Can't believe this is how Alex and co. were coached last year...

Originally posted by Canadian49er:
Really, though?

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/10/06/3964105/49ers-smith-makes-better-decisions.html#mi_rss=49ers


When Alex Smith saw an Eagles cornerback and safety blitzing from his right side in the third quarter Sunday, he knew exactly what to do.He dropped back three steps and fired a dart to wide receiver Joshua Morgan, who sprinted untouched into the end zone for a 30-yard touchdown. The score was San Francisco's first big step in erasing a 20-point Eagles lead.

Last year, that play wouldn't have been nearly as automatic.

When a defense blitzed, 49ers receivers were required to break off their original routes. Smith had to interpret what the receiver was thinking. The receivers had to guess what the quarterback was thinking. And all that mind reading led to mistakes.

"Last year he had so much going on, so much that they put on Alex's mind when it came to the blitz," Morgan said. " … They had too many people trying to read the blitz. Sometimes they'd get it wrong. Sometimes they'd get it right. When you've got other people trying to do the quarterback's job, then you've got miscommunication."

This year, the 49ers' response to blitzes is simpler and reflective of a head coach, Jim Harbaugh, who used to be an NFL quarterback. The receivers continue to run their original route and leave it up to the quarterback to decide where to throw it.

Originally posted by 49ersalldaway126:

Originally posted by jreff22:
Shaj and Sus need to read this

shaj will read but not comment

Originally posted by Shorteous:
I'm not expert but I'm pretty sure breaking off routes due to blitz's and option routes are not the same thing. It also doesn't mean that Alex can't also audible/hotroute on the line of scrimmage. There is still allot that needs to be done by the receiver, there is still route adjustments or changes. But it is designed into the play before hand and probably a particular to the DB coverage type and if the defense is showing man or zone. Things like the corners are jamming, playing inside coverage, playing inside out coverage, playing with a cushion, showing zone, pressing with zone, ect. Route adjustments are still intact I believe for this stuff, but I think the route shifting due to non coverage aspects such as overload blitz's and such are not part of the receivers responsibilities any more.

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:

Originally posted by 49ersalldaway126:

Originally posted by jreff22:
Shaj and Sus need to read this

shaj will read but not comment

They will pretend they missed this thread.

Originally posted by 49erLegacy:
Calling Singletary a coach is insulting to other coaches...who really coach!!!!!

Originally posted by DJD:
Sounds about right. Singletary's downfall was in firing Martz as soon as he had to power to do so. Martz was a big part of the late season success that led to Singletary getting the job to begin with, then as thanks he fires him. Singletary's complete lack of offensive understanding would have been ok had he kept an offensive master at his side. But stubborn insecure Singletary thought he'd be better off on his own. In the end he did us all a favor by taking that path. Harbaugh is such a massive upgrade, worth every painful step to get on our team.

Originally posted by backontop:

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:

Originally posted by 49ersalldaway126:

Originally posted by jreff22:
Shaj and Sus need to read this

shaj will read but not comment

They will pretend they missed this thread.

No Shaj will pull his usual self by quoting some business model in an attempt to discredit the article and claim Alex Smith as the worst bust of all time.