deadliest on seam and deep post routes, but I don't think he's polished enough just yet. He needs everything in front not over the shoulder.
If his hands were better he'd be one helluva WR.
He's a tough fit, but Martz is trying.
Wish he'd protect the ball better and be a little more alert to blitz pickup.
But his speed needs to used somewhere for sure.
Interesting comments....I was also very bored through much of the game.
BUT, this was definitely a game the Nolan 49ers would have not fought back in the end to win...Kudos to Singletary & the 49ers!
This was a significant win for a few reasons:
- It showed we can come back to win a game. We stunk it up for 3 1/2 qtrs, but Hill got his game and we won.
- It showed some maturity on Coach's part...he could've easily pulled Hill, but he was convinced by the look in Shaun's eye he could get the O in gear.
- It produced 1000 career catches and 2nd in all-time receiving yardage for Isaac Bruce...against his old team...bravo!!
Yes, this team needs work...so do a lot of teams. My hope is the York's will retain Singletary and let him work w/McCloughan or a new GM to shape the team. He needs some OT's, a revamped DL, a true power RB, a TE who can catch (and block), a playmaking FS, a legit pass-rushing OLB, and a young QB to develop. I'd expect Hill and Alex to be two of our QB's next year.
I agree on your VD comments. The 9ers have tried to get him the ball in recent weeks. In his limited opportunities he has completely disregarded his blockers multiple times, dropped a crucial pass that would have moved the team out of precarious field position, and fumbled. I'm not ready to give up on the guy as far as handling the ball but his results in a limited amount of work have been bad. I always wonder why they don't have him running straight up the seam on any routes. I suppose its the design of the offense with so many crossing routes from the wr's. I can't imagine there's a LB or safety in the league who can cover him on a seam route. He's way too fast.
Sing really showed something in changing his mind, he has the capability to change to the situation. For all those who keep calling for a permanent change...we can't name him Head Coach until after the season. Not because the Yorks are dragging their feet, but because the NFL rule prevent it from happening (Rooney Rule). As an aside, it matters little how fast (he is) or what great routes he runs (meh), if he CAN"T CATCH THE BALL.
VD doesn't get separation and is a so-so open field runner.. He simply hasn't developed into the player hoped for. There are lots of tight ends available in rounds 2-5 for tight ends that can block. One doesn't get paid a sixth pick overall money for his production. I doubt he will get offered it again unless he improves dramatically.
It is clear to me he was a workout wonder with great physical skills, but never had the skills needed for an NFL receiver. McCloughan's record as a player personnel evaluator has to be questioned. Now Frank Gore in round three was a great one.
Hey Matt & others, It looks like as things stand now we will be drafting around 10th next year. Projections show the top 3 OT's gone and top DE Orakpo gone by then. Safety Taylor Mays from SC may be there and he's a total stud. Has wideout speed and is a ripped 235. We can use help a safety but we also need a pass rusher. Michael Johnson from Georgia Tech and Greg Hardy form Ole Miss may be available. If you were GM where would you go. Please don't say Best available player.
Another day, another great article by Matt, and another stream of idiotic and immature comments from our resident retard oneniner.
ATTENTION: BEWARE "ONENINER" THIS BLOGS RESIDENT IDIOT
What a player gets paid should never be a concern to a fan. Only the Yorks and the salary cap guru have to worry about that. And with the size of the cap now, virtually no team is having cap problems any more. Every put down of VD mentions his money and the fact that he is not Superman. It doesn't matter where a guy is drafted. Only that he can play. And VD can play. He's been a starter from Day One, is a good and enthusiastic kid, and a valuable member of the team. That's all that matters. He's only going to get better, too. If Gore fumbles, nobody peeps. If VD does, everyone unloads on him. If one of our receivers (or Walker) drops a pass, shucks. If VD does, it's unload time again. The guy gets critiqued with a bigger microscope than anybody else on the team. Even what he does better than any tight end in the league, blocking, is treated as a put down item. Bajema is a blocking tight end. VD is a blocker, a force, a receiver, and a game changer. Get off the kid's back and enjoy having him here and be thankful he's not Braylon Edwards - the biggest brick layer in the league. McCloughan's doing pretty good, too. Seattle doesn't have even one starter to show for its last two drafts. We've got starters and valuable contributors from every draft McNolan have conducted. There's been only ONE pure bust - the little punt returner guy from the third round. And don't throw Smith in there, he was doing fine till he got injured.
If Orkapo is gone, sleeper picks could be Maualuga or Laurinaitis. Those guys paired with Willis would set the LB for a long time. If Singletary has his way and he is serious about the 3-4 (it's about time), look for B. J. Raji, a prototypical NT at 6'1" 325. Franklin has played better, but the need fits BPA here and we have to keep Willis clean.
I like you Skeebers – the fan that always sees the glass half full.
But you better check the date on the KoolAid and put it back in the fridge – 2005 draft for the Niners was dreadful. I'll give you two exceptions – third round gems (that still need more polishing) – Adam Snyder and Frank Gore.
Now for giggles, let's take a look at the Giants 05 draft – Corey Webster 2nd round, Justin Tuck 3rd round, Brandon Jacobs 4th round, 2007 - Super Bowl. Let's just say GM Ernie Accorsi did his homework that year. As for McGM, I'm still a fan, but he's very young and probably needs a quick conference call with Accorsi to get his take on the 09 draft.
I'd be happy with Raji. Maualuga and Willis in the middle of the field would just be disgusting. I'd be remiss about letting Spikes go, however. The lines, on both sides of the ball, should be the first priority.
How pissed was Roman that his INT didn't count... LOL
I can't believe his first pick in two years was called back! Brutal.
The only reason that Roman got that pick is that Bulger knew that he had a 'free play', with the Niners having jumped offside. He simply heaved it up for grabs. If it were a legitimate play Roman, as always, wouldn't have been in the same zipcode as the pass.
Well said.
If Mays turns out to be half as good as he's supposed to be, he'd be WELL worth a top ten draft pick. Sounds like a Sean Taylor type and it'd be great to lock up the safety position with a pro-bowl caliber player. This year is supposed to be VERY deep at the tackle position, so it wouldn't be out of the question to get one in the second, or even third round to man the right side. I haven't been privy to actually WATCHING the games, but it sounds as if the DL is really starting to step it up, as well. This is nice because it allows for more flexibility in the draft.
If they draft a MLB with that first pick, McCloughan should be fired on the spot. Spikes has showed he's still got plenty left in the tank and the team has far bigger holes to fill with that top spot. Stud LBs come out every year. No need to jump at one that's not needed right now.
Skeebers - That was a great post. For whatever reasons the fans love jumping down VD's throat. He's one of the few sparks on this team. He had three weeks in a row of tough game changing catches and no one says anything. Then he drops one tough one and its jump on VD again. Guys - He's one of our best and most valuable players. Have you ever watched the way he opens up the passing game for Bruce and Co? I cannot tell you how many times I have seen 3 guys run with VD while Bruce, Johnson, Hill, run free underneath for a 20 yard gain. Give credit where credit is due.
Franchise, you forgot about Baas, Bajema, Fields, and Wragge - all from the "dreadful" 2005 draft.
Good comments all around. My thots: (1) VD is becoming comical: will he Gator arm a pass? will he drop the ball? can he stay onside? will he allow his man to take the ball out of his arms? Why don't they TRY this guy as a DE -- since he just COULD prove to be a good edge rusher? (2) Is there no other choice than Roman at FS? Where WAS he on that Ram TD pass? Has there been a game this year where he wasn't veat -- badly -- even tho he plays 20-25 yards off the line? (3) Tho Foster ain't your high quality guy, has anyone noticed how well Staley and Baas are playing together on the left side? And why is Big Baas the only guy who pulls well on this line?
Questions aside, we saw some really fine things yesterday -- even beyond Hill's comeback, Bruce's consistency, and Morgan's leap and grab. Justin Smith -- tho only a mediocre rusher -- keeps his engine running all game. Willis and Spikes are becoming one of the very best interior LB tandems in the NFL. Our good corners are FINALLY starting to come up to the line and give a bump. Tarel Bown is a player -- and the coaches are finally getting it.
Christmas wishes: an edge rusher (VD?), a free safety with some moxie and speed, a RT for the OL, and -- dare I say it -- a QB for the future.
In fact, if Smith had stayed healthy, that 2005 draft would be 7 hits out of 7. There's nothing wrong with my KoolAid. Perhaps your lemonade has gone a mite too sour.
I don't think people jump on VD because of his salary. I could care less how much the guy makes. Salary is slotted based on where he was drafted so the 9ers had to pay . My thing is; could the 9ers have drafted a better player at #6 and then picked a tight end later in the draft? VD is 30th in the league in receptions and tied with 7 other players for 20th in the league in TD's for TE's. He may be an awesome blocker but does his production fit what you'd expect from #6? It's either Davis or the OC's not utilizing his unique skills. I'm not a VD basher but I definitely think we ought to be getting more out of the guy. I want to see more of Davis and not less. Great offenses of the past used guys like Russ Francis, Jay Novacek, Kellen Winslow as great outlets on 3rd downs or in the red zone. The 9ers offense uses VD as an extra blocker in those situations. I've got to think his skills would warrant more opportunities. If he gets more chances he needs to capitalize and stop making some of the mistakes we've seen recently. If he doesn't then we can bash him and call him a bust.
I don't want to step on anybody's euphoria but the niners won nothing, the suddenly pathetic rams defense gave the game away. Neither long pass that resulted in a touchdown should of been completed. How does any defense with a two score advantage allow themselves to be beaten twice on deep passes. How does a team win when their quarterback shows again he doesn't have the arm strength to get the ball deep. One pass goes right through the defenders hands the other should have clearly batted down. Hill is definitely an improvement over what we had seen before , but hardly the second coming of Johnie Unitas.
Tg, not to rain on your curmudgeon focus, but no one here has been in "euphoria." Just happy fans. And we did not win "nothing," we won a game - against a division foe and on the road. Won despite playing poorly. These are very positive events. Teams get beaten in the 4th quarter every week in the NFL. Good teams do it. Bad teams fall short. The pass you ridicule both for Ram ineptitude and Shaun Hill arm strength was a 48yd bomb and a fantastically superb catch by Morgan. Perhaps not an Elway-esque 70yd heave, but not exactly a flare pass. As for Unitas, or Montana, one of these giants appears about as often as a Babe Ruth or Michael Jordan. And neither had arm strength much superior to Hill. We had two of them in a row. Surely, you're not greedy enough to expect a third? If Eli Manning can win a Super Bowl, so can Shaun Hill.
Hi Matt, A couple of questions/comments. 1) Why is Clayton not getting any playing time? It's not like Foster is running for 200 yards!! 2) I'm not sure anymore if Martz is as creative as he used to be. I look at at the Dolphins and marvel at their creativity and how thy design plays for the personnel they have. Martz seems to still be trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. Seven step drops for Shaun Hill over and over again? What kind of sense does that make? 3) Everyone is falling over themselves praising the defense. We could not sack the QB that has been sacked than any other QB in the league!! I'm starting to think that we just don't know how run stunts and things like that to get to the QB. Also, we were playing against the Rams! The RAMS!!! And we almost lost. How is that good defense?
Whoa there Merton...yes that would be an awesome middle lineup but you only get ONE of those guys. Mayock & Kiper's updated top prospects has both Raji & Maualuga as top 10's. If they don't go top 10 you best bet they're both gone in the 1st Round. As of today (subject to change of course) my vote for #1 picks: BJ Raji/NT, Oher/OT, Monroe/OT, ASmith/OT, TMays/FS, TCody/NT, Maualuga/ILB. There's 2 stud NT's in this Draft...Raji & TCody.
Ron Brace/NT Boston College/6-3, 330 lbs/5.3-40/took over for Raji starting 7 games - is my sleeper in the 3rd, could POSSIBLY go 4th Rd. And there's Antonio Dixon/NT/Miami/6-3, 328 lbs/5.3-40 who just came off knee surgery & has since been struggling is projected 7th or undrafted. Could be a nice project. If our research shows he has legit potential & we think all he needs is time/more rehab to fix the knee, I say we sign him quick in the 7th or call ASAP after the Draft.
The other stud OT's - Jason Smith/Baylor, Eben Britton/Arizona, Cirron Black/LSU.....I think most will go in the 1st Rd but 1 MIGHT slip to the 2nd. I see Phil Loadholt/OT going in the 2nd. So if we go NT 1st pick we could try & get our OT in the 2nd. Raji & Cody the 2 best NT's in this Draft will both be gone in the 1st Rd.
Here's Mike Mayock's top 20 seniors for the 2009 Draft
UPDATED: DECEMBER 16TH, 2008
Rk / Player / Pos / School
1 Aaron Curry / LB / Wake Forest
2 Malcolm Jenk. / CB / Ohio State
3 Eugene Monroe / OT / Virginia
4 Brandon Petti. / TE / Oklahoma State
5 Jason Smith / OT / Baylor
6 Brian Orakpo / DE / Texas
7 Rey Maualuga / LB / Southern California
8 B.J. Raji / DT / Boston College
9 Brian Cushing / LB / Southern California
10 Tyson Jackson / DE / LSU
11 Michael Oher / OT / Mississippi
12 Larry English / DE / Northern Illinois
13 James Laurin. / LB / Ohio State
14 William Moore / S / Missouri
15 Clint Sintim / LB / Virginia
16 Alphonso Sm. / CB / Wake Forest
17 Max Unger / C / Oregon
18 Rashad Johns. / S / Alabama
19 Michael Johns. / DE / Georgia Tech
20 Louis Delmas / S / Western Michigan
Ok so the draft should be exciting and good one will help fill the holes we currently have if Scotty can get it right. Both Lines need help, OT DE NT, Safeties need an upgrade, a back up RB for Gore and a young QB to develop. Who needs to go? J. Martin, JTO, Alex...pick 2, Foster, Keasey, M Rob...none of these guys impress me unless you count Special Teams, Jennings and Sims = rubbish, Duckett...we must be able to do better, TBC, Ulbich...not much left in the tank, W Harris = long in the tooth, Roman, Lewis & Lewis...ho hum safeties. Maybe a couple FA's?
My picks to cut after the end of the season are...
Sims, Roman, TBC, Keasey. Please no more Nolan "I'm comfortable with Vets" (who don't produce) or "he works hard but in reality is only average" type players. I agree with you 16280 on Duckett, is he making any progress? He can't even get on the field & we desperately need another OT. NO MORE PROJECTS....get the systems we're going to run in place & acquire the players that fit our needs. That's how you develop a cohesive dominant team. Know you're identity & get your raw materials/talent to fit the system you've chosen. Cut Duckett, I'd rather bring in a project NT like the Miami kid I mentioned who's still recovering from knee surgery who IS A NT & has all the measurables.
I think Harris could still be a very good nickel/dime back for another year if we want to keep him as a stop gap plus an old timer mentor for the young guys coming up. I also in the back of my mind wouldn't mind releasing him going all out getting younger & giving all the PT to our up & comers. Let them develop & establish themselves. Robinson I'm mixed. He's not a true halfback #2 to help Frank carry the load, short yardage, or change of pace FAST EXPLOSIVE home run hitter...but he pumps the team up with his physicality, is solid on ST's, & is an effective backfield blocker to keep in on the pass. Have to keep him for now. Ulbrich maybe another year since he's our only backup at TED, good example blue collar lunchpail tough guy again for the young ones. It would be great if Brooks could grow into his spot on ST's & be a capable backup TED, we'll have to wait & see about him.