SB Nation - Larry Allen

49ers 2009 Season Preview: Drinking a little Kool-Aid? Oh Yeaaahh!

Fooch — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 15:00:33 -0000

My original plan was to use this preview as my contribution to the final portion of our divisional round-table discussions previewing 2009. Unfortunately that didn't quite work out, but it works just as well as a stand alone piece wrapping up that discussion on our own.

We’ve already gone through every positional unit and what we’re expecting (or hoping for) in 2009. So, instead of reviewing the entire offense and entire defense again, I thought I’d take a quick look at what would constitute a successful season for the 49ers. Then, I’ll take a look at an area on offense and an area on defense that each need to show improvement if the 49ers are going to be successful.

If the team went 8-8, that would certainly be an "improvement" over last year’s 7-9 campaign. At the same time, I think this team is capable of more and should put itself in the mindset of expecting better. 9-7 and a potential division title are things they could accomplish. Obviously neither is a guarantee, but I do think the talent is in place to take that step. And things don’t need to reach a best-case scenario for the team to go 9-7. They certainly have to show improvement, but not so much as to seem unrealistic. Feel free to disagree with that assessment.

Offensive Line
It’s not rocket science: While there are certainly numerous other factors, this offense will go as far as the offense line takes it. Offensive Coordinator Jimmy Raye has stated he would like a run to pass ratio of 60/40. Very few teams reach this ratio, and those that do are usually making the playoffs. The 49ers have talent and potential depth (depending on how Coffee performs) at running back and they’ll certainly get yardage. However, if the running game is going to take a step back to something closer to Gore’s 2006 season (49ers single season record), it’s going to fall in large part on the offensive line returning to that kind of form. The 2006 offensive line was just beastly, thanks in part to Larry Allen’s final season of dominance. The line has struggled the last two seasons thanks in part to injuries, but more to general ineffectiveness.

I think the line can improve this season because of a hopeful general consistency across the board. The last two years saw Joe Staley starting as a rookie at right tackle and then moving to left tackle his second season. The right tackle position was a rotating door last season, which did not help the line gain chemistry necessary for the unit. This year, Adam Snyder (one of the OTs revolving through) finally spent an entire offseason and preseason at the right tackle position. He’s struggled in the past but I think that could be attributed to being moved around between right tackle and left guard. Additionally the team added insurance in Tony Pashos (in the last few days), which I think could be huge for the line. A big key to all this is simply hoping that the 49ers can keep Staley-Baas-Heitmann-Rachal-Snyder in place the entire season. If they spend the whole season together on the line, I think that means the OL is improved. If that happens, I think the running game can become dominant.

As Jimmy Raye is relegating the passing game to almost an afterthought, I will too. The 49ers don’t need a dominant passing game, and probably should not expect one. Jimmy Raye said the road to victory lies on the shoulders of #21 (Frank Gore). However, almost any good rushing game needs some semblance of a decent passing game. Shaun Hill doesn’t need to drop bombs all day long, but he needs to be able to make the basic plays. Fortunately, this plays into this game. He’s not going to drop bombs on the defense, but he can certainly make enough plays (maybe just enough). One of the good AND bad things about Hill is his proclivity for checking down to his escape valve option. It’s good because he’s usually not going to hold onto the ball too long. It’s bad because he’ll give up on the potential big play a little too quickly. If he realizes he’s consistently getting more time in the pocket, maybe he’s willing to wait a few seconds longer for either the play to completely develop or the defense to have a breakdown.

After the jump we look at the defensive side of the ball and what's necessary to be successful...

Pass Rush
Over the course of the preseason, the 49ers starting defense managed 1 sack. For a team that has had concerns in the past about the pass rush, that is not encouraging. Pessimists (some might call them realists in this case) argue the pass rush has not been improved and will be the Achilles heel of the 2009 defense. Optimists argue the team has maintained a more vanilla defense seeing what players could do in one-on-one situations. That would seem to indicate the team could scheme and double team its way to more sacks.

I think it falls somewhere in the middle. The team will get sacks. They won’t have a dominating pass rush, but it will exist. Parys Haralson had a breakthrough 2009, leading the team in sacks. The question for 2009 is whether Manny Lawson can step up with more sacks of his own. Many folks call him a bust as a pass rusher, but he hasn’t exactly been given the best opportunity to rush the passer prior to this season. Nolan has been over thinking Lawson’s role since his rookie season, using him as a drop back defender more often than not. Throw in a lost sophomore campaign and I really do think Lawson can show some solid improvement this season.

Why is the pass rush so important to this particular defense? Well, that would be because of the lack of a true #1 lockdown cornerback. Nate Clements (2009 preseason struggles aside) is not a lockdown corner. He is still a very good cornerback (let the mockery begin), but he’s not a Champ Bailey or Deion Sanders type of cornerback. The 49ers have solid corners, but they need serious help from the pass rush, otherwise it will be a long day down the field.

I can’t really put a number on what would constitute improvement, but like obscenity, I’ll know it when I see it.

Conclusion
So there you have it. If the offensive line steps up and the pass rush improves from last season and the preseason, the 49ers will go 9-7 and win the division. Ok, maybe that’s a bit of an over-simplification. These two areas could show drastic improvement and the team still struggles. I don’t think that would happen, but there are just too many factors to be able to say with absolute confidence that this or that will happen.

Some folks think this will be a tremendously boring team. If they struggle they certainly could be boring. However, this could be a very fun team if things break the right way. On offense, while chicks may dig the long ball, a dominant rushing game that just brutalizes your opponent can be just as enjoyable to watch. When they can’t stop your running backs from averaging 5 yards a carry, well, it’s a thing to behold.

On defense, the secondary appears to be much more aggressive this year than in year’s past. If the pass rush can improve, the 49ers defense could turn into a turnover machine finally.

[Sets down Kool-Aid]

And if these improvements don’t occur (a distinct possibility), it could be a looooooooong season.

Poll

How many games will the 49ers win in 2009?

0-3

2 votes

4-5

21 votes

6

29 votes

7

69 votes

8

150 votes

9

276 votes

10+

179 votes

726 votes | Poll has closed

Going Back To The Future With the Dallas Cowboys

Carl Shelton (GloryDayz88) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:00:16 -0000

More photos » by Tony Gutierrez - AP

Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips instructs one of his quality control coaches at a recent practice. "Great Scott son! Get me some gull-danged plutonium, dad-gummit! It's right over there!"

Browse more photos »

As many of you may know, DC.com is running a series on the 50 greatest Cowboys of all time. The countdown currently stands at #15, where DC.com has named wide receiver Drew Pearson as the 15th greatest Cowboy of all time. Reading about all of the Cowboys of old brings back some fond memories, and also invokes a little imagination. As I continue to read through the series, I continue to mull over one question. If I had an ‘85 Delorian, a flux capacitor, and a little plutonium, what former Cowboy would I travel back in time to kidnap and add to the current unit?

Offensively it is easy to go with one of the all-time greats. Sure, any of us would probably love to have Roger Staubach or Troy Aikman to come in and guide the ship. Both are Hall of Fame quarterbacks with Super Bowl rings. But with Tony Romo on board, I personally would not spend my one and only pick on a quarterback, however important the position may be. It is natural to blurt out a name like Drew Pearson, Michael Irvin, Tony Dorsett, or Emmitt Smith. For this particular post, I wanted to dig a little deeper and tag players who would fit need areas for the current Cowboys.

My list is not by any means all-inclusive. There have been too many great Cowboys over the years to include them all, so forgive me if I left out your guy.

Wouldn’t Bob Hayes be the perfect speed complement to Roy Williams? No offense to Miles Austin, but I’d jump at the chance to have the former Olympic 100 meter champion who almost single-handedly changed defensive schematics forever. I know that people don’t initially associate the name Raghib Ismail with the Dallas Cowboys, but the guy put up some respectable numbers when he was here. Ismail would be an awesome fit with today’s Cowboys because he has a skill set that no other current Cowboy receiver has. Ismail is the smaller, shiftier, deep threat type who was great after the catch, and would also be a great help on returns.

If I could fit a '96 Larry Allen into my ‘85 Delorian, he just might be the guy to grab. The still-ailing Kyle Kosier and the questionably-motivated Montrae Holland are currently scrapping for the starting left guard position. A young Larry Allen would be a huge (no pun intended) addition to the Cowboys line. Could you imagine the sheer girth the Cowboys would have on the interior with Allen, Andre Gurode and Leonard Davis all inside? Frightening.

It would be nice to have the Moose back. I love the Cricket (Deon Anderson) but Daryl Johnston is one of the greatest blocking fullbacks of all-time… Does anyone else think as highly of Kelvin Martin as I do? I always thought Martin was fantastic slot receiver, and was likely skilled enough to wrestle the job away from Patrick Crayton… I don’t see running back as a need area for the current Cowboys. I love Marion Barber, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice, but I would probably take the Minnesota Vikings route and trade all three of them for Herschel Walker. I know Emmitt Smith and Tony Dorsett are among the all-time greats, but Herschel Walker was a once in a lifetime talent. I would love to see how great Walker could be surrounded by the current Cowboys’ cache of offensive weaponry.

Defensively, guys like Deion Sanders, Randy White, Bob Lilly and Chuck Howley are no-brainers. But again, let’s dig just a bit deeper.

Chuck Howley was probably the greatest Cowboy linebacker of all time, but he would have probably played the same position as Bradie James. I am in no way insinuating that Bradie James is better than Chuck Howley. I’m just saying that James is solid, and I would rather let him stay put, and pair him with Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson. Henderson was the rangy, athletic linebacker that is the perfect fit for the weak inside spot in a Wade Phillips defense. Henderson’s athleticism would be the perfect complement to James’ nastiness.

Want to improve the already scary Cowboys pass rush? How about a pair of #94’s screaming off the edges playing ‘meet you at the quarterback?’ A young Charles Haley was easily athletic enough to stand up in a 3-4, and if memory serves me correctly, i think he did a bit of that in his San Francisco days. Ware and Haley together would be unblockable.

Another former Cowboy who could possibly benefit from a position change with today’s squad would be Leon Lett. A tackle in his Cowboy days, Lett’s size, strength, long arms, and inside rush skills would make him the perfect penetrating 5-technique end for Wade Phillips’ scheme… I like Ken Hamlin and Gerald Sensabaugh, but there are no less than four former Cowboys safeties who could probably force either of them to the bench. Darren Woodson, Cliff Harris, Charlie Waters, Mel Renfro. Take your pick…With Keith Davis gone, how about bringing back Kenny Gant or Billy Davis to bolster the special teams units?

Again, this post was purely intended for fun. I could go on and on for days about the Cowboys of old. The guys I mentioned are just a few of my own personal favorites. So, if you could go back in time to grab any player who has ever sported the star on his helmet (at his best), and add him to today's roster who would it be?

Overrated, Underrated, or Somewhere in Between: Frank Gore

StrictlyFootball — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 18:00:08 -0000

Frank Gore has been the one constant positive in a rather lack luster offense these past three years. He is the first running back in 49ers history to have three consecutive 1,000 yard seasons as well as to be the only offensive player remaining on the team to be named to a Pro-Bowl (2006). But even with all that, rumors have been circulating saying that Frank Gore is no longer the running back he used to be, and that it is time to start looking in a new direction.

Since his breakout season in 2006, Gore's stats have been slowly declining, and his injuries have increased. His yards per season have dropped from 06's 1,695 to this year's 1,036. His average yards per attempt is now 4.3 compared to 5.4 in 2006, and his touchdowns have fallen off slightly from eight to five, and to this year's six.

Surprisingly enough, his receiving stats have also fallen. His receptions per season has continued to fall by nine catches on average per season, finishing with 43 this season. Also accordingly, his receiving yards have fallen from 485 yards in '06 to 373 last season.

Despite these stats he has been continually picked as a top ten RB in fantasy football, even though he finishes in most stat categories in the middle of the pack among active running backs. Also, his prediction in '07 of having a 2,200 rushing yard record breaking season, along with many analysts and fans in '08 saying he was going to have close to a 1,000 yard rushing and a 1,000 yard receiving season, and in both seasons not coming close, leads me to say he was a little overrated in both occasions. And while these stats show signs of downside, their have obviously been many extenuating circumstances.

As I have already mentioned before Gore has had injuries. Whether it was a broken bone in his hand, multiple sprained ankles, or a few miscellaneous knee and leg injuries, he has always seemed to be hurt. But despite this onslaught of traumas he continues to play almost every week. In fact although he has been on the injury list almost every week, he has only missed a total of three games in the last three seasons, which has made him one of the most resilient and toughest backs in the league. This is definitely an underrated aspect of his game. Beyond his own health issues there has also been two huge issues outside of his control; the lack of a consistent QB and offense, and the yearly changing of offensive coordinators.

When Gore was under Norv Turner's influence in 2006, he flourished. He had his highest career rushing and receiving numbers and it was his only season to be selected to the Pro-Bowl. Some of the reasons why this happened was one part consistent QB play by Alex Smith, one part coordinating skills (especially in play action), one part improved offensive line play (didn't hurt to have Larry Allen), and one part the fresh and explosive legs of Frank Gore.

Unfortunately since then, the offensive coordinators have not exactly been run friendly. Jim Hostler could not game plan a game to save his life, and Mike Martz for the first part of the season was not too creative in the run game and he liked to leave Gore in to block a lot. These two coordinators combined with a carousel of quarterbacks, O-line injuries, the lack of fear of a deep threat, and an inconsistent passing game, has led Gore to anguish in eight and nine men defensive boxes the last two seasons. Gore through all of this was still able to produce, which is amazing, but one thing is leaving me from saying he is underrated... and that is because he has had some anomalies in his game.

While Gore did still produce throughout 2008, it wasn't an even production. Against opponents with a run defense in the top 15 he averaged only 42.5 yards a game (there was 6 games out of a possible 14) as well as only 1 touchdown. Compare that to his 92 yards a game average and 5 total touchdowns against teams with less than top 15 defenses, it is a little worrisome.

I know some say the lack of great stats was because of the passing game, but in the three games Shaun Hill was QB against top 15 defensive teams, he averaged a QB rating of 97.13 and averaged 278 passing yards per game. Not exactly incompetent play and Gore was still a non factor. Not to mention his longest run of the whole year was 41 yards that came in the first game against the Arizona Cardinals, and in total over the last two seasons he has only had 13 rushes over 20 yards, which doesn't even reach his 15 he had in 2006.

In the end I think Gore is a tough, strong runner who can push piles. He has a knack of getting 2 or 3 yards even when he looks like he will be tackled for a loss, and he is still a major factor in the passing game. But his lack of explosiveness these last few seasons, and his inability to create his own "holes" and "advantages" is stopping him from reclaiming his past glory. It may be just wear and tear, but it would not surprise me if the 49ers were able to grab another productive runner, one that could share carries with Gore while offering a different dynamic running style, that his stats would go up. Gore may never repeat the stats he had in 2006, but he is an integral part of this team who will be an offensive leader in the locker room for years to come.

Overall: Somewhere in Between

Poll

What do you think Frank Gore is?

Overrated

60 votes

Underrated

321 votes

Somewhere in Between

352 votes

733 votes | Poll has closed