Offensive playcalling

[MHSL82]

What I'm saying is that despite the suspect playcalling, we still came up big, but not big enough. It's quite an accomplishment to what Kaepernick can do and what he'll be able to do in the future, but a QB's best friend is the running game and for a QB making his 10th start in the superbowl, you gotta put the ball in Gore's hands to at least draw away attention from a hot quarterback.

Some moves away from the run game might be the QBs choice and that gets better with time, like you alluded to by stating it was his 10th start. If Kaep had Smith's pre-read ability before the Chicago game, we'd be holding the Lombardi right now. Good news, is he's close and will be there soon, if not by TC/preseason. Not saying Smith is great or better than most, just saying that a few of Roman's playcalls could look better if Kaep had more experience, checked into or out of the right plays.

BUT, I also assume that some of the decisions Kaep makes are better than Smith's, too. That might be not just because of hesitancies of Smith, but also skill. I'd think that if Smith had more skills like stronger arm or faster legs, etc., Smith'd make *some* more plays than Smith did. (IOWs, it's not just hesitancy.)

Smith made good decisions for his arms and legs and game situation. I think Kaep's good at that too, but in a game of 5 points, we can assume that a few might have been different in a meaningful way if we combined some experience with his abilities and willingness to take shots. We'll get that soon.

 

[MHSL82]

How big was that Ahmad Brooks offside penalty in the beginning of the game? 4 points right there.

I saw a few scoring whatifs. What if the Ravens had kicked the FG instead of the fake? Different field position for both of us and points for them most likely. We might have also gone for the TD instead of the FG that Akers got to rekick had we been down by 3 more. Also, if we had shoestring tackled the kick returner at the 2 yard line, would they have gotten a TD or a FG. Had Akers not been hit after the kick, what happens? This is why I love football if we're not playing. If we are, I hate it sometimes because losing comes with what ifs.

 

[Bemular]

I think our best play on the 1st & goal from the seven would have been to drop back 5-yards and take a knee - we STILL cannot do shit with a GTG situation inside the 10-yard line - even if either of the 3rd or 4th down plays worked they would have still been terrible play calls.

 

[coffeeman]

I think our best play on the 1st & goal from the seven would have been to drop back 5-yards and take a knee - we STILL cannot do shit with a GTG situation inside the 10-yard line - even if either of the 3rd or 4th down plays worked they would have still been terrible play calls.

I don't think they need to worry about taking a knee for a loss of 5.The delay of game usually takes care of that. I don't get how that was a problem all year long including today.

 

[Robotech]

I think our best play on the 1st & goal from the seven would have been to drop back 5-yards and take a knee - we STILL cannot do shit with a GTG situation inside the 10-yard line - even if either of the 3rd or 4th down plays worked they would have still been terrible play calls.

I thought it was the wrong move by Harbaugh to call that timeout on 3rd down. This was a coaching mistake, IMO. We needed to keep that timeout. Plus, marching it back to the 10 yard line might've actually helped.

 

[Robotech]

We wasted two timeouts that could've made the difference at the end of the game. Just another thing to be disappointed about in this game.

 

[Bemular]

I don't think they need to worry about taking a knee for a loss of 5.The delay of game usually takes care of that. I don't get how that was a problem all year long including today.

Good to see you Coffee - and yes, you are correct as usual - Were you at the game?

 

[Bemular]

I thought it was the wrong move by Harbaugh to call that timeout on 3rd down. This was a coaching mistake, IMO. We needed to keep that timeout. Plus, marching it back to the 10 yard line might've actually helped.

I have to catch the "time-out" on rewind - I missed it live. As for the "...& Goal" drives, yeah we are just horrible at those.

 

[Ray_Dogg]

The end of the first half was a complete clusterfuck on offense as well. Red zone play calling and Kaep clock management are high on the needs improvement list.

 

[TobyTyler]

The worst play calling of the year on the last drive once they got to the 7 yard line. Should have just kept running with Ngata out of there. Kaepernick panicked and couldn't look at anyone but Crabtree, but the plays called for him were inexcusablybad

 

[threelittleturds]

That roll out play can burn in hell. Cant stand it. Especially with that short of a field.

With how that completely failed when they ran it the first time... I can't for the life of me understand why Roman would go back to that on the most important downs of the season. They must have seen something on film where on that down and distance the Ravens liked to run blitz or something... but as luck would have it both times they played the pass.

 

[threelittleturds]

I thought it was the wrong move by Harbaugh to call that timeout on 3rd down. This was a coaching mistake, IMO. We needed to keep that timeout. Plus, marching it back to the 10 yard line might've actually helped.

It probably would have helped since they apparently had no desire to run it in with Gore. More space would have helped the receivers and maybe even have given Kaep enough room to run it in John Elway style.

 

[Bemular]

The timeout was smart; however the reason for which it had to be called was incompetent. Our 1st & goal play was a good play call and would have taken us inside the 3 yard-line or maybe even the end zone but Boone wasn't able to get enough of Ellerbe; and Miller, well he just put his head down and completely wiffed on Lewis - James was tackled by Ellerbe & Lewis. If those two blocks connect it is 2nd & goal from inside the 3 at worst!

 

[EaseUrStorm]

I just saw an interview that Kaep said the fade play was changed at the line because he was expecting a blitz. I also think not running on 2nd or 3rd down was probably because of the cat and mouse game going on between the offensive and defensive coordinators. The 49ers probably thought the Ravens would overcompensate to lock up the middle w/ Ngata out, and that the passing lanes should open up because of it.

I didn't like the rollout play, but it looked like he had Crabtree open for a completion on that one. That was just a really tough way to go out. Crabtree said that if the pass had been lower, he probably gets the call. It shouldn't be that way, but I agree 100% with that statement. Tough pill to swallow. Just sick right now.

 

[spacedoodoopistol]

Good analysis of the final set of plays and the calls on each side from Peter King:

The larger story here is how smart the Baltimore coaches were on the play. One of our SI reporters at the game, Matt Gagne, talked to coaches and found out the Ravens' plan on those last four plays, all from inside the 7-yard line, was simple: If Kaepernick was going to beat them, he was going to have to do it with his arm and not his legs.

Kaepernick still rushed seven times for 62 yards -- his fourth-highest output on the ground this season -- and he scrambled for a 15-yard touchdown with 10 minutes to play. But faced with making a goal-line stand as they clung to a 34-29 lead at the end, the Ravens were determined to make Kaepernick throw the ball.

On first and goal from Baltimore's 7-yard line, LaMichael James took a handoff but ran straight into a zero blitz, picking up just two yards before the two-minute warning. The zero blitz, or an all-out blitz, is the most effective way to disrupt the read-option. The offensive scheme operates like the pick-and-roll in basketball. Depending on how an isolated defender reacts, Kaepernick can either keep the ball like a point guard driving the lane or hand it off to a running back who has more room to operate.
Zero blitz takes away that wiggle room, with several defenders converging on the mesh point -- the few feet of space where it's not clear if the quarterback will keep the ball or hand it off. The downside, of course, is that an all-out blitz leaves the secondary in man coverage and wideouts will typically get open. This, however, wasn't a typical situation. A short field hems in the receivers, making the coverage effective even if the blitz is slow. On three of their last four plays, the Ravens pinned their ears back and went after Kaepernick. But, as Gagne discovered, not on 2nd-and-goal from the 5. That's when a chess match was just as effective as a street fight.

During the two-minute warning, John Harbaugh asked for zero blitz, telling defensive coordinator Dan Pees through the headset, "I do not want them to run the ball right here." Pees had already called for a base defense, zone coverage, but Harbaugh had him rethinking the plan.

"At the last minute he was going to change his call to zero blitz," Matt Weiss, the Ravens defensive quality control coach who was listening in on the conversation, told Gagne. "But he didn't, and that turned out to be a great call. Dean almost got talked out of his instinct, which would have been bad for us. If we're in zero blitz there, there's a good chance they score a touchdown."

That's because Kaepernick took the snap and sprinted to his right -- a move designed to beat the blitz that never came -- and was forced to throw into tight coverage. The ball to Michael Crabtree fell incomplete. The Ravens weren't disguising anymore blitzes, only to back off. Pees called for zero blitzes on the next two plays, and the pressure forced two more incomplete passes to Crabtree. "They were smart enough not to run the pistol. Dean did a great job of showing them zero blitz," Weiss said. "We basically just said, 'If you're going to score this touchdown, Colin Kaepernick is going to have to throw the ball in the end zone.' " It worked, and Baltimore won.

Niners figured they couldn't possibly run on the D the Ravens showed on 2nd.....then the Ravens switched it up. They were just one step ahead there.

 

[Bemular]

It probably would have helped since they apparently had no desire to run it in with Gore. More space would have helped the receivers and maybe even have given Kaep enough room to run it in John Elway style.

I mentioned this somewhere else as well. If we are hell bent on passing then do it from between the 10-15 not inside the 5. And why on any planet would you call a pass play from the 5 yard line designed to go 2 yards on a roll-out without blockers??!!?? Stupid play call of the decade.

 

[spacedoodoopistol]

I also think not running on 2nd or 3rd down was probably because of the cat and mouse game going on between the offensive and defensive coordinators. The 49ers probably thought the Ravens would overcompensate to lock up the middle w/ Ngata out, and that the passing lanes should open up because of it.

Exactly, as the quotes above show.

 

[Yoshi]

Good analysis of the final set of plays and the calls on each side from Peter King:



Niners figured they couldn't possibly run on the D the Ravens showed on 2nd.....then the Ravens switched it up. They were just one step ahead there.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but did the Niners attack the same side of the field and looked at Crabtree for all of their passing plays within those final or "fateful" plays in the closing minutes? I know two of those plays went to Crabtree. Could they have varied it to look for somebody else?

I don't know, I remember Walsh back in the 89 superbowl mentioning that he knew the Bengals were looking at Rice all the way and Craig second so he used that thinking to use Taylor as the primary guy on that route for superbowl history.

Older brother was definitely one step ahead of Jim, and why the Niners didn't think about passing the ball to either Davis, the GOAT, or Walker is beyond me.

 

[spacedoodoopistol]

I know two of those plays went to Crabtree. Could they have varied it to look for somebody else?

No doubt, like the CB said he knew the Niners went to Crabs half the time in the red zone (actually not sure where I read that). But I think the play calling probably gave Kap more options - but he thought Crabtree first and foremost, and when the blitz came heavy that seemed to be his automatic option. With more experience hopefully he can consider all the factors, like playing off what the defense expects.

 

[Bemular]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but did the Niners attack the same side of the field and looked at Crabtree for all of their passing plays within those final or "fateful" plays in the closing minutes? I know two of those plays went to Crabtree. Could they have varied it to look for somebody else?

I don't know, I remember Walsh back in the 89 superbowl mentioning that he knew the Bengals were looking at Rice all the way and Craig second so he used that thinking to use Taylor as the primary guy on that route for superbowl history.

Older brother was definitely one step ahead of Jim, and why the Niners didn't think about passing the ball to either Davis, the GOAT, or Walker is beyond me.

No correction necessary Brother - you saw it exactly as it happened - as usual!

As for your "Older Brother" comment: Someone in another thread wrote this:

"The "X" Factor here is John Harbaugh and how well he knows Jim's tendencies. ...

We may match-up well on the field but on the side-lines we get our asses kicked - badly! We need to devise a game plan with a lot of anticipation and those anticipations need to be correct!"

I might be bias but I think that MF'er knows a thing or two about football!