OK in the trenches

[Teamcheez1]

Another comment on the 2-4, as we discussed during the offseason - if you put enough size on the field, and show that you may, or may not be filling gaps with rovers - rovers with size - then the 2-4 can be a different animal.

If your '4', in the 2-4 are your outside rush LB's, and Jones and Hawk?? Forget it, it's a useless front. Sending your outside guys flying up the field, undisciplined, unconcerned with containing the pocket, then backed up by smallish LB's that aren't very good to begin with?? Yeah, that will give you mess we had last year.

In the end, it's still another loss... we gave up 500 yds of offense, and got killed in TOP 38:35 to 21:25.

We're a 2nd tier team compared to the Niners, and they proved it again. Packer fans can hang their hat on moral victories, but a loss is a loss, and we still don't measure up to the Niners. That's the bottom line.

We didn't play well enough to win yesterday with some mistakes and blown coverage. Erase the two turnovers, etc. and we may very well have won this game regardless of the 49ers offense. 2nd tier team? You might want to rethink that. We lost by 6 points.

[mraynrand]

I think they have played contain on Kap since he torched them scrambling in the first half of the playoff game.

I think they need to send a blitzer to hurry up that pocket because giving him that kinda time back there is tough on the DBs.

I thought they would do that more. When they did it Matthews gave up contain!!!

[wist43]

We didn't play well enough to win yesterday with some mistakes and blown coverage. Erase the two turnovers, etc. and we may very well have won this game regardless of the 49ers offense. 2nd tier team? You might want to rethink that. We lost by 6 points.

We played tough... was very surprised we hung in there, and even took the lead in the 4th quarter.

Still, when the game was on the line, and they needed to make plays - they did, and we didn't. They're simply a better team than we are, and they've proven it 3 different ways in the last 12 months.

As I said though, I was genuinely surprised that we hung with them most of the game. Perhaps we're not too far below them, but they've proven 3 times in the last year, that they are a better team than we are.

[pbmax]

I thought they would do that more. When they did it Matthews gave up contain!!!

Yeah, you have to have someone else out there like a T-E stunt to force on the edge. I will say this, the young DTs in nickel (Jones and Neal) have enough speed to make that work. They covered significant ground. On one play when Kap (I think it was QB scramble) he was pursued by a D lineman who chased well enough to force Kap wide enough that help had time to arrive. Could have been catastrophic, went for 5 or 6 instead.

[mraynrand]

That I am not sure about. Because the other side of that equation is Harbaugh who despite Harlan's protests seems at least even odds to go for it. Even if you stop them, its a terrible field position situation. No points and possession deep in your own territory is almost as likely to yield 3 points as them just kicking it. Huge incentive to go for it for the 49ers.

I think they could have stopped them, but then its up to the O to reverse that field position disadvantage.

I think the players can see each side.

I think Hairball was 90% certain to go for it. The field position argument is valid.

[sharpe1027]

Even if they are playing contain on the rush they still need to eventually collapse the pocket. It liked like all rushers were completely sitting back waiting. Kap had a full yard between him and the nearest rusher at times.

[mraynrand]

Even if they are playing contain on the rush they still need to eventually collapse the pocket. It liked like all rushers were completely sitting back waiting.

I agree - and that's why you have to bring an extra guy here and there. I really thought Capers would do more of that. It's very likely that he fully intended to, but gave it up because to do so would have exposed the back ups to even more difficult single coverages.

[MJZiggy]

I think Jolly is the straw that stirs the drink - always loved Jolly as a player. He brings a toughness that has been lacking.

We were, in fact, very good up front yesterday - I found that very encouraging. Of course the mess in the back end is another long running failure of Capers that isn't likely to be fixed any time soon.

The mess in the back is a long-running failure? Really? Are you referring to the secondary that a few short years ago was considered among the best in the league? That long-running back end failure-of-Capers mess?

[swede]

You have to think the threat to run has every pass rusher on his heels a bit. You don't want to give up contain and surrender the big run. Still, Jones, Perry and Neal were pretty ineffective (Neal did have on nice inside burst, but the ball was away pretty fast)

I just wonder, if you were to put a stopwatch to it, how many seconds elapsed between snap and throw when Kaep stayed in the pocket. Often seemed like the ball was out of there in less than three seconds. So how do receivers get open over and over again within three seconds?

Given the fact that we can't rush aggressively against Kaepernick, and let's face it--the kid can throw on the move, throw from a pocket, and run like a deer--we count on the d backs to do better in order for us to win the next time we play.

This was not on the D line period.

[mraynrand]

I just wonder, if you were to put a stopwatch to it, how many seconds elapsed between snap and throw when Kaep stayed in the pocket. Often seemed like the ball was out of there in less than three seconds. So how do receivers get open over and over again within three seconds?

Given the fact that we can't rush aggressively against Kaepernick, and let's face it--the kid can throw on the move, throw from a pocket, and run like a deer--we count on the d backs to do better in order for us to win the next time we play.

This was not on the D line period.

I'm inclined to agree. I was disappointed in D. Jones and Perry (OLB), and Neal was just OK I think. But listening to some of their comments after the game you could tell they were coached up to contain, contain. And there were several plays where that was really important - they kept Kap in check. I think the blame falls in order:

Secondary
Offensive 3 and outs
TOs (Finley, Lacey)
Not-so-special Teams
D-line/Perry Neal
George W. Bush (shouldn't he always be blamed, as a matter of course?)

[red]

d-line looked great. and jolly proved that not only does he belong on this team, but he might be the most important cog on the line

o-line looked good in pass protection. a-rod not only was kept upright, but he also had a good amount of time in the pocket at times. run protection on the other hand sucked. put sitton back to RG, and replace EDS and Lang. its amazing that a rookie 4th rounder and a second year undrafted player playing the two most important positions, look like our 2 best o-lineman at this point

[pbmax]

Sitton will adjust. Worried about EDS in run game.

[sharpe1027]

I'm inclined to agree. I was disappointed in D. Jones and Perry (OLB), and Neal was just OK I think. But listening to some of their comments after the game you could tell they were coached up to contain, contain. And there were several plays where that was really important - they kept Kap in check. I think the blame falls in order:

Secondary
Offensive 3 and outs
TOs (Finley, Lacey)
Not-so-special Teams
D-line/Perry Neal
George W. Bush (shouldn't he always be blamed, as a matter of course?)

Or Obama. One of the two is always to blame, but seldom both. And don't forget to blame Slocum.

[Pugger]

d-line looked great. and jolly proved that not only does he belong on this team, but he might be the most important cog on the line

o-line looked good in pass protection. a-rod not only was kept upright, but he also had a good amount of time in the pocket at times. run protection on the other hand sucked. put sitton back to RG, and replace EDS and Lang. its amazing that a rookie 4th rounder and a second year undrafted player playing the two most important positions, look like our 2 best o-lineman at this point

Yes, the O line played better than I thought they would. Unfortunately they tanked near the end of the game and we didn't go back and reclaim the lead.

[Pugger]

Or Obama. One of the two is always to blame, but seldom both. And don't forget to blame Slocum.

Slocum had a real doozy yesterday. When we tied it before the end of the half he had Masthay squib kick the damn ball with the wind at his back and the Niners got great field position. Hell, they had an opporunity to try a Hail Mary in the waning moments but we knocked it away. Tim was kicking the ball thru the back of the end zone all afternoon but that genius decided to have Tim change his approach.