Week 3: Thoughts after rewatching the game...

Marvin49 · 2012-09-24T08:54:56-07:00

Let me start off by saying the sky is NOT falling. The below are just observations and not an indictment of any of the players. With that said. 1) Running Alex Smith Tally since Eagles game in 2010: 28 Games, 785 Att, 495 Comp, 5730 Yards, 38 Tds, 9 INTs, 96.4 QB Rating (not sure how that rating went up by 2 points. Redid it several times. May have miscalculated last week). Something I have noticed about Alex...he doesn't seem to play well in domes. It seems whenever he's in them the ball tends to sail on him. The same thing happened last year in Detroit and in St. Louis. The Super Bowl this year is in the Super Dome. Hrrmmm... 2) Vernon Davis: Counting playoffs, Vernons last 5 games: 26 Receptions, 461 yards and 8 TDs. I don't know why, but even in games when Alex seems a bit scattershot he seems to be able to hit Vernon just fine. If only he were as accurate throwing to everyone else. 3) D: That was frustrating to watch. There were a number of plays when they just couldn't get pressure and when they DID get pressure Ponder was able to move around and make a play. I think some credit has to be given to Ponder for a great game, but it is a bit alarming how well he was able to play and how he was constantly able to move around and find someone. Hopefully it's just a fluke, but I'm not betting on that. 4) Flat: Yeah, the Niners came out flat, but not as flat as peeps have said. I think it was more a case of the Vikings playing with their hair on fire. Gotta give it up to them, they got up for this game. The Niners didn't just lose this game. They were beaten in every phase. This was the worst game in Harbaughs 2 years in SF. I think in the long run this will look like the 40-8 loss to the Eagles in 1994. This is the game that they will remember all year. Looking back, this will be a good thing...or at least that's my hope. 5) Moss: Even tho he wasn't a huge factor, he WAS getting open. That's promising. Alex had alot of garbage around his legs on a number of throws, but so did Ponder and he was able to complete the big passes. Moss will be just fine and this is the same role he will play all year. 6) Whitner: There is one issue tho that concerens me and this stretches back to last year. Any time the Niners cover the TE with Whitner, that TE has a big day. It started with Witten last year. I like Whitner alot, but he can be a liability in coverage. Rudolph is no slouch and he'll be a good player in this league, but Whitner covering TEs is a problem. Then again most team won't have AP in the backfield for Willis/Bowman to worry about. 7) Kyle Williams: Gotta feel good for the guy. He will always be the guy gave up the ball twice in the NFCCG, but his returns SHOULD have made a difference yesterday. 8) Turnovers: Ug. Bad. Uncharacteristic of this team and one of the reasons I'm not really concerned. Frank is Going to fumble from time to time. It happens. Alex got blindsided and has been very good at protecting the ball. The INT tho....woah....that thing sailed on him. 9) Overall thoughts: This game was bound to happen at some point. Everybody losses at least once and good teams usually drop an unexpected game at some point to an inferior opponent. Give it up to the Vikings for a good game plan and playing well. I think the Jets are in trouble though. This team angry is a scary thought. 10) Refs: Bring. Real. Refs. Back. This is freakin' embarassing. I saw several holds of 49er recievers on third down. Then the whole challenge/timeout debacle at the end. I'm not gonna put the loss on the refs. The Vikings won that game, but the officiating is the worst I've seen on any level.

Sep 24, 2012 at 9:04 AM

NCommand
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Nice! Agreed with everything...

Only thing I'd point out though was that it appeared to be a miscommunication between Alex/Crabtree on that INT. Alex changed the play (crunch sign to his helmet) and after the INT, Alex was motioning angrily to Crabtree that it was a different route. It looks like Alex threw outside and Crabtree ran inside. Anyone else see that too?

Either way, it wouldn't have mattered. It was just one of those "humble heart" games that we can grow from and props to the Vikings who played nearly flawless football and everything just went their way. And don't feel bad guys...look around the NFL yesterday. All these ELITE QB's are 0-3 or 1-2.

Sep 24, 2012 at 9:08 AM

qnnhan7
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Posts: 35,108

It's the defense that came out flat. Not the offense. Have looked through the first half. The offense was very crisp. Smith hit almost all of his throw except may 2. It's very encouraging going into the next game because my initial impression was that they were lethargic coming out. In the second half the Vikes did some adjustments, coupled with some mistakes, to kill some drives. The offense just didn't do enough to overcome the suspect defense of yesterday.

Sep 24, 2012 at 9:08 AM

darkknight49
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Marvin49, an island of reason in a sea of ninertalk.

Sep 24, 2012 at 9:10 AM

SunDevilNiner79
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I pretty much agree Marvin.

Better to have this kind of game in week 3 then late in the season.

I think there was just a definate emotional let down after 2 huge wins

Sep 24, 2012 at 9:10 AM

Joecool
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Posts: 70,984

Originally posted by qnnhan7:
It's the defense that came out flat. Not the offense. Have looked through the first half. The offense was very crisp. Smith hit almost all of his throw except may 2. It's very encouraging going into the next game because my initial impression was that they were lethargic coming out. In the second half the Vikes did some adjustments, coupled with some mistakes, to kill some drives. The offense just didn't do enough to overcome the suspect defense of yesterday.

The defense only gave up 7 points in the first quarter. Our offense couldn't finish drives in that first quarter.

Sep 24, 2012 at 9:16 AM

Loco49er
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Posts: 2,815

Nice post. Whitner is HORRIBLE in coverage and we need to upgrade this offseason. Kyle is looking good and the playcalling after his 90yd return was a disgrace. Fangio should be slapped for his conservative game plan, it didn't work in the pre-season and it didn't work yesterday.

Sep 24, 2012 at 9:17 AM

JTsBiggestFan
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Posts: 7,758

Originally posted by darkknight49:
Marvin49, an island of reason in a sea of ninertalk.

Agreed.

Was waiting for this thread more than his last two given what happened.

Btw Marv, superdome will be a neutral site this year, if that helps.

I think part of the dome problem as I discovered first hand yesterday was the brutal noise.

Super Bowl crowds only cheer for big plays and not so much presnap.

Sep 24, 2012 at 9:20 AM

lamontb
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Posts: 33,136

Good break down. Let's not forget that Whitner was labeled as the worst safety in the league in terms of TE coverage. The other teams know this. I mean Ponder could have thrown that last TD to a wide open AP but just waited for Rudolph to beat Whitner.

I think the defense looked flat b/c this was the 1st time since who knows when that they played a team that came out set on running the ball and punched you in the mouth up front. They got used to the soft ass Packers, Saints, and Lions fronts

Just a bad game overall. Gotta bounce back. The defense and offense were both bad.

[ Edited by lamontb on Sep 24, 2012 at 9:51 AM ]

Sep 24, 2012 at 9:20 AM

JTsBiggestFan
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Posts: 7,758

Btw guys to date, Fangio's greatest halftime adjustment was the NFCCG.

Without those disguised blitzes, I think the giants win it much easier than they did.

Sep 24, 2012 at 9:23 AM

#10

ForThe_Niners
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Posts: 44

Originally posted by NCommand:
Nice! Agreed with everything...

Only thing I'd point out though was that it appeared to be a miscommunication between Alex/Crabtree on that INT. Alex changed the play (crunch sign to his helmet) and after the INT, Alex was motioning angrily to Crabtree that it was a different route. It looks like Alex threw outside and Crabtree ran inside. Anyone else see that too?

Either way, it wouldn't have mattered. It was just one of those "humble heart" games that we can grow from and props to the Vikings who played nearly flawless football and everything just went their way. And don't feel bad guys...look around the NFL yesterday. All these ELITE QB's are 0-3 or 1-2.

Not that it really matters but I'm pretty sure that the miscommunication you are refering to was on an earlier drive. It seems though that the same thing happened at the int.
I have always had the strange feeling that sometimes Alex is ahead of the rest in the playbook or that his mind is ahead of them causing these weird/stupid plays. Other times it's simply a bad throw. Either way it's correctable - through hard work

Sep 24, 2012 at 9:24 AM

#11

qnnhan7
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Posts: 35,108

Originally posted by Joecool:

Originally posted by qnnhan7:
It's the defense that came out flat. Not the offense. Have looked through the first half. The offense was very crisp. Smith hit almost all of his throw except may 2. It's very encouraging going into the next game because my initial impression was that they were lethargic coming out. In the second half the Vikes did some adjustments, coupled with some mistakes, to kill some drives. The offense just didn't do enough to overcome the suspect defense of yesterday.

The defense only gave up 7 points in the first quarter. Our offense couldn't finish drives in that first quarter.

We responded with a 3 pts drive. Then the Vikes took another TD drive that took almost 10 minutes off the clock in the second quarter. I thought we're talking about the first half.

Sep 24, 2012 at 9:25 AM

#12

LasVegasWally
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Posts: 24,835

Fine post as usual.

We were out played and out coached. Better now so we can prepare for it down the road. Hopefully a wake-up call for everyone including the coaches.

We will have to address the scrambling QB's at some point. Ponder won that game for them. Look for TBow next week.

I hope KWilliams can keep building on his performance.

I never felt we were in the game.

The Refs! It's amazing with all the $$ the NFL has, it can't get this done.

Sep 24, 2012 at 9:27 AM

#13

Mr.Mcgibblets
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Posts: 15,079

Good stuff as usual, Marvin.

I also remember Tarell Brown looked to me like he was really struggling with running/cutting on the turf. Gonna look back for that, but he seemed to have really struggled.

Our offense had lots of struggles.. but I expected some of that playing away. The defense really surprised me with their embarrassing play.

Pretty much over the loss now, but this is one away game I really thought we should have won. They just outschemed us, and we were not sharp.

Sep 24, 2012 at 9:28 AM

#14

Marvin49
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Posts: 16,506

Originally posted by darkknight49:
Marvin49, an island of reason in a sea of ninertalk.

LOL.