Why are we so bad in the Red Zone??

SMOKE AND MIRRORS! That's why. Roman convinced Harbaugh to approach each opponents as battle of minds first and foremost - ala the art of war, per se.
They believe deeply in psychological warfare, dungeons and dragon, shock and awe type of approach - they love to keep opponents guessing which allows their pays to succeed. When a team is still being built on the expense of the regular season, getting better each week is just difficult and therefore you need all the magic and trickery you could muster to keep the opponents off-balance, giving your team a chance to win each game - and sometimes in the expense of losing a game like the one in AZ, just to maintain fire, hunger, and desire among the players that will carry them the rest of the way to the big dance!

Originally posted by NCommand:
Well, it's the OL. If you watch the Cards game, when we tried to blitz an extra man (usually a safety) it looks like he runs into a wall. When the Cards blitzed 60% of the time, there were constantly 4 men in the backfield instantly.

Down in the redzone, the Cards would run blitz even more. Therefore, b/c they were bringing extra blitzers, Roman went max-protection and Alex, literally, had ONE OPTION and that option was usually taken away instantly.

So, in order:
Offensive Line/Defense - dictated by an aggressive and blitzing defense using everyone including middle LBers, S's and CB's.
Play-calling - to combat, we go max protection and essentially only have one quick option for a TD
Receiver - (one option) not getting open fast enough or making the catch despite good ball placement; 2nd and 3rd options are nothing more than a Gore/Hunter and Miller running short of the endzone anyhow and generally out of bounds (no joke). This "option" is always to one half of the field. Always.
QB - timing and practice with receivers seems to be an issue/accuracy sometimes

Good summation. There isn't just one thing, rather it is all of those in varying degrees and at different times.

I would add that the lockout and all the stuff related to that has contributed as well. Also the injuries to Crabtree, Morgan and Edwards have hurt more than we realize. At the beginning of the season, those guys were scheduled to be the top 3 but only Crabtree has seen significant playing time and he is still on the "limited participation" list during weekly practice sessions. Also, with the new CBA restrictions on practice time, it has made it even harder for MC to get on the same page with Smith. Edwards now faces that same challenge as he tries to play catch-up. Morgan was by far the most in-tune with Alex but he got hurt way too early.

Teams have game planned very well to take away Davis and Walker so that leaves it up to the running game, and the line is not getting the push to make that work. In fairness, Snyder and AD are dealing with injuries that have obviously effected their play lately.

Teams hit a wall at some point in the season. It just happens to all teams that do not call Wisconsin home. The 49ers had some unique new stuff at the beginning of the season and now that has all been scouted. From now on it is about talent and health. It is axiomatic that the most healthy teams do best in the playoffs, and right now, the 49ers are struggling because key players are not healthy.

Originally posted by Ajanke:

Originally posted by VA49er:
I think it comes down to the playcalling and coaching. I think we have underemphasized this part of the game. THe calls come late. when they come you aren't sure what it is you want to do. I think the lack of consistency from the playcalling leads to the other problems. If players aren't confident and comfortable in what they are doing then they won't execute.
I think we get too cute in the redzone. We try to fabricate a score instead of just lining up and making plays. The redzone is always going to have tight windows and small openings. The only way to get better at it is just to do it alot and go to your best people. Players are rarely going to be "open" and defenses are not likely to make mistakes they can't recover from. You just have to win down there and you have to execute.
The coaches need to commit to a certain philosophy and then the players need to force the issue until we get a "been there done that" mentality. I think from the top down we have a philosophy in the redzone that "settles" for a field goal. Alex is not taking risks, he doesn't force the ball. The line is more concerned with not false starting than teeing off on their blocks. You have to be bloodthirsty down low and we just aren't doing it. We certainly have the Defense to practice on. I think this is why we were better last year.
Sing did alot of things wrong but the redzone is an area where willpower matters and imposing yourself is necessarry. I think that philosphy helped us inside the 20 because the decisions became simple and execution, not schemes, is the answer. We are always looking for the OPEN guy, or to get a huge running lane. Inside the 20 that won't be there. You can see the same thing when Smith tries to push it downfield. I'm not always sure he isn't purposefully leading guys or throwing too close to the sideline/out of bounds. to make sure there isn't a turnover. We have to cut it lose inside the 20. It should be simple. Force the Defesne to cover Davis/walker in the middle, and crabtree/whomever in the corners and then Gore/hunter can be there to theaten run etc. We have lots of playmakers. THe plays should be designed to get VD/CRABS/or Gore in the endzone. If they aren't there THEN you have secondary routes with williams, walker, miller, etc which might benefit from teams trying to stop our best guys.
At the end of the day the players have to know what the heck the play is, believe in it, and then KNOW that the ball is coming there way. It changes everything when you are sure what is going to happen.

Pity. It was a pretty good post.

Thanks for the post and all the smart input - it's an eye-opener to read these insights as to why we can't buy a score in the RZ.

I feel it is a combination of all of the above. JH needs to go back to all the great info in the Bill Walsh playbook and get some fresh input.

This also magnifies our weaknesses. We really need a Wisconsin type of RG, a Guard like Iupati. I think Kilgore is being groomed for the Center position and Boone for LT as Staley is getting more injury prone.

I am an Alex Smith fan but he has to get better and our receivers have to stop dropping catchable passes.

I also think we have developed a mentality for "SETTLING" for a FG instead have MUST HAVING A TD. I don't see or feel the team/coaches are hungry for it. We have to get real bloody here with a street fight mentality. Our D has it - our O doesn't!

The Steelers game will be a big-time pass or fail test for the coaching staff. We have to make progress - not perfection but progress. We have to score in the RZ or we are toast in the playoffs

If I recall, wasn't Alex one of the best QB's in the RZ under Singletary last year

I have been suggesting a red zone play for Kaepernick. Keep the opposing defense guessing with his speed and running ability. Naked bootleg or trap draw to Gore. Something sheeez....

ummmmm...I think its because Braylon Edwards is junk......

When we're passing I don't think we attack the middle of the field enough in redzone. Everything seems designed to the outside.

Originally posted by Hopper:
When we're passing I don't think we attack the middle of the field enough in redzone. Everything seems designed to the outside.

This is what ive noticed as well. Gotta attack the middle and if we are gonna attack the outsides run some fades with Braylon and Crabtree not with ginn or williams

Originally posted by valrod33:

Originally posted by Hopper:
When we're passing I don't think we attack the middle of the field enough in redzone. Everything seems designed to the outside.

This is what ive noticed as well. Gotta attack the middle and if we are gonna attack the outsides run some fades with Braylon and Crabtree not with ginn or williams

We need to do the opposite of that motion sprint out. D

1. Motion Crabtree and have him fake the out and then run a slant.
2. Have that side WR run a second slant following Crabtree.
3. Have Bruce Miller or Vernon run a route underneath those slants to the flat.

Man, some DB's gotta mix-up or get held up in that traffic. Now, only if Alex can see which WR loosens up and quickly make the throw.

play calling

get creative!!!!!!!

ball placement

Originally posted by NCommand:
Well, it's the OL. If you watch the Cards game, when we tried to blitz an extra man (usually a safety) it looks like he runs into a wall. When the Cards blitzed 60% of the time, there were constantly 4 men in the backfield instantly.

Down in the redzone, the Cards would run blitz even more. Therefore, b/c they were bringing extra blitzers, Roman went max-protection and Alex, literally, had ONE OPTION and that option was usually taken away instantly.

So, in order:
Offensive Line/Defense - dictated by an aggressive and blitzing defense using everyone including middle LBers, S's and CB's.
Play-calling - to combat, we go max protection and essentially only have one quick option for a TD
Receiver - (one option) not getting open fast enough or making the catch despite good ball placement; 2nd and 3rd options are nothing more than a Gore/Hunter and Miller running short of the endzone anyhow and generally out of bounds (no joke). This "option" is always to one half of the field. Always.
QB - timing and practice with receivers seems to be an issue/accuracy sometimes

You know I never even considered the fact of going max protection.... I know that the O-line has been getting worked these past few weeks but if you have more options to throw to while in the redzone, you may be able to get the ball out quicker.. I really appreciate all the intelligent feed back on this post..

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by 5280High:
Its already been addressed. This team is behind the eight ball in terms of red zone offense. The coaches did not include the full red zone package when first putting in the offense, now they are gameplanning for each team on a weekly basis. They are playing catch up on this phase of the game and in all honestly it looks like some of the things the coaches expected to work just arent working but during game time its too late. We've seen plays that work like having crabtree coming out of the backfield, but when the power running game gets nullified, defenses will key in on all the plays we've already ran in the season that worked... thats professional football. Things work once but rarely work again once they are on tape.

Bottom line, without any push we can just force our way into the endzone, and Alex, even though he is having a spectacular year, is still being protected with the play calling.

In the end, Im not worried because the AZ game plan looked like it was trying to open up different dynamics of the offense and it didnt work out. For all the guys who wanted to use these last few games to test the capabilities of the players in this offense... well there it is, and it didnt work. Expect to keep seeing pass heavy game plans so that our players can get reps in gametime, sometimes successful and sometimes not successful. But come playoffs, they will go back to the bread and butter of the jumbo package and multiple shifting. This is how teams get better, yes it may cost a bye in the 1st round... but how many recent superbowl champs had a bye going into the playoffs? It's kind of a toss up whether the week of rest helps, or whether teams continuing the grind week after week have an advantage. But at least we have one home playoff game no matter what, and thats the real advantage.

Great post/perspective!

This. We have got to have a more aggressive approach or we will get kicked right out of the playoffs by kicking to many d@mn field goals!

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by 5280High:
Its already been addressed. This team is behind the eight ball in terms of red zone offense. The coaches did not include the full red zone package when first putting in the offense, now they are gameplanning for each team on a weekly basis. They are playing catch up on this phase of the game and in all honestly it looks like some of the things the coaches expected to work just arent working but during game time its too late. We've seen plays that work like having crabtree coming out of the backfield, but when the power running game gets nullified, defenses will key in on all the plays we've already ran in the season that worked... thats professional football. Things work once but rarely work again once they are on tape.

Bottom line, without any push we can just force our way into the endzone, and Alex, even though he is having a spectacular year, is still being protected with the play calling.

In the end, Im not worried because the AZ game plan looked like it was trying to open up different dynamics of the offense and it didnt work out. For all the guys who wanted to use these last few games to test the capabilities of the players in this offense... well there it is, and it didnt work. Expect to keep seeing pass heavy game plans so that our players can get reps in gametime, sometimes successful and sometimes not successful. But come playoffs, they will go back to the bread and butter of the jumbo package and multiple shifting. This is how teams get better, yes it may cost a bye in the 1st round... but how many recent superbowl champs had a bye going into the playoffs? It's kind of a toss up whether the week of rest helps, or whether teams continuing the grind week after week have an advantage. But at least we have one home playoff game no matter what, and thats the real advantage.

Great post/perspective!

I agree and am ashamed to put myself in the group who wanted the team to "test new things" and am now concerned because they did...LAM (laughing at myself).