Where was this team all year?

It is unfortunate the team took 13 games to figure it out. Alex Smith can only succeed in a shotgun offense. Everybody expects him to be able to line up under center and run the offense but today shows he just really needs that extra separation from the line in order to succeed. Why the coaching staff wants to stick with this 1960's "POWER I" tough guy formation is beyond me. Play to the man's strengths if you are paying him to lead the team. If the coaching staff was smart all year they would've bit their lip, trashed their boring 1960's offense, and let the man throw the ball. Maybe if we get lucky they'll do it this week against the Chargers. But if Singletary has any say-so in the matter, you can bet he's already planning to hand off to Westbrook and Dixon 20 times each with a full back and twin TE's on first and second downs.

Alex Smith will most likely go to a team next year and succeed. Not because he's the next big thing, but because he will go to a coach who will utilize his strengths. Not expect him to run an offense he is simply not capable of running. Not saying he will be a Pro Bowl QB, but he will have success. . .

Originally posted by JerryRice1848:
The teams they lost to happened to be better than the Seahawks?

That's true, but I never claimed that they were some powerhouse all of a sudden just that if they played to this level more often, a level they have shown that they are capable of this would have been a far better year.

I have to say that the play of the offensive line continues to make an amazing difference in how this team performs.

Alex got time to make reads and delivered today. There were a couple of times where Davis lost protection -- but you can count those times with less than five fingers.

The line has played some outstanding ball during the past month. That's where a lot of the improvement is coming from.

I just hope Iupati is OK.

Originally posted by AKfanster:
They were busy trying to impose their will with a horrible running game.

I'll see how we do against a good team.

But when Gore went out and Smith came back I has a feeling this would happen. Unfortunately our coaches try to bull rush Gore too much to the detriment of our team. We got 10 guys on offense who are best for a passing game but we spend too much time trying to accomodate the one guy who is for a power running game.

Now we can't force the run game and viola our offense shows its true potential. We'll see how the SD game goes.

Originally posted by TheFunkyChicken:
Busy playing teams that don't suck as bad as the Seahawks....

We pounded a sub-.500 team in our own house. Nothing to get excited about.

they've been running between the tackles 15-20 times a game.

more gore? look what happens when you do what the fans have asked for, throw the ball down the field and get westbrook the ball in the open.

Originally posted by blunt_probe:

Originally posted by zeppfan1:

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:
Dingletary was the coach. He coaches them down to the bottom. Then at the end of the year in desperation mode he lets it lose. Make no mistake this is not a great team but there is talent there. Much better than our current record and position. We could have had a pretty good year. We are just coached down instead of up.

Originally posted by billbird2111:
I have to say that the play of the offensive line continues to make an amazing difference in how this team performs.

Alex got time to make reads and delivered today. There were a couple of times where Davis lost protection -- but you can count those times with less than five fingers.

The line has played some outstanding ball during the past month. That's where a lot of the improvement is coming from.

I just hope Iupati is OK.

I've been trying to explain this to people all season.

Originally posted by binary2nd:
They were too busy jizzing over Gore.

Originally posted by BobS:

Originally posted by TheFunkyChicken:
Busy playing teams that don't suck as bad as the Seahawks....

We pounded a sub-.500 team in our own house. Nothing to get excited about.

LOL It's the yearly fools gold game that everyone gets excited about. Last year it was against the Rams 35-0. While the team looked better then they've looked in a while, doesn't that in itself say something?

Originally posted by Antix:
We got 10 guys on offense who are best for a passing game but we spend too much time trying to accomodate the one guy who is for a power running game.

I agree with you that Singletary is a moron for sticking with his philosophy.

I think Gore is a complete running back. He can be used just as effectively in a diversified offense.

playing winning teams... and the panthers

Originally posted by Wodwo:

Originally posted by Antix:
We got 10 guys on offense who are best for a passing game but we spend too much time trying to accomodate the one guy who is for a power running game.

I agree with you that Singletary is a moron for sticking with his philosophy.

I think Gore is a complete running back. He can be used just as effectively in a diversified offense.

Agreed. But Sing is too stupid to figure out how to do it. He'd rather just run him up the middle b/c thats all he knows and that what he thinks all Gore is good for.

Originally posted by Wodwo:

Originally posted by billbird2111:
I have to say that the play of the offensive line continues to make an amazing difference in how this team performs.

Alex got time to make reads and delivered today. There were a couple of times where Davis lost protection -- but you can count those times with less than five fingers.

The line has played some outstanding ball during the past month. That's where a lot of the improvement is coming from.

I just hope Iupati is OK.

I've been trying to explain this to people all season.

it's obvious alex does well with good protection. the fact the org invested so heavily into this line is prolly the reason they weren't thrown under the bus once it was apparent they weren't performing well. i guess being young and re-worked they get a pass. but the qb troubles - regardless of which smith - pretty much stemms from a faulty line. from this point on going into next season they have GOT to get this problem corrected.