Game Week Thread (Divisional Playoffs) 49ERS @ PANTHERS

[BINGO]

49ers primed for rematch with Carolina Panthers | Chat49ers.com

 

[BINGO]

I would sit him. As much as I want Mr. Rogers, I think we can compete with the Panthers receivers this time around with a 90% healthy Steve Smith. I would dress him though just in case someone goes down:

Carlos Rogers injury update: 49ers cornerback is running, looking | Chat49ers.com

 

[BINGO]

Beat Writer Breakdown: 49ers vs. Panthers | Chat49ers.com

 

[BINGO]

Willis and Bowman better bring their A games on this one:

Why 49ers Patrick Willis Will Be Out To Prove All-Pro Status Agai | Chat49ers.com

 

[ChrisPozz]

49ers Blog and Q&A: Unemployed one week, starter the next; Cox reflects on "crazy" season

 

[BINGO]

If Smith does not play I don't see how we could lose this game. We would stock up the box even more forcing Cam to throw. I respect Cam's passing ability but with an all out blitz every other series will eventually cause him to panic and drop his eyes towards the rush as opposed to his open receivers.

Smith - WR - Panthers

Profootballtalk reports Steve Smith (knee) is expected to practice on a limited basis Wednesday.

Speaking Monday, Smiff pledged to suit up for Sunday's Divisional Round game, and practicing on Wednesday would be a major first step. However, even Smith has admitted the question isn't so much whether he'll be active, but if he can play with confidence in his left knee. At the very least, Carolina needs Smiff as a decoy against San Francisco's suffocating defense.
Source: Profootballtalk on NBCSports.com

Jan 7 - 8:53 PM

 

[Breaker99]

Imagine I told you that Eric Reid, Aldon Smith, Vernon Davis, and Michael Crabtree would not be able to play in our next playoff game in Carolina?

Because thats the difference between our last matchup and this one.

 

[h0ckeysk83r]

If Smith does not play I don't see how we could lose this game. We would stock up the box even more forcing Cam to throw. I respect Cam's passing ability but with an all out blitz every other series will eventually cause him to panic and drop his eyes towards the rush as opposed to his open receivers.

Smith - WR - Panthers

Profootballtalk reports Steve Smith (knee) is expected to practice on a limited basis Wednesday.

Speaking Monday, Smiff pledged to suit up for Sunday's Divisional Round game, and practicing on Wednesday would be a major first step. However, even Smith has admitted the question isn't so much whether he'll be active, but if he can play with confidence in his left knee. At the very least, Carolina needs Smiff as a decoy against San Francisco's suffocating defense.
Source: Profootballtalk on NBCSports.com

Jan 7 - 8:53 PM

I agree. But I don't see him missing what could be one of his last playoff runs.

How effective will he be is the question. I wish boldin and smith could hit the field at the same time. The jarring between them would be awesome lol.

 

[ChrisPozz]

49ers looking better at cornerback - San Francisco 49ers Blog - ESPN

 

[HighTopFade]

Pretty good thing Cox was available when we needed him. He knows the system.

 

[NinerSickness]

Pretty good thing Cox was available when we needed him. He knows the system.

Thank you Seattle.

 

[ChrisPozz]

PFF's Pass Rush Productivity Rankings using their formula (measures pressure - sacks, hits, and hurries - created on a per snap basis with weighting toward sacks.)

Justin Smith is the 4th highest 3-4 DE behind J.J. Watt, Cameron Jordan, and Kyle Williams. Justin was 13th last year.

Ray McDonald is the 14th highest 3-4 DE. Ray McDonald was 11th last year.

Ahmad Brooks is the 20th highest 3-4 OLB among players who played 50% or more of his team's snaps.

Aldon Smith didn't qualify in the 50% category but if you factor in the players who played 25% or more, Aldon ranked 3rd, Lemonier ranked 12th, and Brooks moves down to 29th.

NaVorro Bowman is the 3rd highest ILB. Willis is the 8th highest ILB.

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

The 49ers offensive line had the 12th highest pass blocking efficiency score (measures pressure allowed on a per-snap basis with weighting toward sacks allowed). The difference between teams 6-12 is very small for the record. A number of teams bunched up in that range (NO, WAS, DAL, MIN, KC, CAR, SF)

 

[ChrisPozz]

23 of Vernon Davis' 82 targets this season have come 20 yards or more down the field - most in the NFL among TEs. Five TEs had 12 targets or more 20 yards downfield

Davis - 23
Graham - 18
Cameron - 14
Olsen - 14
Witten - 12

Davis has 3 drops among passes in that range, Olsen has 2. None of those other TEs had any in that range.

Davis had by far the most yards among catches 20+ yards downfield (409 for Davis, 321 for Graham, 180 for Cameron, 150 for Witten, and 51 for Olsen).

Davis had the most TDs on targets of 20+ yards or more (6 for Davis, 5 for Graham, 2 for Witten, 1 for Cameron, 0 for Olsen).

 

[ChrisPozz]

Something else that's mildly interesting but hardly surprising. No RB had more pass block snaps this season than Frank Gore

Gore - 160 (2nd behind MJD in pass blocking efficiency among RBs who played 50% or more snaps - Lacy was 3rd in PBE, which is something Lacy took a lot of flack for in college)
Ogbonnaya - 150
Forte - 146
Helu - 130
L. Miller - 127
Tolbert - 121
R. Rice - 120
R. Jennings - 114
F. Jackson - 111

 

[NinerSickness]

23 of Vernon Davis' 82 targets this season have come 20 yards or more down the field - most in the NFL among TEs. Five TEs had 12 targets or more 20 yards downfield

Davis - 23
Graham - 18
Cameron - 14
Olsen - 14
Witten - 12

Davis has 3 drops among passes in that range, Olsen has 2. None of those other TEs had any in that range.

Davis had by far the most yards among catches 20+ yards downfield (409 for Davis, 321 for Graham, 180 for Cameron, 150 for Witten, and 51 for Olsen).

Davis had the most TDs on targets of 20+ yards or more (6 for Davis, 5 for Graham, 2 for Witten, 1 for Cameron, 0 for Olsen).

And consider that he's the only real deep threat on the team. Imagine if the Niners also had Desean Jackson on the field at the same time. With Kaepernick's arm defenses wouldn't know what to do. Especially w/ the current WR(s) catching stuff underneath.

That's why I'm not opposed to the idea of trading up for Watkins or Lee. It's not my first choice, but one of those guys could do some serious damage in the Niners' offense IMO.

 

[ChrisPozz]

Among all the WRs in PFF's Top 15 overall WR Rating score for the season, only Anquan Boldin did not have an INT thrown by his QB when targeting him. (50% of snaps or more)

 

[ChrisPozz]

Yards Per Route Run (regular season) - 50% of snaps or more

1. Calvin Johnson - 2.72
2. Josh Gordon - 2.68
3. Anquan Boldin - 2.55
4. DeSean Jackson - 2.45
5. Antonio Brown - 2.37

*Jimmy Graham and Vernon Davis are the only two TEs with more than 2.00 (Graham - 2.26 - Davis - 2.12). Graham's number would rank him 9th among WRs, Davis would be 13th among WRs.

 

[shouldakepowens]

Among all the WRs in PFF's Top 15 overall WR Rating score for the season, only Anquan Boldin did not have an INT thrown by his QB when targeting him. (50% of snaps or more)

Fight for that ball Q

 

[Ltrain]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BdbNO2iIQAAwuzs.jpg:large

 

[Jikkle]

Not buying Ron Rivera's slant on San Francisco 49ers, Colin Kaepernick - ESPN

This has to be one of the worst things I've read and the guy gets paid to write it.

Rivera is just stating the obvious that anyone with working eyeballs that watch football and not look at box scores can see.

Kaepernick and by extension the offense is playing better than they were in that week 10 match up and the Panthers are going to have a tougher task with having the addition of Crabtree and Davis the entire game.

That's all Rivera is saying and I don't understand what's so hard to understand about that.