Color me unimpressed, but the Niners played a very bland ho-hum type game vs a very inferior opponent. I didn’t expect a Sea – AZ type score, but I certainly didn’t see a 6-3 half time score either. In yet another game where Fangio’s defense decided to give a young QB time in the pocket by strictly rushing 4 guys and playing soft on the outside WRs, the Niners were outplayed in the 1st quarter, and fell behind 3-0. The offense? Well, after the 1st play, a 20 strike from Kappy to Walker, we were generic there as well. Wake caused a fumble on 3rd and 3 on that opening drive, and it was a struggle the rest of the way. There was a lot of 3 back, 2 WR formations, 2 TE 2 WR formations, and the Niners trying to run, with varying success. Early on, Miami was rushing 5 and getting through.Since the Niners had 2 TEs in there blocking, there was often no one open to throw to. Kappy took a couple needless sacks, but the WRs were covered, and TEs were blocking so he had nowhere to go. VD again spent a lot time in protection. He got 2 looks, and one catch.
The 2nd quarter was much the same. The niners didn’t let Tannehill do anything over 8 yards, and the Niners couldn’t generate much. However, with 3:15 left in the 1st half, the Niners finally took advantage of the 15 yard cusion that Moss got. The Niners quicly got down to the Miami 10 with about 55 seconds left, after LMJ made a nice catch and run in the flat and got OB. Here is where it got stupid. Kappy inexplicably took a sack out of the shotgun. 8 yard loss. Tick tick tick. Then Harbaugh dials up a run for a 2 yard loss. Tick tick tick. Then Kappy bascially throws one away with time juuust about gone to stop the clock. Smart, but it shouldn’t have come to that. So, they had a 1st and goal from the 11 and were able to run 2 plays in 55 seconds. Awful. The time outs were gone of course, as getting plays to the QB in time seems to be an issue once again.
The second half was punctuated by the muffed punt for a FG, and the 50 yard Kappy run. The Niners finally started dialing up the pressure, and got to Tannehill. Culliver made some nice plays on their deep balls, but Miami has maybe 2 third string WRs at best. Donte Whitner had the pile-drive of the day when he picked up Regggie Bush and body slammed him to the turf. Aldon Smith looked great in getting pressure. There was one play early where A Smith lined up a half-step behind and off of Juston Smith’s right shoulder. I told Garrett, watch A Smith. He’s getting in there. Sure enough, he got through for his 1st sack.
This game, while the Niners had a few big plays, ad a couple nice passes, sure felt like a preseason game. The Niners played their base D for most of the 1st half, and while they stopped the big plays, they let Miami diddle around all over the place. The offense was a staid, boring, pack a bunch of guys on the line and run up the middle thype deal a lot of the time. What was encouraging was they ran out of the shotgun more in the 2nd half. LMJ broke off some nice runs in the 2nd half as the Niner line wore down Miami’s D line. And Kappy’s keeper was nice. It was set up by a run in the 2nd quarter where Kappy handed to Gore, and faked the keeper reverse. The RDE totally committed to the run on the play. Flash forward to the 4th quarter, and they ran the same plsy, with Kappy keeping the ball. The RDE totally bought the fake to Gore, and Kappy was free and clear.
This all plays like the Nolan/Singletary ‘let’s keep it close til the end and hopefully win’ philosophy. These coaches are either playing it close-to-the-vest because of the New England game coming up, or they seriously think they can win in the playoffs with this philosophy. Well, they can’t. Not unless they score 2 or 3 times on defense. Kappy’s stats look OK, and the numbers all look like a win, but we let a crappy team hang around most of the game. But, if not for the bungled punt, this game could have gone either way. These coaches either have to generate a real offense, or suffer the consequences. The Niners need to really open things up for Kappy. Otherwise, the QB switch is merely window-dressing.
Glaring problems? We gave up way too many 3rd down plays to Miami, and the Niners didn’t do shit on 3rd down. I don’t know the numbers, but Miami must have been close to 50% converting, and the Nners around 15%.
Here are some pics I took of the game.
Opening drive offense – 2 WRs, 3 RBs. Miami rushing 5.
Opening drive defense – Base 3-4. Safeties deep. Bowman on Bush in the slot. Rogers backed out of press before the snap.
Later in the game – 5 rushers. Willis covers the strong side TE, Golsdon moves up to take the slot left WR.
One of the few multi-WR sets of the game on 3rd and one. Didn’t make it.
Kappy throws to Miller for a 2 yard gain. The only 3rd down conversion other than the 50 yard run.
Dixon with a nice run to the one.
Forty Niners Forever 
Brady is a great blitz QB. Be prepared to to pay the price if going after him. With all the talk about Smith and his short shit, Brady is king of the check down- he’s going get his completions- we need to tackle.and make it hurt. Legally..
Brady was the best in the league at buying time to throw downfield.
He is still great behind that O-line.
The Niners have to take chances, early and often. Cuz Wade Phillips’ defense was behind 14-0 before they knew what hit them.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/wilson-leads-seattle-past-patriots-232647664–nfl.html
A game the Patriots lost this year against Petey’s team.
Pressure up the middle helps against Brady. He slides around the pocket well enough, but he needs to be pushed backwards,
Pressure up the middle helps against ANY quarterback.
IF we play milque-toast against Billy-cheat we are fucked. IF the D coord Fangio waits fer what is to come. IF we graciously allow Tom B to skin us alive–he will. Sack the mofo!
I know that’s easy to say.
So CAN we mix it up? Or No? Same old SCO? Look I’ve already gone on record as saying we suffer from coaching brain lock, I’m not the only one.
Will Bo Stop being Bo? Actually no. Bo will insist on being BO S. How many championships did he win?? Good luck Jimbo.
It gives me NO pleasure to say we are not gonna get ‘er done my friends.
Prove me wrong, I’ll be great with that
Grumpy got you 38-31 Pats. Uh huh, something like 34-31 Pats I’m sorry to say.
Okay, two things, Colin Cowherd, just said that the NE and Seattle will beat the niners. MORE offense and good defenses. Which I agree, those teams don’t have the Niners defense, but those two teams have three times the offense the Niners have. easily. Until the Niners coaches realize this is a PASSING league, they will continue to pass when needed and run, run, run the ball. which IMO is stupid, stupid, stupid!! The teams that beat the Niners, and I mean the good teams, Minn, NY Giants, ST L, all had QB’s that could and did pass the ball DOWN the field!! Shit Last Nigth Brady lit it up, and another thing Bill put his foot on the Texan’s throat and crushed the life out of them. He didn’t go oh were up at the half lets go to the run. No, in fact when the Texans did finally score, Brady came back out PASSING the ball down the field to negate that score. Even if the Niners D is able to hold the Pats to oh say 24 points (ha ha ha ha ha) damn I can hardly type that with a straight face. anyway, I don’t see Harbaugh opening up the offense to keep pace, he will stick with what he thinks is good football, run, run, and run somemore. I am putting my score out there right now. Niners 13 – Pats 35.
Who’s Colin Cowherd?
ESPN Radio, you need to get out more Chuck!! ha ha, he is also on ESPNU starting at 7:00 AM
Grump, it especially works against guys like Brady, and say, Manning. Guys who aren’t going to break contain and throw on the run, or rip off a 50 yard scramble. We will get pressure from the edges. The middle has to get a push upfield.
The point being, if the Niners get pressure from the edges, but let Brady step up, we’ll get killed.
Kevin, the Niners aren’t going to win any shootouts with Brady. The Niners need to control the ball. Which means run. i wasn’t crazy about the play calling the other day, but it serves a purpose when playing the Pats. What the Niners need to do is get LMJ involved in screens and delays. Send the WRs med to long to open up the underneath. Have VD block and release for passes up the middle. Getting any kind of run game going will help on play action.
They are getting killed by penalties. Although their 6 last week was a recent low. The helmet to helmet call on Bowman was terrible (I watched the game last night). Bowman didn’t lower his head to hit Tannehill. Not sure how you get your head out of the way when you come in standing up. He’s supposed to bend his head backwards?
I disagree, teams still know that the Niners are run heavy, So Defenses still play close to the line to contain the run. I would love to see that deep pass to Moss at least once a quarter, even if it is not a completion it will loosen up the front D. right now the Niners use the deep pass so inconsistanly that other teams aren’t afraid of it. This is where the coaching mind set needs to change. Better start with NE now rather than get to the playoffs and have no alternative game plan.
New thread is up . . .Yeah they need to take their shots deep. This is true every game.