Well, statistically speaking, about 25 teams. What I thought was a mere blip on the road to the playoffs last week in Seattle turns out to be something a little bit more foreboding. The 49ers pretty much followed the same script of doing little on offense, and leaning on the defense all day to keep the score close. The D did it’s job until, much like Seattle, eventually wore down as the offense couldn’t do anything until garbage time.
When the 3rd quarter started, the Niners were down 10-7. The Niners gained 19 yards on 3 runs, a pass, and a sack, and punted. That drive took 2:58. Indy got the ball and drove 53 yards, burned 5:03, and kicked a FG. At this point, the Niners were still one score from taking the lead, 13-7. They had a promising drive going when Kappy took a 5 yard loss on a read option that was completely blown up by Freeman of the Colts. A short run and short pass later, we punt. Indy then burns ~6 minutes to miss a FG. Still within reach. The next drive is a beaut. Incomplete pass. 4 yard pass. Sack. The Niners give the defense a whopping 1:19 to rest.
At this point, the Colts have been on offense for roughly 12 minutes to the 49ers 6. Indy then burns ~8 minutes to ice the game with a TD to go up 20-7 with 4:27 left. Of course then next drive was a fumble on the 8 that Indy recovered. Set up by another inexplicable return by Kendall Hunter. Between Hunter returning kickoffs to the 12 and KW fair catching balls inside the 10, the Niners had shitty field position all day. And when they didn’t they still blew their opportunities.
Still and all, a galling effort by the offense. The D isn’t generating much of a pass rush these days, but they did their job as well as they could given the ineptitude of the offense. The run D, a usual strength, has been gashed for a lot of 8-12 yard runs. Justin Smith does not command the double teams he used to, and the LBs aren’t nearly as clean as they used to be in pursuit. This leads to play action freezing the LBs and loosening the coverage downfield. Offensively, the WRs re never able to get open, while the line, our supposed strength, has done an awful job of pass protection. Mainly at the center position. Goodwin has been beaten regularly, and Kappy is forced to run. Usually to the left, as Staley is holding up better than Davis. This makes is near impossible to throw on the run. Speaking of run, the run game had been abandoned too quickly in my mind as well. All this leads to an anemic offensive attack that is making Jimmy-Hat look like Air Coryell.
The great news is we have a roadie in St Louis Thursday night. A loss there would put the 49ers 0-2 in the division, and possibly 3 games behind the Seahawks. They have a roadie of their own in Houston. Seattle is fair to middling on the road, but they certainly look about 80% better than we do at this point.
Forty Niners Forever 
Accuracy throwing deep or even going deep is not the problem. Running game is not the problem. Read option is not the problem. Why? Because the team is not doing any of those things to all intents and purposes.
The problem is the formations are creating 8/9 in the box which effectively kills the run game, the QB taking off, the short passing game and also the long passing game since the D has more guys than the O at or near the LOS so the QB is running for his life before the WR gets open, which leaves very little else workable..
It all starts at the LOS. They need the same number of guys both sides of the ball or whatever the play is is stillborn, which has largely been the case since the Niners are outnumbered at the snap.
Spread O does not have 2 TE and a fullback out wide, that fools nobody and that IS the problem, Niners are not fooling anyone and that better change rapid.
Kap is still the guy that ran for records, threw for records, and is very accurate. The scheme absolutely is counterproductive and rewards any team willing to stack the box which will be every team until the Niners spread out the LOS and even the playingfield.
Spread it out more and throw quick hitters along with a consistent run game, that opens up the deep threat and the QB doing damage with his legs. Win TOP and turnover battles and they are right back in the W column.
This team is talented enough even with sub-par WR talent if they scheme them open and run the damn ball.
I’m all for the quick hitters to get Kaep into a comfortable groove.
Boldin isn’t a burner, Davis is.
I’m hoping to see the Middle opened for this game.
StL looked horrible tackling in the Secondary vs. Dallas.
Have to get this Offense back on the rails.
If we’re not beating Press Man, motion someone.
I’d put QPat or Kyle in that role.
Luckily the Rams are playing as bad as us. But unless we can keep the time of poss. close we won’t stand a chance to win this one. Can’t even say it’s because of injuries, that’s no excuse for the way we’ve played. I don’t know what happened to our OL and why we let Armad Bradshaw run circles around us. We are not playing 49er football, we have gone back to being a very frustrating and rather boring team to watch. However, it is the Ram game and no matter what with all my being I still want the Rams to be thoroughly stomped into the ground. We can still save this season. Go Niners.
Not over by a long stretch.
I don’t mind losing a game when you play a good game.
That’s the issue over the past 2 weeks, we aren’t playing well at all.
Division games are the most important.
They’d better have this figured out.
Staring 1-3 in the face NJ. Harbs better get his finger prints on the O and win this game. Play calling has been inept the last 2 games. A short week Thursday nighter at their place against a division rival they lost to and tied last season is quite a hill to climb.
Local press are itching to hammer Harbs because of the disdain he shows them, won’t be pretty if the Niners lose.
What happened to Sando, espn west? I like the new format, 1 writer per team but where did Sando go? Guess I missed the announcement. He was a huge Squawk homer anyway.
Kap has a shoe collection to rival Amelda Marcos in her prime. He takes shoes seriously.
Has he got any running shoes?
If they develop lift-off shoes, Kap will have them for sure.
Lift-off shoes? This team has Space Shuttle Challenger written all over it.
New thread is up . . .