5 Lessons from PATS game that should be taken forward to the SEA game

pasodoc9er · 2012-12-23T09:34:23-08:00

#1) Biggest change in PATS game: Somehow, Coach Harbaugh and Roman managed to get the plays in well in advance of the play. This glaring error cost us a tie and a loss to the RAMS. I suggested cutting either roman or harbaugh out of the chain of command in getting plays in and further suggested Roman have his microphone cut off. Well, it was JH whose mike was silenced. Result? All but one play came in on time, and only ONCE did Coach H have to call T.O. before clock expired. In the previous game, Coach called 5 T.Os because plays didn't get play in on time. OK, that was fixed. Now it has to stay fixed for the SEA game and beyond. I guessed roman would be the one to have his mike cut out. Instead it was JH. You didn't see JH talking behind his playsheet except for a very few times.The result was spectacular. Finally we cut out not getting the play in on time. We cannot slip back into that disastrous situation. #2) I was sure we were going to put pressure on brady with a 4 or 5 man rush every play, and frequently with a 6 man rush. Well, the DL put huge pressure on Brady in first half, and did it with the 4 horsemen of the DL. Only 1 blitz i can recall and that was Rogers who got to brady , but he threw ball in dirt. Same thing is going to apply in SEA...without Justin...and that is huge pressure on their qb. No NFL qb does well passing when lying on his back. The D is going to either put the same rush on SEA Qb they did on Brady, or they will have to use a 5th and 6th guy, if the 4 man DL can't pressure williams. #3) Everyone applauded JH for the aggressive O & D play calling in first half. Once we got up by 28, he went from head up coverage to a loose, keep the play in front of you, and we backed off welker and hernandez. Result was that brady just killed us, and scored 28 pts in 10 minutes. We have to play all 60 mins head up on WRs and TEs , despite the score. If ahead by 1 pt or 28, we should be playing the same tight coverage of the first half of PATS game, for 60 mins. This will require some substitution on D in 2nd half. It is also possible we are playing from behind, and if so, we have to cover tightly and put the BIG RUSH on SEA qb. #4) With the 4 TD lead, the O playcalling fell into the sewer. Four 3 and outs in 4 possessions, each followed by a PAT TD. I trust Coach H learned that with or without a lead, you do not change your successful play calling and run 3 and outs. There was no chance taking, no thought to the 3 and out plays. Now, once Coach awoke from his slumber when Brady scored 4 times in 10 minutes, he once again became aggressive and threw on 1st down , an 8 yrd pass to crbs, who added another 30 YAC for a TD. That is same thot process JH should have been using with a 28 pt lead. His decision to take his foot of the neck of both the PATS D and O, didn't just backfire, it almost cost him a game he was leading by 4 TDs. Hopefully he learned his lesson of playing conservatively. Play not to lose and....you always lose. #5) Fumbled snaps by Kap, could have killed us, except for some enormous luck, and also some deft play by Frank for a TD. Kap or Alex cannot be fumbling the ball on snaps from center. If that happens again, put Kap in shotgun or pistol, but don't let him fumble snaps under C and keep him playing there. Work on C-QB exchange in practice,, not games. IF snap fumbles start occurring, DO NOT PUT KAP UNDER CENTER. Finally, an issue we did NOT see in PATS game and that is a QB who scores 3 TDs on runs. And not just in one game either. Somebody, probably p-52 is going to have to spy on williams, and any time that kid tries to run, #52 is going to have to shadow him. Patrick is fast as lightning, and that is what it will take to keep SEA qb from gouging us with his runs. Bowman or Brooks could also be the spy, but someone is going to have to keep on him every play...and #52 is faster, so I guess he gets the job.

Dec 23, 2012 at 9:54 AM

Igotta
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Posts: 214

Nice summary.

#1. This was my biggest concern going into last weeks game and I was VERY impressed with the turnaround in one week. I think Harbaugh is good at learning lessons and we'll keep getting the calls in with plenty of time.

#2. I love watching our line collapse the pocket, yeah we were low on sacks vs. Brady, but the pressure was consistent and forced him to make many an early throw or throw it away. I loved that this pressure came from the front four also. Good observation, I think we run the same pressure scheeme this weekend, but instead of focusing on the underneath coverage behind it, one backer will go heads up on Wilson.

#3. Ugh, this has bothered me for years! Every coach in the NFL thinks playing soft is a good idea at some point, It's not. Sure you can get away with running prevent against a suppar QB, but the good ones always have and always will burn you. Football is not golf, you can't lay up and expect good things to happen.

#4. Our coaches need to understand that running out the clock does not require running the ball, it requires long sustained drives. However your team normally has success driving the field is how you should play when you are looking to control the clock. Against good teams anyway.

#5. That was painful to watch, I love Kaep, have since I first saw him torch the SD D in preseason. But that snap issue is SCARRY!!

GO NINERS!

Dec 23, 2012 at 10:01 AM

redrathman
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Posts: 6,019

1. You have no idea what you're talking about here. Plays weren't coming in late. The players weren't getting into the huddle fast enough, and then weren't lining up in their correct positions prior to shifting. Harbaugh discussed this issue prior to the Patriots game. Roman still called the plays in New England, and Harbaugh relayed those calls to Kaepernick. In fact, Harbaugh has to make those calls to the QB. Offensive and defensive calls must be made by coaches on the sidelines, not in the box.

2. This is obvious. They've pressured Quarterbacks all season. This wasn't a lesson taken from New England.

3. The 49ers didn't go to zone until the 4th quarter. The points scored by New England were a result of half time adjustments. New England moved Welker and Hernandez around. They also adjusted their routes to the outside.

4. The 49ers ran three consecutive running plays just twice in the second half. In both situations, it was to run the remaining time off the clock. In the other situations, Kaepernick simply didn't make the play. Crabtree wasn't the first option on that touchdown (see Harbaugh presser).

5. They fixed the fumbling issues in the second half. Limiting the offense to Pistol and Shotgun formations will terminate half the playbook.

6. Williams? You must mean Russell Wilson. Wilson is an opportunistic runner. He's also played two of the worst defenses over the last two weeks, so I'm not worried.

Dec 23, 2012 at 10:23 AM

GNielsen
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Posts: 5,464

I have a couple problems with this, but first and foremost, the answer to the fumbled snaps in Foxborough is definitely NOT to keep Kaepernick away from taking snaps. The fumbled snaps in Foxborough were because of two things - Vince Wilfork and freezing rain. Kaepernick will not be dealing with those things tonight. And you don't want to take out two-thirds of the playbook because you think there is a problem with snaps. What you do is work all week on snaps, which is what they've been doing.

Also, this isn't the first time the Patriots have exploded for multiple touchdowns. They're the #1 offense in the league and have been that or close for years now. And, Brady is an awesome QB. Let's not assume the Seahawks could do the same thing against a soft zone. It's probably a moot point because I don't think the Niners can run up a 28 point lead against the number three defense in the league. If they do, that will be great and if they do, there is no way THAT offense comes back as strong as the Patriots did no matter what defensive scheme Fangio decides to play.

Dec 23, 2012 at 10:35 AM

UKNiners
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Posts: 485

#5 is a definite cause for concern. Not just at present but long term as well. The fumbles and burning timeouts to prevent a delay of game have been lost in all the hype. This needs to be addressed prior to playoff time. This is where experience reigns.

Dec 23, 2012 at 10:39 AM

GNielsen
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Posts: 5,464

Originally posted by UKNiners:
#5 is a definite cause for concern. Not just at present but long term as well. The fumbles and burning timeouts to prevent a delay of game have been lost in all the hype. This needs to be addressed prior to playoff time. This is where experience reigns.

I think you guys are underestimating and/or overlooking the effect Vince Wilfork has on a center and the middle of an offensive line. My prediction would be that there will be NO fumbled snaps tonight.

Dec 23, 2012 at 10:42 AM

UKNiners
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Posts: 485

Originally posted by GNielsen:
Originally posted by UKNiners:
#5 is a definite cause for concern. Not just at present but long term as well. The fumbles and burning timeouts to prevent a delay of game have been lost in all the hype. This needs to be addressed prior to playoff time. This is where experience reigns.

I think you guys are underestimating and/or overlooking the effect Vince Wilfork has on a center and the middle of an offensive line. My prediction would be that there will be NO fumbled snaps tonight.

Maybe. But they were there before too. Going to be cold and wet tonight too. Either way, this is probably the easiest aspect of a QB to grasp. We can't continually run the Q/Pistol and read option. It's a hot fad right now. Don't see it succeeding long term.

As for clock management, would rate this a D. It's below average.

Dec 23, 2012 at 10:43 AM

Jiks
Member
Posts: 29,220

#1 NE defense sucks

Chad Henne in 1 quarters
11/15 171 1 t.d.

[ Edited by JiksJuicy on Dec 23, 2012 at 10:44 AM ]

Dec 23, 2012 at 10:48 AM

UKNiners
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Posts: 485

Originally posted by JiksJuicy:
#1 NE defense sucks

Chad Henne in 1 quarters
11/15 171 1 t.d.

Dec 23, 2012 at 10:50 AM

UKNiners
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Posts: 485

And with respect to #1, why is JH always calling the TOs? CK bears this responsibility or should at lest half the time.

Dec 23, 2012 at 12:23 PM

#10

Godsleftsock
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Posts: 3,291

Fell into a sewer? That's not a saying, is it?

Dec 23, 2012 at 3:46 PM

#11

pasodoc9er
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Posts: 21,040

Yes, NE Defense is not that great, esp if you look at their numbers. Henne showed them up. I also think maybe the PATS weren't up for that game. But anyone that says NE didn't play great D, esp up the gut, didn't watch the game. Maybe a lousy D sometime but they brought it all last sunday nite. And 2 of the Kap center fumbles, one for sure was caused by wilfork pushing goodwin in to kap at about 1/10,000 of a second after the ball was snapped. SEA has an excellent D, but i don't think they have a NT as good as Wilfork...at least not last week.

Anybody that thinks going to a pistol or the shotgun if Kap gets the Center fumbles is not the answer....well, what do you suggest? Keep him under C and watch the Csnap fumbles mount. Hey it was cold(34 degrees), raining and blowing cold. Sure a Qb is liable to fumble in a situation like that. But what if kap had lost ALL those fumbles, which very well could have happened. Then you move him back 3 yds or 4, and run either pistol or shotgun. You work on C/QB exchanges in practice, guys, not playing NE in the frozen rain.

Redrathman, I did mean Wilson, obviously, but thanks for the catch. As for not getting plays in on time, I got 14 tapes from this yr and 17 from last to show that coach was still talking behind his clipboard and the plays MOST DEFINITELY WERE NOT getting in on time. It was our one glaring weakness, our one Achilles heel. Hey, alex and Kap are both guilty of not getting the team to the line in time, but the big problem was the play didn't get to the Qb until 6-8 seconds left on clock. Sorry to disagree with you, but i must have posted about this maybe 2 dozen times since JH arrived. Redrath, go back and watch qB watching JH and you will see that the plays were NOT coming in on time. I give JH a F- for not getting plays in on time and KAP/alex a C for not getting team to line in time. Together they were a combined nut cutter, and darn near lost us a couple games. Having the coach call 5 T.O.s in a game is Junior college football. That just doesn't happen in the pros. Yet going over tape from the last 33 games, it has been a Harbaugh problem virtually every game....except last Sunday.

[ Edited by pasodoc9er on Dec 23, 2012 at 3:48 PM ]

Dec 23, 2012 at 4:00 PM

#12

49erRider
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Posts: 7,508

Originally posted by GNielsen:
I have a couple problems with this, but first and foremost, the answer to the fumbled snaps in Foxborough is definitely NOT to keep Kaepernick away from taking snaps. The fumbled snaps in Foxborough were because of two things - Vince Wilfork and freezing rain. Kaepernick will not be dealing with those things tonight. And you don't want to take out two-thirds of the playbook because you think there is a problem with snaps. What you do is work all week on snaps, which is what they've been doing.

Also, this isn't the first time the Patriots have exploded for multiple touchdowns. They're the #1 offense in the league and have been that or close for years now. And, Brady is an awesome QB. Let's not assume the Seahawks could do the same thing against a soft zone. It's probably a moot point because I don't think the Niners can run up a 28 point lead against the number three defense in the league. If they do, that will be great and if they do, there is no way THAT offense comes back as strong as the Patriots did no matter what defensive scheme Fangio decides to play.

Depending on the defense, the Niners could easily run up a 28 point lead. Force turnovers and short fields. You can put up big points on any defense that way.