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Skins vs 49ers, the good, the bad, the ugly...


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So, the good.

 

Turnovers, wow, 3 turnovers from the defense?! Without checking the stats, a season high?

 

Morris...again, not checking stats, but a season high? Some great runs. I love Morris, and it's been a bit of a grim season for him, so it was great to see him have some good runs. The man is a beast. San Fran, you can keep your Frank Gore, we have Morris! :)

 

The play action crossing plays. We had two, our only big passing successes. Great. Just...we needed about 10 more of those.

 

Punting, for once the other team almost had worse starting field position than we did?! For once we had high punts with guys there ready to down the ball, rather than punts bouncing into the end zone. Great job...

 

Defense in general looked better, more like the defense that showed up vs Dallas. Arguably the defense wasn't great in general, but the forced turnovers made up for yards conceded. And arguably the defense was great, considering we had no Amerson & lost Porter in the game.

 

Ducre...way to go little fella. Welcome to the team, even if only for a day. Loved SF picking on him only to have him pick the ball on his second play being targeted...nice stat...

 

The bad...

 

Special teams penalties. Facepalm. Seriously guys?

 

The passing game. 106 passing yards from RG3 vs 256 from Kaepernick. That's the game right there. I don't have the stats, but if you take away the two big gaining play action plays, we probably had about 40 yards on 17 attempts...

 

2 receptions for Jackson, 3 for Garcon? Oy vey. Noticeably Jackson had better avg yards per play than Boldin, but Boldin had 9 receptions, and 137 yards compared to Jacksons 39.

 

Given the success of the running game, you'd expect the passing game to open up, and given Jackson had almost double coverage, with LB's watching Morris, there should have been guys open.

 

In general...

 

RG3 in the pocket. So...this isn't your usual RG3 bash, but I was watching & wondering, is he trying to be the pocket passer everyone said he couldn't be? There were some occasions where he felt the pressure, danced around a bit, before going down. In the past (2012), I think that he would have set off down-field for some of those. When he dances around he looks lost. I just wonder, is he trying to be the pocket passer, and that's breaking his instincts, meaning he looks lost? Maybe we should let him be RG3? I mean, at this stage, if he kills himself trying, what's he got to lose...he's almost written off already?

 

The O-Line. I haven't watched the game a second time, but at first watch, it seemed better overall?

 

It was a surprising result. I have mixed feelings. I wanted a win, because that's what I want to see, but I personally think after the Vikings & Buccs games, today was irrelevant, the playoffs are out of reach, so perhaps a loss & better draft picks is better?

 

A small thing, nice sportsmanship from Ryan Clark shaking hands with Boldin after the big hit from Clark. It was a dumb penalty, but I think Clark was trying to hit the ball out, and stop a big completion. If he gets it right & stops the completion, it's a big play....but he didn't.

 

A good overall performance, just ruined by an inability to have consistent drives & pass the ball. With three turnovers, the game should have been ours, and it was ours for the taking...

 

Final result...coulda, shoulda, woulda...

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The good- at times are young corners are improving, our tackling in general seemed pretty good as well with Robinson continuing to impress.

 

The bad- our playcalling is a headscratcher, the routes our WR's are using seem to leave them draped.

 

Our O-Line is allowing pressure with 3 and 4 rushers allowing the pass coverage to drop 6-8 and thus making the window very small.

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The good

 

Massive credit to the defensive coaching staff for adjusting to the MASH unit that is our secondary. At one point yesterday we had no Hall, Amerson, Breeland (only one snap but it counts), Biggers or Porter. Thats ALL 5 corners who started the year on the roster hurt. Amazing job masking that by the coaches and good job by the front 7 as well.

 

Keenan Robinson is a star waiting to happen. He gets better every week. 

 

Murphy is playing better each week as well - even with the injury he had a good game yesterday. He's not going to be a 10 plus sacks a year guy but he is going to be a very solid starter IMO. Heck he already is that so maybe his ceiling is higher ...

 

Tres Way. We have found the best punter we have had since Steve Cox. So theres that.

 

The bad

 

O-Line. Two of the sacks were on Rob the rest are on the line. I can forgive Moses getting beat a couple of times by Aldon Smith (how about giving his some help there Jay?) but Lich and Chester gave up sacks that were either blown protections or inexcusable errors on their part. We talk about Robs lack of pocket awareness (with reason) but you have to have a pocket to be aware in!

 

RGII. Better than last week (a very low bar) but still not good. Even given the the O-line issues he has to get the ball out faster and the clock in his head is just too slow right now. He WAS better though ...

 

Play calling and design. Only one bubble screen to Jackson and one to Garcon all game. With the issues RGIII is having and the oline we should be throwing 5 or 6 of those each week. Give some quicker throws to get the ball out of his hands, use more play action and movement off that on 1st downs - make the game a bit easier for RGIII. Lets not have him sat in the pocket waiting for 12-15 yard routes to break open, the balls not coming out and its going to be a sack!

 

Related to the above we have a rookie LT starting against a pro bowl OLB. How about we give him some help in key situations. Have a TE line up next to him, have the back chip. Its not Trent out there and you cant slide protections away from him.

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The Good - The Defense 

The Bad - The Defense being good

The Ugly - The thought of Haz returning next year

 

Keenan Robinson is a star waiting to happen. He gets better every week.

 

Murphy is playing better each week as well - even with the injury he had a good game yesterday. He's not going to be a 10 plus sacks a year guy but he is going to be a very solid starter IMO. Heck he already is that so maybe his ceiling is higher ...

 

I don't think this can be said enough. Keenan is the real deal.

 

Also, I am not so sure Murphy won't be a 10 sack guy. At least flirting with 10 sacks a year. 2 sacks in 4 starts as a rookie. That is a good pace. He is going to be a good player. 

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Our O-Line is allowing pressure with 3 and 4 rushers allowing the pass coverage to drop 6-8 and thus making the window very small.

 

Totally agree. Bob needs to play much better, but the 'protection' is as glaring an issue as his errant QB play. I would really like to see Long get a shot before the season ends.

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Totally agree. Bob needs to play much better, but the 'protection' is as glaring an issue as his errant QB play. I would really like to see Long get a shot before the season ends.

Well, I'm no longer discussing "Bob". Everyone has stated their opinion and it's fortunately not a decision made by the pros here on ES (myself included).

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Well, I'm no longer discussing "Bob". Everyone has stated their opinion and it's fortunately not a decision made by the pros here on ES (myself included).

 

Understood. But, we should all hope the QB situation improves for the team's sake - should go without saying of course. We have too much invested and I don't want the position to be the focal point in the offseason. I want the focus to be on both lines.

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The offensive line was better? In what regard - I still saw them being awfully obliging to the opposing rushers, making stupid drive killing penalties and jumping offside - is that an improvement? More penalties, less time from snap to sack? . I think what is telling is teams are not keying so much on the running game but the QB with No. 10 in there rather than before. Teams seem quite satisfied with giving up yards on the ground to take away Robert.

 

I noticed on the commentary through the game how Gannon was really coming into the game with the idea no.10 holds on to the ball too long but on some of those sacks, a wet paper bag thrown generally in the general direction of the oncoming pass rush would be more effective than Moses or Compton. But I don't really blame them.

 

And what was the killer was Gruden did nothing to help . Nothing. I know Helu is not much of a blocker but he could get in the way but he seems to avoid contact. Morris is equally bad. I also have a problem with Morris on the PA. Once he has passed the line of scrimmage time and time again I have seen him run right past on coming blitzers from the second level. Okay there is selling the run but if the blizers are not coming at you it means they are not buying, even a chip could help. The pass protection schemes seem to be on a par with the ol ball coach... Steve Spurrier..

 

We are not helped by the fact that Young offers little in pass protect, because he seems only ever to be there on run or as a passing target... Paul Paulsen and Reed really offer nothing in terms of pass protection - all of them are quite slight and in the secondary on running plays they are adequate, in line blocking from all of them is poor to none existent.

 

I am not looking for a superstar here I am looking for someone who play after play can be that blocking TE (ala Alexander) another tackle or someone who can help out. (hell put Polumbus out there as designated TE).

 

Yes Robert holds the ball too long and he may make the wrong drop here and there but his confidence in the protection is not going to get any better by putting a rookie 3rd round pick in the game opposite a late round pick with a couple of games experience (was Compton drafted?) against all pro pass rushers with no help.

 

I am sure Jay Gruden will oblige the wolves and tell us how bad his QB was and all that but there are other glaring problems and much of that comes from the game planning and play calling...

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The bad is that we may need to spend that pick on a QB again.

 

God I hope not. There is not a QB in this draft worth a top 10 pick IMO let alone a top 5 pick we are looking like having. Even if Rob blows up and we have to make a move I'd look for a veteran free agent like say Sam Bradford rather than waste a pick on a QB in this years draft and probably next years as well.

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I would look to grab a number two quarterback off another team's roster.  For example if the Eagles decide to get rid of Nick Foles is just one example.   I would rebuild the offensive line and improve the safeties.  I would move D-Hall to safety and then draft another safety.

I would let Brian Orakpo go.   I would draft two linebackers if I could.  The Bad in this game was not getting the ball more to our receivers even if you have to throw Hail Mary's at least 4 times during the game- on the first play from scrimmage, on one of the last plays at half time, one at end of third quarter and then once during fourth quarter.  You can save some cap money by letting go some of the defensive line players who are not producing now.   Keep Trent Murphy and Kerrigan as they will become better next year.

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Good

 

-Alfred Morris and the focus on the running game. I can't recall a game where Jay called this many back to back runs, he stuck with the run and was rewarded.

 

-Young guys that showed well in their first outings: Ducre, Phillip Thomas

 

Bad

 

-Passing game from the pass protection/pass protection schemes, to the play calling, to the QB and yes the WRs who often couldn't win quickly against press

 

Ugly

 

-Game day media stories. Jay running his mouth non-stop during the week.

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Pierre Garcon would disagree with you on this statement. 

 

Yup. There have been more open receivers left unattended this year than I can handle---an ungodly amount---even with that ****ty o line, and mainly it's because we have great receivers. Duh. Can our vast think tank maybe allow the following seeds to take more root?

 

How about the o-line stinks and Robert is also stinking it up? Yup. How about each has had serious weaknesses that (where the personnel is the same or equivalent) that 2012 doesn't offset? That was sort of a fluke season and I said it a lot then. WE made it to 10 wins in a mediocre division at the last minute of the last game that could easily have gone the other way, and while our offense and QB were brand new to defenses and before the QB's second serious injury. It was a good season---but not great. Robert was great (healthy). Almo was great. The run blocking was great. Garcon was great. The season was good. The team was a little above average overall.

 

 

Each aspect of the situation being as it is needs to stop being used as "excuse wagons" for one agenda or another. Everyone so infected should quit lying to yourself about your objective analysis. 

 

But one thing to be pleased about as we think of how this team might win again, is that we have regularly had open receivers in every game on a notable number of plays. Every pro and non-agenda-driven amateur I know has seen that, and it's one of the biggest issues the play-callers and the receivers have with Robert.

 

As bad as the line is, Robert has missed too many opportunities that were right there on film where it shows he could have made a throw (time was there) and that's the type of play the team needs from it's mega-star franchise QB. This is not even counting how you'd expect a solid QB (let alone one we thought held the promise of Robert) to also make pressured and hurried throws from a collapsing pocket that do connect with more frequency, as well as elude and make a good throw, too (not just tuck and run or go down alla time).

 

 

It's not "all his fault." But he has much fault in the matter and he is in a singular (as in not a unit like the line) key position. 

 

Jay has said that Robert is still starting next week. Many think Robert did a little better yesterday (which is trying to put on a positive on a putrid situation) and I agree. And the line WAS awful in pass pro. It seems like a long shot, but the door may still be open for Robert to make it in DC.

 

Meanwhile, there's the rookie HC, a lack of top-tier assistant coaches, the Eternal Haslett Quandary, our still-screwed up secondary, big needs on both lines, our Special Forces, our owner, etc. Those are all additional problems.

 

In our context here on this team at this time, they do not serve intelligently as "excuses" to help advance someone's "message board arguing" agenda. Yes, they all impact each other to varying degree, but they do not serve well as "excuses" for other serious and repeated flaws in the manner so many attempt in their posts. 

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The Good - The Defense 

The Bad - The Defense being good

The Ugly - The thought of Haz returning next year

 

 

I don't think this can be said enough. The announcers yesterday talking about how great Haz is and how good he is at calling games was close to making me throw something at my TV. It was almost like they had an agenda to try to keep him here.

 

Our D has been awful since he has been here but they will play just well enough for the rest of the year for him to keep his job. For the life of me I just don't understand. IF Grudens friendship to Haz is more important to him than actually getting the team better then maybe he wasn't the correct hire. Haz being here will be a big part of Gruden being fired eventually.

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I don't think this can be said enough. The announcers yesterday talking about how great Haz is and how good he is at calling games was close to making me throw something at my TV. It was almost like they had an agenda to try to keep him here.

Our D has been awful since he has been here but they will play just well enough for the rest of the year for him to keep his job. For the life of me I just don't understand. IF Grudens friendship to Haz is more important to him than actually getting the team better then maybe he wasn't the correct hire. Haz being here will be a big part of Gruden being fired eventually.

What makes it hard is that if Gruden is only looking at this year, I'm not sure The D has played so poorly that it warrants firing Haz. He could be thinking, "man we lost Orakpo (perceived pro bowl caliber player) and Hall, and Coefields been out...really the defense wasn't that bad under those circumstances"...though we know it's just another year of the same with Haz. Hell this may end up being his best defense since he's been here when it's all said and done. And that my friends is a sad, sad thing.

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Was I really the only one who heard them say during the game that the Redskins are 0 for 31 on 3rd and 10+ lately? (and we missed that one to make it 0 for 32)  Was that really a real stat? How is that even possible?

 

If there is an ugly, that is the ugly right there.

 

Our defense seems to give away 3rd and long time after time week after week. When we have a team at 3rd and 2 or 3 I don't even worry much, 3rd and 12 and we are toast right?

Could this be why RG3 looks legit in "practice" as well?

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Good - Almo and the defense (partially).  Glad to see Morris juking and breaking tackles again.  He simply looked like his old self yesterday and it was nice to see.  On defense, I was impressed with KRob, Murphy, Kerrigan, and the depth stepping up for the secondary. 

 

Bad - RG3, the OL, and the defense (partially).  The OL sucked; but so do many decent O-Lines against the Smiths. And I think enough has been said about RG3, so I won't go there.....but with as well as the D played for a good portion of the game, it shouldn't have been as close as it was.  The 49ers left a lot of plays on the field.  WRs were routinely wide open; except Kaep would either make a poor throw, or the receiver dropped it.

Ugly - Injuries......can't remember the last time I saw so many players go down, all on the same unit (secondary).

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