Problems with our passing offense

[MHSL82]

The #32 passing offense is a little misleading. We're 32nd in total yards passing, but we're 9th in yards per attempt. We have thrown the ball 276 times, Seattle has thrown it 286 (31st in attempts). The Jets are next with 334. We have such a low ranked passing offense in part due to not throwing the ball as much as others. Cleveland leads the league in attempts with 477.

First off, Kaepernick > Smith. WRs last year > this year. Smith's play was limited. Smith's YPA was more YAC than Kaepernick's, some missing due to injury. So, disclaimer: I'm talking about our offense with that QB, not about the QB himself.

However, even with a top percentage (70.2), top YPA (8.0), low INTs, and winning; I heard a LOT about stats like yards per game, running team carrying, and defense. Harbaugh may have run this conservative pass attempts because of Smith's limitations and is running it this year because of targets. But the talk on yards per game didn't change whether our offense was working (I.e. Scoring and yards by rush is good for offense). Our coaches made what we had worked. We are getting our targets back, but them missing would be hurting our chances like whatever Smith's limitations were if they didn't come back.

But those who cited yards per game production, not the actual limitations Smith had, people acted like attempts number was not a factor in yards per game (yes , I am aware that throwing more when the play called for a would-be successful run would lower percent and YPA.).

 

[Jikkle]

Overall I thought the passing game looked sharper and was better called than it was even last week. Crab coming back looks to be a huge boost to it.

My only gripes I would say is what in the world is Bruce Miller doing lined up wide? If you're going to put an RB out wide it should be LMJ or Hunter out there. Miller is an awesome FB but he gives you basically no chance at a big play and he's not a playmaker in the passing game.

 

[BINGO]

The Seahawks will put 10 man in the box and dare us to test Mr. Adderall. If that the corner opposite of Adderall dares to play us in man to man too, we need to make him pay. If Adderrall is mirroring Boldin, then let's go with Crabtree and Davis. If Adderral is on Crabtree, let's go with Boldin. Vernon Davis should be on the same side with Boldin and always at the opposite side of the field to Crabtree. Bavis' speed works well in opening the underneath stuff for slow Boldin. We also need to get Mario more involved in this game.

San Francisco 49ers: Michael Crabtree Had Noticeable Impact In Return

 

[deep9er]

Overall I thought the passing game looked sharper and was better called than it was even last week. Crab coming back looks to be a huge boost to it.

My only gripes I would say is what in the world is Bruce Miller doing lined up wide? If you're going to put an RB out wide it should be LMJ or Hunter out there. Miller is an awesome FB but he gives you basically no chance at a big play and he's not a playmaker in the passing game.

i'm fine using Hunter or LMJ out wide, but wouldn't the D then use a CB or Safety? did they shift Miller out wide, or he just lined up wide? who ended up defending Miller, a MLB?

he got open so something went right?

 

[Crimsoncrew]

Very good read:

How 49ers' Kendall Hunter, LaMichael James Can Get Involved in th | Chat49ers.com

In a dozen games this season, Hunter and James have combined for just three catches for 17 yards....

Hadn't realized it was that bad. Clear area for improvement.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

i'm fine using Hunter or LMJ out wide, but wouldn't the D then use a CB or Safety? did they shift Miller out wide, or he just lined up wide? who ended up defending Miller, a MLB?

he got open so something went right?

It depends what the defensive scheme/coverage is. If a team is in a base defense playing man coverage, then presumably a LB would shift out to cover the RB. If they're playing zone or in a nickel/dime look, then a CB or S might take the RB, but in that case, they'd likely have to match up a LB or S on one of our WRs or on Davis. And that's a clear mismatch in our favor.

 

[deep9er]

It depends what the defensive scheme/coverage is. If a team is in a base defense playing man coverage, then presumably a LB would shift out to cover the RB. If they're playing zone or in a nickel/dime look, then a CB or S might take the RB, but in that case, they'd likely have to match up a LB or S on one of our WRs or on Davis. And that's a clear mismatch in our favor.

that's what I am alluding too, we don't just place Miller wide for the sake of it. think we moved him out because of the defensive scheme (at those particular plays)?

 

[Crimsoncrew]

Very good read:

How 49ers' Kendall Hunter, LaMichael James Can Get Involved in th | Chat49ers.com

I love that screen shot of the screen to James. There are three defenders in between our blockers and the RB. Textbook.

 

[Jikkle]

The addition of Crabtree is making an impact on our passing game but it's just serving to mask the flaws in play design and play calling.

Let me stress that some of our issues today in the passing attack were Kap and on the OL.

It just seems like Kap is having to throw to guys that are covered far more than he should. I mean everytime I saw Wilson throw to a guy with no one around him for a 1st down I kept thinking "Why can't our guys be open more often like that".

 

[deep9er]

IMO the play calling wasn't THAT bad, but Kaep needs to hit more passes. whether he takes too long, is inaccurate, goes to the 'covered guy, whatever, the passing game would be much better if he just completed more passes.

timing is another factor, but i'll just take more accuracy for now.

also, shouldn't we get a few big plays when the protections IS great? shouldn't we get a few big plays when he gets outside the pocket...with time?

 

[BINGO]

49ers win huge game despite Greg Roman and Colin Kaepernick | Chat49ers.com

 

[zman1527]

49ers win huge game despite Greg Roman and Colin Kaepernick | Chat49ers.com

Agree completely with his take on Roman's playcalling. Calling it plain vanilla is giving it more flavor than it has, more like cold mashed potatoes. Zero creativity, zero effort to try to take advantage of what speed we have. I would love to have him watch endless tapes of Darron Sproles on 3rd down while thinking of Hunter and LMJ.

 

[BINGO]

Seifert on the 49ers: ?There are just some things they have to | Chat49ers.com

 

[Breaker99]

Agree completely with his take on Roman's playcalling. Calling it plain vanilla is giving it more flavor than it has, more like cold mashed potatoes. Zero creativity, zero effort to try to take advantage of what speed we have. I would love to have him watch endless tapes of Darron Sproles on 3rd down while thinking of Hunter and LMJ.

I completely disagree with that article. Especially the part about offensive woe's and kaepernick.

Personally I thought Kaepernicks performance was excellent. He had that one bad throw for the interception, but what I really liked about his performance was that he made some things happen when it mattered most. Getting points on the board to close out the first half was huge. And at the end of the game he seemed to will the team into keeping the chains moving and burning up the clock. Of course gores run helped a lot too, but that might have been kaepernicks finest game this year in my opinion. The seattle defense might be the best defense, and certainly is one of the best, in the league and he played well against them I think.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

Posted this in the game review thread, but it's relevant here, too.

One thing I wanted to mention but forgot about earlier: I thought Kap was moving in the pocket and going through his progressions surprisingly well this past week. He actually did a pretty nice job on the whole of feeling the pressure and stepping up or to the side to give himself more time. He also did a better job keeping his eyes downfield when he fled the pocket. The problem this week was that his accuracy really regressed from the past couple weeks. He threw multiple bad balls. I remember one play in particular when he had forever in the pocket, stepped into his throw, and just wasn't even close to the receiver. It's been a season of one step forward, one step back for this passing game, but I was pleased to see Kap looking somewhat more comfortable in the pocket, particularly against a premier defense.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

I completely disagree with that article. Especially the part about offensive woe's and kaepernick.

Personally I thought Kaepernicks performance was excellent. He had that one bad throw for the interception, but what I really liked about his performance was that he made some things happen when it mattered most. Getting points on the board to close out the first half was huge. And at the end of the game he seemed to will the team into keeping the chains moving and burning up the clock. Of course gores run helped a lot too, but that might have been kaepernicks finest game this year in my opinion. The seattle defense might be the best defense, and certainly is one of the best, in the league and he played well against them I think.

It was far from excellent. He was ok. The TD pass was a very nice play, and the run for the first down was huge. But his accuracy was very shaky this week.

 

[clyde_carbon]

Agree completely with his take on Roman's playcalling. Calling it plain vanilla is giving it more flavor than it has, more like cold mashed potatoes. Zero creativity, zero effort to try to take advantage of what speed we have. I would love to have him watch endless tapes of Darron Sproles on 3rd down while thinking of Hunter and LMJ.

We have speed?

And aside from being small, LMJ and Sproles have nothing in common. Just because you're small and quick doesn't mean you can be Darren Sproles.

 

[Jikkle]

It was only a solid performance from Kap and I don't think it would've been good enough to win @Seattle. And I also say that because I feel he has the talent to do so much better as well.

His accuracy wasn't great for most of the game and he left some completions on the field because of it.

I do think he's starting to get more comfortable in the pocket and I think he's seeing things better which is something I expect to improve with experience.

And while I've been and still am critical of the play calling and pass play design it is better than it was in Carolina and New Orleans. We've aren't running Gore into brick walls as much and are attempting to spread defenses out a little more. So I think the improved play calling has helped as well.

 

[Jikkle]

We have speed?

And aside from being small, LMJ and Sproles have nothing in common. Just because you're small and quick doesn't mean you can be Darren Sproles.

But LMJ is faster than Miller and you have to admit you would much rather see the ball in LMJ's hands in the passing game than Miller's.

But yet Miller is our 3rd leading pass catcher and LMJ has had 1 whole catch this year.

 

[Flyingiguana]

Seifert on the 49ers: ?There are just some things they have to | Chat49ers.com

cohn needs to get seifert drunk first or something