SB Nation - Isaac Bruce

Golden Nuggets: Transition all you want, just win a game!

Ninjames — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:00:35 -0000

So after a full day of playing my new video game until it hurts to keep my eyes open, I'm ready to do some thinking about my Niners. They're troubling thoughts, this season honestly felt different from seasons past. It however, isn't looking so good. Still, I'm not going to give up. I'll be leaving very early for the game tomorrow and I'll be rooting just as hard as everyone else in that stadium. Also, I just thought I'd throw this out there--if any of you readers are attending a game this season and want to meet up or anything like that--I have season tickets so I'll be at every home game. I bring this up because every now and then I find myself looking around during a game and wondering if any of you are there. I'm seriously hoping none of you are the guy a few seats to the right of me who will not stop with the "COME ON ALEX, DON'T BE SHY. HIT YOUR TIGHT END OVER THE MIDDLE!" on every single play, even like... when the punter is out there. I think he said it a few times while the defense was out on the field to. Anyway, on to the links!

I'm all for the offense being in a transition, so long as it's a positive one. If more shotgun will help, then bring on more shotgun. I'm not a coach, so I can't really say what I think will work the best, I just want whatever it is to actually work. (Scout.com)

A good look at WR Jason Hill and his rise into the starting lineup. I've been all for Hill, ever since Zeigler got put on the practice squad again I've been a staunch supporter of Hill. He's explosive, has great speed and has the route running skills akin to Isaac Bruce. (PressDemocrat.com)

Ex-49ers head coach Steve Mariucci breaks down Thursday's game against the Bears. (49ers.com)

Hm, another midseason report card for the 49ers. That's two sources and two times the coaching staff has received a C grade. (Scout.com)

QB Alex Smith is moving on and concentrating on the game against Chicago. He'll need to be incredibly focused to win this one. (Yahoo.com)

Davis had some words concerning the Bears; and also some quotes from Alex Smith. (PressDemocrat.com)

Seriously, props to who made this video, it's every pass that Nate Davis threw in the preseason, and it's.. impressive. (49ersWebZone.com)

Specifically, Vernon Davis thinks that the 49ers could "destroy their front." I certainly hope so. (MercuryNews.com)

I'm pretty pessimistic myself, but this article DOES say it best: "Too Early To Say It's Over." (49ersFancast)

LB Lance Briggs harbors no hard feelings towards the 49ers after all that tampering nonsense took place. (PressDemocrat.com)

RB Glen Coffee will for sure miss tomorrow's game. (NFL.com)

How about a midseason analysis? I didn't read it, but you may want to. (SFGate.com)

How about another midseason report card while we're at it? Always a good read, in my opinion. (Examiner.com)

Breaking Down The Bears, a preview from the official website. (49ers.com)

Mike Singletary says the loss on Sunday can't be attributed solely to QB Alex Smith, in fact he said Smith didn't have much to be at fault for. (SFGate.com)

WR Jason Hill is making the most out of his chance. (SFGate.com)

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."

Titans 34 - 49ers 27: Jason Hill returns from the dead

Fooch — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:30:33 -0000

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Normally this is a late week post, but due to the early game this week I'm bumping it up. Yesterday's game featured quite the bonanza of red zone opportunities for both teams. Each team finished 3/5 in the red zone, with three touchdowns and two field goals apiece. The most heart-breaking Titans red zone touchdown came on Chris Johnson's touchdown run with 3:44 left in the fourth quarter. We all saw Parys Haralson forcing him outside, but somehow Chris Johnson fought Haralson off and scampered in for a touchdown. I predicted 80 or so yards from Johnson and can certainly man up to admit I was impressed by what he did. I still think the 49ers have a quality run defense, but every once in a while you're going to let a quality rusher have success.

During the game thread we were discussing turning the red zone into the Vernon Zone. After yesterday, maybe Jason Hill wants to claim ownership of the red zone. The team had made a change to start the game, going with Josh Morgan and Michael Crabtree as the starters, an moving Isaac Bruce to the #3 receiver spot. However, Bruce continued to struggle and was subsequently benched in favor of Jason Hill. Hill had appeared to be in Coach Singletary's doghouse much of this season, but stepped up yesterday, finishing with 50 receiving yards and a pair of red zone touchdowns.

I still contend that Vernon Davis is the biggest red zone threat on this team, but having Jason Hill potentially back in the fold is a very intriguing proposition. Coach Singletary will have his 11:45am press conference today (we'll have a link to it), and hopefully he'll address the status of Jason Hill going forward. I know some folks aren't big Hill fans, but I have to say I'm kind of excited to see a Crabtree, Morgan, Hill trio out there on Thursday night. Throw in Vernon Davis and suddenly you've got quite the mix of weapons.

Obviously the Alex Smith issues remain out there, but Smith definitely has some intriguing weapons at his disposal.

Mike Singletary press conference: Injury updates

Fooch — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:02:18 -0000

Mike Singletary conducted his weekly Monday morning press conference earlier today. After the jump I've posted the transcript. The injury information is probably the bigger info. As was indicated, Nate Clements and Joe Staley are both expected back at some point this season. Staley has a sprained knee that apparently is NOT an ACL tear, so he should be back sooner rather than later. When we get a better idea of things we'll get info up.

As for Clements, it's possible his injury is similar to that of Brandon Jones, as opposed to the broken scapula of Tony Pashos. Jones missed a month and a half, although his timing was worse because of training camp. If Clements could in fact rehab this injury in-season, he seems to be in a better position to get back on the field and make a legitimate contribution (instead of fielding a punt at the 5-yard line!). Singletary indicated they would want Clements back in time for the playoffs, so it's also possible this is longer term than Jones' injury, but shorter than Pashos. Either way, Singletary was quick to say he thinks Tarell Brown is ready to start.

The other big discussion was of course around the offense. Someone pointed this comment out, and I thought it was worth pulling out:

There's not one iota that I'm wavering here or there, whatever. Jimmy knows there are some things going forward that he has to learn about our players, what they can and cannot do. At the same time, look at our plan in terms of, ‘This is who we are as an offense.' It's a work in progress and we just need to keep moving forward, keep getting there.

There's one other comment I wanted to get some thoughts on. Singletary was asked about the offensive line and he specifically complimented the right side of the line. I'm curious what people thought overall. I know there were a variety of comments about the o-line, but I suppose we could focus them in here. Smith faced a decent amount of pressure, but he also was able to expand the pocket a bit and buy some time. Maybe that makes the line look a bit better, I don't know.

After the jump is the complete transcript...

Head Coach Mike Singletary
Press Conference - November 2, 2009
San Francisco 49ers

Opening statements:

"Hello ladies and gentlemen. To start with, we have [T] Joe Staley, sprained knee. We will know more about that later on today. [CB] Nate Clements, fractured scapula. We will have to learn more about that toward the end of the day. [DT] Demetric Evans, that is a shoulder, a sprained shoulder. We will see more about that as well as we go on today. Anything other than that - obviously it was a tough game. We felt that was a game we had prepared to go on the road in a tough environment and come away with, obviously did not. It is more the things we did than the things they did, which is what we talked about. We had to execute. There were too many things that happened during the game. The penalties, you can't do that on the road. It's just not being smart. The thing with [WR] Josh [Morgan] in the end zone, I didn't know about. I saw the touchdown, I saw [TE] Vernon [Davis] doing something and I walked and turned and started talking about something else. Next thing I knew there was a penalty and I said, ‘Wait a minute, you have to be kidding me.' But, I didn't see all the others taking pictures and all that. That's just not very smart. So that's on us, that's on me. Maybe it's a good thing I didn't see, I probably would have overreacted or something. That is just something we can't do. Yesterday was a classic case of an immature team shooting themselves in the foot. We are a good football team, it is those games - and we have had two for sure, three, but I really don't count that last week - it is just one of those things when you are playing those kinds of games, those teams have experience, those teams know where they are going, they know exactly what the heck they are doing and they are executing. We have to get to that point and we will. We will because where we want to go, we have to. It is a simple as that. I will open it up for questions."

On whether his familiarity with broken scapulas helps him guess how long Clements will be out:

"You know what, the only thing I can say about that is everybody is different in their healing process. [WR] Brandon Jones actually came back a little quicker. He came back maybe in six weeks, something like that. He was probably really ready in five. Everybody is different, everybody heals different. The crack could be one degree or another and I really don't know enough about it to answer that question intelligently, so I am going to stay away from it. I don't know. We will just have to wait and see."

On whether he still expects to make the playoffs:

"Absolutely."

On how much it would help if Clements is around while he is injured:

"We will not put him on IR. We will not do that because, Lord's will, if we are in the playoffs I want him to play. He has earned the right to play."

On whether CB Tarell Brown is ready to become a starter:

"Oh yeah, he is ready. He is ready."

On whether he thinks he should have opened up the playbook more:

"Obviously when you look at the game, or when you look at any game, and I'm being very honest about it, I'm not trying to be funny, you can go back and say, "Maybe we should have done this, maybe we should have done that.' But when we looked at our game plan going into the game, once again there were some things execution-wise that did not take place and didn't happen. When you are dealing with a quarterback making the first start of the season, when you are dealing with a wide out that is going to be a great wide out at some point in time that maybe every now and then has a mishap here and there, when you are dealing with an offensive line still trying to gain continuity, that whole thing, when you are dealing with a new coordinator - we are still coming together. It's not quite halfway through the season yet, but hopefully here real soon, those things, we will get a handle on it. We are not there yet, obviously. You saw it yesterday. It is too easy to sit back and say, ‘Well man, the answer was: just go ahead and put him in the spread and let him go.' It's not as simple as that. I'm sure people are talking and I'm sure everybody has a bit of advice here and there. But at the end of the day, I think the most important thing is we know where we want to go, we know what we have to do in order to get there and I know yesterday was frustrating. It is frustrating for us as coaches. It is frustrating because the execution just was not there. When you start looking, not only was the execution not there, some of the little penalties, some of the little setbacks here and there, it's a frustrating thing. You think it is frustrating for you to watch? Try being a coach and coaching it. It is very, very frustrating. But at the same time, I am very confident. Yesterday's game, okay, we lost a game. But at the same time we know why we lost the game. We're not sitting here talking about guys moping and complaining. We don't have those issues. We are not complaining about guys not hustling, not giving 100-percent effort. We don't have those kind of problems. We have problems, not problems, issues, where guys want to do it and they want to be there, but it takes time. It takes a little bit of time when you have that quarterback and you put him in there for the first time. Continuity means something and we just have to get there."

On the criticism that offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye is getting and whether he supports him:

"I 150-percent back what he's doing, absolutely. There's not one iota that I'm wavering here or there, whatever. Jimmy knows there are some things going forward that he has to learn about our players, what they can and cannot do. At the same time, look at our plan in terms of, ‘This is who we are as an offense.' It's a work in progress and we just need to keep moving forward, keep getting there. I do believe that we got better yesterday in certain areas. I think when our players look at the film, they will be very frustrated themselves because it is everything about what we did. The reason that we didn't win that game was because the San Francisco 49ers, we shot ourselves in the foot. It had very little to do with the Indianapolis Colts. And when our team, being as young as they are, when they look at that, they are going to be frustrated walking away from it and come back and be man enough and be the team that has character enough to say, ‘Okay, that's enough of that. At some point in time you just get, ‘Okay, that's enough of that, let's go. Enough of this, enough of that, let's go.' Hopefully, we are at that point right now, where we are ready to take that step and eliminate the foolish plays. Hopefully we are ready to step into the next realm. If we want to be a playoff team, which we do, if we want to be that team, then okay, it's on us. It's not the other team. It's us, so we have to make that decision to make sure that we do everything that we can as players and coaches to say that's it, let's go, let's play the game, let's execute, let's win."

On whether they talked about running spread formations in the second half more and why they didn't use it:

"I think there were a number of reasons. The first reason is when you go into a game with a game plan and I think obviously in two minute situations, some teams have a two-minute situation where it's a great two minutes whether it be [QB] Brett Favre, whether it be [QB] Peyton Manning or however the thing goes, but at the same time it's the amount of exposure that the coaches have had to [QB] Alex Smith. It's the amount of exposure that Alex Smith has had to the offense, leading the offense. You don't want to put him in a situation where, ‘Okay, is Alex really ready to do that?' You take a step back. ‘Is our offensive line really ready to do that?' Once you do that then there are some things that are not happening, which you say, ‘Well, maybe it's the core of your offense.' I think going forward, there's a trust issue there and there's also using wisdom and making sure that if we are going to put them in that situation, why are we putting them in that situation, when do we put them in that situation and is Alex really ready for that? Do we do something to hurt him? That's not something that I want to do. I think Alex, what he's doing right now, he's taken advantage of some opportunities that are there and we are finding out more and more, what routes he throws really well, what he feels really comfortable with. I think as we go along here in the next week or two, it gives us a better idea, when we see in practice, what he can and cannot do, what he really feels comfortable with. Sometimes a guy looks comfortable doing something and it looks so easy, but at the same time, we just want to make sure that this time around, we want to do everything that we can to put Alex in the best situation to be successful because it looks like he is developing very quickly into that quarterback that can be a special quarterback. We are excited about that. We are excited about what we are seeing, but at the same time, don't want to lose our minds. At the same time, we don't want to get greedy, but we want to make sure that he is playing his best football and we want to put him in the best situation to do that."

On his evaluation of Smith's game based on the film:

"I thought Alex did very well. I was very pleased to see him make some throws. I was very excited and anticipated this game for him because I knew the rush was going to be coming at him. I knew that it was just a situation where he wasn't going to sit back there and be comfortable and he got outside of the pocket a few times and he made some good decisions, made some really nice throws. Outside throws, up the field throws, post throws, I thought he made all the throws that he needed to make and he just needed to be more consistent. I thought he handled himself very well in pressure situations and I thought he did a good job."

On whether he was surprised at how much Indianapolis targeted [CB] Shawntae Spencer:

"Not really. I think in this situation, when I look at Shawntae, No. 85 [WR Pierre Garcon] was a guy that they've been going to more and more, becoming more and more a part of their offense and you look at the guy on the other side, [WR] Reggie Wayne. Reggie Wayne's been hurt a bit. He didn't practice a whole lot last week. So I think you are going to go towards the healthy guy."

On whether the next two home games are as must-win as they get:

"In my mind, every game is a must-win. Obviously, we haven't done that, but every game is a must-win because in the final analysis, it's very frustrating to have lost the four games that we have, but I don't look at, ‘Well, the next two games, we've got to...' No, I don't look at it like that because when you do the math, it just comes down to winning the games that we need to win in order to win the division, that's our first goal. I'm not going to lose my mind and say, ‘If we lose the next two, we're done. We might as well pack it up and go home.' I'm not going to say that. I don't anticipate losing the next two. What I anticipate is us staying where we are and staying together and continuing to move forward, getting better each week. We didn't win yesterday, but I know we did get better. For me, it's just very important to stay focused on the goals. For us, ‘Oh, man we've got to win this game. Don't start getting tight.' I don't do that. Just focus on this game that we have this week, the Titans. I'm not going to go into all the other stuff. We have the Titans coming in here this week. Let's go out and do the very best that we can to win the game."

On whether he does the math to determine how many wins this team needs to win the division:

"I do a lot of math on my own when I am sitting in my office, but I'm not going to go in there to my team, to a bunch of young guys that haven't been to the playoffs in seven years and say, ‘Guys we have to get these next two or we are done. These are must-win games.' No. No. I know what we have to do, the coaches know what we have to do, but to a young team, this is all they need to look at: the Titans. Let's look at that. Let's take where we have been so far and sketch it out here to help them understand exactly where we are and the opportunity they have at hand. That is all they need to focus on. Guys, let's win this one, and we will move on from there. And as we move along the road and we mature from there, our guys can continue to see some of those things we talk about come to pass, which they have. As you start to see those things we can talk more of a big picture. But right now, we just have to be focused on the Titans as a team."

On whether the offensive line got better against the Colts:

"I thought our offensive line did better, particularly the right side. I thought the right side of the offensive line did a much better job communicating. They practiced that way this week and I thought it showed in the game against a defensive line that was coming. I thought that [RT Adam] Snyder and [RG] Chilo Rachal did a good job."

On whether or not the team might be geared more toward becoming a passing offense:

"I look at it this way, when I say that I want to be a physical team I want to be a physical team running the ball and I want to be a physical team throwing the ball. I want our receivers to be knocking the snot out of somebody. I want our offensive linemen running down the field hitting somebody. To me, that's physical. I have always said, throwing the ball last year, when [former 49ers offensive coordinator] Mike Martz was here I'm okay with throwing the ball as long as we're not throwing it to the other team, I'm okay with that, but it has to go to our guys and we have the confidence in our quarterback, and our quarterback has confidence in our offensive line, and has confidence in a relationship with the receivers to throw that ball, I don't care about that. I care about winning, that's important to me. I'm not tied up into ‘well, I'm this,' no, I'm not. I want to do whatever we have to do to win and that's what I'm looking for everyday. So that's where I'm at with that."

On whether he is disturbed about the progression of the running game at this time:

"No, I'm not disturbed. I think that rather than coming out of that game being disturbed about that running game, I'm really encouraged by the quarterbacks play and his decision-making, I'm encouraged by our offensive line and the ability to lose probably our best offensive lineman and still compete and do a good job against a very effective pass rush. I'm encouraged that our receivers did a pretty decent job catching the football. I'm encouraged that our defense, even though we didn't get off consistently on third downs, I'm encouraged that our defense played pretty decent in holding a quarterback that will probably maybe in the running, if you check on it, for the MVP of the year. I'm encouraged that four times that [Colts quarterback Peyton Manning] gets into the red zone, he's not scoring a touchdown. I'm encouraged about a number of things coming out of yesterday, but once again I want you to make sure that you understand that I am not in any form or fashion talking about moral victories. You asked me a question and I'm just answering that question. I don't get discouraged. The only thing that I'm discouraged about yesterday - more frustrated than discouraged, is some of the little silly things that we did on our behalf to shoot ourselves in the foot that inhibited our chances of winning a football game on the road against a good football team."

On whether WR Isaac Bruce is one of the best eleven players on the field at this stage in his career:

"I will put it this way: Right now, Isaac Bruce is one of the guys that we count on to win. As far getting into is he one of the best eleven and all of those things, I'm going to say that he gives us a chance to win and in certain situations he is one of the best eleven on the field, and in other situations he isn't. That goes for a number of our receivers and I think that we just have to continue to evaluate our team and our talent and this team right now is going through some changes. You're seeing new guys step up and young guys stepping up and some other guys stepping back and it's going to continue to be that way. I believe in the best eleven guys on the field and whoever that is, that's who is going to be out there."

On LB Patrick Willis' play improving without having the helmet radio:

"Absolutely, I think that if you ask him that I'm not quite sure what he would say, but I think that it certainly allows him to go out there and play and handle what's in front of him rather than trying to get the calls behind him, particularly in a game like that when the quarterback goes down the field so much. Little details and little things like that you have to have that can make tremendous difference in the game so I think it freed him up a bit."

On how S Dashon Goldson did with the use of the radio helmet:

"I thought that he did fine. For the most part, I thought that he did fine."

On whether CB Nate Clements was injured on the punt return:

"He did, I did talk to him last night about that, yes."

On how the offensive line will be affected with the absence of T Joe Staley:

"Obviously, we're going to miss Joe Staley, but in terms of how it is going to affect our offensive line, which in essence is how it is going to affect our offense, you find a way to win. You find a way to work around it. But obviously he will be missed because we think a lot about Joe Staley. I'm hoping he will be back real quick because he helps us tremendously. But at the same time, I know our offense will continue to get better and we just have to continue to work around it and do whatever we have to do."

On the progression of [WR] Michael Crabtree:

"Crabtree right now, I think he is finding that not being in training camp, he can understand now some of those things. He has such an incredible desire to do great, but at the same time his body is still trying to catch up, but he is getting there. He is a work in progress. Every now and then something comes up, there is maybe one play a game, or something like that, where he is a little bit off here and there and uncertain. But overall, I think he has been tremendous overall."

Twitter mania: 49ers, Michael Lewis, Tarell Brown, Brandon Jones

Fooch — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:27:13 -0000

Fooch's Update 2:10pm - Adam Schefter is usually on the money, but just to make it official, the 49ers sent out their press release announcing the Tarell Brown contract extension.

I couldn't really think of a catchy title for this, so I just went for something simple. Twitter has provided us a potpourri of information for your discussion pleasure.

Tarell Brown
The 49ers haven't sent out the official announcement yet, but for now, Adam Schefter is reporting the 49ers signed CB Tarell Brown to a 3-year, $7.125 million extension that included a $2.5 million extension. Brown had injury issues that cost him time and likely a starting role this season. Dre Bly wasn't spectacular in camp but did enough to lock down the job for now. I'm guessing we'll see much more of Brown next season, assuming he can stay healthy.

Sunday Info
Maiocco reported on Twitter that first and foremost, Adam Snyder will start at right tackle and Chilo Rachal will start at right guard. I can't imagine folks can get all that excited about this given the struggles the line faced when those two were starting at those positions previously. The Colts bring a wicked pass rush, so this is just one more thing to be concerned about.

Maiocco also mentioned that Michael Lewis will be back starting at safety. As always, Lewis brings great run support help. Mark Roman had his issues last week, so let's hope we can have some greater consistency from the two safeties. The Colts offensive attack is no joke, so everybody is going to need to bring their A-game this week if the 49ers are going to spring the upset.

Finally, Brandon Jones will play and back up at split end. Given how much time Crabtree, Morgan and Bruce are getting, how much action will Jones really see? Say the team goes to a 4-WR, 1-RB offense. Vernon Davis is very likely to be one of those four players split wide. I suppose they could mix Jones in to the mix, but I just don't know. Unless they want to start fazing Isaac Bruce out of the picture.

We'll be back with an injury report later today, but in the meantime, feel free to discuss all things 49ers in this thread.

49ers Wide Receivers: Wasting away roster spots

Fooch — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:00:43 -0000

We've had a whole lot of conversation about the budding Alex Smith-Shaun Hill QB controversy that quickly developed yesterday. We have plenty of room for that, but I thought it might be nice to mix things up a bit given how many issues there are sitting on the table for the 49ers. There are defensive issues, there are offensive issues, there are special teams issues.

For this particular thread though, I thought it would be useful to concentrate on the wide receiver issues. And I'm not talking about Michael Crabtree and Josh Morgan. I'm not even talking about Isaac Bruce, although one could say he could conceivably be affected by changes in the wide receiver rotation. No, I'm here to talk about the bushel of wide receivers that were either inactive or ineffective yesterday. The point has been made over and over about how the 49ers are supposed to be a power running team but they've got a ton of receivers, most of whom see little to no action for weeks at a time. What gives?

Rather than just using this thread to vent, I encourage also providing your suggestions for the best utilization of the various players, whether it be cutting someone, using them in another role, whatever.

After the jump we break down the plethora of wide receivers that are clogging up the roster...

Brandon Jones - One could argue he's one of two motivations for this post. Talk about just bad timing all around. Brandon Jones was signed before the 49ers knew Michael Crabtree would fall into their lap. Some people also mention not knowing Isaac Bruce would be back, but I really don't see that as that big a deal. Throw in the injury in training camp and he was a dead man walking pretty quickly.

The question now is what do they do with him? I've seen folks mentioning how the 49ers would be able to go Crabtree, Morgan, Jones in 2010. However, if that were the case, wouldn't we at least see Jones as a #4 receiver now, as opposed to inactive? So do the 49ers cut him and take whatever cap hit there is? Does Jones potentially see more playing time if Alex Smith becomes the starter the rest of the way? Jones is a deep threat and Alex Smith has a considerably better arm than Hill on the longer passes. What do you do?

Micheal Spurlock - I remain absolutely baffled by Spurlock. Given Arnaz Battle's fumble today, do we see Spurlock activated for the return game next week? The decision to continue hanging on to Micheal Spurlock continues to mystify me. Is he a Wildcat guy? A receiver? A return man? Can you really answer these questions when he doesn't actually play in games? I am absolutely baffled as to why he remains on this team. If he's not active and in the return game next week, my confusion will continue.

Jason Hill - At times I'm confused by what's happened with Jason Hill, and other times I think I get it. I recall hearing somewhere that he wasn't performing all that well in practice. I can't find a link and don't know if that remains the case, but I'd have to imagine he's in somebody's (or multiple somebodies) doghouse. Whatever you think of him, he did show some solid skills at times last season. Or at least enough to warrant some additional playing time. Instead, he's been inactive for four out of six games and there seems to be no end in sight.

Arnaz Battle - I've always been an Arnaz Battle fan. He made the switch from QB to WR while the 49ers were absolutely abysmal and he managed to put up some decent numbers on an otherwise crappy team. But his act is definitely starting to wear thin. The fumble was bad enough, but he's not doing much of anything else at this point. As Florida Danny put it in the recap thread, "of whom in the niner front ofice does arnaz battle have naked pictures?" Who I ask, who? Because he continues to stick around even as better talent is added around him.

I have got to believe there's a reason for this logjam a receiver. I don't know what it is, but I just can't accept that it's just a roster screw-up of such epic proportions. I know there are folks who have no faith in Scot McCloughan and company. I'm not actually one of these people. Or at least not one who thinks he's a colossal screw-up. In looking at the wide receivers, the Brandon Jones stuff can be somewhat explained (although it still doesn't explain the current lack of playing time). The rest of the wide receivers listed above? I just don't know what to say.

Texans Five on Five: Week 7

Jake — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:04:35 -0000

More photos » by David J. Phillip - AP

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This week's contest against the San Francisco 49ers will have huge implications for the 3-3 Houston Texans. If they win and establish the first streak (winning or losing) of the season, the Texans will be in the driver's seat heading into Buffalo and then a string of four pivotal division games. If they lose, then the chances will be high that the club will be .500 heading into the aforementioned AFC South gauntlet and all the momentum from the Bengals game will be lost. Here are the five matchups that I think are most pivotal to keeping the momentum going.

1. Antonio Smith vs. Adam Snyder/Tony Pashos/Chilo Rachal - Contrary to what seems like popular opinion on this blog, Antonio Smith has played well this year. This will be his game to prove it. Rachal recently lost his starting job at RG because of terrible play. Snyder, who is taking Rachal's place, lost his job to Pashos because of his bad play. Pashos was let go by Jacksonville in favor of two rookie tackles. The 49ers offensive line has given up 3 sacks to defensive tackles and 4 to left defensive ends, both of which Smith will play during this game.

2. Owen Daniels vs. Manny Lawson/Parys Haralson - You can never tell what a coaching staff is focusing on until the game, but the San Francisco media is certainly zeroed in on Andre Johnson. After the way that Roddy White torched this secondary, I would not be surprised at all to see double coverage on ;Dre all day long. This takes a safety away from helping with OD, who is having a career season. I know that Niners fans love Lawson because of his speed, but Daniels is in the class of tight ends with Antonio Gates and Dallas Clark that simply cannot be covered by a linebacker. If San Francisco chooses to do so, I think Daniels and Matt Schaub will make them pay.

3. Brian Cushing vs. Frank Gore - Don't be fooled by the Crabtree hoopla. Gore is the focal point of this offense by a long shot. Even if Crabtree is the second coming of Jerry Rice, Shaun Hill has a 56% completion rate, which isn't quite on par with Montana or Young. Gore's 6.2 yards per carry looks great because of his 207 yards on 16 carries against Seattle, but his 23 rushes for 34 yards outside of that game shows the other side. If Cushing continues his high level of play that he has shown in the last few games, it is possible to contain Gore (notice I didn't say stop).

4. Glover Quin vs. Michael Crabtree - I haven't heard whether Quin will continue starting this week or if Jacques Reeves will step back into the lineup, but believe it or not, I'd rather have Quin on Crabtree than Reeves. I think Reeves is a better cover corner, but I believe that Quin is better sniffing out and stuffing bubble screens and swing passes, which is exactly what I expect the 49ers to do with Crabtree. Isaac Bruce isn't much of a deep threat any longer, as shown by his 12.8 yards per reception (the lowest of his long career), so Eugene Wilson could be readily dispatched to help Quin if he needed help over the top.

5. Texans fans vs. tailgating - I've never been to a game at Reliant because I've been away from Houston since 2002, but I've heard from multiple sources that the parking lots around the stadium are a great place to be on Sundays whether the Texans win or lose after the games. This team needs every bit of a homefield advantage this week that we as fans can give them. I really hope that this week we can keep the house packed and LOUD.

Week Seven: Colts v. Rams Preview

BigBlueShoe — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:09:33 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning (18) runs out onto the field for the start of the second half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

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It's been a long time since the Colts walked into the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis to take on the Rams. The last time they played there was 2001, a season where the Colts won only 6 games and the Rams were well on their way to their second Super Bowl appearance in three years. Since then, both franchises have gone in opposite directions. The Rams had (roughly) a two or three year run of dominance, with an offense dubbed "The Greatest Show on Turf." With players like Kurt Warner, Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, and Marshall Faulk on the roster, this was a team people feared to play.

Today, none of those players remain.

The Rams are 0-6 and searching for an identity under new head coach Steve Spanuolo, the man who crafted the devastating New York Giants defenses in 2007 and 2008. They have young prospects like Stephen Jackson, Chris Long, and rookie offensive tackle Jason Smith. This is not a team devoid of talent, despite their current record.

And it is very encouraging that Colts coach Jim Caldwell is not letting the Colts players get lulled into thinking this is some kind of "easy" game. Practices immediately following the bye were physical, fast, and designed to get the team sharp quickly. Indeed, Caldwell said he wanted the group to jump back into action "with both feet," not cruise their way back into activity.

These practices are also for getting players who have battled injuries back into the fold.

The big news we've heard so far this week is Bob Sanders is now off the injury list and is practicing. Yay. Yippee. Whoppedy-Do.

As with all things related to Bob Sanders, if I see him out on the field in a Colts uniform on Sunday, great. But, I'm not holding my breath. Right now, I consider Bob Sanders the back-up strong safety. Nothing more. Nothing less. I would not be surprised if Sanders doesn't play this week even though he is not on the injury list. It's just how it is with Bob, and I'm sick of the guessing game as to will he, won't he?

More important than Bob returning is the return of corners Kelvin Hayden and Marlin Jackson.

Kelvin is not listed on the injury report, which is a big plus! He's been battling a hamstring pull since pre-season, and a healthy Kelvin Hayden is much more vital to the success of the Colts than a healthy Bob Sanders. Almost as important is the health of Marlin Jackson. It is concerning that ~~the same knee he blew out last year~~ Marlin's other knee (not the one he injured last year) is causing him problems this year. He had an MRI on the knee recently which, according to the Indianapolis Star, showed good healing. The issue for Marlin is he is not expected back until (at least) November 8th against the Houston Texans.

This means more of everyone's favorite whiping boy: Tim Jennings.

To make matters even more dicey, Jennings has a calf injury. I personally do not dog Jennings the way many others do. He is a solid back-up corner who provides consistent, hard effort on every play. He tackles well, fights in tight coverage, and can at times come up with a big play (like against the Steelers last year, or against the Titans two weeks ago).

The problem for Jennings is that, right now, rookies Jacob Lacey and Jerraud Powers are better than him.

The Rams will likely try to shove their workhorse Stephen Jackson right down Indy's throat. As Jim Caldwell stated this week, the Rams have gotten better and better each week they have played. This is not the same team the Seahawks shutout in Week One 28-0. They are learning how to sustain drives. Their problem of late is they are turning the football over in the redzone, something they did three times against the Vikings. And really, last week they should have won against the Jaguars, and while we love to make fun of the Glitter Cats, they really aren't that bad of a team. So, for the Rams to play them that tough shows they are an improving team that cannot be under-estimated.

On offense, Charlie Johnson returns to the starting lineup at left tackle. The key for the "O" is the play of the right side of the offensive line. It's been dreadful. Mike Pollak has had two weeks to clean up his sloppy play. If he can't improve at this point, I don't want to see him starting. Give the job to Kyle DeVan, and let Pollak rot on the bench for all I care.

Currently, the Colts are 30th in the league running the ball, despite an entire off-season and five regular seasons games of work fixing this issue. We know the problem is not the backs. Joseph Addai has played very well and Donald Brown is a stud. Offensive line play absolutely must improve in the running game or this team might as well not even try making the playoffs. You all know how I say "This is a passing league," and it is. You have to throw to get to the playoffs. Once there, you have to run.

If the Colts want to sustain their dominance in the regular season and have it carry over into any sort of possible playoff run, they absolutely must start running the ball more effectively. If the Colts cannot gain over 100 rushing yards against St. Louis' #26th rushing defense, it's time to start pressing the panic button by benching certain players, namely Pollak and possibly right tackle Ryan Diem. Struggling to run against the Cardinals (ranked #1 against the run), Titans (#10), and Dolphins (#3) is understandable. They focus on shutting down the run moreso than the pass. An inability to run against the Rams is not acceptable, and heads should roll if they cannot pile up yardage.

For more pre-game coverage, head over to Turf Show Times, SB Nation's Rams blog, for some fun conversation about the game.

Seattle Seahawks Trade Nothing for Pro Bowl Corner Marcus Trufant

John Morgan — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:58:40 -0000

More photos » by Ted S. Warren - AP

Chin up men, the Seattle Seahawks have traded for Marcus Trufant and given surprisingly little to get him.

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Want a big deadline deal that rights Seattle and pushes them towards an exciting if maybe ultimately futile end to their season? Want that player without giving up a thing? How about a player that plays at one of the most valuable and rare positions in the NFL? A player that turns a weakness into a strength, makes Josh Wilson one of the best nickel corners in the NFL and could be that completing piece that puts a talented and young defense over the top?

Remember when Marcus Trufant could be all that and more? He can still be. Let's flashback to 2007 and remember when Tru was a no-doubt Pro Bowler. Thanks to that smutty crew at Field Gulls for the content. I'm just here to be snarky and provide links.

Marcus Trufant

Penetration: 1

Good Coverage: 26

Broken Tackle:5

Blown Coverage: 13

Blown Assignment: 1

*Includes all games minus Week 10, Divisional Round and the second half of Week 3 and the first half of week 1.

Highlights

9/31/07

Marcus Trufant grabbed two picks, a gimme that could as easily have been any DB on the roster and another that may be proof of real growth. The gimme was on the Niners first play from scrimmage after the onside kick. Trufant just happened to be in the best position to grab Trent Dilfer's badly sailed pass. The second, also ridiculously enough on a play-action (think you better scrap the play-actions once your team is down by twenty Mike?) was an exciting display of coverage and well timed aggression. Trufant is at his customary position, alongside the receiver's hip, when Dilfer tosses a wounded duck. Tru breaks coverage and zips back to the ball. Playmaking is the component Trufant has long needed to become a next level corner. For the past few years he's excelled in coverage. You very rarely see Tru out of position on a pass, but he's never mastered creating fear in opposing quarterbacks. That comes from opportunism and turning bad passes into picks. Some of the problem has been his hands, which are just okay, but the larger factor is that Trufant rarely ever plays anything but the receiver. It's good cover corner technique and I don't want him to become a Delta O'neal type route jumper, but the best corners know when to play cover and when to play the ball. Maybe Trufant is finally figuring that out.

10/21/07

First play, Rams fourth drive. The Hawks are dominating the line of scrimmage, but leading only 10-3. Bulger, with good time, attempts a deep pass along the right sideline. Tru intercepts. On the replay, here's what we see. Off the line Tru uses expert body position to subtly ride Bruce up against the sideline. He's literally in lockstep with Bruce, hip to hip, running down the right sideline. That's all classic Tru, but here's where we see something new. Still shadowing Bruce, playing the man, he sees Bruce look up towards the descending pass. Trufant sticks up an arm and begins to turn his body back towards the line of scrimmage. Both men are still running at near top speed, so that's incredibly difficult for Tru to do. The ball hits Tru in the arm and bounces back towards his bread basket, Tru snags the ball, tip-toes two feet centimeters from the sideline and converts the interception. He doesn't ballhawk, he never breaks coverage opening the potential for a big gain, Tru nullifies his man and punishes the attempt. Bulger wouldn't look Bruce's way again until garbage time in the fourth quarter. That's true shutdown corner play that Seattle hasn't had since Shawn Springs. That's Tru, free agent 2008.

11/25/07

The next play is a pass. The Rams attempt to combo block Mebane off the snap, but he sheds the center, isolates the guard, and walks him back into Bulger. Never attaining true penetration, but creating pressure, and forcing Bulger to throw into coverage. That coverage is sublime. Marcus Trufant locks down Holt, and without breaking off his man scoops up the interception. Tru is still primarily a cover corner, but his ability to play the ball has improved tremendously. What is most exciting, though, and what may vault Tru into the realm of shutdown corner, is that he gets picks without breaking coverage. Even the best cover corners, like Dallas' Terrence Newman, generally have to jump routes to score picks. That's risky. Tru gets picks on plays that are either pick or incompletion. It's yet to be seen if Tru can keep it up, but if he can, he could become one of the five best corners in football.

12/9/07

Tru showcased some of those ball skills we've long looked for from him. He's been a top cover guy for the last two years (albeit on some very shoddy secondaries), but this season he's shown both the ability to shutdown a receiver, and play the ball for the pick. With that said, it's not likely that Tru would have attempted either of his two second half picks if not for the Hawks being up big. Each was a little risky, jumping routes and thereby breaking coverage, but both were done expertly. The question for Tru, who's already turned into an elite NFL corner, is this growth? Will he take his big day on Sunday and turn it into confidence or cockiness? Tru at his best has shown the ability to lockdown a receiver, the ability to jump routes for the game-changing pick, and, most importantly, the ability to know when to do each.

1/5/08

The Truth: On the Skins second rush of their second drive, the Hawks gang tackled Portis after 6 yards. The Hawks have Portis wrapped, so Tru, the freakin' brilliant player that he is, goes for the strip. Nothing came of it, but it's a really heady play, and a compliment to Jim Mora Jr's coaching.

Lowlights

9/16/07

Marcus Trufant often gives too much cushion in coverage. If you're playing Marvin Harrison perhaps the five yard separation is warranted, but against Anquan Boldin playing so soft allows for a lot of short, but productive completions.

10/7/07

Rough day for Seattle's secondary, and though we think of the big men along the line as suffering the most from fatigue, the little guys, of which Seattle has considerably less depth and who must run around all game, looked the worse for wear. On the Steelers' back breaking 10 minute drive to open the second half, Marcus Trufant, Jennings and Jordan Babineaux combined for four blown coverages resulting in 56 yards and 3 first downs. Tru seemed to have particular trouble keeping his feet.

11/25/07

Speaking of Russell, he is partly to blame for Bruce's touchdown reception. It's 3rd and 6, the Rams are in a bunch formation left, the Hawks, a base package with man coverage. Grant is lined up over top, Jennings on the exterior and Trufant on the interior. At the snap the top and inside man of the bunch run in what might best be described as an "X". Jennings picks up the receiver running out, Grant the receiver running in. The pattern has the effect of screening Trufant from Bruce until about 5 yards from the line of scrimmage. Now, Tru bears blame, while Jennings and Grant are able to confidently maneuver the formation and pick up their men, Trufant looks bewildered. It is possible that he assumed that the inside man would be his responsibility and not Grant's, but that we'll never know. What we do know is that Trufant is well behind Bruce and desperately in need of deep help. That's where Russell, who is working in a middle zone in the endzone, should run over to cover Bruce. Instead, Russell stays in the center though Grant has his man covered, and then doesn't break towards Bruce until it's entirely too late. The Rams convert the score and Trufant looks a couple shades worse than he deserves.

12/2/07

Two plays later the Eagles run trips left, and in an eerily reminiscent scene, Tru loses Curtis breaking towards the sideline. It's 9/10ths the same play call the Rams ran last week in which Tru broke coverage and allowed Isaac Bruce to get open in the endzone. Mora may want to find a more effective way to defend against that. Russell tackles Curtis 47 yards down the field, and had Curtis not nearly fumbled the ball switching hands, it's unlikely Russell catches him at all.

Outlook

In 2007, Marcus Trufant developed from a top cover corner to a top corner. Tru was in the mix for best overall defensive player for Seattle in 2007, but was definitely their least replaceable. Losing Tru would have sorely weakened Seattle's run stopping, coverage against top receivers and crippled its right secondary: Need I explain the enormity of Jordan Babineaux + Brian Russell? I lobbied pretty hard for Seattle resigning Trufant and it's good to see that though Tim Ruskell clearly prefers his own players to the Hawks' former GMs collective holdovers, he's not dogmatic. The question now for Trufant is does he maintain or even build upon his substantial gains from 2007, solidify his rep as a Pro Bowl player or regress to the very good tackling cover corner he once was. Tru is a young 27; in his absolute prime. Fans can and should expect a level of play like last season's for the next 3-5 years. If Tru wants it bad enough and everything breaks right, he could become Champ Bailey good.

Photo Courtesy: ESPN