What has changed?

Originally posted by SonocoNinerFan:
I agree with a lot of what TexasNiner says, however Harbaugh's staff got the team to this point in less than a month after installing new systems with new terminology on both sides of the ball. Color me impressed. Regardless of the competition, and granted we had nowhere to go but up, but the difference between the Saints and Raiders games was nothing short of amazing IMO.

There will be bumps along the way, but like Harbaugh said the missing ingredient is time. I'm encouraged. As far as the game planning, we shouldn't be worried about that either way until we see a couple regular season games.

well said.

I do think Texas is right that we are pretty much going to be a 6-10 to 9-7 team, depending on injuries, luck, etc, because of the lack of time to prepare, the questions one the right side of the OL, at QB, and changes on D, let alone the wholesale coaching staff changes. But like you said, the improvement over one week shows me that this staff does know what its doing, and that is enough to give me confidence going forward--even if we won't see real improvement, record-wise, until next year. Still, I think we'll be a lot more fun to watch this year.

I'll revist this thread after we win this years SuperBowl........

Originally posted by Oakland-Niner:
I'll revist this thread after we win this years SuperBowl........

Alex smith gets his FIRST ring.

Plays got called in ON TIME!!

The coaching is decidedly different. The offense was far more varied, lots of shifting and different formations and packages were used to keep defenses guessing. I'm not worried about attempts to run it in the end zone with our worst back (Omon did score if you recall) - this is preseason and surely they wanted to see what was up with the running game in the red zone (as well as Hunter vs Omon vs Dixon - I think Dixon is losing).

Alex looked a lot better.

The defense I think could have issues with the pass still but I doubt if it's a lot different from last season and more likely the secondary will be improved with Whitner & Rogers. Rogers and Clements is sort of a wash but Whitner was a nice upgrade.

Aldon Smith - I like what I've seen.

also, I think that we HAVE addressed the passrush, and I think, so far, it looks much improved.

Originally posted by HessianDud:

Originally posted by SonocoNinerFan:
I agree with a lot of what TexasNiner says, however Harbaugh's staff got the team to this point in less than a month after installing new systems with new terminology on both sides of the ball. Color me impressed. Regardless of the competition, and granted we had nowhere to go but up, but the difference between the Saints and Raiders games was nothing short of amazing IMO.

There will be bumps along the way, but like Harbaugh said the missing ingredient is time. I'm encouraged. As far as the game planning, we shouldn't be worried about that either way until we see a couple regular season games.

well said.

I do think Texas is right that we are pretty much going to be a 6-10 to 9-7 team, depending on injuries, luck, etc, because of the lack of time to prepare, the questions one the right side of the OL, at QB, and changes on D, let alone the wholesale coaching staff changes. But like you said, the improvement over one week shows me that this staff does know what its doing, and that is enough to give me confidence going forward--even if we won't see real improvement, record-wise, until next year. Still, I think we'll be a lot more fun to watch this year.

My personal expectations for the season are all centered around these thoughts, but I will say the most important thing to me is for the organization to develop a systematic approach to their personnel. My hope is we can create a team structure that has the proper players set to play in their roles and backups filling in without mental errors (drops in talent are to be expected if Willis, Davis, J. Smith, or Gore go down, but if they do their job properly, efficiency is maintained). The encouraging thing to me looking at Harbaugh's history is his RBs last year. He replaced Gerhart with no less than 5 RBs and generated the same results in the ground game. If he can replicate that concept at the pro-level, everything else will work the way it is supposed to. This takes loads of time, but if he can get the vets to buy in (which it sounds like he has done), I have faith this year will be a success.

Originally posted by Evilgenius:

The coaching is decidedly different. The offense was far more varied, lots of shifting and different formations and packages were used to keep defenses guessing. I'm not worried about attempts to run it in the end zone with our worst back (Omon did score if you recall) - this is preseason and surely they wanted to see what was up with the running game in the red zone (as well as Hunter vs Omon vs Dixon - I think Dixon is losing). Alex looked a lot better. The defense I think could have issues with the pass still but I doubt if it's a lot different from last season and more likely the secondary will be improved with Whitner & Rogers. Rogers and Clements is sort of a wash but Whitner was a nice upgrade. Aldon Smith - I like what I've seen.

Welcome to the zone! Rogers should be fine. Clements would have been as well if we utilized em to his strengths! For instance he is a press corner, who we had play 10 yards off line of scrimmage lol that turns his press ability to a non factor! Rogers is more of a cover corner. Dixon need to get over his dancing but he had shown some flashs, but hopefully hunter is the real deal! Great compliment to mr frank gore! Alex appears to be very confident! This yr is gonna be very promissing

Braylon!!!

What I saw that was different.......the pace of the play calling. The Niners were moving and had a rhythm to the offense. I liked the mix of the pass and run. I also didn't think we were "TELEGRAPHING" to the other team what we are doing like FRIGGIN DINGLEBERRY did.

Kendall Hunter looks really good. He hits the hole and has a good burst. He will keep Dixon on his toes for the 2nd string. I think hunter takes that job, but the good thing is that they both do different things than gore.

Our Defense is looking fairly solid, and that is without our two starting cornerbacks (Rogers and Spencer) and it looks like Tarrell brown and Brock are stepping up.

Even on screens I think our defense is better, and faster all around.

Can't wait to see the strides they make by the next game!

Originally posted by 12b6demurrer:

Originally posted by TexasNiner:
So, I finally got a chance to watch the second preseason game. And I was left with an odd feeling of familiarity.

Sure, we looked a lot better than last week. But we usually beat up on the Raiders. That way, and otherwise, it all seemed like deja vu.

QB Play:

Alex looked solid, but far from elite and moved the chains without putting points on the board and threw a critical pick when he misread the D.

Beyond Alex, we have nothing we can bank on in case of injury or poor performance. CK showed flashes, but he's a rookie and as much hope as we have for him, there is no telling what his future holds. After that, we have a journeyman from the UFL. Bottom line, we haven't brought in proven QB talent that would even be a backup for most teams since Jeff Garcia left. Just draft picks (high and low) and career backups and wanna bes who have never given us either starter quality talent or even solid depth.

Even the Raiders have Boller and Edwards as legit backups, and they both are arguably better than most, if not every QB that has been on our roster since Garcia.

I had faith in your post until I read that part. then didnt read lol

Part of that was hyperbole, but not really. Boller and Edwards suck. But name the QBs on our roster since Garcia that are any better. For all the hate, Alex is probably the best we have had and he's not significantly better than either at this point. On almost any other team, he'd be in the same spot, a backup with decent NFL experience.

Who have we had who has been any better than them? Troy Smith? Shaun Hill? J.T. O'Sullivan? Trent Dilfer? Chris Weinke? Tim Rattay? Ken Dorsey? Cody Pickett? The closest is Dilfer who was ok at one time but was washed up by the time we got him.

This^^

Originally posted by Rockeyfromask:

Braylon!!!

This addition is huge for us! When crabs gets healthy him davs morgan and walker let alone gore are gonna be dangerous

I see a major difference especially on offense Alex looks as confident as ive ever seen him. Call me crazy but the play in the first half when he threw to Morgan over the middle was a thing of beauty he went trough his reads recoked the ball reset his feet stood tall and fired a strike. only a 7 yard play but plays like that move chains. Thats all coaching my friend in 6 years ive never seen him do anything like that. And as far as formations go with these 2 te sets it will be great for this team. Its gonna be very hard for other teams to know when the niners are running or passing. If they decide to pass you get vernon and delanie on lbs in space if they run we have the personell to do that also with gore. Theres will be growing pains but its going in the right direction im not going on hope like years past i actually believe in the staff.

OP is dead on. Nothing has changed and to expect different results will mean....well you know the rest