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Harbaugh has one chink in his armor.
Nov 8, 2011 at 2:49 PM
- Five4Five
- Veteran
- Posts: 231
The only thing Harbaugh did wrong in the Dallas game is decline the penalty that would have put us on the Dal 20. Regardless, we had a 10-point lead halfway through the 4th quarter and our D couldn't hold it. It happens.
Nov 8, 2011 at 2:53 PM
- SofaKing
- Veteran
- Posts: 27,442
There is no chink in his armor. His offensive approach is perfect for the talent that we have. The Green Bay Packers score at will because of their passing attack. They have Aaron Rodgers...we don't. It's as simple as that. We don't have the passing offense or QB to pile up points and blow out lesser teams all the time.
Alex is doing a great job, but his steady play has been a product of this conservative approach. If Harbaugh knew he could put the game on Alex's arm and start piling up points, he would do just that. Harbaugh is a smart guy, and he knows he can't win that way right now. Alex is not the type of QB that can throw strikes down the field consistently. This is a proven fact. The comparison to Green Bay is unfair, Alex would crash and burn if asked to run that offense. He needs to have a great running game, and a short, controlled passing game.
Alex is Chad Pennington 2.0. He is smart, and very efficient. You can win a lot of games with him, just don't expect huge passing numbers and 40+ points every week.
Alex is doing a great job, but his steady play has been a product of this conservative approach. If Harbaugh knew he could put the game on Alex's arm and start piling up points, he would do just that. Harbaugh is a smart guy, and he knows he can't win that way right now. Alex is not the type of QB that can throw strikes down the field consistently. This is a proven fact. The comparison to Green Bay is unfair, Alex would crash and burn if asked to run that offense. He needs to have a great running game, and a short, controlled passing game.
Alex is Chad Pennington 2.0. He is smart, and very efficient. You can win a lot of games with him, just don't expect huge passing numbers and 40+ points every week.
[ Edited by SofaKing on Nov 8, 2011 at 2:54 PM ]
Nov 8, 2011 at 3:24 PM
- Mr.Mcgibblets
- Veteran
- Posts: 15,079
Originally posted by SofaKing:
There is no chink in his armor. His offensive approach is perfect for the talent that we have. The Green Bay Packers score at will because of their passing attack. They have Aaron Rodgers...we don't. It's as simple as that. We don't have the passing offense or QB to pile up points and blow out lesser teams all the time.
Alex is doing a great job, but his steady play has been a product of this conservative approach. If Harbaugh knew he could put the game on Alex's arm and start piling up points, he would do just that. Harbaugh is a smart guy, and he knows he can't win that way right now. Alex is not the type of QB that can throw strikes down the field consistently. This is a proven fact. The comparison to Green Bay is unfair, Alex would crash and burn if asked to run that offense. He needs to have a great running game, and a short, controlled passing game.
Alex is Chad Pennington 2.0. He is smart, and very efficient. You can win a lot of games with him, just don't expect huge passing numbers and 40+ points every week.
Non judging this post at this time (though I very much disagree with the bolded), but it formed a question in my mind for others... a hypothetical...
- let's say that we didn't have Frank Gore.
- let's say that we had an entire offseason to work with.
Everything else stays the same.
If the coaches designed for it, could Alex Smith put up big numbers in a wide open pass attack scheme? If not... why not?
Nov 8, 2011 at 3:35 PM
- overthemiddle
- Veteran
- Posts: 653
Harbaugh has us at 7-1 and we played good teams and 4 wins on the road. I think we got other problems. Red Zone scoring, penalties, droped passed, 3rd down conversions. All those are pretty big issues once we get in the playoffs. Against the high powered offenses we are going to need to control the ball and that means making 3rd down conversions. Then once we move the ball downfield we will need touchdowns not field goals. Hard to accomplish those two things when droped passes and penalities at key times in the game. If niners improve just a little bit in those areas they could go far, far, far, into the playoffs.
Nov 8, 2011 at 3:41 PM
- 9er2thegrave
- Veteran
- Posts: 25
Watching parts of the Skins game on Sunday felt like watching our team run a scrimmage. Conservative play on both sides of the ball is worrying at times, but I don't think they would do that in a playoff game with a lead like that. While every reg season game is important, I just didn't feel like they were playing with as much intensity as we've seen. They knew they were going to win and seemed like they phoned in parts of game on Sunday. I think that's a testament to how good we really are and are going to continue to get!
Nov 8, 2011 at 3:43 PM
- Mr.Mcgibblets
- Veteran
- Posts: 15,079
Originally posted by overthemiddle:
Harbaugh has us at 7-1 and we played good teams and 4 wins on the road. I think we got other problems. Red Zone scoring, penalties, droped passed, 3rd down conversions. All those are pretty big issues once we get in the playoffs. Against the high powered offenses we are going to need to control the ball and that means making 3rd down conversions. Then once we move the ball downfield we will need touchdowns not field goals. Hard to accomplish those two things when droped passes and penalities at key times in the game. If niners improve just a little bit in those areas they could go far, far, far, into the playoffs.
... and just to add some input on the bolded, the Niners are the 8th worst team in penalty yards per game.
------> http://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/penalty-yards-per-game
Nov 8, 2011 at 3:51 PM
- DRnSFw
- BlessUp
- Posts: 67,779
did we ever find that chink?
Nov 8, 2011 at 3:53 PM
- SofaKing
- Veteran
- Posts: 27,442
Originally posted by oldman9er:
Originally posted by SofaKing:
There is no chink in his armor. His offensive approach is perfect for the talent that we have. The Green Bay Packers score at will because of their passing attack. They have Aaron Rodgers...we don't. It's as simple as that. We don't have the passing offense or QB to pile up points and blow out lesser teams all the time.
Alex is doing a great job, but his steady play has been a product of this conservative approach. If Harbaugh knew he could put the game on Alex's arm and start piling up points, he would do just that. Harbaugh is a smart guy, and he knows he can't win that way right now. Alex is not the type of QB that can throw strikes down the field consistently. This is a proven fact. The comparison to Green Bay is unfair, Alex would crash and burn if asked to run that offense. He needs to have a great running game, and a short, controlled passing game.
Alex is Chad Pennington 2.0. He is smart, and very efficient. You can win a lot of games with him, just don't expect huge passing numbers and 40+ points every week.
Non judging this post at this time (though I very much disagree with the bolded), but it formed a question in my mind for others... a hypothetical...
- let's say that we didn't have Frank Gore.
- let's say that we had an entire offseason to work with.
Everything else stays the same.
If the coaches designed for it, could Alex Smith put up big numbers in a wide open pass attack scheme? If not... why not?
Those are great questions to think about. I'm not gonna pretend like I know everything there is to know about Harbaugh, Alex, or this team. I can just make opinions based on what I see on Sundays. So here is what I think:
In my opinion, if we did not have Gore and we had a full off-season to design a wide open pass attack, I don't think we would be as good as we are right now. I don't think a wide open passing attack is the best way to go with Alex at QB. The issue of a shortened off-season was way overblown by the media. Teams were passing at a record pace at the start of the year, even rookie QB's like Cam Newton and Andy Dalton have shown no ill effects from the lockout. My opinion on Alex has changed a lot this year. He looks like a legitimate starting QB and is playing very well. But I'm not gonna totally discount everything I've seen from him the past 6 years. I still see him struggling to throw down the field. I believe the current offense gives Alex the best chance to succeed based on his skill set.
[ Edited by SofaKing on Nov 8, 2011 at 3:55 PM ]
Nov 8, 2011 at 3:54 PM
- susweel
- Hall of Nepal
- Posts: 120,268
Nov 8, 2011 at 3:56 PM
- DonnieDarko
- Veteran
- Posts: 62,491
Originally posted by Youngone:
FACT: You use FACT to express your opinions
Nov 8, 2011 at 3:59 PM
- Mr.Mcgibblets
- Veteran
- Posts: 15,079
Originally posted by SofaKing:
I still see him struggling to throw down the field. I believe the current offense gives Alex the best chance to succeed based on his skill set.
Thanks... will you perhaps elaborate on this particular thought?
Nov 8, 2011 at 4:11 PM
- smashmouth51
- Veteran
- Posts: 1,254
Would you rather they throw the game away like Oakland did Sunday?
Nov 8, 2011 at 4:15 PM
- SofaKing
- Veteran
- Posts: 27,442
Originally posted by oldman9er:
Originally posted by SofaKing:
I still see him struggling to throw down the field. I believe the current offense gives Alex the best chance to succeed based on his skill set.
Thanks... will you perhaps elaborate on this particular thought?
Obviously he is very accurate on short to intermediate throws. He has done a good job spotting the open man underneath in a vacated zone. Does a good job hitting guys on hooks, short slants, and out routes to the sideline. The more difficult deep throws that require arm strength, touch, and accuracy such as posts, fades, back-shoulder down the field, over the linebackers and under the safeties, I haven't seen enough of yet. Sure I've seen him make all these throws before, but not as consistently as you would like to have an explosive passing offense. Just my 2 cents.
Nov 8, 2011 at 4:27 PM
- Marvin49
- Hall of Fame
- Posts: 16,501
Originally posted by oldman9er:
Originally posted by overthemiddle:
Harbaugh has us at 7-1 and we played good teams and 4 wins on the road. I think we got other problems. Red Zone scoring, penalties, droped passed, 3rd down conversions. All those are pretty big issues once we get in the playoffs. Against the high powered offenses we are going to need to control the ball and that means making 3rd down conversions. Then once we move the ball downfield we will need touchdowns not field goals. Hard to accomplish those two things when droped passes and penalities at key times in the game. If niners improve just a little bit in those areas they could go far, far, far, into the playoffs.
... and just to add some input on the bolded, the Niners are the 8th worst team in penalty yards per game.
------> http://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/penalty-yards-per-game
To be fair tho, the 49ers are being called for phantom penalties. I can think of at least three off the top of my head where they were called for false starts when it was pretty clear that the players were going in motion.
They have also has some pretty offsides penalties that weren't.
[ Edited by Marvin49 on Nov 8, 2011 at 4:28 PM ]
Nov 8, 2011 at 4:30 PM
- Dr_Bill_Walsh
- Veteran
- Posts: 20,125
Originally posted by DRnSFw:
did we ever find that chink?