Before we get to the every-player review from the 49ers' 35-0 victory over the Rams, we're going to check in with a perspective from St. Louis.
I spoke with Jim Thomas, the Rams beat reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, to get his thoughts on the 49ers before he caught his red-eye flight back home. Not surprisingly, he was very impressed with the 49ers' defense. He also wonders if receiver Michael Crabtree might be the piece of the puzzle that the 49ers need on offense.
Listen to the podcast of our conversation . . .
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In Monday's Press Democrat . . . "Resisting 49ers is pointless" and "49ers offensive line struggles."
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And, now, here's the 49ers' every-man review from their win over the winless Rams on Sunday at Candlestick Park:
Quarterbacks
7-Nate Davis: Designated the team's No. 3 quarterback. Did not play.
11-Alex Smith: The backup QB. Did not play.
13-Shaun Hill: He's now 7-0 as a starter at home in his career. Hill completed 14 of 24 passes for 152 yards with two TDs and no interceptions. He had a passer rating of 104.9. But Hill was sacked four times, and he probably could have avoided nearly every one of them. He made a perfect pass to Vernon Davis for a 13-yard TD, and he went back to Josh Morgan for a 24-yard TD after Morgan dropped a deep pass earlier.
Running backs
21-Frank Gore: Inactive due to ankle injuries. He is expected to miss next week's game vs. the Falcons, too.
24-Michael Robinson: Saw limited action as Coffee's backup. Did not carry. . . . Had one pass go off his hand. . . Solo tackle of Kenneth Darby on kickoff return at 14-yard line.
29-Glen Coffee: Made first career start. He gained 74 yards on 24 carries, and caught four of the seven passes on which he was targeted for 32 yards. . . . He was very decisive with his runs - probably too decisive. He missed some cutback lanes, and he seemed intent to take the ball where the play was designed, whether the hole was open or not. . . Dropped pass on pass thrown behind him on third and 5 in the first quarter. Not sure he could've made first down, anyway. . . Picked up blitzing corner Jonathan Wade off Hill's blind side on TD pass to Josh Morgan.
44-Moran Norris: Had two carries for eight yards. . . He did a better job blocking than you'd expect, as Coffee averaged just 3.1 yards a rush attempt. . . . Had a big block on LB Paris Lenon in the second quarter but Coffee stayed inside and did not take advantage of the hole.
Wide receivers
18-Micheal Spurlock: Inactive; coaches' decision.
81-Brandon Jones: Suited up for first game with 49ers. . . . Entered the game on offense for the first time in fourth quarter when the 49ers went with almost all run plays. . . . Did not see a pass go his way.
83-Arnaz Battle: He saw limited action as the No. 3 wideout. Caught one pass for 8 yards with it coming on a third-and-4 on final play of third quarter. . . Took over punt-return duties for Allen Rossum and did not look sharp. . . . Muffed punt near sideline in the third quarter . . . Muffed another punt late in the game when he tried to make catch at helmet level.
84-Josh Morgan: Started at split end. . . . Caught two passes for 39 yards, including TD. . . . Had his 14-yard reception wiped out by his own pass-interference penalty. . . . Dropped deep pass that would've been a 56-yard TD in the third quarter. . . . Came back to catch 24-yard TD over Atogwe and Justin King. . .
88-Isaac Bruce: Started at flanker and caught three passes for 20 yards during a relatively quiet game.
89-Jason Hill: Suited up for the first time this season. Saw action as gunner on punt team . . . . Unsung hero on the 49ers' special-teams touchdown as he hustled down field knocked Danny Amendola into Quincy Butler, preventing both players from recovering ball in end zone. Scott McKillop recovered it for the touchdown. . . . Did not see action on offense.
Tight ends
46-Delanie Walker: Officially got the starting assignment, as the 49ers opened game in two-TE set. . . .Saw a lot of action on offense, as the 49ers played a lot of two-back, two-TE sets . . . Gained 16 yards on a tight-end around in the third quarter . . . Also had 10-yard reception.
85-Vernon Davis: Started at tight end and played every snap. He caught three passes for 43 yards. . . Made nice third-down catch with O.J. Atogwe hanging all over him for first down on first series. . . . Got off the line quickly to beat safety Anthony Smith and linebacker James Laurinaitis into end zone for 13-yard TD. . . . Leonard Little got around him for a sack in fourth quarter. . . . All in all, a good day for the Davis family, as Vernon's brother, Vontae, had interception return for TD for the Dolphins.
Offensive line
59-Cody Wallace: Inactive; coaches' decision. Wallace has yet to suit up for a game in his NFL career.
62-Chilo Rachal: Started at right guard. He had a rough, rough game . . . Got pushed back by C.J. Ah You as Hill got sacked on 3-step drop. . . DT Leger Douzable, just brought up from practice squad, gave Rachal and club move and blasted Hill on 5-step drop . . . He seemed to be constantly off-balance.
64-David Baas: Started at left guard and played the entire game. . . . James Hall, working against Baas, got a sack in the third quarter but Hill probably held the ball too long . . . Pulled to make block on Chris Long on Coffee's best carry of the day, a 17-yarder in fourth quarter . . . It was a mixed-bag kind of game.
65-Barry Sims: Did not see action on offense. Saw some duty on special teams.
66-Eric Heitmann: Started at center . . . He held his own, but he did not get great push in the run game. Also was unable to get to the second level like he's done in the past.
68-Adam Snyder: Started at right tackle and split the playing time with Tony Pashos . . . Got block on James Laurinaitis down the field that helped Morgan pick up 15 yards on third-and-8 . . . His pass protection was solid.
69-Tony Wragge: Did not see any play time on offense. Saw some action on special teams.
74-Joe Staley: Started at left tackle and played an OK game. . . . Beaten by Chris Long with an inside move that forced Hill to step to his left and into unblocked Larry Grant for a sack. . . . Got out front on receiver screen to Josh Morgan that picked up first down on drive that resulted in TD. . .
77-Tony Pashos: Entered game at right tackle on 49ers' third possession and again after a couple series in the second half. It was his best showing since joining the 49ers.
Defensive line
90-Isaac Sopoaga: Started at left defensive end. He leaves game in pass-rush situations, but his hit on Boller on second play of game forced incompletion. He was credited with one tackle, but did a nice job to clog run lanes for Rams running back Steven Jackson.
91-Ray McDonald: Scored first NFL touchdown after scooping up fumble in fourth quarter and returning it 11 yards for a touchdown. He stayed with Jackson who cut it all the way back to the right side for no gain on a third-and-9.
92-Aubrayo Franklin: Started at nose tackle, and was credited with four tackles. . . . Got into the backfield to shut off run lane for Jackson, who had to bounce out a play for 3 yards. . . . Showed great strength to make late-third-quarter stop of Jackson despite Rams center Jason Brown all over him.
93-Demetric Evans: Saw limited action on defense, and was not credited with a tackle.
94-Justin Smith: Started at right defensive end. He was credited with only one tackle, but - as always - he hustled and was always around the ball. . . . Forced Boller out of pocket on third and 10, resulting in his getting stopped short. He had two QB hurries.
95-Ricky Jean-Francois: Inactive; coaches' decision.
96-Kentwan Balmer: Got into the game on Rams' third series. Saw probably about a half-dozen snaps and although he was not credited with any statistics, he was around the ball.
Linebacker
51-Takeo Spikes: Had eight tackles, one sack and two tackles for loss. He had a very good game. . . Abused Steven Jackson in blitz pickup to get to Boller for second-quarter sack for 10-yard loss . . . Big hit on swing pass to fullback Mike Karney for 1-yard loss.
52-Patrick Willis: It might have been the most complete game of his NFL career with an interception return for a TD, eight tackles, 2.5 sacks, three tackles for loss, three QB hurries. . . Times blitz perfectly to shoot between guard and center, and arrived at QB before Jackson could pick him up for first sack. . . . Did a great job of reading Boller and sliding in front of receiver Keenan Burton to intercept third-quarter pass and return it 23 yards for a touchdown. . . Tackled Jackson for 3-yard loss on throwback screen . . . Avoided low block from Samkon Gado to bring down Boller for late-fourth-quarter sack..
53-Jeff Ulbrich: Got down in the pile and helped Scott McKillop secure the ball for his TD recovery in the second quarter. . . Played exclusively on special teams. . . Left game late with a concussion. He seemed fine after the game, but will be re-evaluated on Monday.
54-Marques Harris: Saw limited action on defense, recording one tackle, and also played on special teams. He was on the team's injury report afterward with a left hamstring strain.
55-Ahmad Brooks: Did not see a whole lot of action on defense, but made one of the better plays in the game when he came off the right side to stop Gado for 1-yard loss from backside on third-and-1 in first quarter.
56-Scott McKillop: Lined up at right guard on punt-coverage unit and got down field to recover live ball in end zone for 49ers' first touchdown of the game. . . . Got into the game at the "Ted" linebacker in fourth quarter and nearly had a sack - if Willis hadn't gotten it first.
98-Parys Haralson: Started at outside linebacker . . . Coming off right side, nearly got Jackson in the backfield for a 2-yard loss. But he did not quit on the play. He got up and still made the tackle after a 2-yard gain. . . . Pursuing from backside, wrapped up Jackson for 2 yards on third-and-14 in the third quarter.
99-Manny Lawson: Started at outside linebacker and had one of his best games with five tackles, a half-sack and a tackle for loss . . . Closed quickly on Boller on third-and-10 scramble to stop him for 5-yard gain . . . Fought off Randy McMichael block to drop Jackson for 5-yard loss late in third quarter . . . Read the end around to Amendola and hit him as he was bobbling it to jar ball loose for McDonald fumble return for a TD.
Defensive backs
22-Nate Clements: Started at left cornerback and made five tackles. . . Missed tackle on Donnie Avery that resulted in first-quarter first down . . . Came up hard to make an open-field tackle on Jackson on 4-yard gain . . . Hard hit when he flew up to level Jackson on 6-yard gain . . .
23-Marcus Hudson: Saw action on special teams, where he made a tackle on Amendola after a 3-yard punt return.
25-Tarell Brown: Saw action on special teams, making two tackles. . . .He ran down as gunner on punt, where Quincy Butler tried to block him only to have the ball hit off his cleats. The ball was live and McKillop recovered it in the end zone.
26-Mark Roman: Saw action in the 49ers' six-DB alignment. He did not make any tackles, as the Rams rarely got the ball into the secondary.
28-Curtis Taylor: Inactive, coaches' decision.
30-Reggie Smith: Inactive; severe groin strain. He will miss at least another game.
31-Dre' Bly: The 49ers' third cornerback broke up one pass. . . Strung out Jackson on run to the right side to allow Clements to stop him for no gain on third and 14 in first quarter. . . . Stepped in front of Burton to make Boller hold the ball on a third-quarter play. When Boller went back to Burton, Willis was there for the interception . . . left game briefly after sustained left elbow contusion. . . Recovered Battle's muffed punt late in game and advanced it a yard.
32-Michael Lewis: He had an exceptional game, tying for team-high honors with eight tackles. . . . He came up strong in run support. On blitz on first series, he knocked down Boller as he was throwing to force incomplete pass. . . . Bottled up Jackson off the left side, forcing him to take it all the way back the right side, where he was stopped for no gain.
36-Shawntae Spencer: Started at right cornerback and had a relatively quiet game and he did not allow much on his side of the field. Had only one tackle, as it took him a while to bring down Jackson near the sideline.
38-Dashon Goldson: Started at free safety and had a good game with seven tackles and a sack. . . On third and 4, Boller rolled left and started to run when Goldson came flying up to record the sack.
Special teams
4-Andy Lee: Punted seven times with a 43.6-yard average (39.4 net). He had one touchback and two punts land inside the 20.
6-Joe Nedney: Field-goal attempt from 43 yards in second quarter hit off left upright. . . He made all five PATs, and the Rams' average starting point after Nedney's six kickoffs was the 21.
20-Allen Rossum: Inactive; coaches' decision.
86-Brian Jennings: The long-snapper got down the field quickly before end of the half to stop Amendola for 6-yard gain on punt return . . .
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Practice squad
T Alex Boone
LB Diyral Briggs
WR Dobson Colins
TE Joe Jon Finley
FB Brit Miller
OL Drew Radovich
RB Kory Sheets
WR Dominique Zeigler (he's returned to practice after being unavailable for the first couple weeks with an ankle sprain)
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Unsigned
WR Michael Crabtree: The No. 10 overall draft pick has yet to agree to contract terms with the 49ers. He must sign by Nov. 17 or he will not be able to play this season. Deion Sanders dropped some hints on the NFL Network that Crabtree will soon be joining the 49ers. He would know better than just about anyone. We shall see . . . In the meantime, click here to listen to what he said.
Injured reserve
CB Walt Harris: Sustained torn ACL in right knee during organized team activities on May 19. Harris, 35, is not under contract to the 49ers next season, but he said he plans to rehab and play again.
RB Thomas Clayton: He sustained a torn ACL in right knee in the 49ers' exhibition opener Aug. 14 against the Broncos.
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Hey Matt, have you seen the latest blurb from Bee-rows? -Deion is droppin' Crabtree hints!
http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/archives/2009/10/deion-sanders-d.html?mi_rss=49ers%20Blog%20and%20Q%26A
League Arm Twisting no doubt, this can't get fixed soon enough for the Commish I'm sure -
Sanders ruins our highlight tapes. That's not good journalism.
Do you guy's think he will be on team by the time we get back from our bye?
It's also really interesting to here the assessment of someone covering our competition. Thanks Matt, I appreciate you finding new angles to inform us.
Matt,
I know the NFL has to choose security managers from two teams to lead the tampering investigation. Any word as to which teams? I know they are careful about conflict of interest between teams (past animosities, such as Jets and Patriots), but I would be curious to see who was chosen.
After seeing what Percy Harvin brough to the Vikings, wouldn't it be awesome if Crabtree brought the same excitement to the 49ers...and if he's better than Harvin, then I cannot wait!
Barrows left off the end of Deion's statement!
Mariucci: You don't know...
Sanders: Mmm...I do know...
Mariucci: You don't know.
TOP_CAT | October 4, 2009 5:15 PM |
Is there knowledge that the Niners are close to signing Crabtree and they were taking a look at Battle as return man and wheather or not they could cut loose Rossum to make room ? Rossum is only one of 4 players that only do one thing(Nedney,Lee,Jennings and Rossum). He only returns . He takes up a roster spot and only is a return man. Who would you cut IF Crabs signs? Even Roman plays special teams and backs up at Safety and also plays dime.
Would they really cut a young WR that has speed (Hill )? They won't cut Sims,because even though he stinks,he is still their 2nd best backup at tackle.
Who would you cut IF Crabs comes in?
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But maybe I was right in my speculation after all ? (Or maybe I am just as full of hot air as Deion ,lol)
But check out what deion said later in the day ,after I made my wild speculation...
http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/archives/2009/10/deion-sanders-d.html
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Can Crabs return punts and kickoffs ? I hope he is ready to cave and signs soon ! He has always been a good team mate and hard worker and good citizen on and off the field,before he signed with that sleeze Parker that is.
...Good win - we did what we had to do as a TEAM.....first shutout in yrs
.....the re-building phase is now over- thanks to Nolan and McGm
......This is a really good team with a crappy QB....
...but then again it is the sorry RAMS......didnt expect anything less....
next week will be interesting.....definately a GPS game
...not impressed at all by S.Hill ....he had only 2 good drives.....this guy is pathetic.....he plays like he his scared
When his he going to play a complete game.....
....we cant keep allowing the defense to bail us out- 4 games and still no command of the offense....
....against the sorry RAMS - our offense should have played better than this.....
The play of the guards is kiilling us. Especially Rachal, either whiffing on blocks or just taking the wrong angles, mayge play Wragge for a while, let the kid sit and watch for a while,
....with the shutout - am not not even gonna let this pathetic QB ruin my week.....
S.Hill gets spared the play - by - play critiscm this week.....
so congrats S.Hill for not costing us the game.....
...i was expecting S.Hill to play better than this -
...he was playing against the one of the worst if not worst defense in the league....
....is this guy ever gonna play better than a backup QB plays?....
..this is so fustrating - to have this much talent on offense and still not be respected or feared....
Glad to see that S. Hill had another day with a QB rating of about 105 !!!
Looks like Sing and Raye are riding their QB to wins ! Hill has still never lost a game at the Stick,hope he keeps up the great record next week !
Seems to me that it usually takes until about mid season at least before a newly installed offense with a new OC starts to click. Hopefully Raye will have his guys mature enough in the offense by playoff time to have nearly caught up with how great the defense is playing. Hill has been a solid rock that Raye has leaned on to keep his offense productive through this growing stage. We are so lucky to have Hill on this team,since Nate Davis is not ready yet and since we have no other NFL caliber QB on the roster at this time.
The play of the guards is kiilling us. Especially Rachal, either whiffing on blocks or just taking the wrong angles, maybe play Wragge for a while, let the kid sit and watch for a while,
Yep,the O line is really holding Hill and the offense back. Hopefully they jell into a better unit and start picking up those blitzs and stunts much better as they jell (and get healthy). I still think they have potential to be a really good unit,if they can continue to play together without further injury.Wheather or not the offense can catch up with the defense is all on the O line. We have the QB and receivers and RB's to do the job,now the O line MUST jell.
I agree. I think Hill may continue to impress us even more if the O-Line improves their play. Also, too bad they didn't put Nate Davis in the game during the 4th qtr. It would have been interesting to see how he played. Give Davis some more experience, and it will soon be time to move him to the #2 position, and "Happy Feet" Smith to #3.
Matt,
The o-line is really struggling. We're at 3-1 and could make a playoff push but the line must play better. Rachal sometimes makes crushing blocks but then turns around and gets beaten badly by a street free agent. His technique is simply awful sometimes. On run plays he's on his heels and doesn't fire off the ball which allows a defender to get a good push. I hate to say it but he looks very lazy. Any chance Wragge or Pashos will take his spot?
After seeing Morgan drop that gimme TD, I know where I stand on this Crabtree thing-I want him! Morgan will be a nice compliment but #1 star WRs don't drop balls like that. Imagine what Hill's rating would have been if Morgan caught that pass..
I think Glen Coffee is a real solid RB but you can tell that Raye has him handcuffed. Coffee could have bounced the ball outside quite a few times for some nice gains, but Raye won't let him do it. You gotta let this kid play his game, he's a different RB than Gore. Gore has speed and strength that Coffee doesn't have, let the kid play! 3 yds and a cloud of dust isn't gonna work against the Falcons...
Matt:
Glad to see you give J Hill his props for that block on the fumble recovery, I noticed it on the first replay but didn't hear anybody else mention it. My impression is he's been a pretty good on special teams player, is it just the durability issue or a preference for something else Spurlock does? We know it sure can't be running the 'taser' as the difference maker.
I noticed that too with Rachal on several plays. On pass protection I saw him backup way too quick on several plays, he's 2 yds in the backfield before you can blink. If Baas' ankle is not really bothering him, I think Wragge deserves the start. Baas was really struggling on several of those close ups in the game. It looks as if the problem in the running game is mostly the result of weak play from both guard positions.
...s. hill played a superb game. he may not be pro bow material, but he avoids costly blunders and can put together TD drives when it counts...he is a terrific contributor on the TEAM.
...s. hill is just like j. mcmahon in 1985...a leader on the field. may not have spectacular stats, but more importantly, has the trust of his teammates and coaches...
...s. hill is also a bargain for the team in terms of salary cap. let's face it, a player's value is also relative to their salary. for example, there is another quarterback on the 49ers roster who is a poor value, even if he were to ever realize his potential (probably won't)...
Couldn't Agree More, you are right about Jim McMahon in 1985 and the Hill comparison. Definitely a BARGAIN on the Cap too!
Hill is definitely not pretty with some passes but continues to show leadership and drive. I think he could play better. Some things like not holding the ball as long for the sack and making those easy dump passes. Hi completion percentage should be above 65% every game. Especially for a game manager QB. The dropped passes doesn't help either.
Next week will be the 9ers statement game to the league as we go into the bye 4-1 (really 5-0)...!!!
I just hope the stay healthy and don't get worn out towards playoff time.
SHAUN HILL!!!! hahaha
seriously.... I'm lovin this team... our D is takin names and my boy Hill is still UNDEFEATED AT HOME!!!
Great game by Shaun Hill. Can't deny the superbness of an 104.9 passer rating. Is superbness a word? Oh well. Bring on the dirty burds.
As I said last week, its clear it does not matter what Hill does, you're always going to call him a "crappy" QB. Not sure what else he could do in a 35-0 game when the OL isn't creating holes in the run game and the pass protection was average at best. Yes, the offense needs to get better. Yes, Hill needs to get better but to the extent the offense struggled, Hill wasn't the main problem. He's 3-1, has thrown 1 INT that wasn't his fault and had a QB rating over 100 yesterday despite not having the team's best offensive player...the ironic thing is, no one takes your criticisms seriously anymore because you've been so over the top with the anti-Hill banter that it proves you cannot be objective in any way when it comes to Hill.
GO NINERS! Need to get the O-line going a little better but looking good!
oneniner is a GIRL! A FAT UGLY GIRL!
So many dropped passes every week, that is what is frustrating. I remember Josh Morgan dropped a pass last year that would have gone for a TD. I know Vernon Davis has dropped plenty in the past, however he seems to have the most reliable hands this year so far. Coffee needs some work on catching the ball coming out of the backfield. I hope Brandon Jones gets in the starting lineup soon and can alleviate this butter hands syndrome.
Your fixation on ripping Shaun Hill would be sad if it wasn't so damn creepy. All I can think of now when I read a oneniner post is Ray Finkle. "LACES OUT, DAN!"
I wouldn't read too much into the Sanders comments. His objective is just to keep his name alive and buzzing since every win is making him quickly becoming an afterthought.
I've liked the utilization of Lawson in the last two games as he's been doing a great job cleaning up the underneath stuff instead of getting worked by blockers attempting to pass rush. I would like to see Brooks worked in on more obvious passing downs and against pass heavy teams (like when we face the Colts) as the alternate rushing threat. He looks to be more affective in that role and Haralson will be more affective when we can mix up who our extra rusher is (defenses are gameplanning him better knowing he is our main threat). It was good to see some mix up this last week with Willis and Spikes getting in on the action as a change of pace.
Offense still needs to find a sync. They were awful in that first half against the rams. The really telling moment is that the lowly rams felt confident enough in their inability to be calling timeouts with less than a minute to go in the first half when we had just gotten the ball at our own 20. They had absolutely no fear of our offense threating with a late drive and were already calling timeouts to get one more drive in after our 3 and out. A lot of people are pointing to sloppy line play as a culprit but as always it is a mix of things. Yes, the ol needs to play better, but how much is the defense's ability to blow up so many plays because they know what is coming affecting their play? I still feel we need to work on finding more ways to make a defense pay for stacking the box. Take what the defense gives you, we have the talent to make them pay in other areas. No, we are not a light it up passing attack, but we definitely have the talent to make a team pay when they overcommit and leave a huge opening.
I also agree that Coffee is doing a fine job in his role and probably needs to be corrected on his finding outside room (He is currently not bouncing out at all after being corrected by Raye earlier for looking there too often). He has been doing a pretty good job of getting something in many plays where he has been swarmed from the get go.
Personally, what would excite me the most about Crabtree signing would be that the team is showing future interest in a passing game. And maybe, with Carolina's pick or a trade up, we can get the next great young QB -- Bradford or McCoy. This would be perfect, since we already have Nate Davis at a low price, we would be virtually ensuring that we have a quality starter and backup after next year.
My dream offseason would be the firing of Raye, the acquisition of 2 stud linemen through draft or free agency, the drafting of Bradford or McCoy, and the hiring of a 21st Century West Coast Offense OC. Or at least an OC with a proven track record of a successful passing game.
It looks like we've got the makings of a pass rush now, without having to invest too high a draft pick. Maybe Brooks, McDonald, or Lawson becomes exactly what the DEs Carolina and SD drafted look like they are NOT becoming.
Also, since this season hinges so heavily on the OL improvement, maybe what's needed is for a former 49er great offensive lineman at each position, like Barton, Sapolu, McIntyre, Wallace, etc. to come in and work one-on-one with each of these guys until whatever technique deficiencies they have are fixed. Have them talk before and after the games. Go all out to do whatever it takes to get the most out of them this year. One OL coach isn't sufficient for these guys.
Great job on the podcast/review Matt, you da man!
I know the opposing QB is a factor in letting P Willie roam like a freak possessed but I couldn't help wondering if he had done been able to do just a little of this against Minn...again, I know the competition was different and Favre may have read his the changes way faster than Boller did.
Thanks to all of the older members for not feeding the "anti-49er" troll AKA you-know-who. If newer members got the idea-we'd be in business. I wish there was an "ignore" option but for now, I'll just scroll past anything remotely ignorant...
Man I can not believe how predictable oneniner is.
Did I not call it? I made your post on your behalf already oneniner and it was uncanny with how dead on it was....
What I said yesterday after the game:
oneniner told me to post for him if he wasn't able to get on before now so here you go
......Hill almost cost us the game..... He cant even manage to throw 3 or 4 td's against the lousy rams? ........... When is that religious freak Singletary gonna stop praying to god for victories and put the ball in the hands of A. Smith...... it was Hills fault that ball hit morgan in the hands and morgan dropped it...... hill should have thrown it better.......Hill sucks
Was I dead on with the assessment or what!!!!
Are dropped balls really that big a problem? Coffee had the big one last week that would have been a needed 3rd down conv and then you have Morgan's big drop this week. Coffee did drop one other one this week that he should have had but it had questionable value as he would have had to make a good move to not be hammered short of the 1st anyway. There have been more drops than those 3 for sure, but not that I would pin at too high a level on anyone's hands as most of the others were either well covered or badly off target passes (like coffee's other drop, mrob's drop, etc). We aren't exactly the butterfinger core that Seattle had a few years back.
Matt - Do you think that Spencer does not get many passes his way because they are trying to go after Clements or that his coverage has been so good they decide to stay away. That move to start him sure looks good right now.
Matt - Do you think that Spencer does not get many passes his way because they are trying to go after Clements or that his coverage has been so good they decide to stay away. That move to start him sure looks good right now.
It's too bad the 9ers had to get the Falcons after their bye week? Well, I guess the 9ers kinda had a bye week too.
Brekkon - your comment cracked me up! oneniner will always rip on hill, no matter if he throws 6 tds! he'll come up with a new excuse everytime! "6 tds, the only reason he got that many is because he secretly added some stick-em glue to the surface of the ball."
the ball that morgan drop would have been a 56 yard td! the ball when about 50 yards before it landed right in morgan's hands! man...it would have been an awesome replay to say the least!
i have been ripping on jimmy "cow-bell" raye throughout this season, and rightfully so. his bad play calling, his disrespect of hill of calling him secondary to "21", and his stubbornest of just keep run run run when it doesn't work! if you notice, s. hill has pulled raye's dumb a** out of the fire in almost every game except the seattle game. i want to run too, but if you're stubborn and just keep nose-diving into a wall... and it doesn't seem to move, please be more creative! and when raye do get up there to speak...am i the only one here think that he's mouthing gibberish??
so yes, i was more impressed with the play-calling in this game. he actually mixed it up a bit. i hope he keeps this up. the 60-40 ratio of run and pass isn't going to work. i saw singletary on CSN and he said that he wants to do more of a balance attack. so maybe the coaches are learning, and i hope they keep this up.
Well this week Raye and Singletary are gonna have to take the shackles off this offense because I think the onus will be on Hill to win the game. Coffee has to break loose as well because the Falcons are not a real strong run defense so far. The Falcons offense can and will score this week so I'm expecting this week to be the Shaun Hill show win or lose.
I love S. Hill, and think he's he stands for everything this team is about, Not the most physical talent, but makes up for with a do what ever it takes to win attitude. But Good Lord the guy needs to work on his pocket presence, he needs to learn to step up in the pocket and avoid sacks, 13 in 4 games is insane, at least half of those sacks are his fault, like Coach was preaching during TC you can only expect the line to hold up for 3 seconds, after that the QB needs make a play. I am scared to death that any game now Hill's gonna get hurt then were forced to go Deer in the Headlights Smith.
As far as Crabtree goes...
Link
yes, i totally agree. i love shaun hill and what he's about, but when the pocket is collapsing around you, you have to improvise and make some kind of play. like last season when he ran for the first down and lost his helmet. that was a great play and juiced up the team!
the one thing that pisses me off about shaun hill is that he use to be a track guy. i mean, he was offer a scholarship to run track! so with that, i would like to see him take off and get that first down instead of him ducking or throwing the ball away. would that stop him because he doesn't want to be injure? or that singletary is telling him not to run? either or, he has that ability, i want him to use it!
yeah i agree, on that inentional grounding play i think he could have tried to tuck it and run. They need to make better use of his ability to run with the football. I still contend that a fake and a bootleg should have been the third down call at the end of the minnesota game last week. Running into the teeth of the defense 3 straight times just isn't gonna work with the o-line playing the way it is.
Hey Maiocco, what is going on with Allen Rossum? It seems like he has lost a step, but is still the best returner the Niners have at this point. Arnez Battle isn't the answer.
can anyone here imagine what the record the 49ers would be if alex smith started? i know the defense would be just as good, but for sure the D would be playing a lot more and would be worn down to exhaustion. (well, oneniner would probably think we would be 4-0 with smith ;)
..."or that singletary is telling him not to run? either or, he has that ability, i want him to use it!"
....maybe the reality is he his limited in what he can do.....maybe he is not athletic enough, maybe he his tooo OLD, maybe he his too slow .....
.....you guys need to relax....its the RAMS
when did beating the sorry rams become a challenge.....stop disrespecting the franchise....with all this nonsense
True niner fans don't storm the field after beating the sorry RAMS -
especially after having your QB play well on 2 drives ONLY - ....relax is the word
Our season officially begins next week.
...with A.Smith at QB - i wont say we will be 4-0....i wont even say we could be 3-1....
..but with A.Smith I know we have a future to be better
...with S.Hill there is no getting better - if the defense does not play well - we lose...its that simple.
A.Smith = the Sky is the limit
S.Hill = the limit is now
i do have to say - I think this defense is good enough to get us in the playoffs....even with a crappy QB
....we should be thanking Nolan for this defense....
I am not sure what the record would be to be honest.
Smith, isn't better in my opinion as a matter of fact I have made it known I really dislike the guy. But so far we haven't asked our QB to do much. I can not honestly say that Smith would have fared any better or worse. My gut tells me that we wouldve been horrible but it would be unfair to alex to jump on him like that.
Even though I dislike alex like oneniner dislikes hill, I prefer to keep an open mind and give alex the benefit of the doubt that he couldve done the same or at least not stunk it up bad enough for us to lose.
As far as the play calling of raye. I am going to give him more time. This week was better than MIN as far as the passes and screens on blitzes and we shoud've had many more Rush yards than we did have. I put that blame on coffee though. I saw several times coffee just run into a pile of guys instead of cutting it back to an open hole. He needs to be smart enough to know if the hole has eight guys all together in a ball in it then just maybe he should try cutting it a different way.
This is not a big issue though with a rookie RB. I have seen other rookie RB's make the same mistake. Sometimes it just takes a little game experience to learn that.
He is probably still used to college where no matter what, his team always had the designated hole open for him.
"....we should be thanking Nolan for this defense...."
Yes thank you Nolan for showing us your coin with 4-3 on one side and 3-4 on the other side is not a good way to set up a Def scheme.
alanmarks wrote ...
Personally, what would excite me the most about Crabtree signing would be that the team is showing future interest in a passing game. And maybe, with Carolina's pick or a trade up, we can get the next great young QB -- Bradford or McCoy.
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Alan,you do know that the Niners have passed more times this year than they have run,don't you ?
And you do know that we have a QB of the future on ther roster already that may be better than Bradford or McCoy,in Nate Davis. Why waste one or more of our picks in next years deep draft to go after a prospect at QB that may never show any NFL talent(like we did in 2005) when we already have a QB developing that has shown he has it all and will already have a year in the NFL under his belt before next season?
and Sing says Forester is doing a good job and the O line needs to get healthy and play together and jell.
Raye has been putting more and more wrinkles into the offense as it and the players mature in it. Give him at least until the middle of the season or perhaps until the 2/4 mark of the season to judge him and his NEW offense and his play calling.The O line is holding him back right now because Hill doesn't get enough time for Raye to call plays that are certainly in the playbook. Hopefully the O line will get better as they jell and Raye will then look better to you as he takes advantage of the whole playbook.
---And Crabs has always been a good team mate and good citizen on and off the field,before he turned his life over to the sleeze Parker.Sign now kid ,and don't bring Parker or Deion or your Cousin with you to Santa Clara !!!
This was such a boring game, I tivoed it. I am looking forward to the Falcon game.
After a quarter of the schedule is done, we know this about the Niners.
Coaching staff: a bit conservative,but Coach Sing is the difference this year.
QB: if Raye and the O-line do their job, Hill will be in the top 5 in the league.
Offense: descent
Defense: top 5 in the league, for sure. Great to see Lawson and Franklin up their game.
Special team: need a better return man. How about crabtree.
we will see what the Niners are made of when they play against Colts and Giants.
.....in all...this was S.Hill's best performance this yr...
....but then again it was only 2 good drives the whole game....compared to just one drive each last game
....i feel like i am in a dream with this crap-shooter of a QB - i hope i wake up next week......he keeps doing just enough to get by...(like a freaking snake)
next week's game is very important to me.....
When we play the giants!!!! Sweet we are going to the playoffs for sure if that happens!!!!
they will play the giants for the NFC champioship, I hope.....
and if the receivers catch the damn balls, the offense will be much better. maybe it's time to sign Crabtree.
oneniner - i was a big alex smith fan when they drafted him. i saw some of his games in utah. i never bought a player jersey in the first year until smith got drafted. when smith finally got into the starting rotation, and i watch with patient, i noticed that smith wasn't the leader i thought he would be. over the next couple of years as smith kept playing, i come to a realization that smith would not be the main qb for the niners. yes, he was great qb in utah, even with the spread offense, but in the nfl, he just wasn't hacking it. he panics, his vision becomes tunneled, his accuracy was percentage low, he takes too long to decide where to throw, he doesn't have a pocket presence, he's not a field general, basically, he hasn't showned or proved that the "sky is the limit" with him. i'm not saying that shaun hill is our qb of the future, but hill has proven that he's step above smith. now am i saying that nate davis is our next franchise qb? i don't know, maybe, maybe not. there are going to be a lot of top qbs coming out of the draft next year, but we really need offensive lineman help more than anything else. but for now, shaun hill is holding the fort. the next few games are going to be tough, and if shaun hill play the way he did in minnesota, then i know we will win.
you know oneniner, no matter who's the qb, even if i don't like him or not, even if they're making the wrong decision of playing the wrong player, i will always be a NINER FAN and root for them through thick and thin. i'm just hoping that the decision makers in the coaching staff sees things different than us "living room coaches" and make the right call and put winners out there, and right now, they're doing a damn good job!
GO NINERS!!!!
49erthor wrote...
the 60-40 ratio of run and pass isn't going to work. i saw singletary on CSN and he said that he wants to do more of a balance attack. so maybe the coaches are learning, and i hope they keep this up.
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As I mentioned to alanmarks,the Niners have PASSED MORE than they have run this season. When will you guys stop repeating the lie that we run 60-40 ? Sing and Raye have said all along that they want a well balanced offense. Well ,that is exactly what we have in almost a 50-50 ration pass to run (with a couple more passes than runs). Raye said ONE time that he was going to run 60% of the time and he and Sing said several times before that he was going to be about 50-50. We now know that he was just having fun with the not too bright media when he gave them that 60% quote.So stop repeating the nonsense the media writes and start looking at the reality of the stats. Like sing says,"don't tell me,show me "! Raye has shown that his ofense is well balanced between pass and run. And who knows what improvements will come if the O line starts to play as they were expected to play and Raye can confidently call any play in his playbook,without worrying if the O line will give Hill enough time to actually take the snap from Center before he is swarmed under,or if the RB's can get the handoff without one or two defenders standing right next to them already ? We won't know about Raye until the O line starts to be consistently good and Raye can start calling ALL his playbook whenever he wants.
I'm in Dallas, the epicenter of the Big 12, and I see a lot of both Bradford and McCoy. I'm a big believer that both of them will be excellent on Sundays.
I see a lot of optimism about Nate Davis on these blogs and I loved what I saw in preseason. Hard for me to be comfortable with that though since I never saw him play a down in college. He might be great -- he's got a nice arm. Hope he is great. I like the can't-lose position we could be in having 2 young studs at QB. The lesser of the 2 can be future trade bait, but we need insurance. I don't want a repeat of everything hinging on one guy. That said, I think all the experts would say McCoy or Bradford are much better pro prospects than Alex was. Damn, if we only drafted Aaron Rogers!!!
You never cease to amaze me oneniner...
"....we should be thanking Nolan for this defense...."
Nolan had all of the same guys last year and didn't show anything like what they have on D since Sing took over...
Winning is winning... why won't you ever give credit to the 9ers players and staff for the wins?
Will you ever get over the FACTS?
-Hill is our best QB option this year and will be the starter all year barring an injury, so find something new to talk about. Your obsession on this topic irritates everyone. (
-We are winning games, if you truly are a 9ers fan you should stop complaining and enjoy the ride.
-Alex Smith has never played well in any of his opportunities on game day, what makes you think it would be any different this year?
Even though I dislike alex like oneniner dislikes hill, I prefer to keep an open mind and give alex the benefit of the doubt that he couldve done the same or at least not stunk it up bad enough for us to lose.
I dispute that you dislike Smith like HWSNBM dislikes Hill. You would not have been able to write the second part of your sentence otherwise.
the fact is - the niners hasn't look this good in over a half a dozen years! and the spark they did halfway into last season is continuing into this season as we speak!
great for us 49er fans!
imagine if you're a die-hard raiders' fan. man, they're going through some rough times over there. i'm a raider fan too, but the niner's been my team since i was a tiny-tot.
Alanmarks: Nate Davis was THE man and carried Ball State on his shoulders to an undefeated season until the last 2 weeks of the season (one game of those 2 he was sick as a dog but sucked it up and tried to play,because he and his HC knew they needed Davis to have a chamce.The other game,in their Bowl game,Davis had his one bad game of the year.
Davis was magnificent last year for Ball State and he was THE team leader and played great all year ,until the last 2 games. Before those last 2 games and before his dyslexia was reported and scared off some ignorant GM's,he was written about as being a 1st round draft pick.
Scott McGloughan interviewed him and discovered the kid was bright and could learn football easily,so he drafted him for his great football skills and ignored the dyslexia scare. We have seen that he has all the tools that Bradford or MCcoy have but with a years head start on them as far as experience in the NFL,learning a system.
Why waste a high draft pick(it would probably take more than one to move up to get one of those QB's you want) on what we already have in Davis ? Use those picks on O linemen or trade a pick for an established playmaker etc etc.
We should however draft a QB in the later rounds to become the backup to Hill and Davis and be a prospect for the future ,if somehow Davis does not work out for some reason.
It's not even arguable anymore. Alex needs 8 seconds to make a decision and release, has no visible leadership qualities, is always hurt with something or another, and was completely overdrafted in 05....should've been a late 1st or even 2nd rounder but it was a horrible draft and we got stuck with #1 overall in the worst draft in ages. Hind sight, we shoulda took Rogers. Also, Alex is always the worst QB we have given the same WRs to throw to, no excuses can be made for him anymore, he is a 1st round pick who never lived up to the billing, AKA, a bust. He's in the same category as Couch, McKnown, Mirer, Schuler, Leaf, etc etc. He is the worst QB on our current roster, WITHOUT QUESTION. It can't even be argued otherwise anymore. GET OVER IT, this constant discussion gets old. This just in: There are QB busts in NFL history, and Alex is one of the most recent examples!!
As far as I'm concerned, we are already doing Alex a big favor by re-doing his contract, giving him a spot on the roster and listing him as our #2 QB when talent-wise he should be the #3!! And the only reason he isn't the #3 is because the more talented Davis has no NFL experience. Otherwise Alex is #3, which he will be next year, if he's not cut!!
You have me there. If I disliked Smith the same as HWSNBN dislikes hill I wouldn't have an open mind about smith.
Since HWSNBN dislikes hill so much he doesnt have an open mind there is no way I dislike smith equally.
Very valid argument. I stand corrected.
what really matters is .... McGM and york disagrees with YOU!!!
We don't KNOW what alex would have done in ANY game this year but we do know that Alex has a career QB rating of about 63 and we do know that Hill has a career QB rating around 90 (104.9 yesterday). So to get DOWN to the Smith level ,Hill would have had to NOT throw those beautiful TD's and would have had to throw an interception or two. So,just judging by that and by past performance,Smith might very well have single handedly lost even that blowout yesterday and almost certainly would have lost the other two wins we had before yesterday. Take away those 2 TD passes ,thats 14 points.Then add an int and that is possibly responsible for a Ram TD. So right there that 35-40 point QB rating difference has cost the team at least a 21 point difference in the final score.
And imagine how pathetic Smith would look in the face of that pass rush that is coming through on Hill on almost every pass play !!! Hill is hanging in tough and taking it like a man.Smith has shown in the past that he wilts big time under such pressure.
So who knows,maybe he throws 3 or 4 interceptions if he was the only option we had yesterday? Or to be fair,maybe he is a completely changed man from what we have ever seen from him,when he was 100% healthy? In that case,if he is a totally new man,he might have thrown those 2 TD's with no int's etc ,like hill did. Yeah right,lol ! Even if he did,then why replace Hill,who is already doing what the new Smith would do,but with great leadership etc? And nobody REALLY believes that Smith is a totally new man,do they? LOL
Through 16 games (473 Attempts) with the 49ers, Hill has 23 TD, 10 INT
Through 32 games (800 attempts) with the 49ers, Smith has 19 TD, 31 INT
...And as we all know(or should know by now,if we have been paying attention at all) is that McGloughan had totally given up on Smith and was cutting him OFF the team ,unless Smith humiliated himself crawled on his hands and knees and took a HUGE pay cut ,just to stay on the only team in the NFL that would give him a chance.
We saw that Scotty and Sing were correct to not care if Smith stayed or left,because he didn't come close to competing with Hill in the so called competition this camp. And we all know that Scott drafted what he expects to be the possible QB of the future for this team in the 2009 draft,in Nate Davis. Sort of looks like they have given up on smith in a big way,doesn't it ? Even if Hill were to not be the starter in 2010,it would be Davis ,not smith who would most likely step in.
Smith is not really in the plans,unless they think he can improve and become a cheap 3rd stringer or backup for the future?
"oneniner is a GIRL! A FAT UGLY GIRL!"
that is an insult to fat, ugly girls.
Who are the most sacked QBs in the NFL? Rodgers of Green Bay, Williams of Buffalo, and Hill of the 49ers.
I am thrilled by our defense, but our offense needs to produce to move up the ladder to NFL elite. Our O Line is still poor to average. We need to sign Crabtree and need to improve our talent on the O Line next year. I am still not convince Hill will take us to the next level, but he is playing well and I can't argue that.
"This was such a boring game, I tivoed it."
not at the stick, it wasn't. It was a blast!
"not at the stick, it wasn't. It was a blast!"
lol...Really - the stick was a blast...:)
i bet it was Hill's ...:)
...ok...thats a comment i can't argue with....
""not at the stick, it wasn't. It was a blast!"
lol...Really - the stick was a blast...:)
i bet it was Hill's ...:)"
Your comment makes no sense to me, care to explain?
Hill has one more year on his contract after this. I would bet that Davis will start next year or wait one more year before he starts. If he doesnt start next year Hill will start. My guess is that Smith gets cut after june 1st next year. Before that if there is a roster bonus due or someone actually wants to trade for him.
We may also draft a QB but I see other more crucial needs first.
SC Rick replied to comment from TheNinerFan | October 5, 2009 1:09 PM |
"oneniner is a GIRL! A FAT UGLY GIRL!"
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that is an insult to fat, ugly girls.
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Rick: Is Oneniner still posting on this site? I thought that Troll was banned a few weeks ago. I have not seen one post from him in about 2 weeks,so I thought he was finally banned for his spamming the site with such nonsense?
Well aside from all the arguing over QB's (where there shouldn't even be an argument), this is better than blogs in Atlanta. There they had an article asking where would Atlanta be right now if they had hired Singletary. Lot's of love for the man, but boy do they still have lot's or racial issues back there. Glad to be SF!
So Atlanta beat Carolina and Miami. Scored only one TD on Miami, and 4 on Carolina. Of course Carolina is 0-3. And then scored 3 times on the Patriots in a loss.
To me that's good, because they're a young team and they have to be believing that they're pretty good offensively. I'm sure the coaches are stressing how tough it will be in SF, but deep down the offense has to have some level of confidence that is probably misguided due to their success against Carolina. I don't think the Pats D is even that good this year.
So if our offense can step it up this week and the D continues to be the D we're seeing it will be a tough week for Atlanta.
Meant scoring TD's, they also had field goals.....
Wake up TC, Raye has said on multiple occasions he wants to run 60% of the time. The reason he isn't is because his running game isn't good enough. If (when) he starts getting 1st downs after 3 running plays, you'll see the throws dramatically decrease.
Yep, Nolan's a crap coordinator just look at his current team's record .. oh, never mind ....
..cmon rick - stop feeding the troll....
No Realfan,you wake up,he said it only once. The media has repeated it over and over again,and yopu are being sucked in . But he has said many times ,since the mimi-camps,that he wants to be around a 50-50 balance of run to pass.
The fact of the matter is that Jimmy Raye has called a pass MORE this year than he has called a run.
The numbers are undeniable,unless you are out of touch with reality.
Like sing says,show me,don't tell me.
So look at the stats and you will see that the fact is that the Niners do not and never have run the ball more than pass the ball under Jimmy Raye. They are at this very moment almost 50-50,just like sing and Raye have ALWAYS said they want(except for that one time that Raye was pulling the chain of one interviewer and told him that ridiculous 60-40 statement. He must have had a good laugh at that,since we all know ,if we watch football at all, that no team run 60% of the time ,at least not in the last 40 years,lol.
hey wingnut - Barracuda released her cliff notes...it is a must read....oh i forgot...you guys dont read ...am sure they have it on tape...
Chapter 1. Pick a role model. Eva Peron for instance.
Chapter 2. Limit your education and find a model career. Like Sportscasting.
Chapter 3. Beauty pageants as a stepping stone
Chapter 4. Marry a sperm donor who can raise the kids
Chapter 5. How to leave a town $20 mil in debt and still become Governor
Chapter 6. What, me pregnant?
Chapter 7. When opportunity knocks, plow through the door. Don't think!
Chapter 8. How to blame your wake of destruction on others, especially the MSM.
Chapter 9. When the going gets tough, quit.
Chapter 10. Fame and Fortune at all costs
Chapter 11. Wink, Bamboozle and Hoodwink some more - Speechifyin' for Dummies
Chapter 12. Find a Ghost Writer: a Whine-Win situation
Chapter 13. Separating the Fools and their money
Is Oneniner still posting on this site? I thought that Troll was banned a few weeks ago. I have not seen one post from him in about 2 weeks,so I thought he was finally banned for his spamming the site with such nonsense?
Maybe it is something wrong with MY computer,and that is why I can't see any of his pathetic posts anymore? I am soooo upset by this revolting development ! But in reality, I hope my computer is never repaired !
( LOL )
Crabtree has left for Santa Clara to renew contract talks with the Niners.Just heard it on KNBR !!!
Told ya so,lol !
Hopefully they're not sending the 'Kurt Warner Limo' to go pick him up at the airport. A taxi would be just fine.
And Realfan: Rod Brooks ,the sidelines reporter for all Niners games,just said on his talk show that he believes that Jimmy Raye will start passing even MORE if and when the O line can be trusted to pass block better. He did NOt say,as you did,that they will run more. Who should i listen to,my own opinion,supported by Rod Brooks,who should know,or you?
As I said,it all rests on the O line. I hope they jell and can pass block much better AND can run block better too. That way we are all happy.
fyi - "In Denver, Mike Nolan's defense has allowed only 26 points in four games. Given the quality (or lack thereof) of the roster that he inherited on that side of the ball, the performance is a step above remarkable."
HWSNBN, that's exactly why you just don't get things. Just because the man is a good defensive coordinator does not mean that he is or was a good head coach. You're using the same logic to say that our backup QB should be starting - just because he was good in college! Open your mind - there are a lot of things that you and many others can learn if you listen with an open mind.
LET'S GO HANK!!
Consider this one of those legal notices that's buried in the newspaper, you know the stuff that's meant to inform about someone no longer being responsible for someone else's debt or some other type of announcement.
Know that from this day forward whenever I make a post that is not directed to a specific individual, that it is NEVER to be assumed that I include oneniner in the distribution, and as such that I NEVER expect to see a response from him, or her, to any of my posts. The ONLY exception will be if, in the very rare case, I address it to him or her.
DO NOT FEED THE CHIMP.
smokindoggies | October 5, 2009 2:09 PM | Hopefully they're not sending the 'Kurt Warner Limo' to go pick him up at the airport. A taxi would be just fine.
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Time for the helicopter ride around the Bay !!!
Parker blinked and the Niners did not.Great job Scotty and Jed and Sing !!! If he signs it's a magnificent job of playing your cards and if he doesn't you still did the right thing.
I think we should just fire Matt, all the coaches, GM, and replace them all with TOP_CAT since he knows more than everyone else.
Thanks for the chuckle re: Warner Limo!
He's got alot more talent to start with than Denver's last years record would indicate including an all-pro safety & corner ( a couple of proven leaders) and a very good pass rusher in Dumervil. They also cleaned house and brought in some free agents. They've played well, but against who? I'll save my kudos for him until they play a couple good teams with decent offenses.
Where was this remarkable performance last year when Nolan needed it here. He apparently had a pretty good D here but............? Same personnel minus Bly.
O Line: This was my biggest beef with Scott McCloughan in the pre season. The only improvement he made to last season's worst unit in the league at pass protection was to sign an oft injured Marvel Smith. So far my worst fears are being realized. The O line is terrible. I sincerely hope Top_Cat with his usual glass half full approach is right and somehow the line will jell into a solid unit. I fear it may be wishful thinking to hope these guys can play any better. Maybe they are jut not good enough.
Jimmy Raye: I suppose You can't argue with a 3-1 record. The next seven games are all against tough teams (Falcons, at Texans, at Colts, Titans, Bears, at Packers, Jaguars). 4 games at home, 3 away. If Raye can come up with game plans to go 5-2 or at worst 4-3 over the next 7 weeks, I will say he has proven his critics wrong. If we go 2-5, then even the biggest raye supporters will have to admit it was mistake hiring him.
You forgot about our best cover corner SSpencer and Ray McDonald.
You are so clueless. Denvers defense is improved, but they have played AWFUL teams. What is going to be your excuse next week when Denver gets trounced by New England? Start working on one because they are gonna get torched.
The niners also signed Pashos for the O line. The Smith signing was a MAJOR dud though. At least he retired before going on IR by the 4th or 5th game of the season like Jennings did, what, 3 seasons in a row?
In regards to the rams game, it was a good game all around. Raye's play calling is still suspect and I wonder, can any one answer this- in Raye's system is Hill allowed to audible out of a run play when everyone on the face of the planet knows the RB is going to get stuffed. W/ Martz system there wasnt this option. Would like to see the training wheels taken off Hill please.
Basement:
I think you are seeing the training wheels coming off the offens in general,as Raye gets to know his personel better and as the players get comfortable in the new system together.
If the O line jells together,after not even having one down together in the preseason,then things will improve quickly. Hill is very capable and Raye knows that but without time to pass,he cannot do what Raye needs him to be able to do to run much of the playbook. Until the O line jells,we will not know how "open" Raye will let the offense be.
Remember that Raye is already calling MORE PASSES than he is calling runs. But I am sure he would like to call different pass plays and some different run plays,if the O line would provide what is needed to make those plays work.
Rogers looks damn good tonight. MAN I wish we would've drafted him instead of the BUST!!!
Rogers looks damn good tonight. MAN I wish we would've drafted him instead of the BUST!!!
S.Hill is the man. Bottom line he is a winner! As a business man, I interact with so many individuals and I can tell you that I would choose someone like S.Hill that is a true leader any day over people with a resume that just looks fancy but they can not find a way to close the deal!!! You get what I mean! hint, Alex the bust Smith! I was very supportive him and still I do wish he can turn his career around, however I do not believe Alex is the future for this team. GO S.Hill and the niners
I've said it before and I'll say it again, the O-Line would all be better if they lost 15-20lbs. They would be lighter, more athletic, better balanced and quicker. Once they do that, pass protection and run blocking will improve
You are dead wrong TC - go back and read or view Raye's press conferences and you will find he has stated the 60/40 on multiple occasions.
Raye is a Marty ball coach and wants to run it. Always has and always will. Wishing he turns into the next Bill Walsh or Mike Martz is wishing for something that's not going to happen.
You should listen to what Raye says not the voices in your head.