Mike Singletary had just started his weekly press conference when cornerback Dre' Bly entered the room. He then issued a public apology for celebrating - a la Deion Sanders - when he was still 75 yards from the end zone.
Also, today, the 49ers informed return specialist Allen Rossum of his release. The 49ers needed to clear a roster spot to activate rookie receiver Michael Crabtree to the 49ers' 53-man roster.
Linebacker Jeff Ulbrich is scheduled to undergo tests from a Stanford neurologist on Wednesday after sitting out Sunday's game with a concussion. Ulbrich said he does not know what the future holds. He does not know if he'll play again.
Ulbrich said he is feeling better after concussion symptoms lingered three or four days. He said he does not know how many concussions he has experienced in his 10-year career, mostly because he does not know what classifies as a concussion.
Yes, it was a busy day today at 49ers' headquarters after the team's 45-10 loss to the Falcons.
--There's no word yet on Michael Lewis' immediate future after he sustained his third concussion since mid-August.
--Right guard Chilo Rachal's starting job is in question after another poor performance Sunday, Singletary said. Tony Wragge is the most likely option to receive consideration for the starting lineup.
--Crabtree will remain in the Bay Area, and continue to learn the offense while his teammates will be allowed to leave Wednesday afternoon for the bye week. Said Singletary, "He's already had his bye week."
* * *
Let's start with Bly's appearance during the press conference.
"First, I want to come to y'all and publicly apologize for yesterday. My comments, it was totally, totally inappropriate. I apologized to coach. I'm not a selfish guy. I didn't mean to embarrass him -- if I did embarrass him - embarrass my team, embarrass ownership, embarrass the fans. I'm a prideful guy. I like to have fun. It was totally inappropriate. I got caught up in the moment and it was wrong."
Did you go to coach Singletary to apologize to him or did he come to you?
Bly: "I went to coach and apologize. After I had a chance to look at it last night and think things over. It was wrong. I've played this game for 11 years, played it well, and have been a prideful guy. I like to have fun. If you know anything about me, I'm a happy guy. I like interacting with my teammates and the guys I'm playing against. I got caught up in the moment and it was totally inappropriate. For what coach is looking for and what he's trying to build, and a player being a veteran guy, I should've been smarter. It was a bad choice of mine. And I'm sorry."
What in your mind was the worst part of it?
Bly: "It was the fumble. That was the worst part, giving the ball back to the offense. We take pride in causing turnovers and we bust our butt during the week. Try to put ourselves in position to give the ball back to the offense, and it could've been a turning point in the game and we could've gotten some momentum back. It was a bad, bad choice. Normally, when I intercept balls like that in the past, when I see that end zone, I think I'm going to score, and that was my initial thinking. Like I say, it was inappropriate. I should've been smarter. I'm a veteran guy . . ."
Before you decided to apologize, did other people contact you?
Bly: I've heard from . . . my phone blew up yesterday. But I didn't need to talk to anybody. Like I said, I've played this game for a long time. I know what's right. I was raised right. Especially, meeting with coach when I first got here, understanding what he was looking for from me and looking for from his team, it was inappropriate. It was bad timing. That's not what I'm about. I like to compete and have fun. But it was a poor choice of mine."
* * *
Singletary said he has not and will not fine Bly. He said he thought he might have to go to Bly, but Bly took the initiative Monday morning. Singletary said he did not see Bly preening just prior to the fumble.
"By him coming to me and saying the things he said, it took off a lot of the thought process of where I was going to go with it," Singletary said. "Because we are - we're not trying to - we are building something here, something that will be special.
"But yesterday as a 49ers, that's just something we will not do. And I think now he understands that. I didn't see it yesterday. But for him to go forward and acknowledge that without me having to ask him to do that, I appreciate that from him. That's who I was hoping he was when he came here, and it was good to hear."
Singletary said he would have handled the situation differently yesterday had he seen it unfold before his eyes.
"If I would have knowledge that there was any Deion, whatever, I probably would've handled it differently. No, not probably. I would have handled it differently. I didn't see it," Singletary said.
As for Bly's statement that he just likes to have fun, that was a loose end that Singletary said he'll have to tie up.
"I don't think that's fun," Singletary said. "It's not fun at 35-10. Fun is when you're ahead and you might get an interception. That's great. That's fun. But you're not having fun when you're behind 35-10. And that's a little something that he and I have to clean up because that's not fun."
Bly arrived on the podium after apologizing to Singletary in the morning.
"What I told him, if what you're saying is what you really mean, this is what I want you to do. I would like for you, instead of me trying to explain something, I'd like for you to go up there and express your opinion. You need to do it for the media; you can do it for the team; you can do it for the defense; you can do it for the offense; you can do it for everybody in our offices.
"To me, it says a lot about him to say, 'You know what coach? You were right. I was way out of line, I was wrong. And I'm willing to do that because that's not me. And I want to make this right because I do believe there's something special happening here. And I want to be a part of that going forward.' And that's basically where we went with it."
* * *
Singletary said Lewis had a concussion and he "cleared right away." Singletary said Lewis was coherent and knew what was happening. Now, they'll watch day to day and see where it goes.
On Ulbrich's future: "The biggest thing about Jeff, as in Mike, we're going to evaluate there. We want to do all the testing we can just to make sure everything's right because it's about them."
Ulbrich said he will take everything into consideration to determine whether he will try to play again. Ulbrich sustained a concussion on the opening kickoff Oct. 4 against the Rams.
* * *
Singletary said where were one or two throws that Shaun Hill could have made that he did not in Sunday's game. He said he felt the inconsistency on blitz pickups caused him to get rid of the ball prematurely.
Singletary blamed offensive line breakdowns in pass protection. "We will address that this week, next week. We might have to make some changes there going forward."
When asked if Rachal's play at right guard was the big concern, Singletary answered, "Quite possibly."
* * *
Running back Frank Gore is expected to be back at practice in some capacity this week. The 49ers have practices Tuesday and Wednesday before most of the team is free to leave for the bye week.
Crabtree will remain around the team's offices to continue to learn bits of the offense.
"He's already had his bye week," Singletary said.
* * *
Singletary finished his press conference with a flourish.
"I'm not going to apologize to the fans again. But the one thing I want you to know after a game like yesterday is the situation where you sit back and go, 'Wow, I really didn't know that could happen again.' The thing I will say is this: This team, this team, will be a special team. This year will be a special year. It's unfortunate as to what happened yesterday. As a staff we did not do a good job preparing for a team at bye week. But going forward, we will come back and we will get better, and will be a team for our fans to be proud of. I thank you very much."
* * *
Rossum was released today, and he handled the difficult situation with the utmost class. He personally thanked Singletary and GM Scot McCloughan for the opportunity. He said he feels as if he still "has a lot in the tank," and would like to continue to play football.
The 49ers also announced they've released guard Drew Radovich from the practice squad.
* * *
How did Rossum get into the doghouse? Seemed like the staff was up on him at the beginning of the year...
Crabtree will probably do a lot of classroom work while his teammates are at home. With only a single student teaching can be very fast and efficient.
Glad to hear Singletary laid the smakdown on Dre Bly. Lets hope this team regroups!
Matt,
I believe it is the second time I heard you (today) mention in the last couple of months that Alex Smith has been throwing well and looking good in practice. Since the Niners are 29th in passing, and a playoff team has never been that low as best as I can remember, are you starting to believe it is time for Alex Smith at QB? Do you believe Alex is the better choice right now? You mentioned that there are those in the organization that believe Alex still has upside, when would this possibly take place? To me, "managing the game" is another way to admit mediocrity. With Alex you would get a combo of excellent plays with bad plays but I believe all QB's started that way and that's how they learn. I look forward to hearing more from you on this subject especially since you graded the QB play as an "F" for yesterday. I like Shaun's heart but I don't see him winning games when we are down by 14 or defense is playing poorly. Thanks Matt!
I guess it's youth that Spurlock has on Rossum. Hopefully, Rossum will land somewhere quickly.
Not sure I like the Bly apology thing. It's great he recognized, or was forced to recognize, his showboating cost the team. A public apology, especially if it was a forced public apology, might cost Sing in his relationship with players. No big deal either way but it seems so odd.
Good for Bly. He saw his mistake, stood up, behaved like a man, and apologized.
A day after the 20 year anniversy of Loma Prieta earthquake, another massive quake is felt as the 9ers fall hard to the ground!
I only wish Bly did that after the game before he got home and realized everyone, and I mean everyone, was jumping all over him on ESPN, NFLNW, Foxsports, CSNBay Area, etc. etc. He "manned up" in my opinion 1 day late. But at least he still did it.
Interesting Crabtree/Rossum tidbit from Peter King's S.I. column this morning:
"I don't know Crabtree, and I have questioned his judgment over this senseless holdout. But I like one thing I heard about him late in the week, after he and GM Scot McCloughan had a lengthy discussion. In the course of it, Crabtree asked: "Why was Rossum inactive last week?'' Allen Rossum, the returner/cornerback, is the player Crabtree wondered about. And to ask that showed the Niners he was watching and thinking about his team. I think he was so miserable not playing that he had to get back, regardless of the advice he was getting."
I hate to see Rossum go... I know his return yardage has not been the greatest lately, but he excelled in the single most important stat for return - turnovers. He is very sure handed and Arnez Battle is not (he has already dropped a couple of kicks). I'll trade less turnovers for the occasional long return any day. Sorry to see you go Allen. With our new philosophy of a slow, boring, non-explosive offense, it is critical that we not muff punts or kickoffs. I hope I am wrong, but I think this move almost guarantees that we will have more turnovers on kickoffs and punts than if we had kept Rossum.
On another note, what is all of this talk about our offense not being engineered to come from behind? The announcers on yesterday's game kept saying it, and I think I've heard it from other sources as well. So basically, if we get behind 2 TDs or more in any game, we should just throw in the towel? Hello, this is the NFL - our offense needs to be capable, if not good at moving the ball when behind, not just when we have the lead. I REALLY hope we figure out how to have an effective passing game (c'mon Crabtree!) I'm not sure how excited I can get about a run-based offense that averages about 1.8 yards per carry.
Matt, are you off for the bye?
Ironic, after the team's greatest example of amatuerism on the field (head coach on down), they waive one of the only true professionals in the entire organization. Good work! Matt, I know you are the last one to stir the pot, but it's time to start getting the names Holmgren, Shanahan, and Gruden into your reporting. The York's ONLY hope is to get one of those guys in their offices.
Matt in SR - In what roll do you want those coaches? I really hope you are not suggesting as GM’s. All three proved to be BAD GM's and that is why all three were fired from their jobs which entailed GM-like rolls. Holmgren was stripped of his GM duties in Seattle a few years back for ineffectiveness, Gruden was so QB crazy he neglected the entire roster, and Shanahan's Denver team had not won a play off game since Elway retired in 1998 because of his bad personal choices. Don’t get me wrong, they are good coaches, but we also have a good coach. We are 3-2 overall and 3-0 in the NFC West. That is right where this team should be going into this bye week.
it was just a weird day yesterday, maybe the moon is not aligned correctly. so far the 49ers are on schedule in terms of win-loss, losing to vikings and falcons. what is disconcerting is the way they lost to the falcons.
it seems like the offense just does not how to operate smoothly. they run when they should pass, and they pass when they should run and pound it. of course, this is all Monday QBing, but the offense does not play with ease. they lead the league in 3 and outs. hellooooooooooooooooo, jimmy raye, are you thereeeeeeee............? hello..............., call the opposite of what you want to call in the first place and maybe that will help.
obviously, the O-line does not pass protect well, so maybe run it more (how about 60%). if the run is stuffed at the line, how about some screens, QB sneak, or reverse, or a short pass in the flat??? How about activate Sheets, so that there is a change of pace on offense.
The body language of the defense tells me that they are not too fond of the offense. I did not even sit down for 1 minute, and I am out there AGAIN? Offense: Do your job for once!!!!
This weekends game against the Falcons was simply a case of the NFL exposing teams that have been lucky but not necessarily good. We have a fairly good team but we're not good in a number of areas namely on offense, and I think the Falcons were able to see this and exploit our deficiencies. In case you're wondering, IMO on offense it is our O-lines inability to consistently pass or run block, and on defense it is our secondaries inability to handle exceptionally fast WR's...along with a heck of a QB (Ryan) who can throw them the ball. Pass rush isn't going to be a problem for the Falcons to handle because Ryan can get rid of the ball so quickly and accurately...Lawrence Taylor would probably have had a hard time getting much on Ryan. Our secondary was not able to make Ryan hesitate or wait much in order for our pass rush to get to him. Shaun Hill meanwhile had pressure in his face almost as soon as he gets back from the snap.
The Falcons played so well and had us figured out from the start and I think that really rattled our guys. Anyone who has ever played a stacked team in any sport knows that "uh-oh" feeling where you just know that today might not be your day. I think our guys had that after the first quarter.
these games happen and the NFL tests teams from top to bottom including coaches. It's a long season and I think we'll be ok...though first thing is to get that darned O-line fixed!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Where does one start. First, Singletary is in WAY over his head. Being a head coach in the NFL is not supposed to be a learn as you go training excercise. Second, Jimmy Raye's offense can be game planned against by a high school defensive coordinator. Raye's only slight excuse is it's hard to call a game when you have a QB who can only throw five yard passes and the defense knows it! Third, Hill looks like a QB who you see playing touch football in the park on weekends in an over 40 league. Fourth, Matt, will you or one of the other sports writers please draw straws, so one of you can please ask Singletary to wear the crucifix under his clothes and not in plain site. If he wants to be a nun, he should join a convent! I say this last comment as a practicing Catholic.
Hofer,
What would be the point of bringing in Alex when the real problem is the blocking of the O-line. No question that is a MAJOR issue right now. They need to make some changes starting with sitting Chilo & bringing in Wragge.
Looks like 3-6 more wins after bye week to me. Best case scenario would be 9-7, which might be good enough for a division winner but not a wild card. The Minnesota game really hurt.
F49er,
Clearly the beat writers are starting to talk about another alternative to Shaun Hill. As I said, I like his heart but he is very limited with arm strength and quick feet. The Niners are ranked 29th in the NFL in passing. Matt mentioned today during his interview with CSNBA that there are those in the organization that think Alex Smith still has upside. Yes, we have a problem with the guards, but if you look around the NFL, there are breakdowns with pass protection but QB's with quick feet, arm strength, and a quick release can still make plays. I don't see Shaun Hill as a starter beyond this year if we want to be consistent playoff contenders.
BigJ said : "...first thing is to get that darned O-line fixed!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
How might we do that? Duct tape?
Montana_to_Clark said, "Being a head coach in the NFL is not supposed to be a learn as you go training excercise."
You don't think Bill Walsh learned as he went during his 1979 (2-14) and 1980 (6-10) records?
"Holmgren, Shanahan, and Gruden..."
I have actually liked Singeltary's reaction so far. The Niners are a rebuilding organization and this is going to happen while you are still building. Singletary is taking ownership by saying it is his fault that the team was not ready. As you see players starting to follow suit and own up to their mistakes we will have improvements from embarrassments like yesterday. Former regimes would be finger-pointing right now. When the players followed that mentality, everyone had an excuse and problems were never addressed properly.
Too early to phone it in and look for the next leadership, there is still plenty of promise to build on rather than blowing everything up and starting over again in an organization that has seen nothing but flux for so long. That flux is a large contributor to why games like this happen.
Practicing catholic? How do you practice that? Do you read the New testaments? Or you just fo to the Mass? And if it really bothers you that he shows his 'Belief', dont watch the game-listen on radio..No visual sightting. How do you like that? He can wear it wherever he pleases to wera at. Oh and its not just nuns who wear it..just saying you know, as a practicing 'born again'.....
You all call yourselves fans and WHINE like little ass babies...
"Sing is in over his head... Boo" "Shaun Hill is garbage and plays like a girl" WahWahWah
MAN UP for crying out loud... we got our ARSES kicked yesterday as a team. From Jed all the way down to the water boy. SO FREAKING WHAT?!? Now... they take a step back, re-group and come out in 2 weeks and level the Texans.
We're 3 - 2 but could easily be 4 -1. So we got our butts kicked... it happens in the NFL. Pick up the pieces and put this team back on track!!!
Do we need to even bring in another coach? Rathman played for years in the west coast offense and has coached it. not to mention the personel better suits it with the big recievers and the line wouldn't have to hold their blocks so long with the slants and roll out passes. not to mention they are too big and slow to be pulling. they are better suited for zone blocking. Also the offense needs to stretch out to make room in the box for a running game and Hill cannot. Smith is more mobile and has the arm to go down field and with much more accuracy. It is too easy for teams to game plan against Hill now that he is not a back-up there is tape on him. Team needs a spark and i think with Crabtree coming in and a change at QB it would provide one.
Lets be honest, there was no QB competition in preseason. We ran the most out of any team and Smith got hurt. They were just playing it safe. We have been able to win and score points because of blocked kicks and int's for TD's. Take those away and or offense and QB is exposed like yesterday.
All asking for A. Smith at QB....don't use a "quick release" as an argument for Smith. This clown takes longer to wind up than an infant toy.
Those picking on Sing. Well, I have been on the half empty side with this guy, but you know what I am willing to give him a chance. We have had way too much turnover. Based on what he has done to date I don't think he is blind to what goes on around him and not nearly as hard headed as No-win. I think he is aware of the piss poor o-line play and will do something about it. I also think he will pound on his buddy Raye to make some changes as well. The ATL showed the blue print for how to beat the niners. Until the niners can adjust....they will just get more of the same. Heitman made a comment that the ATL came with stuff they had not seen or planned for. BOTTOM LINE....that is piss poor preparation and a lot of this loss lies on the coaches. You have to anticipate where people will attack or defend you and have a plan to counter it. We had nothing. Again, hopefully lesson learned.
Do you know history? Bill Walsh was one of the top offensive coordinators in football for many years under legendary head coach Paul Brown. On top of that, when Eddie D. hired Walsh, aka The Genius, he had just finished his second year as "Head Coach" at Stanford. Your trying to compare that to Singletary, who was out of football for ten years, never served as a coordinator, and worked under Mike Nolan. What are you smoking?
Watching the game yesterday up close and personal, Shaun Hill really has no one with break away speed or any speed at all! I'm shocked that the receivers are so slow. I wonder if it's a fact that they are slow, or is it the opponents defensive backs are so quick? But watching the game right in front of me, every team can't have DB's a LB's who run like a bullet out of a gun! I'm starting to change my mind on the our receivers being such a plus to the team.
Hopefully Crabs can make the jump with that quickness and speed the receiver corps needs desperately!
Amen!!!!!
I've said it before, its no wonder they call us the 40 WHINERS!
Some of these posters are pathetic. You would have been pushing women and children out of the way to get into the lifeboat at the slightest wave.
I'm telling ya... you stick with your team through the good and bad. We lost and had our tail handed to us.
LET'S FIRE EVERYONE AND START OVER!!!! LMFAO =)
No way... not here baby... it was ugly but it was also uncharacteristic of this teams resolve and potential.
Basically... everything that could have went wrong did. Is it time to light the fires and set the ship in the right direction? Hell yeah... but I also don't feel there is any reason to start calling for peoples heads. Make the necessary changes and let's rock!!!
Thank goodness Bly came to his senses. After reading his response after the game, I thought he should be cut for not being in touch with the team-first focus. I don't wanna hear about having fun when you're getting whooped on. If you're having fun losing 35-10, you're not nearly focused enough on winning.
I think he and Singletary both handled the situtation well, so I'm ready to put it behind me, and that's a big change from after the game and after reading his initial comments.
Yesterday was hard to swallow. We looked unprofessional: ill prepared and the worst execution in the Singletary era. Hill played poorly, but was still the only leader on offense. He showed guts, despite playing like crap. Nonetheless, we need more play makers and leaders on that side of the ball.
What happened to the O-Line!? We're showing less and less ability to win in the trenches on that side of the ball. Without a huge improvement in that unit's play, we may not be special at all.
I love coach Sing ! He seems to handle every situation almmost perfectly.I knew Bly was in for it when I heard him after the game yesterday ,lol !
Now for the game...
I wouldn't blame Hill if he were to get a baseball bat and start pounding away on his offensive line,just to get even. Hill has overcome the line with his great play almost every week so far but couldn't do it again yesterday. With 2 or 3 pass rushers in his face almost at the same time he gets the snap,no wonder he has to be twice as good as most QB's just to get any pass off at all. Glad to hear that Sing is talking about replacing Rachael with Wragge and who knows what other changes!
And for those who are foolish enough to think A. Smith would do any better,lets remember that what we saw from Hill yesterday was what we saw from Smith every week he ever played. Smith would probably have has a 10 QB rating and 4 interceptions,jmho.
The defense lost the game and like S. Hill,they had their one bad game. It happens to the best of them.
How they bounce back against the Texans will tell the tale of what kind of team they are going to be.
Now come the rats to feed on anything, including crap, that they can get their mouths on!
Without a doubt the 49ers looked like garbage yesterday on the field that resembled a garbage dump after fans watched what they thought would be a football game. OK! But remember they're not the first team ever to loose a game like that, and they won't be the last!
The rats on this comment page include the bold rats who attack everywhere, even in the light of wins and try to rip anything that happens into a negative against anyone in the organization or team they hate and want to destroy. These rats, being bold, want to bring consistent damage no matter the outcome! And they are easily seen by their consistent attacks, and most of the time they set the traps that catch themselves in their logic!
Then there's the rats that sneak out in the darkness of a gloomy game, decisions by the coaches, or the organization. These rats are a little harder to be seen on the comment page. They wait until until they think it's safe to come out because the bold rats seem like they've taken the area over. Their comments go with the negative flow! They're a little harder to trap. And this is because they scurry their diseased words about agreeing with the flow of negativity the bold rats have created and love! But as usual for this rat, they just can't stay away from the trap. They become entangled in their negative comments and will stop commenting on the game or team when caught in the traps. And when caught they begin to attack people commenting, even until the last key on their computer! For those uaware of these diseased vermin, they're named yellow back rats!
Finally there are the rats who stay in their rat holes they've made by chewing on every word that's negative about the 49ers that sports writers or the talkies on the Sports Networks write and say! They have no logical thought patterns of their own so they feed off these mentioned above and just use quote after quote because they think quoting these people is some kind of unabashed authority! They can be easily caught because after the so called experts are done trying to pretend they know everything about the team, these rats can offer nothing, and then are caught by the bait of useless commenting over and over again!
So yea! The 49ers stunk it up for one game! Big deal! They have 2 weeks off and will take the field again! And even if they win, the rats will bring up this game over and over again like anyone will care!
So rats! We know who you are! It's easy to tell! Everything is always negative and dark! But remember, most commenters who stay with the team can easily catch you as you scurry about the Blogs! Then everyone will hear the SNAP of the trap! And everytime you do it to yourselves!
Very well said my man. I must admit I had a sick feeling after the loss that reminded me of the Nolan days. I'm hoping this team can regroup. Use it as a stepping stone for greatness.
I know a lot of 49ers, including myself, love Rossum! But watching him at the stadium this year, he's lost speed and quickness. And it's apparent from seeing him run with the kickoffs and punt returns. He's seems like a great guy and has helped the team in the past, but I think his gas tank is empty.
Sorry! Just my observation.
...And now to blow my own horn,lol...
Last week right after the Rams game ,when Rossum was not activated for the game I wrote that I wondered if perhaps the reason was that the Niners knew that Crabtree was on the verge of signing and they were going to cut Rossum to make room on the roster for Crabs .
This was BEFORE anyone had any hint that Crabtree was coming to Santa Clara and nobody in the press or tv was even hinting that Crabs would sign soon. I just had a feeling and was 100% right for a change,and I am sorry that I didn't buy any lotto tickets that week ,because I certainly was on a roll !!!
But then this Sunday before the Falcon's game I told my wife on our way to church that I had a good feeling about the Falcon's game that day,...so I guess my one Nostradamus moment has come and gone ,lol.
Although I saw this coming, I think cutting Rossum is a HUGE mistake! Battle showed last week that he is not capable of handling Punt returns and Delanie Walker is a Tight End for God's sake! Look at EVERY successful Special Teams unit in the league and you will find a small speedster as their Return Specialist! Rossum was that guy. He may not have been a superstar but he got the job done and had plenty of experience. Let's hope Spurlock is given the job and he has the hands to hold on to the ball because Battle and Walker aren't going to cut it!
Nice post above Terry ! You have shined the light on the Rats,but unfortunantly they will not scurry back to their holes,like normal rats,but will come out into our world and try to ruin our fun,for their own weird pleasure.
Strange breed these haters.
Hey Matt...have u heard at all if the coaching staff is considering Bly as our kick/punt return guy??
But Irma,Rossum was a one trick pony that took up a roster spot just as much as a plyer who does several jobs on the team (like Battle).Rossum had slipped and therefore was no longer good enough to earn that precious roster spot with jus returning kicks.
As I said last week,even players like Roman,who we all pretty much would like to see gone,do several jobs and earn their spot on the roster.Roman plays on all the special teams and is a backup Safety and is the dime back on defense. He does 3 jobs and Rossum did only one.
I hope that maybe Spurlock or Crabtree can become a better option than Battle as the return man.
TOP-CAT! You're right you've been a rat controller for a long time here!
Rossum was a one trick pony. He was good at that trick but... We have others that can do his job in addition to their current jobs.
TOP-CAT! You're right you've been a rat controller for a long time here!
Why not activate Sheets and try him as a returner and ST specialist?!?
Sheets might be a good guy to try at punt and kickoff returner?
I would rather they just bring Sheets up and try him as RB,to change things up a bit during games.
They might have several spots opening up this week,with Ulbrich probably retiring and possibly Lewis gone as well.
I hope with these weeks of PS time Sheets has put in that he has a feel for picking up his blocks now!!! If he is still messing that up,then maybe Hill doesn't need the extra headache of ANOTHER of his team mates missing any more blocks,unless Hill doesn't mind spending all his time in the hospital.
I heard someone who lives in S. Hill's neighborhood on a sports talk show the other day say that the day after the Rams game she saw Hill walking down the street and he walked like an 80 year old man,he was soooo banged up . They really need to find a way to get the blocking schemes figured out !!!
Com'on man....that was quite a tirade. If you choose to root for a team you can and should want greatness and you know what you might bitch a bit if the team stinks it up. Remember the old days? Walsh would find stuff to pick apart if we won 55-10. Do you think every time the team has won Sing is going ok, “it's all good no need to get better.” Oh wait LOL; maybe he did since we looked totally unprepared last week.
Losing I can deal with in reasonable doses, it happens. Getting embarrassed like Sunday; that is just plain unacceptable. We have all endured a lot of losing for a long time. Give the peeps a break. If you don't like the comments...don't read it. Bottom line, this team has issues and needs to get better. I just don’t know if we can. ATL exposed some weaknesses we knew were there. 1) Crummy pass rush. Justin Smith needs another stud to help him out. 2) Our guard play has been terrible. We will not be able to run or pass consistently until this is rectified. 3) Nate is corner capable of some good things, but there are some things he lacks like burner speed. So he best play in the framework of the D or look what happens. We will never know if he was supposed to have safety help behind him. Based on what I could see he was all alone. That dictates playing the man and not the ball. Nate committed a big oops there and the entire team got burned.
If we can fix the things above the year will get much better. If we can’t the remainder of the year could be a big bummer. Get Brown or Bly on the corner, Lewis is out, so put Nate at SS and let’s move forward. Nate is an expenseive safety but he can tackle and is probably better suited to covering TE’s & RB’s at this point.
T_C I'm thinking you're probably right about Rossum, but did you have to compare him to No.26? If it came down to a choice between the two I'd get rid of 26 just on principle. One thing to remember on kickoffs this year is they outlawed the wedge so that might have some thing to do with the decrease in productivity.
I to would like to see what Sheets can do in the return game and and a change of pace, that speed sure would be nice.
I think Battle will do ok on punt returns. The Ram game at the Stick was one of those windy games, not what you'd want on your first game back in a long time as punt returner.
Terry,
Get a life. I'm one of the rats. I've been a season ticket holder for over 20 years. I've supported the team financially and with my lungs through thick and thin. Pointing out the team's shortcomings, especially after all the remarks by homers like you and Top Cat, doesn't make someone a rat. It makes them a realist.
The 49ers stunk up the joint yesterday not just because of a lack of talent, but because they were not prepared. They were out-coached. That's the coaches not being realists.
I desperately want this team to succeed. But putting on blinders and wishing it were so just won't make it happen. Cutting bad players and being bold, creative, and imaginative will get us closer. So spare me the name calling.
First of all! Bill Walsh's era is over with, so why bring it up? Even the style of play in the League has changed and Walsh would be the first to say that!
Who's "we?" I didn't know you were the brains behind the team and the moves they make or need to make.
I can sit here and type what I think should be done like you. It's our right as a fan to do that on the Blog or with our friends. It's the attitude of some that act like fans but are only bashers and they always complain about everything! These people think if the team would only do this and that, the 49ers would be in the Super Bowl every year. It doesn't work like that!
When the team is down, the fans are down too! With the fans It's only human! But to make a comment with 50 different changes the team needs to make that the commenter thinks will lead to instant Super Bowl makes a lot of us laugh!
So when you get to stand on the sidelines or have an office in the 49ers facility in Santa Clara, let me know! Then I'll take you as a serious commenter instead of someone blowing off steam and thinks he's a 49er fan!
interesting thing about taking out the wedge. For some reason, it just feels that overall returners are bale to get better returns without the wedge. it's kind of mind boggling, but I see guys consistently getting to that 25+ mark from kickoffs.
my thought is that SPACE is the biggest factor in big returns, and without the wedge, teams are forced to expand their blocking schemes allowing the returner to go in many different directions instead of being cooped up behind the wedge.
No I am not trying to compare their coaching experience. I simply pointed this out because I guarantee you, that during Walsh's two losing years, he learned along the way some tricks about being an NFL head coach, which is what you were comparing. But I had a feeling as soon as I posted it, that I'd get in the cross hairs.
FWIW, I completely agree about Raye. I have no confidence in his offense at all, and have not from the get go. But I am not going to snap to judgment that Singletary sucks, like you seem to.
So, who would you put at QB? Smith? Davis? Do tell.
BTW, your comment about Sing wearing a cross is ten different kinds of ridiculous. And I'm a practicing atheist.
Get a grip.
I and my family have been season ticket holders for 36 years! I put more of my money and aired my lungs out a lot more than you have! Through thick and thin!
Now to make this comment short for you... read my comments about rats again! And figure out which one you are!
With the way our O line has blocked or lack thereof, maybe it's not all on the players. Maybe we need a new O line coach, in addition to benching Rachal. Bob McKittrick was able to get his smaller, more agile linemen play with so much fire and attitude. Rachal and Baas are huge, yet they play very soft. A lot of teams are doing stunts and blitzes up our gut because they know our weakness is in our interior. I've been paying more attention to Rachal and he seemed to get blown off the line on almost every play. It's time for Wragge at RG. No more excuses for the O line going forward since this has been a problem for many years. We need a stud RT in the upcoming draft. Damn the 'Skins for allowing the Panthers a W.
I was at the stick as well and have to admit I was keying on the offensive line and not on the WRs. However, your point about the slow receivers is a good one. Age has caught up with Bruce, and neither Battle nor Morgan seem to be able to get much separation. I am hopeful Crabtree can bring some speed and play-making ability to the WR position.
However, all this is a moot point unless the offensive line gets fixed up. Hill will not last another month if he keeps getting rushed like this. The Alex Smith fans may get to see their man running for his life very soon.
Back to the O line, I have a question for everybody. Has the recent trend towards big "read fat" linemen reached a tipping point in that the defenses have figured out how to beat a massive O line. Is it time perhaps to go back to the Bobb McKitterick model of smaller quicker linemen?
It's funny how short a leash Coach Sing gets versus Mike Nolan based on all the rhetoric spilled here.
I mean if Jimmy Carter can say what he said about Obama, then I guess the same can be said about Coach Sing being a Niner HC.
Holmgren, Shanahan, and Gruden as replacements for Coach Sing?
No Dungy eh? I wonder why.
I wonder if those guys are going up the middle, it seemed like Rossum liked going to the sideline a lot more than straight ahead this year.
Ninerdino and rick:
Great observations !
Great question about the huge OL's! I think things might change back to the smaller quicker ones! My opinion.
Your other insights are great and need to be addressed. Especially about the receivers! And Shaun Hill must be unable to get out of bed on Monday's. He must have an in house care.
Immaginary"
Maybe you were just immagining too much about the team and when they let you down yesterday you blew a gasket and felt betrayed. Some of us more realistic fans are happy with the turn around that we have seen from Jed and Scott and Sing and did not believe we were going to the SB this year anyway. We lost one game by a huge margin and we have several weak spots on the team.What,did you think we were going undefeated ,lol ? Calm down and if you don't mind me saying,you seem to be the unrealistic one,getting so angry and irrational after our one huge blowout. Why are you so mad,be happy that we seem to be heading in the right direction and the future looks bright. Some people are just so impatient and want everything right now. We usually out grow that attitude after the teen years,lol.
Terry: No,Hill can get out of bed BUT according to that talk show caller last week (she lives in his neighborhood),he had a very hard time walking down the street the day after the Rams game. She said something like he looked like an 80 year old man trying to walk down the sidewalk.
Maybe this week he does need the in home care,lol ?
This game exposed hill for what he is. He is not capable of winning these games. I like his fire, but not his skills. We are wasting this year with a qb, that if we make it to the playoffs, can not win. I am a niner fan and that is what is so fustrating.
I think we will bounce back and win the west. I just want more and hill is not going to give it to us. And yes Top_Cat, alex would have done better. He Has the skill to get the ball down the field. He also knows how to hand the ball off 50% of the game.
Hill lack of arm strength is one of the reasons our O-line looks bad. The opposing defense can crowd the box. Hill can not hurt them. They can rush and put pressure on him and he will not hurt them. If hill has any time, he can throw one of his high arching raimbows, but they take soooooo long to get to the target the dback will knock it away or return it to the house.
What we saw from hill will become more and more of the standard, now that teams can see what his weeknesses are.
"Get Brown or Bly on the corner, Lewis is out, so put Nate at SS and let’s move forward. Nate is an expenseive safety but he can tackle and is probably better suited to covering TE’s & RB’s at this point."
You make some other valid points too but this is one I've thought is a nobrainer. Nate would be a natural at safety ala Ronnie Lott. Lott was a good corner early on but a much better safety for the majority of his career. Clements has all the tools and is the consumate football player. If Lewis is out for an extended period it's not going to get any better with Roman starting again. Ugh!!!
559: Why would Alex be better than the guy that trounced him in the QB competition this camp and who has been a proven winner? Be rational and don't just look at what you wish were true. We all had hopes for Alex at one time,but he failed and that experiment is long over. Alex would not even be on the roster if he had not crawled on his knees and taken a huge pay cut this off season,just to stay with the only team that would give him one last chance (that he failed miserably at !).He was going to be cut off the team,CUT !!!
Davis may be the answer but he is not ready,Hill is the best option to win games NOW. If Hill were to go down,then it might just be wiser to put Davis in and get him some experience ,so he can be ready by next season to start? Unless Hill's injury were only a week or two thing,then let alex fill in and get Hill back as soon as possible. As Sing has stated,the starting QB for all of 2009 is s. Hill.And he will not be taken out just because the TEAM has a disaterous day,like the Niners have had before,even in some of the SB yerars.
Lets just hope the team continues to move in the right direction ! The future looks bright now (but it most likely doesn't have Alex smith in it's future ).
Let's leave Coach's strong Faith and convictions alone "practicing Catholic". The fact that he is wearing that cross speaks volumes of his character...and since you are just a 'practice squad' Catholic you may want to pay attention. "Faith" is much more to some peole than just Christmas and Easter.
Geez...get a life.
Louie blogged that Rossum was done BEFORE he was put on inactive.
I did not say that Singletary sucks, I said that he is in WAY over his head. That is a huge difference. He was placed in a position that he was not ready for by a 28 year old president, who is also in WAY over his head, and a young GM who also needs plenty of seasoning. Singletary was set up to fail. One needs to look no further about Singletary's readiness than HIS choice of offensive coordinator. Walsh came in, and the first thing he did was bring in Ralston and McVay, two seasoned football men to help him run the organization.
"Faith" is a personal thing, and should not be worn like a Nike logo. From what we see every day in our country and around the world, people who wear their faith on their sleeves are not very bright and usually dangerous.
Top_ First alex never got trounced in camp. Hill never won the job, alex just never took it from him. In camp alex always completed the long ball and hill the short. But the short balls will not do it in the season now, will they? And yes alex might get cut (don't think he will) at the end of the season, but that does not make hill any better now or ever. Hill is a back up starting for the niners and you are happy? How far we have fallen from joe and steve, when mediocre is just fine. If you are just looking for a winning season and the playoffs, thats fine, I want a little more. Hill does not have "it".
Sing is a rookie coach and it's way too soon to be even thinking about replacing him.
But having said that, I've never understood the love for Holgren, Shanahan, Cowher & Dungy.
All four won their 1 (or 2 for Shanahan) Superbowls with a Hall of Fame QB (Ben & Peyton are not HOF yet but they will be).
Year after year those coaches consistently failed with other QB's. So why on earth do people think they are such great coaches? I don't. They're certainly not worth the huge paychecks & total authority they would demand.
Interesting comment, so people who where their faith are not very smart and are dangerous? Please enlighten? Does his cross hurt you in some way?
Never said anything about replacing sing. I like sing.
Sorry, I don't know how the "reply" snuck in there. Wasn't aimed at anybody in particular.
IF we make the playoffs, I want Atlanta again.
No problem, but I do want to replace hill,lol.
Agree. We won't make the same MISTAKES twice.
559" If you will go back and look at the stats from camp,you will see that hill outperformed Smith on almost a daily basis. It was not really close. Smith was rather pathetic,and was the same in the preseason games. Now I don't believe in going by stats,but that along with smith's pathetic history and Hill's history of winning,all together were a blowout of Smith for the job.
Remember,Scott McGloughan said that smith was on his way to being CUT from the team,until he crawled on his hands and knees and accepted a humiliating HUGE pay cut,just for the chance to stay and for his one last chance to compete for the starting job. Smith lost,in his last chance.
Think about it,he lost to a career 3rd stringer,and the competition was not even close,a blowout !.
Davis is PROBABLY the future annd Hill is a proven winner. Alex is water over the dam.
Draft a prospect for 3rd string next year and let hill remain starter until Davis is ready.
Humm...so Coach is "not very smart and dangerous" because he has the convictions that you obviously don't? I think you need to brush up on the Great Commandment before you liberalize innaccurately. You are uncomfortable because he is wearing the cross - I believe he would think "mission accomplished". And as far as "dangerous"...go to the next game and try to take it off of him. LOL
Top_ that is all you have ever gone by is stats. You throw them around all day long. Hill will always have good stats because he takes the safe throw and what the d gives him. That does not usually mean a first down.
Alexwas going to be cut because of his salary, not his ability. If they didn't think he had unfinishd business, alex would be gone and another team would have picked him up in a heart beat. And if hill was cut in camp? Not much.
Alex had not played in 2 years, so ya, he lost to hill. But before he got hurt he was making strides in his second year, in the same offense we have now.
But I am not going to change your mind. So I wish you the best and hope mediocre works for all of us.
The Niners offense leads the NFL in 3/and out. No defense can keep up game after game with that amount of time on the field. We need to fix the offense. That includes the forgotton WR. We need speed in the WR group and better play selection to make up for the o line.
Lets face it the defense has carried the offense all season. We need an offensive stratedgy that can keep the ball moving, keep the defense off the field and put the ball in the end zone.
It's been shown in the Falcon's game that the Niner's O-line is pretty much sieve. So, here's two remedies:
(A) No point in blocking what you can't block; let the defenders through and have the quarterback ditch the ball as soon as he gets it.
and/or
(B) Replace the entire offensive line (or at least the weak parts of it) with HBs, FBs and TEs. At least if you did that, you'd have more options with the line.
I know it's unrealistic, but at least it might be insane enough to work.
The faith thing has been a problem for me. During the off season I did make a snide remark about Singletary's overt religiosity and regretted it as soon as I hit the submit button. I personally am an atheist. I believe organized religion to be one of the most evil institutions in the history of mankind. However, I have no problem with someone believing in God if he or she are so inclined. All I ask is for them not to rub their religiosity in everybody else's faces.
Singletary has every right to wear a cross at work, just as a Muslim woman has a right to wear a head scarf at work. As long as they do their jobs without causing problems I say it is none of our business. There's plenty of things to discuss in this forum, Singletary's cross is a not one of them.
the whole reason for this blog is to express opinions. doing so does not make one a "rat." Trying to staY positive and real, here are mine:
1 Nolin,who cut Bly, is laughing his ass off. I don't trust forced apologies
2. ROSSUM SHOULDN'T HAVE MADE IT THROUGH CAMP
3. IF SMITH CAN'T BEAT OUT HILL HE WAS A WASTED PICK. IT SHOULDN'T EVEN BE CLOSE
4. RAYE IS TRYING TO KEEP IT SIMPLE. WIH THE TALENT LEVEL IT IS PROBABLY BEST, BUT I DOUBT THERE IS A WALSH IN THERE.
5 WE LET SMILEY WALK AND KEPT BAAS AND WRAGGE AND NOW HAVE RACHAL. JEEZ
6 SING KNOWS MORE ABOUT FOOTBALL THAN HIS LAST THREE PREDECESSOR,ESPECIALLY PLAYERS.HE MAY NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT MANAGEMENT
Our play calling is fine...
4th and inches against ATL... we go for it and complete a awesome catch to VD. We're going to be fine... =)
Maybe its all the 49ers kool-aid that I've been drinking, but I've got a feeling that this humiliating loss is a good thing for our team in the long run. Coach Sing has been saying that we aren't there yet and the players all gave lip service to that sentiment, but think it is pretty clear that a lot of players thought that they had finally arrived. Hearing your coach tell you to check your self is one thing; seeing your team on the wrong side of 45-10 is another.
I don't think this team gets complacent again.
Hey Rick, I tend to agree with what you say.I have LONG had issues with the overt religiousity in sports. I never believed for a second that GOD cares more about what a jock does or where a jock goes.
BUT with me, it is the after game prayer, the winners claiming a GOD or Jesus was on their side etc. Or how many times did Muhammed Ali claim it was ALLAH who let him win. WHAT GOD doesn't like the looser? HE is a front runner? BUT just watch the reaction you get..
BUT YES INDEED THERE ARE SPORTS THINGS TO TALK ON THIS THREAD..
The 4th down play worked because of it's surprise value. Everybody expected a run.
Raye has to work with a poor OL and a below-average QB. And he knows it. That limits his options. I seriously think that he designed this offense to fit the players. With better players the playcalling would be different.
When I watch the 49ers, I get the feeling the head coach and OC should be in the clown car, not the NFL.
When I read posts like this, I get the feeling that someone who gets up at 4:48am to start his day with such a witless remark has surely spent many hours of his life driving the clown car, with many more to come. Watch out for overcrowding. The rats are piling into the front seat next to you.
"With better players the playcalling would be different"
I'll grant you the O-line play, as a unit, is poor but a GOOD OC should be able to use the talent he has to be competitive. With as much experience as Raye has, this offense shouldn't be leading the league in 3 and outs. ANY coach should be better with better players, but the good coaches and coordinators take "inferior" talent and make them better. After 5 games can you honestly say this offense is getting better. Martz's O with Hill last year( using the same personnel) was better than this years offense so far. The one good thing I'll say is atleast Raye's allowing V Davis to show his abilities other than just blocking.
The bigger problem we are about to have is Roman back there at striong safety. Just take a look at the angle he took to make the tackle on the 90 yard Roddy White touchdown. He closed from the middle instead of using the sideline to help him and White ran straight up the field. This guy can't help that defense at all. Hopefully Reggie Smith is healthy. Roman will probably get the job because of the experience he has. I guess it doesn't matter if it's negative experience!
Its unfortunate our GM does not believe that quality guards are important to an offense. I hope he understands the mistake he made letting Smiley go in free agency. I'd rather play with Harvey Dahl than against him! Our O- Line is garbage and our GM knew it before the season started. We said we'd run 60% of the time because we knew we couldn't pass block.
Sing wears the stop watch because all preseason long he knew the QB would only have 3 seconds to get rid of the ball because of our O- Line. It turns out,our QB really only has 2 sends, maybe!
After Sunday, I am really hoping the niners draft some O-linemen next spring. Although Hill did not handle well the constant pressure he faced, there should not have been constant pressure to begin with. Like many other posters, at this rate Hill will be on the IR list by mid season and the A Smith fans will get their chance to see Smith run for his life instead.
To quote Dr. Phil: How's that drafting the best player available working out for you?
One loss and the vultures have resurfaced.
One bad loss and the tone is as if we lost them all.
We're 3-2 and undefeated in the division. We got our butts kicked, but have a bye week to try and improve things. No doubt there is plenty to work on, but all the anti-Singletary, anti-Hill, anti-Raye talk is amusing.
This isn't Erickson-Donohue at the helm. The players aren't going to quit. Even the Super Bowl 49ers got beat in the regular season.
I said 9-7 at the start of the season. I still think that would be a significant improvement. We have a chance to do even better than that.
"We said we'd run 60% of the time because we knew we couldn't pass block. "
Funny that we have 145 passes, 16 sacks and 126 runs. Ignoring the fact that some of those 126 runs were called as pass plays with Hill evading the rush and running for positive yards it's still 161 pass plays to 126 run plays. That's 56 % pass and 44 % run.
Those "60 % run" are wishful thinking. We are a passing team. We can neither run nor pass put we favor the pass.
When you run on first down and get negative yards, you become a passing team. It becomes a 3 and out but we pass the ball more right now because we can't run consistantly.
If we do not run more the game will get away from us. Like it or not, we are not capable of coming back from a deficit. We have to limit the offensive snaps of the opposing team and lean on our d to create points.
"When you run on first down and get negative yards, you become a passing team".
So very, very true!!!! Sure seems to me like either the formations or certain players are somehow giving away the running plays. The D always knows what's coming. I've never seen so many opposing players in the backfield to stop the runner for a loss or no gain as I have this year. Is it just the O-line?? I don't think so.
Also, I agree about the running more comment niner559, but let's not keep trying it up the middle when it just gives the same result as an incomplete pass. Waaaaay too many 3rd and longs.
P.S. I hate to say it but with this group, the West Coast offense would be a lot more effective.
Totally agree with Ninerdino's comments about coaching being more of an issue than the talent of the players on the O-line. You'd have to think that the talent is fine; by way of example we let Smiley go because his performance was OK but not special. Look how he's playing now. I have thought for years that we have not had a good O-line coach since McKittrick. What I wouldn't give to have the Giant's O-line coach who routinely takes blue-collar mid-rounds guys and builds great lines...
Also have to say it's pretty hard to get a true evaluation of S Hill, given the plodding scheme Raye is calling and the porous effort of the front 5. People wanting a better QB have to realize that the fantasy QB of your choice probably wouldn't fare a lot better (if at all) behind that line as it is currently playing. Better O-line coaching and variation on offense are more likely to lead to dramatic improvement than swapping out Hill for another QB.
For all you so called 49er fans (basher-rats) who constantly tear Shaun Hill down because of this and that. Realize:
Hill is under a constant pressure that most QB's in the league don't have to deal with, other than at certain times during the game...NOT EVERY PLAY! Ryan alone could have stood back in the pocket for 8 to 10 seconds!
There's nothing wrong with Hill's strength of arm! He has slow receivers that the db's have been eating up! Even Bruce looks like the Jerry Rice who was trying to play longer than he should have! Slow, slower, and slowest! My God! His receivers don't even look for the ball when THEY think that not involved in the play! This is inexcusable for ANY receiver!
Hill can move in the pocket, unlike Smith who can only run to the sideline and throw the ball out of bounds! Believe me, if Smith was put in at QB, the first thing he'd be thinking is it's deja vu all over again! Under the pressure the OL allows on EVERY play he would have 10 more INT's than Hill!
Realize you just don't like Hill and his style of play! It wouldn't matter if Brady Quinn was on the sideline! You'd be crying for him to be QB!
Go bash the Raiders! Now that would be easy! You've got 53 players to bash!
11 years in the NFL and Bly still pulls rookie blunders. I would hope he wouldn't do this again. I suspect he won't.
Getting Gore and the Crab Shack for Houston is a HUGE plus. The Texans Defense is good. Williams is a stud. Amobi Okoye is rounding into what they thought.
Andre Johnson is an absolute star and will be HARD to stop. Schaub is not a bad QB at all.