Week 8: Thoughts after rewatching the game...

Some more observations:
1. Run offense did not get as many yards but they kept Arizon's defense preoccupied with the run and allowed them to have their wish - Alex Smith beat them.

2. Loved Moss's run after catch for the touchdown. He did not go down and he got many yards after the catch. Would like to see some slants for him, or just repeat this throw over and over.

3. Crabtree had an excellent game.

4. Loved Aldon Smiths pass rushing activities. He still has a lot of things to learn about coverage, and is a liability there, but his pass rushing is a beauty to behold.

5. Loved Justin Smith's drive and motor and relentlessness and his willingness to occupy so many olinemen so that the rest of the dline can get to the QB. It appears to me that the dline is content to beat up the QB even if they do not sack him. The end product is wins.

6. SF tried a few cutesy plays but mostly stuck with ground and pound. I liked it better that way. Liked some of the TV reports to show the different ways the Niners line up and what that did to the defense.

7. I hope that Smith's high rating last night sets the stage for more consistency and more TDs. It will be interesting to see SF and Chicago play. That will be a dynamite game.

8. Special teams played better last night and Ginn is defintely a good punt returner. ST is a weapon when Ginn is on the field. Great field position.

9. Disturbing trend regarding offsides and poor penalties all through the game. Hopefully they will clean those up.

10. Very Walshian that when they get a good score on the board they just eat the clock and get off the field, and win.

11. Good job coaching on all levels.

12. Hope Moss becomes a more consistent contributor. It would be nice to get him about 5 catches a game. Hope he continues to rub off on the rest of the WRs.

13. Walker is good in so many ways, but drives me crazy with drops and deflections up into the air. At least he caught a few while Arizona was focused on stopping Davis.

14. At least Davis caught a few passes and the defense still had to focus on Davis.

15. I think that the offense is still evolving with Smith. Smith seemed more comfortable with the WRs last night and is more willing to risk throws to them in coverage.

16. Wonderful win before the bye.

17. Final record will be 13 and 3 or 14 and 2.

Originally posted by Marvin49:

Originally posted by McLovinAlexSmith:
gobble gobble turkey

Gobble Gobble Jive Turkey.

LMAO! And I knew exactly what he was saying... LOL

Would like to add... that I'm glad they didn't play with Kaepernick and that WildKat Boolshiet. All it does is ruin the rhythm that Alex is always tryin to establish. Run that shiet in practice. You ain't fooling nobody anymore.

A+ for a very dominating game... Top to bottom.


Always look forward to your write up Marv. Good stuff...

Originally posted by RYPTOUT:
Would like to add... that I'm glad they didn't play with Kaepernick and that WildKat Boolshiet. All it does is ruin the rhythm that Alex is always tryin to establish. Run that shiet in practice. You ain't fooling nobody anymore.

A+ for a very dominating game... Top to bottom.


Always look forward to your write up Marv. Good stuff...

One of the things I noticed about watching Alex Smith last night is that he is able to play with a lead. Many other QB's that the media fawn over like Rivers and Romo can't keep themselves from chucking the ball to try and pump up their fantasy stats, and blow leads.

Alex doesn't always light up the stat sheet, but he protects the football. If it means taking a sack instead of throwing the ball up for grabs, the takes the sack, keeps the clock running, and protects the ball.

He also calls lots of run audibles to protect Gore by running him around the blitz.

He does a lot of things that don't show up in Fantasy Football, but are a critical part of winning games.

Great post as usual, Marvin.

Alex only attempted 4 passes in the second half and 19 overall. Way different approach than the average NFL team. Fine with me.

I would like to see them cut down on the dumb penalties. Alex could perhaps throw it away once in a while instead of taking a sack. Otherwise not much to complain about for sure!

Good

• Pass protection. I actually fault Alex for at least 2 of those sacks. Overall, the O-line dominated!
• Alex's precision. He could have been 100%, but one of those passes to Delani Walker was pretty lucky, so 18/19 is right. 94.7% is ridiculous!
• Run game in the first half.
• Crabtree and Moss
• Keeping Peterson in check on ST
• Aldon Smith!

Bad

• Penalties in the first half. They stalled 2 drives and we were lucky to even score the first TD.
• Offsides penalties in the second half. I'm sure it was loud in there, but it really looked tacky.
• Run game in the second half. I'm sure Arizona was deliberately attempting to stop the run, but it seemed unimaginative in the second half

Honestly, this was a great game! I'm still on cloud9. Great weekend of sports!

I think we can play with anybody as long as we have time to prepare. Great win Niners..............

Interesting what they said in the power rankings about culliver on NFL.com

"Alex Smith's night (18-for-19, 232 yards passing and three touchdowns) was the best performance of his career. Perhaps lost in Smith's amazing night, and definitely lost among all the studs on defense, was the play of second-year cornerback Chris Culliver. Is it just me, Niner fans, or is this guy pretty darn good? Hit me up @Harrison_NFL if I'm overrating Culliver, but he's more effective than Carlos Rogers, right?"

Originally posted by ApatheticIAm:
Interesting what they said in the power rankings about culliver on NFL.com

"Alex Smith's night (18-for-19, 232 yards passing and three touchdowns) was the best performance of his career. Perhaps lost in Smith's amazing night, and definitely lost among all the studs on defense, was the play of second-year cornerback Chris Culliver. Is it just me, Niner fans, or is this guy pretty darn good? Hit me up @Harrison_NFL if I'm overrating Culliver, but he's more effective than Carlos Rogers, right?"

Ya. I've been noticing Culliver since the beginning of the season. He's playing really well right now.

Originally posted by RYPTOUT:
Would like to add... that I'm glad they didn't play with Kaepernick and that WildKat Boolshiet. All it does is ruin the rhythm that Alex is always tryin to establish. Run that shiet in practice. You ain't fooling nobody anymore.

A+ for a very dominating game... Top to bottom.


Always look forward to your write up Marv. Good stuff...

I think it's a wrinkle we could possibly add, but we have to find an identity first. Mixing it in while we are still getting to know what we can do was only hurting our growing potential. Let us find a groove first, let us find where he may be useful, and then use him. Don't just throw him in there to throw him in there.

And about Culliver. Is it too early to call this guy a shut down corner? It may be a stretch but look at his body of work against some amazing WR talents. He's got the complete package. Speed, natural instincts, ability to catch up, and he plays "big" if that makes any sense. He plays like he's 6.4 or something. Not sure what it is but he seems taller than 6 ft out there.

The impact of Randy Moss on the team has been excellent, and I mean beyond what Moss contributes on the field.

I was struck the pure elation (for Moss) shown by team after his TD.

Originally posted by Marvin49:

Originally posted by ApatheticIAm:
Interesting what they said in the power rankings about culliver on NFL.com

"Alex Smith's night (18-for-19, 232 yards passing and three touchdowns) was the best performance of his career. Perhaps lost in Smith's amazing night, and definitely lost among all the studs on defense, was the play of second-year cornerback Chris Culliver. Is it just me, Niner fans, or is this guy pretty darn good? Hit me up @Harrison_NFL if I'm overrating Culliver, but he's more effective than Carlos Rogers, right?"

Ya. I've been noticing Culliver since the beginning of the season. He's playing really well right now.

playing good enough not to have a thread

Originally posted by Marvin49:

Originally posted by ApatheticIAm:
Interesting what they said in the power rankings about culliver on NFL.com

"Alex Smith's night (18-for-19, 232 yards passing and three touchdowns) was the best performance of his career. Perhaps lost in Smith's amazing night, and definitely lost among all the studs on defense, was the play of second-year cornerback Chris Culliver. Is it just me, Niner fans, or is this guy pretty darn good? Hit me up @Harrison_NFL if I'm overrating Culliver, but he's more effective than Carlos Rogers, right?"

Ya. I've been noticing Culliver since the beginning of the season. He's playing really well right now.

I agree. Last year, Culliver did not track the ball very well. This year he gets his head around in time to make the plays.

Rogers, Brown, Culliver, and Cox are playing well. Those four, along with Goldson and Whitner, have turned the pass defense into something special.

Originally posted by Marvin49:
First off...big ups to the SF Giants!!!! Twice in three years. Way to represent the Bay.

3) Pass D: Even tho they gave up 290 yards to Skelton (almost ALL garbage yards after game was decided), the scheme that they are playing is fantastic. They are playing coverage which is forcing defenses to move to a short passing game. When was the last time tou saw them give up a long TD pass? They haven't. They are forcing teams to check down and run short passes all day. That is why the sacks are down...teams are getting rid of the ball very quickly. I'm perfectly fine with that. BTW...Chris Culliver is turning into a very good player.

290 yards to a team that abandoned the run and threw 50+ times is nothing to be ashamed of. It's actually super-impressive.