St. Louis Rams week 9 coaches film analysis

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by Loco49er:
Kaep had plenty of time to realize that Crabtree was not a good option and check down to Hyde. I'm tired of Kaep always trying to go for the home run when the best option is right in front of him.

I agree. Again, given our M.O., even after a T.O., THIS is what the coaches dial up...a shot at the corner of the EZ 30 yards out under 3 seconds (very low probability completion). CK either has to trust his coaches play call here and Crabtree's ability to get there around the 2-second mark or pull it down and check to Hyde instantly. As a company man, what would you do? Take a shot? Abandon the play and check down? Do you have confidence in this coaching staff that they are teaching CK to look to this primary receiver (deep one) and then to check down immediately to the RB if not there? If you do, we would have won the NFCCC easily.

Given that this same pattern is still apparent, either CK is THE dumbest QB of all time and is ignoring his coaching at every turn ("Check down you fool!") or he's not being coached (down/up) this way. It's up to you to decide. I personally think CK is a pretty smart kid and he's a company man and trusting the play calls and player abilities. I don't think the coaches are putting he or the receivers or the OL in position to be successful on a consistent basis.

He needs to stop going to Crabs for the home run. It doesn't work.

Originally posted by jreff22:

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by Loco49er:
Kaep had plenty of time to realize that Crabtree was not a good option and check down to Hyde. I'm tired of Kaep always trying to go for the home run when the best option is right in front of him.

I agree. Again, given our M.O., even after a T.O., THIS is what the coaches dial up...a shot at the corner of the EZ 30 yards out under 3 seconds (very low probability completion). CK either has to trust his coaches play call here and Crabtree's ability to get there around the 2-second mark or pull it down and check to Hyde instantly. As a company man, what would you do? Take a shot? Abandon the play and check down? Do you have confidence in this coaching staff that they are teaching CK to look to this primary receiver (deep one) and then to check down immediately to the RB if not there? If you do, we would have won the NFCCC easily.

Given that this same pattern is still apparent, either CK is THE dumbest QB of all time and is ignoring his coaching at every turn ("Check down you fool!") or he's not being coached (down/up) this way. It's up to you to decide. I personally think CK is a pretty smart kid and he's a company man and trusting the play calls and player abilities. I don't think the coaches are putting he or the receivers or the OL in position to be successful on a consistent basis.

He needs to stop going to Crabs for the home run. It doesn't work.

Just like in last years NFCC game, Crabtree was never open. I don't think CK is dumb and I'm not sure what the coaches are teaching him but as a NFL QB you have to know that the play design has an underneath outlet in case the 4 verticals are covered.

Originally posted by thl408:

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by Loco49er:
Kaep had plenty of time to realize that Crabtree was not a good option and check down to Hyde. I'm tired of Kaep always trying to go for the home run when the best option is right in front of him.

I agree. Again, given our M.O., even after a T.O., THIS is what the coaches dial up...a shot at the corner of the EZ 30 yards out under 3 seconds (very low probability completion). CK either has to trust his coaches play call here and Crabtree's ability to get there around the 2-second mark or pull it down and check to Hyde instantly. As a company man, what would you do? Take a shot? Abandon the play and check down? Do you have confidence in this coaching staff that they are teaching CK to look to this primary receiver (deep one) and then to check down immediately to the RB if not there? If you do, we would have won the NFCCC easily.

Given that this same pattern is still apparent, either CK is THE dumbest QB of all time and is ignoring his coaching at every turn ("Check down you fool!") or he's not being coached (down/up) this way. It's up to you to decide. I personally think CK is a pretty smart kid and he's a company man and trusting the play calls and player abilities. I don't think the coaches are putting he or the receivers or the OL in position to be successful on a consistent basis.

Do you think it's out of the realm of possibility that Kap could have targeted VD over the middle? I'm not understanding why you think the coaches are telling Kap to target Crabtree. At least, they better not be telling him to target Crabs. That's not how 4 verticals works. There is no primary WR on this play. Read the safeties and make the correct throw. Kap made a poor read on the safety playing to Crabs' side. No way Crabs should have been targeted. And look how poorly the MLB played this. He should have been victimized for a TD.

No way, I'd absolutely be willing to concede that this is a possibility but given that we've run this same Crabtree-to-the-far-corner-of-the-EZ play a few thousand times from various formations, I'm willing to safely guess Crabtree IS the primary receiver in this formation and given that CK doesn't even hesitate to launch it at 2 seconds, it sort of lends itself to this idea esp. when he has two guys absolutely wide open in the middle of the field (like you/I noted). You're assuming there is no primary read here and this is a spread formation where CK just needs to pick the best option. This could certainly be the case. But if so, CK quite possibly is the worst QB of all time. LOL. Given that CK rarely ever hits a check down unless on the run on a broken play after the primary target, my best guess is that Crabtree was the primary receiver in this play call and CK trusted it to work...for the thousand and oneth time.

It's harder to tell in this game b/c he was pressured so much around 2 seconds that he pretty much felt (in his head) that he only had time to stick with his first read. This is why I emphasized that this play took place after the T.O. Sure, he could have still seen it wrong but that's unlikley b/c it's not hard to see two deep S's cheating towards the sidelines over the top to the area you plan on throwing too. This is another reason I think Crabtee was a primary target in this design and CK trusted it.

Originally posted by thl408:

Originally posted by NCommand:
thl408...Brooks is my guy but every game this kid is growing at the SAM and this kid is special. This is just a hustle sack...he never stops fighting and then he gets his sack!

This kid is indeed special. With his long, all white sleeves, he looks like Aldon.

The thing that many don't see about him is that he learns and learns quickly! He got burned on a screen earlier in the year but in the very next series, he not only stopped his own pass rush, but sprinted out wide and stuffed the screen for a TFL. That is special. Period!

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by thl408:

Originally posted by NCommand:
thl408...Brooks is my guy but every game this kid is growing at the SAM and this kid is special. This is just a hustle sack...he never stops fighting and then he gets his sack!

This kid is indeed special. With his long, all white sleeves, he looks like Aldon.

The thing that many don't see about him is that he learns and learns quickly! He got burned on a screen earlier in the year but in the very next series, he not only stopped his own pass rush, but sprinted out wide and stuffed the screen for a TFL. That is special. Period!

Being a late-round pick, I am loving what I am seeing from him. A nice rotation with Aldon, Lynch, Skuta, and Brooks is a nice set up for the remainder of the year. With the experience they all have, we can stick any one of them out there and expect them to stay fresh.

Now, if we can get this damn offense going.

Originally posted by Loco49er:

Originally posted by jreff22:

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by Loco49er:
Kaep had plenty of time to realize that Crabtree was not a good option and check down to Hyde. I'm tired of Kaep always trying to go for the home run when the best option is right in front of him.

I agree. Again, given our M.O., even after a T.O., THIS is what the coaches dial up...a shot at the corner of the EZ 30 yards out under 3 seconds (very low probability completion). CK either has to trust his coaches play call here and Crabtree's ability to get there around the 2-second mark or pull it down and check to Hyde instantly. As a company man, what would you do? Take a shot? Abandon the play and check down? Do you have confidence in this coaching staff that they are teaching CK to look to this primary receiver (deep one) and then to check down immediately to the RB if not there? If you do, we would have won the NFCCC easily.

Given that this same pattern is still apparent, either CK is THE dumbest QB of all time and is ignoring his coaching at every turn ("Check down you fool!") or he's not being coached (down/up) this way. It's up to you to decide. I personally think CK is a pretty smart kid and he's a company man and trusting the play calls and player abilities. I don't think the coaches are putting he or the receivers or the OL in position to be successful on a consistent basis.

He needs to stop going to Crabs for the home run. It doesn't work.

Just like in last years NFCC game, Crabtree was never open. I don't think CK is dumb and I'm not sure what the coaches are teaching him but as a NFL QB you have to know that the play design has an underneath outlet in case the 4 verticals are covered.

This is a terrific point. In fact, nothing highlighted that more than the NFCCG itself. If there EVER was a time to be morph into Captain Checkdown, that was it...the RB's were chip-blocking and flaring out in the middle of the field and flats WHILE the Hawks assigned a LB spy to CK and their secondary was deep in coverage guarding against our intermediate-deeper passing routes. These RB's were so open it was almost comical. In many instances they had nothing to do but start blocking for CK down field on a scramble drill. We noted in the off season that is CK adds this ONE skill to this intermediate passing game, we'd be unstoppable. Absolutely unstoppable. And here we are...that said, I did spit my beer out during this very game when CK spotted a S cheating up to blitz off RT and CK not only recognized it, but threw a nice lob pass to Hyde flaring out to the flat for 6 yards making it an easy 2nd and 4. I. Was. So. Happy!

I just wish someone would say to him (and we'd build in short outlets to every passing play), "CK. OK, here's the deal...on your primary read, if it doesn't look good to you quickly check to your second read right away and if neither are there, take what the defense does give you and hit the checkdown instantly. Do this EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. And watch what happens..."

Here is Boldin's TD.

49ers: Playaction, rollout right with a hi-low along the right sideline. Very similar to the VD TD last season where he jumped over a Ram defender to score.


After the playfake to the stretch run to the left, Kap rolls out right.


Carrier's corner route is defeated. Ellington is bracketed. Boldin has a defender in his hip pocket.


VD finishes his blocking assignment to sell the play fake and starts to mirror Kap. Similar to the TD last season. The defender on Boldin notices VD leaking out with not one to defend VD. Kap will pump fake to VD.


The pump fake to VD gets Boldin's defender to leave Boldin. Kap is mid windup, targeting Boldin. Boldin stops his route to find a nice quiet area.


Boldin just made the catch. Blue defender is caught with a blown coverage.


VD continues to attract attention even when slumping.

We should be rolling him out of the pocket on every other pass. He sees the field better on the move, and it cuts down on the number of guys he has to track.

^^^ this is my favorite ad lib TD of the year so far!

Originally posted by NCommand:

^^^ this is my favorite ad lib TD of the year so far!

It's up there, but the TD to Gore against the Chiefs (or maybe the Eagles) was great. When he released the ball I was thinking "what the f*** are you doing?!" Then Gore is standing there with nothing but grass around him.

Originally posted by NCommand:

^^^ this is my favorite ad lib TD of the year so far!

This is a beautifully designed play. During the game I was thinking it was spider y banana. However, seeng it here there is a lot more going on. You got gore lined up almost as a FB, vd blocking and releasing (and influencing coverage to spring boldin) and just for another added wrinkle you have Ellington lined up deep.

Again, beautifully designed play.

Originally posted by Niners816:

Originally posted by NCommand:

^^^ this is my favorite ad lib TD of the year so far!

This is a beautifully designed play. During the game I was thinking it was spider y banana. However, seeng it here there is a lot more going on. You got gore lined up almost as a FB, vd blocking and releasing (and influencing coverage to spring boldin) and just for another added wrinkle you have Ellington lined up deep.

Again, beautifully designed play.

I like it a lot too with several options at several levels and locations. It just becomes an ad lib (which we're great at for TD's @ 8 of our 12 TD's now) once the flow is covered and Boldin jumps back to find a soft hole like a TE and CK absolutely sells it perfectly. He even stops completely, and stands tall and wings it like Panik to Belt at first base for a double play!

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by Niners816:

Originally posted by NCommand:

^^^ this is my favorite ad lib TD of the year so far!

This is a beautifully designed play. During the game I was thinking it was spider y banana. However, seeng it here there is a lot more going on. You got gore lined up almost as a FB, vd blocking and releasing (and influencing coverage to spring boldin) and just for another added wrinkle you have Ellington lined up deep.

Again, beautifully designed play.

I like it a lot too with several options at several levels and locations. It just becomes an ad lib (which we're great at for TD's @ 8 of our 12 TD's now) once the flow is covered and Boldin jumps back to find a soft hole like a TE and CK absolutely sells it perfectly. He even stops completely, and stands tall and wings it like Panik to Belt at first base for a double play!

My favorite aspect is VDs route. Had the defender stayed with boldin then VD is wide open. This is one of those plays I would love to more than once in a game, because it really looks like a very tough cover.

Another thing I noticed is frank looks like can be that backside WR and float out much like the Philly play, it occupies the backside of the D and keeps them honest.

The more I look at this play the more I absolutely love it. Kaps talents makes plays like this viable, this has to become a staple play.

Originally posted by verb1der:
Hey JonnyDel, I would like to know your honest opinion about Kaep. I don't trust Greg Cossel, I think he has an agenda.

What agenda do you think Cossel would have against Kaepernick?

Chris Borland showed excellent instincts and a nose for the ball. When he got there, he showed good tackling form to the tune of 22 tackles. Being a shorter LB has its advantages. His pad level is naturally lower than all the blockers he will take on. Here are a few plays that show off the various aspects of his game that seem almost veteran like.

Borland #1

STL: Zone Right


Once the LT is spotted getting to the second level, this is the cleat indicator it is 'run'. Notice where Borland's feet are (29 yard line). The handoff to the RB has not taken place yet.


Borland comes up to engage the LT at the 27 yard line. The LT (6'5" 335lbs, 2nd overall pick Eugene Robinson) has to get very low to have a chance at being lower than Borland. He knew where his help was (Bethea) and hits the correct shoulder of the LT.


Good job coming up as much as possible to meet the LT. Borland sheds the block and makes the tackle.