What I noticed against the Eagles

I had similar observations.

Willis is definitely not the Willis we are used to seeing out there. Maybe it is the knee surgery but he's been out of position or beaten a handful of times in the past couple games that made me wonder if something is wrong. I think our defensive problems are more tied to the secondary but it does seem like teams can run the ball more effectively against the 49ers than in the past.

The 49ers are NOT a power running team. They can't run the ball. I don't know how else to put it. This team really only moves the ball when they open up the offense.
In fact, I don't think this team has been a power running team since 2006. When yes Larry Allen and even Kwame Harris were around. Harris was passable as a run blocker and Allen moved the pile.

The offensive line is not working well together. Perhaps they need time. I don't think Staley has really lived up to his reputation around here either in recent weeks. He's got beaten pretty bad a couple times and got torched and had the holding penalty to end the game. To be honest, perhaps we were all too overly optimistic to think an offensive line with two rookies would gel and be able to thrive in this NFL with such sophisticated defenses. That being said, it pains me to watch teams every week with patchwork offensive lines - teams that have invested nowhere near the amount of 1st and 2nd round picks in OL like we have - and see them run the ball effectively. Just look at how good the Saints line is and where their OL were taken in the draft.

Those who don't think Alex is a big issue baffle me. One mistake? He had two interceptions with that fumble. Tipped balls are a QB's fault. The guy wilts under pressure, on his fumble he looked like a 8 year old kid playing QB for the first time.
He constantly threw to his check down until we were 2 scores down. Time for him to go.

Originally posted by skynet907:
Gore is overrated. our team is evidence of what happens when you base an entire team around an overrated RB.

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:
We should have never taken two O-Lineman in the first round and to expect two rookies to make your O-Line better was foolish as well. We should of taken one O-Lineman and a playmaker (defense or offfense) with the other pick

I still have high hopes for this draft class.

BUT -

Its become clear this team needs speed and playmakers on defense. I'd expect if their is a regime change in the off-season that the new leadership will focus on speed and playmakers in the next draft.

Its not just Singletary here either. Its Scott McCloughan who over-emphasized size / big guy mentality and created a "slow" team that could be exposed so viciously like it was against the Chiefs. Its been far too long since this team got "quick" / not straight line Vernon Davis fast 40 times but quick on the football field.

How different is this team with Desean Jackson at WR instead of Rachal at RG?

Originally posted by skynet907:
Gore is overrated. our team is evidence of what happens when you base an entire team around an overrated RB.

lol what a moronic post. Every season Gore produces with the mediocre garbage we throw at QB.

Originally posted by RKab:
I had similar observations.

Willis is definitely not the Willis we are used to seeing out there. Maybe it is the knee surgery but he's been out of position or beaten a handful of times in the past couple games that made me wonder if something is wrong. I think our defensive problems are more tied to the secondary but it does seem like teams can run the ball more effectively against the 49ers than in the past.

The 49ers are NOT a power running team. They can't run the ball. I don't know how else to put it. This team really only moves the ball when they open up the offense.
In fact, I don't think this team has been a power running team since 2006. When yes Larry Allen and even Kwame Harris were around. Harris was passable as a run blocker and Allen moved the pile.

The offensive line is not working well together. Perhaps they need time. I don't think Staley has really lived up to his reputation around here either in recent weeks. He's got beaten pretty bad a couple times and got torched and had the holding penalty to end the game. To be honest, perhaps we were all too overly optimistic to think an offensive line with two rookies would gel and be able to thrive in this NFL with such sophisticated defenses. That being said, it pains me to watch teams every week with patchwork offensive lines - teams that have invested nowhere near the amount of 1st and 2nd round picks in OL like we have - and see them run the ball effectively. Just look at how good the Saints line is and where their OL were taken in the draft.

I don't know what this team is doing with Patrick Willis but they sure are wasting him. Or is it his knee? Or is he a little to big?

OL sucks and turnovers still = L

NEXT

Originally posted by 9erfan4life:

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:
We should have never taken two O-Lineman in the first round and to expect two rookies to make your O-Line better was foolish as well. We should of taken one O-Lineman and a playmaker (defense or offfense) with the other pick

yeah cause three years from now it could be the best OL in football who does that lol

injuries forced them to change the line they need Heitmann

they need five guys to play multiple years together see Pats, Colts, Pitts, KC both NY teams Min, NO

this team has had a different OL every year for as long as I can remember

Well this team regime does not have 3 years and 3 years in football is a long time. This team was expected to win NOW! I don't think there is much of a difference between Baas and Heitmann at center.

Originally posted by Hopper:

Originally posted by skynet907:
Gore is overrated. our team is evidence of what happens when you base an entire team around an overrated RB.

lol what a moronic post. Every season Gore produces with the mediocre garbage we throw at QB.

yep.......he is kicking @$$ this year.....such a stud

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:

Originally posted by 9erfan4life:

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:
We should have never taken two O-Lineman in the first round and to expect two rookies to make your O-Line better was foolish as well. We should of taken one O-Lineman and a playmaker (defense or offfense) with the other pick

yeah cause three years from now it could be the best OL in football who does that lol

injuries forced them to change the line they need Heitmann

they need five guys to play multiple years together see Pats, Colts, Pitts, KC both NY teams Min, NO

this team has had a different OL every year for as long as I can remember

Well this team regime does not have 3 years and 3 years in football is a long time. This team was expected to win NOW! I don't think there is much of a difference between Baas and Heitmann at center.

I'm sure they went into the draft thinking they better take two OL cause our center is gonna get hurt and we will have to move baas to center and be left with two rookies who are a better talent but will make plenty of mistakes throughout the year

they got two of the best OL in the draft move on

Your right about Smith. All that guy needs to do is grow a pair and we are in business

two things , 1- Alex is the issue , if he was a real leader and real qb would have taken the team on his shoulders and won the game ! second willis is trying too hard ,when you press then you are out of positon , our D Line is not blocking well to lett the LB to do their job hence Patrick and Co. playing to break blocks insted of tackling the ball !

Originally posted by cNiner:
two things , 1- Alex is the issue , if he was a real leader and real qb would have taken the team on his shoulders and won the game ! second willis is trying too hard ,when you press then you are out of positon , our D Line is not blocking well to lett the LB to do their job hence Patrick and Co. playing to break blocks insted of tackling the ball !

Yep, Alex is the issue. He makes 3-4 horrible decisions a game that cost us. Just take those mistakes away and nothing else, we would be 3-2.

Originally posted by spizzy:
1) Alex is NOT the issue

He made some nice throws tonight, I didn't see any that were considered poor. His decision making was solid for the most part, his only mistake being that fumble which was just a physical mistake which happens. He showed incredible resilience during the game, being able to withstand the crowd like that and lead back-to-back scoring drives really impressed me.

1st int no issue with it, he took a shot and it didn't kill us in field position. Fumble was disgustingly embarrassing, you'd think a guy brought up in this conservative culture would know to simply eat the ball and take the sack going to his left. 2nd int I think people are giving him too much of a pass. It was only 3rd down, no reason to just chuck the ball up there, could've taken the sack and lived to see 4th and 15 or whatever. He does some good things, but the sum of the parts still only adds up to an average QB at best.

2) Our o-line IS a huge issue

They can't move anyone. Gore looks fine, he hits the hole hard when there is one. Anthony Davis got schooled on multiple occasions, and also had some false starts. He doesn't look ready to play. Chilo Rachal sucks. Get somebody else in there. Staley is the only one consistently performing solidly. Nothing on our O has changed significantly since last year (when we were solid with Alex) EXCEPT for the o-line. This unit is not jelling.

Run blocking fail is more of a playcalling issue imo, 95% of our runs are still in between the tackles, unless you are trotting out 500 lb roided monsters, no way you can consistently get a push in the NFL with straight ahead power. Pass blocking fail is definitely a player issue though, Staley has had a couple bad games already and Anthony Davis continues to struggle against speed rushers. Obviously too early to write him off, but this is not what we hoped to see.

3) There's something wrong with Willis

Some of you have noticed this, and some of you refuse to believe that our All-World future HOF linebacker is not playing up to standard. He seems slow, out of position, and sometimes uninterested. I have a hunch that he is playing injured because he seems tentative and doesn't hit the hole like we are all used to seeing.

the knee probably is an issue, but I also think it doesn't help that we have faced Bush, Charles, and McCoy...all elusive speed backs. We all know Willis is as fast as any LB in the league, but the reality is still no LB can handle those guys 1v1 in the open field, and he's been put in that situation way too often this year.

4) We don't blitz enough

Self explanatory

not sure if I agree, but lack of pass rush (or pass defense) at critical moments is may be the biggest reason this defense isn't good enough to win games for us on its own

5) The spread/shotgun offense needs to be implemented more regularly

I'm not saying go all Urban Meyer on O, but use whats working best EARLIER in the game. See: Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots. These teams use the shotgun to take advantage of their special players and put them in space.

I tend to think it's personnel not formation. Moron Norris on the field = 10v11. The problem is twofold...not only does he suck, but all playcalling creativity goes out the window with him back there (or split out wide sometimes wtf???)

Originally posted by spizzy:
1) Alex is NOT the issue

He made some nice throws tonight, I didn't see any that were considered poor. His decision making was solid for the most part, his only mistake being that fumble which was just a physical mistake which happens. He showed incredible resilience during the game, being able to withstand the crowd like that and lead back-to-back scoring drives really impressed me..

Apparently you stopped noticing things at halftime. Also, the fumble pretty must cost us the game, so there's that, but hey that happens.