Thursday Game Plan: 5 Keys to Beating the Rams

Originally posted by OnTheClock:
It feels like instead of running a "slightly expanded" version of the offense based on what we started with, with Alex last year, I feel like they've tried to create an entirely new offense that Colin and the rest are not comfortable in or able to execute all that well. The first game was closer to the old offense, but they couldn't stop Vernon and Boldin in the field so we were able to pass even though the running game lagged.

The past two weeks, I have to be honest, the way we lined up and the plays that were run looked nothing like what we had been doing before. To be quite frank -- and this terrifies me -- the plays looked DISTURBINGLY similar to what Jimmy Raye had often called. I hope to God we see nothing like that EVER again.

I really don't like the diamond formation. I think that's what it's called. All the exotic ways they're lining up the TE's and FB. And they're not pulling the guard in these formation. Then they try the play action from these formations and we have 2 WR that are actually running creative routes. While the TEs and FB run short and intermediate crossing/flat routes.

PLAY 9er BALL..................Plain and simple

I'd like to see the offensive game plan swap out Moore and Williams for Patton and Baldwin. At this point it might be worth a shot.

Watched first half of the Rams-Cowboy game, Boys ran to the left early and their were huge holes. Rams have small ball carriers, Richardson and Cunningham, no power running game. The throws are underneath and the receivers are small. Just don't let Fisher hang around and we then end up beating ourselves.

My 5 keys:

1. Find a way to pressure bradford

2. Dont get stupid penalties

3. Speed up the offensive tempo

4. Give gore 20 touches

5. Let kaep run

Originally posted by theninermaniac:

My 5 keys:

1. Find a way to pressure bradford

2. Dont get stupid penalties

3. Speed up the offensive tempo

4. Give gore 20 touches

5. Let kaep run

This +

6. Bunch the god damn WR's

7. Stop playing our secondary so far off the line. Were so much better in coverage when were aggressive and jam them up. Sure we may get beat once or twice but I'd rather that then giving them 10 yards every through.

I'm looking forward to le money getting some snaps

Also free quinton patton

Originally posted by OnTheClock:
It's a short week, which is both good and bad for the 49ers. Good that we have the opportunity to get a bad taste out of our mouth, but bad in the sense that it's less time for certain players to return from injury, and less prep time. But that's no excuse, because the other team has it the same way. Right now, this is what I see as the way to beat St. Louis, looking at the way they've played in the first few weeks...

1. Make running the ball a top priority
The Rams gave up almost 100 yards in a single half to DeMarco Murray, who finished with 175 yards. We have two outstanding runners, and one in particular who has great outside quickness and speed. Feed them the ball early and often to gash and wear down their prone-to-over-pursue defensive ends and average interior.

2. Attack their young safeties
TJ McDonald is a rookie, and Rodney McLeod is in his 2nd year -- his first time ever as a starter. Tight ends in particular have been a problem for the defense - both Dallas TEs had plays on STL last week. Their CBs are quick, fast, and physical. Star WRs did do well against them (Fitz and Julio), but we don't have anyone quite like that. Our best bet is to utilize the TEs on the seams, and try to work size mismatches against their short, but quick, strong corners. Baldwin may not play, but this really, really would be a good time to use him now.

3. Attack the right OT side of their line on defense
Aldon Smith is out, but their starting RT Saffold is likely out as well. That's Brooks' side, so we need to work stunts and crash that side to work his replacement who did not fare well last week against Dallas.

4. Stress that Kaepernick protect the ball and get any sort of positive play possible
It is imperative that we not turn the ball over and do not take negative plays. Thursday games are often ugly, and we need to establish time of possession, control the ball, and maintain the best field position possible. He MUST understand that every game cannot be played and/or won in a shootout fashion. Jim must stress to Colin to be DECISIVE and either release the ball to his final read in the flat/outlet if the other options are not there OR run FORWARD for positive yards instead of laterally, because running side to side only serves to eliminate almost all his options on field and is often a dangerous play and a potential turnover or injury if the defense is chasing you from behind.

5. Zone blitz often
Bradford struggles severely at times when pressured and hit often. I saw him rolling around in agony against Dallas a couple times at least on Sunday. It affects his effectiveness, and we need to do our best to disrupt him.

I'm going to highlight number 4. Sometimes I have to remind myself the Kaepernick has less than a season's worth of starts under his belt. I hope he looks more to the horizontal passing game and makes some decisive runs. He left a few first downs on the field Sunday.

I also want to add a sixth one- play with discipline. We are allowing teams to hang around or giving them extra advantages with the excessive penalties. We need to play smarter football.

Stop playing powder puff ball and get back to the ass kicking machine they were in 2011&2012

Originally posted by OnTheClock:

Originally posted by eonblue:

Could you clarify what you mean by zone blitz?

It's where you have your linebackers run up and crowd the line showing blitz, but only 1 or two actually rush the passer. The offense has to guess right at who it will be -- the other 2 or three LBs peel off in coverage to block the throwing lines while the blitzers are supposed to create instant pressure, forcing a throw into those lanes with the hope that the QB does not see them in time, or if he does, he holds the ball and takes the sack.

Not to step on any toes, but what you explained is just a blitz.

A zone blitz is when you send one or more LB's, but drop back a player that typically isn't in coverage (DE or DT). The idea being that the QB might miss a lineman peeling off into coverage. Especially if the blitzer gets immediate pressure and the QB throws the hot read to the zone the blitzer just came from.

The general idea for a zone blitz is to create an unbalanced side or mismatch at the line while still dropping defenders back into a safe coverage. Traditional blitzes leave the defense exposed on the back end if they don't get immediate pressure. Zone blitzes are designed to get "safe" pressure.

Theres only one key IMHO......TOP!

Theres only one key IMHO......TOP!

On offense it's pretty simple. Get rid of the pistol and read option crap, that the league has figured out and get back to WCO. Stop with the shifting and jumbo crap and line up and run the ball down their throat until they stop it. When they get the running game going then the passing game will come back.

Originally posted by cciowa:
activate james and let him return kickoffs, could not be any worse than last sundays fiasco with hunter back there.

Weird. I was laughing about the Roman post, not this one.

take what the D gives you even if its check down and run the f**king ball

Originally posted by SofaKing:
3. One thing I wish we did more often was move our best pass rusher around. I don't understand why they always have to line up against the LT. I notice whenever we put Aldon on the RT, he destroyed him. Obviously we have no Aldon this week, but Lemonier consistently created pressure from the strong side during pre-season. Expect to see him plenty on 3rd downs, and I hope we move him around. This might also force the Rams to use Cook more as an in-line TE to help block. They've been playing him at the slot a ton.

Overall great post, but they were moving Aldon around a lot. He was lining up at both end spots, and even inside with some regularity on nickle downs.