49er facts from Matthew Berry that might surprise.

These facts come from his latest article at ESPN.com.

http://sports.espn.go.com/fantasy/football/ffl/story?page=nfldk2k10berryfacts

Quote:
5. Last season, the San Francisco 49ers ran only 39 rushing plays in the red zone (to 57 passing).

6. Only two teams attempted fewer running plays overall last year than the 49ers.

7. Their best offensive tackle, Joe Staley, missed seven games.

8. Frank Gore missed, for all intents and purposes, three games last year. And yet …

9. Gore was the sixth-best fantasy running back last season.

60. For all his scoring, Vernon Davis was tied for only 13th in red zone targets among tight ends.

62. Of quarterbacks that attempted at least 350 passes last year, no one threw a higher percentage of them (29.8) to his tight end than Alex Smith.

Pretty interesting stuff... is it not? Was anyone aware of the fact that we ran the ball so few times in comparison with the rest of the league? Also, it wasn't in those stats, but I think many people would be surprised to know that Alex Smith had a higher QB rating from under center last season than while in shotgun.

[ Edited by Kilgore_Trout on Aug 8, 2010 at 11:16:32 ]

the rushing attempts doesn't surprise me. In the games we lost like Hou, GB, ATL, Phi (all teams that are always in the playoff hunt) we fell behind, and had to throw our way back into it. Our secondary doesn't cover quick receivers well and other teams pick up a lot of yac against us, but our front 7 and run defense makes everyone thing we are a top 3 defense.

Hopefully we can improve in all these categories, and our offense coordinator wont be afraid to throw and expand on a lead.

Originally posted by Kilgore_Trout:
These facts come from his latest article at ESPN.com.

http://sports.espn.go.com/fantasy/football/ffl/story?page=nfldk2k10berryfacts

Quote:
5. Last season, the San Francisco 49ers ran only 39 rushing plays in the red zone (to 57 passing).

6. Only two teams attempted fewer running plays overall last year than the 49ers.

7. Their best offensive tackle, Joe Staley, missed seven games.

8. Frank Gore missed, for all intents and purposes, three games last year. And yet …

9. Gore was the sixth-best fantasy running back last season.

60. For all his scoring, Vernon Davis was tied for only 13th in red zone targets among tight ends.

62. Of quarterbacks that attempted at least 350 passes last year, no one threw a higher percentage of them (29.8) to his tight end than Alex Smith.

Pretty interesting stuff... is it not? Was anyone aware of the fact that we ran the ball so few times in comparison with the rest of the league? Also, it wasn't in those stats, but I think many people would be surprised to know that Alex Smith had a higher QB rating from under center last season than while in shotgun.

Originally posted by global_nomad:
the rushing attempts doesn't surprise me. In the games we lost like Hou, GB, ATL, Phi (all teams that are always in the playoff hunt) we fell behind, and had to throw our way back into it. Our secondary doesn't cover quick receivers well and other teams pick up a lot of yac against us, but our front 7 and run defense makes everyone thing we are a top 3 defense.

Hopefully we can improve in all these categories, and our offense coordinator wont be afraid to throw and expand on a lead.

Before long, I think Mays speed is going to become very helpful for our secondary.

Originally posted by Kilgore_Trout:

Originally posted by global_nomad:
the rushing attempts doesn't surprise me. In the games we lost like Hou, GB, ATL, Phi (all teams that are always in the playoff hunt) we fell behind, and had to throw our way back into it. Our secondary doesn't cover quick receivers well and other teams pick up a lot of yac against us, but our front 7 and run defense makes everyone thing we are a top 3 defense.

Hopefully we can improve in all these categories, and our offense coordinator wont be afraid to throw and expand on a lead.

Before long, I think Mays speed is going to become very helpful for our secondary.

Mays can't cover everyone.. And even if we do more bump and run, he cant cover 3 wr's that blow past our corners..

Originally posted by unst4bl3:

Originally posted by Kilgore_Trout:

Originally posted by global_nomad:
the rushing attempts doesn't surprise me. In the games we lost like Hou, GB, ATL, Phi (all teams that are always in the playoff hunt) we fell behind, and had to throw our way back into it. Our secondary doesn't cover quick receivers well and other teams pick up a lot of yac against us, but our front 7 and run defense makes everyone thing we are a top 3 defense.

Hopefully we can improve in all these categories, and our offense coordinator wont be afraid to throw and expand on a lead.

Before long, I think Mays speed is going to become very helpful for our secondary.

Mays can't cover everyone.. And even if we do more bump and run, he cant cover 3 wr's that blow past our corners..

I don't remember too many guys blowing past our corners last season. Spencer played well when he was in, and the other guys filled in well for Clements. Clements wasn't the best in pass coverage last season, but he made a huge difference against the run. We missed him severely against Green Bay as you may recall. That ended up being Ryan Grant's first good game of the season.

Originally posted by global_nomad:
the rushing attempts doesn't surprise me. In the games we lost like Hou, GB, ATL, Phi (all teams that are always in the playoff hunt) we fell behind, and had to throw our way back into it. Our secondary doesn't cover quick receivers well and other teams pick up a lot of yac against us, but our front 7 and run defense makes everyone thing we are a top 3 defense.

Hopefully we can improve in all these categories, and our offense coordinator wont be afraid to throw and expand on a lead.

In the one category that matters most (points allowed) we were the #4 defense. All those other numbers are just window dressing.

Originally posted by Memphis9er:

Originally posted by global_nomad:
the rushing attempts doesn't surprise me. In the games we lost like Hou, GB, ATL, Phi (all teams that are always in the playoff hunt) we fell behind, and had to throw our way back into it. Our secondary doesn't cover quick receivers well and other teams pick up a lot of yac against us, but our front 7 and run defense makes everyone thing we are a top 3 defense.

Hopefully we can improve in all these categories, and our offense coordinator wont be afraid to throw and expand on a lead.

In the one category that matters most (points allowed) we were the #4 defense. All those other numbers are just window dressing.

True. But you have to look at the distribution. If we essentially shut out three or four (bad) teams but get scored on by good ones, then that statistic is a moot point. Which is what happened last year. We beat up on a few BAD teams but others (falcons, Eagles, Packers, Colts, ect.) made our D look bad.

Originally posted by Memphis9er:

Originally posted by global_nomad:
the rushing attempts doesn't surprise me. In the games we lost like Hou, GB, ATL, Phi (all teams that are always in the playoff hunt) we fell behind, and had to throw our way back into it. Our secondary doesn't cover quick receivers well and other teams pick up a lot of yac against us, but our front 7 and run defense makes everyone thing we are a top 3 defense.

Hopefully we can improve in all these categories, and our offense coordinator wont be afraid to throw and expand on a lead.

In the one category that matters most (points allowed) we were the #4 defense. All those other numbers are just window dressing.

I agree we have been a bend but don't break defense for the last couple of years. That stat #4 in the league is impressive, but is it a make up of a great team?

The defense spends a lot of time on the field and allows a lot of long drives, our offense doesn't help by going 3 and out more than most teams. So I wouldn't call all those other numbers window dressing. I would still call for improvement.

To me our offense needs to sustain drives, and score more, and our defense needs to not allow so many long pass plays especially on 3rd downs.

Originally posted by YouGotGored:

Originally posted by Memphis9er:

Originally posted by global_nomad:
the rushing attempts doesn't surprise me. In the games we lost like Hou, GB, ATL, Phi (all teams that are always in the playoff hunt) we fell behind, and had to throw our way back into it. Our secondary doesn't cover quick receivers well and other teams pick up a lot of yac against us, but our front 7 and run defense makes everyone thing we are a top 3 defense.

Hopefully we can improve in all these categories, and our offense coordinator wont be afraid to throw and expand on a lead.

In the one category that matters most (points allowed) we were the #4 defense. All those other numbers are just window dressing.

True. But you have to look at the distribution. If we essentially shut out three or four (bad) teams but get scored on by good ones, then that statistic is a moot point. Which is what happened last year. We beat up on a few BAD teams but others (falcons, Eagles, Packers, Colts, ect.) made our D look bad.

The Colts made our D look good if anything. I think we sacked Manning more in that game then he'd being sacked in all previous games combined. We just ran out of gas in the last 5 minutes. We only gave up one TD I think and it was Addai throwing to Wayne.

Originally posted by KID9R:

Originally posted by YouGotGored:

Originally posted by Memphis9er:

Originally posted by global_nomad:
the rushing attempts doesn't surprise me. In the games we lost like Hou, GB, ATL, Phi (all teams that are always in the playoff hunt) we fell behind, and had to throw our way back into it. Our secondary doesn't cover quick receivers well and other teams pick up a lot of yac against us, but our front 7 and run defense makes everyone thing we are a top 3 defense.

Hopefully we can improve in all these categories, and our offense coordinator wont be afraid to throw and expand on a lead.

In the one category that matters most (points allowed) we were the #4 defense. All those other numbers are just window dressing.

True. But you have to look at the distribution. If we essentially shut out three or four (bad) teams but get scored on by good ones, then that statistic is a moot point. Which is what happened last year. We beat up on a few BAD teams but others (falcons, Eagles, Packers, Colts, ect.) made our D look bad.

The Colts made our D look good if anything. I think we sacked Manning more in that game then he'd being sacked in all previous games combined. We just ran out of gas in the last 5 minutes. We only gave up one TD I think and it was Addai throwing to Wayne.

Originally posted by KID9R:

Originally posted by YouGotGored:

Originally posted by Memphis9er:

Originally posted by global_nomad:
the rushing attempts doesn't surprise me. In the games we lost like Hou, GB, ATL, Phi (all teams that are always in the playoff hunt) we fell behind, and had to throw our way back into it. Our secondary doesn't cover quick receivers well and other teams pick up a lot of yac against us, but our front 7 and run defense makes everyone thing we are a top 3 defense.

Hopefully we can improve in all these categories, and our offense coordinator wont be afraid to throw and expand on a lead.

In the one category that matters most (points allowed) we were the #4 defense. All those other numbers are just window dressing.

True. But you have to look at the distribution. If we essentially shut out three or four (bad) teams but get scored on by good ones, then that statistic is a moot point. Which is what happened last year. We beat up on a few BAD teams but others (falcons, Eagles, Packers, Colts, ect.) made our D look bad.

The Colts made our D look good if anything. I think we sacked Manning more in that game then he'd being sacked in all previous games combined. We just ran out of gas in the last 5 minutes. We only gave up one TD I think and it was Addai throwing to Wayne.

This.

Originally posted by Memphis9er:

Originally posted by global_nomad:
the rushing attempts doesn't surprise me. In the games we lost like Hou, GB, ATL, Phi (all teams that are always in the playoff hunt) we fell behind, and had to throw our way back into it. Our secondary doesn't cover quick receivers well and other teams pick up a lot of yac against us, but our front 7 and run defense makes everyone thing we are a top 3 defense.

Hopefully we can improve in all these categories, and our offense coordinator wont be afraid to throw and expand on a lead.

In the one category that matters most (points allowed) we were the #4 defense. All those other numbers are just window dressing.

That isn't true. We allowed Green Bay to run out the clock with nearly seven minutes left in our one score loss to them last season. They didn't score points on the drive, but it did allow them to beat us. Being able to get off of the field and hold teams to three and out is huge in terms of building momentum and winning games.

Originally posted by KID9R:

Originally posted by YouGotGored:

Originally posted by Memphis9er:

Originally posted by global_nomad:
the rushing attempts doesn't surprise me. In the games we lost like Hou, GB, ATL, Phi (all teams that are always in the playoff hunt) we fell behind, and had to throw our way back into it. Our secondary doesn't cover quick receivers well and other teams pick up a lot of yac against us, but our front 7 and run defense makes everyone thing we are a top 3 defense.

Hopefully we can improve in all these categories, and our offense coordinator wont be afraid to throw and expand on a lead.

In the one category that matters most (points allowed) we were the #4 defense. All those other numbers are just window dressing.

True. But you have to look at the distribution. If we essentially shut out three or four (bad) teams but get scored on by good ones, then that statistic is a moot point. Which is what happened last year. We beat up on a few BAD teams but others (falcons, Eagles, Packers, Colts, ect.) made our D look bad.

The Colts made our D look good if anything. I think we sacked Manning more in that game then he'd being sacked in all previous games combined. We just ran out of gas in the last 5 minutes. We only gave up one TD I think and it was Addai throwing to Wayne.

You're right. And our offense played "not to lose" that game. Had we been more aggressive, we likely would have beat Minnesota and Indianapolis last year.

Originally posted by Kilgore_Trout:

Originally posted by Memphis9er:

Originally posted by global_nomad:
the rushing attempts doesn't surprise me. In the games we lost like Hou, GB, ATL, Phi (all teams that are always in the playoff hunt) we fell behind, and had to throw our way back into it. Our secondary doesn't cover quick receivers well and other teams pick up a lot of yac against us, but our front 7 and run defense makes everyone thing we are a top 3 defense.

Hopefully we can improve in all these categories, and our offense coordinator wont be afraid to throw and expand on a lead.

In the one category that matters most (points allowed) we were the #4 defense. All those other numbers are just window dressing.

That isn't true. We allowed Green Bay to run out the clock with nearly seven minutes left in our one score loss to them last season. They didn't score points on the drive, but it did allow them to beat us. Being able to get off of the field and hold teams to three and out is huge in terms of building momentum and winning games.

also the 2nd seattle game as well