Week 1 Reactions

[mraynrand]

I agree JH. I'd like to see Green in that mix. I think Stubby's gameplan for runs was the opposite - I think he thought Benson could get significant yards in a traditional run set against a seven man front. He mayhave to re-think that and go Holmgren with draws mixing in on obvious passing downs. But not against all teams; just teams built more like SF.

[rbaloha1]

My biggest takeaway was AR bad body language and confused look.

MM was clearly outcoached by reacting to slowly to new 49er fronts.

IMO MM should have gone to the no huddle early in the game to "jump start" the offense. According to the SI NFL preview issued AR has 3 plays ready for every down. Plus it locks the 49ers into its first down defense.

Sometimes MM fails to look like an offensive genius and overly panics.

[RashanGary]

I agree JH. I'd like to see Green in that mix. I think Stubby's gameplan for runs was the opposite - I think he thought Benson could get significant yards in a traditional run set against a seven man front. He mayhave to re-think that and go Holmgren with draws mixing in on obvious passing downs. But not against all teams; just teams built more like SF.

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. Most teams AR will light up like the 4th of July and they love it. That's why it's so hard to go away from. It's like a drug.

[Freak Out]

Let's just hope that the team gets better every week from here on out, and that M3 and the team learned from it's mistakes. It was ugly.....learn form it and move on to the Bears game.

[MadScientist]

Finesse got pounded by physical. This was the reverse of the 95 playoff game. This team needs a serious injection of BadAss. Pity Wayne Simmons isn't around to teach them a thing or two.

[Smidgeon]

The game played out pretty much as I expected. The offense works by precision, and since it's the first game, you're not getting that yet. The officials' biggest effect was allowing a physical game. While it wasn't uniformly applied, it wasn't the reason for the loss at all. The surprises were the lack of a running game - specifically the predictability of the run game. Few draws and screens. Too many plays with no running back or TE or WR in the backfield. The Cobb strategy was excellent, but it needed to be expanded to other players coming out of the back field, like Green. Would have like to see him out there. Not worried by lack of run game, especially against niners.

The defense was a mess, and should improve over the season. Even so, they pretty much neutralized Vernon Davis, which had to be a huge aspect of the game plan.

I look forward to seeing the Packers play the niners again. Without injuries, they should be better the next go around. Hopefully it will be dry in SF and the field in reasonable shape....

Good assessment/prognostication. Repped.

[sharpe1027]

Speaking of being badass and poor refereeing, the 49ers DBs had numerous instances of flying in full speed to hit WRs that were already on the ground . One time it happened even though another DB was already touching the player down. I think this is illegal under the defenseless receiver/runner rule, but it is borderline bush league regardless.

[pbmax]

The officials were terrible, and they probably favored the 49ers a bit, but they weren't even remotely close to the reason we lost. As much as we were dominated, I'm surprised we even had a chance at the end.

I agree the refs were terrible but not in who they favored. The Packers spent all of the first quarter and much of the 2nd qtr waiting for the refs to get the ball set and start the clock. It was not a well timed operation. That said, other games did not seem to have that kind of problem so perhaps it will get better. the no huddle looked more organized in the preseason (and I mean pre-snap, not vs. opponent).

[RashanGary]

At first glance, it looks like we're stronger on the DL than we are in the secondary (particularly in the middle.)

MM talked about playing more base. I have a hunch we might be doing that, and using nickle a little less often. Speaking of nickle, the reason I think we'll use it less is because we don't have the safeties to play it the way we like to play it (with Woodson as the slot CB)

I think we could end up seeing House as our starting CB in week 3 with Hayward eventually taking over as the slot CB in nickle defense. Woodson can make plenty of plays from the safety position. It's not ideal, but our personnel might dictate it. Hayward is said to be a natural, especially at understanding defense and how the offense is attacking. If he can be that guy in year 1, it would serve us well to keep Doc off the field. I'm still skeptical about McMillan. He has talent, especially as a tackler, but I don't know if he's the quick learner Hayward is. I just think Hayward will be ready sooner.

As far as Shields and Bush go. . . Bush can't play any type of coverage, and Shields struggles mightily in zone. If House can play zone alright, and Hayward proves to be up to the challenge inside, now we have a full group of guys who can handle both zone and man coverages. This isn't 2010. We don't have Nick Collins. We can't play 8 in the box like we did then. This year, if we're going to stop the run, we're goign to have to play zone. If we're going to play zone, we're going to have to use the guys who know how to play it.

Unfortunately, I don't think Shields can do it nor do I have confidence in any of our safeties.

[3irty1]

I actually think that by the end of the year we'll be seeing more dime than ever before. The inside linebackers are already thin with the loss of Bishop. Another big difference this year is the amount of versatility in the defensive backfield. With Woodson, Bush, and Hayward there are more options in the slot than ever before. By seasons end if House can come back and a few of these guys can contribute the way the coaches seem to think they can, Capers will have a lot of schematic freedom. I already saw Woodson playing up near the line almost exclusively on some of those series. He's already got 1.5 sacks. If Hayward can get on the field this team should maintain all of its ballhawking potency.

[RashanGary]

5'11" 192. . . .

What the hell, if Hayward is our smartest, most instinctive DB, he's no smaller than doc Jennings. Let's throw him in at SS in nickle.

[RashanGary]

This is the longest 4 day game week ever. . . .

[mmmdk]

They killed the Bears last year, 27-17 & 35-21.

So who do we play thursday then?

[mmmdk]

sorry, wrong thread.

[3irty1]

Nobody is bringing any attention to it yet from what I can see but the Vikings put a beating on the 49ers yesterday and they are certainly looking a lot more mortal.

After this game just 2 weeks later do people still feel like the 49ers are the the cream of the NFC? How many times do the packers beat them out of 10?