How can a team that did not have any holding penalties in the first three games get called for so many penalties today? Justin Smiley and Jonas Jennings were the main culprits today but the whole offense is to blame for today's meltdown. It would not have mattered if Tom Brady was playing quarterback for the 49ers today because the play-calling once again was atrocious and the linemen did not give the quarterbacks enough protection.
Trent Dilfer, subbing for an injured Alex Smith, did the best he could under duress. Has Jim Hostler ever heard of a screen pass to the running back? Hey Mr. Hostler, just a thought. I don't think Hostler even attempted a reverse this week but the play would probably go for a ten-yard loss considering how good the Seahawks defense played or or how poorly the 49ers blocked. It is one thing to get called for so many holding and offsides penalties on the road with a loud crowd, but to make so many mental mistakes at home is unacceptable. Someone has to be accountable for the mistakes and the head coach is at the top of the list.
Mike Nolan clearly did not have his team ready to play this game as Mike Holmgren clearly outcoached him. This was sweet revenge for the Seahawks as they were swept by the 49ers last season. Julian Petersen had a huge game and was in the 49ers backfield almost as much as the running backs were. The 49ers Faithful cannot blame Alex Smith for this loss. This team's offense is anemic and it won't get any better next week when the Ravens come to down. Ray Lewis, Bart Scott, and Ed Reed must be salivating at the thought of coming to the Bay Area next week after watching tape of this game. Maybe Smith should let his sore shoulder rest up for another week and come back after the bye week.
As for the 49ers defense, they did the best they could to try and keep the score respectable and held Seattle to field goals instead of touchdowns for the most part. Nate Clements had a nice interception but Derek Smith dropped what looked like an easy interception in the first half. Now you know why Smith leaves the field on passing downs besides the fact that he is not fast enough to cover anyone in space. Unfortunately for the 49ers, Matt Hasselback had more than enough time in the pocket to find his receivers.
While the Rams are in last place at 0-4, the Cardinals defeated the Steelers and are now 2-2 along with the 49ers. San Francisco may be in second place in the NFC West, but they could have easily been 0-4, as they luckily won the first two games at the end of the fourth quarter. With the Ravens coming up before the bye week, the 49ers Faithful better hold on because they are in for a bumpy ride.
Showing posts with label alex smith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label alex smith. Show all posts
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
49ers Offense Experiencing Growing Pains
Alex Smith is not Tom Brady, but he is no Rex Grossman either. No one should be surprised that the 49ers lost at Pittsburgh last Sunday 37-16. Smith finally threw for a touchdown but also had a costly interception. The 49ers are sitting pretty at 2-1 and tied with first place with the Seahawks as they head into a pivotol battle this Sunday against Seattle at home.
The key to Sunday's game will be getting Frank Gore back on track. Gore needs to get at least 100 yards and a touchdown. The defense has been playing well all year and kept the team in the game last week. Nate Clements will have to shutdown WR Deion Branch and the defense must not let Shaun Alexander run wild. Alexander is still a great running back, but he is nicked up and does not possess the speed of Willie Parker. Parker was the player who gave the 49ers defense fits all game long in Pittsburgh. TE Vernon Davis will be out for at least two weeks so WR Darrell Jackson must step up against his former teammates.
The loss to Pittsburgh was not surprising as the Steelers are one of the top three teams in the AFC with a great defense. No one expected rookie coordinator, Jim Hostler, to outcoach veteran defensive coordinator, Dick LeBeau, who is one of the best coordinators in the game. Hostler was overmatched in this battle. Instead of running Gore up the middle countless times, he should have called for more screen passes and sweeps. Everyone knows that Casey Hampton is a big run-stuffing tackle and yards would be hard to come by in the middle. I am sure the Seahawks will be ready for a double reverse by a wide reciever as Hostler likes to call that play at least once in a game. Although Smith threw 35 times, he should have attempted 50 passes. How about spreading the Steelers defense out by putting four WRs on the field? I guess Hostler never thought of that. Hostler decided to have Smith roll out of the pocket a few times, but the Steelers were disciplined and were always in position to make the tackles or disrupt Smith enough to make him hurry his throws.
This is the third offensive coordinator in three years for Smith and that has to be hard for him. Norv Turner was a perfect tutor for Smith but the Chargers made the mistake of making him their head coach. Turner is a great coordinator but a terrible head coach. The 49ers miss his creative play-calling and experience which Hostler does not yet have. Unfortunately for the 49ers Faithful, Smith and Hostler will experience growing pains together throughout the season.
The key to Sunday's game will be getting Frank Gore back on track. Gore needs to get at least 100 yards and a touchdown. The defense has been playing well all year and kept the team in the game last week. Nate Clements will have to shutdown WR Deion Branch and the defense must not let Shaun Alexander run wild. Alexander is still a great running back, but he is nicked up and does not possess the speed of Willie Parker. Parker was the player who gave the 49ers defense fits all game long in Pittsburgh. TE Vernon Davis will be out for at least two weeks so WR Darrell Jackson must step up against his former teammates.
The loss to Pittsburgh was not surprising as the Steelers are one of the top three teams in the AFC with a great defense. No one expected rookie coordinator, Jim Hostler, to outcoach veteran defensive coordinator, Dick LeBeau, who is one of the best coordinators in the game. Hostler was overmatched in this battle. Instead of running Gore up the middle countless times, he should have called for more screen passes and sweeps. Everyone knows that Casey Hampton is a big run-stuffing tackle and yards would be hard to come by in the middle. I am sure the Seahawks will be ready for a double reverse by a wide reciever as Hostler likes to call that play at least once in a game. Although Smith threw 35 times, he should have attempted 50 passes. How about spreading the Steelers defense out by putting four WRs on the field? I guess Hostler never thought of that. Hostler decided to have Smith roll out of the pocket a few times, but the Steelers were disciplined and were always in position to make the tackles or disrupt Smith enough to make him hurry his throws.
This is the third offensive coordinator in three years for Smith and that has to be hard for him. Norv Turner was a perfect tutor for Smith but the Chargers made the mistake of making him their head coach. Turner is a great coordinator but a terrible head coach. The 49ers miss his creative play-calling and experience which Hostler does not yet have. Unfortunately for the 49ers Faithful, Smith and Hostler will experience growing pains together throughout the season.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
49ers Offense is Offensive
Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good. The San Francisco 49ers somehow are 2-0 and know all about being lucky. The defense has been very impressive but their offense is quite offensive to say the least. Who is at fault for the anemic offense? Although fans place the blame squarely on Alex Smith's shoulders, he is not as big of a problem as the shoddy and very conservative play-calling by offensive coordinator,Jim Hostler. Niner fans are already wishing Norv Turner never left as the offensive coordinator to become the head coach of the Chargers.
How bad is the 49ers offense? They had only eight first downs last week compared to 20 by the Rams. Alex Smith has thrown zero touchdowns in two games. Vernon Davis only has four catches in two games when he should be the primary receiver on each passing play. Davis should be what Tony Gonzalez is for the Chiefs but he appears to be nothing but a decoy so far. Hostler has to do a better job of calling plays to get Davis open. Smith had a sheepish grin on his face after the game while telling reporters that he knows the offense has to get better. Mike Nolan and Hostler are doing Smith no favors by not letting Smith pass the ball in crucial downs. Instead of playing to win and showing faith in their young quarterback, they are basically telling Smith that they do not trust him in key situations. Steve Young was on a local tv show and said that Smith needs to demand more responsibility from his coach and that you should be able to tell if a quarterback will be any good by the end of his third year.
As the 49ers head to Pittsburgh later this week, they should not expect to score many points against one of the best defenses in the league. The Steelers have only allowed 10 points in two games. Smith will probably be under pressure the whole game and won't have time to throw any intermediate or deep routes. Pittsburgh did not give up more than 100 yards to any running back last year so Frank Gore will have trouble getting his yards.
The 49ers defense will have to key on #39, Willie Parker, who is one of the fastest backs in the NFL. Parker can easily turn a five-yard run into a 50-yard touchdown once he finds a small opening. Expect more than 25 carries from Parker on Sunday. Besides Parker, the other weapons on the team are veteran WR Hines Ward and speedy WR Santonio Holmes. Ward is one of their best blockers on running plays and loves to lay big hits on defensive backs. I am still not sold on their new head coach, Mike Tomlin, and am waiting to see how he handles the team during difficult times and games. The Steelers should win this game by 10 points, but the 49ers have nothing to lose on Sunday and should open up their playbook so we can see what they really have in Smith. Nolan has been able to laugh at all the criticism of the team's offense in the first two games by saying the bottom line is that they won both games. He won't be laughing anymore though if the 49ers start losing games due to the conservative play-calling by Hostler.
How bad is the 49ers offense? They had only eight first downs last week compared to 20 by the Rams. Alex Smith has thrown zero touchdowns in two games. Vernon Davis only has four catches in two games when he should be the primary receiver on each passing play. Davis should be what Tony Gonzalez is for the Chiefs but he appears to be nothing but a decoy so far. Hostler has to do a better job of calling plays to get Davis open. Smith had a sheepish grin on his face after the game while telling reporters that he knows the offense has to get better. Mike Nolan and Hostler are doing Smith no favors by not letting Smith pass the ball in crucial downs. Instead of playing to win and showing faith in their young quarterback, they are basically telling Smith that they do not trust him in key situations. Steve Young was on a local tv show and said that Smith needs to demand more responsibility from his coach and that you should be able to tell if a quarterback will be any good by the end of his third year.
As the 49ers head to Pittsburgh later this week, they should not expect to score many points against one of the best defenses in the league. The Steelers have only allowed 10 points in two games. Smith will probably be under pressure the whole game and won't have time to throw any intermediate or deep routes. Pittsburgh did not give up more than 100 yards to any running back last year so Frank Gore will have trouble getting his yards.
The 49ers defense will have to key on #39, Willie Parker, who is one of the fastest backs in the NFL. Parker can easily turn a five-yard run into a 50-yard touchdown once he finds a small opening. Expect more than 25 carries from Parker on Sunday. Besides Parker, the other weapons on the team are veteran WR Hines Ward and speedy WR Santonio Holmes. Ward is one of their best blockers on running plays and loves to lay big hits on defensive backs. I am still not sold on their new head coach, Mike Tomlin, and am waiting to see how he handles the team during difficult times and games. The Steelers should win this game by 10 points, but the 49ers have nothing to lose on Sunday and should open up their playbook so we can see what they really have in Smith. Nolan has been able to laugh at all the criticism of the team's offense in the first two games by saying the bottom line is that they won both games. He won't be laughing anymore though if the 49ers start losing games due to the conservative play-calling by Hostler.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
San Francisco 49ers 2007 Preview
Many NFL pundits and fans have predicted that the San Francisco 49ers will have a great season and contend for the playoffs. By signing players such as Nate Clements and Tully Banta-Cain in free agency, there is renewed optimism in San Francisco. The 49ers also had a solid draft as their first two draft picks, Patrick Willis and Joe Staley, have already become starters on the team. The depth on their roster is much better than last season's. Starters last season such as Defensive End Rodrick Green didn't even make the team.
Although the enthusiasm is high as the season is about to start, there could be many problems for this team. Frank Gore did not play one down in the preseason. The 49ers offense played poorly without him and Alex Smith has not proven that he can carry the team to a victory all by himself. During the preseason, Smith made many costly errors such as fumbling the ball or throwing an interception. Gore's health will be the main key for the 49ers all season long. If Gore is hurt, Michael Robinson and Maurice Hicks will have to share the load. Norv Turner left to coach the Chargers and the new offensive coordinator is Jim Hostler. Hostler has no experience calling plays in a game and his play-calling will be subjected to criticism if the offense falters. With Darrell Jackson, Vernon Davis, and Gore as weapons, there will be no excuses if this team is nothing short of an offensive juggernaut.
Alex Smith with Mike Nolan in the background
The 49ers defense is young and fast. It will be vastly improved from the past two years. However, their first team defense gave up a lot of points and long scoring drives in the preseason. The good news for the 49ers Faithful is that there are many playmakers on this defense. Patrick Willis was a tackling machine at Ole Miss and is considered a Ray Lewis type. Tully Banta-Cain should put a lot of pressure on quarterbacks and have more than ten sacks. Nate Clements is considered an elite cornerback and should be able to help the 49ers handle the many talented wide receivers in the NFC West such as Torry Holt, Anquan Bolden, and Deion Branch.
The 49ers schedule is not easy. They could easily be a 10-6 team or a 5-11 team. Their tough road games include Pittsburgh and the New York Giants. If they do not win their first game against Arizona, they could very well go 0-3, as they go on the road to face St.Louis and Pittsburgh. Their tough home games include Baltimore, New Orleans, and Cincinnati. They have winnable games on the road against Atlanta, Carolina, and Cleveland. Home games against Tampa Bay and Minnesota should be victories. The best-case scenario would probably be about 11 wins. Even if the 49ers do not make the playoffs this season, this team will be exciting to watch thanks to all their playmakers on both sides of the ball. Unlike the San Francisco baseball team, who have nothing but aging veterans with no young prospects, the 49ers are young and talented and this bolds well for the future as well as the present.
Although the enthusiasm is high as the season is about to start, there could be many problems for this team. Frank Gore did not play one down in the preseason. The 49ers offense played poorly without him and Alex Smith has not proven that he can carry the team to a victory all by himself. During the preseason, Smith made many costly errors such as fumbling the ball or throwing an interception. Gore's health will be the main key for the 49ers all season long. If Gore is hurt, Michael Robinson and Maurice Hicks will have to share the load. Norv Turner left to coach the Chargers and the new offensive coordinator is Jim Hostler. Hostler has no experience calling plays in a game and his play-calling will be subjected to criticism if the offense falters. With Darrell Jackson, Vernon Davis, and Gore as weapons, there will be no excuses if this team is nothing short of an offensive juggernaut.
Alex Smith with Mike Nolan in the background
The 49ers defense is young and fast. It will be vastly improved from the past two years. However, their first team defense gave up a lot of points and long scoring drives in the preseason. The good news for the 49ers Faithful is that there are many playmakers on this defense. Patrick Willis was a tackling machine at Ole Miss and is considered a Ray Lewis type. Tully Banta-Cain should put a lot of pressure on quarterbacks and have more than ten sacks. Nate Clements is considered an elite cornerback and should be able to help the 49ers handle the many talented wide receivers in the NFC West such as Torry Holt, Anquan Bolden, and Deion Branch.
The 49ers schedule is not easy. They could easily be a 10-6 team or a 5-11 team. Their tough road games include Pittsburgh and the New York Giants. If they do not win their first game against Arizona, they could very well go 0-3, as they go on the road to face St.Louis and Pittsburgh. Their tough home games include Baltimore, New Orleans, and Cincinnati. They have winnable games on the road against Atlanta, Carolina, and Cleveland. Home games against Tampa Bay and Minnesota should be victories. The best-case scenario would probably be about 11 wins. Even if the 49ers do not make the playoffs this season, this team will be exciting to watch thanks to all their playmakers on both sides of the ball. Unlike the San Francisco baseball team, who have nothing but aging veterans with no young prospects, the 49ers are young and talented and this bolds well for the future as well as the present.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)