If you are a DC, who are you gameplanning to stop when you face the Niners?

Would you gear your focus on stopping VD, now that Crabtree is out, or do you try and stop Gore??

IMO, You have to try and stop Gore. We are definately built, even with Kap under center, to establish a running game. We seem to never hqve an "elite" game when we throw first. We m ight win a few here and there, but in the long run, npi, to contend every year and battle with the big boys in the league, we have to get gore going, everything falls into place after that!!!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOBODY!!!!!

Kaep. Defenses are going to have to force him to throw early and off target or get the sack. If not, he'll eventually find an open receiver and/or pick up a few (or more) rushing yards. Containing him won't do much, pressuring him into mistakes/incompletions and sacks will be defenses best bet or Kaep will eat em up alive.

Last year Kaep had Crab and Moss for WR in the post-season and scored more than enough to win. Crabs may be out till the playoffs, but (IMO) Kaep will have a deeper WR core this season. We all know the unproven ones (Lockette, AJJ, etc) will get their shot and Boldin, V. Davis, V. McDonald, B. Celek are very good options. Depending on their recoveries/rehab, K. Williams and M. Manningham can make that core of receivers that much more sick.

We don't even need to discuss the rushing attack the Niners have, which only will make that passing game more open.

Used to be Frank. Now it's Kap.

V. Davis and Frank Gore.

alls I know is that we're in trouble if another WR doesn't step up. We'll basically be a running team. The chemistry CK and Crabtree had is going to be damn near impossible to replace or replicate.

frank gore

Kap
Frank
VD
Boldin

I would gameplan to somehow stop that entire offensive line. How to do that, I have no clue.

So far the only defense to give the 49ers/Kap fits is the Rams D. If your defense can't generate QB pressure with 4, then you are assed out and have to pick your poison. If that is the case, I force Kap to throw to his WRs. Clog the middle so runs up the gut and the TEs don't burn you and take your chances on the WRs making plays. That would be my 'gameplan'.

1. Keep Kaep in the pocket, close down the running lanes and stop him from escaping on 3rd down.
2. Stop Frank Gore / Hunter / LMJ
3. Play man-to-man against Boldin and Davis and hope that pressure up front can get to Kaep quickly.

Stop our offense the exact same way Baltimore did on the final drive:

1. Zero blitz up the middle forcing quick decisions by CK
2. Jam and press coverage (outmuscle our WR's)
3. Hope Roman/Harbaugh call the wrong plays at the wrong time or (cough, call time-out, cough).

Originally posted by NCommand:
Stop our offense the exact same way Baltimore did on the final drive:

1. Zero blitz up the middle forcing quick decisions by CK
2. Jam and press coverage (outmuscle our WR's)
3. Hope Roman/Harbaugh call the wrong plays at the wrong time or (cough, call time-out, cough).

Damn that zero blitz. If there's one thing Kap has not shown, and he never really needed to until that final drive, is can he make quick decisions when quickly pressured. The 49ers Oline did well protecting him last season and, for the most part, he's had ample time to throw. When he was quickly pressured, he did not pass the test. The zero blitz is a good call. However, can't call it all the time, and one flare route by LMJ is all it takes to make defenses pay.

Nobody!! I refuse to play against my beloved 49ers.

The only real chance I think any team has in stopping the 49ers is by the defense generating pressure with their front 4 and/or run blitzing to neutralize the threat of Kaep running and the 49ers running backs. Then your offense needs to score on most possessions and hold the ball for long drives.

Honestly, all this stuff sounds good in theory, but we only saw three teams that were successful at doing this and who's to say this same formula is going to work with CK having a full offseason to truly master this offense and get in sync with the receivers?

I do expect the the physical DBs continuing to give us problems until we demonstrate our receivers can avoid the jam and burn them a few times. Perhaps physical CB play and hoping your D-line can control the line of scrimmage.