Unprepared and costly mistakes have put Richard Hightower squarely in the cross hairs. His special teams have looked like a unit that are completely unprepared for the moment. Kyle Shanahan, "Well, yeah, two weeks in a row [special teams] given up some bad plays," Shanahan said on Monday. "We know it happened last week versus Minnesota. Team played good enough around it to overcome it. We went into this week knowing how big of a deal it is, how good Seattle's been, how we were a little undermanned with some injuries that we had, which usually is a chain reaction down to special teams. So we knew how big of a deal it would be." "And to miss that, for them to get that fake punt on the first special teams play of the game was huge," Shanahan added. "The fumble that we had was even bigger. And then the missed extra point, big deal too. So we definitely have to play there better and we're trying to work at it."
Should Shanny sack Hightower?
During the off-season. ShanaLynch need to look at personnel, coaching and the priority they place on ST. If a better coach is available, then yes -- replace the coach.
ReplyDeleteRight now, the biggest problem is that it sounds like Moseley may be done for the regular season with HAS.
Yep, looks as though we lost our two starting cb's for the year. Gonna be a tough hill to climb without any proven depth behind them.
DeleteImpressed with Mac Jones' game management skills for a rookie. On the road and in bad weather for MNF, he got his offense to stay the course and come off with a win. Folks often undervalue the role of a QB in the run game -- setting up the blocks for the run (often sharing the responsibility with the center), and handing or tossing the (wet, in this case) ball to the runner at the right point over and over again.
ReplyDeleteWhen Jones threw two incompletions in a row late in the game (his second and third pass attempts), I had visions of Scooter shouting "Don't get away from the run!" at his TV :)
I have to say I'm not really all that impressed with Mack Jones. He's been exactly who I thought he was, and basically what we already have. He was the perfect fit for the Patriots system, and he'll have a good career. He's got special anticipatory skill but you need that if you have a pea shooter for an arm.
DeleteYeah, he's never going to be arm-talent that we saw in the QB across the field last night, or his mobility, That's the QB which I hope Lance becomes. But we shouldn't underestimate how difficult it is for rookie QBs not to make mistakes with DCs game-planning to expose his weaknesses. It will be interesting to see if he can raise his game with a command of the scheme over the next few seasons to compensate for his lack of physical tools.
DeleteOh, I think there's room for improvement for sure but I doubt it'll ever be to the degree that he can carry a team that ends up caught between a cap and a hard place when it comes time to pay him $30 million a year!
DeleteBB and Josh Mcdaniels are my two new favourite coaches, Mood 😜
DeleteRazor, Jones is everything I thought he'd be to date as well. I still think he has the potential to be in the mold of Brees. All comes down to his mental aptitude, and so far he looks very promising in that department.
Mood,
DeleteDo we know who is making the run/line calls in the run game in NE? On some teams its the qb, while on others it is the Center.
The loss of Moseley makes it imperative that we continue to follow the 40/40 rule, however with Mitchell in concussion protocol and Wilson's setbacks, who's gonna do it? Hasty? Lmao!
ReplyDeleteYeah, injuries are becoming a problem again, unfortunately. Going to be a tough one against the Bengals.
DeleteThey won't do it but I think I'd consider moving Ward back to cb, Tartt as your fs, and Hufanga at ss.
ReplyDeleteNot sure that's likely to happen with Ward for a full game. But they may move him around more. They already drop Ward to cover top slot receivers like Kupp on third downs.
DeleteYea, I like that. He's our best pure cover db so I guess in a sense they're already incorporating some of that. But now that we're down to basically nothing but a puncher's chance at one cb position and nothing at the other, I hope to see more of Ward covering the opposing teams best wr.
DeleteIPSO FACTO:
ReplyDeleteKS AND HIS STAFF GOT OUT COACHED BY P. CARROLL AND IN DOING SO, HE EXPOSED THE 9ERS WEAKNESS....THE QB JG!
Left tackle TW confirmed after the game that the Seahawks sold out to slow down Elijah Mitchell, who ran for just 66 yards on 22 carries.
“They just crowded the line of scrimmage, crowded the box, and brought the linebackers down pretty quick to draw us off of double teams,” Williams said. “They just wanted to make one on one’s across the line. Obviously, teams are going to play us like that to try to stop the run.”
This is something teams are going to continue doing against the 49ers and Seattle gave a blueprint to San Francisco’s five remaining opponents. The question now is, can the opposing teams shuts down the run and if they do, and KS schemes 9er receivers open, can
JG complete enough passes to win, or will he continue to end scoring opportunities by throwing INTs?
To be fair, JG is not the only problem the 9ers must address if they hope to make the playoffs.
* ST is a disaster looking for a place to happen * The team must stop committing penalties that end drives
* with Mitchell concussed and Wilson hurt, that leaves Hasty as the only healthy RB.
* With e-man out, the CB situation becomes a major problem.
* Losing to Seattle drops the 6W-6L 9ers into 7th place for a playoff spot. With 5 games left, they need to win 4 out of 5 games to be assured of making the playoffs. Losing 2 games may still get them a playoff spot, but they could get passed to either the Vikings or Saints for the 7th seed.
What does the analytics site predict for Tomlinson's next contract? The Pro Football Focus team projects a three-year, $27 million deal for the veteran guard with $16.5 million guaranteed. That's $9 million per year and a 64 percent pay increase.
ReplyDelete"He has yet to allow a sack through Week 13 of the 2021 season," Pro Football Focus adds. "Tomlinson has surrendered a quarterback pressure on just 3.8% of pass-rush snaps, the 16th-best mark among guards with at least 200 snaps on the season."
Pro Football Focus also lists the 49ers as potential suitors for Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Carlton Davis, who ranks No. 7 on the free-agent list.
Davis has been on my f/a wish list for next year but could we keep Tomlinson too? Dunno.
DeleteI'm pretty sure Tomlinson's salary expectations are the reason his contract hasn't already been extended.
DeletePretty sure you're right, Scooter. Now was Banks his replacement or is Shanny gonna pony up to keep him? If it was me I'd keep him.
DeleteI think Banks was drafted to replace him.
DeleteRazor
DeleteWhat does Pro Football Focus team project for the $$ price of signing TB's FA CB Carlton Davis to a new contract?
As for 9er OG Tomlinson's projected 3 yr, $27 Mil contract, how does that compare to other NFL OG's with similar QB pressures, with at least 200 snaps on the season? What would it cost to replace Tomlinson with
a draft pick like OG A. Banks?
I agree, Scooter.
DeleteGeep, dunno. Have to check it out.
Razor
DeleteLooked up Spotrac last contract for Carlton Davis
https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/tampa-bay-buccaneers/carlton-davis-25162/
My best guess: 4 yr. $12 Mil., $1.5 Mil signing bonus and $2 Mil. guaranteed should be more than adequate renumeration for his services.
He is one of the reasons I cannot see any way Jimmy returns next year. SF currently has I think 32 of the 53 man roster signed through next season. If the cap were to remain the same and they signed everyone at league minimum with Jimmy on the roster they would be over the cap.
DeleteThe problem is they need to add starters at both corners, OG, and potentially OT, in addition to resigning Deebo and Bosa. Even with the Cap rising significantly, I am not sure how they could afford to keep Jimmy.
The 49ers Special Teams is an abomination this season, and it seems clear that Hightower needs to go. But let's not absolve Kyle's responsibility for this mess because ST ultimately falls under the purview of the Head Coach. In fact, I would argue that Hightower is a perfect microcosm for some of Kyle's biggest flaws as a HC.
ReplyDeleteRichard Hightower isn't a new hire, he's been the Special Teams Coordinator every step of the way during the ShanaLynch regime, and the 49ers ST unit has been a problem long before this season. Even during their recent SB run, the 49ers ST was middle of the pack, but last season they finished with one of the worst special teams units in the NFL. According to Football Outsiders - the Niners were 23rd in special teams DVOA, and 27th in weighted DVOA, last season, and that's despite spending a 4th round pick on a punter (which is absurd, IMO), and making their place kicker one of the highest paid PK's in the NFL, apparently as some kind of reward for holding out on the 49ers after 2019 (also absurd, IMO).
Seems to me that one of the top priorities for Kyle during this last offseason, besides finding a new QB, should have been replacing their Special Teams Coach, and finding a dynamic kick returner. ShanaLynch did neither of those things. He stuck with his STC because apparently they are close associates going all of the way back to their college football days at University of Texas. And his answer for kick returner was to sign 31 year old - Travis Benjamin, who didn't even play football in 2020, and was an absolute non-factor in training camp, but that's OK because Kyle and Travis have a relationship that goes back a ways as well.
Are you guys sensing a theme?
Not only do certain problems never get fixed, but at least on the surface, it seems like Kyle puts a heavier emphasis on personal relationships, familiarity, and experience, than he does on fielding the most talented team, and coaching staff. We see evidence of this in every aspect of this football team, and frankly, it's ultimately to the 49ers detriment and it's hurting this team!
The theme I'm sensing is that when the 49ers win you are quiet, and when they lose it is all Shanahan's fault.
DeleteScooter / Razor
DeleteRazor; While I do enjoy your cheer leader enthusiasm, Scooter makes a good point! But then I guess we're all guilty of taking out our frustrations on KS when the 9ers lose....Yes, me included. So much for the "GENIUS!" LOL
Scooter, what's the sense of criticizing this team while they are on a 3 game winning streak? I knew they were about to go on a run when they beat the Rams, I even told you guys that accepted this season for what it is.
DeleteBut I also knew that the problems that plagues them early in the season, were likely systemic, so I figured that they would likely revert to the same old same old .... and sure enough, that's exactly what happened, Scooter.
Deja fricken Vu!
So what am I to do? I've been pointing out all of the same problems since the egregious loss to Green Bay, haven't I?
Kyle's an elite X's and O's guy, he's not a good HC!
Kyle Shanahan is an elite X's and O's guy, he's not a good HC!
DeleteI don't know how much clearer I can be than that!
And if Trey Lance is as good as I think he will be fairly early in 2022, I'll consider this season a completely LOST SEASON!
Delete49ers fans need to quite blindly defending Kyle Shanahan. He's 2/3rds of the way thru his 5th season as a HC, and he has one winning season to show for it!
Delete- Almost 5 full seasons!
Delete- Only 1 Winning season!
Case closed!
Do you guys know the main reason why Kyle's zone/read call on 4th down didn't work?
DeleteHow is that acceptable, to have Trey Lance suited up, raring to go, Kyle instead ran the Z/R with the heavy-footed Garoppolo, and Jimmy ends going nowhere with the ball because it looks like he's playing ankle deep in the mud?
Meanwhile, Trey Lance has already proven he can pick up 1 yard with his eyes closed!
It's absolutely pathetic that Kyle can't find a way to use Trey Lance ... AT ALL!
DeleteNot a single snap in how long?
And when do we talk about the soft tissue injuries again?
DeleteTrade Kyle to the Vikings when Zimmerman gets fired!
DeleteAnother example would be the difference in the way Kyle has handled his talented, but young WR (Aiyuk), and his once talented, but over the hill CB (Norman), is another example of the problem with Kyle's inconsistent approach when it comes to his personal.
ReplyDeleteA couple weeks ago everyone was praising Kyle for turning Brandon Aiyuk's season around, despite the fact that scratching Aiyuk out of the weekly game plan hurt the entire team early this season. But what really bothers me even more than the fact that they really needed more out of Aiyuk earlier this season, is that Brandon Aiyuk seems like he was over thinking things again this Sunday. Football players, like all athletes, play their best when they play with a certain relaxed confidence. Brandon Aiyuk doesn't look like he's playing that way at all. He looks like a player who is in his own head, probably worrying about the consequences of they way Kyle is going to react if he drops one catchable ball, or misses one block. Yet apparently Kyle has an entirely different set of rules for guys like Josh Norman, who is basically freelancing at his position, and commits penalty after penalty after penalty, without any consequences at all.
You can't be inconsistent in the what you ask from certain players. If your going to air your grievances with one your top WR's in public, you damn well better be prepared to do the same with other players, or better yet, just keep that stuff in house, because Brandon Aiyuk was a better player in 2020 than he was on Sunday, so something in Kyle's approach to head-coaching simply isn't working, and their record obviously reflects it.
So... if Aiyuk ends up a significantly better player due to the tough love earlier in the year, was it still bad management on Kyle's part?
DeleteNo, not necessarily. If he does improve, then it's all good, but that doesn't necessarily mean it was the proper approach. Players should get better over time. It's a natural progression.
DeleteBut I don't see it right now, that's for sure. He was definitely better as a rookie than he has been for the majority of his sophomore season.
The bottom line for me is that Kyle seems to have a different set of standards for different players. How else do you explain a guy like Josh Norman, who plays with absolutely no discipline, but Kyle is the first guy to great him on the field when he does make a play? That's just one example, and it's the wrong approach, IMO.
DeleteTrenton Cannon fumbled twice ON ONE PLAY (and it ended up being a critical TO vs the Seahawks' week 4), yet he was right back out their to start the game the following week.
DeleteMatt Breida fumbles twice over the course of FIVE WEEKS, and he's benched, and then he's off the team.
Do you think it's working, Scooter?
DeleteBrandon Aiyuk has 487 yards receiving thru 12 games, a mere 40 YPG. He had a mere THREE receptions and ZERO TD's VS the Seahawks, even though the 49ers needed him to step up being without Deebo, and he botched yet another punt return inside the 49ers 10 yard line.
That's doesn't seem like it's working very well to me. He's shoes flashes, so you know it's there. But like I said, he's playing tight, and rigid, like he's obviously over thinking things, rather than just trusting his ability.
It's not a good look.
How about Fred warner? ShanaLynch aired the dirty laundry as far as his drop off in play, and that hasn't helped one bit.
Look, Kyle is an emotional guy. I think he's too emotional for a Head Coach, because it seems like he takes things way to personal. Being a Coordinator is different. You can get away with being emotional as an OC. But as a HC, it's a problem because big time decisions are being made by the HC on a daily basis, and those decisions affect the entire team.
How much of that is in the 6 weeks since he had words with Shanahan.
DeleteAiyuk wasn't getting targets earlier in the season. How's he going to put up numbers if Jimmy isn't throwing him the football.
DeleteJa'marr Chase was the talk of the NFL early on this season, yet according to next-gen stats, Chase was averaging 1/10th of a yard of separation per-route-run more than Brandon Aiyuk, yet Aiyuk wasn't being targeted much less often, ergo barely producing.
How's a guy supposed to produce when he's being asked to play WR like a glorified blocker?
DeleteI don't understand.
I'm not saying there wasn't something to it, I'm simply saying there are better ways to handle it, IMO, than calling him out in public, while you're turning one of your top 2 wideouts into a glorified blocker.
DeleteDeebo Samuel said he was absolutely terrified of Kyle when he was a rookie, and he didn't mean it metaphorically. That is totally unnecessary, IMO, and usually counter productive!
And as for the whole idea of running it back with Garoppolo, despite spending a franchise record amount of draft capitol on a young duel-threat QB, in historical fashion, despite making it clear in the pre-draft press conference that you move up to #3 in order to draft a STRARTING QB, at least 6 or 7 times. I mean, why would Kyle feel it was necessary to make that point over and over again in the leadup to the draft? Of course Trey Lance would be expected to start EVENTUALLY, so why would you put the emphasis on drafting a starting QB, unless you planned to, you know, start him as a rookie?
DeleteEither Kyle has simply been making things up as he goes along, or he completely miscalculated the situation. And now he can't even find a way to get Trey on the field despite calling a zone /read play during a critical 4th and 1. It's so confusing it borders on comical!
Kyle's reputation has taken a huge hit this season, and for good reason! There are a lot of people that are rethinking just how much of an offensive genius he really is. How could they not. Teams have found ways to utilize mobile duel threat QB's on a limited basis, who are much less talented than Trey, and with very good results. My gosh, the Vikings incorporated the Wildcat formation 23 years ago, in order to take advantage of Randall Cunningham's skill set, even though he was entering the twilight of his career.
DeleteHow hard can it really be to use a dynamic, athletic QB like Trey Lance, on a specialized basis?
I'm going to say it one more time, and then I'm shutting it down for a few days: The NFL is a results based business! Kyle Shanahan is a third of a season away from FIVE full seasons as the 49ERS head coach, and he has ONE winning season to show for it. NOT GOOD ENOUGH! NFL Head Coaches get canned for much better records than that!
DeleteGoodnight
DeleteOH, and just one more reminder before I sign out:
DeleteThe most important player on the 49ers roster is a dynamic young player who was reported to have LOST HIS CONFIDENCE as training camp progressed, and apparently can't sniff the football field as a result.
Firing is easy, but can they find someone better?
ReplyDeleteThe biggest problem on this team is discipline. Last drive in the first half - penalties. Discipline on the not so special teams is quite apparent. Drive killing penalties - I think also you might say the play caller gets quite undisciplined at times. We are not talking about behavior discipline we are talking football discipline.
The Bengals is not going to be an easy game.
Discipline and attitude have cost this team a number of games in 2021. That's on the players as much as anyone.
DeleteI agree, under, but I think their lack of disciple is a merely a symptom of the bigger problems, like what I covered above. Holding every single player accountable in a consistent way, regardless of veteran status, helps lead to better discipline, and vice versa.
ReplyDeleteKyle is an extremely emotional HC, and Bill Belichick is the exact opposite. The NE Patriots have been the most disciplined team in the NFL over the span of the last 20 years. And Belichick has ONE set of rules, and his players either live up to those rules, or they don't, and when they don't, they're gone!
It's as simple and straight forward as that, for the most part.
Exactly 49Reasons its time that Kyle questions himaelf about his double standard with some players.
ReplyDeletePlayers are not blind to see how other players underperform and still are pampered by Kyle for the crazy reasons cuz they are vets and bring attitude of leaderahip but seriously what are bringing Norman,Johnson, Compton and Garoppolo to the table???
This is not right and sooner or later players will adress this.
Is QB Coach Rich Scangarello also an old associate of Kyle's, because I don't understand why this guy was hired back on. Kyle's QB's haven't exactly shown great progression during his tenure, so you would think he'd make some changes there, not go back to him.
ReplyDeleteHas 49ERS Quarterback's Coach - Rich Scangarello - ever had any tangible success developing a mobile, pass first- duel threat QB in his past? Certainly not while he been with the 49ers. And rumor has it that Trey Lance, the most important player on the team by a long shot, was losing confidence as training camp went on?
What is going with that, Kyle? Why should we feel confident in the direction of Trey's development? Kyle can do it as an OC with his offensive design, but what about Scangarello? What has this guy done?
ReplyDeleteIan Hartitz
@Ihartitz
· 1h
Just three running backs have 100+ touches this season without a single fumble or drop (PFF):
Elijah Mitchell (182)
David Montgomery (154)
Devonta Freeman (112)
Razor has a new player crush in 2021.
ReplyDeleteYou got me. Mitchell is far and away the grand larceny of the draft. Bobby Turner should face charges!
DeleteHe is Razor, he's damn near perfect for this scheme!
DeleteBut aren't you at least a little concerned about the injuries? He seems to get significantly banged up what seems like every other game.
Also, what happened to the former Seminole RB - Jacques Patrick? What did he get, like two touches, maybe? Just too slow I guess?
DeleteThe 49ers are now desperate for healthy RB's again, I've never seen anything like it.
Dude's a stud and a perfect fit for this offense, but I still want ShanaLynch to bring Mostert back. Mostert and Mitchell would easily be the strongest RB tandem in the NFL, bar none, IMO! Similar style, Elijah Mitchell combines power with speed, and is better powering between the tackles, and Raheem Mostert is unmatched for a 200+ RB at hitting the hole around the edge, and has devastating break away speed.
ReplyDeleteDang, that would be potent combined with Trey Lance! Holy Cow!
Oh, and they both are above average route runners/receivers.
DeleteThat's a nice combo, but I disagree they are similar style.
DeleteMitchell has enough speed to get to the edge so he opens up everything, but I've also noticed that in order to get to the edge consistently they actually need to pitch the ball to him. Mostert on the other hand (Deebo as well for that matter) has the speed to get the edge without such a head start.
Mitchell is much better than Mostert between the tackles, does a great job of picking up extra yards fighting through tackles, and has really improved as the year has gone on in terms of picking holes.
Nice complement to Mostert/ Deebo. Not similar style.
Yah, I didn't mean to imply they were identical in style. Similar size, both are kind of slashers. Mitchell is very similar to Terrell Davis, which means he the prototype for a Shanahan scheme. Mostert is a little more unique because he runs so effortlessly fast that defenders consistently misjudge their angles. If I had to choose between the two I'd choose Mitchell, because like I said, he's perfect for this scheme, he's an absolute grinder between the tackles, and combined with his speed, he's the more versatile RB for certain.
DeleteUnfortunately it doesn't seem like either RB can stay healthy, so that could be a problem moving forward.
Of course, who doesn't get hurt regularly on this team? Knock on wood. I've never seen anything like it in 40 years.
Deebo Samuel is a unicorn, so he would probably compliment anybody, but I'd be surprised if he wants to be used as a RB any more than a handful of attempts per game.
DeleteIt's a much better business decision for him to remain a primary wideout, I would think!
Scooter / Razor
DeleteElijah Mitchell ran a pro day 40 of 4.32s (stop watch)
then ran a Senior Bowl 40 of 4.38s
Mitchell’s other pro-day numbers, 6.87 seconds 3-cone drill; 17 bench press reps of 225 pounds; 10'8" broad jump; vertical 37½ inches; and 4.18s 20-yard shuttle.
these are some of the top at the running back position in the last four, five years!
Raheem Mostert ran a combine 40 of 4.34s
Deebo Samuel ran a combine 40 of 4.48s
GEEP, do you know what Mitchell weighed in at on his pro day?
DeleteGEEP, those 40 times are just a really great example of how times in shorts doing track meet running are not always a great guide to a player's speed in pads on the football field. Also... pro day vs combine...
DeleteMitchell isn't slow. But there is no way on gods green earth he is as fast or explosive as Mostert or Deebo on the football field. Just watch how those two make defenders consistently take bad angles. How often they outrun defenders. Mitchell doesn't do that.
Also worth noting that Mitchell lost weight for his pro day, down to around 200 lbs. He plays heavier than that, which also slows him down a bit.
I heard Elijah lost a lot of weight for his pro day, which might be why his game speed doesn't quite match his pro day speed. He's fast enough, don't get me wrong, but Raheem Mostert has the longest strides for a guy of his size I've ever seen, which is probably why his speed is just different, and it's very deceptive.
DeleteIs that what he weighed at his pro day, Scooter? 200 lbs?
DeleteWow, he plays a lot heavier than that - at least a good 15-20 lbs heavier I would guess. Another thing about Mitchell that I've noticed ... his shoulders (Deltoid muscles) are unbelievably yoked, which means he's built like a battering ram.
He is surprisingly listed at 200 lbs, but that can't be right.
DeleteReasons, I have read/ heard he was back up to around 210lbs at camp.
Delete49Reasons
DeleteLouisana Lafayette listed Mitchell at 201 for his pro day, but their player program listed him at 218? Looks
like they were fudging on his playing weight, or he lost 17 pounds for his pro day.
GEEP, Mitchell himself confirmed he dropped weight for his pro day.
DeleteEnd of the day it's immaterial. You just have to watch him play to know he isn't in the same conversation as Mostert and Deebo for speed and explosiveness.
BTW, 2.8 YPC ... that's what the 49ers averaged VS the Seahawks. That's not a dynamic rushing attack! In fact, the main reason this running game really got going over the last month is Deebo Samuel. But he's an elite WR. He doesn't want to morph into a RB.
DeleteNow imagine having the numbers advantage in the running game with Trey Lance at QB. I thought that was the plan. In fact, I was sure of it.
People keep saying a rookie can't have success, and I disagree. Look at Mac Jones. Look at RG3 in this exact system!
Trey Lance isn't as talented than RG3? Come on guys!
Jimmy had his chance, and he came up short. Kyle had to hide Jimmy in the NFC playoffs in 2019, but he couldn't hide him in the Super Bowl, and the results were predictable because of it.
Is it the type of players that KS covets that lend themselves to the hospital ward?
ReplyDeleteJaMycal Hasty is the only 9er healthy running back, with multiple injuries 9ers work out 3 RB's. Jeremy Cox, Brian Hill and Dexter Williams.
ReplyDelete* Cox is a 6'0" X 226, 24-year-old UFA out of Old Dominion. He appeared in 3 games with Denver this season, as recently as November 15. He has zero offensive stats with 3 ST tackles. Cox is a superb athlete, at his Pro Day he ran a 4.42s 40, 39” in vertical and a 6.90 3-cone. Those numbers are all above average. No history of injuries found.
* Hill: A 6'1" X 219 RB who was Josh Allen’s RB at Wyoming. The 2017 5th Rd. pick has 209 carries during his career, 100 in 2020 with the Falcons. In 2020 Hill averaged 4.7 yards per attempt and 25 receptions for 199 yards. In 2017 he missed 3 games with an ankle injury.
* Williams: A 24 YO, 5'11" x 212 RB who was a 2020 6th Rd. draft pick out of Notre Dame that spent two seasons with the Packers. He had 7 carries for 19 yards before injuring his knee. he had no production as a WR
If the 9ers do sign a RB, IMO it would be Hill. Cox has
little experience, but fits the type of RB KS likes.
Scooter
ReplyDelete"GEEP, those 40 times are just a really great example of how times in shorts doing track meet running are not always a great guide to a player's speed in pads on the football field. Also... pro day vs combine...
I agree Scooter. That's also why I showed pro day timed with stop watch, NOT electronically timed, as at combine.
If Mitchell Senior Bowl 40 time of 4.38s was electronically timed, it would be closer to 4.5s and about the same time as Deebo's combine time of 4.48s. Also, as we've both pointed out that at his prop day, Mitchell ran at ~200 pounds VS his playing weight of 215+
Again... immaterial to me in the end. If you believe he is that fast on the football field then cool, but I have yet to see it.
DeleteScooter
Delete"If you believe he is that fast on the football field then cool, but I have yet to see it."
I believe what we have here Scooter, is a failure to communicate!
The purpose of my last post was to point out that I agreed with you...I DO NOT BELIEVE MITCHELL IS FASTER THAN DEEBO!
1) If electronically timed, Mitchell's Sr Bowl 40 time (at 210) would be ~the same as Deebo's combine time, so with his playing weight at ~215 pounds and with pads on, I agree, he is not as fast as either Deebo or Mostert.
So now that we've got that out of the way, do you believe the 9ers should sign one of the 3 RB's I listed above? If so, which one?
Aha, I see.
DeleteNo need to speculate - they've signed Hill :-)
I've got one play that, to me, is a perfect example of how Kyle let's Josh Norman send the wrong signal to the rest of his team.
ReplyDeleteIt's a 2nd down play, with 8:01 left in the 3rd QTR, and the game is tied at 23 all. It's 2nd and 7, and the ball is on the 49ers 31 yard line. Josh Norman is lined up over DK Metcalf in press coverage, and Metcalf runs the route he usually runs when he's lined up out wide - a go route. Norman uses the correct technique as he's able to disrupt Metcalf's release, turn his hips and bail while maintaining inside leverage, so you would think that Norman would stay on his hip and continue to squeeze Metcalf towards the sideline, but for some inexplicable reason, Norman looks back at Wilson, temporarily losing track of Metcalf, even though he did everything right up to this point, and that seems to cause Norman to slow down for just a split second (perhaps concerned that DK might be actually be running a comeback route, which he rarely does when he's matched up on the outside in single coverage), and of course Metcalf blows by him for 2-3 yards of separation. All Russ had to do was not throw the ball out of bounds and he had an easy TD. Fortunately for Norman and the 49ers, Russ did just that, bailing Josh Norman out with a bad pass that sailed OB.
So what is Norman's response? He celebrates by getting his grill in front of a TV camera, which we know could easily have been considered taunting, and even worse than that, he acted like the reason the pass fell incomplete is he had DK covered on the play, despite the fact that he was beat pretty badly on the play.
Keep in mind, Kyle treats Josh Norman like he's the man, as if his other young CB's should look to emulate the way Norman plays, despite the fact that he plays a very undisciplined style of pass defense. He's constantly grabbing at jerseys and/or making unnecessary contact, because he's consistently loses track of his receivers, is always seems to be out of position.
Meanwhile, Deommodore Lenoir had a very promising training camp, and had the confidence swagger you look for in a young CB. I say "had" because he's another young player who's confidence, which might be the single most important factor for a professional athlete (especially a young and inexperienced one), seems to be completely shot 12 games into his rookie season! I understand that Lenoir made some mistakes early on, the Green Bay game really sticks out to me, but rather than using those mistakes as an opportunity to learn and grow to get better, Kyle's player management style is to make it very clear to the young player that he's that ready for the NFL, and he cannot be trusted, by taking away his jersey and making him stand on the sideline in street clothes for the next month, so he can watch a washed up Dre Kirkpatrick get absolutely embarrassed in his steed. And now that Kirkpatrick has been cut, and injuries have given Kyle no choice but to play Lenoir, the young CB looks like a shell of the kid who was playing with confidence earlier in the season, which is absolutely to be expected with the way Kyle has handled him.
If you keep the player in and they keep getting burned and lose confidence its the coaches fault. If you pull them after a bunch of mistakes and they lose confidence its the coaches fault. Welcome to the catch-22 of coaches dealing with rookies that aren't ready.
DeleteIt's a thin line that needs to be walked. Not every rookie is able to handle bad plays without losing confidence.
The fact that some rookies keep getting reps despite mistakes should be a pretty clear indication the coaching staff is not taking a blanket approach to this, and trying to identify those that can and can't handle it. But instead they get accused of playing favourites. Oh well.
Scooter
DeleteJust curious, but do you believe KS has made mistakes with regards to any of his player? Not necessarily just with rookies, but with all the players?
EXAMPLE: CB Norman? Also, if not playing Lance results in his not being ready to be the starting QB in 2022, is that Lance's fault, or KS and his QB coach's fault? Or if you want to get into the hypothetical: The 9ers, (W/JG at QB), fail to make the playoffs, opposed to trading JG and saving $25Mil. Instead, JL used the $25 Mil. to sign a top FA CB (or 2), plus another IOL top FA, or 2? Would that have been a better use of the 9ers resources?
Yes, I know hindsight is 20/20, but if you're going to accept the moniker of "genius" don't you have to live up to the expectations that come with it?
Does one winning season and four losing seasons qualify a HC for the title of Genius? Just asking for a friend :)
Yes I do. But I also don't believe everything is Shanahan's fault.
DeleteAs a general rule, the 49ers often look unprepared, so who should we blame, Scooter?
DeleteNot only that, Kyle makes all of the big decisions. I don't know who else fans are supposed to hold accountable. Can't blame Jimmy, because he's been allowed to be the same guy for 4 years.
DeleteThe players. Stop giving them a pass.
DeleteBut players come and go, Scooter, and Kyle is responsible for the players. How is that any different from managing any other business?
DeleteIf you are in charge of running a hotel, and the hotel has a horrible reputation for hospitality, and people call it out on Yelp for poor customer service, who do you blame, the bell hop? Room service? Housekeeping?
"Kyle Shanahan signed a six-year $21 million contract with San Francisco. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, this new contract “makes Shanahan one of the NFL’s five highest-paid head coaches." The BUCK STOPS WITH KYLE!
DeleteIt has to be that way. Ultimately somebody needs to be held accountable, and in the SF 49ers case, Kyle Shanahan is in charge of EVERYTHING! There are very few important decision where Kyle doesn't have the final say.
There are 53 active players on the roster in any given week. Of course those players have agency (and least the ones who actually play), but ultimately the person who is in charge of choosing those players, choosing their hierarchy, choosing the assistant coaches, and coaching them up.
Who had the final say in bring Jimmy Garoppolo back this season? Who had the final say in neglecting the CB position, and then trying to shore it up with washed up players? Who's responsible for making Robbie Gould one of the highest paid PK's in the NFL, despite his advanced age, and the fact that he actually held out on the 49ers, despite being fairly compensated? Who chose Richard Hightower to run the ST, and who chose Rich Scangarello to coach the QB's? Who traded away DeFo and drafted a guy with a gimpy knee to replace him? Who traded up for Pettis. Who traded up for Banks? Who traded up for Williams? Who traded up for Sermon?
Most NFL teams have a separation between the GM/Personnel Dept, and the HC. That's not really the case with the 49ers. Kyle's is the decider. And the one danger when you are in charge of everything, is that when things go bad, there is nobody else to truly shoulder the blame.
The players are a reflection of their HC, especially when the HC has the power that Kyle has!
DeleteThe lack of discipline when it comes to penalties and holding onto the ball is atrocious, and that's as much on the players as the coaches. These guys are meant to be professionals. They should know better without needing their HC to give them daily reminders or make it a focus of training. Seriously, stop giving them a pass.
DeleteIt's really nice when you can pin all the blame on one person. Much easier to have a scapegoat you can turn your anger against. But for these 49ers it is a collective failure.
The really frustrating part is if the players pulled their heads in and played with some discipline consistently the team would at least be 8-4, probably better. The coaches put them in good positions to win if they're willing to do the little things right.
Scooter, I'm not pinning all of the blame on Kyle in the way you are suggesting. Of course every single player has to do their jobs in order for a team to sustain success. That's why the first few weeks of NFL football tend to be sloppy, and kind of unpredictable. But when the same mistakes, and a general lack of discipline becomes pervasive, and your players are making the same kind of silly, undisciplined mistakes midway through the season, somebody needs to be held accountable.
DeleteIt's not as simple as - this guy makes a mental mistake so let's either just bench him, or paint a big red letter F on his forehead ... or better yet, how about we just deactivate him so that he can feel shame as he wallows on the sideline in street clothes, because then he's sure to get the message. What difference does it make if the HC is totally inconsistent in the way he holds certain players accountable?
I don't know why this is even up for debate!
I thought one of the main jobs of the HC was to fix these problems. In fact, I thought one of the marks of a good HC was the ability to coach up a team in a way that creates discipline. And I thought one of the marks of a bad HC is evident in his team's lack of discipline and really, lack of accountability, and that's exactly who the 49ers have been under Kyle's leadership, with very few exceptions.
But Kyle fails as a HC in more than just this one area, IMO!
I think my biggest beef with Kyle is that certain problems never seem to be properly addressed. Kyle would just assume make excuses like he did after the rainy game vs the Colts. Kyle basically blamed the rainy conditions, even though their opponent, unlike them, didn't allow the rain to be a deciding factor because they were clearly better prepared for those elements, and what even extra damning about that is that the Colts are a DOME team, for crying out loud!
Maybe if Kyle relied a little more on tried and true techniques for preparing his team to play in torrential rain, like using specific wet-ball drills in the leadup to the game, rather than not practicing those things simply because Kyle decided that his own personal experience playing in the rain way back in the day, when he was in college (I literally laughed out loud when I heard Kyle use this reasoning to justify not doing these drills during the week in the leadup to the game), the 49ers wouldn't have looked as woefully unprepared as they did.
This is what Kyle does. Kyle acts like he's the smartest coach in the league. Somehow he's convinced himself that his limited college playing days somehow make him more qualified for preparing his team to play in heavy rain, as compared to tried and true formulas that have been developed through 50-60 years worth of experience throughout every aspect of the entire NFL.
Enough is enough with this nonsensical notion that it's not fair to hold Kyle Shanahan accountable for the way his team performs. If ever there was a situation where the buck stops at the HC, it's Kyle Shanahan. He's the ultimate decision maker. Players come and go, but Kyle is a constant, and he has the final say on every single thing, including the way in which players are being disciplined, or not disciplined, in order to be held accountable for their actions.
Here's another example: When you acquire a veteran QB with limited playing experience via a trade, and that QB has certain flaws as a quarterback, like an inability to read certain coverages, it's up the coaches to coach him up so that he improves in that area. Same goes for basic throwing mechanics. If this same QB is also woefully inconsistent with his mechanics, failing to use his lower body correctly, and improperly transferring his weight when he throws, it's up to the coaches to coach him up in order to correct those mechanics, because these thing are vital when it comes to protecting the football, and throwing with accuracy, and if you don't get him fixed, it's going to end up costing you a lot of winnable games, right? Well .... who's in charge of hiring the QB's coach, and who's in charge of making sure the QB's coach is doing his job? The proof is in the pudding, Scooter. If none of the 49ers QB's seem to be developing beyond the very basics, and they continue to make the same mistakes, and continue to use improper throwing mechanics, who should ultimately be held responsible, because somebody needs to be. Kyle actually re-hired QB's coach Rich Scangarello, despite the lack of development at the QB position over the last few years, and now Rich is in charge of developing Trey Lance, even though as far as I can tell, Rich Scangarello has no measurable experience coaching up an athletic duel-threat QB in the mold of Trey Lance. This should make every single 49ers fan extremely nervous, BTW! Why should any fan have confidence in the QB position moving forward, if the same problems that plagued them for the majority of 2017, have continued to plague them year in and year out, without anybody being held accountable for those failures.
DeleteOne last question Scooter: Do you think Jimmy Garoppolo would still be the 49ers QB today if Bill Walsh were still the 49ers HC?
I think we all know the answer to that question!
And I really like Jimmy as a dude. I could be friends with a guy like that because he's a team first guy. Seems like he and Trey get on really well together, so that's all good.
DeleteBut Jimmy is old technology compared to Trey!
I think of Jimmy G like an old SONY Walkman of mine, something that served it's purpose in an exciting new way. It was kind of heavy, the door hinge was a little sloppy, and the cassette tapes needed to be protected in a plastic case. But back in the day (1984) it was the sweetest way to carry your music around and rock out, especially with a great pair of BOSE earphones.
With that in mind, think of Trey Lance is DIGITAL as compared to mechanical, meaning the Walkman becomes obsolete.
And I sure hope fans still give Trey a chance to make rookie mistakes, even though he's been in the system for a full year. Remember running the scout team isn't the same as working on Kyle's playbook day in and day out. And it's worth remembering that he didn't really even play in 2020, there is going to be rust, and he needs to work through his problems in game, weather, loud conditions, all of those things that need game experience.
Plus I hope that fans are patient with the OL, because it's a different technique when your blocking for Trey, as opposed to Jimmy, and these things take time to develop, because it takes actual game reps to fully develop, that's what experience is all about.
The 49ers 2021 season is teetering dangerously towards being labeled the "LAME DUCK season of 2021". I am not going as far as Steve Young in calling them "lost years", but the 49ers are currently 6-6, so ......
The 49ers are a team in LIMBO!
DeleteWell said 49Reasons
ReplyDeletei take it 49Reasons does not like Kyle.
ReplyDeleteI love Kyle - the Offensive Coordinator, Unknown, I'm just not a huge fan of Kyle - the Head Coach!
DeleteKyle's biggest problem as a HC is that he is too emotional. The secondary problem is the sometimes lacks common sense. And he clearly has too many things on his plate, which might be why he sticks with guys who he has personal relationships with, even if they aren't the best at what they do (Scangarello, Hightower, Slowik).
DeleteUnknown, let me rephrase that. Sometimes I feel like Kyle believes we are all dumb about football, so that he can bald face lie to us as fans. And the Mac Jones CHARADE was an embarrassment in the most ridiculous way, and it will forever stain Kyle Shanahan's reputation!
DeleteDid you guys catch SBNATION's Saturday morning headline (12/11)?
ReplyDeleteGolden Nuggets: "Trey Lance, Scout Team Player Of The Week"
SMH!