Pro Football Focus ranks last year 49ers pass protection......

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by NinerGM:

Quote:
It's worth mentioning a large proportion of the 49ers' pressure was unblocked (rushers and blitzers just coming free), probably due to the constant movement on the line. Nearly 26 percent of the sacks, hits and hurries were unassigned, the largest percentage in the league.

So sounds like someone was calling the wrong protections at the LOS and the scheme wasn't designed well to pick-up blitzing.

This sounds eerily familiar to something I posted at the beginning of last year:

Quote:

Finally, it's worth noting that the Baltimore Ravens changed offensive line coaches. Gone is Chris Foerster, who served as the team's offensive line coach since 2005. The Ravens line was miserable in '05, better in '06, and not very good in '07. In 2004, his last year in Miami, his line surrendered the second most sacks in the league (52) and tied for last in yards per rush (3.5). Foerster was hired by San Francisco this year, and I suppose it should surprise no one that the 49ers are 25th in rushing yards, and 3rd worst in sacks allowed (45).

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2008/12/11/689453/a-closer-look-at-the-balti

This, in my mind, is an example of an offensive scheme being very predictable and easy to adjust to from a defensive perspective. So, Frank Gore is NEVER allowed to break it outside. VD was the only home run threat. Therefore, stack the LOS with 8 to 9 men in the box and run blitz meaning at least 1 or 2 guys came scott-free while Smith was back peddling and/or scrambling for his life. Naturally, he did better when in a shot gun and had that extra second to find a receiver after surveying the field.

So philosophy - scheme - coaching - talent

Let's hope it is much better this season.

This article is sheer proof that we need to draft a CB and a RB with our first 2 picks!

I think the combination of having the same offensive coordinator, legit weapons at ALL skill positions, Alex coming off of his best season (albeit not a full one), and drafting a RT or Iupati will greatly improve this stat. You can blame a million things for sacks using different stats...all I can say is that this year Alex goes down considerably less.

Interesting read. It got me thinking about what makes a good offensive line and the first one that comes to mind is the Colts. Now that line, for the most part, has been together for a long time, has had the same line coach for a long time, and the same QB for a long time. Not really known for run blocking, but Manning doesn't go down very often. When you look at each individual player, they don't seem like much physically, Saturday was undrafted, I believe, when he entered the league. The highest Oline draft pick, Tony Ugoh, is probably their worst. So what makes them so good?

I think it's because they play smart. They study. They are on the same page as the rest of the offense. Manning makes the defensive reads, points out the mike linebacker, and calls the play or audibles. Saturday makes the line reads and calls the protections. They do that very, very well. The interesting thing is, when they lose someone to injury, the protection never seems to go downhill. You might see a bit of a drop off, but it's not a crushing blow when they lose someone. This has to be a combination of coaching and great on the field leadership and reads.

Hopefully we'll have better coaching this year. Do we have someone on the Oline that has the leadership ability, that can make the reads and protection calls like Saturday does for Manning? I'm not sure. We may need a little bit more than just a new right tackle.