Why are we so bad in the Red Zone??

The cards blitzed and we didn't make them pay once. If you make them pay, the other side is forced to back off. Players play and coaches coach-players need to execute. The OL need to give Alex at least a .5 second more on those and Alex needs to make a play or get rid of the ball so that he doesn't get sacked or take a hit-which if he does could result in a roughing the passer on occassion.

Originally posted by WildBill:
The cards blitzed and we didn't make them pay once. If you make them pay, the other side is forced to back off. Players play and coaches coach-players need to execute. The OL need to give Alex at least a .5 second more on those and Alex needs to make a play or get rid of the ball so that he doesn't get sacked or take a hit-which if he does could result in a roughing the passer on occassion.

Thank you. We never make anyone pay for blitzing.

Put in Kap in the redzone because its clear that #11 is scurrd to throw into tight spaces.

^ True we don't make teams pay for blitzing. But that's on play-calling too. You can't take advantage of a team blitzing unless you pass to where the blitzers were. And we don't do that b/c our WR's are always on the outside; are RARELY occupying the middle of the field save for a quick slant once in a while. We get dictated by the defensive pass rush, so we go max-protection (less receiving options now) and defenders are STILL in our backfield leaving Alex less than 3 seconds to throw with only ONE option to pass to (which is usually covered right off the LOS) to one side of the field.

Go watch the tape...we screw ourselves. We need to exploit the middle of the field. Period. The biggest weakness of any 3-4 defense (esp. ours) is in the middle in the field; a good team with a good TE and physical WR can own this area. We have Crabtree who is terrific in slants using his body, Braylon (big and physical when healthy and motivated) and of course, you have Davis/Walker. USE THEM and keep Alex from getting mauled every damn game! How is he still standing?

Originally posted by NCommand:
^ True we don't make teams pay for blitzing. But that's on play-calling too. You can't take advantage of a team blitzing unless you pass to where the blitzers were. And we don't do that b/c our WR's are always on the outside; are RARELY occupying the middle of the field save for a quick slant once in a while. We get dictated by the defensive pass rush, so we go max-protection (less receiving options now) and defenders are STILL in our backfield leaving Alex less than 3 seconds to throw with only ONE option to pass to (which is usually covered right off the LOS) to one side of the field.

Go watch the tape...we screw ourselves. We need to exploit the middle of the field. Period. The biggest weakness of any 3-4 defense (esp. ours) is in the middle in the field; a good team with a good TE and physical WR can own this area. We have Crabtree who is terrific in slants using his body, Braylon (big and physical when healthy and motivated) and of course, you have Davis/Walker. USE THEM and keep Alex from getting mauled every damn game! How is he still standing?

The bigger question is that why don't we call that hot route quick pass that gets the ball out within a second? I think we are trying too hard for the big play in these situations.

We just need to snap the ball, Alex takes a quick step and gets that ball out be it jump pass or whatever and our dumb TE/WR's need to turn the f**k around.

Originally posted by Joecool:
The bigger question is that why don't we call that hot route quick pass that gets the ball out within a second? I think we are trying too hard for the big play in these situations.

We just need to snap the ball, Alex takes a quick step and gets that ball out be it jump pass or whatever and our dumb TE/WR's need to turn the f**k around.

Totally...like a real WCO?!?

Aside from the occasional slant to Crabtree or isolaton play inside for VD, everything is to the sidelines (stop/go, deep passes or quick outs/WR screens). That's it. Not too much creativity.

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by Joecool:
The bigger question is that why don't we call that hot route quick pass that gets the ball out within a second? I think we are trying too hard for the big play in these situations.

We just need to snap the ball, Alex takes a quick step and gets that ball out be it jump pass or whatever and our dumb TE/WR's need to turn the f**k around.

Totally...like a real WCO?!?

Aside from the occasional slant to Crabtree or isolaton play inside for VD, everything is to the sidelines (stop/go, deep passes or quick outs/WR screens). That's it. Not too much creativity.

I really hope Harbaugh has some things up his sleeve because Roman is getting into a tunnel vision.

To me it's the QB-WR relationships. Smith looks and throws alot of the "back shoulder fades" which to me is the perfect pass. However, Crabs andd Edwards seems to not be expecting them. Edwards seems to just throw a hand out and while Crabs adjusts to make the catch he seems to adjust too late. Again, not appearing to be expecting it.

With that said, while I think the back should fade is the best route to throw down there. Smith's passes are far from perfect. While they are usually only where his guys can catch them. He tends to throw it about a half a yard too short. Which makes their adjustments that much more difficult.


EVERYONE blitzes on the goalline so to expect our o-line to "get a push" down there more times often or not is not realistic. Especially against an already good front.

Originally posted by krizay:
To me it's the QB-WR relationships. Smith looks and throws alot of the "back shoulder fades" which to me is the perfect pass. However, Crabs andd Edwards seems to not be expecting them. Edwards seems to just throw a hand out and while Crabs adjusts to make the catch he seems to adjust too late. Again, not appearing to be expecting it.

With that said, while I think the back should fade is the best route to throw down there. Smith's passes are far from perfect. While they are usually only where his guys can catch them. He tends to throw it about a half a yard too short. Which makes their adjustments that much more difficult.


EVERYONE blitzes on the goalline so to expect our o-line to "get a push" down there more times often or not is not realistic. Especially against an already good front.

I think Edwards problem with the back shoulder throw is he is running his route to deep, Alex has been throwing those at the pylon and Braylon is halfway in the endzone, the play is there its open they just need to get on the same page

Originally posted by NCommand:
^ True we don't make teams pay for blitzing. But that's on play-calling too. You can't take advantage of a team blitzing unless you pass to where the blitzers were. And we don't do that b/c our WR's are always on the outside; are RARELY occupying the middle of the field save for a quick slant once in a while. We get dictated by the defensive pass rush, so we go max-protection (less receiving options now) and defenders are STILL in our backfield leaving Alex less than 3 seconds to throw with only ONE option to pass to (which is usually covered right off the LOS) to one side of the field.

Go watch the tape...we screw ourselves. We need to exploit the middle of the field. Period. The biggest weakness of any 3-4 defense (esp. ours) is in the middle in the field; a good team with a good TE and physical WR can own this area. We have Crabtree who is terrific in slants using his body, Braylon (big and physical when healthy and motivated) and of course, you have Davis/Walker. USE THEM and keep Alex from getting mauled every damn game! How is he still standing?

You will always have an out for each formation. The QB and WR who is the hot read need to see it and adjust. I am sure you see Alex making hand signals. Whether it is slant or fade etc. Based on how the CB is lined up, like basketball, is he guarding the inside or outside, playing tight or off.

ALEX SMITH!!!!!!...........NUFF SAID

Originally posted by krizay:
To me it's the QB-WR relationships. Smith looks and throws alot of the "back shoulder fades" which to me is the perfect pass. However, Crabs andd Edwards seems to not be expecting them. Edwards seems to just throw a hand out and while Crabs adjusts to make the catch he seems to adjust too late. Again, not appearing to be expecting it.

With that said, while I think the back should fade is the best route to throw down there. Smith's passes are far from perfect. While they are usually only where his guys can catch them. He tends to throw it about a half a yard too short. Which makes their adjustments that much more difficult.


EVERYONE blitzes on the goalline so to expect our o-line to "get a push" down there more times often or not is not realistic. Especially against an already good front.

Throwing over the shoulder on the outside of the wr is not an easy catch, people think because they are pros it should be easy, nope throwing it to the inside shoulder is more where you want to deliver it. Throwing it short it actually better especially if the db is playing tight cause his back will be turned and the wr knows what is supposed to more less go down.

Its starts with execution. Naturally defenses get tougher down in the red zone, so next is OL. They get beat bad down there, idk if its strength or what. Third it has to be play calling, to many times we see runs up the middle or fly sweeps, we get way to vanilla when we are inside the 10. I would like to see corner of the end zone passes, I would like to see for once Crabtree and Williams stay in, instead of Harbaugh taking them out of the game, I really don't understand that, why would you take out your best WR in those situation? We also need to see Davis and Walker more involved in the red zone area.

In order to beat the blitz the niners should do the players shifting and quick hike, except, alex is the one that shifts. Since teams want to be aggressive and blitz, this will make for some offsides.

I have an idea that may work in the redzone. Use Kaepernick (sp) as a WR. I mean our current ones are not getting it done. CK is almost 6 5 I'm sure he can jump and athletic enough to catch a pass or two (Heck even Vrabel was able to do that) Have him run a fade route and throw it High. Anyone else think this would work?