Valuing T.O.P. - Time of Possession

Originally posted by krizay:

Originally posted by Afrikan:

Originally posted by krizay:
As I said last year, the year before that & the year before that. You can all you want about T.O.P. I agree we are taking care of the ball more. That's obvious. The real differnce is THE DEFENSE IS ACTUALLY GETTING THEMSELVES OFF THE FIELD. That's the biggest reason for the change in T.O.P. We've only had a few real drives in the 1st 2 games. So it's definitely not the offense that's changed T.O.P. It's the defense getting THEMSELVES off the field.

yes but it is also because they have been well rested...and that has been our problem for the past 4 years...sustaining drives on offense to keep our defense well rested...not 3 and outs.

ever since Hill has been the starter our defense has played much better...it is not a coincidence......not directed at you Krizay more so, the Hill haters.

but I will say, our Defense is our most talented group.

How many drives exactly have we sustained in 2 games? Not many!

Doesn't really matter how many. It's how long they take. We should always try to eat the clock when we have a lead. Which has been the case most of the time already. IMO

Originally posted by krizay:

Originally posted by D_Niner:

Originally posted by krizay:

Originally posted by Joecool:

Originally posted by krizay:
As I said last year, the year before that & the year before that. You can all you want about T.O.P. I agree we are taking care of the ball more. That's obvious. The real differnce is THE DEFENSE IS ACTUALLY GETTING THEMSELVES OFF THE FIELD. That's the biggest reason for the change in T.O.P. We've only had a few real drives in the 1st 2 games. So it's definitely not the offense that's changed T.O.P. It's the defense getting THEMSELVES off the field.

I don't know. We had the same defense the first 8 games as we did the second 8 games last year but a big difference was better ball control and lowered turnovers by the offense in those two sections of last year. It's a combination of both but TOP has proven to help out the defense as has the defense getting stops helps with wins and sustaining a lead.

Nothing demoralizes a team that needs scores than looking up and seeing 8 minutes of clock used up.

week 10 last year Defense on the field 31:37
week 11 31:44
week 12 34:43
week 13 30:30



Should I keep going?

Isn't the D more likely to get a 3&out if they are rested instead of winded? If our O is holding the ball a few more minutes, then our D gets a little more rest and is more likely to get themselves off the filed and get the ball back to our O.

It works both ways though... Like in the 4th quarter with the lead. Were going to run the ball to eat up the clock. We need the D to be able to go out and stop the other team to get the ball back to our O so we can eat up more time.

For starters if our D is tired. Then shouldn't their O be tired. Why doesn't that ever work both ways? You sub out defensive lineman and backers alot. They very rarely change out O-line. just saying

You would think that's the way it works; but take it from someone who's played both WR and Corner. D takes more out of you then O does. I always associate it with O knowing what's being called but on D you always have to react whether the play is coming to your side or not. Also, on D you better swarm to the ball; but on O, you don't have to... It's just the way it is...

This plan or TOP only works if our running game is clicking like it did on Sunday. Look how the team sturggled against the Cards. Anyone know what the TOP totals for that game was?

Originally posted by Giant9er:

Originally posted by krizay:

Originally posted by Afrikan:

Originally posted by krizay:
As I said last year, the year before that & the year before that. You can all you want about T.O.P. I agree we are taking care of the ball more. That's obvious. The real differnce is THE DEFENSE IS ACTUALLY GETTING THEMSELVES OFF THE FIELD. That's the biggest reason for the change in T.O.P. We've only had a few real drives in the 1st 2 games. So it's definitely not the offense that's changed T.O.P. It's the defense getting THEMSELVES off the field.

yes but it is also because they have been well rested...and that has been our problem for the past 4 years...sustaining drives on offense to keep our defense well rested...not 3 and outs.

ever since Hill has been the starter our defense has played much better...it is not a coincidence......not directed at you Krizay more so, the Hill haters.

but I will say, our Defense is our most talented group.

How many drives exactly have we sustained in 2 games? Not many!

Doesn't really matter how many. It's how long they take. We should always try to eat the clock when we have a lead. Which has been the case most of the time already. IMO

OK, but sometimes you need balance. You don't want to end up like a Steve Mariucci team (run, run, pass). Too predictable. Yes, we should chew the clock whenever we have the opportunity, (keeps the other team's offense off the field) but you still have to be aggressive sometimes and keep the defense on their heels.

Originally posted by backontop:
This plan or TOP only works if our running game is clicking like it did on Sunday. Look how the team sturggled against the Cards. Anyone know what the TOP totals for that game was?

Yeah, we won T.O.P. in that game also... 31:37 to 28:23.

We can also control TOP with our short passing game.

Originally posted by D_Niner:

Originally posted by backontop:
This plan or TOP only works if our running game is clicking like it did on Sunday. Look how the team sturggled against the Cards. Anyone know what the TOP totals for that game was?

Yeah, we won T.O.P. in that game also... 31:37 to 28:23.

We can also control TOP with our short passing game.

and great job of Shaun coming through and making the plays, while our running game was struggling that game....

oh hai backontop

Originally posted by Afrikan:

Originally posted by D_Niner:

Originally posted by backontop:
This plan or TOP only works if our running game is clicking like it did on Sunday. Look how the team sturggled against the Cards. Anyone know what the TOP totals for that game was?

Yeah, we won T.O.P. in that game also... 31:37 to 28:23.

We can also control TOP with our short passing game.

and great job of Shaun coming through and making the plays, while our running game was struggling that game....

oh hai backontop

I knew we were close on TOP but didn't think that we actually won the TOP battle.

Originally posted by krizay:
As I said last year, the year before that & the year before that. You can all you want about T.O.P. I agree we are taking care of the ball more. That's obvious. The real differnce is THE DEFENSE IS ACTUALLY GETTING THEMSELVES OFF THE FIELD. That's the biggest reason for the change in T.O.P. We've only had a few real drives in the 1st 2 games. So it's definitely not the offense that's changed T.O.P. It's the defense getting THEMSELVES off the field.

You're right, of course, but only partially so. A team that can hold onto the ball for long chunks of time for time-consuming drives means you have a well-rested defense in the second half.

Not many Niner games in previous years started out as blowouts. Those only started to occur when the defense wore down because the Niners couldn't sustain drives or turned the ball over repeatedly.

We're not doing that this year. As a result? Ferocious defense in the 2nd half.

It's a beautiful thing to watch!

Originally posted by billbird2111:

Originally posted by krizay:
As I said last year, the year before that & the year before that. You can all you want about T.O.P. I agree we are taking care of the ball more. That's obvious. The real differnce is THE DEFENSE IS ACTUALLY GETTING THEMSELVES OFF THE FIELD. That's the biggest reason for the change in T.O.P. We've only had a few real drives in the 1st 2 games. So it's definitely not the offense that's changed T.O.P. It's the defense getting THEMSELVES off the field.

You're right, of course, but only partially so. A team that can hold onto the ball for long chunks of time for time-consuming drives means you have a well-rested defense in the second half.

Not many Niner games in previous years started out as blowouts. Those only started to occur when the defense wore down because the Niners couldn't sustain drives or turned the ball over repeatedly.

We're not doing that this year. As a result? Ferocious defense in the 2nd half.

It's a beautiful thing to watch!

week 1 we had 8 3 and outs. That's right 8. 1 being a fumble lost on the 3rd play but....

we also had a 4 & out and a 5 and out (both resulting in FG's)

Yet we won the T.O.P. with 31:37.


So can we please quit with the sustaining of drives as the reason.

Originally posted by krizay:

Originally posted by billbird2111:

Originally posted by krizay:
As I said last year, the year before that & the year before that. You can all you want about T.O.P. I agree we are taking care of the ball more. That's obvious. The real differnce is THE DEFENSE IS ACTUALLY GETTING THEMSELVES OFF THE FIELD. That's the biggest reason for the change in T.O.P. We've only had a few real drives in the 1st 2 games. So it's definitely not the offense that's changed T.O.P. It's the defense getting THEMSELVES off the field.

You're right, of course, but only partially so. A team that can hold onto the ball for long chunks of time for time-consuming drives means you have a well-rested defense in the second half.

Not many Niner games in previous years started out as blowouts. Those only started to occur when the defense wore down because the Niners couldn't sustain drives or turned the ball over repeatedly.

We're not doing that this year. As a result? Ferocious defense in the 2nd half.

It's a beautiful thing to watch!

week 1 we had 8 3 and outs. That's right 8. 1 being a fumble lost on the 3rd play but....

we also had a 4 & out and a 5 and out (both resulting in FG's)

Yet we won the T.O.P. with 31:37.


So can we please quit with the sustaining of drives as the reason.

I think that there's validity in what you're saying kriz. That being said, I don't think that the number of 3 & outs is what's significant in the respect that it doesn't measure the value of a 15 play, 8 minute drive, as it's only measured as "one drive". In reality it's twice as long as a typical drive. We've had an epic drive like that in each of our first two games. At least give the O a little credit for that.

Originally posted by LA9erFan:

Originally posted by krizay:

Originally posted by billbird2111:

Originally posted by krizay:
As I said last year, the year before that & the year before that. You can all you want about T.O.P. I agree we are taking care of the ball more. That's obvious. The real differnce is THE DEFENSE IS ACTUALLY GETTING THEMSELVES OFF THE FIELD. That's the biggest reason for the change in T.O.P. We've only had a few real drives in the 1st 2 games. So it's definitely not the offense that's changed T.O.P. It's the defense getting THEMSELVES off the field.

You're right, of course, but only partially so. A team that can hold onto the ball for long chunks of time for time-consuming drives means you have a well-rested defense in the second half.

Not many Niner games in previous years started out as blowouts. Those only started to occur when the defense wore down because the Niners couldn't sustain drives or turned the ball over repeatedly.

We're not doing that this year. As a result? Ferocious defense in the 2nd half.

It's a beautiful thing to watch!

week 1 we had 8 3 and outs. That's right 8. 1 being a fumble lost on the 3rd play but....

we also had a 4 & out and a 5 and out (both resulting in FG's)

Yet we won the T.O.P. with 31:37.


So can we please quit with the sustaining of drives as the reason.

I think that there's validity in what you're saying kriz. That being said, I don't think that the number of 3 & outs is what's significant in the respect that it doesn't measure the value of a 15 play, 8 minute drive, as it's only measured as "one drive". In reality it's twice as long as a typical drive. We've had an epic drive like that in each of our first two games. At least give the O a little credit for that.

I'd be willing to bet that we had atleast 1 of those type of drives in 10+ games the last 3ish years as well. Yet we still lost the T.O.P. battle over that span.

I'm not saying the offense can't help the defense a little. All i'm saying is in the grand scheme of things it's the defense that has to get off the field. The OP is giving the credit to the OC and the offense and they're the last ones responsible for the turn around this year. Our offense has not been all that good thus far. Yet, we own the T.O.P.


Over the past few seasons even if we dd drive the ball down the field. The other team was able to come right back down our throats. Even with our D rested.

If this TOP helps us keep winning games then I'm all for it.

Peyton Manning and the Colts displayed how

Points >>> T.O.P




Had the ball less than 15 minutes and won the game.

Im happy the 49ers have won the T.O.P battle, but they need to score 7's instead of 3's on some of these drives.

Originally posted by ads_2006:
Peyton Manning and the Colts displayed how

Points >>> T.O.P




Had the ball less than 15 minutes and won the game.

Im happy the 49ers have won the T.O.P battle, but they need to score 7's instead of 3's on some of these drives.

I was just coming on here to post this. I don't think T.O.P. means anything right now, it's mostly our defense getting off the field. I want touchdowns, and Gore has all 4 of them so far. 147 yards won't cut it against top 15 teams in the NFL IMO.

at least we have a better D than Miami.