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 
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.
Looks like Seattle could be missing Max Unger on offense. I’m not so sure I trade an All-Pro center for a disgruntled TE who thinks he is a WR. It’s obvious they are missing Chancellor on D.
One more thing about Seattle. Pete Carrol assembled a great coaching staff at USC. As he lost them one by one his team fell back. He has lost a couple good coaches lately. Could it be Seattle gradually fades? Don’t know, I just know what happened at USC.
Did you see Lynch’s Mom slam Bevell on twitter, holy shit! She said he is the worst play caller in the NFL and should have been fired after the SB screwup.
I saw that. Can’t say I disagree. I’m still pissed at Harbaugh for not running the ball at the end of our SB loss.
Kap looked very similar to how he looked for the last two games last year as far as touch is concerned. He did have much better mechanics, especially his footwork and release. Too bad he couldn’t get that kind of coaching under the previous regime.
Reno, do you know if Devey and Pears specialize in zone blocking? I’m guessing that’s why they picked up those particular rejects and put them in the starting lineup.
That is a position I don’t evaluate very well. I know I like zone blocking schemes because it requires more athletic linemen and spreads the field out more than the power a blocking scheme. Zone is probably not a good scheme for a guy like Iupati. He would’ve done OK but would not have excelled here anymore and for the money he wanted he had to go.
You can load a box vs zone blocking schemes but it is not as effective since linemen block areas instead of having individual assignments. The RB usually gets the ball deeper and reads what is going on in front of him. Unless somebody shoots a gap hard and fast the runner can often just choose a different hole. Hyde is really good at that.
OK, thanks. That’s what Shanny ran all those years in Denver, wasn’t it? With the threat of Elway, I think he always had a 1000 yd. rusher and not always the same guy.
Yes, it is what Denver ran all those years in the late 90s.
The way to defense a zone blocking scheme is lane discipline. Especially against a good cut back runner.
In watching last year’s play calling there were too many times when defenders were unaccounted for. That has to be squarely on the coaching staff and their highly touted line with mostly high picks. Hence, the “dumb schemes” comment. This years staff has two rejects on the right side and ran and protected the QB well. Iupati and Davis are gone and the question is, did the rejects play better or was the coaching better. Whatever the answer, I know we paid a lot more for Iupati and Davis. But then, it was just one game. Stay tuned.
Fair question.
Lynch’s Mom:
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000531421/article/marshawn-lynchs-mom-bevell-is-worst-playcaller-ever
Thanks for posting the Duffy piece, Chuck. Very nice and from a kid all Giants fans have to love. I know I do. I also have a completely different perspective on Casey McGehee. Pretty amazing guy in his own right.
Yeah, for all the shit I gave McDP, he’s a stand-up guy to go out of his way to clear a path for his successor.
Tomsula on Bush:
This quote is pretty close to what he said:
“Yeah, they’re not doing X rays, it’s the MRI. It’s a better test or somethin’…”
LOL, x-rays aren’t much good for soft tissue injuries like ligaments and muscles…
Is Skeebs site working? I cant even get in.
They’re still asleep.
Skeebers has a new thread up. Of course he’s not impressed with the victory. The sharp-eyed Skeebers is doubtful it can be repeated in Pittsburgh.
lol
jesus Christ I turned into a vampire !
Always thought you were a night crawler . . .
Huh. I still can’t get in. Whatevs. What;s funny is those guys hoped so badly that the Niners would fail that they had 6 months of ramp up to get themselves in a frenzy over it.
Well, the team that they all predicted to suck, isn’t.
Phils’s post “I refuse to be sad over this” tells it all.
I just can’t get over the things they say about tomsula , baalke , jed and the rest of our team. we’re called bottom feeders and a league wide laughingstock ! tomsula is called a clueless backstabbing moron who isn’t fit to be the 49ers head coach even after a 2-0 record as head coach . he has wins of 38-7 and 20-3 to his credit so far !
A win vs Pittsburgh could have him shutting down his blog. You could feel the pain he was oozing over a 49er win. He went to default mode of Kap hating.
Here’s the post game locker room speech by Jimmy T.
http://www.ninersnation.com/2015/9/15/9334715/watch-jim-tomsulas-post-game-victory-speech
Who’s got it better than us? Fuck that.