Well, it’s only preseason, and I know I’m not supposed to be concerned, but (stop me if you’ve heard this before) I’m a little concerned with the mid-range to deep passing game. 4-5 series, and we’ve barely thrown anything besides 4 yard outs to the WRs. The only deep pass Smtih completed was the pass to Ginn when Smith broke contain. Moss was open for a TD on a pass to VD that he dropped. And Moss himself dropped a pass from Cappy that would have been a 1st and goal. Beyond that, the pass blocking was pretty bad, and Smith was under pressure. Which is why I think Smith rarely gets to his 2nd/3rd reads. As in the play where he didn’t see Moss.
I guess I’m making too much out of this, but I get a little nauseous when I hear how crisp and awesome our practices are, and how well Smith is hooking up with Moss/Crabs downfield. Is this where they leave it? I’ve heard this for the last 3 camps. Smith finally has a grasp, blah blah blah. The game starts, and wwe get the goddamn everloving 4 yard out. A route that I want to see retired. Just like Bill Walsh went to the well too often with the Roger Craig sweep, this play has seen better days. I am STILL waiting for the Niners to throw slants, crossing routes, and the occasional deep ball.
I mean, there’s saving this for the regular season, but if you don’t practice this stuff in games, how do you truly know if it’s going to work? The overarching point to all this is, if Moss gets overlooked on plays like the one in the 2nd quarter where Moss had the entire left side of the field to himslef, and Smith doesn’t see him, Moss will likely become very disillusioned about how he’s expected to produce here. Manningham was targeted once. Crabs got his 4 yard out. Moss got a 6 yard out. Hou meanwhile threw the ball all over the field to numerous different WRs. Where’s the beef? I know we are going to be a ball control offense, but really, you HAVE to throw passes downfield. Otherwise we’ll be in the same boat as last year. Lots of FGs, and leaning on the defense.
Frankly I think this is a recipe for backsliding. The D, no matter how well it plays, will not likely get 38 turnovers again. The offense needs to do a better job of pressuring the opponents defense rather than just trying to burn clock and keep the other team from scoring. Push for a 17 point lead, and THEN go heavy run.
Forty Niners Forever 
Hey, I’m between projects. it ain’t chapping my hide. I just like seeing how far these clowns will go.
Both VD and Moss were viable on that play. Throwing to VD was legitimate. If Moss was the decoy as claimed, what’s wrong with throwing to him if it works better than expected? Moss had a clear path to score as long as he catches the ball. What’s the difference between the risk of VD or Moss catching the ball? Seems the same to me.
The problem is the same old problem, given the choice between the short underneath throw and the 20 yd throw Alex hits the former. Some point to the designed deeper throws and say Alex does throw deep, rarely but true he does, but not when he has to decide what to do, he goes safe.
I don’t see him taking many risks. This is pre season, the exact time to take risks and see what happens. What’s the point of going deep against your own defense in practice? You know their tendencies, the scheme etc. It must be practiced against opposing defenses, under pressure.
Preaching to the preacher, 12th. If you don’t try it in the practice games, how do you know what the outcome will be in real ones?
I think Harbaugh’s a little wound too tight on this. Especially after seeing the last 2 coaching staffs fall prey to the same shit.
I get a bad feeling about it. I know, early, jumping at shadows, etc.
I’m real curious to see what the offense does this next game though. Denver has a decent D line, and aren’t the pushovers that Minn was. Their DBs aren’t very spectacular (last time I checked), so you’d think they can hit some shit downfield.
Why throw deep now? Practice just gives your enemies more info to use when the games really matter. Harbaugh knows what his men can do.
Or stops them from crowding the box cause they have deep passing game on tape too.
The receivers are dropping a lot of balls, if its all good in practice why so far out of sync? Is it because there’s more pressure against other teams even in pre season? That’s why I would hope Alex can see the deep guy and not just the dump off guy because if he makes a mistake, what’s the harm?
Bingo.
Saw that one coming a mile away . . .
Wait till V finds one of these blogs and watch Chuck really burst a blood vessel.
But then, I’m warming up for the season and kinda in the mood for some escaped goats and blind legions.
Hate to break the news to you, RTF, but I banned V from this site. As well as Spitblood. Spit is posting back at Skeebers site though apparently. We’ll see how long that lasts.
Till Skeebs wakes up from his nap, most likely…
Banned for BLEEPS?
Heh heh. Who knows? I shouldn’t throw gas on the fire, but Christ, between Skeebs and Bullit, I get railed for everything I say now. Bullit is now on a rant that the Titans shoukld be starting Hasselbeck instead of Locker. Really? Because Locker had a lousy preseason game? He just spent 2 days yammering abiout the insignificance of preseason games. Too fucking funny.
who are these clowns and where can I read what they are saying, humor is important to my sanity. and it sounds like these guys are a laugh a minute.
In the blogroll on the right side, click Skeebers 49er Outsider. Some folks over there take themselves a little too seriously.
Yes they most certainly do. Following their leader I guess…
Head coach Jeff Fischer.
“Well, I know both kickers can kick 20-yard field goals, 30-yard field goals,” said Fisher, referring to Greg Zuerlein and Garrett Lindholm. “In the preseason, why not try to make plays on offense? So that’s basically it. Obviously the philosophy changes during the regular season — [with] momentum, flow, and field position.“But I don’t think we need to kick 35-yard field goals in the preseason, especially if it’s fourth and less than 4. The longer the down and distance is, the less likely you have an opportunity to convert.”Part of Fisher’s rationale is to give opponents something to think about, to game-plan for the possibility of something that might not be there in September.
Huh. So we ain’t the only ones who feel this way.
Apparently not.
Bingo
You play too?
Its very popular lately nipper
Some bloggers try to get a little too clever with their arguments and invent scenarios to create an augmentation to their respective positions. Its pretty simple really, if the deep guy is open, throw it to him.
Its all well and good to talk about clearing out the safety for an underneath throw but it should be by definition an available option to the QB that the guy doing the clearing out, if open, should become the primary target because the gain is greater.
Why is it such a contentious issue to expect the QB to hit the deep open guy instead of the shallow open guy?
Mind boggling.
12 I’ll suggest slightly tongue in cheek that since we haven’t seen much of a deep passing game since Garcia that automatically hitting the open deep guy as you suggest is strange and unfamiliar territory for us. Choices for the QB to hit the deep guy? Our passing attack has been so bad/inconsistent for so long that for some of us fans that seems like brain surgery, ancient hieroglyphics or possibly rocket science. Alex doesn’t help matters with his check down tendencies either. He’s no gambler we know this. The football IQ on the O side of the ball will only rise so fast even under Jimbo or even under BW for that matter.
But it’s foolish to get in a “food fight” over an issue like this but hey that’s the
MO for many at Skeebwads joint.
PF, I don’t mind the food fight aspect, its a blog after all.
Skeebs today lumps those who thought Alex should have had enough vision to hit Moss instead of VD as Alex haters, thereby dismissing those opinions and declaring them devoid of merit. Ergo I am now an official hater.
Its the easy button to push.
But that’s the crux of the issue really, Alex “should” have enough vision, especially given the glowing “its all good in TC” we keep hearing. The play itself in pre season is meaningless, but for me it shows the O has not made strides to any great degree.
I went over to that blog as you suggested. There is no Spitblood that I can see. There is a Alberteinstinkle touting Jake Locker as Steve Young reborn. That guy Bullit is putting him down for the comparison.
Unca looks like you jumped to conclusions and attacked him for the wrong thing. He never mentioned Hassleback as the Titan quarterback..
I have to agree that you cannot compare Locker to Young and if you do wait 10 years before you mention them in the same sentence.
Al is Spitty’s reincarnation.
‘Dog, if Locker ain;t starting, then it’s Hasselbeck. That was my point. Bullit went on for 3 days how meaningless preseason is, and then jumps on Al for Locker’s one bad preseason game. Just busting his balls.
I’m no shit disturber (mostly) but he’s been acting like a bitch for 3 weeks now.
You took his Holiness the Lord Crabtree’s name in vain, and must be punished. Hallelujah and Yippee Fucking Kai-Yay.
Unca
You’re not getting the point. Even a pinhead like me sees this picture. The root cause was this guy Al stating Jake Locker is Steve Young. Your pal Bullet was calling out Al on this crazy comparison which seemed to go over your head. It’s all good but just letting you know this is what I saw.
Thank you for your expert opinion. Very astute of you to realize that you are a pinhead.
And, I think Al was banned by Skeebers once again.
The “root cause” is that Al/Spitwad and bullit ARE shit disturbers with a chronic need to rigidly insist on their absurd points of view. That’s the long, long history there reddog. You are no expert on skeeber’s site my friend
But on to more important things:
From the Onion http://www.theonion.com/channels/football/
-Tebow, Sanchez Vow To Work Together To Throw Football
-Jets Worry Tim Tebow Will Be Distracted By Wild New York Churchlife
-Peyton On Beginning Of Manning Era In Denver: ‘I Will Break My Neck’
-Andrew Luck Cut From Colts After Overthrowing Wide-Open Receiver
Kevin, you want laughs you go to link above not skeebwads pad
One more:
Replacement Referee Swallows Fifteenth Whistle
Dolphins Spend Entire Meeting With Alex Smith Venting About Free Agents They Couldn’t Sign
http://www.theonion.com/articles/dolphins-spend-entire-meeting-with-alex-smith-vent,27708/
‘Dog, it ain;t worth sweating over. The shit going on betwen those guys has been happening for 2 years.
Chuck takes the high road. News at Eleven.