SB Nation - Kentwan Balmer

49ers-Cardinals: Thursday Injury Report

Fooch — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:35:19 -0000

Since the game is a day later than normal we're rolling out the injury reports a day later. Nothing huge here, other than Joe Staley getting back to some limited practice. He's still hoping to play on Monday, so we'll see how his practice reps play out. I've posted Mike Singletary and Alex Smith's post-practice press transcripts after the jump. In his intro, Singletary addressed Frank Gore's contributions to the offense going forward, and had several comments about the secondary given the Cardinals impressive receiver trio.

49ers
Out (Definitely Will Not Play)
CB Nate Clements (shoulder)

Did not Participate in Practice
WR Isaac Bruce (ankle)
DT Justin Smith (not injury related)
LB Takeo Spikes (hamstring)

Limited Participation in Practice
SS Michael Lewis (quadricep)
OT Joe Staley (knee)

Full Participation in Practice
WR Brandon Jones (thumb)

Cardinals
Out (Definitely Will Not Play
LB Will Davis (knee)

Did not Participate in Practice
RB Jason Wright (illness)

Limited Participation in Practice
DT Alan Branch (ankle)
P Ben Graham (left groin)
RB Tim Hightower (thumb)
DE Kenny Iwebema (thumb)
RB Dan Kreider (thigh)
K Neil Rackers (right groin)
TE Stephen Spach (knee)

Full Participation in Practice
OT Mike Gandy (pelvis)

Coach Singletary and Alex Smith press conference transcripts after the jump...

Head Coach Mike Singletary
Post-Walk Thru - December 10, 2009
San Francisco 49ers

Opening statements:

"Good morning. I'll talk about injuries here, try to get that clear. Of course you know, [DT] Kentwan Balmer had surgery yesterday - just basically repaired a torn labrum. [CB Marcus] Hudson, back is a little sore. That will be day-to-day. [CB Nate] Clements, shoulder, is out. [LT Joe] Staley will practice today only in the individual period - just kind of bring him back slowly and see how it goes from day-to-day, and we'll go from there. The other day, just in case anybody asks a question about the officials and all that other stuff, in my mind, Seattle's done. I'm done with them. I'm done with the officials. I'm done with all that stuff. I've said what I said. I stand by what I said, but I move forward, on to Arizona, and that's what I'm going to talk about for the rest of the time.

When I look at our defense, the thing that we have to do this week in order to be successful is we have to be able to put pressure on [QB Kurt] Warner. We have to be able to make him move. He can't sit back there and just throw the ball to his receivers. On the other side of that, our DBs have to make sure that we're physical with their wide outs. We have to get our hands on those receivers to allow our guys time to get there. When they have great success, the quarterback is just able to drop back in 7-on-7, as we do out here, and just throw the ball to receivers. It's all timing, and Kurt Warner is a really bright guy, really smart. He knows where those receivers are going to be. He has the confidence in them. They have a good rapport, and those receivers do a good job of getting open, and he does a great job of throwing to them open. So, for us, we just really have to focus on making sure that we do those two things.

On the other side of it, some of the changes that I've seen in their offense since the last time we played them, they're really trying to focus more on a balanced attack. They're not there yet, but they're trying to focus more on a balanced attack. Both of those running backs are running hard. They're running downhill and they're doing a good job being physical, finishing their runs. I think that's where they are right now as an offense.

For us offensively, we continue to run the offense that we've been running the last couple of weeks and try to include [RB] Frank [Gore] going forward to create balance for us. Maybe that balance doesn't mean 50-50. Maybe it's 35-65, whatever it might be. 70-30 or whatever. But, we're going to go forward with it and continue to have [QB] Alex Smith do the things that he's been doing, trying to continue to get the timing of the receivers down, getting a rhythm for our offense, finding out what is the right balance, finding out - and we really won't know what that is until we get into the game and find out how Arizona plans to attack what we're doing. The first time we played them, their front really put a lot of pressure on our guys, particularly the three-technique, No. 90 [Darnell Dockett]. He got off the ball and really applied a lot of pressure. I think the rapport between [RG] Chilo [Rachal] and [RT Adam] Snyder is better. Hopefully, this time around we do a better job. I just think it's important for us across the board on the offensive line of scrimmage to really communicate well, and we're at home, so the noise will not be a factor. Let's get out there and do a better job and do the best we can to control their front."

On who has the role of stopping WR Larry Fitzgerald this week:

"It may be [CB] Dre' Bly. It may be [CB] Shawntae Spencer. We'll figure it out before game time, and, you're right, [CB] Nate [Clements] has done a great job anytime we've played Arizona. But, I think it's important to see our guys step up, whoever is on him, whether it's Fitzgerald, whether it's [WR Anquan] Boldin, and get our hands on them, do a good job and let's see if we can control what they do."

On whether he thinks the 49ers cornerbacks have the ability to play the press coverage and be physical:

"I think the last couple of weeks we've done more man coverage. I think we've done more in challenging the receivers since the Green Bay game. I don't think they've played off as much. Do you mean the last couple of weeks as well?"

On the press coverage in the Green Bay game:

"OK. I think our guys are better at pressing than they are at playing off. I think the last couple of weeks, I think have shown that. We'll continue to do the things that I think will help us be successful in the game, and really, we have to mix it up. You can't get up there and put your hands on them all the time. We just have to make sure that in the game, at those times we feel we can do it, we've got to get up there when we're up there and do a good job."

On whether Bly or Spencer can play that type of coverage:

"They have to. It's not a matter of can they do it. They have to because if we don't, we'll get run out of the stadium. We have to get up there. Any team that does not play physical on their receivers and not get their hands on the receivers will not be successful winning the football game. So, we have to."

On what he saw on film from Arizona last week disrupting Minnesota QB Brett Favre:

"I think for Arizona, I think they really did a good job scheming and blitzing Brett Favre. I think they did a good job at times of just really mixing up the coverage, being disciplined in their coverage and making Brett Favre work a little bit more, realizing he is a veteran-type guy. They just got after him. I think the other thing is they really controlled the running game pretty early and made Brett Favre a little more predictable."

On whether he has to redefine the goals for the team for the final quarter of the season:

"I think the goal that I had for our team at the very beginning of the season was to be the best team, at this time of year, that we could possibly be. I think, in terms of redefining the goal, in my mind it's not over until it's over. So, we're going to go out Monday night, and as far as the playoff hopes, yes, it's very frustrating where that is. It's nobody's fault but ours. For our guys, it's just a matter of going out there Monday night and let's just play the best game that we can play. We're not going to sit back and, ‘If we win, if we lose.' No. We're going to go out, and we're going to play. So, for me this time of year, the most important thing is we're playing our best football, and that's really what I want to strive to do before the season is over."

On whether he's close to doing that:

"I think we're better. I think the closest we came to it was the Jacksonville game, and I think last week we took a step backwards simply because of the penalties, simply because of the turnovers. That's something that we have to do a better job at. This time of year, really any time of the year, the thing that I really want to strive for our team to be, is a smart football team and a team that does not turn the ball over, and we didn't accomplish that last week. Hopefully, the next four games, starting this Monday night, we can reestablish that, what we came out of Jacksonville with, and go forward with that."

On how many of the drops from last week he holds the receivers responsible for:

"Because this is the professional level, I think any time that a ball is in the area of a receiver, he needs to catch it. Hopefully that answered your question."

On whether the Seahawks going away from CB Shawntae Spencer's side was a sign of respect:

"I don't really know. If it's respect, it's great. If they felt they could go at Dre' Bly more because of [WR T.J.] Houshmandzadeh, that matchup - if they felt they could get more over there. I thought Dre' held his own pretty well. I think Shawntae has done a pretty decent job all year, and, hopefully we can finish that way."

On whether the best defense against Arizona's offense is to keep them on the sidelines:

"I think the biggest thing for our offense is to go out and execute. I think if we just execute, whether we're passing the ball, whether we're running the ball, I think we'll be fine in this game. Certainly, we want to continue to move the chains. Certainly, we would like to keep their offense on the sideline. But, I just think the biggest word this week for us is execution, on both sides of the ball."

On whether the fact that Arizona can clinch the division with a win is a part of the talking points this week:

"No, the only thing I'm talking to our team about is winning. It's not about all the other stuff. They can clinch, they can - no. We're just going to go out and do the very best job we can of winning the football game."

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

On the offense using more ball control as a game plan against Arizona:

"Absolutely, I think that ball control comes in many different forms. I don't think that it necessarily means grinding it in on the run. I think that ball control is about moving the chains, so whatever way you can get that done, getting first downs run or pass, that's what is going to keep the opposing offense off of the field."

On the teams poor third down completion percentage in last week's game at Seattle:

"There's probably not just one thing, it's probably a lot of things, lack of execution. We did put ourselves in some difficult third downs at times. In a few of those backed-up situations, you're kind of limited on third down as well. It was probably a number of things to why that statistic ended up coming out like that."

On whether the third down statistic got his attention when looking at the stat sheet at the end of the game:

"That jumped out at me, absolutely. In fact, I didn't even necessarily get that impression out there on the field. I guess I really had no idea. It felt like we were moving the ball well at times. I know that we struggled there a little bit in the third quarter, but didn't realize that it was that bad."

On looking to prove critics wrong from his last Monday night game at Seattle in 2007:

"To tell you the truth, I haven't really thought about it. Every week is such a big week in the NFL. The fact that, all of a sudden, this one is a little different in the sense that this one will be played on Monday, so the weeks change. But other than that, I haven't put much thought into it. We played a couple of weeks ago on Thursday night, and we already had a taste of the national TV spotlight so to speak. We're just trying to go out there and play good football."

On his past issues concerning his throwing fundamentals and how he has improved since then:

"I think that there were a lot of things going on at that time. I think that there was a lot of compensation going on throughout that whole process and the weeks leading up to that with me. So, absolutely, I guess that looking back, there probably was a lot fundamentally that wasn't right, but I didn't necessarily go back and study it or anything. I think moving on from there, it was a matter of getting healthy and getting right. I imagine looking back that it wasn't right, you start to compensate, so you start to adjust, and things change."

On working with different QB coaches throughout his career:

"You start there from building your fundamentals and when you take a chunk of time off from throwing and you come back in a controlled environment and come out here on the practice field and get to really start from scratch and you get to build those fundamentals and basically start over from there."

On whether his fundamentals are where he wants them to be at this point:

"I'm getting there. I think I've definitely improved in some areas. You're never finished with it. It's one of those things you're constantly working on. Either they're improving or they are getting worse. It's one of those types of things, you constantly have to work on and harp on it to keep those fundamentals where you want them."

On whether he considers himself a different player than before his injury:

"Yes, absolutely - I'm the same player but there's been a lot of growth and change since then. I've learned a lot, I've been through a lot. I think I see the game better. A lot of things that we've talked about, I feel like I react better. I have improved in a lot of areas out there."

On finally finding somewhat of a groove and tempo to his game:

"Yes, I think so. I really felt that I was heading in that direction a couple of years back and yes, got sidetracked and in a roundabout way to where I am now. I definitely am seeing things the best that I have ever seen them, reacting to them, understanding what I am getting, what it is that we're trying to do, all of those things that go into playing quarterback and decision making. This is probably the best that I've felt."

On whether production is what it really comes down to:

"Yes it is, and that's something that you want to look at, productivity and statistics, but at the same time, you're not living in the statistical world either. In the end, it's about going out there, playing football and trying to win a game. I think if you get caught up in the stats too much, it can actually be harmful."

On facing Arizona's defense for the second time this season and the concerns:

"They're pretty solid all the way around, I think. They have a lot of good players across the board. The thing I see on film is that they play tremendously fast. They give a lot of different looks in the secondary. They disguise well. I think they are very solid up front. They get off the ball and I think both corners are playing pretty well right now. I think they are a good test for us. I think they're going to challenge us and we'll have to challenge them as well."

On the team's concern of Arizona winning the NFC West with a win on Monday night:

"At this point, it's a must win anyway, so it doesn't really change anything. I guess that comes secondary to the fact that we've got to win the game."

On how a quarterback builds in a game when throws are dropped:

"I try not to get into it. I try not to think about it. Those are things outside of your control. That's one thing

you learn over the years. It does no good, especially during game situations, to really worry about things like that. Do your job to the best of your ability. Go out there and try to execute it. Give your team a chance to win, give us a chance to score some points. Those things are going to happen, dropped balls are going to happen just like errant passes are going to happen. You try to minimize them as much as possible."

On whether he is aware of how he reacts to a dropped pass:

"I guess sometimes you don't always realize what you might do, but as a quarterback, obviously, you are always trying to keep good body language out on the field."

On the offense scheme changing throughout the season and similarities to Arizona's offense:

"I don't know, I guess I haven't had time to really compare. I think that if you looked at the run-pass ratio the last couple of weeks, teams might say that. But I think we're striving to be unique in our own way. I think, and I go back to this it really needs to be balanced to do what it takes to win, do what it takes to score points, to be productive."

On saying anything to the WR on the sideline after dropping a pass:

"If I say anything at all, it's encouragement. Those guys have enough to think about. They make plays and catch balls sometimes that shouldn't be caught so, I know they're working at it and they don't need to hear anything from me, as far as catching the football. They know, we're all professionals, they know when they made a mistake or should have made a play."

On why TE Vernon Davis has become a more productive tight end this year and how vital he is to the offense:

"I think time is probably a good answer. He's had time to grow and understand and develop his game and he's worked hard at it. Over the course of that time, as he's made plays, you get more and more confident ok about what he can and can't do. I think right now, he's playing really well, playing fast, making a lot of plays for us. I think you gain that confidence by doing it, and that does take time."

On whether the only way the team can achieve balance is by forcing the defense to go into nickel:

"Potentially, it's the same the other way. If you're running the ball, and you're heavy run, you're running enough to get them to overload the box, you can throw the ball. It's either way, and it changes over the course of the game depending on the situation, third down, red zone - all of those types of things constantly change over the course of the game. It's a give and take, absolutely of what you're doing."

Golden Nuggets: Guess I gotta face it sometime..

Ninjames — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:00:29 -0000

Good morning, folks! Sorry I've been sketchy on the links but I've been keeping busy, to be sure! Thanks to Fooch again for covering for me. Still, I had to sleep early for a good cause. If you're wondering what it is, make sure to come on over to this site tomorrow morning at 7 AM PT, I should have my post up by then. All I can say is it was a very positive experience for me. That being said it has been nice to be deterred from say, the current 49ers team but I suppose I have to look at this season at some point. I'm done crying over it, to be honest. This team needs to finish strong, someone told me that over the phone yesterday, and it's true. Very true, I'm looking for as strong a finish as possible and improvement from Alex Smith so we know what we have going into the 2010 season. This isn't a bad team we've got here, we have too many good players to just waste that talent. Best I can do is look forward to Monday Night and hope I don't leave Candlestick disappointed. That would seriously suck. Here's your links.

And so retires my favorite 49er of the last ten years--Jeff Ulbrich. He has nothing left to prove for 49er fans, a great player and a great guy. (PressDemocrat.com)

So it seems Great America is suing the city of Santa Clara, claiming the stadium deal is illegal as per their agreement with the theme park. (ESPN.com)

The 49ers placed Kentwan Balmer on IR and signed a replacement, Baraka Atkins. As previously a huge fan of the MK series, man this guy is setting himself up to make me very disappointed. Still, I actually think he could be good. (PressDemocrat.com)

The 49ers are the only team that can stop the Cardinals from getting into the playoffs now. Not sure that it will happen... (NBCBayArea.com)

There was plenty of reasons the 49ers released Allen Rossum, I fully support the release. I don't, however, support using Arnaz Battle on them. That man is useless. I want him gone, forever. Am I bitter? Heck. Yes. (SFGate.com)

Alex Smith is seizing control down the home stretch. I certainly hope he's changed for sure. (SacBee.com)

Maiocco has his every-player review from the loss against Seattle. (PressDemocrat.com)

"Drops Drop 49ers From Playoff Race." How creative. (SFGate.com)

Well this is depressing. 49ers playoff drought is among the longest in the NFL. (MercuryNews.com)

A look ahead at the Monday Night game against the Cardinals. (49ers.com)

Coach Singletary is taking the blame for the fumbled punt return. (SFGate.com)

He also has a list of grievances for the NFL. (SFGate.com)

Andy Lee: Hitting His Stride. (49ers.com)

49ers place DT Kentwan Balmer on Injured Reserve

Fooch — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:08:42 -0000

So I guess that injury to DT Kentwan Balmer ended up a bit more serious than previously expected. Balmer had shoulder surgery this morning and has been placed on the Injured Reserve List, ending his season. To fill Balmer's roster spot, the team has signed DT Baraka Atkins. Atkins (6-4, 268) originally entered the NFL as a fourth round draft pick (120th overall) of the Seattle Seahawks in the 2007 Draft. He has played in 21 career games and recorded 28 tackles, two sacks, two fumble recoveries and one pass defensed. Atkins was released by the Seahawks in September. Atkins, a 25-year-old native of Sarasota, FL, played collegiately at Miami (FL).

Balmer has come under much criticism since the 49ers took him in the first round of the 2008 NFL draft. The running joke his first year was that at one point he had more kick returns than tackles, thanks to his role as one of the up-men. This season he's certainly shown some improvement, although that's not too difficult when the bar was set so low his first year. Nonetheless, it seemed like we were hearing his name more and more as the season went along. Maybe not huge impact type play, but improvement nonetheless.

Of course, he could be stuck for a while behind Isaac Sopoaga, so it will be tough for him to break through for now. He's a guy we'll all be keeping an eye on next year in training camp.

49ers-Seahawks: Final Injury Report

Fooch — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:00:31 -0000

We've got the final injury report with one somewhat surprising addition. RB Justin Forsett was a full participant in practice today but is now listed as questionable because of a quad injury. Julius Jones is certainly no scrub, but given recent performances, if Forsett is limited or out on Sunday I'd be a much happier camper. Even when Forsett was shut down in the rushing attack at Minnesota, he still contributed big as a receiver. I'm glad the former Cal star is developing into a solid NFL running back, but I'd prefer he take a week off and not burn the 49ers.

After the jump we've got Coach Mike Singletary's post-practice press conference transcript.

49ers
Out
CB Nate Clements (shoulder)

Doubtful
OT Joe Staley (knee)
DT Kentwan Balmer (shoulder)

Questionable
WR Isaac Bruce (ankle)
CB Marcus Hudson (back)
LB Takeo Spikes (hamstring)

Probable
WR Arnaz Battle (ankle)
LB Ahmad Brooks (thumb)
WR Brandon Jones (thumb)
S Michael Lewis (quadricep)
DT Ray McDonald (shoulder)
RB Michael Robinson (shoulder)
OT Adam Snyder (shoulder)

Seahawks
Doubtful
LB D.D. Lewis (knee)
DT Cory Redding (concussion)

Questionable
RB Justin Forsett (quad)
DE Lawrence Jackson (groin)

Probable
RB Julius Jones (chest)
C Chris Spencer (thumb)

Head Coach Mike Singletary
Post-Practice - December 4, 2009
San Francisco 49ers

Opening statements:

"Good afternoon. In terms of injuries, [CB] Marcus Hudson, questionable; [LT] Joe Staley, questionable; [CB] Nate Clements, out. I think everybody else is about what it was."

On LB Takeo Spikes' status:

"Takeo, game-time.

[Bob Lange: ‘It's actually doubtful.']

Singletary: Did I say doubtful?

[Lange: ‘You said questionable.']

Singletary: Doubtful. Sorry."

On how Staley is progressing:

"He's working. Working out and squatting. He's getting excited. So, hopefully it all works out."

On whether it gets more difficult because opposing teams are expecting more of a spread look:

"I think it really comes down to executing. You can change to any kind of offense you want to be, but if it's not effective, than it's not going to force it to be any more difficult for them. I think when you execute running the ball, when you execute throwing the ball, now that's when you make it more difficult for coordinators and teams to prepare."

On whether he gets the sense that opposing defenses are still keying RB Frank Gore as the No. 1 priority:

"I would think so. I would think if you look at Frank and what he's been able to do when he has been able to run, the possibility is always there, and you don't want to really let him get started. So, I would think that would be the first thought."

On whether the players understand the sense of urgency going into a must-win game on Sunday:

"We'll see on Sunday. We'll see Sunday. I think they do, but we'll find out."

On whether Seattle being healthier now presents more of a challenge than earlier this season:

"As you go through the year, guys are hurt, guys are up. We still have guys hurt. So, that's the nature of the game. You just go out there and play the game as best you can, and, hopefully, the No. 2 guys that you have, when they do have to play, that's what it's all about. The 53 guys that you have, they're supposed to be the best that you can get. So, hopefully, that next group of player that you have in there, you don't make excuses and say, ‘Well, we didn't have this guy. We didn't have that guy.' It's part of the game."

On whether it's frustrating as a coach that you can't practice tackling during the week:

"Tackling is more of an attitude than anything else. I believe that if you want to tackle somebody, you can, and you'll find a way to get them down. And, that's really what it comes down to."

On whether he is at a point where he is looking at the standings and trying to figure out what he needs to do to get to where he wants to by the end of the season:

"I'm just looking at winning. That's all. I don't try to be real good at math, I just try to really focus on what's really important because to me, if you're playing well, that's vitally important that you begin to - it's that team at this time of the year that begins to gain the momentum, begins to play better and begins to have a sense of urgency when they're playing. It's that team that's going to make it anyway. It's very important that you focus on winning games and being consistent down the stretch. I think that's what we're focused on. All of the other stuff about who wins and who loses and how many wins do we need, if we're focusing on that, then that's not good."

On how he felt about the week of practice:

"I felt it was a good week. It wasn't great. But, I don't think it's ever great, but it was a good, good week."

49ers-Seahawks: Seattle opens as 1 point favorite

Fooch — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:50:41 -0000

Since both Seattle and the 49ers played already, the folks at Scores and Odds already opened the line, and have installed the Seahawks as 1 point favorites. We'll have plenty more to discuss about this game, but it's not surprising the oddsmakers consider the 49ers slightly better. The Seahawks get their 3 points for being at home, so this knocks it down a notch. Honestly, I don't think I would be surprised by any result next Sunday. Sure I would be angry with certain results, but even though the Seahawks are struggling, the 49ers have been so inconsistent that I'm preparing myself for just about anything.

I thought it was also worth noting that the Cardinals-VIkings game is off the board at this point, and I'm guessing it's because of Kurt Warner's lingering concussion issue. Apparently he's planning on seeing an opthamologist this week about continued post-concussion symptoms. On the one hand I want to win this game, on the other hand I certainly hope Kurt Warner ends up ok. I'm thinking Warner can take a few weeks to get better. After all, concussions are a serious thing so we wouldn't want him on the field potentially aggravating the issue.

After the jump I've posted the transcript from Coach Singletary's Monday lunch press conference. We'll have plenty more of this to discuss in tomorrow's Mike Singletary Approval Rating.

Head Coach Mike Singletary
Press Conference - November 30, 2009
San Francisco 49ers

Opening statements:

"Good morning. I'm very pleased with the victory yesterday, obviously. The guys played hard. The guys practiced hard all week. We had a good week's practice and we talked about playing like we practice, and that's kind of what we did on both sides of the ball. On the defensive side of the ball, I think, for the most part, we did a good job. I thought we went into the game thinking that we would attack a little bit more, particularly in the first half. We just have to continue to do a better job on the back end, tackling and the angles that we approach the tackles and the whole nine yards. We're doing a great job running to the ball and all of those things, but we just have to do a better job tackling overall. I think we've got to do a good job getting off the ball. There were a couple of times where we just didn't get off the ball for whatever reason. Maybe guys standing up versus getting down in the three-point or whatever, particularly a guy like [LB] Ahmad [Brooks]. He's normally standing up, and I think playing on third down, there were a couple of times if he had just gotten off. So, we'll do a better job there. He's only going to get better going forward.

I think, technique-wise, on defense, just a little thing that, going forward, in order to be successful we have to continue working on our technique across the board. Other than that, I think our defense did a good job. I think we went into the game and the No. 1 thing on our minds as we approached this game was to really stop the run. I think our guys did a great job of doing that. You talk about a team effort. I think the fact that our offense was able to create some first downs and move the chains and those sorts of things, that helped our defense stay off the field and get a little break here and there, and I think that went really a long way to helping us to be successful against the run.

On the offensive side of the ball, I thought our o-line, our o-line continues to work and get better. It's a work in progress, and I think on the right side, [RG] Chilo [Rachal] and [RT Adam] Snyder, for the most part did a better job passing off things, and that was very good to see. I think [LT] Barry Sims, and what he's been able to do to step in, there are a lot of guys, a lot of tackles - as a matter of fact, we were trying to look around and find some tackles that could come in in a back-up situation. And, a lot of backups don't want to come in and play. They want to come in and say, ‘Now, what do you expect of me?' Well, if something happens, I want you to play. ‘Well, really? How about I be your third tackle?' Here's Barry Sims, a guy who's been in the league a while, and he's excited about starting. He's a guy that's excited about playing. To have that, I really appreciate his effort and his work ethic, as well as the whole line. I think Chilo and Snyder, we talked about those guys a number of times, and that process of trying to work together and communicate amongst each other, I think they're really doing a good job. So, that's good to see.

[TE] Vernon [Davis], I think is having a tremendous year. He continues to get better. The thing I like about him most, I think the better he gets, the more he continues to stay after practice and work on his craft, both blocking and catching the ball. Of course, he had a couple of drops yesterday that, I guess for a regular tight end, you say, ‘Vernon, just do a better job.' But, I told him yesterday, I said, ‘The great tight ends catch those balls. It's a simple as that.' And, I know that's what he wants to be. He's having an outstanding year, but it's those things that I want to see him do a better job of is some of those other tight ends that are out in the league that are supposed to be great tight ends, Vernon is an outstanding tight end, and I just want every opportunity that he has. There should be no excuse for him not making the Pro Bowl this year because he is definitely, in my eyes, far and beyond any tight end in the league.

No. 15, [WR Michael] Crabtree, he's continuing to grow and mature. He dropped a touchdown yesterday. I think he's still asking himself what the heck happened. He has great hands and prides himself on plucking the ball out of the air, and I think he needs to join Vernon as well after practice and just continue to work on catching the ball. He does a good job, but sometimes he can get off track.

The other receiver, yesterday, I thought really did a great job. He did everything across the board, and that's Josh Morgan. Josh caught the ball well. He's blocking downfield well. He's doing a number of things. He's good with or without the ball. I'm really excited to see him continue to grow and mature.

[QB] Alex Smith, I thought, did a very nice job. I thought he took a big step yesterday. This is an offense that he talked about and envisioned and was able to step in and not just talk about it but produce, find receivers, have a blitzing linebacker or end coming right at him and still focus downfield and make a throw. He made some really nice throws yesterday. The one throw to Vernon on the fourth-and-one was outstanding. He didn't even break stride. Of course, the possible touchdown to Crabtree, that was an outstanding throw. So, he's really doing some things that are very nice to see.

I just feel like going forward, it's just a matter of continuing to look at our offense and look at what helps us win. I think there are a lot of philosophies out there. I'm hearing a lot about, well, the philosophy should be to throw the ball more. Sometimes, it's run the ball. The only thing I can say is this: My overall philosophy is to win. It's to win. I think that's the thing that I've said from the very beginning. I want to win. I think it's one thing when you look at this is what I'd like to do, but I think you have to look at what you have and go with that, make the most of it, and be excited about having it. To me, that's what I am. I talked many times about when we run the ball, I want to run the ball. I don't want to tip-toe. I don't want do any of those things. I want to hit people. I want to go forward and I want to run the ball. When we pass the ball, I want to do the same thing. I want to see our receivers going downfield and adding on, hitting somebody. Don't just look at the guy. Run with the ball. Go hit somebody. To me, that's what it's all about. That's football. So, that's not going to change. Any questions?"

On whether he is disappointed that it took this long to have such a complete performance:

"No, sometimes things take time. I know there are some coaches that have been waiting two or three years and it still has not happened. I think the thing I am thankful for here is all of the great coaches that we have and more so than anything else, the players. It is not just the talent, but it is the attitude of the players we have. These guys continue to go out week-in and week-out and believe. They are just working their tails off, they are doing whatever we ask them to do. Once again, the best thing about this week, or this past week, was for the first time since I have been here, there were a group of players, particularly on the offensive side of the ball, who stepped up. In the midst of all the different coordinators, there is a trust factor that has to be in place for a player to come forward and say, ‘You know what Coach, I think this would be a good idea. I think if we try this, that would be great. I think we would win.' That to me is very, very important because at the beginning of the week, one of the things we talked about was leadership. We talked about ownership and one really can't come without the other. The trust factor on the coaches' behalf, for those guys to step up early in the week and say, ‘This is what we feel. This is what we like.' For Alex Smith to echo those things, that lets you know something very exciting is on the verge because they believe. ‘If we can do this and that, we can win.' It's not: ‘If we could have a better offensive line. If we had a guy that could throw the ball, we could win. If we had another receiver, we could win.' No, we have it here. If we can do this, I think we can win. There is a big difference."

On how the players gave the coaches their input:

"During the Green Bay game, the guys got excited in the second half. Vernon came to the sideline and said, ‘Coach, I'm telling you, this is exciting. This is fun. I know we can do this. This is who we are.' Then, of course, we come in early last week and I had different guys in the office, just talking to them about what they felt. I talked to Alex Smith, even last weekend prior to the Green Bay game, and talked to him about what he was feeling and what he was thinking and told him how important it is to convey those thoughts to Jimmy Raye, not anyone else, not even me. Go to Jimmy Raye and sit down and say, "Jimmy, Coach, if I may, I'd like to express some ides, some thoughts.' I think those kind of things are extremely important and as the week went on, there was no town meeting, there was no rally, there was no boycott. The guys just basically said, ‘Coach, this is what we like. I think this would help.' The thing that I have been talking about all year is ownership. When you talk about ownership, that is a huge word, it comes with a lot of responsibility. If you are willing to ask for something, if you are willing to come up with a solution, then it is on you to make sure that you carry through with that. That's what leadership is. Leadership is not stepping up every week and saying, ‘Hey, I don't like this; I like that. We could do a better job if we did that.' That's not leadership. That's just a bunch of opinions. But, when you have players stepping up saying, ‘I believe if we did this, we would get the results that we want,' that's leadership. Now it's up to the coaches and the people in charge to make those decisions and go from there."

On the benefits that come from Smith talking to Raye directly:

"I have always believed all of my life that if someone has something to say, be man enough to convey it. Don't come to me and tell me, ‘Coach, I don't like this; I don't like that. Jimmy is doing this; he is doing that.' That's not going to fly. All that is going to do is get me upset because that concerns me that you are not man enough to do that. The most important thing to me is we have 53 men, not a bunch of boys, not a bunch of guys sitting in there waiting for something to happen. I went to Alex, he didn't really come to me. I went to him because I know what he has been through. Sitting down and just asking him, ‘What do you think about this? How do you feel about that?' To hear those ideas and to hear those thoughts, that is great. That is outstanding. Now we'll tell Jimmy. I didn't want him to tell anyone else, just go tell Jimmy because that relationship is critical. I don't want to go to Jimmy and tell Jimmy, pull a ‘I'm the head coach, you're the coordinator. Just do what I tell you to do.' That's too easy, that's easy to do. I want Alex to do the difficult thing, to go in there and take a risk and say, ‘This is what I like. Can we do this?' because that is where the relationship is. That is where the team gets better other than me pulling a power card. That's no good in the long run."

On the challenge of keeping good practices going from week to week:

"The practices have been good. It's just a matter of - there's a difference in when you go out and practice, it's not like you don't believe in something. Jimmy Raye has a great plan. Every coordinator, if you were to sit down and talk to every coordinator, defensively or offensively, he's going to have an array of plays that are just outstanding. You look back and you go ‘Wow, look at those plays, we could do this.' Okay, look over here and say, ‘Hmm, we can just eliminate all of that. This is what we have here and this is what we have to do.' That's the difficult part. So, I think when you look at our offense, Jimmy has just kind of been putting things here and you've got a tackle that goes down over here, maybe your best offensive lineman, he goes down and you've got another one over here and he's going to - he's down. Okay, now your running back is - and by the way you've got a quarterback change. Every time you turn around, I'm trying to put another piece up here. So that's where he's been. I tell Jimmy week-in and week-out, ‘I'm really proud of you for what you've been able to do. I'm proud you haven't run over me in the parking lot,' because I go to him and say, ‘Jimmy, I think we have to think this way,' and he's done nothing but doing what I've asked him to do. So, I think that's the interesting thing about this team. I think that's the best thing about this team. You have a lot of unselfish players, as well as coaches, where the bottom line is to win and that's why I'm excited about this team."

On whether there is time to get what he wanted to get done given everything that's gone on with the team:

"I told the players last week, it's all in front of us. Everything that we want is in front of us. I don't want our guys to start looking around, thinking about this and hoping that. We had a game yesterday that we had to win against a good football team. We go out there and we win the game and by the way, Arizona loses the game. That's pretty cool, but guess what, we've got to do the same thing next week and the week after that and the rest of the season. So forget about anything else. I think we have the time to get done what we need to get done."

On the difference in Chilo Rachal from September to now:

"Maturity, experience, working together, relationship. I mean it's huge when you talk to that guy and you trust that guy. It's one thing to say, ‘This guy does that and then you and I have to switch off,' and when that call is made you have to make sure that you have each other's back and I think that's a work in progress. That's why the offensive line anywhere in the league, if they are a good offensive line, chances are they are very close. When you see one, you are going to see all of them and I think our guys are just continuing to gel, continuing to spend time together and watch film together and do all of those things. Now, they also have to interact with the quarterback as well because they can do a great job here, but if that quarterback is stepping right where he's not supposed to, then they can do a great job, but they look awful because the quarterback just jumped right in the way. So, it's vitally important that all of those pieces come together when you have an offensive line and a quarterback that trust each other and that's really the biggest difference, time."

On why the defense has played so erratic:

"I think you start the season, you have a formula in place that you are going to win by. You have the running back in place and you have the quarterback in place. So, the defense knows that the way we are designed, our offense is going to eat up the clock because we are going to make first downs. So the offense goes out and we're not turning the ball over. That's the formula, we're not turning the ball over, there's not a whole lot of opportunity to turn the ball over. We are going to run the ball and we are going to let Shaun Hill dictate to us, how much we are going to throw the ball. So the defense over here, we are playing 45-50 plays, maybe 55. Now, you change that formula and you've got another quarterback in and those tackles that were there in place to allow you to run the ball the way you were trying to run it, now they're not there so you are changing it a bit, so now you have to throw the ball more or you're not getting as many first downs, you're not eating the clock the way you were, so now you are playing about 80-85 plays. So that's almost like playing two games. So, when you look at the defense, there's a lot that goes into it. You kind of get sloppy after awhile. We're not at that place yet. One day I hope to be in a place where we are a dominant defense where it doesn't matter what the offense does. They can go out there and throw an interception. We are going to go out there and one, two, three out. We may even get you the ball back. We're not at that place yet. So, when I'm talking about technically and all of those things, it's just a matter of guys, just like that offensive line playing together, the defense, they have to play together and have people in place and just be sound technically across the board."

On the Atlanta game and how the defense was still having problems even with Shaun Hill as the quarterback:

"That's when it became apparent to me that a change had to be made because we were not moving the ball - In order for me to talk about the defense, I have to talk about the offense because if I don't talk about the offense and just talk about the defense, solely, then I need to go to the games where - as far as tackling, we have to do a better job tackling, it's as simple as that. Not that it's horrible, but for where we want to go, it's not good enough. It's simply not good enough. Our angles to the ball, we've got a lot of guys flying to the ball, that's the one thing that we pride our defense on. Guys are relentless on going to the ball, but we have to take better angles of getting to the ball and we will do that because guys are working at it, we will do that."

On his evaluation of watching the development and maturation of the team during the season:

"I think that guys have matured a lot this season, I just think that we've been through a lot together and it seems like we've been through a lot early. The most important thing that we've done is we've continued to stay together and grow through it. Adversity only brings you together or it tears you apart and I think that it brought us together and when guys have to overcome things and still be in the fight, it builds a lot of character- that's the things about this team that's very exciting."

On the technique of S Dashon Goldson's playing style:

"Two things about that - the one thing that it tells you about Dashon is that he is a headhunter. The guy just wants to annihilate everything that's back there and the thing that I want to get him to do is that he's got great speed and he wants to hit everything that moves and it's just a matter of ‘okay Dashon, let's settle down a bit, gather yourself and make the play,' and he will do that. That's a great problem to have for a DB because most of them may run 4.3s or 4.4s but they are awfully slow getting to that tackle. That's another problem that you have with a guy that doesn't want to tackle and we don't have that issue."

On figuring out the team's offensive system while contending for the playoffs:

"The thing that's exciting to me is that I think in the next five weeks, really in the next couple of weeks, a lot of those questions will be answered. That's why it's so exciting to be 5-6 and still be in the hunt, still be in the chase. You are right. There are things that are out of our control, but the fact is that there are five games that remain and we still have a chance to do things that we want to accomplish. I believe that to the core of my being."

On being able to accomplish team goals without making it to the playoffs:

"I'll hold off on that one. Because coming into the season - I'll just hold off on that one, I'll answer that in a couple of weeks."

On whether T Barry Sims is one of the best five offensive linemen, even after the return of starting T Joe Staley:

"Ok, now you're talking about the left side of the line versus the right side of the line and I won't go there for right now but I will say that I think that [RT Adam] Snyder and [RG] Chilo [Rachal] on the right side are very solid right now and they're working together and they're getting things done. When Staley comes back, Staley is the left tackle and those will be our five best guys."

On whether he expects T Joe Staley back in time for the Monday Night Game vs. Arizona:

"Possibly, hopefully he'll be running this week, lifting, squatting, and doing some things like that. But hopefully he will be back."

On the status of CB Nate Clements return:

"Nate Clements, in all likely hood, would be back maybe the last game of the season."

On Player Injuries:

"One thing that I neglected to do - did I go over the injuries? [WR] Josh Morgan: Hip contusion, taking it day-to-day he should be fine. [DT] Kentwan Balmer: Right shoulder sublex, his shoulder went out, went back in and that's day-to-day. [LB] Parys Haralson: thumb contusion, I have no idea what the heck contusion is. It just sounds good, and [S] Curtis Taylor is having an MRI today: hip strain."

On elaborating on his coaching philosophy:

"If you look at the Pittsburgh Steelers from last year, you don't have to go very far to know that is a physical team. They're a running football team first, but they couldn't run the ball last year and if they couldn't run the ball and if everyone else was saying ‘well, they've got to be able to run the ball' or they started saying in maybe mid-season ‘if they can't run the ball well then they're not going to go to the super bowl.' Okay, they were in the Super Bowl and they didn't run the ball, so they got there. What was the philosophy: to win. Tony Dungy goes from Tampa Bay, where they were a run oriented team, Tony's philosophy is ‘guys look here, we're going to run the ball on offense, we're going to eat up the clock.' That's the same kind of thing that I believe here in my core because I'm a defensive guy. Tony goes to Indianapolis - does he take [QB] Peyton [Manning] and sit him down, bring somebody else in and get a better line and say we're going to be physical? No. you take one of the best quarterbacks of all time and leave him back there. If that's what you do, then that's what we're going to do. Tony wanted to win and I think that it's important - being stubborn can be a good thing, but I think most of the time it's a foolish thing. I do want to win, but it's not about me. It's not about what I think and feeling like I've got to go back on my words. The most important thing that I want for this team is to win. I want this team to win and to win big, so in order for me to do that the most important thing is that I'm always true to the personnel and we'll go from there."

Golden Nuggets: Well, Morgan it is then

Ninjames — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:15:17 -0000

Morning everyone. Today I've got more links for you than I did yesterday, but I'm in a huge rush after a rather bad day. The first of the previews for Sunday's game against the Packers are rolling in as well as some articles concerning the 49ers wide receivers and who will be starting. Other than that, I don't think I have a whole lot for you. As I'm in a hurry I'll just get to your links.

WR Josh Morgan is now the starter instead of Isaac Bruce. (SacBee.com)

Wilhelm and Willis made a nice combo when Takeo Spikes was out with an injury, I suppose it's good that the backup performs well--but I'll take Spikes over any other TED linebacker in the league any day. (SacBee.com)

Singletary wants the 49ers to commit less penalties. I hadn't noticed too many really, but looking at the numbers I suppose there's too many. (Yahoo.com)

Mike Singletary says LT Barry Sims is playing "outstanding football." I never thought I'd say that. (49ers.com)

Here's more about Josh Morgan and how he hopes to progress as a wide receiver. (SFGate.com)

What does everyone here think of the Crabtree-Morgan receiving duo? (MercuryNews.com)

Here's yesterday's edition of Singletary's Notebook. (49ers.com)

Hm.. what do you think of Kentwan Balmer? I'm not convinced, I think he's a bust and a terrible draft choice. Maybe that's just me. (PressDemocrat.com)

Sunday Alex Smith gets his chance to show that he was the right choice over Aaron Rodgers. Keep dreaming, Alex. (Scout.com)

Here's a decent preview of Sunday's game. (49ers.com)

Here is even MORE on Josh Morgan. Kids in the spotlight, I guess. (SacBee.com)

Over at NFL.com they have a week eleven preview, which of course includes the 49ers game. (NFL.com)

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)

Arizona Cardinals vs San Francisco 49ers: Q&A With Niners Nation

Hawkwind — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 19:10:06 -0000

by Paul Sakuma - AP

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree laughs at the idea of joining the team anytime soon. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

View full size photo »

The Arizona Cardinals are a couple of days away from facing the San Francisco 49ers to open the season and what better way to get an inside look at the 49ers than to ask Fooch of Niners Nation.com. You can also check out my Q&A with Fooch right here.

ROTB: Even though I'm sure that you're tired of talking about this guy and answering this question, what's the status of Micheal Crabtree? Is there any end in sight or is it actually possible that he'll sit out the entire season?

Fooch: Crabtree remains on the shelf unsigned (not exactly shocking news). The signals coming from Team Crabtree (which seems to be growing by the day) are a bit mixed at times. Deion Sanders (former Eugene Parker client) and Eric Davis (not sure his connection) have indicated Crabtree is very willing to sit out the season. He's made enough money from endorsements that he's fine financially and can get by without game checks.

At the same time, he's been working out with Trent Dilfer and he supposedly was living in the Bay Area. The Dilfer thing isn't big as any player would want to remain fresh, especially if he was not gonna see the field until the 2010 season. However, living in the Bay Area (if true) would indicate he might sign before the week 10 deadline (when he can no longer play this year).

The next major time frame is this weekend. A lot of folks think he'll sign by the first game, so we'll know where that stands in a few days. If he doesn't sign by then, I don't see any reason he'd sign until close to the week 10 deadline. It's a philosophical difference and I just don't see anything changing anytime soon. If a deal is done, somebody has to lose face given that the 49ers have said they don't want to meet him halfway. The 49ers have offered slot 10 money and don't want to go above Raji's contract. So really I don't know anything!

ROTB: I'm sure the story line that should have gotten the most attention in the Bay area was the battle for the starting QB spot if not for Mr. Crabtree but what are your thoughts on how it turned out? Was it ever really a battle and did the right guy win?

Fooch: I think the right guy won at this point. Shaun Hill was the so-called "reigning champion" at the position due to his finish last season, and as they say, you have to take the title from the champ. The competition started strong, but sort of petered out midway through the preseason. It ended up sort of being tie goes to Hill. While that is not exactly wildly inspiring, Hill is the man for now. He's never played more than 8 games in a season so it will be interesting to see how long it takes for scouting reports to catch up with him.

Alex Smith is the more athletic of the two, but Hill has consistently been solid. It's hard to say Hill was clearly the man for the job because of the level of competition in many of his starts (which man folks at NN will tell you). However, he was presented with opportunities and took advantage of those opportunities.

The real story of the preseason (not sure if this is good or bad for the short term) was QB Nate Davis. He was facing second, third and fourth stringers, but he showed some very solid skills. At one point there were thoughts he might end up on the practice squad, but he played through that quite ably. The 49ers have been looking for a long term answer at QB for most of the decade, and they might actually have one...or at least potential.

ROTB: I read that the Niners' new OC stated that they're goal to run the ball close to 60% of the time and with a stable of young backs led by Gore and some questions marks at QB, who could blame him. Do you think the 49ers running game is that strong that they can line up and just pound away at opposing defenses and can that type of offense even be successful over the course of a full season?

Fooch: Naturally I believe the 49ers have an pair of extremely talented running back in Frank Gore. In Glen Coffee I see a guy with clear talent who will make a solid backup option to Gore. Will that translate into an obscene amount of rushing attempts and yards? A lot of that will depend on the offensive line and certain aspects of the passing game.

Gore's career year (2006) came during a season in which the 49ers offensive line played out of its mind. If the o-line can bounce back from a couple of down years, I think the rushing game will benefit big time. Combine that with even a mildly competent passing game and it could make for a very solid rushing attack. The 49ers passing game doesn't need to be spectacular, but it has to remain at least a viable threat to keep defenses honest. Gore and Coffee will get their numbers, but a solid offensive line and moderately decent passing attack will allow for that 60% rushing # and the yards to follow.

ROTB: Even though the Niners' are taking an oath never to pass the ball, I've gotta ask a question about the receiving corps. With the players that are currently on the roster, who do you think will be the leading receiver by season's end? Also, will this be the year that Vernon Davis finally puts it together?

Fooch: If the 49ers do decide to throw the ball (I'm not holding my breath!), I think the leading receiver could very well be Isaac Bruce again. It depends in large part on what stats we're talking about. I think the most receptions will be Bruce because he has been a great security blanket. If we're talking yards, I think Josh Morgan will be that guy getting a lot of the deeper balls thrown his way. Touchdowns could also be Morgan, but Bruce seems a safe bet as that "security blanket," while Davis could be a solid red zone threat. Arnaz Battle is another receiver who could quietly load up on catches this season if he stays healthy.

As for Davis, I think he could put together a very solid season. People forget that in his sophomore campaign he finished 4th among NFC tight ends in most receiving categories. If he stays healthy and isn't held back to block all the time, I think he puts up very good numbers this season. Maybe not 80-100 catches, but I could see him getting 50+ catches, a lot of red zone TDs and some good yardage numbers (particularly YAC).

ROTB: The Niners' defense was pretty middle of the road last season (13th overall, 20th against the pass and 13th against the run). Outside of Patrick Willis, who's an obvious beast, what are the strengths and weaknesses of the Niners' defense? Who will be the primary pass rushers and what do you expect from them?

Fooch: Primary pass rushers? Well I'm waiting for the call given the preseason struggles of the pass rush unit. Ok, seriously, I think Parys Haralson once again leads the team in sacks. Manny Lawson will get more sacks than last season just because of the fact that he'll be on the field in more pass rush situations, actually attempting to rush the passer (novel concept I know). The pass rush is definitely considered a weakness by most. In the 49ers 3-4, the defensive ends do the grunt work of opening holes for the outside linebackers to then attack the passer. So the big question is whether Isaac Sopoaga and/or Kentwan Balmer can open holes opposite Justin Smith.

The team's strength will likely be against the run. Willis and Takeo Spikes are monsters in the middle. Aubrayo Franklin showed some improvement in a simplified offense, and the cornerbacks have proven to be solid open-field tacklers. The pass defense is a much bigger question mark. The lack of a consistent pass rush definitely doesn't help matters. Even the best corners need help from the pass rush. Nate Clements struggled a lot in the preseason and the 49ers surprised a lot of people by declaring Shawntae Spencer the #2 starter. In spite of the loss of Walt Harris in the offseason (ACL), the team's depth is actually decent. Dre Bly and Tarell Brown are behind Spencer and Clements and will provide solid help when the Cardinals are throwing to 3 and 4 wide receivers. However, it all comes down to the pass rush.

ROTB: For the final question we'll steal one from you, who are some young breakout candidates for the Niners this year?

Fooch: The 49ers have a lot of interesting young players to keep an eye on. On defense, Dashon Goldson took over the starting free safety position. If he can stay healthy (a big IF in the past), Goldson could be the ballhawking, center-field type of FS the 49ers haven't had in years. He's a ballhawk in practice, but he's struggled to stay in the lineup, even before being named a starter.

Also on defense is Tarell Brown. Brown slipped due to an off-field incident in college but has the potential to be a long-time starter in this league. He was slotted in as the #2 CB but a toe injury kept him out of a big chunk of training camp. I think at some point this season folks will see him in the starting lineup (and not as a nickel back).

On offense, RB Glen Coffee will see a lot of carries as an alternative to Frank Gore. The team is planning to run the ball...A LOT. They want to keep Gore fresh and Coffee has been given that opportunity. Coffee finished tied for first in rushing yards this preseason. Of course, part of that is due to playing a hideous Raiders rush defense, but still, he's looking sharp.

Also keep an eye on 2008 6th round pick WR Josh Morgan. He was projected to be a starter last season before a staph infection knocked him out week 3 of the preseason. He struggled with injuries but when healthy showed some serious skills. He's starting opposite Isaac Bruce and looks to be a legit deep threat for the 49ers.

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So what do you think of the Cardinals vs. Niners matchup?

49ers Unofficial Official 2009 depth chart

Fooch — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:24:24 -0000

At some point this week (I'm guessing), the 49ers will post what they consider their "official" depth chart for 2009. For now the site says the official depth chart hasn't been released.

The good news is that we do have an unofficial depth chart that seems likely to be pretty close to official. In that game release I received from the team, it includes a page with the unofficial depth chart. A couple weeks ago it would have meant a lot less in terms of week 1 starters. At this point though, even with a couple signs potentially in the offing (a TE and RB/FB), we probably have a pretty good take on it. I'd imagine most of us could write this on our own, but it's still worth posting what the team is saying.

The one thing I still find particularly interesting is that they only list one player at nose tackle (Aubrayo Franklin) with no backups. I'm curious to see how the team rotates players in to keep Franklin fresh. Will we see a line of Smith - Sopoaga/Balmer - Sopoaga/Balmer on occasion? On nickel it will be just as interesting. Maybe go Smith, Sopoaga, Balmer, McDonald? Just one of many things we'll find out on Sunday.

Underline: rookies
Italics: drafted rookie who has yet to sign
[player]: injured

Offense

Pos.	Starter	2nd	3rd	4th
WR	Josh Morgan	Arnaz Battle	Jason Hill	Michael Crabtree
LT	Joe Staley	Barry Sims
LG	David Baas	Tony Wragge
C	Eric Heitmann	Cody Wallace
RG	Chilo Rachal	Tony Wragge
RT	Adam Snyder	Tony Pashos
TE	Vernon Davis	Delanie Walker
WR	Isaac Bruce	[Brandon Jones]	Micheal Spurlock
FB	Moran Norris
RB	Frank Gore	Glen Coffee	Michael Robinson
QB	Shaun Hill	Alex Smith	Nate Davis

Defense

Pos.	Starter	2nd	3rd
LDE	Isaac Sopoaga	Kentwan Balmer	Ricky Jean-Francois
NT	Aubrayo Franklin
RDE	Justin Smith	Ray McDonald	Demetric Evans
SAM	Manny Lawson	Marques Harris
TED	Takeo Spikes	Scott McKillop
MIKE	Patrick Willis	Jeff Ulbrich
WILL	Parys Haralson	Ahmad Brooks
LCB	Nate Clements	Tarell Brown	Marcus Hudson
RCB	Shawntae Spencer	Dre' Bly	Allen Rossum
SS	Michael Lewis	Reggie Smith
FS	Dashon Goldson	Mark Roman	Curtis Taylor

Special Teams

Pos.	Starter	2nd	3rd
P	Andy Lee
K	Joe Nedney
H	Andy Lee
PR	Allen Rossum	Micheal Spurlock	Arnaz Battle
KR	Allen Rossum	Micheal Spurlock
LS	Brian Jennings

Weekend Whirlwind Part 2: 49ers defense heading into 2009

Fooch — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:00:24 -0000

by Jeff Chiu - AP

View full size photo »

And we're back for the second part of this holiday weekend roundup. If you missed the first part, we covered the offense earlier this morning. The 53-man roster decisions made for some interesting options on offense. This afternoon we're here to check out some of the roster decisions for the defense.

Shawntae Spencer
I have to admit, this stunned me. Even though Coach Manusky said it was a 3-way battle for the #2 cornerback position, I still didn't believe it. I like Shawntae Spencer, even throughout the injuries and less than stellar play at times. When he was starting, he never came across as a #1 shutdown corner. At most he was the #2 guy, but in reality I felt like he was best served as the nickel back. He's certainly a talented cornerback, but there have been a lot of inconsistencies over the years.

So what does this mean for the 49ers in the coming days, weeks and months? I can truthfully say I have NO idea at this point. It definitely means I should pay closer attention to Coach Manusky post conference transcripts, that's for sure. However, in terms of the on-field product, there are several things that could be in play here, all, some or none of which could be true.

At this point, Coach Manusky and Coach Singletary think Shawntae Spencer is the best man for the #2 job. While I can buy it, it's still amazing how easy it was to overlook Spencer on game-day. Is that a good or a bad thing? One possibility is that Brown missed a good chunk of time with his toe injury and this is one way for the team to ease him back into things in terms of game action. He's seen the field in the preseason, but not nearly as much as Dre Bly did. So, we very well could see Tarell Brown re-asserting himself as the starting corner at some point this season.

While I do not disapprove of the decision, it remains a bit of a mystery. In the transcript before the Chargers game, Manusky simply said they would be looking at all three guys. Later tonight I'm going to check out the game tape and I definitely will be keeping a close eye on Shawntae Spencer.

Seventh Round duo
Aside from Spencer, the most interesting decisions seemed to involve the youngsters on the roster. Most notably, Ricky Jean-Francois and Curtis Taylor both made the 53-man roster. This isn't a stunning decision, but at the same time, it certainly has me curious. One upside to having a pair of rookies on the roster is the ability to use them as fodder for the inactive list.

At this point I'd imagine Curtis Taylor will see a lot of time as an inactive, barring injuries. The team has depth at safety (even if you don't like some of it) in Mark Roman and Reggie Smith. On the defensive line, RJF is also likely to spend a fair amount of time on the inactive list. Justin Smith can be penned in at right defensive end. On the left side Isaac Sopoaga and Kentwan Balmer will be battling for playing time. Ray McDonald would seem to fit in as the situational pass rusher, while Demetric Evans will be playing a bit of a utility role. Again, whether you "like" the depth or not, that's a lot of bodies for a rookie to leapfrog on the depth chart.

Aside from Spencer and the two 7th round picks, the defense more or less fell into place. I know there are some folks who are disappointed to see Diyral Briggs get waived. The 49ers do have an extra spot on the practice squad and I (along with Barrows and others I'm sure) fully expect Briggs to end up there if he clears waivers. If this posts after the Briggs issue is resolved and I have not updated this post, I'll get to it.

At this point, we head into the season with the defense more or less as we expected...except for the whole Shawntae Spencer resolution. Just reading that still blows my mind. I honestly figured his starting days were absolutely done. I certainly don't mean that as a sign of disrespect for Spencer. However, he's coming off a torn ACL and has always struggled to stay healthy. Is there a reason to expect him to make it through the season healthy as a starter?

Poll

How many games will Shawntae Spencer start as CB #2 in 2009?

0-2

86 votes

3-5

187 votes

6-8

124 votes

9-11

77 votes

12-14

45 votes

15-16

73 votes

592 votes | Poll has closed