Well, the new regime got off with a bang yesterday as the 49ers wore down and dismantled the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football. Tales of the 49ers demise may just be a little premature. Then again, it was only the Vikings. The 49ers defense does what they usually do to AP, and that’s shut him down. Mangini and company disguised coverages, and blitzed from off angles to confuse and befuddle sophomore QB Teddy Bridgewater.
The offense was nigh unstoppable, except by themselves. The 1st half saw a lot of yards, but a lot of penalties. The opening drive was thwarted by a holding penalty deep, and the rest were done in by various other problems. Carlos Hyde pretty much stamped his entry into the NFL as one of the top backs in the league (for a week anyway) by gaining 168 yards on 26 carries for gaudy 6.5 yards a carry and 2 touchdowns.
Yes, we are a running team. But this run game is vastly different than last year as Greg Foerster, master of the zone blocking scheme ran very well against some stacked lines when we had 3 TEs in there, and also when we had 2 WRs in there. Cutback lanes were wide open, and Hyde took big advantage of that.
The passing game, and Colin Kaepernick especially, looked a lot more comfortable in the pocket this year as compared to last, and made most of the plays he needed to. He read through his progressions very well, and made the correct calls to run when he needed to. As I’ve been saying all offseason, we moved Kappy around in the pocket, and even ran play action (!) on 3rd and 1 for an easy toss to Hyde for a 1st down. Kappy’s numbers weren’t gaudy, but they were efficient. 17/26 for 165, 0 picks, 0 TDs. The difference being the Niners converted some tough 3rd downs (5-12 ain’t great, but it beats 1-9). An issue in previous seasons. Red zone offense was 2-5, but 2 drives were killed by holding penalties.
What can you say about the defense? What I saw as a strength for the team was pretty much dead on. Bethea, Tartt, Bowman, Carradine, and Lynch all had sacks. Tremaine Brock had a pick, and the defensive backfield played a very solid game all around. Even though Bridgewater is very mobile, the Niners contained him well, and the coverage was solid even as Teddy broke contain to buy time.
The problems? Well, Special teams were an early disaster. Blocked FG, muffed punt, and a punt return TD called back by 2 blocks in the back. However, Pinion boomed all his punts, and mashed all his kickoffs deep or out of the end zone. Penalties were a big problem early as well. They had 6 penalties in the first half, but only 1 in the 2nd half. So whatever Tomsula said to ST coach McGaughey and the players seemed to get them in focus.
All in all a solid game by the new coaching staff and team. Certainly you have to think this team at least for now looks pretty good.
Irish Kevin, our intrepid man-on-the-scene, shot this opening ceremonies video. Thanks, Kev!
Forty Niners Forever 
Can’t ask for much more than what the team gave. Clean up the penalties and these guys could be for real.
Encouraging to me was the line play on the right side. The run blocking was near perfect, and the pass pro was solid. RG Devey and RT Pears played well, and I don’t think had any penalties. Keeping Kappy clean as he rolls right will be very important.
Looks like the Niner win brought the Skeebie site to its knees.
Crash and burn, baby!!
Amazing fans they have over there.
What a satisfying win. When was the last the niners offense rolled up 400 yards !!!
Last time
Likely the opening day win in 2013 vs GB, This is strictly from memory though.
I love Phil saying he refuses to be sad about the Niner win.
Meanwhile……on the “other” blog ….Bullit states the Steelers are favored by oddsmakers. Well duh the Steelers will be at home. No wonder. Sir Spit is predicting steady losing for the Niners after the Steeler game. He concedes the Niners just might win against the Steelers!
Vikings were favored too. So what?
It was indeed a very enjoyable and satisfying win, with a lot of good stuff to be happy about and build on. It’s a good start but I’m trying to keep my enthusiasm in check until at least a few games are under our belt. The tough games coming up will give us a better idea of where the team is at overall.
Cleaning up the penalties alone will firm things up nicely. The holds cost them at least one TD, as Martin’s first flag cost the Niners a first and goal at the 4 yd line after Hyde’s run. A few more observations:
I loved Tomsula’s demeanor on the sideline. After 4 years of Harbaugh stomping up and down on the sideline and almost blowing a gasket every week, it was refreshing to see cool and collected from big Jimmy T.
VD still looks shaky to me. He caught 3 balls, but bobbled and almost dropped 2 of them and just seemed tentative at times. May be first game jitters, so something to keep an eye on moving forward. The other to TE’s, Celek and McDonald, actually impressed more, especially blocking. McDonald saved a TD with an outstanding hustle play after the blocked FG attempt. Celek caught 3 balls and both did a great job blocking out of the 2 TE sets.
Tartt looked like he was shot out of a cannon on his sack. I’m excited about this guy.
The 49ers obviously need to do a much better job of getting the ball to their wideouts, which I’m sure will be a point of emphasis this week. Again, it’s early and every team in the league has things to improve upon.
The crowd was loud and involved. Love i!
If you guys haven’t seen the hilarious comments from Aussie blogger Matt Cleary check them out. Good stuff:
http://blog.sfgate.com/49ers/2015/09/14/aussie-with-limited-football-knowledge-hilariously-live-blogs-jarryd-hayne-49ers/
Can you guys believe the Vikings were favored in this game?
GO NINERS!
This is a better link to Cleary’s comments:
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/live/2015/sep/15/jarryd-hayne-san-francisco-49ers-debut-against-minnesota-vikings
The Niners came out and showed there is reason for optimism. I’m not buying the Vikes are really that bad. Lots of people have them contending for their division. What I saw was a defensive game plan that had them buffaloed. Our speed on D looks good. We have lots of things to work on but it was after all just the first game with a brand new game plan and coaches. I couldn’t be more pleased.
Yeah, I really have no sense of what the Vikings are. They used to have a terrible defense and AP. Now they have Bridgewater and Ap and a shakey defense.
Did a little reading, and the Vikes are supposed to be improved on defense. That may be true, but I can’t say I understood their play calling as AP was ignored for long stretches of game. The Niners certainly hadn’t forced the issue by scoring points, but it was odd to me to see AP on the sidelines for most of the 2nd quarter.
Interesting. Pete Carroll throws his kicker under the bus. Says he didn’t call for the onsides kick.
http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2015/9/13/9320091/pete-carroll-says-he-never-called-ot-onside-kick-blames-kicker
Winder, what really impressed me was the closing speed on a couple plays. AP caught a ball in the flat that looked like a 15 yard gain. Tartt (I think) closed on him in a flash and held him to 8 yards and no 1st down. Perfect angle to stop the play. A couple times they got their TE in space but was quuckly closed on and tackled. And of course V McD chasing down the blocked FG guy.
Tackling was textbook across the board. Very encouraging.
The team has a lot of defensive talent. And now Carlos Hyde looks like a stud in the making.
Yeah the Niners D looked impressive. And they are well coached. That’s very encouraging.
chuck- i agree. It looks like our division is all about defensive speed. It is gonna be brutal within our division.
Interesting stat: The 49ers were the only defense to keep their opponent out of the end zone.
Had a great time, the thing I noticed right off, no delay of game penalties or maybe 1. They actually had all their time outs in the final 2 minutes of each half? Wow , just a slight change there.
Yeah, they used one time out late in the 3rd quarter I think. Other than that, they dictated the pace very well, and got off a quick count for the 2nd TD as Minn’s defense was gassed.
This is what I and plenty of others have been harping about during Harbaugh’s tenure. With a quicker pace the OFFENSE dictates the snap, hard counts work, and you can get plays off when the defense isn’t set. Burning the clock every play allows the DEFNSE to reset itself and quick counts certainly don;t work when you are snapping the ball with 3 or less seconds.
Elementary, but lot of people play it off like it doesn’t matter.
Niners won and won handily. If those guys at Skeebs aren’t happy about it what kind of fans are they. It says all I need to know about them.
This team is talented and the scheme and play calling worked to their advantage instead of to the coaches ego because he knows best.
I had the Niners maybe beating the Vikes. Browns, Falcons, Giants, Vikings or Bears, and one in their division. Last night’s game seems to change all that, but it’s early yet. How they do against the Steelers will be a much better test. If they can play them competitively on the road then it’s a sign of a good team. A win would make them look like a very good team. If they collapse (the Steelers had 460 yds. O against a good Pats D on the road) then, well…
It’s a long season.
I picked the Vikes for the game, but I’m talking about my overview of the season.
Pittsburgh’s secondary is non-existent.
Not sure how good their O line is, but Rothlsberger is certainly less mobile than Bridgewater. NE sacked him 3 times and they are not what they once were. Good news is Seattle has a tough game in GB coming up. Be nice to get up 2 on them from the get-go.
They’re still run the Lebeau blitz packages, though. Can our line hold up, and can Kappy hit his receivers when he sees man converage under pressure, or can he run his way out of trouble? We’ll see Sunday. Another good running game might be crucial.
*They still
Brady only got sacked once, and they threw a lot. 32 times. Kappy looked pretty good yesterday, but I’d love to see the WRs get more involved. Although when you are breaking off 7 yards at a run, it’s hard not to try that. This is still a running team.
Pitts had no answer for Gronk, though. VD for whatever reason looks tentative. McDonald actually had a nice game. They HAVE to try Smith deep. Using VD on that seam route was too predictable. The blocking was good enouh to try that.
We have to get our WR’s in play otherwise we will once again be predictable. I know Kappy can do it, I have seen him throw some ropes and if we call the right plays we should be able to take these guys.
Very cool article written by Matt Duffy
http://www.theplayerstribune.com/matt-duffy-giants-the-new-kid/
Very good stuff.
Wrong blog but whatever. Good stuff.
Chuck I had 10-6 this year, before last nights game.
Not a pretty first half. Vikings made a lot of their own mistakes.
No hiding the fact that the Niners remain a talented team, and that the coaches had them ready to play.
Short week, cross country against a team with 10 days between games adds a level of difficulty but I think the Niners go 2-0
Tell you one thing, I am happy as shit that “Who’s got it better than us” horse shit is gone. Players broke it down with “123 Niners!” in the locker room.
No shit. Rah rah college gimcrackery.
Yeah, I’d like to think we shook off the rust ourselves. Got things rolling in the 2nd half. Pittsburgh isn’t as bad-ass as they used to be. Especially on defense. But they are still playing at home and that ain’t a piece of cake.
If we can run like yesterday, it’ll make life easier for everyone.
Can’t even remember the last time we dominated TOP. Even with Gore.
The RG was a thing of beauty yesterday. Hyde made a great impression in his first game as the starting RB.
Hayne had some good plays too for that mater, just not in the punt return department.
matter
Someone tell Phil that I had the biggest point margin win (8 points), so there you go. I win the prognosticator of the week trophy.
You guys see this news piece about thugs fighting outside the game last night?
The link in the piece doesn’t work but this one does:
The story:
I don’t know who started what but the Niners fans are getting a bad reputation for this kind os shit.
It’s the Raider wannabe unis.
Living most of my life in the valley, I’m actually curious where the thugs come from, but I doubt I’d get a straight answer from the media. Silicon Valley has its darkside, and a lot of it is racial, and a lot of it is tied to illegals. Nortenos and Sudenos are the nastiest gangs, and wearing red or blue in the wrong neighborhood can get you killed.
It’s ugly whoever they are. Gang stomping one guy? Last year’s bathroom incident was the same shit, 2 or more on one guy and stomping when he is on the floor.
Chickens hit assholes.
It was revealed before the game by Dilfer that Vernon Davis was going to quit last year but not anymore. He is enjoying football again. How many more statements like this do we have to hear to know that players had lost their zest for the game under Jim Harbaugh.
The Steelers were confused often last week, leaving receivers uncovered at times. That will not happen this week.
I looked forward to the new post today on the cancer blog. I guess a 49er win did not sit too well for Skeebers. His motivation must have had Kap put on it and gone to a place to Hyde!
He didn’t put one up?
No new post as of Wed at 8:20 AM. He is in deep depression because of our win.
Minnesota does have a very good D-line. To see our run game gel so well was great. Pittsburgh has had a great front 7 for years but a lot of changes this year. I don’t know how good they are at this point. Didn’t look so great vs the Pats. Tere was lots of confusion that won’t be happening this week. I’m looking forward to see our run game again next week. Hyde looks like he did in college.
Why did the 49ers need to go after the WRs last night when what we were doing was working. It’s called rhythm.