I’m glad this one didn’t count, as there were a lot of problems with this one. most of all being the red zone offense. We all (I guess) saw the offense move up and down the field with little resistance but fail time and time again to get into the end zone. The biggest issues were drops and penalties. Again, though, the penalties were clustered pretty much toward the end of the game when the Walmart brigade was in there.
The drops though were from guys who should know better. Celek dropped two. Both of them killing drives deep in Indy territory. Hikutini dropped a TD that was thrown perfectly, Mostert dropped a 3rd down pass that would have yielded a 1st down, and Pettis dropped a contested pass in the end zone. Pettis’s was the easiest to forgive, but still, he needs to make those tough catches in the end zone.
That being said, the first team pass rush with Armstead and Thomas out there was great. Attaochu looks like he is going to help a lot as well. He got solid pressure all game, so I feel a little better going forward about the rush. We did give up too many yards to Luck on scrambles, but that should be fixable. Attaochu vacated the middle on a play and was blocked out of it on one scramble, but he just has to stay home.
The run game, dormant all preseason, was hitting on all cylinders with the newly signed Alfred Morris leading the way. He looks like a great alternative to the smaller guys as Morris just hits the hole with speed and power as opposed to waiting for the blocks and stutter-stepping to nowhere. He may be the steal of the preseason.
Richard Sherman had a nice breakup, Witherspoon had some nice plays, and a huge whiff on a 3rd down swing pass, and the refs got too involved again, but this is pretty much the last test as the team goes into full Minnesota prep mode.
13 days till kickoff!
San Francisco 49ers Forever 
News I heard is that Marquise Goowin sustained a hand injury in the game, but he went back into the game, and hasn’t missed a practice because of it.
If I’m coach, he does not play Thursday. The dude is poised for a huge, breakout season, so screw a 4th, meaningless preseason game.
And Yes Bergs, AA played very well. We can’t sustain any more injuries on the line. I will say I really don;t like the formation where we basically leave the center uncovered. I’ve seen this a few times, and it usually happens on 3rd downs iirc. Hou got a fairly easy 1st down on a 13 yard scramble in that formation, and it just looks too wide open in the middle for my taste,
And Ol’ Dirty Blow Job signed a 5 year $95 mill deal with the Giants.
Good assessment, Chuck. You watched the game again! So did I and saw a lot of the good I overlooked the first time around. The mistakes were obvious and plentiful, but there some good takeaways too. They should’ve had 3 TD’s in the first half. 25 penalties for almost 275 yards over two games needs to change, and quickly.
Cutdowns Saturday. This team has a lot of work to do, but they will do it and once they start to gel we will have an entertaining team to watch. Armstead absolutely made some plays. I just hope he can stay on the field.
Who doesn’t think this guy is going to help the defense, whether he makes the Pro Bowl or not? His football IQ is off the charts. Just read this knowledge:
Sherman on how he grades the 49ers starting defense against the Colts:
“B-. There were things we did well. We let the quarterback scramble on third-and-12. We gave up a penalty on that drive. We gave up seams – those are plays that we’d love to have back. It’s a difficult play on the safety, the seam play. It’s a play that he’s never seen, but it’s the way teams attack our defense predominantly. But it’s a play that he needs to see over and over and over again, so he’ll be better in the future. But those third downs, we’ve got to get off the field. Third-and-12 we’ve got to execute and get off the field.”
Just having him out there makes everyone smarter, and he won’t let anyone settle for mediocrity.
Richie James is another guy who’s having a real nice camp and preseason. I expect him to make the team, maybe at the expense of Victor Bolden, Jr. James could be a sleeper, because he looks like a natural wide receiver.
I have to agree but I will say when they line up like that one of the linemen or a LB swings into the middle. The theory is good but nothing replaces a sturdy two gapper clogging the middle and pushing the center into the QB. Think Michael Carter! I would put AA there in pass rush situations and have him clog everything up while pushing the pile backwards. DJ Jones s starting to look like that guy too!
I’m guessing that maybe the theory is everybody blocks to the side leaving a middle to run into the QB. I would rather force them to double team AA, that allows others to sack from the edge while the clog in the middle stops the QB from escaping up the middle. That is what Carter and Vice Wilfork did. I have no doubt AA can do it too.
Yeah, I’m with you there, Bergs. That formation begs an audible to a quick run up the middle or even a QB run that’ll get 4 yards before anyone can even get there. Maybe more if the blocking reaches the 2nd level. I just hope they don’t line up that way very much. It seems the only time I see it is on 3rd down but I ain’t sure of that.
Carter’s 60 yard fumble rumble for a TD against Washington in the playoffs is one of my all time favorite 49er moments.
Golf Carts Gone Wild. Too bad Jerry Jones wasn’t in the way.
I thought I saw Dez Bryant back around the 25 yard line . . .
From NBC sports
The San Francisco 49ers are planning to add running back Ja’Quan Gardner to the roster ahead of Thursday’s preseason finale against the Los Angeles Chargers, according to Matt Maiocco of NBCBayArea.com.
https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/49ers/49ers-sign-running-back-waive-safety-chanceller-james
And…. he’s a Matt Maiocco Humboldt State Alum Irish Kevin 😀
At 5’7″ 205 makes him kinda like a human bowling ball. That’s the way I looked at Gore for the most part. If only we could get another Gore.
I winder how this affects the currently injured backs. I’m guessing he’s just a guy to get reps this last preseason games, but he may surprise like Morris did. That would make both Willams and Brieda expendable.
With the injuries they just might carry 5 RB’s to start the season.
Pretty sure Williams is toast.
Yeah, I’m 98% sure Williams doesn’t make the cut. 5 RBs plus Juscuychzyck?
Gardner is likely just camp fodder but we’ll see. I’d think he doesn’t stand a chance to take Brieda out, but we’ll see.
New thread is up. . .