The concerns I have

[jap1]

After sleeping on the performance yesterday, Ive come to the conclusion that I have some real concerns about our team. I will also put the caveat that I didnt watch the game, but just monitored it on gamecast.

Yes, other than the coaching, I think we generally played well. Enough to say that I think the team that the players on the field are good enough to compete for a playoff spot.

However, I dont think we are good enough to win a playoff game right now, or even to say we are a lock for the playoffs. I have some strong concerns about our defense. Especially against the run. Our run D this year has suffered, likely due to losing DJ and DeVito. The loss of Berry isnt helping at all either since he often essentially played LB.

In order to win in the playoffs, you cant give up big chunks on the ground. If you want to force turnovers, it is a lot easier when the other team has to pass because they have nothing on the ground. The 49ers punted what 2 or 3 times yesterday? We spent all this money on the best special teams coach and got an explosive return man, but cannot use them unless the D forces the other team to punt.

Right now, with the personnel we have, I dont think things will change much. The group that we have at LB are guys who should be playing special teams and filling in for when the starters are winded on any playoff team. They are playing their hearts out, but their skill level just isnt where it needs to be.

Hopefully, when Berry comes back, (and maybe Mays?) things will improve.

[jason1981]

Our defense has played well and its the play calling and not staying on the field offensively that aalowed our defense to get tired at the end. I think we played most of the snaps in our base def and we dont have the depth to stay fresh. Maybe with other teams that use more wr we play nickel more and which allows us to sub in others in at that time. I just think they wore us down at the end. Bit reids play calling didnt help cuz def was always kn the field.

[jap1]

Our defense has played well and its the play calling and not staying on the field offensively that aalowed our defense to get tired at the end. I think we played most of the snaps in our base def and we dont have the depth to stay fresh. Maybe with other teams that use more wr we play nickel more and which allows us to sub in others in at that time. I just think they wore us down at the end. Bit reids play calling didnt help cuz def was always kn the field.

I don't think it is a fatigue issue. If it was fatigue, then why did the first 3 run plays that SF ran go for 6, 9, and 12 yards? All on first downs (I.e. In predictable running situations).

Additionally, we have had the problem of giving up a lot of big runs the whole season, so I hesitate to blame Reid's offensive play calling for the consistently poor run defense.

We are giving up 4.8 yds per attempt. That is 26th in the league. We are giving up 127 yds/game (22nd).

However, all that having been said, we are doing a LOT better against the pass this year than I expected. Houston is quietly leading the league in sacks, the team is 4th in sacks, 11th in passing pct, and 8th in yds/game. Most importantly, there have been a lot less big plays downfield where the WR was open (I don't count those circus catches this week, the coverage was almost perfect).

If we could tighten up the run D, I think we would have a dominating D. But until we do that, I don't see us going deep into the playoffs, and I don't see us tightening up the run D until we get Mays and Berry back healthy.

[Eydugstr]

After sleeping on the performance yesterday, Ive come to the conclusion that I have some real concerns about our team. I will also put the caveat that I didnt watch the game, but just monitored it on gamecast.

Yes, other than the coaching, I think we generally played well. Enough to say that I think the team that the players on the field are good enough to compete for a playoff spot.

However, I dont think we are good enough to win a playoff game right now, or even to say we are a lock for the playoffs. I have some strong concerns about our defense. Especially against the run. Our run D this year has suffered, likely due to losing DJ and DeVito. The loss of Berry isnt helping at all either since he often essentially played LB.

In order to win in the playoffs, you cant give up big chunks on the ground. If you want to force turnovers, it is a lot easier when the other team has to pass because they have nothing on the ground. The 49ers punted what 2 or 3 times yesterday? We spent all this money on the best special teams coach and got an explosive return man, but cannot use them unless the D forces the other team to punt.

Right now, with the personnel we have, I dont think things will change much. The group that we have at LB are guys who should be playing special teams and filling in for when the starters are winded on any playoff team. They are playing their hearts out, but their skill level just isnt where it needs to be.

Hopefully, when Berry comes back, (and maybe Mays?) things will improve.

We simply don't have the roster (Yet...). With that being said, given all the injuries we've had, our depth has improved and last game they did spread the ball around some more.

Overall we didn't give up huge chunks on the ground, but on the ground was how we lost it. SF stayed patient with their fourth quarter run game, and as Bill Maas said on TWC's "Red Zone" the normal 2 and 4 yard runs started turning into 6 and 7 yard runs because the D was worn out. Where we lost chunks of yards was when SF's WR's made amazing catches despite good secondary play by KC.

Kaepernick did burn us a couple of times with his feet, but he usually burns everyone at some point with his ability to scramble. It didn't happen often, and his passing looked erratic. As much as I blame the coaching for the loss, Sutton did call a good defensive game. It was Reid's pass happy nonsense and Taub's 12 man slip that burned us badly.

I don't think for a second this team is SB bound. But if we quit shooting ourselves in the foot, we've got a good shot at getting into the playoffs.

[nigeriannightmare]

We did stuff the twice on 3rd and short. We gave up a fake punt and 12 men on the field for a 55 yard field goal. IMO, Frank Gore is underrated and under appreciated. That's a good running football team with a pretty good run blocking o line. Harbaugh is like Reid in that he abandons the run a lot as well. I'm concerned that we do give up huge chunks at a time but I am also hoping joe jays and Eric berry will help change that.

for me after a day to think about it our special teams were just no bueno and played a huge part in the loss. They kicked five mother effing field goals. Two from well over 50. They didn't win that game. We lost it.

[chief31]

I, for one, didn't have a big problem with the play-calling. Sometimes you go with what they other guy is not expecting. Execution would have made all the difference in the world.

But.... For me? My confidence in this team has been growing. And the game in San Francisco didn't change a thing.

The opener against The Titans was what concerned me. I see that this team CAN DEFINITELY win against top talent. Whereas, the knock last year was that we could not, and did not.

A playoff spot is not going to be easy to reach this season. But I like what I see so far, especially with all the players losses we have had to deal with.

[matthewschiefs]

I, for one, didn't have a big problem with the play-calling. Sometimes you go with what they other guy is not expecting. Execution would have made all the difference in the world.

But.... For me? My confidence in this team has been growing. And the game in San Francisco didn't change a thing.

The opener against The Titans was what concerned me. I see that this team CAN DEFINITELY win against top talent. Whereas, the knock last year was that we could not, and did not.

A playoff spot is not going to be easy to reach this season. But I like what I see so far, especially with all the players losses we have had to deal with.

Aww It's been a while but allow me to tell you how your wrong :sign0151:

Actually I agree with you to an extent but the fact that they went so pass happy that Knile Davis only got 2 carries is WAY WAY overboard.

[jap1]

We simply don't have the roster (Yet...). With that being said, given all the injuries we've had, our depth has improved and last game they did spread the ball around some more.

Overall we didn't give up huge chunks on the ground, but on the ground was how we lost it. SF stayed patient with their fourth quarter run game, and as Bill Maas said on TWC's "Red Zone" the normal 2 and 4 yard runs started turning into 6 and 7 yard runs because the D was worn out. Where we lost chunks of yards was when SF's WR's made amazing catches despite good secondary play by KC.

Kaepernick did burn us a couple of times with his feet, but he usually burns everyone at some point with his ability to scramble. It didn't happen often, and his passing looked erratic. As much as I blame the coaching for the loss, Sutton did call a good defensive game. It was Reid's pass happy nonsense and Taub's 12 man slip that burned us badly.

I don't think for a second this team is SB bound. But if we quit shooting ourselves in the foot, we've got a good shot at getting into the playoffs.

I agree with most of what you are saying, except I don't think the D was worn out. The first three runs were big gains. Fatigue can't be an excuse on the first play of the game. It seems like we either stuffed them, or they got big gains on the ground. I am not too concerned about the Kaep runs, that is going to happen with the mobile QBs. SF does have a good ground game, but these issues weren't isolated to the SF game.

Again, I agree we are going to have to be better on a consistent basis to have a shot at getting to the playoffs AND winning.