SB Nation - Frank Gore

49ers-Bears Tuesday Injury Report

Fooch — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:00:33 -0000

I know all of us were a bit concerned by all the players on yesterday's injury report. However, as today's report shows, virtually all the "limited" and "non-participants" were full participants today. Yesterday's report was a projection because there was no actual practice, so I'm guessing the team was just being a bit more conservative. Of course, Glen Coffee is not going to be playing, and given that we haven't seen any transactions today, it looks like Gore and Robinson will be handling the load at running back.

After the jump we've got press conference transcripts for OC Jimmy Raye and Alex Smith.

49ers
Out (Definitely Will Not Play)
CB Nate Clements (shoulder)
DE Demetric Evans (shoulder)
OT Joe Staley (knee)
RB Glen Coffee (concussion)

Limited Participation in Practice
LB Takeo Spikes (shoulder)

Full Participation in Practice
S Michael Lewis (quadricep)
RB Michael Robinson (stinger)
G David Baas (stinger)
CB Tarell Brown (rib)
RB Frank Gore (eye lid)
S Curtis Taylor (shin)
TE Vernon Davis (shoulder)
WR Jason Hill (ankle)
TE Delanie Walker (shin, knee)

Bears
Out
LB Pisa Tinoisamoa (knee)

Did not Participate in Practice
S Al Afalava (shoulder)
S Kevin Payne (back)
RB Garrett Wolfe (back)

Limited Participation in Practice
TE Desmond Clark (neck)
DT Tommie Harris (knee)
CB Charles Tillman (shoulder)

After the jump we've got transcripts for Jimmy Raye and Alex Smith...

Offensive Coordinator Jimmy Raye
Post-Walk Thru November 10, 2009
San Francisco 49ers

On why WR Jason Hill received more playing time against the Titans:

"He has been practicing well since his hamstring injury and making progress. That coupled with the fact that [WR] Isaac [Bruce] had a tender ankle and ran a seven route over on the left boundary and rolled his ankle, tweaked it a little bit. So, we were down in numbers in the three-wide package and Jason was the next guy up. We were fortunate that we had him up for the game because he was the guy who had gotten the work as all three backups going into the game. It turned out that he was able to play and he made some plays for us."

On his background with the shotgun:

"Quite a bit, I would say extensive. There was a period of time where I coached with a couple of disciples of the Bill Walsh system that didn't believe in the gun that we didn't use it. But, in New York, Oakland, Atlanta and L.A. with Jim Everett, all of that was gun. I don't know if you want specifics, I don't know how to answer that question."

On whether you are limited in the types of runs you can call out of the shotgun:

"Somewhat, but it depends. When you make that decision, the kinds of runs that you are running, most of the time, are not direct runs because you don't have a lead blocker. But, they are runs that take advantage of the front and the alignment of the defense. They give you the same that is the likeness of pass and pass protection. They come not only in the draw variety, but across the formation kind of runs. We did have some success Sunday running the trap, but we had to relocate the back in order to do that."

On what QB coach Mike Johnson learned from watching college spread offenses in the offseason:

"You would have to ask Mike that. We discussed it in the offseason. I think what you need to understand is what we did Sunday has always been a part of what we do. We didn't invent the runs we ran Sunday out of the shotgun. We have had, and been practicing, our third down, our quarterback-not-under-the-center offense and runs since March. So, it wasn't something where, all of the sudden three weeks ago, because everyone thought we should be in the spread, that we went and looked at someone running the shotgun and came up with plays. It is a part of the offense that we have. What we did Sunday is a part of what we do."

On why he called it a third down offense:

"It is applicable to all downs, but what you had seen previously was when we were in the gun was basically on third down."

On the two interceptions QB Alex Smith has thrown when targeting WR Michael Crabtree:

"The one in Indianapolis was a tipped ball, and Sunday the one was a tipped ball that probably would fall to the ground harmlessly. The ball was thrown near the boundary and it was tipped and the linebacker came back within an eyelash of stepping out of bounds and got the rebound of the ball. I think tipped balls, you can't practice tipped balls. If the receiver and the defensive back are in a close confrontation, and they both get their hands on the ball at the same time, and there are other defenders near, that's why defensive backs work the tip drill. And, unfortunately for us, we've had two, not two but three deflections that have gone up in the air and the defense capitalized on them."

On whether he's comfortable going forward with the kind of offensive emphasis he showed on Sunday:

"I don't know that. I think sometimes the perception is that I should answer questions that give the defensive coordinators of the teams that we play a pre-game scouting report on what we're going to line up in. We have, as I said early on, the contingencies of what we do offensively to take care of the defenses that we play. If that is in fact the case that what we carry into the game is available for us and it helps us win the game, then I guess the answer to that would be yes."

On where the offense is as a unit:

"I think our record is 3-5. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong. We're 3-5. I would say we're not near where we need to be. If it was better, I think we would have won more games or helped our cause in terms of winning more games. I think we made improvement, but there were areas of the game Sunday that were outstanding. The play was exceptional, was outstanding, but it's very difficult to overcome four turnovers."

On whether it's been difficult to find improvement given the changes in the offense:

"Yes and no. Continuity is very difficult to come by. We've changed a lot of places, and that's the nature of the NFL. If there's one thing that is constant about the NFL, it's change. And, unfortunately for us, in the first seven or eight weeks, we've had to change the quarterback. We've had to change the right guard. We've had to change the left guard. We've had to change the running back. We've had to change the wide receiver. We've had an onslaught of changes, but the way we manage that is a benefit to us if we can do it in an expeditious fashion so we can get on with winning games. It's been difficult, but we're probably going to have more changes going forward."

On the first touchdown pass from QB Alex Smith to WR Jason Hill in the back of the end zone:

"Well, what they did right was they applied the scramble rules that are in place that were taught in the red area, and Alex remained a passer. And, in most situations like that, the quarterback leaves his passer mentality and becomes a runner. But, he kept his eyes downfield and drifting and he was in a position where he could either throw or not take a negative and throw the ball out of bounds, and he remained a passer. That was the best thing about it. And then Jason applied his onside scramble rule, and we were able to get a completion for a touchdown, which gave us a completion of a T-2 at the end of the half and got points. And then we had a T-4 at the end of the game that got points. So, those things are very gratifying."

On whether he has met with head coach Mike Singletary about the receiving corps and WR Isaac Bruce's role:

"No, that meeting, I don't think has happened, unless I was excluded from it. We will visit that - we wanted to get through today and see where he is tomorrow, and in the meantime, we will increase the activity of [WR] Josh Morgan and [WR] Jason Hill. We'll see where he is, where his foot is or his injury is. And then we'll make a decision going forward."

On Bruce's injury:

"We'll see where he is physically. See where he is physically and then we'll make a decision going forward."

On the areas of the offense in Sunday's game that he was pleased with:

"Well, as I mentioned, I was pleased with our, as we refer to it, T-2 offense, which is our offense before the half, which was very good in Indianapolis that went down and got a score also. Our T-4 was very good, which we went down at the end of the game and got a score and an opportunity to onside kick the ball and have another chance to put the game into overtime. We were five for five in the red zone, three touchdowns and two field goals. We had a 19-play drive in that game that overcame three or four penalties and a negative that went down and got points. I thought our ‘me-to-you' factor was very good. Is he open? The pass to [TE] Vernon [Davis] was a great adjustment and throw. We threw the ball - he complete 29 balls, and we showed some ability in our deceptive game with our arounds and handing the ball to the wide receivers that made yards. So, I thought the playing area was very good. I was very disappointed that we had the mishaps that we had that led to 24 points for them, because, I think, without the turnovers, it would have been a different outcome."

On whether the T-2 and T-4 are similar plays:

"No, they're not."

On whether he can explain the time at the end of the half and the time at the end of the game:

"It changes because at the T-2, any points are good. When you're playing T-2 and you have the ball before the half, whether you get a field goal or a touchdown, any points you get are good. And, T-4, you're in a T-4 situation, you're either in an offense to try to either extend the game or win the game. So, the impetus of the play is totally different because you're operating against the timeouts. You're operating against a defense that's trying to prevent you from either extending the game or prolonging the game or, in a T-4 situation, winning the game at the end. That would be the difference."

QB Alex Smith
Post-Walk Thru - November 10, 2009
San Francisco 49ers

On which package does he like better, the T-2, or T-4:

"It's pretty similar. You hope not to be in the T-4."

On why he performs well during the end of halves and games:

"I have no idea. I don't know."

On a theory that he performed better in a spread-offense similar to his college playing days at Utah:

"Spread out? Maybe, perhaps, I don't know. It could be you think that anytime that you are spread out and you're in the gun, all quarterbacks are going to see things better. I don't know, I'm not sure."

On his experience running the two-minute drill at Utah:

"It was more T-2's than T-4's."

On whether he likes playing better in a shotgun formation:

"In certain situations, yes, if there is no threat of a run. Sometimes is nice to mix it up and get back there. I think that in third down situations, pressure situations is when you get back and see it and maybe buy yourself half of second to get the ball out. Other than that, you'd like to keep a balance between the run and pass situations in the game to keep that and be under center."

On either having the opportunity to review film from the Tennessee game or going straight to game film to prepare for Chicago:

"I watched it quickly yesterday morning, then you move on pretty fast. I watched a lot of Chicago yesterday and it's such a short week."

On having one of his best offensive performances overshadowed by his interceptions:

"I felt that, in a sense, that I saw things well. You turn on the tape and it wasn't like I saw anything new. When I rehashed the game in my mind, it looked very similar to what I looked at when I turned on the tape which is a good thing. I felt like I saw everything well. A couple of balls were thrown tight - there was one on the boundary the safety was coming trying to make a play on it, it gets tipped in-bounds and the one that [WR] Josh [Morgan] had tighter coverage. There those are kind of the job hazards that kind of come with the territory. That is going to happen, I think that as a quarterback the important things are if you are making good decisions, are you throwing the ball where you want to throw it, are you getting the ball out on time, those are the types of decisions that you're looking at. That's how you prevent turnovers from the quarterback's perspective, by making sound decisions and throwing the ball accurately on time."

On whether he was relaying his throwing tendencies to the opposing defense with his eyes:

"The one on the boundary could have gone up. That half second maybe allowed that safety to come over and make a play that allowed that ball to stay in-bounds. The other two didn't feel like I was late at all. But the first one I could say, critically looking at it, I could have gone up quicker."

On whether working on his body language could have prevented that turnover:

"That was a third-and-long and we were trying to ‘hi-lo' the corner on the boundary. It was a matter of trusting what you see from that defender and letting the ball go."

On what Jason Hill did right on his first touchdown:

"The great thing he did - initially he started back down towards me, trying to give me a throw and saw that the inside receiver was kind of running in the flat there and a lot of passing is about spacing, so I think he immediately saw that, put his foot in the ground, turned and ran upfield, at least giving me two throws. Once he came down a little bit, his defender bit and he turned and slipped upfield and was open in the back of the end zone."

On whether defenses are playing WR Michael Crabtree differently:

"I guess I don't know. We are moving on so fast from this Tennessee game, it's hard to look at things like that. I think the more he plays, the more he is going to give people to think about, the more routes he's going to give corners to think about and the more comfortable he is going to be with things."

On why he hasn't been able to develop much chemistry with WR Josh Morgan:

"I don't know. It's a matter of what the defense is giving us sometimes, maybe sometimes what we are asking him to do. I think it's a combination of things."

On his ability to draw offsides penalties and whether it is something he has worked on a lot:

"It was something I never did as a younger guy. I never did it in college. I never did it much my first couple years. I just think I'm more conscious of it now in certain situations. I'm more conscious of using it to your advantage."

On how difficult it is to develop a rapport with WR Michael Crabtree:

"I think the thing you miss when he comes in like that is you miss the training camp practices where you can really build the fundamentals of your routes together. It's timing. When he comes in within the week we are doing our game plans and he is doing a great job of getting himself up to speed and not missing a beat and it's just a matter of us all working together to get that done."

On whether there is any sense of significance to this game:

"Every game is the biggest game at that point. That's the truth of it. This week, you play and you learn from it and you move on already and we're on to Chicago. Yes, this is the biggest game of the season and the next week that will probably be the biggest game. Right now, the focus is on Chicago and that's it. It's them coming in and getting a win and it is the biggest thing."

On how much losing four in a row weighs on the team:

"It might, but we can't let it weight on us. We have to continue to work to play harder, to execute better, and to win a game and that's what we have to get done."

On whether building a rapport with Crabtree is just a matter of time:

"I think so. Time and repetitions, but it's different. I think there are things that we ask him to do that he may be more comfortable with because he has a history with them. Yes, a little bit of that is just going to be time and repetitions."

Mike Singletary press conference transcript: 49ers not interested in Larry Johnson

Fooch — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:10:18 -0000

Ok, so Mike Singletary didn't say it would NEVER happen, but when asked about Larry Johnson, Singletary said:

On whether the 49ers are interested in RB Larry Johnson:
"Right now, I hadn't even thought about it. No. No. Not right now."

The 49ers do have a need for running back depth, but it's not happening with LJ. He actually doesn't clear waivers until tomorrow afternoon. The 49ers would be looking to wait until after he clears waivers, meaning he'd basically have 2 days to learn even a little bit of the playbook. Also, the Texans are bringing Johnson in for a workout, and the Redskins haven't ruled out trying to sign Johnson (if he clears waivers). I'd imagine he'll be locked up before the end of the day tomorrow.

Earlier today I mentioned I was looking for info on Jason Hill in the press conference. We didn't get a completely clear answer, but Singletary did address the wide receiver position.

On why WRs Josh Morgan and Jason Hill played so much:
"I think right now, we have to meet as a staff and really look at our receiving situation. It's a good situation, we have a lot of talent there. We just have to figure out the right combination of time for all of our guys."

On how much he will play Bruce in the future:
"I think it makes sense for us to get together as a staff and really figure out the best thing that we need to do going forward and we will do that. We will do that this week and we will do it today."

On what he saw from [WR] Jason Hill that this was the game he wanted Hill to play:
"Practice. I mean, Jason Hill - I just saw it in practice. He's a guy that could have really gotten a bad attitude and said, ‘Hey, forget it. I'm out here. I was out here last year, I was making plays. It didn't happen. This year, maybe I need to go somewhere else.' But, he's a guy - we've talked a few times. I know [wide receivers coach Jerry] Sullivan has talked with him as well. He's had a tremendous attitude out here and just busting his tail trying to make plays. He's got all the DBs mad at him because he continues to make plays. What he did in the game did not surprise me. I'm very excited about what he was able to accomplish."

Not exactly clear-cut information, but the writing is definitely on the wall for Isaac Bruce. He's had an amazing career, but it looks like his time is winding down.

Feel free to use this thread to discuss Monday Night Football as well.

We have the complete transcript after the jump...

Head Coach Mike Singletary
Press Conference November 9, 2009
San Francisco 49ers

Opening statements:

"Good afternoon. First of all, obviously this is not the most exciting time in the world right now. I would say the biggest thing is we just have to continue working we just have to continue going forward. In the loss we had yesterday, it was unfortunate some of the things that happened in the game. The things that we talked about all week, doing the things we needed to do, going out and playing together. The offensive line, for the most part, did a decent job. Obviously there was one sack there, [T Adam] Snyder's guy came underneath. It was just a good pass rush, the one that caused the fumble by [QB] Alex [Smith]. But overall, I thought the offensive line did a good job. I was very encouraged when I came in and looked at the film last night. The running backs, Frank Gore ran hard. I thought our receivers did a good job of blocking downfield. As far as Alex is concerned in terms of throwing the football, I thought Alex did a good job of throwing the football. I thought the first turnover he had, throwing the ball to [WR Michael] Crabtree, the ball just takes an unlucky bounce back and the guy was able to come back and make a pick. That doesn't happen too often. The second turnover that went to [WR] Josh [Morgan], I thought there were a couple of things that could have happened there. Josh could have made a little better play on the ball coming back to it. I thought the defender got there a little bit early, but we didn't get that call. Other than that, I think Alex had one play that was really on him and they did a good job defensively. He thought it was Cover 4, and basically the DB came off and Alex was trying to get the ball there on time and the guy made a nice play. When I look at the offense, for the most part, unfortunately it was one of the better offensive performances I have seen since I've been here. If you take away the turnovers, we have a chance to really have a good offensive game and have some excitement and momentum going forward. But it didn't happen that way. We did have the turnovers, and I think that is something we have to continue to work on. Outside of that, what do we do going forward? You have four losses and obviously that is not where you want to be, but it is where we are, dealing with reality. I think the most fortunate thing we have right now, the blessing that I would call, is we have a coaching staff that is continuing to work their tails off putting our guys in position to win. We have a young team that has to continue to fight, stay together and execute consistently. The guys are playing hard, that's not even a thought. I have had questions about, ‘Do you think they will start bickering in the locker room?' and those sort of things. No. We won't have that, haven't had that. That won't start. We have eight games left in the season and we have to go out and do the very best we can to win those football games. Other than that, questions."

On whether Smith was locking onto receivers too early:

"I really don't think so. I really don't."

On whether Smith and Morgan have chemistry together:

"I think it could be a combination of things. I think Josh is still maturing into a receiver. He is going to be a great receiver one of these days, it just hasn't happened yet. But, he is working his tail off to get there. That's where it's at. You just have to continue working at it."

On the injuries suffered Sunday:

"[RB] Glen Coffee has a concussion. He will probably be out this game. [S] Michael Lewis has a quad strain. That will be day-to-day this week. [S] Curtis Taylor has a shin contusion. [RB] Michael Robinson had a little bit of a stinger. [CB] Tarell Brown, a rib contusion. [G David] Baas had a little bit of a stinger. [TE] Delanie Walker, a little bit of a knee sprain. I think that will be a day-to-day thing but I think he will be okay for the game. [RB Frank] Gore, eye contusion. Anything I say just add contusion onto it and you'll be in good shape. [TE] Vernon Davis, shoulder contusion."

On why WRs Josh Morgan and Jason Hill played so much:

"I think right now, we have to meet as a staff and really look at our receiving situation. It's a good situation, we have a lot of talent there. We just have to figure out the right combination of time for all of our guys."

On whether WR Isaac Bruce was injured against the Titans:

"He has a sore ankle. He has had a sore ankle for a few weeks, a couple of weeks. Nothing big, but just kind of a little bit of pain there. He is trying to work through it. That's all it was."

On how much he will play Bruce in the future:

"I think it makes sense for us to get together as a staff and really figure out the best thing that we need to do going forward and we will do that. We will do that this week and we will do it today."

On the play of Davis this season:

"Vernon Davis, he has been the same since the beginning of the season. He has worked his tail off. What he is doing now is just the investment he made in the offseason. He continues to get better and he is going to help this team win a lot of football games. He is committed, that's why he is a captain. He is the example that everybody on this team wants to look to as a guy who is doing it right. He is just really working his tail off and he is making a difference in the team."

On Davis' blocking:

"Normally, when a guy is doing something well and he starts doing something else well, what he was doing well originally drops. He continues to get better as a blocking tight end. He is one of those guys, you put another 20 pounds on him and he would be right there doing a heck of a job blocking those ends and tackles and everything else. He is just an extraordinary athlete and is beginning to put all the tools together. He continues to work out right out there on the field before practice, after practice, getting it done. That's why Vernon Davis is successful and he will continue to be so."

On the challenge of running out of the shotgun:

"The shotgun is just one of things where it depends on how much flexibility you have from your o-line. You can run traps, you can run power, you can run basically the same things. It is just a matter of it has to happen a little quicker. There's not much of an illusion to it when you have the fullback. It makes it different because you are keying on that lead guy. I just think that we have to see is how much of the shotgun look that we will keep going forward. We will expand it depending on who we are playing, depending on what they are trying to do to us. If we have to loosen up the front seven if they are trying to load up the box, maybe we do that. But we just have to wait and see."

On whether he liked the shotgun look:

"I like the things that work. I don't really get into a look or whatever. I look at, how many yards and how effective is it? How did it fit with our personnel and what we are doing? It is certainly something we have the tools to do. We have Vernon here in the tight end spot, and we have three wide outs. We have Gore in the backfield. Those are some great weapons to be able to use. I just think we have to really focus on cutting down on some of the other things we are doing that takes away from that because I think it is a powerful thing going forward."

On Titans RB Chris Johnson:

"Obviously, what you saw there was real speed. I don't know if there has ever been a running back as fast to the edge. Sometimes when you look at something on film, you go, ‘Okay, right. We will get him.' I thought for the most part, our defense did a pretty decent job, there were just a couple of times where he got out. When you look out there and see a guy turning the corner and Patrick Willis is running after him, you don't see that too often. Patrick is going to catch that guy. And he did, a few times. That is credit to him. But the guy made some good plays. They blocked on to us. We didn't do a great job getting off blocks yesterday. They did a good job staying on the blocks yesterday. It is just one of those things, I thought we had to do a better job getting off blocks and we didn't."

On whether the 49ers are interested in RB Larry Johnson:

"Right now, I hadn't even thought about it. No. No. Not right now."

On how the losing stretch is weighing on him:

"Do you mean is it one of those things where it takes me to a place? I will put it like this, as a football coach, I am very thankful to be doing what I am doing. But, there are a lot of guys waking up this morning where they are in a job that they don't want to be in and they are doing something and they wish they could be doing something else. I get up every morning, trust me, it is testing at times in this job, but I love this job and I love what I do. I feel that I am the luckiest man in the world to do what I do. Everything that comes with the job, just like you with your job, sometimes you have things that upset you, things that you wish were going another way, but this where it is at. In these moments, this is when I am at my best because in these situations, you just have to rise above and you have to put your best foot forward. You have to be positive. You have to look at where things are and just call it what it is. I can't get lost in the reality of the four losses. It's not something that you want. It's not something - it's not a place that you want to be, but that's where it's at. So, for me, it's just getting ready to, coming in this morning, being excited, talking to the coaching staff, having the coaching staff, ‘Hey, let's go. Let's get ready. Call your guys. Let them know we're on. Be ready to go tomorrow when they come in.' We're setting the game plan in place today, and let's get ready to go tomorrow. On that question, the thing that I want to do is I want all of you to understand this: If you talk to me after a game, nine times out of 10, if we lose the game, it's very rare that I will be sitting back and kind of being philosophical or whatever. I'm going to be ticked. OK? You can call it stress, you can call it whatever you want to call it. For me, it's human. It's just human. You guys in the media, it's just one of those things that, I don't ever think I'm going to have the right etiquette to stand up here and pontificate like some of the other coaches can do. That's not me. I'm a football coach, and I'm real, and what you see is what you get. All I can tell you today is that we've got eight games left, and we've got the right coaches, we've got the right players, we've got the right vision and we just have to go forward. Sometimes, that's all it is, nothing more, nothing less."

On the process of him deciding to become a coach:

"I'll take you through this: I think everything happens for a reason. I think, first and foremost, I told you before that I didn't want to coach, for all of these kinds of reason. I thought, as a player, at least you can go out there and hit somebody. At least you can do that. But, as a coach, you're dealing with guys, and they have to go play. And, you've got to go over there and you've got to make sure that you're doing all the right things on the sideline. But, I think all of the things that I thought before, getting into coaching, is what it is. It's in practice. What you do in practice, nine times out of 10, that's what you're going to get in the games. What you practice on, that's what you should do in the game. I think, for me, that's the best gaze that I have going into any game that we play in. That's why we have practices that are intense at times, in terms of making sure that every little detail is worked out and you still see at times we come up short. But, the guys are headed in the right direction. The guys are - there's not one eye, not one set of eyes in the room last night blinking. All the guys are looking at me and we all agree, you know what? Here's another game. You take the gun out and you point it at yourself, and we're shooting ourselves. We just have to go forward and expect the best and understand that the best will come because we will not see it any other way. I will not compromise. As far as coaching as concerned, it is what I love to do, and I was hesitant to get into coaching because of some of the - I'm standing up here today for this kind of thing because I hate losing. It's as simple as that. No one loves losing, but I hate losing, absolutely hate it - especially when you've got a team that can win. So, that's where I'm at with that. But, I absolutely love what I do."

On whether he wanted to coach the Chicago Bears:

"I wanted to coach at whatever place that wanted me. I didn't know where I was going to coach. And, it's like I said before, when my wife and I knew that we were going to be coaching, we put our house up for sale. We didn't know where we going to be coaching. We didn't know what level we were going to be coaching, had no idea, had no clue. We just knew we were going to be coaching. So, in terms of where we wanted to coach, I just felt that as we prayed, wherever the Lord would have us go, that's where we wanted to go. Where we ended up going, that's where we were going to coach, and we were going to coach as hard as we could and as long as we could."

On what changed in his mind that led him to want to coach:

"What changed in my mindset as I want to coach? It's a hard thing to explain. When I said my wife and I, we prayed about it, that's what we did. We felt that through prayer there were certain doors that were open and then we had to field the right fit and the right situation that came about. And that came, which was from Baltimore, and that's where we went. As far as all of the other things, I think everything that's happened in my life has prepared me for moments like these. I can't lie to you. I would love to come in and have it be we're 6-0, we're 7-0 and we're going forward. ‘Wow, what a brilliant guy. Wow, where has he been.' But, it's not like that. But, I would much rather have it this way, where you come in and you start off right, you know you can do it, and then all of a sudden all these changes. You're changing the quarterback. You start finding out about yourself. You start finding out about the people around you and you start finding out what you're made of. And then you come back together and the thing starts working again. Then you feel better about what you've accomplished and you feel better about the people you've been around because you've been exposed. There's nothing that exposes you like a tough time. There's nothing that exposes - you don't get to know people until you go through tough times. You don't get to know your spouse until you go through tough times, or kids. So, I would much rather have it like this because when it does swing around, we'll be enjoying it a lot more, and it'll be much more of a richness to it going forward and an appreciation for it because it doesn't come easy. There are a lot of little things that have to work right in order for the big thing to really come into fuition. So, I feel good about that. I feel good about these next eight games. I feel good about these next eight games. I feel good about the situation we're in and I feel good about our guys having to work through some things, as well as our coaches, to climb back up again and get ready for that next one and let's go."

On what makes him think his team will turn it around:

"You know what sir? I don't know where you're from, and I don't know what you really meant by that. I understand that you're not my players, thankful that you're not my players. I do want to win. But, let me say this: You have to know guys that you spend days with. You have to know guys that you spend hours with. It's just like you when you're at home. I don't know how much time you spend with your kids, but it's important that when things happen, you know, you have a pretty good idea of how your kids are going to respond. If you tell me that one of my kids slapped you or one of my kids spit on you or something like that, I've got a pretty good idea of who it would be because I know them. I would say, ‘OK, that was Jackie.' Or, ‘You know what? That was Brooke.' When I think about our guys or when I'm talking about our guys, I know them. I know them, and when you spend as much time with these young men and you know what they're made of, then you have a pretty doggone good idea of how they're going to respond. That make sense?"

On whether he contacted the Bears before he decided to get back into coaching:

"Well, I'll put it this way: When I knew we were going to be coaching, the thing that I did was I called Dick Jauron, who was then at the Bears, the head coach. And, I told Dick Jauron exactly this, I said, ‘Coach, my wife and I prayed about it, we've decided that we're going to be coaching. I'm not asking you for a job, but I am telling you that this year, in the very near future, I will be coaching. I don't know where, don't know when.' And, that was it. He said, ‘Well, Mike, good. Let me get back to you and see what's happening here.' And I said, ‘Once again, I understand, I'm not asking. If there's something there, great, but let's just not do something just to do it.' So, he got back to me eventually and just said, ‘Mike, the way things are here, it just looks like it's going to be a tough situation to work out.' I said, ‘Fantastic. I thank you.' And he just let me know that I'm not supposed to be there. So, that was it."

On whether he has any particular emotions coaching against the team he played for:

"Not in particular. I'm just excited for the game. But, not emotions outside of the emotions that I have for any other team."

On the positives and negatives of playing the game on such a short turnaround:

"I think, whatever positives and negatives we have, it's the same for the other team. So, it really doesn't matter a whole lot. We've just got to get ready to go."

On what he saw from [WR] Jason Hill that this was the game he wanted Hill to play:

"Practice. I mean, Jason Hill - I just saw it in practice. He's a guy that could have really gotten a bad attitude and said, ‘Hey, forget it. I'm out here. I was out here last year, I was making plays. It didn't happen. This year, maybe I need to go somewhere else.' But, he's a guy - we've talked a few times. I know [wide receivers coach Jerry] Sullivan has talked with him as well. He's had a tremendous attitude out here and just busting his tail trying to make plays. He's got all the DBs mad at him because he continues to make plays. What he did in the game did not surprise me. I'm very excited about what he was able to accomplish."

49ers-Titans: The offense comes down to the offensive line...again

Fooch — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:00:29 -0000

Thus far this week we've discussed plenty about what the Tennessee Titans bring to the table on offense. Their primary weapon is Chris Johnson and most of us probably agree that he is the key player to stop tomorrow. And of course there is plenty of discussion about Vince Young and what he might or might not bring to the table. But what about the Titans defense against the 49ers offense? The 49ers defense has scored some points, but the offense is likely going to need to get some points on the board if this team is going to win.

The title is probably one that can be used each week for most of the rest of the year. Whether you are strongly behind Alex Smith or not, everyone will agree that the offensive line needs to step up for anything to develop on offense. If Frank Gore is going to make plays, he needs to get some holes to burst through. if Alex Smith is going to make plays, he needs time to progress through his reads. Simply put, the offensive line is once again the key.

The line has been riddled with injuries, so it's probably a lot to expect a fantastic performance. However, they could still put together a mediocre performance and the team still wins. The Titans defense has a lot of question marks, particularly in a rather young secondary. This could be a legit chance for Josh Morgan and Michael Crabtree to both take advantage.

Of course, Smith will need more than a second or two to make things happen. The Titans have some guys who can get to the quarterback, but like the 49ers they haven't been able to be all that consistent. They have one fewer sack than the 49ers, but I'd love some more insight on general pass rush. After all, a lack of sacks doesn't automatically mean no pass rush. For example, the 49ers have had games with limited sacks, but they've still managed to keep the quarterback running.

A quick look at DVOA (speaking of which, Florida Danny is dealing with some important stuff this week and will not be posting his rankings) indicates the Titans are 28th overall, 28th against the pass, and 14th against the run. On the same page it ranks a team's defense against various receivers (1st, 2nd, Other WR, TE, RB) and the Titans rank, in order, 28th, 18th, 30th, 26th, and 6th.

Needless to say, those rankings against receivers and tight ends has to be rather enticing. So, will Alex Smith get enough time to make plays tomorrow? Even if he has enough time, will the team utilize enough of a vertical game for it to make a difference? I guess I'm asking for general predictions about what kind of scheme we'll see from the offense tomorrow.

Tennessee Titans vs. San Francisco 49ers Preview

Jimmy — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:53:41 -0000

We have talked about how the offensive line looked better last week against the Jaguars which begs the question of whether the line got better or just looked good against a weaker Jacksonville defense. They will get the chance to answer that question on Sunday. The 49ers defense leads the league in yards per carry on defense and are second in the league in yards per game allowed. Those numbers are even more impressive when you take into account that they have faced Adrian Peterson, Stephen Jackson and Michael Turner already this season.

This game will also be a good test for Vince Young. He was very proficient against the Jags, but the 49ers will prove a much tougher test. It is a pretty safe bet they will stack the box early in an effort to stop Chris Johnson. VY will get his chance to throw them out of that. The 49ers are ranked 28th in the NFL in passing yards allowed. Hopefully Vince will be able to take advantage of some opportunities early in the game to loosen up the defense for CJ.

The 49ers offense goes through Frank Gore. Gore had a 364 yards on 65 carries this season. He is a big play guy (he has TDs of 79, 80 and 64 this season-61% of his yards for the season are on those 3 runs) so the Titans better tackle better this week than they did last week against Jones-Drew. San Francisco has some offensive line issues, and the Titans have been pretty good against the run. As long as they make tackles this week they should be able to at least contain Gore.

The 49ers are in a very similar QB situation to the Titans. They have turned back to their high draft pick from a few years ago that has been buried on the bench. Alex Smith replaced Shaun Hill two weeks ago against the Houston Texans. He had a great second half going 15 of 22 for 206 and 3 TDs. All 3 of those TDs went to another high draft pick that had been underachieving in tight end Vernon Davis. Davis has emerged with the resurrection of Smith catching 10 passes and 4 TDs in Smith's game and a half. Davis will present a challenge for the Titans' linebackers and safeties that are trying to cover him.

The other weapon the 49ers boast on offense is late arriving rookie wide receiver Michael Crabtree. Crabtree, the 10th pick in April's draft, has wasted no time getting involved in the offense He has 11 catches for 137 yards in his two games. Hopefully Chuck Cecil will match Cortland Finnegan up with Crabtree for most of the day.

This game will be a challenge for the Titans, but it is a game they can win if the defense continues to improve, and the offense takes care of the ball.

Tennessee Titans Morning Links: It's Just The Tale Of A Heart Attack Edition

August West — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:59:48 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

Jeff Fisher has a lot to do to earn that smirk...

Browse more photos »

The Titans are preparing for the always dangerous workhorse Frank Gore this Sunday. If they had trouble tackling MJD on a few plays, they'll need to focus twice as hard on the much stronger Gore. Wyatt also discuss the new questions surrounding the return game as no one knows if Chris Davis or Alvin Pearman will be returning kicks and/or punts.

Maybe after all those snaps the defense just Need(s) Some Air... by the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club!

The Sporting News breaks-down Vince Young on the cover, then pairs off the keys for the game as we prepare for San Francisco. the third one id no breakdowns in the secondary, and given how bad our breakdowns have been (more like meltdowns), I'd bump that puppy right up to number one.

Follow us through the jump for links on disappointments, injuries and a match made in football heaven...

The Titans are using a large defensive line rotation as expected, but the results from some guys just haven't been there. Off-season pick-up Jovan Haye has really been a letdown so far. He's been great against the run, but that isn't what we need right now, so he and his 4-year $16 million deal were inactive Sunday while second round pick Sen'Derrick Marks got his first meaningful playing time.

PFW takes a more in-depth look at Haye's struggles.

The match between the Titans and Rod Hood is going about as well as can be expected so far for a mid-season signing of a street free agent at a starting position on defense. Hood sounds absolutely euphoric about getting this shot and the early returns.

David Stewart injured his hammy at practice, but the injury doesn't appear to be much of a concern at this point. It's a little easier for an O-lineman to play through that than a WR or CB. the only thing that gets dicey about that is our only experienced depth there, OT Mike Otto, hasn't practiced in about two weeks. I've never seen then swing LeRoy Harris out there, so I'm guessing that would make Troy Kropog, who was active for his first game last week, the next in line should Stewart be a scratch on Sunday.

Paul Kuharsky takes a look at the strength of schedule for AFC South teams through the first half and second half of the year. We had the 3rd hardest schedule in the NFL through week 8, and like the other top 4 teams in that count we have a crap record to show for it.

Vince Young still has many tests yet to come this season, says David Climer.

The match-up between MLB Stephen Tulloch and Frank Gore on Sunday is a key one for the Titans, and it's a quite interesting one since the two men have been competing against each other since the earliest days of pee wee football. Think they haven't seen each other since? Wrong: they played at rival high schools, then both played in the ACC (though Gore's years at Miami were marred by two ACL injuries that limited his playing time).

Here, Stephen Tulloch blogs about the first win, and gives some heads-up about the charity work he'll be doing with Backfield in Motion to help feed the needy on Thanksgiving Day.

Every time you read a great Titans-related story on the web and don't share it with the MCM community through the fanposts, fanshots or by emailing me at mcmaugustwest@gmail.com a Ravens (or Steelers) fan smiles. Is that what you want?!!!!?!?!

Golden Nuggets: Testing the run defense

Ninjames — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:15:18 -0000

Good (insert time of day here) everyone. Got a couple links for you today, though not as many as yesterday. In fact, I'm going to start leaving links out! From what I can tell, when I have more links in the Nuggets I actually get very little comments on the links. Of course, I'm like a little preteen girl checking her MySpace Photo Album when it comes to comments, I love 'em. ESPECIALLY if they're singing my praise, really brings me up. (Been having a really rough couple of days, hint hint.) So instead I'm only going to give you a couple! In actuality though, I just simply don't have a whole lot because well... nothing happened yesterday and it doesn't look like anything is happening today. Still, should be able to come up with a couple previews and what not for you. Enjoy.

Coach Mike Singletary has reached a critical point in his first season as the 49ers head coach. (SacBee.com)

The team is in no hurry to change its offensive philosophy. (PressDemocrat.com)

Jimmy Raye specifically, says the team will stick to its blueprint as far as offense goes. Call me unconvinced, and if they do--well, I think we'll be screwed. (MercuryNews.com)

Ricky Jean-Francois is looking to get his first regular season action on Sunday and Kentwan Balmer is looking to have an increased role. This is all of course because of the injury to Demetric Evans, a player I've been (rather vocally) against. (PressDemocrat.com)

The Titans will come in hoping to test the 49ers run defense. (49ers.com)

The 49ers need to go to the spread... but sloooooowly. (SFGate.com)

Jimmy Raye has some thoughts on the spread and the running game. (PressDemocrat.com)

Here you can listen to the audio of a couple of the conference calls from the Titans. (SFGate.com)

Frank Gore is having a weird year as far as rushing is concerned. I'm not sure exactly how to look at it, good or bad. (SFGate.com)

Didn't get a chance to read this article but it has to do with the 49ers and their third down woes. (SFGate.com)

Alex Smith and Vince Young are returning from some pretty rough roads as far as quarterbacks go. (MercuryNews.com)

The team seems confident in Barry Sims. Oh God. I'm not. Not in the very least. (SacBee.com)

Week Nine: Texans at Colts Preview

BigBlueShoe — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:17:58 -0000

More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

9 days ago: Indianapolis Colts head coach Jim Caldwell, left, talks with quarterback Peyton Manning during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009. Indianapolis won 18-14. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Browse more photos »

The 5-3 Houston Texans are off to their best start in franchise history, and while it has been nice to see the team many of us here always thought would eventually get good, I can't say I'm surprised that more than a few Texans fans have reacted to their team's early success by acting like a bunch of drunken frat boys.

Personally, I'm glad I give some Texans fans someone to hate, make fun of, toss verbal insults to, whatever. And I admit, I enjoy the attention. I really do. But, I learned long ago that when a band of mindless "fans" get an idea into their head that their team is magnificent and your team sucks, you aren't going to be able to change their minds with reason. You can't make logical arguments to sharks when someone throws chum in the water. You can't reason with zombies when someone throws a screaming cheerleader into a stadium full of them. And, you can't convince a group of silly Texans fans that this Sunday's game is not a good match-up for their team when they have finally been given a taste of "the nuts of competitiveness."

Texans fans don't care that I've always praised their teams, talked well about them to other bloggers, and taken untold buckets of crap from those same bloggers when (at the end of the year) the Texans are usually the worst team in the AFC South. None of these olive branches matter to them. With me, Texans fans see a Hoosier born Colts fan who has spent a lot of time in New York, and whose mentality is very much "Yeah, we own you. Do somethin' about it! Oh what's that? You can't? Then shuddap already!"

Now that the Texans fans have tasted "the nuts," their arrogant posturing before games has gotten more nauseating. It's like what we saw from the Titans last year, and what we saw for years from Jaguars fans. Not so strangely, both those fanbases are pretty silent this season. I guess Texans fans are trying to pick up the slack for the other AFC South teams.

Texans fans' posturing is why, after the Colts kick the utter crap out of the Texans again this Sunday, I'll sit back and laugh at these silly little Houston fans who think they can "trash talk" a fanbase whose team has a 13-1 record against them.

Yeah, I thought you'd ~~be disappointed by~~ enjoy that opening to our weekly preview. After the jump, we get to the really good stuff.

OK, all silly mock-posturing by me aside, this is a great game between two of the better teams in the AFC. Though, from a match-up standpoint, the Colts have several advantages heading into the contest.

The Colts sports the #8 scoring offense in football and the #1 scoring defense. They are attacking the pocket (#5 in sacks) and are throwing the football with deadly efficiency (completion percentage: 71.2%). The Colts sport one of the best pass defenses in football with a secondary featuring one of the best free safeties in the game (Antoine Bethea) and a different maker in Bob Sanders. Players like Jacob Lacey and Jerraud Powers have stepped up to give this secondary some significant depth.

We don't know the injury situation with stalwarts Kelvin Hayden and Marlin Jackson, but the convention wisdom is that both could play this Sunday.

With Larry Coyer's new twists on the Tampa-2, Indy has gotten more pressure from the defensive tackles and linebackers to go with the demons on the ends, Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis. With well-designed blitzes and mixes in coverage, teams can no longer play the Colts with three-step drops, doubling the ends, and hitting receivers in the soft zone areas. Indy has also improved their run defense, ranked 32nd last year and now ranked 17th. This season, Indy has shut down runners like Chris Johnson and contained runners like Steven Jackson, Frank Gore, and Maurice Jones-Drew.

This does not bode well for the Texans.

Houston does not run the ball very well. Their 3.3 yards per carry is worse than the Colts (3.7). Steve Slaton (who has killed me in a fantasy league I'm in) has fumbled the ball 7 times already this season. He was benched against the Buffalo Bills last weekend after (you guessed it) another key fumble. Ryan Moats, a castoff from the Philadelphia Eagles, replaced him and ran all over the Bills.

With the running game so inconsistent and turnover prone, this puts added pressure on Texans quarterback Matt Schaub, who has been marvelous throwing the football in 2009. Schaub's success this year is certainly not surprising, but it is long overdue. His issues were never accuracy, decision-making, or ability. Schaub could just never stay healthy, and for a starting QB in this league, you must ALWAYS play. There's a reason why guys like Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, and Drew Brees are considered the upper teir and earn the big contracts. They never miss games.

The match-up advantage with the Colts defense over the Texans offense will hopefully translate into the Colts shutting down the Texans' run game, forcing Schaub to throw more than he should. With Schaub dropping back, this means more opportunities for Freeney, Mathis, and the pass rush to pressure him into mistakes. Bob Sanders' return to the lineup has already generated an INT, and the Colts pass defense has only allowed one meaningful TD in regulation in seven games. They've also snatched 7 INTs total and are holding opponents to 180 total passing yards a game.

For the Colts offense, the formula is simple: Run the ball. The Texans have surrendered 11 rushing TDs already in 2009, and give up an average of 4.7 yards a carry. They have played much better in recent weeks, but their struggles stopping the run and the pass (9 passing TDs, only 11 sacks generated) give the Colts offense an advantage they must exploit.

It will be interesting to see if the Colts use Kyle DeVan more at RG on the offensive line after yet another bad performance by Mike Pollak. Donald Brown practiced on Wednesday, and if he is good to go that adds more speed and quickness to Indy's running game.

When all is said and done, the game should be a tough contest. The Texans were always tough, even when their overall record wasn't good. The Colts seem to have more advantages over the Texans, and in terms of match-ups, they have the pieces in place to best them again. I know that is is utterly SHOCKING that I, a Colts fan, have come to that conclusion, but top to bottom the Colts are the better team. They have also never taken the Texans lightly, and will certainly not do so this weekend. Colts coach Jim Caldwell has stressed all week how the Texans have gotten hot at the right time, and that teams as explosive as the Texans are formidable opponents.

Oh course, I don't expect the Texans frat boy fans to take any of this in. They just simply hate the Colts and, probably by extension, me. To that I say: Good. Wouldn't want it any other way. I will agree with them on one thing: Their team is very good this year, and I'm happy for them.

And I'm fairly certain I'll get insulted for saying that.

Previewing the San Francisco 49ers

Jimmy — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:30:28 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

Browse more photos »

Mgrex03 from Stampede Blue was nice enough to share some of his observations about the San Francisco 49ers with us.

Here's a review of the 49ers from last week:

Offense

Alex Smith wasn't great, but he played decently enough for a guy who hasn't played in 2 years. He did overthrow a few receivers, which resulted in the INT he had. He wasn't afraid to throw the ball down the field, and can still move around the pocket reasonably well. In my opinion, they should have run more plays out of the shotgun, as Smith looked very comfortable and decisive. By far his best drive was in the two minute drill, where he marched 89 yards in 7 plays. Remember, he played in that zone-read offense in college, so he's definitely comfortable in the shotgun.
Frank Gore almost exclusively ran up the middle, only rushing outside twice. He had the big run up the middle for a TD, but overall the 49ers only had a 35.5% Success Rate. I think it's fair to say the Titans are better at stopping the run than the Colts, so that's a good sign. I think Coffee had 1 carry, but that was it. They did run from the Wildcat one play, got 0 yards, and didn't try again.
For not playing the first 5 games, Michael Crabtree is really good. I don't remember him dropping a ball, but he did fumble, which was entirely his fault. He also ran a 10 yard route on 3rd and 12, but he made some pretty good plays. Vernon Davis is a completely different player too, especially with Smith throwing the ball.
Much was made about the 49ers having a bad OL, except for Joe Staley. Well, he went down with an injury on the very first play and is now down for 6 weeks, making the OL even worse. But you couldn't tell it on Sunday. They kept in at least 1 extra blocker on 27 of 35 dropbacks, which seemed to work, for the most part. The Colts had 2 sacks, but overall they didn't get as much pressure as they have in other games. I think being in the shotgun helped as well.

Defense

For the most part, they stayed in their Base 3-4 defense, but really mixed up how many lineman actually went down into a 3 point stance. At times, it was nobody. I'm guessing this was a Manning-only tactic, but they could surprise me. They also tried their best to disguise their coverage, and had moderate success, keeping Manning from throwing a TD pass.
The 49ers brought 4 on the pass rush 29/48 times, and brought 5 19 times, and blitzed half the time as well. Blitzing only led to 1 of the 3 sacks. Another sack was the Colts RG getting absolutely blown over. They dropped 8 into coverage twice, both on third down, and the Colts converted both of them. One was a 3rd and 20, which went for 32 yards.
They held the Colts to a FG in the Red Zone all 4 times they got there. Manning tried going deep on them numerous times, but never connected. Some of them he had a receiver open, but just missed. The secondary never looked out of position.
I don't think the Colts running game, especially without Brown, is a good barometer as to how good the 49ers defense is at stopping the run. They do lead the league now in YPC defense, which matches up quite nicely with the Titans, which are #1 in YPC offense. My guess is they'll be stacking the box against the Titan offense, forcing Young to beat them through the air.

The 49ers have shown this year they can be a very good team, but have also laid a few eggs this year. They are especially good defensively, which will be a much better test for Young than the Jaguars, who quite possibly have the worst defense in the league. Alex Smith is an upgrade over Shaun Hill, and has the skills to win a game if called upon.

San Francisco 49ers vs. Tennessee Titans: A Prospector's Guide

Fooch — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:15:19 -0000

The 49ers come home this weekend to face the artists formerly known as the Houston Oilers. The Tennessee Titans have struggled mightily this season, but finally notched their first win of the season last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Titans finally decided to roll the dice with Vince Young after settling for a bit too much mediocrity with Kerry Collins. Young wasn't a superstar last week but he did exactly was required of him and executed that much more or less to perfection. He finished 15/18 for 125 yards and a touchdown. It'll be interesting to see if the team expands his role, or is wise and continues riding Chris Johnson.

The 49ers host the Tennessee Titans in what will be the 12th meeting between the two teams, dating back to 1970. The last time San Francisco faced Tennessee was in 2005, when they were defeated by the Titans, 33-22, in Nashville.

The 49ers look to snap a three-game losing streak after falling to the Colts, 18-14, in Indianapolis last week. After jumping out to an early 7-0 lead on a 64-yard touchdown run by RB Frank Gore, 49ers QB Alex Smith connected with TE Vernon Davis on an 8-yard touchdown pass late in the 2nd quarter to give the team a 14-9 advantage heading into halftime. The Colts went on to score nine unanswered points in the second half to claim victory. Gore recorded his third touchdown carry of over 60 yards this season, while Davis posted his seventh touchdown reception and continues to lead the NFL in receiving scores.

The upcoming game showcases a tough San Francisco run defense (84.9 ypg. - 2nd in the NFL) against a high-powered Tennessee ground attack (162.3 ypg. - 2nd in the NFL).

49ers-Titans Connections
Coaching Connections
• 49ers head coach Mike Singletary and 49ers pass rush specialist Al Harris were teammates of Titans Head Coach Jeff Fisher with the Chicago Bears from 1981-84. Although on Injured Reserve in 1985, Fisher still won a Super Bowl ring along with Harris and Singletary during Chicago’s Championship season.
• 49ers DC Greg Manusky and Titans DE David Ball were with the San Diego Chargers for two seasons (2004-05). Manusky served as a linebacker coach.

Players
FORMER TITANS - PK Joe Nedney played for the Titans from 2001-04 ... WR Brandon Jones was originally drafted by the Titans in the 3rd round of the 2005 draft and played for Tennessee from 2005-08 ... Video operations assistant Mark Preto served in the same capacity with the Titans from 1999-2004.

FORMER 49ERS - Head coach Jeff Fisher served as defensive backs coach for two seasons (1992-93) with the 49ers ... Special teams coach Alan Lowry served in the same capacity with the 49ers for five seasons (1992-95) ... DE Larry Birdine spent half of the 2008 season on the 49ers practice squad ... DT Tony Brown played with the 49ers during the 2004 season.

TENNESSEE TIES– 49ers WR Isaac Bruce played for the University of Memphis for two record setting seasons (1992-93) ... 49ers LB Patrick Willis was born and raised in Bruceton, TN, and was a standout athlete at Central (Bruceton, TN) High School, where he lettered in three sports (football, basketball, and baseball) ... 49ers LB Parys Haralson played at the University of Tennessee from 2002-05 ... 49ers NT Aubrayo Franklin hails from Johnson City, TN. Franklin also played at the University of Tennessee for two seasons (2001-02) ... 49ers inside linebackers coach
Vantz Singletary served as the defensive line coach at UT-Chattanooga from 2006-07 ... 49ers offensive assistant Jason Michael served as tight ends coach while at the University of Tennessee.

CALIFORNIA CONNECTIONS – Titans TE Craig Stevens and WR Lavelle Hawkins both played together at Cal-Berkeley from 2005-07.

TIGER TANDEM – 49ers DT Justin Smith and Titans WR Justin Gage were teammates at Missouri for two seasons (1999- 2000).

WOLFPACK - 49ers LB Manny Lawson and CB Marcus Hudson were teammates of Titans LB Stephen Tulloch and C/G Leroy Harris were at North Carolina State University from 2003-2005.

TEXAS TWO-STEP - 49ers CB Tarell Brown was a teammate of Titans S Michael Griffin, FB Ahmard Hall and QB Vince Young at Texas.

TARHEEL BRED - 49ers Dre’ Bly and Titans TE Alge Crumpler were teammates at North Carolina for two seasons (1997-98).

TROJAN TIES - 49ers G Chilo Rachal and RB LenDale White were teammates during the 2005 season at the Univ. of Southern California

Series Highlights
Matchups: 11
Series Record: 49ers Lead Series 7-4
49ers Home Record vs. Titans: 49ers Lead Series 3-2
First Meeting: 11/15/70, 49ers win, 30-20
Last Meeting: 11/27/05, Titans win, 33-22
Current Streak: Lost 1
Longest 49ers Win Streak: 4 (12/13/81-10/7/90)
Longest Oilers/Titans Win Streak: 2 (12/7/75-9/17/78)
Most 49ers Points: 34 (10/21/84), 34-21, at Houston
Most Oilers/Titans Points: 33 (11/27/05), 33-22, at Tennessee
49ers Shutouts: None
Oilers/Titans Shutouts: None

TENNESSEE 33, SAN FRANCISCO 22
At Nashville, TN, November 27, 2005

The San Francisco 49ers could not hold on to a 14-9 halftime lead, allowing Tennessee to take control of the game after scoring 21 3rd quarter points en route to a 33-22 Titans win. The 49ers played well in the 1st half and seemed to have the momentum after CB Shawntae Spencer returned an INT 62 yards for a TD with just :38 seconds to play before halftime to give SF a 14-9 lead.

Tennessee QB Steve McNair, who finished the day with 343 yards passing and 3 TD passes, directed a big 3rd quarter that helped give Tennessee the win. McNair completed 5 of 7 passes for 142 yards and 3 TDs in the 3rd quarter. McNair completed TD passes of 41 and 50 yards within 80 seconds of each other on Tennessee’s first two offensive plays in the 2nd half. The San Francisco defense opened the 2nd half by holding the Titans on three straight plays, forcing them to punt from deep in their own territory. WR Otis Amey muffed the punt return and Tennessee took over at the SF 41-yard line. On the first play from scrimmage, McNair connected with RB Chris Brown on a short pass that was turned into a 41- yard TD. The 49ers were held on the ensuing drive, and a punt by P Andy Lee was returned 19 yards by Titans rookie CB Pacman Jones for a first down at midfield. On the next play, McNair completed a 50 yard TD pass to WR Roydell Williams for a 23-14 lead. McNair culminated an 8-play, 68-yard drive with a 4-yard TD pass to TE Erron Kinney on the Titans next drive for a 30-14 advantage. McNair kept the drive alive with a 38-yard pass to Williams on a 3rd-and-5 play to give Tennessee a first down deep in SF territory.

The 49ers went 3-and-out in all four drives in the 3rd quarter, gained no first downs and netted just 17 yards. After Tennessee added a FG in the 4th quarter to take a 33-14 lead, the 49ers mounted a 15-play, 82-yard drive that ended when QB Ken Dorsey completed a 17-yard TD pass to WR Arnaz Battle on a 4th-down play. Dorsey and RB Terry Jackson connected on the 2-point play to cut the Titans lead to 33-22 with 1:15 to play. K Jose Cortez’s onsides kick attempt was recovered by CB Derrick Johnson, but the 49ers drive ended when Dorsey was stripped of the football with five seconds remaining.

2009 Statistics

49ERS (rank)		TITANS (rank)
3-4 (2nd NFCW)	Record	1-6 (4th AFCS)
21.0 (19th)	Points per game	16.3 (24th)
275.3 (27th)	Total Offense	327.9 (19th)
100.4 (22nd)	Rushing Offense	162.3 (2nd)
174.9 (22nd)	Passing Offense	165.6 (26th)
29:06 (21st)	Possession Avg	27:30 (29th)
20.0 (12th)	Points allowed/gm	30.1 (32nd)
337.0 (20th)	Total Defense	394.9 (31st)
84.9 (2nd)	Rushing Defense	112.4 (18th)
252.1 (28th)	Passing Defense	282.4 (32nd)
16 (18th)	Sacks	15 (t-21st)
48.0 (4th)	Punting Avg (Gross)	42.3 (23rd)
+1 (t-13th)	Turnover Differential	-8 (t-28th)

NFL Network's RedZone Colts stat of the week: Week Nine

BigBlueShoe — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:22:18 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

9 days ago: Indianapolis Colts kicker Matt Stoverin, right, watches along with holder Pat McAfee as he kicks a field goal against the San Francisco 49ers in the first quarter of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Browse more photos »

This post is sponsored by Comcast and their NFL RedZone channel, a new NFL Network channel. Want to see every touchdown from every NFL game as it happens as well as live look-ins to all of Sunday's games in key situations? Then you need Comcast's NFL RedZone.

Colts were 0-4 in TD opportunities in the redzone against the 49ers this past Sunday. They had to settle for field goals, which kicker Matt Stover converted. He was 4-4 in the game. The TD pass from Joseph Addai to Reggie Wayne does not count as a redzone TD because the play started at the SF 22 yard line. So, for the Colts, Sunday's game weakened their impressive redzone offense and defense stats.

Indy's offensive redzone efficiency drops from 66% to 56% after going 0-4 in the redzone. This brings the stats back "down to earth," so to speak. If the Colts went the whole season scoring 66% of their redzone TDs, I have to think that would be some kind of NFL record. No offense scores TDs with that kind of frequency in the redzone over at 16 game haul. 56% is still a damn fine percentage, especially when you factor in that the Colts have generated more redzone opportunities with their offense (25) than they've allowed with their defense (only 14).

Speaking of defense, the 49ers only had one drive into Indy's redzone all game, pushing up the Colts drives allowed to 14. However, the 49ers converted that redzone drive into a TD, knocking up Indy's redzone defensive percentage from 46% to 50%. This means that 50% of the time that a team drives into Indy's redzone, they score a TD. That's not great, but it isn't bad. It does need to be improved upon.

One key change between this year's defense and defense in previous years is the Colts are focusing more on limiting redzone opportunities for opponents by getting them off the field early in their drives. SF had 12 drives in the game and only one of the drives found the redzone. Indy forced 6 three-and-outs on the SF offense, and one other drive resulted in a turnover (Bob Sanders' INT off the Kelvin Hayden deflection). I believe the Colts had 6 total three-and-outs forced all of last year. They forced only 45 three-and-outs in 2008. I still throw up in my mouth a little bit when I think of last year's third down defense.

Much of SF's success occurred in the first half. It was then that Frank Gore got his lucky 64 yard TD run, and it was just before halftime that the 49ers had their lone successful drive of the game, going 89 yards for a TD in just over a minute. In the second half, the 49ers were shutout. They did not work any drives into Indy's redzone, nor did they score any points. They were also limited to only 4 drives in the second half. They had 8 in the first.

We'll continue to keep track of these stats as the year progresses.