Quick Scouting Report On The 49ers

NFLN happened to have the 49ers Vs Rams game on as one of its replay games this week. I wanted to share some of the things I saw. Remember however that this is just one game and so it doesn't mean what they did against the Rams they will do against the Bucs. But for the sake of argument I will also give some ideas on what I would do if the 49ers' game plan is similar this week.

Observations

- It appeared they almost exclusively pulled their left guard Mike Iupati. Not sure if they saw something about the Rams defense or if that's just how they roll but most of the power Os and traps were definitely to the defense's left.

- It was hard to tell which way the center would slide in pass protection. I would need to see more than one game in order to notice any tendencies, especially since the 49ers are such a run heavy team and even when they pass its not always or even usually out of shotgun. The one thing that was noticeable though is that the guards love to jump guys at the line of scrimmage and punch them.

- Starting left tackle Joe Staley is out and the guy backing him up for this game was evidently Tony Wragge who is listed as a backup center. It appears that veteran Barry Sims, who is the guy actually listed as Staley and who hasn't been active for a game all year, will get the start. From what I recall Sims has good feet but has never been a really strong guy.

- Troy Smith is mobile but he didn't look to take off running down the field much against the Rams. Rather he moved around in and outside the pocket to buy time to throw the ball down field.

- The 49ers use 2 tight ends quite a bit and they will run or pass with that personnel but they are especially good running the ball. They will put a tight end on either side of the formation and try to spread the defense wide and then run up inside or hit the backside edge and force the corner to make a tackle.

Suggestions

- I would use a lot of under defense this week, especially when there are 2 tight ends in the game. Under, or what some people call an Odd front, gives you three defenders on the line of scrimmage to the strong side. It also gives you a 3 technique and, if there's a tight end there, a six technique to the backside which helps to protect the backside edges. For a team that likes to run a lot of powers and traps it generally gives them fewer options and those plays a lower chance of success. Also because the 49ers feature tight end Vernon Davis so much that will allow the Bucs to keep their regular defense on the field a lot instead of having to go to nickel on early downs. That also means that our Sam linebacker will have the chance to get physical with him on the line of scrimmage on play action passes.

- I would throw the Pirate stunt out this week and instead use Over stick when I wanted to run a stunt. Because the guards jump the defensive tackles on play action pass the B gap is generally going to be wide open on the weakside and an Over stick gives the defense an opportunity to get quick pressure on Smith right off the snap. That's important because on early downs when the 49ers go play action pass they kept a lot of people in to help block against the Rams.

- I wouldn't run any TOM games this week because, again, it was hard to get a tendency on where the center would be sliding and if you guess wrong its probably not going to end up well.

- I WOULD run EX games on both sides. Again the guards short setting makes it a situation where they are on a different level with the offensive tackles who tend to be setting back and that's perfect for EX games. Also if you pressure the quarterback double ex games will probably force him outside rather than allowing him to scramble up the middle. That means Smith who doesn't really want to get down the field anyway will likely end up with only one side of the field to throw to. As long as the defenders know to stay back and cover and let the rush track him down unless he crosses the line of scrimmage it should be a win for the defense.

- Last week Rams defensive end Chris Long gave 49ers rookie left tackle Anthony Davis the business at the end of the game. The primary reason is because he had been setting him up all game. Davis has a soft set where he sets back, doesn't punch and basically just wants the rusher to get up field so he can ride them by. Long recognized this and instead bull rushed the hell out of him over and over at first. Then after Davis got tired of eating bull rushes and started sitting down in anticipation of them Long started beating him with speed rushes around the horn. At that point Davis was totally screwed and Long hit him with the spin move and left him standing in his tracks.

But the key is the bull rushes at the beginning which set everything else up. Now I don't know that the Bucs have a left end that can rush as well as Chris Long right now nor do I know that they will even be given an opportunity to do so. But my advice would be if they do get that chance to I'd tell them to run right up his numbers for most of the first half and then start breaking him down in the second half. Also there is something that Long does that I think all of the left ends on the roster would benefit from watching. That is how he escapes from a bull rush by keeping one arm straight to keep the guy off him and using the opposite hand to grab the blockers elbow or wrist and get it off of him. He looks a lot like Michael Strahan when he does it and its an excellent way to keep from getting stuck when you bull rush someone.

- Speaking of that the 49ers keep Davis in some to pass block at times and Long did an excellent job of rushing him. The key seemed to be to use power with him and then come off inside. The ends that tried to rush him outside ended up just getting washed by the quarterback.

- This would be a game when I would tell Gerald McCoy to make mostly outside moves. He can counter back inside at the level of the quarterback if he doesn't win at the line of scrimmage, but trying to make an inside move on the line of scrimmage this week is probably a fools errand with both guards short setting so much. Rip, run, and make them try to catch up with you.

- I would be very disappointed with Stylez G. White if makes many pure speed moves this week. I don't know how well Sims will be as a blocker but the inside move is going to be there regardless on account of how the guards block down inside. And even if Sims is giving up the outside rush, Smith is going to step up in the pocket so he won't be there even if White wins. Bull rushes and inside moves, bull rushes and inside moves, bull rushes and inside moves. That would be my plan for him.

- Although it will probably mean giving up a lot of yards I wouldn't blitz the 49ers much. For one they don't use a lot of formations that are vulnerable to blitzes. For two when they do use those formations they tend to call plays that happen to be blitz killers like all kinds of screens. I would put 8 in the box a lot by walking one of the safeties down but other than that Id make them show they can march down the field on a consistent basis without getting any big plays from their passing game.

I know Frank Gore is a monster but I also know that the 49er offense lacks discipline.  Make them run enough plays and they are sure to rack up some penalties wwhich will help to kill their drives.

Well that's all I've got based on one game. I just love playing Monday Morning Quarterback BEFOREhand lol.

Thursday Night Football

Just in case you forgot there is a NFL game tonight, the Bears at the 49ers. For those people playing fantasy football you definitely want to set your teams some time during the day today lest you lose some points. As for the game here is my prediction.

Bears at 49ers: 49ers. I actually wanted to pick the Bears on this one. I have ties to several of the coaches and front office types in Chicago and if their season gets any worse they might be out of there. But unfortunately I couldn't really find a good reason to pick them tonight. They have so many injuries, especially on defense, and the 49ers have this power running game that is going to go right at them tonight. Not only that but the 49ers will be at home, they are playing a 3-4 defense which always presents some unique problems and even moreso on a short week, and their head coach just so happens to be a former hall of fame player for the Bears. It just seems like to me that too many cards are stacked against the Bears tonight. I will say this though, thursday night games are notoriously unpredictable so if you are in a confidence league I wouldn't assign a lot of points to this game either way.

I will have the rest of my picks as usual tomorrow before noon. Good luck!

Wide Receiver News

The first news of the morning is that former Texas Tech wideout Michael Crabtree, who had supposedly threatened to sit out the season, signed with the San Francisco 49ers. I actually had the under on this one anyway. I figured the combination of the 49ers having a good start to the season along with not having any money coming in nor having a training table to eat at for free would make Crabtree blink and evidently it did since he got the same deal he pretty much could have gotten a couple of months ago.

The other news is that the Cleveland Browns have shipped off wideout Braylon Edwards to the New York Jets for two players and some picks. Now as much as Braylon probably deserved to get shit canned for his repeated violations of team and league policy including his recent fight with a Lebron James associate, let there be no mistake this move GREATLY improves the Jets' chances of not only making the playoffs but getting close to a championship this year. I know people will focus on his drops but one thing is for sure, when this guy is on there isn't a corner in the league who can check him. Besides that, he can work on his hands in NY but you can't coach his size and speed. He will give Mark Sanchez another big athletic target in the redzone also. I wouldn't expect a Randy Moss level rejuvenation of his career (seriously who else could pull that off anyway?) but barring injury I can just about guarantee that Edwards will help a pretty good Jets team approach greatness this year.

One last thing to remember is that as Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator, Jets head coach Rex Ryan had to face Braylon Edwards twice a year. Don't think for one second that this didn't play a role in the trade.

If I am wrong, please make sure to call me out on it later.

Can Not Play With Them, Can Not Win With Them, Can Not Coach With Them, Can't Do It

Most football fans remember 49ers Head Coach Mike Singletary's rant last year about Vernon Davis, but for those who don't here is a refresher.



Now I realize that everybody is allowed to make a few mistakes, especially young players. But I am also keenly aware that there are some complete head cases in the NFL. You never want to line up with all choir boys but you do need everyone to understand the difference between showing emotion and hurting your team. Vernon Davis still doesn't seem to get it, and I am begginning to think he is one of those head cases. Check out what Frank Gore, pretty much THE offense for the 49ers, had to say about Davis.

Frank Gore wants to see more maturity out of Vernon Davis, and he told him so.

"It's his fourth year now. Now it's time," Gore said Saturday.

The 49ers running back spoke to reporters a day after Davis said some teammates were upset by his latest training-camp fight. Coach Mike Singletary punished the entire team after Davis' scuffle by making players run sideline-to-sideline sprints.

Gore was among those unamused.

"I wasn't mad about having to run gassers," he said. "I just feel it's his fourth year now, and I told him it shouldn't be him now. Everybody makes mistakes but it shouldn't be him. OK, a rookie? I accept that."

Gore and Davis have a friendly relationship and joke around frequently in the locker room. Before talking to reporters Saturday, Gore said he already had spoken to the tight end about the matter, telling him: "It's time to be a man and try to do everything right. There are younger guys who probably look up to you on the team."

Now think about how bad it looks for the most important option on offense to have to call out one of the best options in the passing game for being a dumbass. But if that wasn't bad enough get a load of this clown's response.

Davis said of that experience: "A few guys were mad, but like I told them you can't get mad because there will be a time you make the rest of us run. I told them they should be happy that I made them run because it's extra work for us and a chance for us to get better."

Vernon Davis will be the same asshole who gets a dumb penalty and costs the 49ers a game and then who will stand up and say that you can't blame just him. He doesn't get it, and it doesn't seem like he will any time soon. Now maybe if he had shown in the past that he could fight in practice and then refrain during the games that would be one thing. But instead every bad habit he has in practice carries over to the game. Now he already has his Head Coach send him packing during the game last year now he has their franchise offensive player calling him out and instead of pledging to do better he is saying people should thank him?

I tell you what, if he gets stupid penalties again this year a lot of fans will thank Coach Singletary after he benches his crazy ass.

One thing I learned from Coach Tony Dungy playing under him that the best 53 guys for a team are not always the 53 best guys. But a team is about coming together to accomplish something bigger than any one person. And I just don't think Vernon Davis is ever going to understand that.

Michael Crabtree Needs To Fire His Cousin

I am not a guy who likes to say people need to be fired. You will rarely see me say a Coach needs to be fired or a player needs to be cut. Its a very serious thing in my mind to call for someone to lose their job. You are talking about taking food off their family's table and potentially uprooting them from the neighborhood that they live in. I personally don't think its something to be taken lightly.

Having said that, Michael Crabtree needs to fire his agent Eugene Parker cousin, David Wells. And I am pretty sure Crabtree's agent, Eugene Parker agrees with me.

From ESPN:

San Francisco 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree is prepared to sit out this season and re-enter the NFL draft in 2010, David Wells, Crabtree's cousin and adviser, said Thursday.

"We are prepared to do it," Wells said. "Michael just wants fair-market value. They took him with the 10th pick and you have Darrius Heyward-Bey [the seventh overall pick by the Oakland Raiders] getting $38 million? This week is crucial. Michael was one of the best players in the draft and he just wants to be paid like one of the best players. This week is very crucial."

However, Crabtree's agent told ESPN.com that no such threat has been made on his part.

Addressing the report, agent Eugene Parker told ESPN.com on Thursday afternoon: "You've known me a long time and I'm not a guy who makes threats. Nor am I a guy who negotiates in the public. I don't know where this came from but no such threat has been made."

Wells said he believes the Niners have made an offer but that it is not acceptable. Wells said Crabtree is ready to start practicing and was held out of OTAs this spring by coaches only for precautionary reasons.

This is why you don't hire family in this kind of a business situation.

Obviously his cousin, Mr. Wells doesn't understand what the hell it means to make that kind of threat to an NFL team and pass it off as credible. He also is obviously oblivious to the fact that Crabtree has already garnered, rightly or wrongly, a reputation as a "diva". Making a statement about sitting out the season is not only ridiculous, it is also reckless and it could cost his cousin money.

I know blood is thicker than water, or so the saying goes, but Crabtree needs to cut bait right now with his cousin and let the guys he is paying to negotiate his contract be allowed to negotiate his contract.

My Sleeper Playoff Pick

I will be keeping an eye on the San Francisco 49ers this year. I think that the combination of having Mike Singletary as head coach for a full year, with having a run oriented Offensive Coordinator in Jimmy Raye will tranlate into a lot more wins in a division that to me is up for grabs. Nobody knows how the Seattle Seahawks will react to new head coach nor how their offense will fare with the return of Matt Hassleback. The St. Louis Rams also have a new head coach in and look to be rebuilding with their jettisoning of perrinial Pro Bowlers, Orlando Pace and Tory Holt. Now I know a lot of people would say that the Arizona Cardinals are an obvious choice to repeat as Division Champions, however I don't know about that one. First they lost their Offensive Coordinator, Todd Haley, to a head coaching job. Second Kurt Warner is coming off hip surgery, and third due to offseason discord with several key players over new contracts, it remainns to be seen what kind of team chemistry they will have.

The 49ers have been quietly assembling a lot of talent over the years but I don't think they ever used that talent effectively until Singletary took over at the end of last year. They had one of the better running backs in the league in Frank Gore, yet they ran the ball all the time. On the flip side they had a very athletic Tight End in Vernon Davis but they made him into mostly a blocker. And of course we know how bad their QB play has been until the end of last year. Well I personally think that was a product of throwing too much and also not being able to protect very well.

On Defense they have a LOT of talent but they were moving them around so much that most of their guys never could get into a groove. Now we learn that for the most part they are going to let guys play their position this year. I think that will help them tremendously and a guy I think will have a big year this year for them is Manny Lawson at outside linebacker. I really liked the guy coming out of NC State where he played along side the Texans' Mario Williams.

Now obviously some things have to happen for them to turn it around in one year. For one they have to pick a quarterback who won't give the game away. For two they have to avoid injuries. I think those are the two most important factors in them getting to the playoffs this year. I think both are doable and that they will get it done.

Lastly I think rookie Glenn Coffey out of Alabama will make a major difference this year spelling Gore at running back. He may even end up in contention for offensive rookie of the year.