In the immortal words of Axl Rose, where do we go now? Or would you prefer Louis Burton Lindley, Jr. (aka Slim Pickens), who said, what in the wide wide world of sports is goin’ on here? The 49ers, fresh off their midseason break spent getting healthyed up and ready to make a serious push to the playoffs, instead lay one of the biggest turds on the newly christened Levis field since the Singletary days.
After crawling out to a 10-3 lead in the 2nd quarter, the 49ers went:
- punt
- fumble
- missed FG
- punt
- punt
- punt
- punt
- fumble
Not the best of days for Colin Kaepernick, with his holding the ball too long, not getting rid of the ball when pressured, not feeling pressure when it is coming for the back side, and getting strip-sacked again, and, of course the final fumble that he actually fumbled twice. Then again, what galls me even more is the lack of ANY adjustments made by the coaching staff. After giving up 6 sacks in the 1st half, did the Niners try to circumvent the pressure by designing quicker plays, and go away from the 5 and 7 step drops? Of course not. This has been a problem all year. Kappy rarely has time to throw a pass from a deep drop yet, under intense pressure from non-existent blocking across the entire O line, Kappy was sacked a total of 8 times. That’s a total of 14 in the last 2 games. By comparison, the ’71 Niners under John Brodie gave up a total of 16 all year. Yes, Kappy is holding the ball too long, and tries to use his athleticism, and it gets him into trouble.
But again, the team refuses to use plays that counteract blitzes. They threw TWO misdirection plays to Boldin that worked great. Naturally, they shied away from that play all day. One screen that gaind 5 yards, and one delay that gained 0. Like I said before the game, they refuse to exploit things that they find to work. The Rams had NO business being in this game, but the ineffective offense failed miserably all game.
The banged-up unit on the team, the defense again played spectacularly. Chris Borland, subbing for the ailing toe of Patrick Willis, had 18 tackles in a big day. Although he did blow the coverage on the TD. Austin Davis played terrible, threw 2 picks, and had a losing effort of a day. If not for the absolute wasteland of an offense. Throw in ONE mistimed 23 yard punt from the 5 and there you have it. Game over.
There are so many problems with this offense that it defies explanation in one thread.
Forty Niners Forever 
Lattimore to retire. Another wasted Baalke pick. 12th Potd gets better and better.
I refuse to place any blame upon the foot of Andy Lee. Lee’s been a consistent team MVP candidate since Day 1. He’s allowed one bad punt. But one more shankapotomus and he’s gone.
This team quit a long time ago because they are not being paid. When Vernon ended his holdout he eluded to the other players who were also unsatisfied saying at least he tried. Jim Harbaugh is in the same boat – not getting paid by the owners. Baalke and Paraage did a good job acquiring talent and paying them below fair market so the roster would be stacked. But now it’s caught up with Jed. The O line doesn’t just forget how to pass block. Crabtree and Vernon don’t just forget how to catch the ball. And if you ask the players… they love Harbaugh. Put the pieces together – it’s the collective team pay.
Also – a new stadium with the most expensive ticket in the NFL rubs big dollars in the faces of underpaid players. Is it any wonder they don’t play well at home? This isn’t Harbaugh mutiny. It’s York and front office mutiny. The real victims are Gore and Cowboy. But this will take a few years to get sorted out. But hey… at least we have a two million dollar backup qb.
The Terrel Brown instance is further proof. Harbaugh said “We’ll make it right.” The front office…… didn’t. The great John Lennon said, “Instant karma is gonna get you” in your new stadium. Rock on, John. Rock on…
Well this whole lost can be laid at the feet of the O line. 8 sacks!! PLEASE. With that said. Kaep needs a QB coach. Someone who can teach him that he does not need to be a flame thrower to get the ball to the receiver. I have to look but I want to say most of the receivers wear gloves. It’s not because it is cold in Santa Clara. Kaep overs throws or throws so hard the reciever can’t catch the ball.
I love Harbaugh’s response that he’s used before – “We all have our fingerprints on this.” Doesn’t that seem like the coach is saying the players and coaches could collectively perform better. It’s almost like they are unified. Coaches can coaches better. Players can play better. Hmmm. I wonder what’s missing? It probably has nothing to do with money….. it never does.
Shit, Spitty. Lay off the glue. Underpaid players? Poor VD has only made $75 mill here. Cry me a fucking river.
I think Harbaugh is directing his own demise here. He wants to be Bo Schembechler Jr for reals. That, and $140 mill.
And adios, numbnuts. Go get ignored on the Merc.
Hey I got POTD!
I wrote that when the team was 3-2, same score as the year before and all that stuff was true. Incidentally the two D players are still not back and Lattimore may well never make it as the team just resigned the injured Kendall Hunter through 2015. VD looks to be dogging it as does Crabtree, both most likely due to them not receiving contracts yet, Me first guys.
Unfortunately I think the discord we have been hearing about for over a year is apparently true. It is beginning to look like the coaches are being tuned out to an extent. When Gore plays the vote of confidence card and Staley speaks of dumb schemes it is time to take notice.
The coaching has not progressed significantly as far as I can see and the same old schemes are no longer working, the NFL has adjusted to it just as it always does. Roman has never impressed me very much but it has been hard to argue with the results sans the biggest game losses.
Harbaugh has benefited from a winning record to overcome his assholeness but at 4-4 that has worn thin. Clearly the players want to voice themselves instead of being dictated to by a jumped up high school O co-ordinator and his overbearing HC. It will be interesting what happens next. Does the team rally or fold?
Tough game next week will tell the tale. At 4-4 there is still a lot to play for, but will they?
“Does the team rally or fold?”
Apergillus, an upper respiratory infection and the 49ers.
Name a mold, the common cold and the team that’s about to fold.
Got to love Coughlin giving Indy a timeout while trying to generate points for himself on his own 12.
Yeah 12th, I think the noise from the locker room is coming directly from VD and Crabs.
They’re both gone.
I’m not feeling very good about 2 on the east coast. They are talking about sleeping over in Youngstown again between the NO and Giants games. The Giants look like shit tonight.
NO’s a different story.
I don’t know. Can they fix their offense in a week? They just had a bye week and laid this fat turd. Think NO’s going to blitz us? As if they don’t blitz enough.
And you’ve got to think Gregg Williams was laughing all the way to the locker room after fucking us over yesterday.
I think Roman is just in over his head. Excellent talent has made up for his lack of quality play calling.
I saw something from Steve Young, who was at the game on the sideline waiting to honor George Siefert, said something is broken with this team. The O players come off the field moaning and Kap lowers his eyes at the end of his drop back to see what’s coming at him instead of looking down field.
John Harbaugh dumped his OC and I think Jim needs to consider doing the same. Something major needs to happen before this season is lost.
Steve Youngs comments:
http://www.csnbayarea.com/49ers/young-49ers-looked-broken-against-rams
Some very telling comments from Trent Baalke here:
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/49ers/2014/11/03/gm-trent-baalke-acknowledges-4-4-49ers-are-broken-defends-players-roman-ponders-youngstown-stay/
Jerry Rice:
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/49ers/2014/11/04/notebook-jerry-rice-very-disturbed-by-goal-line-finish-jim-harbaugh-not-willing-to-pick-through-each-thing-publicly/
So what to do?
If it were me:
Carlos Hyde takes the main RB spot, he got 2 carries for 17 yds in the Ram game.
Boldin, Stevie 1&2. Equal share Crabs, Ellington and Lloyd.
Make Carrier 1 & Davis 2, Carrier gets open and rarely drops the ball. Let Davis block for now and if he can’t then put McV in his place and bench him until he is more healthy and/or interested.
Demote Roman to RB scheme only and have Harbaugh take on the OC role.
Play Culliver less, he has regressed this year.
To bad about Lattimore, I still think it was a gutsy move with a very high side. It just didn’t work. The draft is always a gamble and no one can predict who’s gonna get injured and when. Shit rolls downhill and there’s an avalanche (sp) rolling out of 49er headquarters. I hope they cab fix this thing soon.
Agree Lattimore was worth the risk.
There’s a point for every Coach in this game when their tendencies are figured out, and the opposition catches up.
The good Coaches find another gear.
We’ve been unable to do that, starting last year when the games got bigger and more intense.
Harbaugh vowed to fix it.
Here we are, playing .500 ball in the middle of the Season and, looking more and more pathetic in our dealings on Offense.
Additional talent has been provided with next to nothing to show for it.
Tell me where we’ve changed anything since the SB loss in the RZ?
Same sh!t, different Season.
I think a layover in Youngstown might just get these guys focused a bit more too.
I’m calling the NOLA game a WC matchup for us too.
As 12th suggested, we either come into this game ready for a Playoff run or we’ll see the beginning of the end of the Harbaugh era.
If Harbaugh can’t devise a strategy to dismantle a Rob Ryan Defense, we’re not worthy of a Playoff run.
Time for Harbaugh to graduate from Checkers Academy and challenge the Chess Club to meeting of the minds.
Here’s something interesting –
Seems like Marcus Lattimore has an insurance policy to fall back on, should he decide it’s time to retire –
Could the policy be contributing to the retire consideration?
http://tinyurl.com/q85m65z
We are all DOOMED!
Another lost season for the RED and GOLD.
Got to wonder how the team can right itself. If the SF Giants proved anything, it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.
Problem with that is, we are getting close to the point of no return. 3-1 leading up to Seattle would put us at 7-5 with 4 very tough games. 9-7 would be a best-case scenario. Is that enough?
We’re the 8th seed right now and we need to jump Dallas and the Packers to hit the 6 spot. Thing is, both those teams look pretty vulnerable. Dallas has a tough schedule and they are fading badly. Even moreso with Romo out.
Best scenario is for us to catch Seattle and pass GB in the process and get the 5 hole.
And frankly, I just don’t believe that AZ is going to go far in the playoffs.