Jim Harbaugh Thread - HC Chargers

Originally posted by pasodoc9er:
Adrian, thank you for answering 4ML's question about when being overpowered by a 4 man rush...you throw 1, 2 or 3 steppers. It should be "snap it and sling it". Unfortunately, it isn't. Here is a perspective I have noted a few times, and gotten lambasted for...but I still believe it.

Kap has a cannon. No doubt about that. But we all know that a cannon is worthless if you can't set it up, prime it and then pull the trigger. Well, that is our problem. Kap is being fed 5, 7 or sometimes 9 step drops, and he was covered up by the 4th step yesterday, yet good ole' roman kept sending in 7 steppers. It was as GM or NC pointed out elsewhere, as if roman wasn't even watching the results of the last play, which just got crunched because the OL couldn't block for any longer than a 3 step pass. In time that is 2-3 seconds. That's it. So what I see is JH and roman knowing kap has the big cannon, and when it comes to a pass, they think ,"Hell, kap has a cannon, so we throw a long pass...ie 5-7 stepper." They are both ignoring the fact that the best run blocking OL in football, doesn't pass block well for anything other than a 1-2 second , or a 2-3 step pass. In other words, kap has the big gun, so we go long, and so what if the DL is creaming our QB? Somehow, someway I suspect that is the problem, and JH just can't get past that. Boy, if he looks at this game film he sure will see it.

The other incredible screwup is that we have but one guy as a designated receiver on every pass play , and we run trickery to get that one guy open. Well, fine, but kap stares that ONE GUY down from the moment the ball is snapped. It is incredible that they don't have 3, 4 or even 5 guys as potential targets every pass play. I guess the answer to that one is that kap just isn't smart enough , or quick enough to go thru more than 3 progressions. If all passes were of the 1-3 step variety, we WOULD have someone who is open if play goes off that quick. But no, roman will NOT run quick hitters, nor will he not use every foot pound and ounce of kap's arm. And therein lies the problem. Two hardheaded guys, one the OC and the other the HC...and for some reason they don't understand why their qb can't throw a 5-7 stepper against elite teams, with the big pass rush. Amazing, just amazing.

Please, nobody tell me that JH can't call plays better than roman...because I just don't believe it. Roman is singlehandedly sinking coach Harbaugh's ship. JH needs to cut loose the baggage and see if he can resurrect his own team....which talentwise, should be playing way above the level of play we have seen to date.

I put this in another thread.... and I hope I'm dead wrong.... but when the coach says that they had to scroll the playbook back for you, this isn't a good sign

This is exactly like the movie GROUNDHOGS DAY..... same ol sorry ass script... we have a very poor PRO PASS OFFENSE...

the reasons for that are many, I'm sure, but when Kaep keeps giving the same post-game speech --- ITS US, NOT THEM, THEY DIDN"T DO ANYTHING, this just screams nonsense. The Seacocks punched us in the face... the colts punched us in the face, the panthers punched us in the face. When will we actually give them credit for stopping our high school offense?

Originally posted by NinerG94:

46 net passing yards in 4 quarters of play from a professional qb on loaded roster?!?!?!?

Kap stunk the joint up, but what loaded roster are you seeing? You mean the one that had Anquan Boldin and... nobody else?

I never made excuses for Alex and thought it was pathetic when people on here did it, so I will not do it for Kap. He played like a bag of s**t and has done so the majority of the season. But to say he had a "loaded roster" yesterday is ridiculous.

Roman does not dial up many screen plays or designed throws to Gore out of the backfield, so that eliminates Gore as a threat. VD was out with a concussion. Crabs is still out. Manningham seemed to play a limited role in his first game back and wasn't much if a threat, although he had a couple plays to get him the ball. Vance McDonald probably placed himself in Kap's dog house by dropping a perfectly placed bomb that would have changed the game.

So, while I agree Kap has sucked, I don't see the "loaded roster" you speak of.

Originally posted by 4ML:
I saw at least 4-5 check-downs that Kaep didn't even bother to look at during the game. You hit 3-4 check-downs and all of a sudden defense has to cover more ground and that opens up the long pass.

I do agree that we should have rushed more. Definitely. But...it was clear that Panthers made adjustments at the half-time to stop the run. But, we did get away from it and we should have stayed with it. Niners lost because they couldn't deal with 4-man rush of the Panthers. Several times we had 6 guys blocking for Kaep and we couldn't stop 4 guys. Kaep's strength is 7 step drop. I'm sorry...but as a coach - I expect 6 guys to block 4 guys. That left 7 guys in coverage with 5 to cover and that made Kaep's life difficult. Not to mention...he didn't use his check-downs properly.

they were bringing blitzes as well. heavy heavy pressure. however
run a screen and they can't pin their ears back.

run quick drops because the db's were all 10 yards off no bump and run coverage.

Fire Roman!! Dude sucks. What OC doesn't know how to script pass plays. He's way overrated. Harbs should be calling plays from now on! Roman already lost the Super Bowl for us, at the goal line stand

Originally posted by 49ersHeroine:
Fire Roman!! Dude sucks. What OC doesn't know how to script pass plays. He's way overrated. Harbs should be calling plays from now on! Roman already lost the Super Bowl for us, at the goal line stand

don't know who but it can't be greg

Originally posted by jonesadrian:

Originally posted by 4ML:
I saw at least 4-5 check-downs that Kaep didn't even bother to look at during the game. You hit 3-4 check-downs and all of a sudden defense has to cover more ground and that opens up the long pass.

I do agree that we should have rushed more. Definitely. But...it was clear that Panthers made adjustments at the half-time to stop the run. But, we did get away from it and we should have stayed with it. Niners lost because they couldn't deal with 4-man rush of the Panthers. Several times we had 6 guys blocking for Kaep and we couldn't stop 4 guys. Kaep's strength is 7 step drop. I'm sorry...but as a coach - I expect 6 guys to block 4 guys. That left 7 guys in coverage with 5 to cover and that made Kaep's life difficult. Not to mention...he didn't use his check-downs properly.

they were bringing blitzes as well. heavy heavy pressure. however
run a screen and they can't pin their ears back.

run quick drops because the db's were all 10 yards off no bump and run coverage.

They were mostly sending blitzes when RB was staying back to block.

Like I said...there were check-downs in place on quite a few plays...and Kaep didn't even bother to look at them.

Yesterday was a poor performance...and you can't say one crew didn't do their job. They were all pathetic. OL shares the most blame IMHO because they were flat and got beat one-on-one. Kaep deserves plenty of blame too because he missed his check-downs many times. He is also one of the most mobile QBs...and wasn't able to run. They did call couple of screens but they were busted. Coaches are to blame because they didn't stick with the run.

I guess Roman may not be getting that HC job next year after all.

Originally posted by jonesadrian:
we lost because they were the WRONG plays. every play wasn't even designed with the exception of the last one to have the target actually in the end zone.

run the ball is what got us down there in the first place.

punch it in. its what we did the last game against the falcons. the coaching choked.

the red zone has been an issue since day 1.

and continued up to yesterday.

3 years of sample size... same problems different personnel same coaches.

...and 3 of the best years we have had in a while.

They were not wrong plays...lol Crabtree has scored before on that play where he got popped. We had 4 throws from 5 yard line...we should have scored. Players didn't execute it.

Originally posted by pasodoc9er:
Adrian, thank you for answering 4ML's question about when being overpowered by a 4 man rush...you throw 1, 2 or 3 steppers. It should be "snap it and sling it". Unfortunately, it isn't. Here is a perspective I have noted a few times, and gotten lambasted for...but I still believe it.

...and that's not what Kaep does best. He isn't very accurate thrower on short routes. All off-season we heard this new touch Kaep has on his throws...and I've yet to him use touch on any consistent basis during the season.



Those are the best plays for Kaep from last year. It's mostly all 7 step drops.

Originally posted by NinerGM:
Agree. The criticism was ... and I quote .. "Alex doesn't trust his receivers to get open downfield and will hold the ball." Sounds familiar? That's what's been going on EXACTLY to teams with better defenses. It's the offense folks. It really is.

Alex didn't throw deep...and Kaep doesn't throw short. Both QBs have short-comings. I'm not saying coaching isn't an issue...but Kaep's inability to throw accurately on short routes (and often not even lookin' to throw short) is a bigger issue.

First it was lack of recievers, then it was Kyle Williams, then it was involve LaMichael more now its on Kaep etc. I dont think the problem is with the players as much as it is coaching. Its a fact Roman sucks he calls decent games against lower level opponents however when we win it gets lost in translation. Over our span of 5 game wins, we negated to look at the passing attack and how many times we didnt score in the redzone. Our offensive game plan has been piss poor, yes we are a run first offense but that doesnt mean our passing game is non exsistant. You plan according to your personel recievers arent the problem, our qb isnt the problem it is the way we prepare and utilize our guys. I know everyone was clamoring for MM to return and yes Im glad he is back but Roman isnt going to use him properly it showed this game. The slants were open, the safety was at lease 15 yards away from our slot reciever on 3 wide sets and the OLB who normally lines up over the slot or splits the tackle and the slot was inside to stop the run/blitz. And Roman wont capitalize on what the defense is giving him for whatever reason. Even on Defense Fangio makes adjustments when he is down a starter, he will blitz more to compensate for the missing element. Harbaugh has got to take over and light a fire under Roman's butt or else we are in trouble.

Originally posted by xela510:

Originally posted by SofaKing:
Roman is calling plays in accordance with Harbaugh's offensive philosophy. Not sure if this is the solution, unless Harbaugh is better at calling the right plays in certain situations. But the overall scheme will not change.

This is another thing Im concerned with. Im not convinced that its only Greg Roman. Harbaugh im sure has a lot of say whats going on too and I dont like that his ego gets into the game plan.

"his ego gets into the game plan"


what?

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by cciowa:
if all your bullet points are right and i think they probably are,,,,, then the answer goes right back to roman ,,,, who gets support from JH.

Before the problem was Alex Smith, now its Colin Kaepernick, put another QB in there and it will be his problem.....its like people aren't putting 2 and 2 together. The common denominator for this offense's struggles has always been the playcalling. Why is it that Alex was tremendous in the red-zone, one of the very best in the NFL, yet Roman shows up and now this team struggles immensely in the redzone. Back when they were chitty, they were still able to capitalize in the redzone but all of a sudden all they could do was kick field goals. It amazes me that people never put that together and wonder why that it is and why this team continues to struggle in the redzone, regardless of who is playing QB.

Great call. Can't argue with the logic.

I'm in the Kaep sucks camp tho...

Originally posted by 4ML:
...and 3 of the best years we have had in a while.

They were not wrong plays...lol Crabtree has scored before on that play where he got popped. We had 4 throws from 5 yard line...we should have scored. Players didn't execute it.

the argument isn't whether the coaching staff is better than the last two... it is. that doesn't mean they're above criticism because they've done a better job actually its a testament to how good they are if we expect better because we know they're capable of doing it.. at least i think they are.

and yes they were the wrong plays. we got to the goal line on a long frank run and then a james run to set it up.

we beat the falcons but running it in the end zone.

2nd and goal from the 5 you don't run a 2 yard out patter with the db draped on him to make the tackle and then a fade route with a blitz coming. along with not getting the call in on time so the option run can't work.

we've scored way more with gore running the ball in from the goal line haven't we? so that's not a good reason..we've scored on them before.

we needed to run the ball with gore with nata out right up the middle for the score.
that's really all there is to it

they could have even lined up in a power formation play action passed and got an easy td with vernon davis..
but at that point last year they didn't even know how to use HIM right in the red zone