I spend a lot of time on opposing teams pages these days because I really enjoy the conversation with fans of opposing teams. You kinda get homer takes for their teams just as you do here with our Niners, but I think it's a really good way to see the team the Niners are up against from inside enemy lines instead of the mostly wrong national view. I think you all know what I mean when you see the way the Niners are talked about. Its really the truth for all 32 NFL teams. Those guys just regurgitate the same old talking points, but really know less than average fans of every NFL team.
That was certainly true in particular of Steeler, Browns, and Panther fans and those conversations were a lot of fun this year.
Anyway, here we go…
1) Jimmy Garoppolo: I've been sayin this for awhile now tho I haven't posted much on the 'zone these days but to me Jimmy is following a very predictable path. What we lost last year when he got hurt wasn't a possible playoff season. What we lost was TIME in that system for Jimmy. TIME on the field making mistakes and learning from them. TIME to see issues and work through them with Kyle. TIME to get to know this offensive system inside and out and roll with it when Kyle changes on the fly...which he does a lot.
That's what we are seeing this year. In 2015, Kyle Shanahans first year in Atlanta, there was an article I read and will never forget.
https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2015/12/1/9820316/kyle-shanahan-quarterback-killer
Kyle Shanahan, QB Killer.
"The passing offense has been atrocious for weeks. Turnovers, inaccurate throws, and predictability have haunted this team. While Atlanta's supporting cast could use some improvement, the passing offense has taken a decidedly swift step back since last year. How can a Pro Bowl quarterback and a Pro Bowl wide receiver look so ordinary, so quickly?
In my opinion, the problem has to originate with one of either two people: QB Matt Ryan or OC Kyle Shanahan.
Simply put, Ryan is having his worst year as a pro. He looks uncomfortable playing, and his mechanics have been a mess all season. He has been asked to do a number of things he has never excelled at, such as throwing on the run, and a lot of bootlegs. Ryan has always been at his best running an uptempo offense, but oddly he is only able to run those in the last few minutes of a half. That is also usually the only time the Falcons are able to quickly score."
In 16 starts in 2015, Matt Ryans Stat line was as follows:
66.3 Comp%, 4591 Yards, 21 TDs, 16 INTs, 89 QB Rating.
In 2016, Matt Ryan was the NFL MVP.
So what are Jimmy Garoppolos stats under Shanahan? 16 starts and a drive:
67.5 Comp%, 4084 Yards, 25 TDs, 15 INTs, 97.1 QB Rating.
In addition to this, he started the season recovering from a Torn ACL. JIMMY. NEEDS. TIME. That's it. Now some will say "yeah but he's being paid like a star" or whatever. Get that outta here. That's a designation that exists only in the head of the fan or sportswriter. Those $$$ are a byproduct of the situation, not how far down the development path Jimmy was. The 49ers knew that. I don't deal in utopia…I deal in reality. The reality is that Jimmy came into this season with 10 career starts. That's it. He is not and was not a finished product.
There was so much BS going on this offseason around 5 straight INTs in a practice, a poor preseason performance, and then the team not needing him to win games because the rest of the team was dominant that I really think people lost sight of what he can be and where he is on the learning curve. A narrative that was cool to talk about on ESPN came about that Jimmy was holding the team back. These people seem unable to read the record of the team WITHOUT Jimmy or what happened in 2017 when he started the last 5 games of the year.
Jimmy will get better as this year progresses. Jimmy will be much better next year than he is this year because he'll have been in those trenches and will have gotten the time under center than he needed.
I got no issue whatsoever with Jimmy. I ain't sayin he wins the MVP next year, but people who have issues with him simply don't have a clue and don't have any context around what he's doing. In short, National Media is clueless. Shocker, right?
2) Nick Bosa: Um….wow. Bosa was the guy I wanted but I NEVER anticipated he'd be this good this fast. If (big IF) he can stay healthy, that guy will be a perennial All-Pro. That's the kind of guy you only hope and dream you can get when you pick that high. That's the guy you can build a D around.
I just hope he stays on the field. If he does, there are no limits on him. I badly wanted Khalil Mack when it became clear the Raiders were going to move him. Nick Bosa on a rookie contract for 4 years or Khalil Mack on the biggest contract for a defender ever? Um...yeah. I'll take Bosa.
I've struggled to find a comp for him and I just can't find one. I think he's actually better than his brother. MAYBE J.J. Watt? Dunno...thats a tall order and we'll see how he improves.
3) WR: Dante Pettis is maddening. I don't have another word. So much talent, so much space and separation he's able to create, so little consistency being where he's supposed to be or catching the ball when its in his reach. Guy seems to get open with ease, but refuses to fight for the ball or even work back to the ball and just lets defenders step in front or go up for the ball. I don't have an exact count but I'll bet a ton of Jimmys INTs were intended for Pettis.
I love Deebo, but its clear he sometimes plays like he's a rookie. That drop in the endzone….sigh. There are moments where he shows off his speed and power and then there are moments where I wonder what he's doing.
Emmanuel Sanders? Man…I love that move. I'm not in love with the compensation, but if Sanu cost a 2 then I get why Sanders cost a 3. We might look back on that move and say that was the move that put them over the top.
I like Ritchie James, but honestly, all the other guys are "Just A Guy" to me. Goodwin? Great guy, fast…not a great WR.
4) Kwon Alexander: That one hurts. Bad. I didn't know what to expect from him, but he has been a huge piece of this D and his value extends beyond the field. Leadership and Attitude: Two things we likely never would have seen from Reuben Foster. Kills me that he's done for the year, but I look forward to seeing him next year.
5) Arik Armstead and Jimmie Ward: Its been awhile since I've spent a lot of time on the Webzone, but I'm curious how many of you have changed your tune in regards to these two past 1st round picks. Both of these guys are playing at or near a Pro Bowl Level. Armstead unfortunately might be playing himself off the team, but I'll take that right now. If he keeps up this pace, do they franchise him in the offseason in hopes of trading him? Dunno. As of this moment tho, I love his game.
6) Run D: This is my biggest concern for this team. I'd love to say that Arizona was a fluke and that we cold write that off as a short turnaround Thursday Night on the road, but low key, the 49ers have been gashed on long runs all season. It stopped being pertinent because the 49ers were up by so many points that they could just say "sick 'em" to the front 4 on passing downs, but seems at some point someone is going to make a big effort to exploit that run D and I don't know if the Niners can stop it.
7) Breida/Coleman/Mostert: I have always been a fan of the workhorse RB, but this trio really has me wondering if I was right on this one. These guys are all cheap and are just crushing it this season. The reality though is that it's the system that makes this whole thing go. Kyle, like his dad, knows exactly what he's looking for in his runners.
Terrell Davis. Olandis Gary. Mike Anderson. Clinton Portis. Alfred Morris. Arian Foster. Devonta Freeman. Tevin Coleman.
There are a host of others. This is why you don't pay 10 mil for Bell or Elliott. Why do that if you can get guys on rookie contracts to average well over 5 yards per carry? This system is tried and true and its why I was SOOOOOO happy when Kyle was hired. I had actually hoped his dad would be the coach in the years prior just because I wanted that run game I'd been watching for so many years.
Well….it's here. Stunner…its still works. Its never NOT worked. I love it. Don't be surprised tho if 3 or 4 years for now, its 2 different guys running for 5 plus yards per carry.
8) Richard Sherman: Its funny the way things work out. I freely admit there was no NFL player I hated more than one Richard Sherman. I frequently shortened his first name to its natural nickname in conversation because I though it was much more apropos.
Something changed though, and it wasn't the most logical thing…that he became a 49er. No, it happened long before that. As the 49ers moved away from the Harbaugh years and into the Tomsula, Kelly….um….abyss, the world kinda changed on us all. Politically. I found myself still watching all the games and caring just as much, but the rivalries that had become so heated, really kinda ebbed to the point that it didn't matter what the Seahawks were doing. It made no difference until the 49ers could actually be relevant.
Then I found that politically, I wasn't all that different from Sherman. I agreed with most of his public statements. He stopped being the guy I hated so much.
By the time he got released by Seattle, I was all for them going after him. He's been incredible. The leadership, the attitude…all hugely important factors in this team not accepting good and demanding great.
9) George Kittle: I mean…what else can I say? With apologies to Brent Jones and none to Vernon Davis, simply the best TE the Niners have ever had.
10) Coaching: Kyle Shanahan has to at this point be the coach of the year. Now my concern is the 49ers losing assistants in the offseason. The one I fear the most is NOT Robert Saleh (I'll explain later), its Mike McDaniel.
NFL teams aren't looking for D-Coordinators to be HCs right now. You can thank the Seahawks DC Coaching tree for that one. I just don't see a team going after Saleh after Gus Bradley and Dan Quinn. In fact, the Falcons made the wrong choice…they should have let Quinn go after the Super Bowl and promoted Kyle Shanahan.
Thank God they didn't lol.
No, Mike McDaniel, 49ers Run Game Coordinator, is the name I'd expect to garner attention, along with Kris Kocurek for OC and DC positions respectively.
I think some teams may realize that the McVay coaching tree didn't start with McVay. I really think Kyle is the master and McVay is the dude desperately clutching Kyles red notebook. :D
[ Edited by Marvin49 on Nov 4, 2019 at 4:11 PM ]
