It's official 49ers have the worst red zone offense in the league

mayo49 · 2011-12-12T07:44:43-08:00

PFT: Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on December 12, 2011, 10:24 AM EST AP The 49ers have won 10 games this year despite a glaring problem that Jim Harbaugh hasn't been able to solve. They are a miserable red zone offense. After Sunday's loss in Arizona, the 49ers officially have the worst red zone offense in the league. No team has scored touchdowns a lower percentage of times inside the 20-yard line. San Francisco lost to an inferior team Sunday because they couldn't capitalize near the goal line. They got inside the Cardinals' six-yard line three times in the first half, and came away with three field goals. They don't have a red zone this month. They are 3-for-13 scoring touchdowns in the red zone since the start of November. The offensive meltdown in Arizona didn't only occur near the goal line. San Francisco had two first downs in the entire second half. Alex Smith averaged 4.9 yards-per-attempt on Sunday. Perhaps this was just an overdue slip-up from the 49ers. But the team has lost two of three and could be regressing. If they lose again next Monday night against the Steelers, San Francisco may just lose that playoff bye.

Dec 12, 2011 at 7:50 AM

DMiller2007
Veteran
Posts: 135

Wait.... So we have a bad red zone offense?

Dec 12, 2011 at 7:51 AM

ponyboy49
Veteran
Posts: 43

the worse part is, we had one the best redzone offense with jimmy raye/mike johnson...

Dec 12, 2011 at 7:54 AM

Rubberneck36
HOF
Posts: 141,822

Originally posted by ponyboy49:
the worse part is, we had one the best redzone offense with jimmy raye/mike johnson...

yep you are right man, this is definitely worse than winning 4-6 games a year. Very strong point.

Dec 12, 2011 at 8:34 AM

49ersswagger
Veteran
Posts: 199

Why wont we throw the ball to Vernon Davis? two years ago he had 13 TD's tied gates for most TD's by a TE in NFL history a record recently broken by patriots TE we are having problems scoring in the red zone only 3 TD's in last 20 trips inside to redzone vernon davis had 1 reception for 32 yrds vs cardinals he is clearly our best reciever so why wont we use him

Dec 12, 2011 at 8:45 AM

Snider8706
Veteran
Posts: 3,398

The red zone used to be the one place that Alex was money, now they won't let home throw the ball except for those out routes that are hard for our WRs to catch.

Dec 12, 2011 at 8:46 AM

4evrfan
Veteran
Posts: 3,061

Originally posted by Rubberneck36:

Originally posted by ponyboy49:
the worse part is, we had one the best redzone offense with jimmy raye/mike johnson...

yep you are right man, this is definitely worse than winning 4-6 games a year. Very strong point.

I think you missed his point. The fact that the pathetic Raye/Johnson offense was better in the Red Zone is like rubbing salt on the wound and only serves to illustrate how bad this one is. I don't think anyone pines for the bad old days.

Dec 12, 2011 at 8:49 AM

walker807
Veteran
Posts: 6,401

Originally posted by 4evrfan:

Originally posted by Rubberneck36:

Originally posted by ponyboy49:
the worse part is, we had one the best redzone offense with jimmy raye/mike johnson...

yep you are right man, this is definitely worse than winning 4-6 games a year. Very strong point.

I think you missed his point. The fact that the pathetic Raye/Johnson offense was better in the Red Zone is like rubbing salt on the wound and only serves to illustrate how bad this one is. I don't think anyone pines for the bad old days.

If I were Roman I would immediately start figuring out ways to get the ball into Davis's hands in ther redzone. You have one of the leagues best TE's who has all but been forgotten the last few weeks.

Dec 12, 2011 at 8:49 AM

valrod33
Hall of Small
Posts: 138,122

Its the playcalling. Harbaugh is getting to cute down there. Call plays that go for the endzone and dont take Crabtree out in the Redzone he is our best WR

Dec 12, 2011 at 8:51 AM

mayo49
Veteran
Posts: 65,216

Give Pee Wee Kendell the ball. Use Dixon in short yardage.

Dec 12, 2011 at 8:59 AM

#10

crabman82
Veteran
Posts: 17,024

needs to be more spread formation shot gun O in the rz IMO

Dec 12, 2011 at 9:00 AM

#11

ak49
Member
Posts: 161

Its a combination of a bunch of things
1. playcalling is horrendous - seriously why would you only bunch up in the redzone. what about being creative, spreading it out (if bunching is not working), qb or rb runs on a spread offense, etc, etc, - heck just copy what other teams are doing
2. a.smith has been inaccurate
3. not getting a sense of urgency or improving - the niners are sitting on the laurels of their 10 win season

Dec 12, 2011 at 9:03 AM

#12

OC49erLuVeR
Veteran
Posts: 198

Can anyone tell me what happened to Delanie??? I'm in South Orange County and they don't show the games down here all the time. I just watch the stats and highlights. When VD had double coverage, they go to Delanie through most of the season. I haven't seen any stats from him the last 3 or so games...any insight would be great.

Dec 12, 2011 at 9:03 AM

#13

valrod33
Hall of Small
Posts: 138,122

Originally posted by OC49erLuVeR:
Can anyone tell me what happened to Delanie??? I'm in South Orange County and they don't show the games down here all the time. I just watch the stats and highlights. When VD had double coverage, they go to Delanie through most of the season. I haven't seen any stats from him the last 3 or so games...any insight would be great.

Dropping Balls, thats what he has been doing

Dec 12, 2011 at 9:04 AM

#14

crabman82
Veteran
Posts: 17,024

to me this is like a baseball player going 2-30, its a slump, once we get a rz td or two it will feel like a 400 lb woman gettin off of us and we'll be able to move forward from there