. . . but this bad? Wow. Losses like the Green Bay game are one thing. Being the overmatched scrappy underdogs almost scratching out a win on the road no less is one thing. Looking like bumbling fumbling idiots in your own house is another thing entirely.
Yes, we are a young team. Yes we have a shit-ton of injuries. Yes, we are thin across the board and have lost our starting QB, starting RB we built our offense around, and yes, the defense is young and inexperienced.
But the problems with last game are not of the young-team variety. They are of the monumental breakdowns in coverage time and time again. I can count 7 or 8 plays where a WR is left completely alone on a pass pattern that nets upwards of 30-40 yards. 3 guys cover one WR and someone else is wide open. As in no one within 15 yards of him. This isn’t an eager DB jumping a route. It is a breakdown in reading the WRs by the defense as a whole. Giuys not knowing their assignments when a situation comes up.
When these guys watch film, what do they say? Oh, gee, when the WRs crossed, everyone went to WR X. Witherspoon should have stayed with WR Y while the middle guys stayed with X. Hmmm, that was a 42 yard play.
Next play, WR X is lined up behind WR Y, and no one picks up X while Y runs a crossing route. X gets 40 yards because no one is there to stop him. Ooooh. 65 yard TD.
Next play . . . you get the idea.
It isn’t like we are seeing some brand-new routes. These are your basic run-of-the-mill crossing routes, post, and flag routes. We are simply not reading the plays right to get guys in position.
Even then, if we DO get in position, the DBs invariably drop the sure INT, but THAT is a different issue. The main problem is Robert Saleh seems unable to come up with a pass coverage scheme that is remotely effective.
We have 3 high #1 picks on the D line that give us very little. 1.5 seasons in to Saleh’s reign, and we have little to nothing to show for our defense. Aaron Donald did more in the Niner game than the entire team has done all year.
The ONLY decent stretch I’ve seen from this defense is the 3rd quarter of the Green Bay game. Saleh went press man coverage, and he blitzed Foster and Witherspoon, among others, to disrupt the Green Bay passing game. It worked for three possessions. Once Green Bay brought in an extra blocker to slow the blitzing, the comeback was on and our fate was sealed.
Unfortunately, there is a lot of season left ( or fortunately) to work this out, but I think Saleh is doing a shitty job with the D line especially. All that talent, and a group of young fast LBs in Foster and Warner have yielded nothing in the way of a cogent defensive plan. The line does well agaisnt the run, and we kept Todd Gurley in check for the most part, but all that does is ‘force’ teams to pass on us. To the usual 3rd down conversions and big plays.
San Francisco 49ers Forever 
From Kevin . . .
Irish Kevin says:
October 23, 2018 at 9:52 am (Edit)
Might as well start looking at the draft
https://ninernoise.com/2018/10/23/49ers-5-round-1-prospects-watch-2019-nfl-draft/?utm_campaign=apple-news&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=apple-news
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Yes, it’s true. We are truly atrocious. We can pretend to be Chiefs fans and we can go out and buy Red Sox gear to wear for the next week and then never again but the future looks bleak, Our only hope at this point is to lure Wade Phillips to jump ship and be our DC and then we’ll have an unstoppable force of a defense. Along with the return of the Great and All-Knowing Alex Smith in the red and gold, those seats at Santa Clara’s Gap Stadium at Great America will be full again!
That’s for you and your LA brethren.
At least try to post within the realm of reality, DH.
Damn, now Derek Carr is on the trading block. Looks like Gruden wants the city of Oakland to throw him a going away parade,
Thankfully, San Jose has welcomed our awesome San Francisco team with open techie arms and when we finally win another Super Bowl in our great grandchildrens’ time the parade down East Julian St. will be almost as amazing as the 2002 Angels World Series parade down Disney’s Main Street USA
Totally different city and many miles away. LOL
But oh well, when you haven’t been to a Super Bowl since 1979 and that was your only, only, only one ever, and you lost that one chance at respectability, I guess 1 lousy division title and then stomped and out in the first round of the playoffs looks like gold.
Everything looks like red and gold when our team is only fifteen years away from being competitive again. Highway 237 Stadium will be packed to the rafters when the Niners when their next division title in 2035
Oh, Rooster, at least try something different instead of this poser shit.
I was at the game and invited to the Mellon West club again, great spot behind the Niners bench. I can send a pic or two if you want them Chuck.
I also got to talk with a highly placed executive (who remains nameless) away from the stadium after the game, so I asked what the Team thinks of Saleh and if CJ is in any danger. I was told they believe in Saleh and that he doesn’t have the talent to really run the scheme. I brought up the zone V man issue and it was pointed out that when Saleh switched it up and played man they got burned big time. I got the impression Saleh is in no imminent danger.
I was also told CJ is currently their best option and its not close. They are obviously disappointed with the turn over problems but see CJ as a work in progress with a lot of upside. As of now they don’t see Mullens as a better alternative but obviously that could change if things don’t improve.
At this point 12th I’d simply live with him too. He’s got the time to develop albeit a painful process to watch, it’s part of the progression.
No matter the record, we need more talent to get whatever pieces Saleh is seeking.
Still can’t understand the decision on Thomas and what they’ve got him doing thus far.
A top 5 Pick is about where I’m focused at this point.
I was interested in hearing their thinking but it is basically what Shanny Jr is saying publicly.
I agree with you, let Beathard take his lumps until it becomes obvious he is not progressing.
They have a 3 game run now against other 1 win teams, looks like the Giants and Raiders are in a race to the bottom with a roster purge. Niners win 2 or 3 of those games and their win total for last year is doable even without their best players. For me that would constitute progress.
Hank Greenwald has passed. I loved listening to him he was one of the best the Giants ever had. RIP
Lon and Hank were my two all-time favorites. Hank’s endless stories were a delight. RIP
NYG are clearing payroll already. They won’t be playing to win going forward.
Same goes for Gruden.
We need to follow suit.
Clear out the misfits and, take whatever they can get, before the Trade deadline.
Hard to see who has value elsewhere but, someone may have needs.
We need Draft capital as well.
Watch OBJ get reunited with Landry in Cleveland.
Why not get Odell Beckham and Dez Bryant to be our top two wide receivers? Sure, we dumped tons of money on Jimmy “Joe Montana 2.0” G but if we go and get Ryan Fitzpatrick for QB and Jack Del Rio as our new HC right now we’ll be the next ‘72 Dolphins!
NJ- I don’t think anyone really wants to go to cleveland. I am pretty sure either the Rams or NE will come down with OBJ.
Maybe Dallas.
Winder the NYG are sorry they invested in OBJ. He’s a headcase with an astronomical Contract now. They’re going to listen to anyone who comes around him or several other overpriced deals they’ve saddled themselves with.
It’s a total fire sale now.
Browns have their QB now along with the Picks and Cap money to buy from anyone.
Cleveland has Landry and their LSU WR Coach to boot.
Almost a perfect layup for Mayfield and Hue.
They could simply buy OBJs Contract without giving up too much in terms of Picks I’d think.
Winder the NYG are in a lousy position with OBJ.
He’s making way too much money and carrying a shitload of negative baggage.
Anyone willing to take his Contract is going to get him without giving up much in return IMO.
Headcase.
The only misfit/misused player of value I see on roster is Thomas, a 3rd overall who simply hasn’t lived up to that draft spot. A solid but unspectacular player so far.
Armstead is quietly playing very well finally BTW.
I just wonder if we should switch to a 3-4 defense. We aren’t getting anything done now with our pass rush. Get quicker. Although we don’t really have the LBs for it, I’m sick of this anemic pass rush.
For Saleh to say he doesn’t have the players is ludicrous. He’s running a shitty scheme.
And yeah, 12th send me the pics.
sent you some
Sad about Hank Greenwald. He got us fans through a lot of down times in the Giants history. Glad he got the thrill of announcing the pennant winners in 1987.
New thread is up.