Hello everyone and welcome to the divisional round of the NFC playoffs. The red hot Packers come into Levi's stadium with a 4 game winning streak, including a mollywhopping of the Dallas Cowboys in the Wildcard game last week. The Niners come into this game rested and prepared, while the Packers will be depending on the teams youth to sustain them after logging in 2000 miles to Texas and back, and another 2000 to Santa Clara. If this game is tight in the 4th quarter the advantage would appear to be with the 49ers. I think the gameplan should be run and run it some more, gobbling up time of possession. Packers run defense ranks 28th. Deebo needs at least 5 carries, CMC with another 20 and Mitchell with another 10. Grind the cheese and melt the Packers defense into sauce. Do that and the Niners should be in victory formation by the end of the 4th quarter. Sometimes Love don't feel like it should, Niners hurt so good and Brock them like a hurricane, 38-17!
49ers inactives:
QB Brandon Allen (3rd QB)
LB Jalen Graham
OL Matt Pryor
WR Ronnie Bell
CB Sam Womack
DL Alex Barrett
DL T.Y. McGill
Ball security is paramount. The only way we lose is through INTs and Fumbles lost and adverse weather. Run Run Run the ball!
ReplyDeleteGo Niners! 28-24
The Niners are 4-0 when CMC gets 20 carries.
DeleteRazor
DeleteI look for the 9ers to run the ball 20+ times in the first half, score twice, and the 9er D hold GB RB Aaron jones under 75
yards and one TD.
I also look for Deebo and Kittle to score once and have a big game against GB.
9ers 31 GB 20
I would remind the weatherman that Purdy already has a rainy playoff home win under his belt: vs Seattle last season. Think he had over 300 yards through the air, 4 TD’s and 505 yards of total offense cruising to a 41-23 beat down.
ReplyDelete01/20/2024 Weather at 1:56 PM, at Levi's Stadium, 4900 Marie P DeBartolo Way, Santa Clara CA
DeleteLight rain
62° F
Precipitation: 90%
Humidity: 73%
Wind: 10 mph
#49ers placed DE Clelin Ferrell (knee) on injured reserve.
ReplyDeleteThey activated S George Odum from injured reserve. He will return today.
They also elevated DT TY McGill and DL Alex Barrett from the practice squad.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteJUST A REMINDER FOR THE ALL THE FOOTBALL FANS WATCHING THE 9ERS VS GB TODAY:
ReplyDeleteSome talking heads are promoting Love and the 9-8 Packers...BUT,
* Other than the (toy) boys, who got caught preening in the mirror, and got their butts kicked on national TV...Who did GB play their
last 4 games in the regular season?
Packers 17 VS Bears 9 BEAT A LAST PLACE TEAM.
Packers 33 VS Vikings 10 BEAT A NEXT TO LAST PLACE TEAM
Packers 33 VS Panthers 30 BEAT ANOTHER LAST PLACE TEAM
Packers 20 VS TB 34....So their last 4 games, GB lost to the only team with A WINNING RECORD?
Niners are 4-0 this season coming off a mini-bye (Thursday night) or bye outscoring their opponents by 25.
ReplyDeleteJon Feliciano will get the start at right guard.
ReplyDeleteHe will light the fire for the CMac flame
DeleteA little nugget from Greg Cossell: while the Niners are at top the league in running 21 personnel, they are #1 in EPA running out of 11 personnel. This is how CMac "unlocked" the offense -- the ability to run or pass from light or heavy personnel.
ReplyDeleteI won’t pick a score, but the Niners should win handily.
ReplyDeleteAmbry not looking good so far.
ReplyDeleteVery conservative play-calling to end the half.
ReplyDeleteD keeping us in this game, with bend don't break. Wilks has been great at Halftime adjustments. Let us see if that continues.
Have to score with the 1st drive after halftime.
For some reason we aren’t able to run agai the 28th ranked rushing defense.
ReplyDeleteAnother great job Ambry
ReplyDeleteTime to find out what Purdy and Kyle's offense is made of.
ReplyDelete10 pts difference due to poor special teams play
ReplyDelete49ers just don't look right today. So many silly mistakes. Not sure if it's the rust factor or not, but I was concerned the lengthy break could cause some sluggishness and sloppiness.
ReplyDeleteAmbry can’t make a tackle. Why is he still in the game?
ReplyDeletePurdy has been somewhat off all evening. Lucky he has not been picked off.
ReplyDeleteNot one run play called after the INT. Not good.
ReplyDeleteWell it's time to find out in the fourth quarter what Purdy and Kyle's offense is made of.
ReplyDeleteIf Niners are to win the Super Bowl they have to mount a deliberate, efficient drive here that ends in a TD allowing the D to get some rest.
ReplyDeleteAsking a lot of Purdy to keep looking for deep shots in this weather. Though it has looked like there's been some shorter passes he's been passing up.
ReplyDeleteHe's been off on intermediate passes, too. Even the short passes are not placed optimally for the receiver.
DeleteAgree plus he’s not getting time for those down field throws.
ReplyDeleteThat should do it!
ReplyDeleteGreat victory. Green Bay is for real.
ReplyDeleteMan they made hard work of it, but onto the next one. Going to need to be much better to go all the way though.
ReplyDeleteWhooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
ReplyDeleteWow..just wow! Can't believe we won that game!!
ReplyDeleteEscaped by the skin of their teeth. Good experience for Purdy.
ReplyDeleteIs this the first time that Kyle has won trailing by 4 points in the fourth quarter?
Purdy got the monkey off his back tonight in a big game.
ReplyDeleteGreat way to bring the team back! Brock wasn't sharp, but he did enough to win. Also, great 2nd half defensive adjustment to slow down a very game Packers team.
Above ^ comments mine.
ReplyDeleteSo lets all say it together. Brock Purdy can not play in the rain. Great news the 7 day forecast calls for sunny and 68 degrees next Sunday
DeleteI'm expecting that he spends the off-season throwing a wet ball.
DeleteOld Coach but he did play in the rain and we won. I think some of those off throws were due to being pressured which he was most of the time. He does have some problems gripping in the rain but not a huge issue.
DeleteCMac ran like he would not allow the Niners lost on this watch.
ReplyDeleteWhether the 49ers play Goff or Baker next weekend, they will have a liability with Ambry on the field. Lenoir will go up against either Evens or St. Brown which are physical WRs. Which could possibly prompt Wilks to give Lenoir a little more help with a Safety. Thomas will be targeted big time, and that's a scary proposition.
ReplyDeleteFerrell should be back and that should help the run D immeasurably, creating much fewer 2nd and short yardag plays. They got zero sacks tonight they will need to sack Goff or Mayfield more than 3 times. If they can get those sacks it will help out the DBs quite a bit. After 17 regular season games and 1 playoff game i'm still not sold on Wilks. One week his D game plan will be excellent and the next week it will be terrible. I don't remember this shoddy tackling under Saleh or Ryan.
DeleteFerrell is on IR and done for the season
DeleteI think the 9ers should resign Ferrell and let Young go. Young has been a giant disappointment and was very mediocre tonight.
ReplyDeleteOC
Delete"Young has been a giant disappointment and was very mediocre tonight." * I agree, 9er FO should NOT resign Young. With tight Salary cap, a better use of resources is resign WR Aiyuk.
* DE Clelin Ferrell is on IR. Out for season with a knee injury.
IMO, Resigning him will depend on his knee healing. His 1
year contract is $2.5 Mil. A PFF grade (60.7), 4 sacks for 2023
* As for being a disappointment. With the exception of TW, both OG's and RT have been a disappointment.
* IMO, the 9ers 1st Rd draft pick should be an OT to replace
McKivitz. He was 1 of 23 tackles to play >1,000 snaps in 2023. He earned a 65.1 PFF grade with a 68.1 run blocking mark and a 56.4 pass blocking mark. McKivitz has the 15th most blown blocks of all linemen in the NFL with 30 blown blocks. The next closest 9er O-lineman has 18.
* After TW, the highest-graded OL were OG Jon Feliciano (81.2) and OT Jaylon Moore (72.9).
* Lowest graded O-Linman was OG Spencer Burford (50.4) and OG Aaron Banks (54.9)
* 2023 PFF score for C Jake Brendel (63.9)
once Again shanahan out thinks himself.i will say it once i will say it twice run Macaffery behind Trent Williams until they prove they can stop it. simple pimple.
ReplyDeleteThat shot from the end zone of Jennings rising up to make that critical third down catch had Dwight Clark vibe to it...
ReplyDeleteCan't win in the rain, check
ReplyDeleteCan't come from behind in the 4th quarter, check
Can't win without Deebo, check
ReplyDeleteCan't win without CMC, still unanswered. But two out three ain't bad. Mike Ditka said sometimes it's better to be lucky. When a QB has to wipe his hand on his jersey to dry his throwing hand, I believe it's a pretty good indicator that a wet ball gives him issues. There were two of Purdy's passes that should have been Ints, so that's where the luck comes into play.
ReplyDeleteBut a win is a win.
Yea, Love should've been picked off by Lenoir. Went right through his hands. The Packers got lucky on their kick return fumble too.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that I take away from this game is the fact the entire team did not play up to their expectations and they still won. Defense could not get off the field, the offense sputtered all night and the special teams was anything but special. A very defining win.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct UC. Had the 49ers lost the game there would have been a lot of blame to spread around. Ambry Thomas looked like the 2022 version that benched him and caused the 49ers to sign T.Ward and draft DBs. But the Dline was lackluster for the better part of 3 Qtrs. Aaron Jones scrapped them for 108 yds and 6.0 yds per carry. They will need to tighten up these areas in the 🏆 game.
ReplyDeleteHow many int's did Montana throw and brought them back to win in the 4th quarter, 3?
ReplyDeleteI would wait until Purdy wins a few SBs before you put him in Montana's air space. Imho, he's not in Jimmy Gs air space until he at least reaches the SB.
DeleteRazor,
DeleteI'm pretty sure I saw every game Montana ever played and I can not remember him playing 3 quarters any where near as bad as BP played last night. Possibly in 1979 but I can't remember. I don't think BP played poorly last night for any reason that he was in control of. I just believe that he is not able to throw the ball in heavy to moderate rain with any consistency. Hopefully he won't have to next week and if we win weather won't be an issue in Vegas. I don't think a coach would ever do it but I would consider using the backup when ever the weather is like it was last night.
You must not have seen the 1984 game in November against the Bengels when he threw 4 ints.
DeleteRazor,
DeleteMontana may have thrown more ints in that game than BP had dropped ints Saturday night but what I was referring to were BPs incompletions. Balls that were so far off target that I wasn't sure who he was throwing to or the completions that took great catches to control. If we use ints as the only measure than you are correct Montanas game was worse than BPs Saturday but once again I don't remember Montanas passes ever being that far off target. In BPs defense he was heavily pressured and I believe the cause of his inaccuracy had nothing to do with his general ability but his inability to throw a wet ball. But then again I could be wrong.
Razor,
DeleteOn another subject. I remember that you had a pretty low opinion of Jared Goff when he played for the Rams. Has your opinion changed since then?
I also had a low opinion of Goff at the Rams, and I think it was warranted. He was physically gifted with good throwing mechanics, but very underdeveloped in terms of the mental aspects of the game which showed throughout his tenure at the Rams. I know his stats from his 2nd and 3rd years would suggest differently, but McVay dumbed things down for him and it is well documented that McVay used to get Goff to line the team up early so McVay could see the defense and tell him what protections to get the team into and what to expect from the defense before the mic went out.
DeleteBut give him credit - he has improved the mental side of his game over time. One of the biggest benefits of getting to play for McVay was he got given the time to develop the mental side of his game through playing, while McVay did a good job of simplifying things for him. Now with that experience he can operate more self-sufficiently with the Lions.
It's a bit like Alex Smith.
Goff's gotten better but pressure still makes him uncomfortable.
DeleteThen in '88 Montana threw a would be int in the endzone that the Bengals dropped, and then came back to win the game in the Super Bowl.
ReplyDeleteYeah, the key phase here is, "Superbowl."
ReplyDeleteThe fact that Shanny even got to a SB with Jimmy G has to be one of the greatest achievements of head coaching in the modern era.
ReplyDeleteI would include Jim Harbaugh in your category by making it the SB with, well, you know who.
DeleteLions beat Bucks 31 to 23 and will play 9ers next week for NFC championship.....Goff threw for 287 yards with 2 touchdowns and no turnovers in the victory, while backup RB's Jahmyr Gibbs and Craig Reynolds added touchdowns on the ground for Detroit. Now we'll see how much Goff has improved his game!
ReplyDeletePurdy threw for a career high 39x in the playoffs with rain coming down!!
ReplyDeleteThis wasn’t the same as when Jimmy G was the QB throwing 8x in beautiful weather
Which 49ers QBs have gone to the SB in the last 12 years? How many has Purdy been in? I think we both know the answer. As great as Brock has played, he's yet to win a championship game. If you want to prop Purdy on a per game basis that is understandable. But, that's not the 49ers philosophy. Raising Superbowl banners is The 49ers WAY. When Purdy accomplishes that goal, he will receive my complete praise. But for now, he has to get past the Lions.
DeleteLol! He's in his 2nd season, and in his 1st season he led the team to the NFCCG as well but got knocked out of the game on the 49ers opening drive.
DeleteGive him a chance. It's ok to acknowledge how well he's playing without having won a SB given he's not yet really had an opportunity to win one.
Brock Purdy had a 86.7 passer rating vs the Packers in the Divisional Round.
ReplyDeleteOther QBs postseason games with a lower rating
Tom Brady 22 games
Joe Montana 8 games
Patrick Mahomes 4 games
I think that you are ignoring an important fact here, with these QBs.
ReplyDeleteFun fact - at the same stage of their careers as Purdy is in now, none of the above QBs had won a SB either.
DeleteNot winning a SB doens't take away from what he's been able to accomplish in his first 2 seasons. You won't have but's left if he does end up winning one.
ReplyDeleteI've never taken anything away from Purdy throughout this season. I've only tried to be honest re Brock. He lost with T. Williams and Deebo out early in the season. But other than that, I have proped him, maybe not as over the top as some here have, but I have mentioned on more than a few occasions that he had a great game. So, yes, if measured on a per game scale, he's been exceptional. Maybe I'm at fault for measuring on Superbowl wins, but I don't make any apologies for that.
DeleteDid you see the throw he layered over the LB to Jennings? That was art. Brock Purdy is special. He went 7 for 7 on the winning drive if you count George Kittle dropping a pass in the bread basket. Every teams goal is to win a SB and nobody wants it more than I do, but I'm not about to apologize for him not winning one after 2 seasons in the league.
ReplyDeleteYes, I did. It was a great pass. And Purdy completing 6-7 passes on the winning drive was outstanding. And as I said after the game, Brock wasn't his usual sharp self, but he did enough to win the game. And winning is what puts you in exclusive company. And honestly, when you put his name next to Montana, Brady and Mahomes, it's quite a stretch, imo.
DeleteI didn't put his name next to Montana, Brady and Mahomes. Brock Purdy did that on his own.
DeleteFair enough. I'll wait until he wins a SB.
DeleteDeommodore Lenoir has a 19.6 passer rating when targeted during his postseason career 🤯
ReplyDeleteRazor,
ReplyDeleteMy big concern is Sam LaPorta. This guy is a superstar in the making.
He killed the Bucs on a gimpy knee. How do you think the defense will play against him on Sunday?
The Lions don't throw downfield much. I'd think Oliver would matchup well on LaPorta or Warner in base. Signing Ertz tells me there might be some concern about how much tread is left on this seasons LaPorta radials.
DeleteGonna be interesting to see if Brown gets the nod over Ryans in this game. Maybe one of those two takes a turn at covering LaPorta.
DeleteWarner will be tasked with covering the space over the middle, and he's the best in the business at it.
DeleteThey said Brock Purdy could only play with a lead.
ReplyDeleteThey said Brock Purdy can’t win without Deebo.
12 play 69 yard 5 minute GAME WINNING drive.
NFC championship game 2 years in a row.
A lot of people haven't watched tape on Purdy if they did they would not be saying what they are saying. In his first exhibition game I was on board with the guy thinking he has a chance to be a starter. I had no idea he would be this good so soon.
DeleteThat Packers game in the rain is exactly the kind of game the 49ers would lose with Jimmy G at quarterback.
DeleteI've been thinking about BPs performance in both the Cleve and Green Bay games. In both games he played bad to very bad in the first 3 quarters. Then in the last drive of both games he returned to his normal level of play, putting the team in line to win in Cleve and winning the GB game. What was the difference in his play between the first 3 quarters and the last drive? I don't remember the Cleve game and I couldn't tell in the GB game, did the rain stop or severely let up during those drives? If it was still raining hard during those last drives why was Purdy able to play well? Is his problem with playing in the rain more mental than physical? Is it something he is able to put out of his head when the real pressure is on? Just something to think about.
ReplyDeleteOn another subject, does anyone remember if the media has asked about Moody's inconsistency in kick offs? One time he will drive it through the end zone and the next two times he will kick short of or to the goal line. Is the STs coach asking him to make short high directional kicks so the his STs can pin the opponent deep in their own territory.? If he is (and I think he is) can the 9ers just fire him today because it has been a terrible failure. Watch Moody on the kick off that was returned and the KO after the 9ers last TD. There is something radically different in his body. The 2nd KO you can see (to quote Mike Krukow) he gets both cheeks into it.
ReplyDeleteThose kicks just short of the endzone and in the corner are designed kicks. After that Packers return they had him kick it in the endzone.
DeleteRazor,
DeleteThats what I thought. Their KO coverage team is not very good. Just KO thru the end zone thats why we used a 3rd round pick on Moody.
Those designed kicks are part of the reason they took Moody in the 3rd round, but when two of your kick return team ends up on the ground thats what you get.
DeleteJosh Allen and Brock Purdy both had 39 pass attempts in their divisional games this weekend.
ReplyDeleteJosh Allen had 14 passes behind the LOS.
Brock Purdy had 4.
I see you caught the 49ers rush podcast from John Chapman.
DeleteGood podcast ain't it?
I try to acquire as much information regarding the 49ers as I can and Chapman is good. I like Krueger better.
DeleteKrueger is my go to along with D. Lombardi.
DeleteTHE DAMN VULTURES ARE AT IT AGAIN:
ReplyDeleteReport: Brian Griese, Klint Kubiak interviewed for Saints offensive coordinator.....
* The Saints' search for a new offensive coordinator includes a pair of 49ers assistant coaches.
Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports that 49ers quarterbacks coach Brian Griese and offensive passing game specialist Klint Kubiak have interviewed with the team. The Saints fired Pete Carmichael at the end of the regular season.
https://sports.yahoo.com/report-brian-griese-klint-kubiak-173942028.html
Shanahan continues to do a great job of bringing in coaching talent.
DeletePersonally I love seeing the coaching staff generate so much interest. It means talented guys will see the 49ers as a great springboard.
A lot has been made of BP's poor performance playing in the rain!
ReplyDelete* Most of the criticism has been that he has small hands and has trouble gripping a wet ball. While I agree the size of his hands may
contribute, there are other factor that needs to be considered. The QB throws to a spot on the field, as the 9er offense is based on timing. When BP's receivers run their stem and make their cut, their footing can be effected by a wet field and that can throw their timing off. A
wet and soggy field can also affect the receivers ability to get off the LOS, again throwing the timing off.
* The combination of A) not being able to grip the ball and B) the timing with his receivers being off, does IMO, help explain some of
the problems BP has in wet conditions. He may also have a mental
problem, in that he is less aggressive and aims the ball rather than his normal throwing motion. That may explain his performance in the 4th quarter of the GB game...He stopped worrying about making a mistake and throwing an INT. If so, he learned a valuable lesson, just
be himself and play his game ...The rest will take care of itself and fall into place.
* BP's combine hand measured 9 1/4". A hand size of around 9.5 inches is considered ideal for the position.
* NFL 2022 Combine Results: List of Quarterback Hand Sizes and Measurements for 2022 NFL Draft
https://www.fanduel.com/research/theduel/nfl-combine-results-list-quarterback-hand-sizes-measurements-2022-nfl-draft-01fx85sawfah/
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE INTERESTED:
ReplyDelete* The Relationship Between Cognitive Functions and Sport ...
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6494938/
NOTE: This is but one of several studies on the subject.....
sa
ReplyDeleteAlways good info, GEEP.
ReplyDeleteI do have a small issue with your report. I'm not disputing the numbers. But, the analysis seems to suggest that Purdy only plays well when the weather and WRs are good.
This type of report also deflects blame from Brock. This was a poor game for Purdy until the important last winning series when Brock completed 6-7 passes to get the win. That was a great comeback win for him, but for the better part of 4 Qtrs. Brock looked very un-Purdy.
AES
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree. It was a poor game for BP, until the 4th QTR.
I wasn't judging him, just stating my opinion with respect to possible reasons.
* I included the Mental aspect from reading research papers written by Dr. Alia Crum (Stanford), Dr. Andrew Huberman (UC Davis) and Dr Harry Edwards (Emeritus Professor at UC Berkley) and his work with major sports teams.
* If your into playing a sports shrink, it makes for some interesting reading. ! ?
If BPs poor play in the rain continues next season say he plays poorly in the rain and potentially loses 3 games one of those in the playoffs, do the 9ers resign him for very big money? Playing in Nor Cal especially in late Nov. to late Jan. he is likely to play in at least one rain game maybe more. Playing one game in Seattle there is also a decent chance of a rain game. L.A. and Ariz will be dry. They also play road games in GB and Buff. next year. Does his penchant for poor play in the rain especially late in the year make him a risky candidate for a huge long term contract?
ReplyDeleteOldCoach
ReplyDelete* The experience with QB's Lance, Garoppolo, Mullens, Kaepernick etc, should give the 9er FO enough reasons to pause before doing something they'll likely regret?
* I would expect the 9er brain trust to make a concerted effort to identify WHY BP plays poorly in bad weather and see if there is a
way to fix it, rather than "throwing the baby out with the bath water?" They could end up with a QB worse than the 4 listed above!
* Since you raised the question, how would you suggest the 9er FO
address the issue?
Geep,
DeleteI agree with you, first they need to try and identify why BP struggles in the rain. If they can't rectify the problem they have to decide whether his struggling in 2 or 3 games a year because of weather is reason to not sign him. If other teams question his worth and they can sign him for less than the top tier then I say sign him but also try to draft or sign the best backup QB available and don't hesitate to replace BP if he struggles in weather.
GEEP,
ReplyDeleteI agree. While I point out some flaws in Purdy's play, in no way do I see the 49ers losing him through contract issues down the road. When the time comes for contract talk, I believe both sides will mutually agree on the final terms.
AES,
ReplyDeleteIf BPs struggles in bad weather continue possibly leading to late season/playoff losses would that change your opinion on whether the 9ers should resign him and how much they should pay?
Coach,
DeleteA wet ball could be his kryptonite, but it would concern me if the BayArea had a high percentage of rain. Also, I often remind myself that Brock is only into his 2nd yr in the NFL. I'm not sure what physical training or sports technology can be used to negate the wet ball issue. But, i'm sure the 49ers and Purdy will work to resolve the issue going forward. I'm certainly not "crowning" Brock, yet. But, he IS the best QB the 49ers have had since the 2012 CK and the 2019 Jimmy G.
#NFL Fewest points allowed, 2023
ReplyDelete1. Ravens - 280
2. Chiefs - 294
3. 49ers - 298
The only teams under 300 this season. And the top 3 in SB odds right now.
Even in today's game defense still wins championships.
DeleteThe 9ers D the last quarter of the season has not been nearly as good as they were in the first 3 quarters. Over the first 12 games the D was giving up 14.5 points per game. Over the final 5 games they gave up 21.8 points per game. The uptick in points given up pretty much coincides with the loss of Hufunga and Armstead. Now Armstead returned last week and the points given up stayed about the same as the previous 5 games which tells me that the loss of Hufunga really hamstrung the 9er D.
DeleteWell, in other 49ers news (aside from Purdy). It's nice to see CMC being voted the PFWA Player of the Year award.
ReplyDeletePerhaps, not as prestigious as the NFL POY, but it's refreshing that others recognize the overall talent of the team.
Fangio out as DC in Miami.
ReplyDeleteI hope he doesn't go to the Eagles or Cowboys or come to any other NFC team and stays put in the AFC.
If Wilkes get a HC job the 9ers will be looking for a new DC. I know KS is in love with the wide 9 and K Kocurek but our run D has been a real weakness this year and our pass rush has not been great. I think the 9ers talent could really fit a 3-4. They would need to sign or draft a true nose tackle but they usually come pretty cheap. A D line of a solid Nose Tackle, Armstead and Hargrave with Bosa at OLB and Beal at the other OLB with Warner and Greenlaw in the middle sounds like a pretty damn exciting group. So if Wilkes is hired ( I doubt it happens) I hope they give Fangio a good long look
DeleteIf the reason Fangio was let go by the Dolphins is as per speculation that he and McDaniel didn't mix well, I doubt working under Shanahan will be much of an improvement. End of the day, Shanahan wants input on how the team will be run, including on D. I don't think he'd be willing to cede complete control to Fangio.
DeleteIf Wilks goes, which I don't think he will, my question is whether Shanahan will look at another experienced guy or look for a young up-and-coming guy.
I think Wilks won't be goin' anywhere. I don't see any team hiring him this year. Next year maybe...
DeleteThat being said, I don't think we hire Fangio. Too much of a system change. Johnny Holland (Lbs coach) would be a good in-house candidate. We know Kocurek does not want to be a DC. His passion is the D-Line.
9ER FANS GET SOME GOOD NEWS:
ReplyDelete* Deebo's shoulder ‘feels better,' but 49ers star sits out practice....
Deebo Samuel is not scheduled to practice on Wednesday, coach Kyle Shanahan said, as the 49ers begin preparations to face the Detroit Lions the NFC Championship Game on Sunday at Levi's Stadium.
* Samuel’s availability figures to be a question that will linger throughout the week. “He feels better,” Shanahan said.
* When asked if Samuel’s condition makes him more optimistic for his chances of playing against the Lions, Shanahan said, “It makes me feel better.”
* 9ers open practice window for DL Kalia Davis:
The 49ers designated defensive tackle Kalia Davis to return Wednesday, the team announced. It opens Davis' 21-day practice window, and it is unclear whether the team is only using the designation to get him practice time or whether they intend to activate him back to the active roster.
* Davis injured an ankle in the Dec. 17 game against the Cardinals, and he went on injured reserve three days later after being diagnosed with a high-ankle sprain.
‘Deal expected' for Vic Fangio to become Eagles' defensive coordinator.
ReplyDelete* Veteran defensive coach Vic Fangio, a consultant with the Eagles during the 2022 Super Bowl run, has emerged as the “top target” for the Eagles’ defensive coordinator vacancy and “a deal is expected,” according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Jeremy Fowler.
Fangio quietly spent last year with the Eagles before becoming Dolphins defensive coordinator this past season. He and the Dolphins mutually parted ways on Wednesday, according to Schefter and Fowler.
https://sports.yahoo.com/deal-expected-vic-fangio-become-213348459.html
WHEN IS IT TIME TO CALL A HACK A BLOVIATING HACK? ASK RICHARD SHERMAN
ReplyDelete* Sherman expertly dismantles Cowherd for harsh Purdy criticism.
* After being shown a clip of Fox Sports' Colin Cowherd harshly critiquing Purdy's play in the 49ers' divisional-round playoff win over the Green Bay Packers on Saturday, Sherman quickly and passionately came to the young quarterback's defense and called out Cowherd's lack of facts.
* "If you watched [Packers quarterback] Jordan Love and you watched that game -- Jordan Love is an incredible talent -- he played worse down the stretch when they needed it. He played worse, that's why his team lost," Sherman told Keyshawn Johnson on the "All Facts No Brakes" podcast. "So you're saying he's a more talented quarterback? That's you hiding behind rhetoric or hiding behind words because you can't statistically back up what you're saying.
"Show me the stats. Because if Brock Purdy threw interceptions like Jordan Love did, then he would get up there and double down on what he said."
https://sports.yahoo.com/sherman-expertly-dismantles-cowherd-harsh-191527864.html
If the Niners contain the Lion's ground game, the Niners win easily. However, the Niners defense isn't as good as it once was and is suspect particularly against the run.
ReplyDeleteIt took the 49ers 3 Qtrs to knock the rust off against the Packers last week. I, expect them to be much sharper against the Lions, which should be enough for a win.
ReplyDeleteA QUESTION FOR ANYONE WHO HAS AN OPINION:
ReplyDelete* S Ji’Ayir Brown was coming off an injury against GB and had not played in 4 weeks. Brown injured his knee in Week 16 against the Ravens and missed Weeks 17 and 18, but was back in practice to ramp up to the postseason. Instead, veteran S Logan Ryan lined up alongside Tashaun Gipson for the 9ers playoff opener. Ryan, will turn 33 next month. He signed with San Francisco in early Dec. after not
playing on an NFL team at all in the 2023 season.
* Against GB Ryan missed 2 tackles and allowed a TD on 1 of the 2 passes thrown his way. The TD came on a natural pick designed by GB. Ryan was a non-factor for the most part in the game.
* Brown is an athletic, versatile S with a penchant for being around the football and generating turnovers. JL & KS liked Brown enough to trade up for him and make him the 1st S off the bench when Talanoa Hufanga went down in Week 11 with a torn ACL.
* MY QUESTION FOR THE BLOG IS, WHO SHOULD START AGAINST THE LIONS, BROWN OR RYAN?
Ryan is experienced, but at 33, he may not be fast enough to cover as much field as Brown. Personally, I would start Ryan, but insert Brown on certain packages. Brown, was pretty solid when he was healthy. He will get his snaps on Sunday.
ReplyDeleteI would start Brown against this run heavy Lions offense. Ryan is better in coverage. Overall I think the weather affected the Niners traction and the defense should perform significantly better this week. They'll need to have a safety or lb fill the hole outside and make the tackle.
ReplyDeleteRazor
DeleteI agree with you. I was surprised KS didn't use Brown to help stop GB RB Aaron Jones! Jones rushed for 108 yards, including a massive 53-yard run and IMO, was a reason for Love's play action success....
* IMO, the biggest defensive problem that Wilks needs to address is, Love picked on Ambry Thomas and that led to 2 TD drives. Both TD's give GB the lead.
I'm a little concerned about who covers LaPorta. Will the 49ers use the the 6'3" Oren Burks or the 6" Dre Greenlaw? Freddie can cover TEs well, but if he has to key on LaPorta it minimizes his ability to play against the run. I'm sure Wilks already has game planned for this, but I'm interested to see what that looks like on Sunday.
ReplyDeleteAES
DeleteLions TE LaPorta had success during the regular season:
He had one of the best rookie seasons for a TE in NFL history. topping Keith Jackson (1988) for the most receptions in a season by a rookie TE (86). He had 86 receptions for 889 yards and 10 TD's during the regular season.
But LaPorta hasn't done much (so far), in the post season!
* Detroit Lions TE LaPorta Postseason Stats 2023
12 receptions for 79 yards and 1 TD
* Detroit players the 9ers need to contain
QB Jared Goff,
RB's David Montgomery abd Jahmyr Gibbs
WR's Amon-Ra St. Brown and Josh Reynolds
* Detroit Lions Player Postseason Stats 2023
https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/stats/_/name/det/detroit-lions
NFL Awards: Lamar Jackson, Christian McCaffrey, Dak Prescott up for MVP, Offensive Player of the Year!
ReplyDeletehttps://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-awards-lamar-jackson-christian-mccaffrey-dak-prescott-up-for-mvp-offensive-player-of-the-year-173035970.html
* QUESTION: Why was BP eliminated from the award after his performance against the Ravens, while hack Prescott is still on the list after getting blown out by GB? * Hack laid an egg on national TV and the (toy) Boys were eliminated from the playoffs. A much bigger game than the regular season game BP and the 9ers lost to the Ravens!
* BTW: BP and the 9ers will play for the NFC Championship this Sun.
while Hack Prescott and the (toy) Boys can watch the game on TV!
I HOPE THE COWGIRLS ENJOY WATCHING ...LOL
Possibly, because Purdy has a great arsenal of offensive talent around him. Purdy has CMC, Deebo, Aiyuk and Kittle. Dak only had Pollard and one decent WR. Jackson has a rookie WR and Andrew's when he's healthy.
ReplyDeleteJust my honest opinion.
I'm guessing that these awards are voted on. I wonder when the votes are collected. Was the voting over when the playoffs started? Thats about the only reason I can think of for DK being amongst the finalist and not BP.
DeleteAES
Delete"Possibly, because Purdy has a great arsenal of offensive talent around him."
Not sure how much that hold water AES? While the 9ers had the most Pro Bowl selections, with 9 players, the Cowgirls
had 7 players. And as I said previously, Hack got his butt handed to him in the playoffs by GB and was eliminated from
the playoffs.
GEEP,
DeleteI'm with you on Dak being in the MVP/OPof year discussion. I put Purdy ahead of him. But, when the dust settles, I believe Jackson gets the award. I wouldn't be surprised if CMC receives 2nd place votes.
I am very concerned with the 9ers D this Sunday. If they play poorly again will KS take a close look at Wilks this off season. Am I the only one left who has serious doubts about Wilks?
ReplyDeleteCoach,
ReplyDeleteI believe that the Lions will need to score 40+ points for the FO to consider dismissing Wilks. After a slow start early in the season that prompted the team to put Wilks on the sideline, he did a much better job. If the defense does a good job against the Lions, he's not going anywhere unless he wants to, if a better opportunity opens up.
Coach,
ReplyDeleteOn a difference subject. With just two head coaching jobs available in Washington and Seattle. Are Bill Belicheck coaching days over? Seattle might bring Quinn back as their HC. That will leave only Washington open. Interesting that Belicheck has been passed up.
AES,
DeleteAmong other things I think Belichick's age has played against him. The other big point against him is his demands to not only be the HC but the GM. His player personnel decisions the last 5 years or so have been nothing short of terrible.
Coach,
DeleteI agree. Not sure what his demands may be included in a head coaching job. But, I believe that the game has passed him by.
49ers reporting that Deebo is a "Full-Go" on Sunday. All of the 49ers weapons are intact.
ReplyDeleteDeebo when asked if he'll need to protect himself, "I ain't protecting nothin' ".
ReplyDeleteYup, he's ready!
ReplyDeleteTHIS, IMO, WILL DETERMINE THE WINNER OF THE 9ER VS LIONS NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:
ReplyDelete* The offense that can run the ball VS the D that can stop the run.
* The Lions Defense is ranked #8 VS the 9ers ranked #2. Advantage 9ers
NOTE: Lions QB Goff makes mistakes when pressured, but the Lions have one of the best O-Lines in the NFL. Wilks will need get creative to get pressure on him. If the 9ers can pressure Goff into making mistakes, they win!
9ER PLAYERS KEY TO BEATING THE LIONS
* QB Brock Purdy: The field will be dry and the weather sunny on Sun. He must be a steady, decisive, on-point performer against the Lions, who like to bring pressure with a variety of pressure package!
* BP has generally been good about exposing weaknesses on the opposing defenses! He will have his opportunities on Sun and he'll
need to deliver for the 9ers to win.
* WR Aiyuk. The weakness of the Lions’ defense is their CB's.
Whether he’s matched against Lions CB Cameron Sutton, or Kindle Vildor, Aiyuk has a chance to determine the outcome of the game.
The talk this week has been about WR Deebo's injured shoulder, so how much, or how well he plays is TBD.... As a 9er fan, we can hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst.
* RB CMC: He'll need to have a big game and that will depend on the
O-Line opening lanes for him to run thru. I look for him to deliver 85+
yards rushing and close to 100 yards receiving and a TD, maybe 2.
* TE Kittle: I look for kittle to dominate the Lions LB's Derrick Barnes
and Alex Anzalone with 100+ yards receiving and a TD, maybe 2.
* LB Dre Greenlaw: Whether he’s matching up against TE Sam LaPorta over the middle or Lions RBJahmyr Gibbs or David Montgomery, Greenlaw must have a big day for the 49ers’ D to win the game.
LEVI STADIUM: HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE 49ERS
* The Lions are a dome team that plays better at home than on the road. They're 11W - 3L on their turf. When they play on the road, They're 3W - 2L playing on grass surfaces.
When you look at overall defensive rankings the 9ers look solid. If you look at the final 5 or 6 regular season games along with last weeks playoff game the stats are not nearly as strong. I believe the O will be on point but this Ds recent performance is not NFC champion or SB level. One very big advantage the 9ers D has is Goff's stats outside versus his stats indoors. He has a huge drop off from indoors to out.
ReplyDeleteGEEP/Coach
ReplyDeleteIf the 49ers Dline, especially Bosa can't get to Soff Goff the Lions will win this game. We all know that Goff's game is greatly disrupted when pressured. This is the biggest key to a 49ers victory imho.
OldCoach
ReplyDeleteStatistically, last week the 9er performance (O & D) was, IMO, an outlier! The weather won't be a factor this week and both the O & D will perform as we all expect them to....Including BP!
* "IF" A) The 9er O-line opens lanes for CMC and Gives BP time to find his receiver and
B) The 9er D controls the Lions RB(s).and Wilks finds a way to get
pressure Goff, I expect the 9ers to win by 7 points....14 if Deebo is
healthy and contributes a TD.
* I expect Goff to attack CB Ambry Thomas, who had a poor game coming back after surgery on his hand, especially if Wilks doesn't
assign Ward to cover Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown.
DEEBO WILL PLAY THIS SUNDAY AGAINST THE LIONS:
ReplyDeleteKS said "it’s huge" to have Samuel. How huge?
* The 49ers averaged 7.1 yards per play with Samuel and 5.7 yards per play without him this season.
GEEP,
ReplyDeletePersonally, the 2 yrd difference doesn't seem that significant. But, the threat of having Deebo on the field and game planning against him makes a huge difference. That said, I believe that the Lions have been planning their D with the prospect of Deebo playing on Sunday.
MUSIC TO MY EARS......
ReplyDeleteDeebo ready to bring ‘juice' to 49ers' NFC title game vs. Lions
https://sports.yahoo.com/deebo-ready-bring-juice-49ers-164009648.html
I think the 9ers O will be very good tomorrow but their D scares the hell out of me. Purdy needs to come up huge.
ReplyDeleteKey Matchups the Lions must win to Beat 49ers in NFC Championship:
ReplyDelete9ER QB BP VS LIONS QB GOFF
With good weather, I look for both QB's to play an excellent game.
* I give the Lions O-Line an advantage over the 9er O-Line at protecting their QB. Wilks will have to think out of the box, to find ways to put pressure on Goff...Who makes mistakes when pressured.
* The team that has no turnovers will likely determine who wins the game
* The team that can run the ball, control the clock, and keep the other
offense on the bench, will, IMO, have the advantage to win the game and advance to the SB!
NOTE: Against GB, The only 9ers OL-man to allow a sack, was OG Jon Feliciano, who still earned the 3rd-highest grade (79.9) among his offensive teammates. He also allowed 4 pressures and 3 hurries in his 36 pass-blocking snaps but earned the game's second-highest run-blocking grade (80.8).
.
Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo vs. Lions Secondary
* The biggest weakness the 49ers have to expose on Sunday is the Lions' questionable secondary. Overall, the Lions are 21st in EPA allowed per pass and they struggle when they are in man coverage. They're 12th in man coverage rate, but 31st in EPA allowed per play when playing man.
LOOK FOR AIYUK AND DEEBO TO WIN THAT MATCHUP!
* CMC and Kittle will obviously play big roles too, but Aiyuk has the most potential to take advantage of the Lions shortcomings.
* Against GB, WR J Jennings played 40 snaps in his return from a concussion. His 77.1 overall grade was his highest mark since Week 7 against the Minnesota Vikings (78.2). Jennings' 70.7 overall grade this season is a career-high. He finished the game with 5 receptions for 61 yards on six targets.
I EXPECT BP AND THE 9ER RECEIVERS TO START FAST, SCORE
AND DOMINATE THE LIONS SECONDARY.
Colton McKivitz vs. Aidan Hutchinson:
* Rather than re-sign RT McGlinchey the 49ers let him walk, trusting that McKivitz was ready to take over at RT. McKivitz is the 47th-ranked tackle out of all the players that PFF has graded at the RT position and his 9 sacks allowed highlight some of the issues he's had in pass protection.
NOTE
* The Lions will move him around but they'll likely home in on a McKivitz matchup, rather than have him try to beat TW! Hutchinson must be a focal point of the game plan. The DE has 8 sacks in his last 4 games.
ADVANTAGE AIDEN HUTCHINSON
McKivitz got better as the season went along. 3 of his 9 sacks came in the first game.
DeleteOldCoach
DeleteMcKivitz was 1 of 23 tackles to play >1,000 snaps in 2023. He earned a 65.1 PFF grade with a 68.1 run blocking mark and a 56.4 pass blocking mark. McKivitz has the 15th most blown blocks of all linemen in the NFL with 30 blown blocks. The next closest 9er O-lineman has 18.
* IMO, The 9ers first draft pick in 2024 s/b an OT to compete and hopefully replace McKivitz. He is at best a swing OT or
backup.
ReplyDelete9ers LB's and S vs. TE Sam LaPorta
* The Lions are going to force-feed WR Amon-Ra St. Brown. He's gone for over 100 yards in 4 of his last 6 games and has at least 6 catches in 6 consecutive games. The Lions are going to force-feed him the ball and there's not much the 9er D can do about that. The key is, will
Wilks have CB Ward cover him or can the 9ers double team him with S help over the top? How big of a game TE Sam LaPorta has, will help answer that question.
* LaPorta was 1 of the most productive TE in the NFL this season with 86 receptions for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns. If he keeps the linebackers and safeties occupied, then the 9ers job of containing St. Brown becomes more difficult.
* There's also a question if Wilks has CB Charvarius Ward cover St. Brown, or CB Ambry Thomas, who was targeted 5 times, allowed 5 catches for 74 yards and a passer rating of 118.8. His 32.0 overall, 34.1 tackling, and 30.6 coverage grades were all season lows.
* NOTE: CB D Lenoir was the game's highest-graded DB, earning a 76.5 overall grade. He was targeted 4 times, surrendered 2 receptions for 8 yards and a 56.3 passer rating. Lenoir finished the game with 5 tackles, and his 4 stops ranked second to Warner's six.
* Also, who starts at S, rookie Ji'Ayir Brown, or veteran Logan Ryan?
* DT Kinlaw earned his 2nd-highest grade (82.6) of the season, finishing the game with 3 tackles, a tackle for a loss, a pressure, and a quarterback hit. His 75.6 pass-rushing grade was the highest since Week 3 against the NYG (81.8) A
A healthy Kinlaw allows Wilks to rotate DT's and keep the D-Line fresh.
Advantage 9ers.
* With Deebo healty and contributing to to offense, I see the 9ers winning by10 points...Enjoy Vegas and the SB 9er fans.
9ers 34 Lions 24