What about our O-Line

Originally posted by LasVegasWally:
Ginn didn't give us the win - he sealed it.

Next, the OL needs lots of work. So goes the OL so goes the offense. You can't run if there are no holes, can't pass if there is no protection and can't game plan without effective OL play.

Instead of lack of confidenc in Alex, like all the one-dimentional haters think, Maybe, just maybe the game plan went this way because of a lack of confidence on the OL.

Think about that.

This, i say the thing that gave us the win was the +3 in the turnover column

Pass protection was solid, run blocking was pure garbage. The fact we rarely targeted down field made it easy for them to stack the box. Gore had no where to run

The quick drops and play calling , conservative game plan leads me to believe that Harbaugh was trying to KISS for the OL in particular and the offense as a whole. I agree it's gonna take awhile. He is still getting to know the players and they are still trying to digest the new system. Going by what I saw at TC there is a good deal to come. I had expected to see some of those plays , and I was disappointed on game day to not see more. I also think that the plays called were designed to help the OL more , but also build Alex's confidence in the OL after the pre-season snafu's. The run game was disappointing but it was partly the blocking and Seattle came in to take the run away and they were more successful at that. It will take Harbaugh some time to get the OL where he needs them to be. The OL has to improve and build confidence before he can open up that part of the game ........ and then the eight in the box and the opponents game plan won't be so narrowly focused on Gore and the run. IMHO

Originally posted by LasVegasWally:
Ginn didn't give us the win - he sealed it.

Next, the OL needs lots of work. So goes the OL so goes the offense. You can't run if there are no holes, can't pass if there is no protection and can't game plan without effective OL play.

Instead of lack of confidenc in Alex, like all the one-dimentional haters think, Maybe, just maybe the game plan went this way because of a lack of confidence on the OL.

Think about that.

Good post Vegas... After a very shaky pre-season (for the OL), your scenario appears to be very plausible. Harbaugh's offense is very complex and is not going to be assimilated in one month. Especially after the Niners got the lead in the game, they obviously tried to minimize the possibility of a turnover or sack, which could turn the game around. Understandable actually when you consider where the OL is at this point.

I don't believe we are going to see the Niners really open up their offense until they trail in a game and are forced to. Dallas will be a big challenge for this team and the Niners are probably going to have to be very creative in all phases of the game to pull out a win. It will actually be a great test for Harbaugh and his staff.

Originally posted by JiksJuicy:
Fantastic at pass protection, sucked ass at run blocking.

This.

Originally posted by Albert49ers:
Everybody keeps talking about Ginn Jr (he did gave us the W) but what about our O-line, comparing them to the preseason I thought they played great. They give Alex time and he delivered!

Great?! Yes Alex didn't get sacked, but look at the running game. Especially since it was being relied upon.

How many times did you see a wave of SEA jerseys go screaming thru the OL? How many times did an OL guy have his # called for a matador(Kwame like) block? How many times did alex get sacked? Vanilla, schnilla. OL has been hand coached by JH to passblock, starting over from scratch. They were undoubtedly started on the fundamentals of Passblocking , because we can't carry enough QBs if the OL doesn't passblock. I believe each and every one of those guys have been hand coached by JH in the essentials of passblocking, which i believe has never been done for them before...at least on a professional level. I think this was just pure Harbaugh teaching the OL how to passblock, and that included RBs picking up blitzers. No OL player had to stand up, turn around and yell, "Look out!", as has happened so often in every game for the last 8 yrs. It has been apparent to all that our OL couldn't passblock, and finally we have a HC who is also an OC, QB coach, and also can teach OL and DL play, plus teach every other position on the field...and it is about time. Last guy to do that here was Coach Walsh, GOAT. So that's where we are, JH working on the OL to learn how to passblock and for RBs to pickup blitzers.

The Saints game and the Texans game showed JH all he needed to know, ie where are weaknesses are. Yes , there are many, but OL is the first one to correct, or in this case, teach pro OL men the proper way to passblock. Did it work? Hell yes. Was it exciting? No. Do i care? yup, i care very much that our OL gets coached to the professional level they should have been the last 8 yrs...and weren't...esp the last 5. As for opening up the offense, don't count on it til JH can see and the OL knows that it is a good passblocking team. After that comes runblocking instruction and a reteaching of these guys how to play their postions like the pros they are. See, we didn't draft all crappy OL men. They just never got taught how to play. Well, that is changing now, and after these guys get it, repeat it, and then store it away we move on...to the defensive 2ndary...another position JH knows how to coach.

Also, with a team that did no run blocking (except one play where they moved SEA back 3 yds, and frank then gained another 5), isn't it strange that alex never was sacked, and thru no INTs? Well that happened by coaching around the weakness, the OL, and using quick hitters that required 1 step passes. There were very few passes that required much time to throw. Also JH had alex roll out several times with very good protection along with him. They are getting it guys, and they are coachable. Now all that is required is for us to be patient.

There is one thing interesting coming up this weekend, and that is a Dallas team i initially thot we would lose to, whose Qb threw for 327 yds against the JETS, believe it or not...and still they lost. Why? Well 2 bonehead mistakes by romo late, but mainly they couldn't play pass D, because of injuries to 1st and 2nd stringers. I believe the cowboys ended the game with virtually an all rookie or maybe a couple 2nd stringer playing CB and DB, plus LBs were hurt. Maybe, just maybe, JH will roll out the passing book against a team decimated at LB, CB and DB. It will be interesting, because i thot JH would not change plans to hurry our team along...but this looks like an opportunity to steal a game we otherwise should lose. I will be very anxious to see if JH ups his schedule for bringing the team along in a methodical progression, just for this one game. I don't know if I hope he does or doesn't . It just will be interesting to see what he chooses to do.

OL played decent in pass pro against the Seachickens.... but let's wait and see how the handle Demarcus Ware and Co. next week.

Originally posted by 49ERwhiner:
The quick drops and play calling , conservative game plan leads me to believe that Harbaugh was trying to KISS for the OL in particular and the offense as a whole. I agree it's gonna take awhile. He is still getting to know the players and they are still trying to digest the new system. Going by what I saw at TC there is a good deal to come. I had expected to see some of those plays , and I was disappointed on game day to not see more. I also think that the plays called were designed to help the OL more , but also build Alex's confidence in the OL after the pre-season snafu's. The run game was disappointing but it was partly the blocking and Seattle came in to take the run away and they were more successful at that. It will take Harbaugh some time to get the OL where he needs them to be. The OL has to improve and build confidence before he can open up that part of the game ........ and then the eight in the box and the opponents game plan won't be so narrowly focused on Gore and the run. IMHO

I thought that was a nice post.

In addition to the new playbook, the OL seems to be involved in a change in technical philosophy. Our coaching seems to emphasize traditional fundamentals in the footwork (and upper body?) aspects of the game--we're not as bad below the waist, but still awful above it. Our pulls were cleaner looking and the whole line looked a lot more fluid.

Above all else, it seems that we're abandoning the sorta Maginot Line style of blocking that we liked in previous years and are headed in a more fluid, jujitsu sorta direction. I like that, that's how traps and pulls work, by letting the other guy go where he thinks he should be going.

Originally posted by WildBill:
Great?! Yes Alex didn't get sacked, but look at the running game. Especially since it was being relied upon.

You got it. Everyone one is bashing Smith for only throwing for 124 yards but what disappointed me more was our 2.65 YPC. Either our o-line was not able to open holes or Gore was not able to hit them. If we are going to be successful this year we must be closer to the 4 YPC mark.

Originally posted by dwett:

Originally posted by WildBill:
Great?! Yes Alex didn't get sacked, but look at the running game. Especially since it was being relied upon.

You got it. Everyone one is bashing Smith for only throwing for 124 yards but what disappointed me more was our 2.65 YPC. Either our o-line was not able to open holes or Gore was not able to hit them. If we are going to be successful this year we must be closer to the 4 YPC mark.

I think they had Earl Thomas specifically focusing in on Gore. IEven when Gore found a hole, Thomas was always there. On top of that, I didn't see Thomas deep in coverage often.

Their entire gameplan was premised on stopping Gore and hoping Alex effs up. Alex actually made some plays on top of not effing up and THEY effed up.

Originally posted by LasVegasWally:
Ginn didn't give us the win - he sealed it.

Next, the OL needs lots of work. So goes the OL so goes the offense. You can't run if there are no holes, can't pass if there is no protection and can't game plan without effective OL play.

Instead of lack of confidenc in Alex, like all the one-dimentional haters think, Maybe, just maybe the game plan went this way because of a lack of confidence on the OL.

Think about that.

You just blew my mind!

Originally posted by unst4bl3:
Now imagine if we had speed at the Wr position, maybe we could have had a 55 yard td from a slant. Ginn is supposed to see more action next week (at wr)

This is where I like Kyle Williams in the slot. I am hoping he gets into the game more bc I think he brings more speed to the WR position

Originally posted by Albert49ers:
Everybody keeps talking about Ginn Jr (he did gave us the W) but what about our O-line, comparing them to the preseason I thought they played great. They give Alex time and he delivered!

I thought Alex made very good throws. I know everyone says that our oline sucked and could not get a push and yes that is true that the running game was non existent. Seattle's game plan was to stop frank gore and any team we face will have that same approach. What I dont think people realize is that Seattle's has a very big front four avg. out to 300lbs each.

Originally posted by Joecool:
I think they had Earl Thomas specifically focusing in on Gore. IEven when Gore found a hole, Thomas was always there. On top of that, I didn't see Thomas deep in coverage often.

Their entire gameplan was premised on stopping Gore and hoping Alex effs up. Alex actually made some plays on top of not effing up and THEY effed up.

Hope you are right and that Alex can take advantage going forward of any other team with this game plan, since we will see it a lot. I believe I heard you mentioned this in the game day thread but would like to see more play action passes going forward.