Positives and Negatives: 49ers vs Packers

The games was lost on the three 3-and-outs to start the game.

 

The game was lost when Shields and Neal went down (best pass defender and best edge rusher they had in the game).

 

**edit** The game was lost on poor clock management at the end of the first half.

 

The game was lost when Burnett got over late to help Hawk cover Davis because he was protecting deep on Boldin.

 

The game was lost when McCarthy got cute and ran Cobb from the 9 when 1st and goal while Eddie-Eddie-Eddie sat on the sideline.

 

The game was lost when Hyde couldn't make an incredibly athletic and somewhat difficult INT.

 

The game was lost when Bush lost contain and Kaepernick ran for 40 yards.

 

The game was lost when the 49ers made more plays than the GBP.

 

 

 

The game was lost when the 49ers kicker made the field goal as time expired.

"I am not saying a Cobb sweep is an automatic TD. But we've all been complaining about the red zone offense all year and I can see where MM would want to something a little different and get the ball in Cobb's hands."

Those complaints were that he abandoned the power run game once inside the 20.  How many times did we see Flynn throw the fade 10 yards over the WR's head?  

 

That 1st down play didn't change the game as so many people are claiming. It was then 2nd and goal from the 8. Not the end of the world.

 

 

2nd n goal from 8 is much different than 2nd and goal from 5 or 4.  Given that we were getting 4 or 5 a pop when running between the tackles, you can still threaten to run at that point... Run is gone when 2nd n 9. 

 

Every other game I watch, at least once there is a good play design that has a TE or somebody wide open crossing in the EZ for an easy red zone TD. When was the last time we saw that in GB? Bubba Franks?

 

Maybe if we threatened the D with a power run game, there would be opps for play action to the TE?

Or 2nd and 8.

Sure, but the odds and history say there is a better chance for 2nd and 5.    If you looked at runs called between the tackles that game, I'm positive we avg'd around 5. 

 

Why is the power run not a option at 2nd and 8?

 

Especially if you are positive we'd average around 5 yards per carry?

 

I would have called a between the tackles run on 2nd down whether Cobb gained 8 yards or if he gained no yards.

 

The Cobb run was not the problem, the fall back to the shotgun passes with no play action was.

"...because we were picking up 5 yards a pop up the gut all game long."

 

I'm pretty sure the success of running for 4 or 5 up the gut from the 5 is a little different than gaining that yardage anywhere else on the field.  The fear of AR between the 20's will shy at least one more guy away from run support.  Not so much at the 5.  Just more evidence of red zone problems.

I was very impressed by the way Lacy made the Niners gang tackle him, even on runs up the middle, and can't help but believe that keeping it on the ground, maybe with the help of Daniels and Raji, would give us a better shot than shotgun passes in such close quarters.

Still think McCarthy blundered the clock management at the end of the half. If memory serves, AR completes a pass to Jones with around 19 seconds left. Instead of calling a TO and running a structured play, they let the clock burn and  Rodgers rushes a quick throw that falls incomplete.  FG

 

If they call TO they had a chance at running several plays and even a shot at the EZ. 

 

A reporter asked him about it in the PG Presser and he seemed rather testy. 

 

 

 

 

Good call PackDog

 

There was something screwy with the clock management at the end of the half. They had a catch over the middle where the whistle blew at 55 seconds and then they didn't get off the next play until 35 seconds left. That was a big waste of time.

Then after the Jones catch, another opportunity to call a timeout was wasted.

GB should have had 1-3 more plays available there. That shouldn't happen at home in a playoff game

+1 Satori

That sequence at the end of the half seemed like McCarthy was terrified of giving the 49ers the ball back with even 20 seconds of clock. The reality is if you have the ball in your opponent's territory, and there's less than a minute left, you probably want to save every second you can. And then he acts like a timeout has super powers if you use it with less than 10 seconds left. The timeout decisions should be based mostly on how much time it's going to take to spike the ball there. A ball completed somewhat downfield should be an automatic timeout. If you have like 20 seconds left, it should be an automatic timeout because you can't take the timeouts with you.

 

That last offensive sequence was terrible. I'm not sure how anyone can defend that Cobb run. First of all, Cobb didn't exactly look like the dynamic playmaker we're accustomed to. Just look at his kickoff returns. Serious lack of jukage going on. If you want to give him a carry during the game, fine, but do it somewhere in the middle of the field, in the first half. That was just a setup for failure.

 

Then we get two Rodgers non-passes. Throw it away, and fall forward for two yards. 3 plays, and the ball doesn't even get thrown to the end zone once. I think Rodgers seriously underestimated how important a touchdown there was. As far as the chances of winning the game go, if he had an opportunity that is 50/50 chance between TD and Int he should probably be throwing it. The way they played that sequence it's obvious they over-valued what a tying field goal would accomplish.

 

Think of it this way, when Rodgers is in do or die mode, where throwing it out of bounds, or taking a slide, and then handing things back to the defense just isn't an option, he's pretty damned good. The offense settling for a field goal and then never seeing the ball again is no way for a season to end.

You do realize it was 2nd and 8 after the Cobb carry, right. Not like he lost yards. Not like Lacy never had a negative carry. That was not a game killer.

Late addition to the plus column is James Jones for trying to perform with 2 broken ribs.

I know we all groan at the two passes that though contested, hit him in the breadbasket and fell incomplete.  But we've accustomed to him making ridiculously difficult catches the last couple years so that on top of broken ribs explains a lot.

I don't recall- had Cobb been lined up in the backfield during the game previous to that play? 

Sure Lacy could get stuffed in the backfield. But at least a power running play with a power back makes sense on that part of the field. But that Cobb hand-off was a waste of a play, it never looked for a second that the play could accomplish anything positive. I don't know how anyone watching the game wouldn't have the reaction when Cobb motioned into the backfield of, "Oh God, don't just hand it off to Cobb"

How I see that call is it can work when the defense has to drop deep, but when you run it from where they did it really cannot develop. The LB's and DB's don't have that much territory to cover.  Bad call. 

 

I said the other day I thought Rodgers did not play all that great and I still feel that way. Your remarks only reinforce that opinion.

That's exactly what my reaction was when he moved over. I was screaming at the TV, hoping they'd fake it to him, get the LB to commit and slide something in behind him.

MM used to be clever like that. Lately, less so.

The play with Cobb in the backfield in that situation was just MM getting too cute and making a stupid mistake. The play I thought of was the lateral from Cobb on the punt return against Chicago that Ross couldn't field and put the Bears right back in the game. MM's a good coach but has moments when his brain apparently freezes up and he doesn't think clearly.

I was a bit surprised MM didn't do more to get Cobb the ball.  On a less-than-ideal field, why wouldn't you do more to get it into one of the speediest playmakers hands?

 

The Eagles, Broncos, and Saints do all kinds of rubs (picks) to open up something underneath for their playmakers.  You see virtually none of that from MM.  Not sure why?

Well guys, as a positive, I have to say the 49ers' fans did not treat me like their bitch this week. They were pretty mild, respectful and grateful to get the win.  All stated that it was a hell of a game and could have gone either way.  I have to agree.  However, I was yet again pimped into several more bets of double or nothing.  Damn!  Go Panthers!!!!

 

BTW, this year I luckily stayed away from those "wear the other team's apparel" bets - getting the hives last year was a bitch!!!  

Yeah I lost one of those apparel bets and it sucked, I had to buy the queen fan a jersey and also wear it at work every Friday for a month. 

I learned I would rather bet my money than my pride

I would like to see an OC who calls MM off some of those cutsie plays. Either that or we have guys in place who tell MM to call those cutsie plays because they think they'll work. If McAdoo is really the guy who orchestrates the red zone offense, then I'd like to see what he's putting on the card MM looks at...

What I think MM has been doing less lately is using one week's play to set up a deception at a future game. They had some luck near the goalline with the Jumbo package with Raji and Daniels, Lacy as the RB. On the first play at the 1st and 9, why not come out in that formation with Quarless as the TE on the right side. Rodgers does a play action fake, Q peels off to his right as the Niners go all in on the run, easy pitch and catch for six....

Play action in the red zone???????????????

Because MM wants it to be difficult. That wide-open TE formation/play is just too easy. 

But he used to be really good at using film study against a Team.

From MMQB

 

http://mmqb.si.com/2014/01/23/nfc-playoff-losers/

 

 

"After watching this game on television, many of the nerdiest football aficionados came away asking, Why in the world did the Packers play “two-man” and allow Colin Kaepernick to once again scramble for big yardage against defenders who often had their backs to the line of scrimmage?

But the coaches film revealed that Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers actually had his men in a lot of zone concepts, sometimes even with a spy on Kaeperdick.

 

San Francisco’s stretched formations, and at times Green Bay’s poor pass-rush lane discipline, created large voids for the quarterback to bound through like a deer. It was a classic case of an offense out-leveraging and out-playing the defense.

To be fair, it was a defense that was ravaged by injuries at outside linebacker (including star Clay Matthews) and had to replace top cover corner, Sam Shields, with rookie Micah Hyde, who blew a man coverage assignment on Anquan Boldin to set up a Niners’ touchdown; Hyde also dropped an interception that led to a 49ers’ field goal.

 

Things weren’t rosy on the other side, either, in Green Bay’s 23-20 wild-card loss.

The same problem that plagued the Packers in their 2011 divisional round loss to the Giants showed up again: their inability to block a potent four-man pass rush without overloading their protections.

 

More than that, though, was the poor play at quarterback. Aaron Rodgers—the Canton-bound Rodgers—was terrible. He was jittery in the pocket, choppy as he transitioned from one progression to the next, and often not sharp when finally uncorking the ball. Rodgers might have been playing just his second game since returning from a broken left collarbone, but he still made a few spectacular improvised plays. Ultimately, he gave the offense no flow, which is what you need against the 49ers’ defense."

 

.

Started watching it again the other night and I must say MM did Rodgers no favors trying to get him settled into a rhythm. Lacey was running like a beast. And yes our front 7 seemed unable to detect those fake pass plays that are designed Kaepernick runs.... This is where we miss a guy like Woodson.

 

 

FIRE CAPERS NOW!!!!!!!!!

On the big play where he ran to pickup the 3rd & 8, Bush loses contain.

 

There is no way...I mean NO WAY that happens if Clay is on the field.

 

They beat us 4 straight times now. Once with Alex Smith at QB. Kaepernick isn't the difference maker most people are making him out to be. 

 

As "bad" as Rodgers was vs. the Niners, including their lack of team health, the Packers still had opportunities to cash in & win... but they didn't get it done.

If Rodgers was "terrible", what was Brady last weekend?  AR didn't throw any picks (see KC) and he had some balls hit receivers in the numbers that were dropped.  Not a shining game for his career but not terrible.

It's surely no easy task against the 49ers defense.  Luck (@SF) and Brees (@NO) were probably the best QB's the 49ers played this year beside Rodgers:

 

	Pass Comp	Pass Att	Pass Yds	TDs	Ints	Sacks	Sack Yds	Rush Att	Rush Yds	Rush TDs	3rd Down	TOP
Luck (@SF)	17	26	159	0	0	1	-7	4	24	1	5/12	36:25
Brees (@NO)	30	43	305	1	1	1	-10	1	-1	0	6/14	34:39
Rodgers (@SF)	21	37	333	3	1	2	-11	2	13	0	4/10	21:25
Rodgers (@GB)	17	26	177	1	0	4	-20	2	11	0	6/12	29:06

 

SF Season Averages

36.6 ATT per game

21.5 completions per game

221 yards per game

 

As an aside Rodgers was the only QB this year to throw three touchdowns against the 49ers defense in a game.