Were We Running The Spread in the 2nd Half?

Originally posted by strickac:
Man, that spread was fun to watch. Alex shocked me with his play. Even when we were winning with a mediocre running game and good D, it was pretty boring. Spreading the defense out and taking what they give you is exciting... and seemed to be pretty effective.

What we saw today is basically what the Patriots run every week. I noticed our pass protection improved as the game went on. With Alex playing in the shotgun and dropping back further, the Oline was able to back pedal and give themselves a larger cushion, making their pass rushers less effective.

I hope Raye continues to spread teams out. I'm a huge fan of passing and spreading defenses out, then exploiting it with the run. IMO, it's much more effective than running to setup the pass, especially when we're a poor play-action team to begin with.

I know the clock didn't really allow us to run the ball late in the game, but I would've loved to see Gore get the ball with the running lanes that were there. I think the spread offense is the best kept secret in the NFL. It has such a bad stereotype associated with that teams avoid it; however, if you look at the Pats, Colts, Saints and Packers, they frequently use the spread offense.

Note: I know it wasn't technically a "spread" offense, but it's essentially what we ran. I consider it a spread offense because: Smith's mobility allowed him to run when the opportunity was there; Gore has nice hands and was sliding out as a receiver; and lastly, I consider Vernon a WR.

The spread is more suited for our personnel on the outside plus we are deep at WR to run a 3, 4 OR 5 WR package... not to mention that both of our TE's could be startin WR's. It just makes too much sense!!! Even we run it will create more lanes and make the LB's play a little further back and not shooting the A gap on snap. We have the ability to be much more aggressive on offense with Smith at QB and hope we open the playbook more like we did today.

What baffles me is if the coaching staff (Raye) knew that with Shuan Hill, the offense would be limited due to limited talent...then why did they still go with Hill?

Didn't they identify this during training camp and made assessments? I'm still scratching my head on this move by the coaching staff. Did the coaching staff not realize it until now??? Being a veteran coach Raye is...it really baffles me how they would go with a QB that would limit the offensive play calling.

Originally posted by ginseng1000:
What baffles me is if the coaching staff (Raye) knew that with Shuan Hill, the offense would be limited due to limited talent...then why did they still go with Hill?

Didn't they identify this during training camp and made assessments? I'm still scratching my head on this move by the coaching staff. Did the coaching staff not realize it until now??? Being a veteran coach Raye is...it really baffles me how they would go with a QB that would limit the offensive play calling.

Both Matt's reported during TC that Hill played better than Smith when they were splitting reps.

Then onto preseason and Smith didn't distinguish himself.

Combine all that with Hill's performance last year and i can see why Hill was given the starting job.

-9fA

Originally posted by 9erfanAUS:

Originally posted by ginseng1000:
What baffles me is if the coaching staff (Raye) knew that with Shuan Hill, the offense would be limited due to limited talent...then why did they still go with Hill?

Didn't they identify this during training camp and made assessments? I'm still scratching my head on this move by the coaching staff. Did the coaching staff not realize it until now??? Being a veteran coach Raye is...it really baffles me how they would go with a QB that would limit the offensive play calling.

Both Matt's reported during TC that Hill played better than Smith when they were splitting reps.

Then onto preseason and Smith didn't distinguish himself.

Combine all that with Hill's performance last year and i can see why Hill was given the starting job.

-9fA

neither QB really made the job their own. Shaun was the default choice and he didn't do anything to lose the job either. You had to go with him.

yup

"49ers heavily using the spread formation that made Smith the first overall pick in the 2005 draft."

Originally posted by ginseng1000:
What baffles me is if the coaching staff (Raye) knew that with Shuan Hill, the offense would be limited due to limited talent...then why did they still go with Hill?

Didn't they identify this during training camp and made assessments? I'm still scratching my head on this move by the coaching staff. Did the coaching staff not realize it until now??? Being a veteran coach Raye is...it really baffles me how they would go with a QB that would limit the offensive play calling.

I think Alex just needs a lot of room to operate. In the past, he's really looked unconfortable in the pocket. He clearly excels in the shotgun, with everything in front of him.

In training camp, Raye was pressed to establish the conservative, run-first offense. I highly doubt Smith got many opportunities to throw out of the shotgun or out of 4-WR sets. I'm sure the coaching staff was just as surprised as the fans to see how well Alex played today. I'm just glad that Raye was big enough to stick with such an aggressive passing attack.

We looked like the Colts for a little bit. It's obvious we need our QB to be in a shotgun, our Oline sucks. If we are going to run the football we need to get the passing game going and not the other way around.

Originally posted by loyal9er:

Originally posted by strickac:
Man, that spread was fun to watch. Alex shocked me with his play. Even when we were winning with a mediocre running game and good D, it was pretty boring. Spreading the defense out and taking what they give you is exciting... and seemed to be pretty effective.

What we saw today is basically what the Patriots run every week. I noticed our pass protection improved as the game went on. With Alex playing in the shotgun and dropping back further, the Oline was able to back pedal and give themselves a larger cushion, making their pass rushers less effective.

I hope Raye continues to spread teams out. I'm a huge fan of passing and spreading defenses out, then exploiting it with the run. IMO, it's much more effective than running to setup the pass, especially when we're a poor play-action team to begin with.

I know the clock didn't really allow us to run the ball late in the game, but I would've loved to see Gore get the ball with the running lanes that were there. I think the spread offense is the best kept secret in the NFL. It has such a bad stereotype associated with that teams avoid it; however, if you look at the Pats, Colts, Saints and Packers, they frequently use the spread offense.

Note: I know it wasn't technically a "spread" offense, but it's essentially what we ran. I consider it a spread offense because: Smith's mobility allowed him to run when the opportunity was there; Gore has nice hands and was sliding out as a receiver; and lastly, I consider Vernon a WR.

The spread is more suited for our personnel on the outside plus we are deep at WR to run a 3, 4 OR 5 WR package... not to mention that both of our TE's could be startin WR's. It just makes too much sense!!! Even we run it will create more lanes and make the LB's play a little further back and not shooting the A gap on snap. We have the ability to be much more aggressive on offense with Smith at QB and hope we open the playbook more like we did today.

I have been screaming it from the rooftops for years. I could never understand why we never went with an aggressive spread offense with Alex Smith.

The closest thing we had to it, was during his first year, but that was when Smith had zero talent around him.

I am not saying it will always look as good as Smith looked today, but with the spread offense, Smith looks a LOT more comfortable. Its what he did in college.

Year five and we finally figure it out.

Good thing Singletary realized that he had to make a move, because his "power" offense has looked like a bowl movement.

Originally posted by Norwalks_Best:

Originally posted by mufasa76:

Originally posted by Norwalks_Best:
Just showed that Jimmy Raye knows how to play within the QB's strengths, it wasn't him after all. Hill was a huge liability and it showed by his play calling on the field.

Happy with the decision of Singletary to pull Hill out and get a different look at QB, I believed it really sparked the team offensively.

Here goes for the upset next week at colts, so I hope.

I am hoping for the upset also.........................
all the same Alex played better than hill...

We got an advantage if Singletary names Smith the starter we might surprise teams since they don't have enough film to figure out Smith or the schemes were going to run. I hope we pull the upset. It's going to be a close game I believe, of course if Smith starts.

Hill needs to be put as the 3rd stringer and get Davis some reps just in case Smith falls apart. I know he had a good 2nd half but can he do it throughout the whole game is the question?

Hill is a good 2nd string QB and can do a good job with a good OL. Smith has the tools Hill doesn't and today exposed that Smith can move around in the pocket find players down the field. Many plays that Smith got rid of the ball or ran around the pocket Hill would have been sacked today.

Fire raye after the season and hire mike leach.

Originally posted by JMPNINER:
Fire raye after the season and hire mike leach.

You're probably joking, but No way Leach would take the paycut and demotion.

Head coach at a major D1 school >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> OC of a pro team.

And with Davis having the ability to line up in the slot or block like a T, it makes no sense not to run that the majority of the time w/AS. It will also improve the running game.

Originally posted by ginseng1000:
What baffles me is if the coaching staff (Raye) knew that with Shuan Hill, the offense would be limited due to limited talent...then why did they still go with Hill?

Didn't they identify this during training camp and made assessments? I'm still scratching my head on this move by the coaching staff. Did the coaching staff not realize it until now??? Being a veteran coach Raye is...it really baffles me how they would go with a QB that would limit the offensive play calling.

it should not baffle you Alex look 180% different then he did in preseason.

Could someone that recorded the game look at the last play of the game. A niner was behind all the secondary and Alex was attempting to get it to that Niner but it looked like Alex might have been hit as he was throwing or could not step up. Someone please review and get back to the board. thank-you in advance

We should just run the same offense the Pats run and see what happens. We have the weapons. Maybe it will somehow make the oline better