Ahhh, the heady days of the bye week. Manningham was coming back, the defense was shoring up with needed D line help from the rookies, and Eric Wright was on his way. Well, a funny thing happened on the way to the playoffs. Not to rehash the obvious, but the offense went into hibernation, and the blogwaves erupted with the millions of problems plauging the Niners, and thousands of solutions to fix those problems. Far be it (Roman) from me to (Roman) point fingers at the (Roman) sudden ineptitide of an offense that (Roman) never recovers from 2nd half(Roman) adjustments by our opponents, but the play calling appears to be the leading indicator. Wichi is under the purview of Greg Roman.
I don’t have the stats handy, but most every game, the offense completely fall apart by the 4th quarter, and cannot get a 1st down to save their lives. I know that in all the losses, the defense was forced to stay on the field at somewhere like a 2:1 ratio, as the offense goes 3 and out 2 or 3 or 4 consecutive times. I know in the Indy and Seattle games, while the score was still close, Roman gave up on the run at the cost of re-establishing control of the line. He’d pass too much. SInce the blocking is shakey, and the WRs invisible, this often didn’t work. This leads to the whole mentality of every player overthinking their role and trying to do too much. As in Kassim Osgood tackling a fair catching punt returner, or LMJ returning a KO 8 yards deep in the end zone, only to get tackled on the 9 yard line. The college football mentality. Throw in a borderline hit on Drew Brees, and there you have our second 2-game losing streak.
Beyond that clusterf**k, we have an extra day .5 to talk, bloggolisciously of course. At this point of the season we are pretty much at DEFCON 5. Lose on Monday Night, and we coould be passed by the Cards and the Bears and tied with the Iggles. In the grand scheme of things, it’s good to be fighting for a playoff spot, as opposed to playing out the string like preseason hopefulls like Atlanta Washington. The reality though, is that the Niners were poised to make a strong push to the #1 seed but fell flat on their faces.
Speaking of face-plants, our next opponents, the Washington Redskins are performing their own death-spiral. I thought Shanny rushed his star QB back into games way too fast, and RG III-VII started out pretty slugglishly by losing his first 3 games. It hasn’t gotten much better for them. RG III has recently come to taking potshots at his defense, various players, and his head coach and OC.
In reality, though, the Skins are the 6th best offense in the league, and cannot be taken lightly, even with the infighting. They have the 11th best passing attack and the best run game. For all their losses, RG III is in the top ten QBs, Alfred Morris is 3rd in the league with 918 yards rushing, and Pierre Garcon is 3rd in the league with 67 catches. Take these guys lightly, and they can light up the scoreboard in a hurry.
Defense is a different story. Washington is 30th in points allowed, and 28th in total defense. They are in the minus in turnovers (-2), and in the bottom third in sacks with 25. If the Niners can get on top of these guys early, it should be smooth sailing. Keep this one close, as we’ve done in all our losses, and we just may play ourselves right out of the playoff hunt. This losing streak has shown a glaring problem in that these guys can’t close out a game very well. Regardless the hit last week, we are not pressuring the QB near enough. 21 sacks isn’t getting it done.
Has Aldon Smith lost his fire? Is he merely getting back into game shape? I don’t know, but Brees, and Cam before him faced little sustained pressure. A sure-fire way to lose in the NFL.
San Francisco 49ers Forever 
7Tony8 wherever you are, I found your post in the spam filter and released it.
Not sure why yours went in there. WordPress getrs very randumb at times.
SKIN THE SKINS!
ANd in more good news:
http://www.49ers.com/news/article-2/Craig-DeBartolo-Jr-Among-HOF-Semifinalists/5fae7372-70e3-4ce2-9e5f-1c24df90919f
I don;t see Craig going in, but Eddie D deserves it. His gambling deal likely keeps him out a few more years though,
Wow. anyone watching Thursday Night Football? Ryan just took a shot, got facemasked, and thrown to the ground. No penalty.
Anyone watching Thursday Night Football? Matt Ryan just got facemasked and tackled around the neck. No call.
How do you pretend to miss that call? Anti-homers?
I think Brees is seeing over his linemen better tonight.
ANd that guy won’t get fined either.
Yes, he will.
it won’t be 16 large. It]ll be 5. If that.
What was Matthew’s fine on the Kappy hit? $3,000?
And that’s because it was late. Not because it was around his neck.
Guess it’ll depend on his history, too.
I think Mattews got fined pretty hard IIRC.
Stop making Roman the “Escaped Goat.” Last time I checked Roman works for Harbaugh. If Jimbo doesn’t like what he sees, it’s his prerogative to make any and all changes. And if Harbaugh can’t see the problems that exist, the fans who still want him as their HC have an even bigger problem.
Yeah, Dennis. That’ll speed up the play calling . . .
WTF happened to my comment?
I guess you and Harbaugh will not be exchanging Xmas cards even online.
$15,000 that he pled down to $7,500. I guess because he said before the game he’d take as many cheap shots as he could at Kappy.
You know, good behavior. I wonder if Brooks’ fine gets reduced.
Matthews fine was pled down from $15,000 to $7,500. I guess for good behavior. You know, his pre-game comments saying he’d take all the cheap shots he could at Kappy.
BLEEP!
Sorry for the duplicate comments. I cleaned out the spam filter. Don’t know why the fuck those went there.
Never say you’re sorry. Just blow ahead.
plow
In this Skins game, I want to see Niner screens, slants, outs, wheel routes, and fly patterns thrown to. A draw or two wouldn’t hurt, either. I don’t give a shit if they work. I just want to see them, because I miss them…
Snarkk DEMANDS victory, NOW!
Kyle Williams torn ACL done for the year again. If that kid didn’t have bad luck he wouldn’t have any luck at all!
Beats working at K-Mart.
Williams next stop?
I have a sense of why screens won’t work in this offense, and that’s because there’s no deep game to back the safeties up. DBs do not respect our deep game and can thus sniff out screens. Pitching wide? I don’t know. These guys have established what they do, and rarely deviate from it.
And the thing is, even if you DO send Manningham deep on the left side, and Boldin deep on the right, they STILL need outlets like Miller and VD dragging opver the middle or in the flat.
Despite all the hand wringing this is what it looks like when your new QB is struggling, your receivers are injured and you’re sill trying to win enough games to get into the playoffs.
It’s not that the coaches don’t know about offenses or defenses or adjustments, this is what they want to do.
CK7 started in the middle of last year. He’s having a hard time since he can’t play his college game here anymore. What’s new? Losing to a team like the Saints by a last second field goal after fighting pretty well for 58 minutes is not the thing that tells coaches they are completely wrong in their approach.
On the whole, yes. But in these last 2 games the 49ers have one first down, one FG, and about 22 yards of offense in both 4th quarters combined. In both games, the 49ers had the lead in the 4th quarter and couldn’t close them out with any kind of sustained drive.
Even in the wins, there were way too many 3 and outs. The losses only compounds these issues more. And, as noted by many, those issues wouldn’t fly against better teams, and they didn’t.
Again, late in these games it is imperative to give Kappy outlets on every passing play. Quicken the routes. Get the ball out faster. And pick up these fricking stunts. What gets me is the fact that teams like NO and Carol were not blitzing heavily, but we couldn’t block their 4 or 5 with our 6.
T Brock gets an extension. 4 yrs 7 mil guaranteed.
There’s some good news. Glad they got this taken care of.
It’s actually 4/$16 mill.
The only real part is $7, the guaranteed part. Same with all contracts, only the guaranteed portion is real unless and until the team decides to add to it.
I would like to see the stat for how many “contracts” actually end up paying in full, especially the headline grabbers of a $100 mil.
I just returned from my neighbor’s birthday party. She turned 67 today. Kathy has exactly 20 years on and she has more energy, spunk and giddy-up in her step then I could even imagine. Why? I’ll tell ya why. The Niners have drained the life blood out of me. They’ve sucked me bone dry.
She made a great strawberry cake to go along with the Breyers “lip-smacking” ice cream, and I couldn’t even enjoy it. All I could think about was our anemic passing game and the sudden disappearance of our pass rush. Why can’t I have any fun?
I should have taken the big hint on Wednesday. First, after having Chinese food for lunch, I got a fortune cookie with no fortune inside. Then I went to my therapy session and my therapist forgot about me. I sat in the waiting room thinking she was going a little long with her current client. So I waited. And waited. And waited some more. I got engrossed reading the fifty years of “Doctor Who” article in the “New Yorker” magazine. Next thing I know forty minutes have passed.
I put down the magazine and knocked on her door. She was in a heated conversation on the phone when she answered. I asked her politely if I was there on the wrong day even though I knew I was there on the correct day and time. She put down the phone and looked at her day planner. She looked up at me sheepishly and said, “oops.”
Now I know what my fortune would have said had I got one inside my cookie. “Oops.”
“IIIII’mmmm dreaming of a White Thanksgiving.
Where the coyotes glisten, and roadrunners listen…
To hear… tourists crashing their recreational vehicles in the snow!”
I love the smell of the first fresh powder in the morning.
Another couple feet and I could ski down main street,
leastways I could if I had skis.
It’s an Omen! Tthe Niners can now run off 10 straight.
No medicine like the Redskin defense!
And they just gave Brock a 4-yr $16M extension? His ass would still be sitting on the bench if Nnamdi didn’t get injured. That’s how much they originally thought of his stock. They lucked into him getting more playing time.
It’s a goddamn wonder why I continue to support this Mickey Mouse organization. It must be one of the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary that wasn’t taught in school.
49ers will win or else Chuck will blow his stack with some booming BLEEPS! His neighbors must be hunkered down for Monday night.
So Ol’ Bundle o’ Laughs told the Dallas Morning News that the offense he sees in games is not the same offense he sees in practice?
Anyone care to explain to Jer that, in games, ANOTHER TEAM is on the field as well?
(Reminds me of the old joke about the basketball team that was SO bad that when its opponent couldn’t show – due to a snowstorm, no doubt – they only lost 2-0.)
Thank Christ for the NFL Red Zone. First two scheduled TV games for tomorrow are the Vikings at the Rodgers-less Packers followed by the Titans at Oakland. How the hell did the Raiders sellout that game so it could be televised locally?
“Real” NFL football doesn’t start until tomorrow night with the NBC game. Broncos @ Patriots. Manning vs Brady. They’re gonna have to load me up on Valium so I don’t get overly excited watching those two QBs strut their stuff. I’m getting excited just thinking about it. I best go lie down for a spell.
Just stay off the sawdust floor. It’s dangerous down there.
Game of the day for me is Cowpatties at NYG Del.
That’s damn close to a Playoff game as well.
Could mean the Division for one of these 2.
Cold and windy in The Meadowlands tomorrow too.
Not the kind of game you want to be relying on the pass in either.
Should be a good one.
I’ve already been racking my brain as to who out of DAL, PHI or NYG would give us the best opportunity to win on the road in the opening WC round. I can’t come up with a definitive answer. They’re all very winnable games. At the same time they’re all very losable. I think it’s best not to wish for any one and just let the chips fall where they may.
Great. All the ABQ stations appear to be out. You’d think we’d never had a foot of snow before.
The gods are telling me to pass on the Jags@Titans game I’ve been so looking forward to, and go tobagganing instead…
Jags@Texans. Watch out for that tree!
Six straight plays for losses by the Chargers. Alex carries this team on his back, he does.
Miami holding Panthers to 3. Nice to see other teams handle the ones the Niners cannot!! And the Dolphins are ahead by 2 two scores at the Half. To deep throws to his WR. He was being chased both times. No guts…no glory. better see a pass happy team on Monday, I want to see change in the offense! Otherwise Harbaugh’s press conferences are just smoke up the fans ass!!!
And why the hell isn’t Harbs and Roman using Kaep the way the Panthers are using Newton?? One more time No Guts…no glory!!
I now steadfastly predict that the Niners will play in the wildcard round @ Detroit, or @ Chicago, or @ Green Bay, or @ New York, or @ Dallas..
And I am unanimous in my opinion.
Kevin, since no one respects our deep game, the CB stay at home and clog the running lanes. Throw in a little hesitation and there you have it.
Well if you force them to they will!! In the first half, Newton threw to 9 different receivers. Are you telling me that Carolina has 9 Pro Bowl caliber WR, TE, and Backs that can catch the ball?? And of course the Niners only have 2. IMO if you don’t throw to the the guys off the bench then why have them there?
I am sick to death of the lack of a passing attack, might as well have kept Sing and his hand picked OC
And you guys out here who use the sorry excuse that Crabs and other WR have been out, well I will go with the saying “everyone has 1 excuse and everyone has an asshole and they both stink”!!!
The AFC should forfeit their second wildcard slot. I’ll root for my brother’s Chargers as they’re playing the best ball of the sorry lot, but they also have the toughest remaining schedule.
Hmm, toss all their names into a hat, add in the NFC North runnerup, and hold your nose?
Who’s got it better then us?
Every fucking team that has a passing attack,which is the “Whole fucking NFL”
True dat, thank you very much!!
That s the problem. Did you see Baldwin last week get startled by the ball that went his direction? They have shit for WRs. That’s on Baalke. Lavelle Hawkins has speed ans is a good kr/pr. Of course we cut him cuz he was a little excitable.
I think Baldwin was startled cause the ball was actually thrown his way. I think in practice the plays arre called for VD and Boldin. They don’t have schemes to spread the field so those other WRs are not expecting any passes thrown their way. If you don’t practice 5 wide outs then not even your WRs are going to be ready come game time.
The Niners are in 3rd place in the NFC West.
And the way we’ve played that’s exactly where we deserve to be.
Shit even Harb’s brother knows and has a passing game, 245 yards passing today!! Shit he should be asking his brother to draw up some passing plays!!
Do you really think Harbaugh is going to change after all these years? He has never left his Big 10 roots. The passing game was never the point of emphasis. The Niners have attempted the fewest number of passes in the NFL. That’s who he is.
Did we fire Jim Harbaugh yet?
Well he had to do some passing, he had A. Luck!!
Jimbo ran the ball 56% of the time with Luck as his QB. Cost Andrew two Heisman Trophies. More proof to Harbaugh’s pudding…
Pats 3 possessions, 3 turnovers. Just put the Broncos in the SB and dispense with the formalities…
Not so fast there pardner
On’t worry, Dennis. Peyton will choke somewhere along the way.
Romo’s not playing, Chuck.
2 ghosts from the past: Brandon Spikes and Soap!
Brandon or Takeo?
Oops, Brandon.
Special teams make Chuck a genius
Games like this are why you need to be able to run the ball and stop the run.
Everyone playing like crap in it but the only one who gets accused of playing badly in cold nasty weather is Peyton. WTF?
Total collapse by the Pats in Half 1.
Total collapse by the Broncs in Half 2.
Only the weather gods could do this to teams of this caliber.
Pats 4 possessions 2nd half, 4 Ltd’s
Fuck the Broncos and Manning “Mr Choke” Dennis!
TD’s
You’re just upset like I am that Manning’s not wearing red and gold. There’s no denying that this team would be 100% better with Peyton at QB. Fuck Harbaugh for being a goddamn stubborn mule.
Hell of a finish coming in Foxboro. I only have two questions?
Did we sign Peyton Manning yet?
Did we elect Tom Brady president yet?
Let’s hope we can hang onto the 6 Seed and, an indoor Team like Detroit and Dallas win their respective Divisions.
Going on the road in January won’t be so terrible that way.
Hope not to see AZ one up us now that they handled Carolina and Indy, and we didn’t.
Now that another Seattle Seasmack was suspended for PED/Banned Substance use, just in time for a visit from Brees and Co, maybe that tilts the scales a little for NO on the road next Monday night.
NoFear49er, a running game is ALWAYS required, if you expect to succeed in the Playoffs.
We just have to find a passing game and an Offense to control the clock.
At the moment, we have the potential tiebreak over AZ due to the Rams (notwithstanding head to head). I love this stuff.
And NBC just flexed the Saints/Panthers into Sunday Night for Week 14, while bumping GB/Atl.
We need to keep pace and handle OUR BUSINESS.
Every play manning is in the shotgun, Denver only runs the ball to give the WR, TE, a breather!! Take notes gentleman. NJ49er, no you do not need a running game in the SB, not in todays NFL that favors the QB and the WR. When the Broncos go to the SB you will see.
Always need a running game to control the clock Irish Kevin.
Don’t leave home without one 🙂
Always about balance.
Ha ha, I hate running and I am to old to be clocked while I run!! Ha ha
Same here Irish Kevin –
That’s why we’re spectators 🙂
We’re looking for the balance and had better find it.
QUICKLY!
OT in Foxboro.
Wowser.
The really good teams rely on there QB to get them into the game if they are playing from behind!! Thy do not put it into the hands of a RB to get them back into a game!! Well the Niners rely on their RB to get them back into a game the are behind in!! And that is why they lose those games.
Belichick won the toss and elected to take the wind and give Peyton the ball.
This has pie in the face written all of it…
Humble pie my friend
And you know Welker would love nothing more than to stick a knife in the back of the Pats tonite too.
What a way to lose after a windblown clash of the titans…
I’m with you. After all that back and forth and mistakes aplenty a miss or blocked kick would be perfect.
Tony Carter=Kyle Williams
Accidental Goat in this case.
I DEMAND VICTORY! DC SUCKS!
Peyton Manning is 1-6 in freezing temp games. Add that to his shit playoff record and there’s only one conclusion to be drawn: this guy gets worse as the season goes on. Too much pressure? Likely.
had that stat wrong: he’s 3-8 in games played under 32 degrees. Either stat though tells me this is a QB you DO NOT want qbing your team as the weather goes bad.
The muffed punt was Welker’s fault. He’s the one directing traffic. He called for the FC too late.
Like the playoff game last year, a late int sealed Peyton’s fate. 19-36 for 150? Ehhh. Denver was running the shit out of the ball though and still couldn’t seal the deal.
Kevin, as I keep saying, the reason the Niners lost those ealy games was because they went away from the run. When the Niners are precieved to be in throw-every-down mode, they get killed. Due to bad play calling and lousy route running. No quick passes.
New thread is up…………………………………………………….