Has the Defense become weaker than the Offense?

The Smith injury hurt them a lot. They had to adjust playing without him.

Our Defense is fine.

So many fans are all "oooh" & "aaah" over the Offense making big plays now but they don't see the effect on the Defense.

They don't have any problem blaming them though.

Problem is that our D is built like the Ravens, and Harbaugh is now running the offense like like the 1999 Rams, they aren't used to us scoring as fast, so it almost creates a moderate effect as if we were the 2008 49ers who didn't score, but only kept the ball on 2 minute drives, and punted them back, lol.

This thread is the definition of a head scratchier

I think losing Justin Smith is # 1
I Think Aldon Smith is worn out some--is # 2
the secondary needs a better pash rush is # 3.

Last year when Patrick Willis was injured, Larry Grant came in and played really well. I think it might have been better to use Grant as an OLB to rest aldon smith now and then. keeping aldon fresher for the pass rush.

Originally posted by sfninerfanMax:
I think losing Justin Smith is # 1
I Think Aldon Smith is worn out some--is # 2
the secondary needs a better pash rush is # 3.

Last year when Patrick Willis was injured, Larry Grant came in and played really well. I think it might have been better to use Grant as an OLB to rest aldon smith now and then. keeping aldon fresher for the pass rush.

makes sense on running downs.

i was kinda worried about Aldon's endurance this season. people keep forgetting this is his first year starting.

haha 94% - 6% how did you even think this was thread worthy?

Originally posted by JeuSF49:

Originally posted by WestCoastForever:
What you said. Whatever happened to the WCO? We're back to the low percentage, high risk, low percentage bears/ravens game. We know we can do the long game, now we need to get back to the high percentage short and medium passes to convert third downs, and extend the running game and TOP to keep the defense refreshed.

Kaepernick. He is a type of QB who looks deep very often and toolate gets to the underneath stuff.

Smith is the opposite he briefly looked deep and then threw short.

A combination of the two would be ideal.

I noticed this too with Kaep, often it seems like he keeps looking downfield.
Once he realizes there is nothing downfield sometimes he is late with his underneath dump offs...

Originally posted by Heed49er:

The Offense is the reason the Defense has played poorly. Not enough TOP to let them rest.

In the games since the Rams tie I believe that the Niners have had the ball more than their opponents in every game except the Seahawks game.

Originally posted by sfninerfanMax:

I think losing Justin Smith is # 1
I Think Aldon Smith is worn out some--is # 2
the secondary needs a better pash rush is # 3.

Last year when Patrick Willis was injured, Larry Grant came in and played really well. I think it might have been better to use Grant as an OLB to rest aldon smith now and then. keeping aldon fresher for the pass rush.

I think the thread is legit and that's probably the best explanation why.

Originally posted by lamontb:
This thread is the definition of a head scratchier

You know what's making me scratch my head? The fact that everyone here doesn't just agree that if the defense IS having a problem, the problem is that Justin Smith is not playing. The idea that somehow the defense his having problems because the offense is more explosive is so absurd that I always wonder if the guys that say it are kidding. Come on. Justin Smith is one of the most important guys on the squad. Until Ricky Jean demonstrates that he can hold both his gaps against double teams, this defense is just not going to work like it has in the pasts. Justin Smith is extremely strong even by NFL standards. They have to double team him and even when they do, they really have a hard time moving him out of his gaps. Ricky Jean seemed to settle down and get better as the Cardinal game went on, but we'll have to see if he can hold his own. He's not going to be as good as Smith and hopefully the defense can make adjustments to account for that.

One could argue that the back-to-back Patriots and Seahawks games completely wiped out this team... Let's hope this bye week is enough to revive it.

a team in not defined by one player so smith does not make our D, we have not come this far on the back of justin smith, he is one of the best dline in the nfl but come on really.. when we get a lead we run the ball 3 and out, our d is on the feild so long bc of coach and play calling trying to play it safe..we will need to draft a d line maybe 2 or 3rd round but ricky jean will be fine

Originally posted by hardhitter2234:

a team in not defined by one player so smith does not make our D, we have not come this far on the back of justin smith, he is one of the best dline in the nfl but come on really.. when we get a lead we run the ball 3 and out, our d is on the feild so long bc of coach and play calling trying to play it safe..we will need to draft a d line maybe 2 or 3rd round but ricky jean will be fine

I'm sorry but that statement reeks of absurdity.