I started watching the last 5 games of the 9ers. Not gonna watch week 18 where they rested.
So far… you cant blitz Purdy. I haven’t seen it work in two full games. Their OL isn’t great, they don’t sustain blocks well, but they’re smart. Between them and the FB, RB, TE, they always pick up the blitz and Purdy gets it out quick every time. Those receivers have been there a while. And all their pass pro guys. They’re just a well oiled machine at picking up the blitz. Purdy is pretty careful with the ball. He just loves it when his big athletic receivers are one on one and he can put it on them quick.
The left side of their line are dominant run blockers. They run a lot to that side and it’s almost always 4-12 yards. Trent Williams never misses a block. They have a road grader RG. And Kittle, Juice and all the receivers block. That run left is just an unstoppable force.
With all of the running left, they like to mix in deebo on a jet sweep coming off run action to the left and it’s been money so far in two games.
I didn’t see any wow plays from Purdy, but I didn’t see many from Brady either. Purdy will throw it away or take a sack and live to fight another down. And that’s frustrating. He’s very accurate from the pocket. He’s not great on the move and not a threat to run. He goes down fairly easy.
They have a really good offense. They have experienced, smart players. They seem to handle situational ball best with all of their experience. Blitz pickup, 3rd down, redzone…. They’re a well oiled machine.
A few years back I watched every 9ers game and almost every other game too. Especially early in the year Shannahan was trying to win cutest coordinator award. They kind of tapered that back toward the end of the season and this year is no different. I don’t see him batting his eyes and trying to be cute. But like Favre and Rodgers, Shannahan has his quirks. He’s holding it in for a minute but with two weeks off, on a big stage, I don’t know if he’s going to be able to get out of his own way.
I think you have to take some chances. For me, looking at where they’ve had their struggles, I think I would, for the most part, have my defensive front play the run first and be real disciplined with it. They’re gonna get yards anyway, they’re that good. But you want to lull Shanny into the drop back pass game. And when you take your shots, it’s not with the blitz, I think you want to have the DL scatter in some aggressive, undisciplined rushes and play coverage behind. Their OL doesn’t hold up for long, so I think you can beat them on first and second down by splashing in a few play where you pin your ears back and hope it’s a pass.
That’s about all I see so far for how to exploit them. And I have a feeling Shanny will gift us a couple too.
I don’t know if relying on bend but don’t break is going to work because they’re really good in the redzone. Like I said, I think the way to beat them is to guess pass on a few plays and have your rush get wild without worrying about the run. You get them in 3rd and long and you have a chance. That’s the game plan I’d draw up….. I would rarely if ever blitz. And I’d always play coverage first. They can kill you quick. Purdy will put it on his guys. And they’re great at YAC.
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Originally Posted by MadtownPacker
