***SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS VS. PITTSBURGH STEELERS GAMEDAY THREAD (MONDAY NIGHT) ***

Originally posted by 76Razor:

Originally posted by VaBeachNiner:
Minimum requirements to win against the Steelers:

1. Redzone offense.
2. Oline protection.
3. WRs actually catch the ball.
4. PWilly returns to shore up the middle in D.
5. Chilo Rachal is neither part of #1 and #2.

6. alex plays balls out.

For him that means over 200 yards passing and 2 TDs. Not the standard 300 yards and 4 TDs that would be balls out for other QBs.

Originally posted by susweel:

Originally posted by lssanjose:

Originally posted by susweel:
We are gonna win this game, its gonna be close and a ugly game but we will win some how.


16-13 niners

Do you think this team is still a young team? I know there are long timers in Justin Smith, Goodwin, and Jennings. But overall, this is still a relatively young team in my eyes. I could be wrong, but I get a feeling, the success is getting to them somehow.

The core group is not young, they are in their primes.

But the problem is that most of even our core/aged players have never been in a playoff-background/situation like this. -Only real players on our team with playoff-seasoned experience (that have actually played in not only atmosphere, but playoff games themselves) are Goodwin, J.Smith, Peele, Edwards, Madieu Williams, and Akers.

These guys are getting sloppy though, and still need to handle their success better. -Bigger issue is the key players on our roster who's contracts are running out, that are worried about coming back next year or not, and it could be clouding their focus.

Originally posted by SnakePlissken:
But the problem is that most of even our core/aged players have never been in a playoff-background/situation like this. -Only real players on our team with playoff-seasoned experience (that have actually played in not only atmosphere, but playoff games themselves) are Goodwin, J.Smith, Peele, Edwards, Madieu Williams, and Akers.

These guys are getting sloppy though, and still need to handle their success better. -Bigger issue is the key players on our roster who's contracts are running out, that are worried about coming back next year or not, and it could be clouding their focus.

i thought about this last night. after reading about boone being extended and others being offered extensions but turning them down, it seems to me that some players may be thinking about contracts and not their play. maybe some of these players are not happy with what was offered and are just being distracted.

Originally posted by 76Razor:

Originally posted by SnakePlissken:
But the problem is that most of even our core/aged players have never been in a playoff-background/situation like this. -Only real players on our team with playoff-seasoned experience (that have actually played in not only atmosphere, but playoff games themselves) are Goodwin, J.Smith, Peele, Edwards, Madieu Williams, and Akers.

These guys are getting sloppy though, and still need to handle their success better. -Bigger issue is the key players on our roster who's contracts are running out, that are worried about coming back next year or not, and it could be clouding their focus.

i thought about this last night. after reading about boone being extended and others being offered extensions but turning them down, it seems to me that some players may be thinking about contracts and not their play. maybe some of these players are not happy with what was offered and are just being distracted.

Could be true and also they might be thinking about not getting injured because their long term future is uncertain.

Originally posted by susweel:

Originally posted by ChazBoner:

Originally posted by susweel:
We are gonna win this game, its gonna be close and a ugly game but we will win some how.


16-13 niners

delusional.

How dare you .

sorry man. had to crap on your one positive post of the season.

Originally posted by maximill15:

so maybe no ben or harrison? Troy a lil banged up? could be good news for us!

Agree

Originally posted by ChazBoner:

Originally posted by susweel:

Originally posted by ChazBoner:

Originally posted by susweel:
We are gonna win this game, its gonna be close and a ugly game but we will win some how.


16-13 niners

delusional.

How dare you .

sorry man. had to crap on your one positive post of the season.

What you talking about man I've positive all season.

I'm predicting this will be like an away game for the 49ers, Steeler fans are no joke from my experience, those dumb towels are going to be in full force.

ESPN is reporting that on Tuesday the League will likely suspend James Harrison for 1 or 2 games. How likely is it they suspend him for Monday night?

Anthony Dixon @Boobie24Dixon 2 mins
I wish she was here now :) #Pillowsniffing

Dude we don't need to know this s**t.

Originally posted by Ninerfan81:
ESPN is reporting that on Tuesday the League will likely suspend James Harrison for 1 or 2 games. How likely is it they suspend him for Monday night?

For what? The Colt McCoy hit?

Originally posted by Muggins879:

Quote:

Anthony Dixon @Boobie24Dixon 2 mins
I wish she was here now :) #Pillowsniffing

Dude we don't need to know this s**t.

Ya Dixon needs to stfu. And get a haircut.

Originally posted by horsecore:
For what? The Colt McCoy hit?

Yep! He's expected to be fined by the league for $100,000 plus a suspension.

Originally posted by Ninerfan81:

Originally posted by horsecore:
For what? The Colt McCoy hit?

Yep! He's expected to be fined by the league for $100,000 plus a suspension.

I went back and watched NFL Rewind to see if perception matched reality in the sense of our OL pass protection being bad. It wasn't quite as horrible as I thought after watching the game, but yes, its bad. I used a stop watch to get an idea of the time Smith (vs Skelton) had in the pocket. Here is some perspective:

44 called pass plays (2 negated by penalty, and 5 sacks = 37 throws -- I might be slightly off here)
26 (59%) of those plays had pressure (including sacks) affect the play
5 (11%) plays were truly clean pockets where the QB could hit his back foot, decide, and throw -- that is ridiculous!!
11 had pressure occurring in under 2 seconds
11 plays the throw was so quick, it was hard to tell if pressure would have had an affect
3 screens thrown -- 1 RB, 1 TE, and 1 WR bubble screen
2 planned roll outs
4 scrambles away from pressure, 2 escaped sacks.

Compare that to AZ
35 pass plays
17 (48%) had pressure occur to affect the play
13 (39%) had clean pockets where the QB had time to survey, decide, and throw
3 quick throws
5 screens (mainly at the end of the game)
7 times AZ threw the ball in under 2 seconds, mostly on quick throws and screens, only twice due to pressure at 1.5 seconds
Skelton avoided 2-3 "in the grasp" sacks by escaping up the middle of an open field

Conclusions: (Despite Perceptions = DP -- my or common themes heard on the board)

1. DP that we didn't adjust much, after a horrible second series where AZ brought blitzes and achieved 3 sacks, SF did adjust their game plan to try to avoid the problem. They quickly resorted to more shotgun formations, 1 read quick throws (5 of those went to Crabs -- 3 "fade" type throws trying to throw over coverage, and 2 quick outs), screens, and roll outs.

2. DP that we don't run screens, they did call 3 screens.

3. They did call a couple of planned roll outs (1 looked like it was meant to be a run), but the same pressure that was beating the OL meant that AZ players were all over the roll outs as well.

4. On SF "deep shots" -- 1 to Ginn and 1 to VD -- in which the QB tried to wait to make the throw, AZ got pressure. On the throw to Ginn, AS was tackled as he released the ball, and on the throw to VD a stunt inside put pressure in his face that he threw over. In both cases, the resulting throws were not on target.

By the 3rd quarter, AZ didn't blitz as much, but they still got pressure.

So DP, I believe that the coaches are adjusting and scheming as best they can to handle or beat the pressures, but the OL and RB are just not stopping it. What was particularly disturbing was that on deep drops, the left side seems to give up the LOS very easily and let the pressure push right back into the QBs face, completely negating the advantage of the deep drop. The right side gave up pressure, mainly in the MIDDLE, by being blitzed and missing assignments.

Lastly, despite completing many quick throws and completing passes despite pressure, NONE of those strikes were very costly to the defense. Most didn't make first downs, and the ones that did were contained. VD's big gain was a blown coverage -- and once again, instead of turning on his speed, he was cautious weaving down the field. So the defense was never truly "gouged" by the passing game to make them back off the pressure.

What is needed is the passing game gouging the defense with those slants that go for 10-20 yards a shot with YAC. It has to work the interior of the field - throwing "safe" to the sideline isn't damaging enough to the defense.

The depressing question is:
1. Is the coaching staff unable to come up with soemthing to beat this defensive game plan?
2. Can the staff beat it, but doesn't have the talent?
3. Is the problem just a symptom of no offseason and the offense still getting in sync -- which can get fixed over the next few games and help in the playoffs?

Let's hope it's #3. :)