Week 9: Thoughts after re-watching the game... | Page 3

Marvin49 · 2011-11-07T10:20:55-08:00

1) Miller: Its hard to believe that this guy was rushing the QB at this time last year. He seems to have the body type, the speed, and the ball skills to be a natural FB. He still has things to learn, but thats a pretty impressive find for Harbaugh/Baalke. 2) Alex: Its kinda funny. This has happened a few times this season. I think he's not playing all that well (not badly, just not a great game) and then I look up and he has a 109 rating. To everyone who says tho that he is being "protected", look at John Beck. Wash is TRYING to protect him as well. Prior to the garbage time stuff, he looked like a High School QB. 3) Goldson: I freely admit that I am not a big fan of his. I've always though he was a big hitter, but too often was caught out of place in coverage. I'll admit tho that he is having a very good year. He's blowing people up more than ever (and getting flagged on BS calls) but is still playing well in coverage. 4) Refs: This isn't a "they hate us" kinda complaint. This is just saying that the officials better get on board here. The Niners shift. ALOT. They are ALLOWED to do so. There have been several occasions this year where they have been flagged for a LEGAL shift. The NFL needs to get with those refs and teach them the freakin' rules. Is it unconventional? Yes...but thats not excuse for screwing it up. 5) Willis/Bowman: I hate to quote Matt Millen, but in this case he's right. They are the best LB tandem in the NFL. 6) Crabtree/Edwards: Bit by bit, little by little....this thing is really coming together. They struggle at times. Sometimes everyone isn't where they are supposed to be. This is still a work in progress. Ya know what tho? This division is all but wrapped up and they have 8 more games to figure this thing out before they start playing in January. More on that later... 7) Culliver: This guy is starting to really play well. I think he may be a force in the future. Next year (assuming Rogers is extended), Rogers and Culliver may be your Game 1 starters. 8) Brooks: I really like this guy. Ya know what I like most? He makes a great play and then he just walks back to the huddle. He doesn't celebrate. He just does his job and moves on to the next play. Several weeks ago he hit Andy Dalton so hard his helmet popped off. He got up, rebuttoned his chinstrap, and got ready for the next play. Love it. 9) O-Line: Still playing well. Allowed two sacks....one each to their outside linebackers....but not bad. The first hit on Smith was as much Smiths fault as it was Davis' fault. Alex never saw the guy coming. 10) Team Progression: Something kinda struck me this weekend. Everyone has hammered Alex Smith for several years over his poor play. In many cases, it was justified. One of the most frustrating things tho as fans was that this team would tease us. They would suck badly early, then come on late and give us hope that NEXT year would be different. Alot of that can be explained by the fact that a New OC would be there every single year and by the time Alex and the rest of the team started to really get it down, they had too many losses to actually contend. This year is different. The O is still struggling because they are still learning....but the team is winning anyway. This team is winning and that late season surge isn't here yet. I completely understand what Braylon Edwards is saying....this team is winning and they haven't really scratched the surface of what they can do. I don't know if they will get it all figured out or not. If they are true to form tho and get it figured out late in the year, watch out in January.

Nov 7, 2011 at 12:23 PM

#31

FILTHpigskin
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Posts: 2,530

Our new rallying cry:
"watch out in January"

Nov 7, 2011 at 12:27 PM

#32

oldninerdude
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Posts: 4,330

Originally posted by Marvin49:

Originally posted by Ninefan56:
Thank you for the feedback, I really appreciate your summaries. Any creative wrinkles that Harbaugh put in this week?

Always. ;-)

I really liked the one that the commentators pointed out...

They shifted Staley over the the right to create an unbalanced line on that side and then had Vernon shift over to line up at LT. When the D countered on the strongside, the Niners ran LEFT between Vernon and Iupati and picked up over 10 yards.

Love it. They are just giving the D too much to think about.

Great original post, as always. Really look forward to your takes each week.

I really like what you say about the unbalanced line in this post. I think you're right on. The beauty of running behind an unbalanced line, we've seen this season, is that it puts one side or the other of the defense at a numbers disadvantage.

In the example you cite, Washington shifted their defense to the overloaded side, leaving the "weak" side of the unbalanced line basically 2 OL (Iupati & VD) against only one DL. But if they hadn't shifted, it would have left 2 DL against Goodwin, Snyder, A Davis, & Staley, plus Soap at FB. Either way, the D is at a numbers disadvantage. Very creative and innovative.

Its easy to see how that Stanford kid (forget his name, he's now at Minnesota--Toby Gearhart?) lead the nation in rushing. If Frank can stay healthy, he's gonna have a big year.

I wonder if its not the start of an entirely new trend in NFL running game--the NFL being a copycat league and all.

Nov 7, 2011 at 12:36 PM

#33

kdog04
Veteran
Posts: 50

Originally posted by Marvin49:
......Just noticed something else.....

Gore: 782 yards
Hunter: 217 yards

Thats 999 yards.....at MIDseason.

Dixon has 10 so we have 1000 plus yards rushing already as a team. I wonder were other teams are with that stat?

Nov 7, 2011 at 12:41 PM

#34

NCommand
Hall of Fame
Posts: 123,365

Originally posted by oldninerdude:

Originally posted by Marvin49:

Originally posted by Ninefan56:
Thank you for the feedback, I really appreciate your summaries. Any creative wrinkles that Harbaugh put in this week?

Always. ;-)

I really liked the one that the commentators pointed out...

They shifted Staley over the the right to create an unbalanced line on that side and then had Vernon shift over to line up at LT. When the D countered on the strongside, the Niners ran LEFT between Vernon and Iupati and picked up over 10 yards.

Love it. They are just giving the D too much to think about.
Great original post, as always. Really look forward to your takes each week.

I really like what you say about the unbalanced line in this post. I think you're right on. The beauty of running behind an unbalanced line, we've seen this season, is that it puts one side or the other of the defense at a numbers disadvantage.

In the example you cite, Washington shifted their defense to the overloaded side, leaving the "weak" side of the unbalanced line basically 2 OL (Iupati & VD) against only one DL. But if they hadn't shifted, it would have left 2 DL against Goodwin, Snyder, A Davis, & Staley, plus Soap at FB. Either way, the D is at a numbers disadvantage. Very creative and innovative.

Its easy to see how that Stanford kid (forget his name, he's now at Minnesota--Toby Gearhart?) lead the nation in rushing. If Frank can stay healthy, he's gonna have a big year.

I wonder if its not the start of an entirely new trend in NFL running game--the NFL being a copycat league and all.

True...would like to add that another "wrinkle" that was added this past week was that Alex called a TON of audibles. So many in fact, the commentators were suggesting that it looked like we were calling two plays in the huddle and Alex would audible out to the second play almost every single time; tons of motions and movements pre-snap. So, fans...if this is true does this mean that Roman/Harbaugh are trusting Alex to make the right call 8 games into the season?

Nov 7, 2011 at 12:45 PM

#35

qnnhan7
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Posts: 35,122

I think Smith has audibled to running plays. I don't think our offense is further along enough for Smith to do it to passing plays.

Nov 7, 2011 at 12:50 PM

#36

NCommand
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Posts: 123,365

Originally posted by qnnhan7:
I think Smith has audibled to running plays. I don't think our offense is further along enough for Smith to do it to passing plays.

That may be true...will need to rewatch the game again for that; it just really stood out to me.

Nov 7, 2011 at 12:50 PM

#37

oldninerdude
Veteran
Posts: 4,330

Originally posted by NCommand:
True...would like to add that another "wrinkle" that was added this past week was that Alex called a TON of audibles. So many in fact, the commentators were suggesting that it looked like we were calling two plays in the huddle and Alex would audible out to the second play almost every single time; tons of motions and movements pre-snap. So, fans...if this is true does this mean that Roman/Harbaugh are trusting Alex to make the right call 8 games into the season?

Not just audibles, but he's also doing that rolling, "traveling" motion with his hands and arms, while he's calling signals.

Makes you wonder what the hand/arm signal means, and if he isn't just playing mind games with the defense sometimes.

Nov 7, 2011 at 12:55 PM

#38

Next9erDynasty
Veteran
Posts: 75

Originally posted by qnnhan7:
I think Smith has audibled to running plays. I don't think our offense is further along enough for Smith to do it to passing plays.

Maybe he called run audibles because Washington was giving them the run?

Some QB's are more concerned with winning than fantasy football stats.

Nov 7, 2011 at 12:57 PM

#39

nannite
Veteran
Posts: 368

Originally posted by kdog04:
Dixon has 10 so we have 1000 plus yards rushing already as a team. I wonder were other teams are with that stat?

We are 7th overall at 1101. Texans are first with 1396.

http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?tabSeq=2&season=2011&seasonType=REG&offensiveStatisticCategory=RUSHING&role=TM&d-447263-n=1&d-447263-o=2&d-447263-p=1&conference=ALL&d-447263-s=RUSHING_YARDS

Nov 7, 2011 at 1:03 PM

#40

Marvin49
Hall of Fame
Posts: 16,506

Originally posted by oldninerdude:

Originally posted by NCommand:
True...would like to add that another "wrinkle" that was added this past week was that Alex called a TON of audibles. So many in fact, the commentators were suggesting that it looked like we were calling two plays in the huddle and Alex would audible out to the second play almost every single time; tons of motions and movements pre-snap. So, fans...if this is true does this mean that Roman/Harbaugh are trusting Alex to make the right call 8 games into the season?
Not just audibles, but he's also doing that rolling, "traveling" motion with his hands and arms, while he's calling signals.

Makes you wonder what the hand/arm signal means, and if he isn't just playing mind games with the defense sometimes.

I actually know the answer to that one.

I figured this out when the Niners were practicing their silent counts before the Detroit games. I think they essentially have 2 plays in the huddle (or two variations of the same play).

When Alex comes to the line, he either says "Let it Roll" (and does the rollover "traveling" hand gesture) or "Kill" and does like a no good signal. Let it roll is the first option and kill is the second option.

He's actually been doing that for most of the year. The commentators just don't know that so they think he's calling an audible. Next game, watch him...you'll see it.

[ Edited by Marvin49 on Nov 7, 2011 at 1:04 PM ]

Nov 7, 2011 at 1:09 PM

#41

oldninerdude
Veteran
Posts: 4,330

Originally posted by Marvin49:

Originally posted by oldninerdude:

Originally posted by NCommand:
True...would like to add that another "wrinkle" that was added this past week was that Alex called a TON of audibles. So many in fact, the commentators were suggesting that it looked like we were calling two plays in the huddle and Alex would audible out to the second play almost every single time; tons of motions and movements pre-snap. So, fans...if this is true does this mean that Roman/Harbaugh are trusting Alex to make the right call 8 games into the season?
Not just audibles, but he's also doing that rolling, "traveling" motion with his hands and arms, while he's calling signals.

Makes you wonder what the hand/arm signal means, and if he isn't just playing mind games with the defense sometimes.

I actually know the answer to that one.

I figured this out when the Niners were practicing their silent counts before the Detroit games. I think they essentially have 2 plays in the huddle (or two variations of the same play).

When Alex comes to the line, he either ays "Let it Roll" (and does the rollover hand gesture) or "Kill" and does like a no good signal. Let it roll is the first option and kill is the second option.

He's actually been doing that for most of the year. The commentators just don't know that so they think he's calling an audible. Next game, watch him...you'll see it.

Yep, seen it already, and glad to have it confirmed by you.

But yesterday, I noticed him doing the "roll" signal at the same time he was calling a play.

Made me wonder if he was just setting the D up--"you saw me on film make this motion with this play set and we threw it, now we're gonna run it, but you'll think its a pass" kinda deal.

Nov 7, 2011 at 1:10 PM

#42

DeepNinerValue
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Posts: 60,598

Watched "Americas Game: 1984 49ers" .. Matt Millen was a beast.

Nov 7, 2011 at 1:16 PM

#43

susweel
Hall of Nepal
Posts: 122,057

Originally posted by Garcia:
Watched "Americas Game: 1984 49ers" .. Matt Millen was a beast.

He wasn't on the team.

Nov 7, 2011 at 1:20 PM

#44

Marvin49
Hall of Fame
Posts: 16,506

Originally posted by susweel:

Originally posted by Garcia:
Watched "Americas Game: 1984 49ers" .. Matt Millen was a beast.

He wasn't on the team.

LOL!!!

I think he meant 1989.

Nov 7, 2011 at 1:28 PM

#45

pyroglass
Veteran
Posts: 62

Originally posted by oldninerdude:

Originally posted by Marvin49:

Originally posted by oldninerdude:

Originally posted by NCommand:
True...would like to add that another "wrinkle" that was added this past week was that Alex called a TON of audibles. So many in fact, the commentators were suggesting that it looked like we were calling two plays in the huddle and Alex would audible out to the second play almost every single time; tons of motions and movements pre-snap. So, fans...if this is true does this mean that Roman/Harbaugh are trusting Alex to make the right call 8 games into the season?
Not just audibles, but he's also doing that rolling, "traveling" motion with his hands and arms, while he's calling signals.

Makes you wonder what the hand/arm signal means, and if he isn't just playing mind games with the defense sometimes.

I actually know the answer to that one.

I figured this out when the Niners were practicing their silent counts before the Detroit games. I think they essentially have 2 plays in the huddle (or two variations of the same play).

When Alex comes to the line, he either ays "Let it Roll" (and does the rollover hand gesture) or "Kill" and does like a no good signal. Let it roll is the first option and kill is the second option.

He's actually been doing that for most of the year. The commentators just don't know that so they think he's calling an audible. Next game, watch him...you'll see it.
Yep, seen it already, and glad to have it confirmed by you.

But yesterday, I noticed him doing the "roll" signal at the same time he was calling a play.

Made me wonder if he was just setting the D up--"you saw me on film make this motion with this play set and we threw it, now we're gonna run it, but you'll think its a pass" kinda deal.

Thanks for the clear up.

Having additional calls, even if you're keeping the same play are, from my understanding, common in WCO. since each play can have different options within the same play. instead of a whole different play. more of a zig instead of zag.

Also calling out blocking schemes to the OL.