What a difference a season makes: The QB Position suddenly looks bright.

Look, this was a coaching loss, pure and simple. Roman may have been calling the play, or maybe Coach Harbaugh was. Doesn't matter, in that against 4 teams this yr we have seen the same thing: the BIG RUSH, characterized by X rushes, ILB bullrushes, CB and SS rushes. In AZ game there were 5,6, and 7 guys coming on virtually every pass play and many times on running plays, plugging holes. This has now happened in Texans , Saints, Ravens and now AZ games. Our remarkable response has been to throw 3, 5, or worse, 7 step passes, which have accounted for the majority of sacks alex received in total all season....in just those 4 games. What should have been called was what Coach H did against the Ravens in last 3 mins of 1st half....go to quick short slants and outs. When we did that, along with switching to no huddle, we just rolled the Ravens up, pushing them back the length of the field. This requires two things: snap it and sling it...then, WRs and TEs, have to be looking for ball the moment they leave the LOS. It worked against Balt, and then we NEVER used it again. I have no idea why, but the answer to the
BIG RUSH is there for all to see. Just go back to last 3 mins of Ravens game and you will see the answer to an OL getting over run or run thru. Quick slants and outs, all being 1 steppers...and not a step more.

In summary, put this one up as a coaching loss, nothing more, nothing less. Anybody could see our OL was getting their heads handed to them, but in all fairness that could have and SHOULD HAVE been coached around. It wasn't, hence this L is on Coach H's side of the board. Team gets the loss, but he was ultimately the guy responsible. Everybody makes mistakes, and Coach has now made this mistake twice in preseason and twice during the season. That's enough, and I fully expect him to pick this up from reviewing last 4 weeks game tapes. I would further hope he changes his O calls next time we see the BIG RUSH....which we will, exactly one week from tonite. The thing that is bothersome is that this is such a simple fix. I hope he does it.

Originally posted by pasodoc9er:
Look, this was a coaching loss, pure and simple. Roman may have been calling the play, or maybe Coach Harbaugh was. Doesn't matter, in that against 4 teams this yr we have seen the same thing: the BIG RUSH, characterized by X rushes, ILB bullrushes, CB and SS rushes. In AZ game there were 5,6, and 7 guys coming on virtually every pass play and many times on running plays, plugging holes. This has now happened in Texans , Saints, Ravens and now AZ games. Our remarkable response has been to throw 3, 5, or worse, 7 step passes, which have accounted for the majority of sacks alex received in total all season....in just those 4 games. What should have been called was what Coach H did against the Ravens in last 3 mins of 1st half....go to quick short slants and outs. When we did that, along with switching to no huddle, we just rolled the Ravens up, pushing them back the length of the field. This requires two things: snap it and sling it...then, WRs and TEs, have to be looking for ball the moment they leave the LOS. It worked against Balt, and then we NEVER used it again. I have no idea why, but the answer to the
BIG RUSH is there for all to see. Just go back to last 3 mins of Ravens game and you will see the answer to an OL getting over run or run thru. Quick slants and outs, all being 1 steppers...and not a step more.

In summary, put this one up as a coaching loss, nothing more, nothing less. Anybody could see our OL was getting their heads handed to them, but in all fairness that could have and SHOULD HAVE been coached around. It wasn't, hence this L is on Coach H's side of the board. Team gets the loss, but he was ultimately the guy responsible. Everybody makes mistakes, and Coach has now made this mistake twice in preseason and twice during the season. That's enough, and I fully expect him to pick this up from reviewing last 4 weeks game tapes. I would further hope he changes his O calls next time we see the BIG RUSH....which we will, exactly one week from tonite. The thing that is bothersome is that this is such a simple fix. I hope he does it.

Here we go. Blame the coaches who have turned this team around to NFC west champs.

Hmm...maybe...its...our...Q..B....

No it must be everything else...

Originally posted by contrarios:
Don't know why the love affair between the media, 49er webzoners and Smith. Fact is Smith has been a serviceable qb when coached up but he has never been able to convert 3rd downs consistently since he has been here. He is playing better this year only because Harbaugh and Company are using him differently. However, the defenses are catching up to the 49ers offense and its limitations. The holes aren't there for the running game anymore and opposing teams are on to those gimmick plays. Did you see Eli and Romo last night? No way Smith could move the ball down the field in the final minutes like those two quarterbacks. When defenses blitz, Eli and Romo got the ball out fast, even if it is on their back foot. Instead, Smith holds the ball too long and takes the sack.

Yup.

But all this information is lost in a sea of nonsensical statistics of his redzone production, low ints, drops, sacks, etc...

All while avoiding the obvious fact that Smith looks jittery and is not confident in his throws.

And you are right..Smith hasn't marched us down the field like those guys have in the last minutes.

In our comeback wins, which the Smith fans claim as his 4th quareter comebacks, the last drives were led by the running game and set up nicely by Ginn. Yes Smith made some throws, but if we didn't have good chunks of yards running the ball, the TDs never happen.

Originally posted by contrarios:
Don't know why the love affair between the media, 49er webzoners and Smith. Fact is Smith has been a serviceable qb when coached up but he has never been able to convert 3rd downs consistently since he has been here. He is playing better this year only because Harbaugh and Company are using him differently. However, the defenses are catching up to the 49ers offense and its limitations. The holes aren't there for the running game anymore and opposing teams are on to those gimmick plays. Did you see Eli and Romo last night? No way Smith could move the ball down the field in the final minutes like those two quarterbacks. When defenses blitz, Eli and Romo got the ball out fast, even if it is on their back foot. Instead, Smith holds the ball too long and takes the sack.

I agree big time with this post. Harbaugh designed an offense that designed to coddle Smith. Designed to be "very careful" not to talk many risks. This is a good point you make that the defenses are catching up. It usually takes a full season for defenses to do this but this is the NFL and it changes.

This is the second time we played the Cardinals and they took alot of risks that paid off. Their defense is not superior by no means but they were able to decipher the run pass formations well this time around. Hopefully Harbaugh has more tricks up his sleeve.

Originally posted by Young2Rice:
Here we go. Blame the coaches who have turned this team around to NFC west champs.

Hmm...maybe...its...our...Q..B....

No it must be everything else...

Friggin' Alex Smith, letting him get 150+ yards and a TD on us. What the hell was he thinking? Nonetheless with Skelton at QB.

Originally posted by ElDannMann:

Originally posted by Young2Rice:
Here we go. Blame the coaches who have turned this team around to NFC west champs.

Hmm...maybe...its...our...Q..B....

No it must be everything else...

Friggin' Alex Smith, letting him get 150+ yards and a TD on us. What the hell was he thinking? Nonetheless with Skelton at QB.

Care to rephrase this?

Enough of Alex Smith. For the most part I think people are sensible enough to know he is not the type of QB we need in the long run. Has anybody heard how the development of Kaep is going? I would love to see him get some garbage time in so he can get the feel of the game. Tolzien from watching him play in college gives me that "game manager" feel.

Note to young2rice. I have never been an alex fan nor a detractor. I have been and always will be a 49er fan, and pull for the team. I never thot he was given a fair shake as to what he could do with no coaching nor an OL . Well, now he has both,and we see the result. Unfortunately, our Coach who is here for the very long term, made a couple boo-boos in playcalling, and our vastly improved OL can't protect our Qb from blitzes. I am pointing out stuff that anybody who follows the 9ers knows, and I love our coach. He just screwed up against the BIG RUSH. He'll figure it out...I hope sooner rather than later. As for alex, I will not know about him until the OL functions as a professional OL nor until our O playcalling (and i don't think this is JH but rather Roman) is changed to quick slants and outs to offset the vicious blitzing we are going to see until O play calls are changed. So for the record, I am still curious is alex the answer or not. Regardless of who we had at QB, I would feel the same re: O Playcalling and OL deficiencies, and would feel the same regardless of who we had at QB.

Originally posted by Young2Rice:

Yes Smith made some throws, but if we didn't have good chunks of yards running the ball, the TDs never happen.

Don't see why this is a problem.

And after all those sacks last week I imagine you would look jittery as well.

Originally posted by English:

Originally posted by Young2Rice:
Yes Smith made some throws, but if we didn't have good chunks of yards running the ball, the TDs never happen.

Don't see why this is a problem.

And after all those sacks last week I imagine you would look jittery as well.

I would look jittery. I'm not an NFL QB making 8 milliion a year... And why are you making it personal anyway? Stick to my post and don't attack me. You are a mod.

Its not a problem IF your running game is effective. When its not, like against Ravens and when Gore gets hurt like in AZ, its becomes a problem. Or if your D is not playing well because its star player is injured....it becomes a problem.

It the playoffs, it will become a problem. If you think Smith will see ideal conditions in the playoffs, keep thinking. Its only going to get worse for him from here on out. It seems like teams are more effectively implementing their "stack the box and make Smith beat you" strategy.

Originally posted by Young2Rice:

Originally posted by English:

Originally posted by Young2Rice:

Yes Smith made some throws, but if we didn't have good chunks of yards running the ball, the TDs never happen.

Don't see why this is a problem.

And after all those sacks last week I imagine you would look jittery as well.

I would look jittery. I'm not an NFL QB making 8 milliion a year... And why are you making it personal anyway? Stick to my post and don't attack me. You are a mod.

Its not a problem IF your running game is effective. When its not, like against Ravens and when Gore gets hurt like in AZ, its becomes a problem. Or if your D is not playing well because its star player is injured....it becomes a problem.

It the playoffs, it will become a problem. If you think Smith will see ideal conditions in the playoffs, keep thinking. Its only going to get worse for him from here on out. It seems like teams are more effectively implementing their "stack the box and make Smith beat you" strategy.

What? Exactly where is my post a personal attack?

Originally posted by English:

Originally posted by Young2Rice:

Originally posted by English:

Originally posted by Young2Rice:
Yes Smith made some throws, but if we didn't have good chunks of yards running the ball, the TDs never happen.

Don't see why this is a problem.

And after all those sacks last week I imagine you would look jittery as well.

I would look jittery. I'm not an NFL QB making 8 milliion a year... And why are you making it personal anyway? Stick to my post and don't attack me. You are a mod.

Its not a problem IF your running game is effective. When its not, like against Ravens and when Gore gets hurt like in AZ, its becomes a problem. Or if your D is not playing well because its star player is injured....it becomes a problem.

It the playoffs, it will become a problem. If you think Smith will see ideal conditions in the playoffs, keep thinking. Its only going to get worse for him from here on out. It seems like teams are more effectively implementing their "stack the box and make Smith beat you" strategy.

What? Exactly where is my post a personal attack?

Geez, just cuz you are mod doesnt give you the right to attack him that away. Shame on you

Originally posted by English:

Originally posted by Young2Rice:

Originally posted by English:

Originally posted by Young2Rice:
Yes Smith made some throws, but if we didn't have good chunks of yards running the ball, the TDs never happen.

Don't see why this is a problem.

And after all those sacks last week I imagine you would look jittery as well.

I would look jittery. I'm not an NFL QB making 8 milliion a year... And why are you making it personal anyway? Stick to my post and don't attack me. You are a mod.

Its not a problem IF your running game is effective. When its not, like against Ravens and when Gore gets hurt like in AZ, its becomes a problem. Or if your D is not playing well because its star player is injured....it becomes a problem.

It the playoffs, it will become a problem. If you think Smith will see ideal conditions in the playoffs, keep thinking. Its only going to get worse for him from here on out. It seems like teams are more effectively implementing their "stack the box and make Smith beat you" strategy.

What? Exactly where is my post a personal attack?

" And after all those sacks last week I imagine you would look jittery as well." This looks like inciting to me.

People get warned for saying Alex Smith sucks and you call that inciting.

You could of said "I imagine any NFL QB would look jittery as well."

That, actually would have been a better point for your argument. But you chose to call me out personally.

Originally posted by Young2Rice:

Originally posted by English:

Originally posted by Young2Rice:

Originally posted by English:

Originally posted by Young2Rice:

Yes Smith made some throws, but if we didn't have good chunks of yards running the ball, the TDs never happen.

Don't see why this is a problem.

And after all those sacks last week I imagine you would look jittery as well.

I would look jittery. I'm not an NFL QB making 8 milliion a year... And why are you making it personal anyway? Stick to my post and don't attack me. You are a mod.

Its not a problem IF your running game is effective. When its not, like against Ravens and when Gore gets hurt like in AZ, its becomes a problem. Or if your D is not playing well because its star player is injured....it becomes a problem.

It the playoffs, it will become a problem. If you think Smith will see ideal conditions in the playoffs, keep thinking. Its only going to get worse for him from here on out. It seems like teams are more effectively implementing their "stack the box and make Smith beat you" strategy.

What? Exactly where is my post a personal attack?

" And after all those sacks last week I imagine you would look jittery as well." This looks like inciting to me.

People get warned for saying Alex Smith sucks and you call that inciting.

You could of said "I imagine any NFL QB would look jittery as well."

That, actually would have been a better point for your argument. But you chose to call me out personally.

You are being ridiculous. It is a very common expression as you well know. Take it to Oscar if you seriously believe I am calling you out.

Originally posted by Young2Rice:
I would look jittery. I'm not an NFL QB making 8 milliion a year... And why are you making it personal anyway? Stick to my post and don't attack me. You are a mod.

Its not a problem IF your running game is effective. When its not, like against Ravens and when Gore gets hurt like in AZ, its becomes a problem. Or if your D is not playing well because its star player is injured....it becomes a problem.

It the playoffs, it will become a problem. If you think Smith will see ideal conditions in the playoffs, keep thinking. Its only going to get worse for him from here on out. It seems like teams are more effectively implementing their "stack the box and make Smith beat you" strategy.

See the Giants game when Gore had no yards rushing. I'm sure it was Alex Smith pulling the trigger in that game, wasn't it? Or do you think that was Joe's ghost?