She’ll be waiting . . . Anyhow, this game is going to be a true test of the intestinal fortitude of your San Francisco 49ers. AZ is actually steadily improving lately. As NinerDog posted, their defense has become very stingy in recent games. The Niners have struggled in the red zone in recent games. As I said, I think getting Braylon Edwards is going to help, as the Niners HAVE to open things up some down close. Yes, the Niners should be able to win a defensive struggle against these guys, but they have a tough ST unit as well. Patrick Peterson has wn a couple gaems for AZ singlehandedly (relatively speaking), much like Ted Ginn’s opening day, and the Detroit game.
Interesting thing is the Niners and Raiders will be playing at the same time, so it’ll be fun to see if the Raiders can put a hurting on the Packers. Call me crazy, but I think the Raiders win this. The Packers defense is very questionable. 31st in total yards, but they do get a lot of turnovers by pick-offs. Palmer, if anything, can hit the deep pases, so if Oakland can block, they should be able to light up the scoreboard. They are also pretty good at geting pressure, so you never know.
Forty Niners Forever 
Harbaugh’s grind it out style fell short today. It’s okay to run the ball like the 1965 Packers when you have Jerry Kramer and Fuzzy Thurston at guard… Behind our line, it’s a little more of a shaky strategy. This team needs to figure out how to score quickly when it needs to, and the time for learning is rapidly running short.
Throwing to Ginn is NOT a recipe for scoring quickly or in the RZ but Roman loves the guy, ignored Edwards and here we are
Problem is that Edwards has looked completely lost everytime he’s played for weeks now. Even worse than Ginn..
Yeah he hasn’t come back from the knee
i think kyle williams will get more chances !
Only got to see the end, obviously Smith’s worst game- and giving up what the defense gave up to Skelton was absurd. Hate to lose that with the Steelers up next.
That was less Skelton than Larry Fitzgerald.
Bottom line is, if we had converted on those first half opportunities down close, AZ would have folded their tent at halftime.
We let them hang around, and paid the price.
The whole passing game is a problem. Gore has to stay in and block because our line sucks monkey balls, taking him out of the mix. Ginn is simply not reliable. Braylon is hurt and may be about done anyway. Morgan is out. VD is flashy but unreliable to near useless in the short game. Crabs is the only guy who can make a catch short right now. hence, teams take him away, and rush Alex, and they can shut us down.
We’d better come up with some answers, pronto.
Agree with this analysis grumpy
Multiple blitz packages to open the game, set our O back on their heels, let our D get tired and beat us with big passing plays = the formula to stop this team
don’t forget we have a new system and WR (edwards) and we had no preseason !
we’re only going to get better !
and a VERY young 0-line !
Yeah rob we done good so far but JH will get some more pieces fo’ sho’
we’re still ok ! we can beat pissburgh , seattle and the lambs to finish 13-3 and get a home playoff game ! this was just a rivalry / division game they had to win to stay alive !
this kind of thing happens !
We’ll get better on offense when we get a big fast WR like Fitzgerald, a TE who is not useless at the goal line, and better protection from our O-line.
Don’t hold your breath this season.
Wow, one poor game (abetted by some terrible receiving) and Alex is dogshit again. Dwight Clark is an absolute disgrace.
The players and the coaching staff need to start getting it together, they have 3 games to start scoring TD’s. And I thought the Pitt/Cleveland game was bad. This game was soooooo winnable!
I ‘ve seen some highlights and Smith and the OL share plenty of blame, but this was mostly lost by the defense. Skelton 282 yards 106.5 QBR, that’s just awful. Seems like a lot was caused by letting him escape what should have should have been sacks.
Smith is dogshit. Always will be
Norm is dogshit as usual
Well, again, I don’t know what board you’re reading. No where on here does it suggest “Alex is dogshit” unless you’re reading Dennis’ posts and most people learned to ignore his drivel about Smith a while ago (except me, I can’t stop my quest to re-educate the uneducated and ignorant).
Smith had a bad 2nd half, his first half was good. But the pressure was ridiculous all game. If he made any mistakes it was not stepping through it to buy himself some time. And if the opposing D is going to blitz this often the Niners have to keep Gore in to block. I was disappointed they didn’t make that adjustment in the 2nd half.
Smith didn’t have his best game but if the refs don’t fuck us on that late challenge flag play we probably win–14 point swing there. One of the great scrambles of the year in the NFL by Smith at the end of the game should have been a catch–and that could have led to a game winning FG.
The result isn’t totally surprising since I thought we might lose this game. But it was easily winnable. And it’s not the end of the world, we are in 1st place, 10-3 and in full control of our destiny. If you want to take a look at what the end of the world looks like (Sports example, not Mayan) try being an Oakland Raider fan–they got completely destroyed 2 games in a row (the final score of both doesn’t do their ineptitude justice). You are NOT a playoff team when you are down 30-something to nothing at halftime 2 straight games at this point in the season……..
nice post !
I never said it was here- the texts on the postgame, Clark on the postgame-I haven’t even read the remarks here. This blog has been reasonable about Alex,exept for the usual idiots.I haven’t even read Death Threat’s posts. today. I had a small seizure this afternoon so I was busy.
sorry to hear that, I was wondering where you were for the game…….
I learned after the last one that these are “self-limiting” so one can just ride it out. It’s not good sign however.
And in other entertainment news T Tebow leads the Bronks to 13-10 victory in OT over da Bears. This is an amazing story this season. Much more interesting than the yahoos whose football comments a limited to dissing our QB
Phil,, Tebow led nothing. He led an offense to score no pts till the middle of the 4th quarter. Then, on 3rd and a lot with 30 seconds left, he fiddled around, bought some time, and then threw his pass at the ref. On 4th down, he did the same thing and then tried to run for the 1st but ended up running out of bounds, losing yardage. His fucking kicker saved his ass by kicking a 59 yarder to send it to overtime………
Kicker was prolly thinkin’ “If he can throw shit like that and get away with it then I’m gonna make this FG 5 yards outta my range”. LOL.
For some reason his guys seem to think they can win with him at the wheel. So it’s been said.
They showed some of those highlights- he was great down the stretch again but maybe he does have an in with the Big Guy- they’re living right.
LOL some weird shit is smiling on those guys…It’s been said and could be ‘why’ their making these last minute plays that TT ‘gets his guys fired up on the sideline’ and has from when he first took over for Orton. It may not be good football (except the winning) but it’s great mojo.
Anyway, as I said before- not getting to the opposing QB enough, and not protecting ours is priority one to get straightened out. If Alex weren’t such a tough SOB, we’d be totally fucked,
BTW, what did the Raiders give up for Palmer, again?
Way too much!
This was not the defense. Skelton posted a 73 in the first half. In the second half, while the Niners were posting five straight three and outs, followed by the last drive four and out, is when the pass defense wore down and they got their points.
That’s SIX DRIVES after Gore’s TD: ONE first down, on a penalty.
Game over.
As I said, Smith and the OL have plenty of blame, but faling to wrap up Skelton was poor play not exhaustion.And they had a 12 point lead. And failing to get consistent pressure is not a one game issue.
Maybe if we get some receivers that can actually catch the ball on big plays we win. Ginn had a TD on a nicely thrown ball, stopped running and never looked for the ball. Edwards had a ball hit him in the rib cage. Walker had an easy 1st down on our penultimate drive but he dropped a perfect pass after our QB had to run for his life to buy time. On our last drive Hunter needs to make that catch. Yeah, it would’ve been a nice catch, but not a great one. The O-line did not play well and we still win with some help from the receiving crew.
Ginn is horrible. He never saw the ball on that play – in fact he looked like damned Stevie Wonder out there. Edwards is hobbled, but beyond that, I’m starting to think he may be done. He just doesn’t seem to care anymore. VD and Walker are mismatches at TE, but neither is real ‘QB-Friendly’ TE who helps out in the Red Zone or short yardage.
Right now, Crabs is Alex’s only option – the RBs are mostly tasked with helping the porous O-Line.
Smith is not at all fully to blame — but you have to wonder, when a unit plays poorly across the board, if anyone is really that good.
Frankly, regardless of Alex, this team needs some retooling – we need a big fast WR opposite Crabs (Morgan is good and reliable but not that fast; Williams The line issues speak for themselves. is blazing fast but is better as your little slot option). We need, I really believe, a big soft-handed TE who can play in the short game, even if you keep VD.
Bottom line, ZERO first downs running and passing in SIX drives is not acceptable for any NFL offense. Certainly not against an ~okay~ but hardly dominant team like the Cardinals.
Something needs to change. Maybe multiple somethings. But it probably cannot get done until the draft.
Is Delanie Walker even worth keeping?
Only as a trick play / mismatch option.
And I’m not all that sold on VD myself, either… he is a mismatch, but his hands are unreliable, and he makes dumb penalties even after all these years. We need a “QB’s Friend” like a Witten.
Well, they should be fired up for MNF. Good night all.
They’d better be… they may very well need to win out now to get a home field playoff game.
We’ll get a home field play-off game because we won our division. We’ll need to win out, if NO wins out, to get a 1st round bye.
Yeah, you’re right, I’m getting fixated on that game with NO or whoever.
Play like we did today, and it won’t be a problem.
Hopefully, Harbaugh will have some ideas going forward.
One thing I’d do is move Williams into the starting lineup ahead of Ginn… Ginn is just not reliable. Williams has his limitations as a starter right now but he’s likely to be better going forward.
No easy help at TE though.
Anyone know Staley’s status? I’m not a big fan, and I like Boone, but anything that affects our cohesion on an already shaky line right now is not a good thing.
g-night and good health to you fellow 9er fan !
Take care of your health my man…
beat pissburgh !
Well, I worried about our beat up line. I was also worried our receivers dropping passes. Didn’t think they wouldn’t even see them. Don’t think the receiving corps will bail this team out.
I was hoping Harbaugh was saving some redzone plays but that is not happening. I don’t think they know what will work with the 49er personnel in the redzone.
Fitzgerald bailed his team out and that is why they won.
I thought the 49ers would take it but oh well. Still better than I thought they would do this year.
There still is time.
Beat Pissburgh and punch Rapemydaughter in the face!
Woof!
Red zone scoring now has to be priority one. Roman and Harbaugh have to get creative. With a defense like this, you must score TDs when you have first downs inside the 10 yard line in the red zone. As I said last week, this receiver corp is the number one weakness, it must be priority one to upgrade in next season’s draft and FA signings…
BTW, to counter the D line rush, I’m still waiting for Roman to break out the screens, draws, and even a shovel pass every now and then. Misdirection is sorely needed. Maybe they try in practice, but Gore and the other backs can’t execute these plays. At least they need to show these a few times a game. In prior years, I remember Gore collecting a screen pass every now and again. Where is it?…
Has the NFL figured out the Niners offense? Yes they have. Here’s what the NFL smart guys know by now; 1) The Niners OL and O scheme cannot handle and can be beaten by a relentless blitzing pass rush (NO, Balt, Cards) which will set the Forty Niners offense back on their heels, disrupt their O strategy and expose the following weaknesses: 2) Crappy catching TEs, 3) thin OL, 4) thin Rb corps, Thin RB corps after the old work horse Gore is hobbled and he WILL BE hobbled by game 8,. Only Gore will hurt you; do not fear any other 49er RB, 5) weak WR corps.
Please notice these are FIVE (5) glaring major weaknesses happily exploited by the NFL smart guys. 6) New coaching staff does not have or does not use their best players to their best advantage (you expected what? After new staff, 6-10 last season, no preseason? Super Bowl run? Right… 7) New offensive coaching staff will not be able to adjust to Defensive adjustments, blitzes, coverages because they lack NFL experience. 8) Shifts, gimmicks, overloaded OL, etc just ignore, this is nothing new and will Not Work against solid fundamental D, Continue Defensive attack strategy, Niners have no answer
Phil Predicts: One and done in playoffs. 10-6 next year with a more solid, versatile, experienced team. And in the meanwhile I’m gonna thank my lucky Harbaughs for the season we are having!!
(for the dumbass bozos: None of this is about the much maligned QB!)
Phil- I’m not an expert, I just play one on the blog! Seems to me if the receivers start catching some of the deep balls the safeties would need to back up a bit. This would open up some hot reads on blitzes comming at us. Alex seems to be a bit off on sideline deep balls but very accurate anywhere in the middle of the field. Those balls need to be caught more often. It also seems if a receiver isn’t a primary or second read they don’t go all out or look for the ball. After Ginn’s infamous non-TD this might start changing.
I’m playing one too Bergs! LOL. Yep actually catching the passes thrown, being aware the 3rd read might be the hot one and unlike Ginn playing an NFL receiver today- being ready to catch it, hello! Receivers catch passes, right, awwwgh!
Bergs I think we are what we are this year, a work in progress. Jimbo and staff have done wonders with the short time they had to prepare but we are full of holes which will be addressed in draft and FA. It will happen I’m certain. A solid NFL team ala the GB Pack, NO is a complex beast and we have a ways to go. And they still have holes no doubt!
But what a great ride this year is!!
There’s no shame in losing to the Cards on their turf. The shame will be in not beating the Steelers at the Stick with their beaten up QB.
We can’t beat the Steelers? That would be a sad comment on US! It might be reality tho…
The Steelers can watch film, same as anyone else. They’re going to stop the run and the short stuff, and rush Alex Smith relentlessly, and dare us to find a way to make the big plays we keep missing.
Harbaugh needs to do some serious thinking this week about his offense, and what he can do to get it going.
That’s exactly what I would be doing if I were the Steelers. Our weakest link is being exposed
Okay this what the niners CAN do, they can have good drives. Recievers can catch the ball in the open field. OL can open holes for Gore. What the Niners CANNOT do. On a short field they cannot score. The Recievers cannot catch passes in the end zone. To much pressure to score?? Gore is not a power back so rarely can he muscle his way into the end zone. See Pitts The Buss for an example. I know no longer playing. But right off the top of my head I cannot come up with a current Power back. One of you guys can tell me. So in a nut shell, Alex needs to take his 3 best receivers and practice throwing to them within the 10 yard line.
Red Zone issues or not, they led 19-7. They let Skelton escape certain sacks over and over, and he is no Tarkenton, he’s about as mobile as the old dude Joe Kapp punched.
OMG. They lost on the road to a team that has now won what? 5 of 6? They’ve plummeted to 10-3!! It’s OVER, I tell you, OVER! I knew they’d catch on to that upstart college coach and his shallow trickery !!!! Now if you want a REAL team winning the old fashioned way, GOD’S way, root for the next Super Bowl Champs: Teblow and His Pile Drivin’ Broncs…
TF, I am just pointing out what the Niners need to improve on if they don’t want to be 1 and done in the Playoffs. That is 2 games where the Niners were down in the 4th quarter and could not muster a score. I certainly am no Doomin Denny!! It is the Niners and A Smith or bust for me!!
I wrote my post before I saw yours. It was not directed at you, Kevin..
I’m referring to my 8:54. A lot of RZ issues can just be luck, just as only 2 interceptions career for Smith in the RZ has some luck attached to it. Of far more concern is the OL not protecting and the DL not getting consistent pressure.
When the Niners are in the RZ, it’s like the receivers suddenly have hands of stone. so yeah luck does have a little to do with it.
And you are up early, you seem to be feeling better than yesterday. Hope you health is doing better.
I have to go the doctor. Killing time.
Cool. Yeah a lot of RZ issues. You want to see Doomin Denny’s army go over to SFgate.
I rarely look at the Insider anymore. It shouldn’t but it upsets me. So even online, I try to avoid idiots whenever possible.
Hard to do in this day and age of electronic postings. I really wonder if some of the people out there have any education.