Can someone explain this to me?

[TobyTyler]

A bad game doesn't change the fact that this OL is one of the league's very best.

But just to keep track of your opinions - we have mediocre QBs, a bad OL, and a non-existent pass-rush. How the hell is this team so good?

Clyde, they are consistently weak in pass protection and don't seem to cover for each other well. When facing stunts they seem easily confused.

I think it is a good team but not as good as you think they are. I see them as a team that is capable of going out and dominating any opponent on a given day; the fact that they don't do it consistently and lose to teams like the Rams and Vikings is what seperates them from the best teams. They have these big player and coaching lapses that baffle me and in certain games they look like a team that can't get out of its own way.

I was exagerating and pissed when I said the pass rush was non existent. There are days like yesterday when they are innefffective but they have a good front seven. I stand by the average quarterbacking though. Smith is about as good as he's going to get but Kaepernick has a chance to get better.

 

[TobyTyler]

Alex Smith would've taken double the sacks that Kaepernick took yesterday.

I agree which points to the O Line again since an elusive QB like Kaepernick was even overwhelmed. 13 points in 5 quarters against a bad team is not acceptable and a lot of that falls on the O Line..

 

[MHSL82]

I agree which points to the O Line again since an elusive QB like Kaepernick was even overwhelmed. 13 points in 5 quarters against a bad team is not acceptable and a lot of that falls on the O Line..

Alex would have taken more sacks but the plays wouldn't be all the same. When people say "see this scramble, Alex would have been sacked," I think we might have called a different play, he might have checked down (when Kaep's scramble is looking for a deeper pass than a checkdown), etc. I know they have the same playbook with both and do run the real offense with Kaep, but it's not so comparable in the specifics. I don't disagree with Clyde, I just think some of it wouldn't have happened due to the above. And some more would, of course, because Smith does take sacks when he tries to wait for a man to become open.

 

[MHSL82]

You know it, I know it

I knew it! You're Skip Bayless! Just kidding, but that's his favorite thing to say.

 

[TobyTyler]

I knew it! You're Skip Bayless! Just kidding, but that's his favorite thing to say.

Bummer! I'll have to discard that phrase.

 

[deep9er]

Alex would have taken more sacks but the plays wouldn't be all the same. When people say "see this scramble, Alex would have been sacked," I think we might have called a different play, he might have checked down (when Kaep's scramble is looking for a deeper pass than a checkdown), etc. I know they have the same playbook with both and do run the real offense with Kaep, but it's not so comparable in the specifics. I don't disagree with Clyde, I just think some of it wouldn't have happened due to the above.

good point.

on the safety, maybe Alex wouldn't hold it that long? OR, maybe he takes the sack before running into the end zone? so here MAYBE some of his sacks aren't disasters?

not taking a stance for a QB, just thinking can't judge everything so cleanly.

 

[iHATEdodgers]

good point.

on the safety, maybe Alex wouldn't hold it that long? OR, maybe he takes the sack before running into the end zone? so here MAYBE some of his sacks aren't disasters?

not taking a stance for a QB, just thinking can't judge everything so cleanly.

This is spot on.

I'm interested to see if Kaep steps up next week or keeps with the direction his play has been going. If it's a disaster next week...

 

[Bemular]

good point.

on the safety, maybe Alex wouldn't hold it that long? OR, maybe he takes the sack before running into the end zone? so here MAYBE some of his sacks aren't disasters?

not taking a stance for a QB, just thinking can't judge everything so cleanly.

Or maybe the initial pursuit nails Smith causing a sack/fumble leading to a defensive or quick offensive TD. We can do this all day.

As I mentioned in the other thread - hitting the deck at depth was about the only option available without a hot. I will concede that Smith is more likely to do that than Kap - but I will still take Kaps ability to extend plays over Smith's safe sacks every time.

 

[MHSL82]

Or maybe the initial pursuit nails Smith causing a sack/fumble leading to a defensive or quick offensive TD. We can do this all day.

As I mentioned in the other thread - hitting the deck at depth was about the only option available without a hot. I will concede that Smith is more likely to do that than Kap - but I will still take Kaps ability to extend plays over Smith's safe sacks every time.

I'll take it every time except for that play. Just kidding.

 

[Bemular]

I'll take it every time except for that play. Just kidding.

No, I get it, it was an unfortunate play. But credit goes to the Rams. They did a great job of disguising their blitz and we didn't pick it up and we were unable to protect and escape the pursuit.

It won't be the first time Kap is going to get nailed for a deep sack as those are the occasional risks for the many rewards that come from having a QB with the ability to extend plays.

 

[MHSL82]

No, I get it, it was an unfortunate play. But credit goes to the Rams. They did a great job of disguising their blitz and we didn't pick it up and we were unable to protect and escape the pursuit.

It won't be the first time Kap is going to get nailed for a deep sack as those are the occasional risks for the many rewards that come from having a QB with the ability to extend plays.

Just for the record, I agree with you in both posts I was just joking on the "every time" part of it.

Pretty soon, if not already, the comparisons to Smith will become tiring. I just want to see Kaep get better from week to week. That might not show in stats and depending on the situation, we might not need him much, so he won't look spectacular all the time. But if I see that the inexperience gradually turns into experienced, I'll be happy.

I didn't like the focus on the negatives when Smith was there. I certainly don't like it with Kaepernick, either. It's different in a loss than a win, but there's a limit on the venom. I think people here have been relatively tame, though.

 

[Bemular]

Just for the record, I agree with you in both posts I was just joking on the "every time" part of it.

Pretty soon, if not already, the comparisons to Smith will become tiring. I just want to see Kaep get better from week to week. That might not show in stats and depending on the situation, we might not need him much, so he won't look spectacular all the time. But if I see that the inexperience gradually turns into experienced, I'll be happy.

I didn't like the focus on the negatives when Smith was there. I certainly don't like it with Kaepernick, either. It's different in a loss than a win, but there's a limit on the venom. I think people here have been relatively tame, though.

Kap's real test(s) are coming in the next few weeks as DC's begin using the the additional information on Kaps tendencies and begin to defend those tendencies.

 

[MHSL82]

Kap's real test(s) are coming in the next few weeks as DC's begin using the the additional information on Kaps tendencies and begin to defend those tendencies.

I posted this earlier, but thought this was on point to your post, so I'm adding it here. Your point that these next few games are big based on defenses is correct.

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Reading this article and the quotes from Kaep and others saying that the Rams were in the right defense to stop what we were trying to do suggests that Harbaugh and Roman have been running the same plays essentially as they did for Smith but people were preparing as if Kaep was going to play like Smith. I don't think they correctly respected Kaep's abilities. In the Bears and Saints games they were leaving the bigger, deeper plays open for Kaep and Kaep, with his ability and willingness to take the risk, was capitalizing on it. It was surprising because it seems with the Bears defense being ballhawks, that they already emphasize deeper plays, but a big part of their defense was stripping the ball, versus INTs. The Saints don't have that great of a defense and we didn't have as many big plays, but it didn't seem it was due to them respecting Kaep all that much. The Rams, however, saw what Kaep could do and treated Kaep like Kaep (instead of Smith) and took away the deeper, bigger options. That's just my feel for it, correct me if I'm wrong.

I'm not saying they figured out Kaep - far from it - I just mean they adjusted and accounted for Kaep's strengths, which is the first chess response we've seen. This is one reason why the Rams played well against us. I blame our coaching staff primarily, but I give credit to the Rams and hope that our coaches can fully adjust to teams who now are respecting the deep plays. This is not to say they covered all of them or that Kaep didn't miss any, but it seems the opponent's approach was different.

 

[Bemular]

I posted this earlier, but thought this was on point to your post, so I'm adding it here. Your point that these next few games are big based on defenses is correct.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reading this article and the quotes from Kaep and others saying that the Rams were in the right defense to stop what we were trying to do suggests that Harbaugh and Roman have been running the same plays essentially as they did for Smith but people were preparing as if Kaep was going to play like Smith. I don't think they correctly respected Kaep's abilities. In the Bears and Saints games they were leaving the bigger, deeper plays open for Kaep and Kaep, with his ability and willingness to take the risk, was capitalizing on it. It was surprising because it seems with the Bears defense being ballhawks, that they already emphasize deeper plays, but a big part of their defense was stripping the ball, versus INTs. The Saints don't have that great of a defense and we didn't have as many big plays, but it didn't seem it was due to them respecting Kaep all that much. The Rams, however, saw what Kaep could do and treated Kaep like Kaep (instead of Smith) and took away the deeper, bigger options. That's just my feel for it, correct me if I'm wrong.

I'm not saying they figured out Kaep - far from it - I just mean they adjusted and accounted for Kaep's strengths, which is the first chess response we've seen. This is one reason why the Rams played well against us. I blame our coaching staff primarily, but I give credit to the Rams and hope that our coaches can fully adjust to teams who now are respecting the deep plays. This is not to say they covered all of them or that Kaep didn't miss any, but it seems the opponent's approach was different.

Yeah, it is all this stuff and more. One of the primary points of focus from film study when it comes to play-extending QB’s is tendencies. This way DC's can coach players on what to expect.

When you have a new play-extending QB these expectations are unknown, advantage QB. As these tendencies become known the leverage is neutralized and we once again have to depend on coaching and execution.

 

[Arete Tzu]

I knew it! You're Skip Bayless! Just kidding, but that's his favorite thing to say.

now that i think of it, NN is very skip Baylessish...hmmmm

:ss:

 

[TobyTyler]

now that i think of it, NN is very skip Baylessish...hmmmm

:ss:

Someone told me about your post where you said you'd get rid of your avatar if I didn't start any "the sky is falling" threads for two weeks. Damn, that one was funny. That cracked me up, I must have missed it. I don't think I can help myself though.

 

[Arete Tzu]

Someone told me about your post where you said you'd get rid of your avatar if I didn't start any "the sky is falling" threads for two weeks. Damn, that one was funny. That cracked me up, I must have missed it. I don't think I can help myself though.

yea, you failed at that almost as soon as the game started