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Post by hornet on Sept 4, 2007 8:49:41 GMT
Skip Threats sounds like a button from a Final Fantasy game. So :thumb: for that.
And good job by Wilczewski leapfrogging over Wielechowski. Your beat writers must fecking hate you. "It was as if... a million spellcheckers cried out in terror. Then were suddenly silenced."
KUTWCOW! :thumb:
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Post by coffers on Sept 4, 2007 9:21:05 GMT
What Horn said.
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Post by Narcizo on Sept 4, 2007 10:03:56 GMT
San Francisco 49ers
Name, current year in league, where drafted, scouted current/potential rating (my estimated potential), how acquired. In 2007 scouting is a bit slipshod. There's a lot of masking that goes on with players and so I've added my expected potential after the players who I think have the potential to be better than my scouts believe).
Quarterbacks We’re all about the Alan here. I’m hoping to get 10+ years top quarterbacking out of Alan. He is the basis of our franchise. And is going to be asking for money to match that in the near future.
*Al “Alan” An, 3, 1.3, 72/75 (80+), drafted 2011 The bright new hope for the 49ers for who we traded our best receiver, running back and some other players. Luckily he’s fulfilling his predicted potential in spades. He’s currently the 10th best quarterback in the league but should be among the top five by the end of the year. He’s a bit of an all-round guy but has the best pocket presence in the league. Coming off a solid starting year last year where we just missed the play-offs with a 9-7 record and he got a rating of 87.4. Hopefully we will improve on both of those.
Kyle Boller, 12, 1.19, 50/50, trade 2013 Boller’s been pinging around the league not really starting for anyone (except in 2009 for the Jets where he passed for over 4,000 yards. Teehee). Basically brought in because he’s a pretty good fit for our offence to cover for Alan for a couple of weeks, if he gets injured. If Alan’s injured for longer then we’re shagged. He’ll be around for a couple of years and then retire.
Tim Rattay, 14, 7.6, 46/46, FA 2013 Brought in to mentor Alan for a year he’s a resounding 3rd in our depth chart as he’s a terrible fit for our offence. It seems that he can only pass screen passes. Which is great. Except we never, ever, ever use screen passes. Ever. We’re like Madden 2004. Except with the odd sweep.
Running Backs Has never been a priority after my first season in charge. On paper we have the worst running back starter in the league. Lucky we don’t play on paper etc etc.
*Skip Threats, R, 2.6, 32/33 (40), drafted 2013 Let’s face it. I’m being stubborn here. I pretty much autopicked him because he had a big draft board rating, even though my scout thought he was pants. My scout still thinks he’s pants and I’m coming around to his way of thinking. My thinking is that his rating is shagged by a low endurance so he won’t run much but when he does he’ll be alright. He also potentially is great a picking up blitzes which is great as we like to go deep a bit.
Lorenzo Crane, 2, undrafted, 37/40, FA 2012 The first of a few players we've picked up as undrafted rookies he’s got spiffy hole recognition, decent speed around the corner and that’s about it. All of which make him a solid number two. He has even less endurance than Threats so shall never start. Picked up 730 yards last year at 4.24 yards a pop and infuriated fantasy owners of our starting running back by stealing 9 touchdowns as well.
Kennedy Hanes, 9, 3.3, 34/34, drafted 2005 After years as second back behind Barlow and then Pedigo came into his own in 2011 topping 1,000 yards in his first year as a starter. The years have taken their toll on him though and he’s only kept around as a mentor now. He’s still elusive and got good speed so he may come in as 2nd back should someone else turn out to be pants.
Rick Thweat, R, undrafted, 40/41 (45), FA 2013 Another undrafted rookie who my scout thinks should start. However his rating originates from him being the only running back with good endurance. He actually looks like a great third down back and may get a spot in our 46 starters as such.
Full Backs Amusingly people have used 1st round picks on “stud” fullbacks in the past. Fullbacks are a complete waste of time in 2007 so I laugh at them.
*Dean Lutey, 3, 3.32, 41/45, drafted 2011 I drafted him looking to convert him to running back as he has great looking running skills. However it turned out he would be pants as a running back so I’ve kept him as a pass blocking specialist full back. Fullbacks can’t run in 2007 so that’s his sole purpose.
Tom Gaffney, 5, undrafted, 37/48, FA 2011 Gaffney is a bit more balanced than Lutey but is primarily in as a lead blocker on short yardage situations. Being an all-rounder he can fill in if Lutey is injured as well.
Tight Ends Can’t block. Can’t catch. They’re fullbacks with delusions of grandeur.
*Antonio Cato, 6, 2.3, 72/72, drafted 2008 Cato is probably the best receiving tight end in the league. (My scouts think). He had a break-out year in 2010 when he notched up 864 yards and 9 touchdowns to get all-pro honours, but he’s un-broken out again after that. Last year was solid though (569y, 6 TDs) and I expect him to improve as we won’t be going quite as deep this year. He’s a clutch tight end and I’m looking for him to help out more in 3rd and middling situations.
Ricky Glaspie, R, 3.22, 38/46 (60+), drafted 2013 Glaspie was a combine warrior who scouts don’t think much of. In 2007 terms this means he’s going to be very good if he gets to play. Unlucky for him that he’s behind one of the best tight ends in the league then. He’ll get some time as a blocker on running plays as he’s ridiculously strong and should be able to man-handle any linebacker (and a lot of defensive ends) who gets in his way.
Mitch Wolf, R, undrafted, 24/34 (40), FA 2013 Mainly taken because he’s alreet at run blocking and has an “exceptional affinity” with our receiving team leader, the poof. Still if it keeps everyone happy. Decent combine showing suggests he’s got a bit more potential than my scout warrants him with. Not that it matters.
Wide Receivers Was once the shining jewel in the crown of our 2010 Championship team but I’ve frittered it away by trading to try and bolster other areas.
*Wesley Stone, 7, 3.12, 58/58, drafted 2007 You know what you’re getting with Stone. To whit, 15-16 yards a completion, just over 9 yards per targeted pass and 6-9 touchdowns a year. How big an impact he has in the year is dependent on how injured he is. He’s very good at everything but not top of the range in anything. Avoid injuries though and he’s a 1,000+ yard receiver and set to top all the franchise receiving stats this year (replacing Rashaun Woods, who was traded to the Seagulls to land Alan in the draft).
*Broderick Lowrey, 5, 2.19, 55/55, drafted 2009 Lowrey is supposed to be the deep threat on the team as he has blistering speed. In fact he’s much more than that and is probably one of the most under-rated receivers in the league. He’s only been a regular starter for 2 years but has picked up 2,500 yards and 19 touchdowns in those two years, getting all-pro honours in 2011. He’s the only regular starter in the league to average over 10 yards for each pass thrown in his direction.
Derrick Hamilton, 10, 3.14, 49/49, drafted 2004 Hamilton has been kicking around the team as 3rd or 4th receiver since day one of the NAFL (which started in 2004). Over the last couple of years he’s actually experienced an upswing as he’s topped 500 yards for the first time. Having traded away our 3rd receiver in the off-season he’ll have more trust placed in him this year. He’s also the receiving team leader and our punt returner. And, quite frankly, I’m dreading the day he retires taken his elaborate network of affinities with him.
JT Wielechowski, 2, 1.28, 48/49, drafted 2012 Officially the worst use of a first round pick by me ever. He’s supposed to be a great clutch receiver for us but, unfortunately, it seems Mother Nature decided to grease his hands with butter. After only one year with the team he’s already rated 6th in franchise history for number of drops committed. If he can manage to keep hold of his place he should top the list in a year or so.
Fernando Wilczewski, R, 4.21, 28/36 (45+), drafted 2013 I’m a great believer in combine warriors and here’s another one. The second W-ski is very quick and (my scout believes) not very good at anything else and had a great combine showing. This normally means that the receiver in question will be very good at everything else as well (if they get enough playing time). Unlike his almost namesake he’s projected to have some of the softest hands in the league.
Melvin Atkins, 5, 4.1, 28/28, FA 2013 Emergency coverage for the injured Lowrey he is also a pretty good kick returner which means he gets in the starting roster for the time being. He decent at slipping tackles which might, or might not, come in useful.
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Post by Narcizo on Sept 4, 2007 10:32:50 GMT
Offensive line Offensive but not a line.
*C Willie Ferguson, 4, 3.30, 72/72, drafted 2010 Ferguson is very strong. Perhaps not Hulk strong but somewhere in the Thing region. He’s supposed to be average at pass blocking but after a hectic first year as starter in 2011 (10 sacks conceded) he seems to have calmed down a bit on that score.
C Cory Withrow, 15, undrafted, 28/28, FA 2011 Only kept on the (inactive) roster because getting rid of him would upset half of the line. If he ever gets to wear a uniform again then we’re in ter-rubble.
*G Justin Smiley, 10, 2.14, 52/52, drafted 2004 Default starter for us but, to quote the wildly under-exposed Leicester band Crazyhead time has taken it’s toll on him/you. He’s always been a bit of a liability on passing plays but luckily played across from Heitmann who was even more of a liability so it didn’t show up as much.
*G Harry Whetstone, 3, 4.32, 44/44, drafted 2011 Average except he’s a bit weak. Was surprisingly successful last year when he started in 12 game and only allowed 2 sacks and was fairly impressive in the running game as well. It can’t last though.
G Alfred Conover, 2, 4.29, 42/45, drafted 2012 Potentially better than Whetstone but except he can’t stay on the field for as long. Have no real data so suggest how good he will actually be on the field.
G Shawn Sherman, R, 2.18, 38/69, drafted 2013 Breaking with recent tradition I used a second round pick on Sherman rather than a late 4th. He didn’t turn up to combines which is probably why he dropped to 2.18, as his ability warrants an early 2nd round pick. He’s another who won’t be on the field all game and his strength is only above average but my scout informs me that he has the potential to be a very gifted technical blocker. So there. He won’t start this year but we’ll try to get him a lot of field time
*LT JB Mejia, 5, 2.14, 55/55, drafted 2009 Strong and hardy with pretty good pass-blocking skillz he’s pretty much as good as you’re going to get at left tackle without bending over and holding your cheeks apart for the agent.
LT Daryl Shelton, 7, 6.2, 47/47, drafted 2007 Shelton is a perpetual back-up who will remain so until he gets too pissed off about it and refuses to sign a new contract. Or retires. Still pretty good ratings for a back-up if I do say so myself.
*RT Lorenzo McGee, 8, 1.1, 86/86, drafted 2006 McGee is the best tackle in the league. Despite playing in a vertical passing team he hasn’t allowed more than 2 sacks since 2008 and he’s a key contributor to the running game as well. Despite this he never gets any awards because he doesn’t get enough key run blocks. I don’t care. I loves him.
RT, George Holm, 2, undrafted, 29/33 (40), FA 2012 My scout hates him while I see a glimmer of potential. He’ll never start (I hope) but Should be a solid reserve.
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Post by Narcizo on Sept 5, 2007 7:55:27 GMT
Defensive Ends
*Buddy Morton, 6, 6.3, 48/48, drafted 2008 Morton is probably the most under-rated player in the league. He lives for one thing and that’s getting to the quarterback. He’s been developing a long time but has come into his own in the last two years. He really showed what he could do last year when he topped the league with a pass rush percentage close to 11% (sacks, hurries and blocks), 1% better than his nearest competition. Of course, the awards committee hate the 49ers so he was only selected as 2nd team all-pro. Bostords! He’s not the greatest run defender in the world but I can live with that as long as he continues to scare the bejesus out of quarterbacks.
*Dwight Freeney, 13, 1.11, 64/64, FA 2011 Behold! It is the anti-Morton. Despite still being nominally one of the studs on our defence Freeney is actually nothing of the sort. He gobbles up about 6% of our cap space and is off either injured or making me wish he was injured. Still I retain a touching faith that he will come good at some stage before his retirement so I keep starting him. The last time he was any good was (virtual) 2006. Which is quite a long time ago, really.
Lawrence Craig, 4, 6.29, 48/48, drafted 2010 He may have the same scouted overall rating as Morton but unfortunately that comes from endurance and run-stopping and play diagnostics and silly things like that, making him better suited to be a linebacker or something. With a bit of trimming down he could probably play as a linebacker as well as long as we wanted to give our opponents a free hand to pass to their tight end/running back all day long. As it is he’ll probably replace Freeney when he finally decides to call it quits.
Leonard Gardener, 2, 3.28, 29/47, drafted 2012 Gardener is more in the Morton mould except he’s predicted to be a bit more well-rounded (ie won’t be as good). His rookie year has to be viewed as something of a success though as he had two games in which he registered two sacks. Hopefully he won’t be starting any games in the near future and there’s a chance he might be a bit injury prone although we’ll have to wait a couple more years before deciding that, yes, he is.
Defensive Tackles
*Isaac Sopoaga, 10, 4.8, 57/57, drafted 2004 The last of the three players who were on the team at the start NAFL (the others were Smiley and Hamilton, all rookies back in 2004). Sopoaga is surprisingly nifty for a man-mountain. And also surprisingly weak. He’s always been our starter but injuries mean that he has only played 116 games for us. Last year was something of a career high for him as he made 8 sacks and his tackle percentage topped 10% for only the second time. Just like Hamilton (and Ed Reed last year) he’s decided to come good just before he decides to retire. Cheers.
*Leo Sheldon, 5, 3.25, 55/58, drafted 2009 Sheldon is nominally our starter but that’s only when we’re not in a nickle or dime formation as he’s absolutely hopeless at pressuring the quarterback. Thick as two very thick planks Sheldon is a classic lane clogger. Plonk him down where you expect the running back to go and you ensure that mr tricksy pants won’t be going anywhere on that down.
CJ Cofield, 2, 2.29, 50/50, drafted 2012 Cofield is the sort of all-round type guy who I’m not really keen on. He’ll probably replace Sopoaga when the Hawiain retires but for now he’s our nickle tackle. He had an acceptable rookie year and is set to improve on that this year (and hopefully the next) before starting.
Roy Magana, R, 6.19, 26/34 (45), drafted 2013 Magana is all set for a shortish career acting as roster filler as befits his place in the draft. I believe that his combines suggests that he has some upside but an endurance of 0 means that he’s never going to be a starter. Or even much of a back-up.
Middle Linebackers
Adrian Kolker, 9, 1.12, 61/61, drafted 2005 Kolker is like a little terminator. You wind him up, put him down and wait for him to hit the ball carrier. Hard. That’s pretty much all he can do. My scouts inform me that he is one of the best run defenders in the league. However this turns out not to be the case on the field as it’s a long time since he managed 100 tackles in a season. Of course having gypy knees doesn’t help the matter as you can expect him to miss 2-4 weeks a year.
Chester Evans, 5, 4.4, 46/46, drafted 2009 Evans is a famous first round bust who we picked up after he re-entered the draft. He’s great for bump and run defences and is a good pass rusher. Which makes him an ideal fit for a team that doesn’t use BnR unless it has to and frowns quizzically at the outlandish concept that is the “blitz”.
Outside Linebackers
Roderick Green, 10, 5.21, 59/59, traded 2009 We traded for Green following an all-pro year, and despite being a consistent and decent performer for us he’d never really managed to reach the heights of his years in Baltimore. Until last year when he had over 150 combined tackles. However that’s the end of the good news as, despite being nominally a good coverage linebacker, he was absolutely hopeless against the pass last year while his pass rush strength went, cough, underused in our non-blitz set up. Is soon destined for the glue factory when he will leave a big hole that we’ll have trouble filling.
Lincoln Reid, 5, 1.29, 41/56 (50), FA 2013 Reid is new to the team as I used up a substantial amount of our cap to grab him in an offseason that was unusually slim for free agent pickings. Reid never really got a clear shot at the starter’s jop in Miami but he will start on our weak side this year and probably switch to the strong side once Green retires, unless we find a better option in the draft. Reid is one of the better coverage linebackers out there and is decent against the run as well. He’s been a very slow developer and I don’t think he’ll get past 50 but we’re not exactly stacked with options on the team.
Troy Anthony, 3, 7.32, 36/36, drafted 2011 Anthony is decent against the run and in a zone defence and he’s got a good head for the game. Apart from that he’s really not very good at all. All of which means that we’re in trouble if Green or Reid go down.
Kenny Wilke, R, undrafted, 26/34, FA 2013 Roster filler who provides an exceptional affinity with team leader Green. That is all. Another strong guy which equates to good BnR and pass rush strength which, in turn, equates to him not being a fat lot of use to us.
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Post by elth on Sept 5, 2007 8:07:54 GMT
You're pretty good at signing players who don't fit your schemes, aren't you Nark?
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Post by Narcizo on Sept 5, 2007 11:41:47 GMT
Yup. The thing I haven't said is that the don't fit my scheme less than any of the other available options.
Of course, some doubters and haters might suggest that I should change my schemes instead. But to them I say "tish". Dunno why really.
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Post by Narcizo on Sept 5, 2007 14:01:48 GMT
Cornerbacks
*Brett Parrish, 8, 6.6, 56/56, drafted 2006 Despite having 8 years of experience Parrish is actually the third oldest on the team, older than 13-year vet Dwight Freeney. So he clearly farted around Europe for a couple of years before starting college, was red-shirted there and re-entered the draft or something. Anyway, a low round boomer Parrish has been the mainstay of our cornerback team ever since the career crippling injury to Cris McAlister. He’s never been a great one for interceptions but he has been one of the best at keeping his receiver from getting the ball. He’s starting to decline with age now. Somewhat unsurprisingly.
*Glenn Strayhorn, 9, 3.10, 52/52, drafted 2005 Strayhorn spent his first 3 or 4 years as dime and nickleback before nearly being cut following a disastrous 2008 season only to stake a claim as starter since 2011. He’s been solid ever since, he makes some picks, stops some passes and generally performs at an acceptable level for a NAFL starting cornerback. However with 9 years of experience (for all the fact that he’s 2 years younger than Parrish) we can’t expect him to hang around for much longer.
Jeremy LeSueur, 10, 3.22, 46/46, FA 2013 Desperate for a decent nickleback we threw stud cornerback amounts of money at LeSueur in free agency and got his signature. With very good man to man and zone skills he ought to fit our scheme well (nur elthy). Of course he has to fit into the team as nickleback after spending his entire career as starter with another team but surely that’s not going to be an issue.
Britt Stanton, 3, 4.12, 32/38, drafted 2011 Stanton ought to be an ideal nickle or dime back with great coverage skills, a good eye for the pick. Alas it hasn’t been as he’s been a big pile of poo so far for us. As compensation he’s our starting kick returner and that probably ensures a place on the team until we get a better one.
Frank Bailey, 2, undrafted, 31/36, FA 2012 He’s like Stanton except without the kick returning skillz.
Safety
*Shane Calmus, 7, 1.12, 81/81, drafted 2007 With a reputation as a ball hawk Calmus has never really matched expectations of him while he’s been playing as free safety. However with Ed Reed’s shock retirement he is expected to move to strong safety and repeat Reed’s all-pro hi-jinks in that position. His main failing is that a low endurance means he can’t stay on the field all game. When he is on the field he should make his presence felt though.
Anthony Harmon, 2, undrafted, 36/36 (40), FA 2012 Harmon is a one trick pony. He’s fantastic at zone defence, at reading plays and good at making interceptions. As far as I’m concerned that ought to mean that he’s an ideal free safety. He was very good in 4 starts last year and will get the chance to prove himself all year round this time round.
Burt Wynn, 2, undrafted, 28/40, FA 2012 Wynn has the reputation as a ballhawk and he displays decent coverage skills. He’s hopeless at reading plays though, so lucky we won’t be asking him to try and blitz or anything like that. If we had a decent starter free safety then his lack of ability would be a worry but it’s not that far up to Harmon’s level so that’s alright.
Tito Mayes, R, 5.20, 17/33 (40), drafted 2013 A year sitting on the bench (hopefully) awaits before tradition is followed and he’s booted for an undrafted rookie who takes my fancy next year.
Kicker Karl Schulz, 8, 2.28, 57/57, drafted 2006 A typical middle of the pack kicker. He makes about 75-80% of his kicks and takes a decent kick off. Not worth a 2.28 but I didn’t draft him.
Punter, Rodney Bynum, 7, 4.12, 55/55, drafted 2007 Bynum is a slightly below par punter but general inertia and the fact that he doesn’t suck that much means he stays on finding the end zone with a bit too much frequency for my liking.
So there you go. If you compare our starters to the rest of the league Quarterback – 10th (reserves: 1st) Running backs – 32nd (reserves: 15th) Full backs – 16th (reserves: 3rd) Tight ends – 2nd (reserves: 8th) Receivers – 12th (reserves: 8th) Centres – 6th Guards – 24th (reserves: 5th) Tackles – 3rd (reserves: 5th)
Defensive Ends – 9th (reserves 6th) Defensive Tackles – 9th (reserves 6th) Inside Linebackers – 3rd Outside Linebackers – 14th (reserves 12th) Cornerbacks – 11th (reserves 1st) Safeties – 8th (reserves 18th)
In most positions we’re ranked higher in reserves because I’ve put a lot of emphasis on building up depth. We have no glaring weaknesses (apart from at running back) but no huge strengths either. It’s a system that took us to the Championship in 2010 so I’m hopeful that it’s teh win. However the lack of first round picks is starting to make itself felt as our linebackers and cornerbacks are getting on and there’s not really any adequate replacements for them coming through. We could be in a lot of trouble defensively in a couple of years time.
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Post by elth on Sept 6, 2007 0:43:10 GMT
Tank a season.
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Post by Narcizo on Sept 10, 2007 6:36:27 GMT
Tanking the season doesn't appear to be on the cards. Week 3: @ MinnesotaFinal Score: San Francisco 38, Minnesota 23A near flawless first half offensive performance is the difference as the 49ers record a valuable road win against tough opposition. Offence:You can’t ask for much more than a touchdown from every drive in the first half. The stage was set on the first drive when rookie Skip Threats rushed for 14, 13 and 10 yards combined with a 13 yard pass to Hamilton and the 28-yard scoring strike to Stone. Unfortunately those first three carries accounted for more than half of Threats’ total yardage for the game but the drive gave a confidence boost to the team. The following drives were more like the 49ers of old as Alan converted 3rd and longs several times. An was named MVP but the game will be remembered by 49er fans as the one in which Wesley Stone broke a long standing franchise record of 2 receiving touchdowns in a game. Stone was superb in the game catching 11 of 15 passes for 187 yards and the three scores. Stone has never been particularly associated with his ability to get downfield after the catch but gained 62 yards in this game, including vital yards to convert a 3rd down and find the end zone. Alan had a rating of 122 in the game and passed for 350 yards and was extremely efficient on 3rd downs, converting 7 of 9 attempts. He did have a tendency to force the ball to Stone in double coverage though and on another day could have been punished for it. Hamilton and Cato both provided effective support to Stone. Threats started the game promising to hit 100 yards for the first time in his short career but once again he quickly run out of steam, finishing with 62 yards from 14 carries. So that’s 37 yards from 3 carries on the first drive and 35 from 11 on the remaining ones. He showed why teams were shy of drafting him fumbling the ball twice. 3.42 yards per carry from running plays wasn’t impressive but that was from 31 carries which, if nothing else, ate up the clock. Special mention must go to Lorenzo McGee who recovered 3 fumbles as well as providing 3 key run blocks. Defence:The defence started nearly as effectively as the offence, keeping the vaunted threat of Forbes and Roethlisberger under wraps in the first three drives, allowing the team to pull out 21-0 in the lead. It couldn’t last though. First the secondary allowed a long range strike to tight end Truong and then they surrendured 5-10 yards per carry to Forbes, calling into question their reputation as the best run defence in the league. In their defence the rushed often came against nickle and dime sets as the team was defending the pass and overall they were happy to allow that sort of yardage while running the clock down. As the Vikings started to look to pass the ball more and deeper the interceptions came. Undrafted sophomore Harmon grabbing his first career pick to set up the drive that resulted in the 5th touchdown and ensured victory. Generally the team will be disappointed with only 5 interventions from the pass rush although the secondary had a better day as the long passes started to come with 6 pass defences and 2 interceptions. Minnesota were kept to less than 100 yards rushing, at 4.75 a carry. Not ideal but acceptable under the circumstances. Special Teams:Bynum once again netted over 41 yards on his punts but with Lehan returning the ball the Vikings easily out-gained us on kick returns. Schulz connected with his longest kick this year, a 47-yarder when the pressure was off, so his status remains questionable. Injuries:Hamilton and Cato both suffered minor leg injuries in the game. Neither seemed significantly impeded during the game and will suit up next week again. Lowrey’s status remains questionable and with the potential consequences of a re-injury he will not play in Carolina next week, allowing Stone to hog the ball again. Smiley is reportedly a month off full fitness and remains in rehabilitation. Game Awards ;D ;D ;D Wesley Stone – breaks a franchise record set in 2004. The 7 year vet has really raised his game to cover for the missing Lowrey. 187 yards is joint 9th for the franchise. The receiver has started the year fantastically and fantasy owners must be wishing that Lowrey would stay injured for the rest of the year. ;D ;D Alan – Still hasn’t thrown an interception this year, he was particularly impressive on 3rd downs in this game. He’s quarterback rating of 108.6 this year is second only to the Chargers’ Josh Harris, while his 922 yards are third behind Rivers and Brady. ;D Lorenzo McGee – recovered all 3 fumbles committed, fumbles which could have turned the course of the game. Contributed 3 key run blocks from 5 opportunities. Difficult to pick out anyone in a game like this. Defensive line – 3 hurries and 2 blocks isn’t really good enough against a team that started to go deep, allowing the Vikes to average over 10 yards on their long passes. Roderick Green – allowed 5 passes, including a lot of yardage after the catch. Negligible presence against the run. Skip Threats – decent running but 2 fumbles on only 14 carries is a big worry for the team. Rookie watchSkip Threats. His best rushing display, particularly on the first drive. Things went downhill fast though and he needs to improve his condition and his ball handling. Ricky Glaspie. Had a key run block that saw Lorenzo Crane over the line for the score. Shawn Sherman. No run blocks although he only had a single chance. No sack allowed. Fernando Wilczewski. 3 catches for 29 yards but one dropped pass on the 7 times he was targeted. Box ScoreGame LogNext Week:On the road to Carolina. The Panthers started the year encouragingly but will be smarting from a loss to the Cowboys. At 1-2 they are 2 wins off the Falcons and facing a very tough 6 weeks, playing all the NFC West teams and Atlanta. Statistically we match up very well with them but we have to be careful not to get complacent. Despite our first 3-0 start since 2009 we need to keep winning to keep ahead of the pack in the West as the three other teams are 2-1.
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Post by Narcizo on Sept 17, 2007 11:41:54 GMT
Week 4: @ CarolinaFinal Score: San Francisco 41, Carolina 17The most polished offensive performance in recent San Francisco history eases the 49ers to a 4-0 start. Offence:573 yards tells it’s own story. Not only was the passing unprecedentedly accurate with a francise record 37 completions (from only 43 attempts) but the rushing game was effective as well. The team had 9 drives that weren’t ended prematurely by the end of the half or the game. Only one of those drives didn’t go for at least 40 yards. Alan continued and improved on his recent form to pick up the league player of the week award, his first ever. In high winds and rain the emphasis was placed on short passing and Alan showed his multifaceted ability, completing 24 of 27 passes under 8 yards averaging 7.6 yards an attempt. Ironfist Wielechowski, in what proved to be his swansong, caught 8 of 9 passes for 124 yards and two scores, while Stone showed that he could field short passes as well pulling in a franchise record matching 10 catches from 11 passes for 109 yards. Meanwhile Skip Threats was able to capitalise on a defence that was forced to key on passes by rushing for 93 yards on just 14 carries. Most eye-catching was the team’s 3rd down conversion rate, with 12 out of 16 third downs keeping the chains moving. This allowed the team to eat up the clock to the tune of nigh on 45 minutes. Defence:Offence really was the key to defence in this game as Carolina were never given the chance to get into the game. We were shown to be vulnerable to the odd long pass, again, which allowed the Panthers to put points on the board but overall Ramsey was kept under wraps and a couple of interceptions by Brett Parrish and Chester Evans were the reward for forcing the home side to chase the game. We were responsible for breaking up 6 out of 23 passes while drops and bad throws accounted for another 5. Once again our opponents were able to run the ball fairly well as nickle and dime formations came out to prevent long passes. Most noticeable was a rugged 3rd down defence holding the home side to just one conversion from 9 attempts. Once again this wasn’t a performance dominated by any one player it was more of a team effort. Special Teams:Schulz converted both of his chances but they were pretty much chip shots. Bynum was only called on once and was pretty good. Melvin Atkins picked up 64 yards from 2 kick returns but the arrival of Howard will make him surplas to requirements. Injuries:LeSueur sperated his shoulder and will not be back to full strength for 3 weeks. However the team has been very lucky with injuries so far, and Lowrey will return next week, while Hamilton will be back to full strength. Game Awards ;D ;D ;D Alan – 37 from 43 for 418 yards and 4 touchdowns picked him up a rating close to 140. His 3rd down conversion rate was phenomenal once again, converting 9 out of 11 attempts. ;D ;D JT "Ironfist" Wielechowski – If he had played like this earlier this year (and not dropped five catches in one game) he probably wouldn’t be finding himself moving to Detroit to lead their receivers. 41 yards after the catch helped him over 100 yards for the first time. ;D Skip Threats – if only he could manage more carries in a game he would have been well over 100 rushing yards. He averaged close to 7 yards a carry, and with 28 yards through the air easily went over 100 yards from scrimmage. Not really enough candidates this week. :moop: :moop: :moop: Defensive line – once again, only managed 1 block and 2 hurries against a team that went deep fairly often. :moop: :moop: JB Mejia – 2 sacks allowed is not optimal for your left tackle. :moop: Glen Strayhorn - he's starting to allow passes at a worrying rate while defending very few. 2 more allowed this game. Rookie watchSkip Threats. – his best game to date as he showed that he could make the big runs later in the game (after Lorenzo Crane had worn down the defence with a bunch of carries). Ricky Glaspie. Had his first receiving touchdown (something Cato didn’t manage in his rookie year) from a 9 yard pass from Alan. Also dropped a catch as well though. Shawn Sherman. No run blocks again but no sacks allowed either. . Fernando Wilczewski. Solid again with 3 catches from 3 targets for 41 yards, including a 28-yard catch. Box ScoreGame LogNext Week:On the road to Tampa Bay a team we have had our run ins with before. The Buccs have lost to Arizona and Atlanta this year while beating the Lions and Dolphins so it’s a game we have to expect to win. Particularly as the Cardinals and Seahawks are keeping the pressure up at 3-1.
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Post by Narcizo on Sept 17, 2007 11:49:40 GMT
As alluded to above MP play > real life as a trade goes through fairly deep into regular season. I've sewn up a trade for the 3rd overall pick of the 2009 draft, wide receiver Ronald Howard. Howard was rated 72/72 by scouts when he was at Detroit. However it's fair to say that he's been something of an underachiever. Fair and a bit kind to him as he's sucked donkeys for both the Colts and the Lions. I gave up Ironfist and the picks I gain from Detroit to move down my first round pick in the recent draft (3rd and 2nd). Ironfist was on the way out because The Alan doesn't accept people dropping his passes and ruining his passer rating.
Anyway when Howard appeared on my team it turned out my scouts had misjudged him. They now think he's rated 78/78 with 90s in everything except route running. Unfortunately route running is what is used to determine which receiver a quarterback targets with a pass so having a top rated receiver with poor RR can result in a drain on your cap who doesn't get targetted enough to justify his wages. The 78/78 is probably a load of nonsense anyway, but if it isn't then I have got myself one of the best receivers in the league for a preeeety good price. Anyway Howard will be 3rd receiver and kick returner in the coming game and we'll see how he gets on with some of the pressure taken off him. And with a decent quarterback passing the ball.
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Post by elth on Sept 17, 2007 13:44:01 GMT
Surely if he's got 90s in everything he can run any route he wants and just mug whatever defenders come his way to grab the ball. Or does that only work with Randy Moss?
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Post by Narcizo on Sept 18, 2007 10:17:01 GMT
Yes, that might be the case if FOF was a complicated game. In reality the game engine is really very basic and tries to hide it with smoke screens. Route running = passes targeted with very little interference from anything else and if you're not targeted for a pass then it doesn't matter if you're Jerry Rice's more talented brother. Week 5: @ Tampa BayFinal Score: San Francisco 24, Tampa Bay 10Pin-point passing and solid defence keys a win over the Buccaneers as Alan gets his second player of the week award. Offence:One hurry and one blocked pass were all that stood between Alan and a 100% completion rate. As it is Alan followed up franchise record 37 completions last year with a league record completion rate of over 90% this week. If you want to be critical you could say that the passing was a bit too conservative, as two third down conversions were missed despite completions and without a Lowrey 60-yard sprint the numbers wouldn’t have been quite as impressive. The beneficiary of Alan’s arm this week were Broderick Lowrey who celebrated his return from injury with 5 catches for 107 yards (the bulk of which came in that one play) and a couple of scores. Ronald Howard also enjoyed a solid debut catching 5 passes for 78 yards. It was lucky that the pass was so dominant in the game as Skip Threats experienced his worst game with undrafted rookie Rick Thweat responsible for most of the yardage put up on the ground. Defence:The offence wasn’t as efficient at hogging the clock as last week so the defence had more to do against the Buccs. The front seven locked the Tampa Bay run down, permitting only around 2.5 yards a carry and forcing the home side to look to the arm of Rex Grossman. With 3 sacks and 7 hurries the defensive line had a bit more to say about the game but our starter cornerbacks allowed 12 passes and only defended 1 during a period in which the Buccaneers looked likely to get right back into the game. The home side managed 3 drives of 60 yards and over but only managed to score 10 points from those drives which points towards a decent bend but don’t break quality to the defence. At least Morton got his first sacks since the Titans game and Calmus hauled in another 2 picks at the end of the game to ensure the win and move the safety to 4 interceptions this year, his record for a year. Special Teams:Schultz scored a 34-yard field goal and saw another blocked. Hamilton continued to gain valuable yardage on punt returns while Bynum seems to have settled into his rhythm. Finally Howard returned 2 kicks for 52 yards and provides us with a real threat from kick offs. Injuries:Smiley is now officially questionable but won’t be risked against the Saints. Worries in the 49ers camp now centres on Shane Calmus’ ankle. He sprained it blocking a field goal and will be strapped up against New Orleans. Calmus has been the best player on defence all year and losing him would be a great blow to the entire team. Game Awards Alan – 5 games without an interception is a franchise record. It’s unlikely he can keep up his current form but the team are making the most of it while it lasts. Also recovered 3 fumbles. Broderick Lowrey. Back from injury with a bang as he catches a short pass with the Buccs flooding the box and converts it with raw pace into a touchdown romp. Add another touchdown reception and it was business as usual for the Arizona State speedster. Shane Calmus. His 2 picks came as Tampa Bay were forced to chase the game but they made sure that the 49ers were safe. Also defended a pass leaving him with 4 interceptions, 3 defences and only 3 passes allowed this year. Glen Strayhorn – 7 passes allowed. The Buccs were able to exploit the match up between Lelie and Strayhorn and his form this year is reminiscent of the dark days of 2008. JB Mejia. 2 more sacks allowed this week in what is starting to look like a real problem for the team. Skip Threats. Has fumbled the ball in every game so far this year and managed only 27 yards from 11 carries in this game. Rookie watchSkip Threats. – follows his best game last week with easily his worst this time round. Ricky Glaspie. Another score for the rookie at the start of the game. Glaspie is reportedly already unhappy at the amount of playing time he’s seeing. Shawn Sherman. Registered his first ever key run block and is starting to look comfortable on the line. Fernando Wilczewski. Caught his standard allotment of 3 passes for 26 yards. 1 catch to convert 3rd down but he came up short on another conversion attempt. Rick Thweat. Came in as second running back and came close to rushing for 100 yards in his first real game. One run for 35 yards certainly helped his average for the game and will ensure that he sees action again next week. Box ScoreGame LogNext Week:Back in San Francisco for the next three weeks with New Orleans coming to town to start off the series. Our secondary and pass rush will have to improve if we hope to contain Rivers, otherwise it will be up to the offence to outscore the Saints. Alan will be taking out special insurance for the game.
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Post by Moo on Sept 18, 2007 11:06:31 GMT
Excellent stuff, Narkle; a great read and som e nice alan-ysis :thumb:
Alan for MVP!!!11!!1
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Post by elth on Sept 18, 2007 12:00:26 GMT
He doesn't put up the stats.
Still, he's a winner.
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Post by hornet on Sept 18, 2007 13:04:34 GMT
Your halfback fumbling every game is nature's way of telling you that his backup needs more playing time, Nark.
Still, can't argue with 5-0. KUTSSDW! :thumb:
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Post by Narcizo on Sept 18, 2007 13:49:34 GMT
IT's the games way of telling to never, ever, ever draft a running back. I don't know what it is but it's the one position I consistently fuck up when I'm drafting. I should stick to undrafted rookies (where you can see the rating), free agents and, if need be, trades. I'm horrible at drafting running backs and linebackers. Apart from that I've pretty much got it sussed. Well as sussed as it's possible to.
Anyway the game against the Saints should be fun as we have a bit of rivalry going ever since he screwed up my original quarterback and I try everything in my power to cripple Rivers (rated 90:90) in return. Rivers hasn't passed for less than 300 yards in a game this year so there's ample reason to try and maim him.
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Post by Narcizo on Sept 24, 2007 6:21:22 GMT
Week 6: New OrleansFinal Score: New Orleans 14, San Francisco 30Solid pass offence and questionable play-calling by the Saints’ coaches allow the 49ers to overcome the threat of Phil Rivers. Offence:By recent standards the offence was less effective than usual, with the running game adding little to the team and Alan “only” achieving a quarterback rating of 108. Against a New Orleans side that has one of the worst pass defences in the league this can almost be classified as a disappointment. Alhtough not really. The running game does give cause for concern. Skip Threats was a negligible quantity and while Rick Thweat started out strongly he struggled once the Saints started to anticipate the run. The passing game reached 300 yards and without any interceptions it’s hard to complain about the productivity. It’s just a sign of how effective the passing game has been in recent weeks. Antonio Cato was the primary target in this game, Alan threw 1/3 of all his passes to the tight end accounting for 89 of the passing yards. Meanwhile second tight end, rookie Glaspie made it three games in a row with a touchdown reception, as he provided Alan with his only touchdown pass. The team struggled noticeably with 3rd down conversion compared to recent weeks and had to settle for field goals instead of 7 points at the end of two long drives while a defensive holding penalty was the only thing that kept a touchdown drive alive. Defence:The defence was as solid as ever against the run, limiting the Saints to 43 yards on the ground, although this was aided by the visitor’s abandonment of the run in the second half. Meanwhile it was a tale of two halfs against the pass. In the first half Rivers was as dangerous as expected. However in the second half New Orleans changed tack and looked to Rivers to dig them out of a hole with long passes that just put them deeper and deeper under the ground. With 51 pass attempts the defence had a lot of chances to step up, with 13 hurries and blocks, 2 sacks, 11 pass defences and an interception. All of which meant that the Saints were restricted to 3 first downs during the entire second half and the home side dominate the clock . The pass defence practice will be particularly appreciated by Glenn Strayhorn who defended 3 passes to boast his confidence while the whole of the defensive front got pressure on Rivers and against a less alert quarterback would have been even more dominant. Pick of the crop was Isaac Sopoaga with 1.5 sacks, and a forced fumble from Rivers and 3 hurries. Safety Shane Calmus had a great day as well with 8 tackles and 3 pass defences while free safety caught the game’s only pick to give the home side the chance to get the go ahead score in the dying seconds of the 1st half. Special Teams:After all the bad press Schulz had a great game as his 50 yard field goal let the home side go in with the lead 17-14. The kicker was perfect on the day with 21 and 38 yard scores. Ronald Howard had his first slip in San Fransisco as he fumbled a kick off to set up the Saints 14-7 but an average of 30 yards per return was reminiscent of the hey-days of Harts and Woods. Injuries:The teams good luck with injuries continues as there were no major injuries and the likes of LeSeuer and Cato returned to full fitness. Rookie Shawn Sherman sprained his ankle, is listed as questionable and will miss the game against the Rams and will probably be replaced by the returning Justin Smiley who will see limited action in that game. Game Awards It would be easy to highlight Alan again but due to the defensive effort deserves some recognition. So after being the butt of my ire in recent weeks the defensive line as a team gets the award. Alan. Not the force that he has been in recent weeks but if he can keep up this level then the team is almost certain locks for the play-offs. Any time your quarterback can give you over 9 yards an attempt and no interceptions you’re not going to be doing badly. Shane Calmus. The safety makes his mark again with 8 tackles and 3 pass defences despite playing with a strapped ankle. The safety has an incredible pass defence percentage of over 95. Nickleback Britt Stanton showed that the team should probably be leaving Lincoln Reid in more as he allowed 7 passes. LeSeuer will be back next week so only kick return duties will keep Stanton active. Skip Threats. At least there were no fumbles. But 17 yards from 9 carries is nothing to write home about. Roderick Green. Another 5 passes allowed. Really it’s a bit harsh to blame the linebacker for dump offs but someone has to figure in this award. Rookie watchSkip Threats – Poor showing by the rookie running back. Ricky Glaspie – scoring seems to come naturally to the tight end. He actually caught a none-scoring pass this week though. As he figured in only 4 passing plays that’s pretty good production. Rick Thweat. Followed the path set by Threats at the start of the year as he started strongly but trailed off as the game went on. Box ScoreGame LogNext Week:Second division game as the 49ers host the Rams. With the Seahawks keeping up the pressure a win at home is essential in a divisional game. The Rams have one of the better pass defences out there and are masters at turning over the ball. As they have already recovered 10 fumbles this year ball control will be vital.
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Post by elth on Sept 24, 2007 7:29:04 GMT
You needed to rush left side more.
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Post by Narcizo on Sept 24, 2007 7:46:11 GMT
I have to say that I'm pretty damned pleased with the team at the moment. We're toadally kicking butt. Tennessee are the only team who have given us a credible challenge. Of course our rushing offfence seems to be getting worse and worse which is going to be a bit of a worry against the more-active owners who won't just hit recommend and will key on our pass defence a lot more. However the way Alan is playing it doesn't seem to matter too much whether the defence does key the pass (as the Saints did this week). We've got the top rated quarterback in the league (currently 122.8 which is reaching up to college football levels), we're ... sod it I'll just take a screenie and show that. So we're a top team in pretty much everything apart from running the ball. Of course me going on about this means we're going to go on a cataclysmic tailspin now. Which will teach me. Our hardest run of games come on the road in Seattle, Arizona and Houston though. I'll be content with one win out of those three. Particularly if that win comes against the Seahawks who are doggedly trailing us by one game having won all their games since we thrashed them in the opener. Managing 4th quarter come backs in all but one of those games as well. Kansas City are the only other unbeaten team but they have played one game less and their games have been a lot closer than ours.
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Post by Narcizo on Sept 25, 2007 8:21:19 GMT
Week 7 St Louis RamsFinal Score: St Louis 31, San Francisco 38 Turnovers and ball control proved the difference despite the 49ers being outgained for the first time this year. Offence:This week saw the biggest contribution from the running game all season as the three-back committee finally worked almost as intended. 146 yards from 39 attempts isn’t exactly marquee numbers but it gave the defence time to recoup from some big plays by the Rams. Alan’s rating for the day was high, thanks to 4 touchdown passes but he also threw his first pick of the year. He did show great poise down the straight though to convert great field position into a touchdown to overturn a Rams lead in the 4th quarter. Wesley Stone had another 100+ yard game and Howard had another 50+ receiving and is still perfect on 3rd down conversions. The offence didn’t have as far to go as normal to get the 7 points in this game, thanks to 4 turnovers and some great kick returning with only one drive stretching over more than 60 yards. Centre Willie Ferguson is becoming the most consistent performer in the line as he leads the league in key blocks at the moment, providing 4 more this week along with a pancake. Overall the offensive line gave 15 key run blocks which is a huge improvement on recent performances. Defence:The defence went against form in this one getting torched not once but twice, including a 70-yard romp by Casey Porter on the opening play of the game, but creating turnovers and coming up big when it mattered (staging a stand on 1st and 7 to hold the Rams to a field goal after Alan’s interception in the 4th quarter). Buddy Morton knocked the ball out when he sacked Bulger to set up a 19-yard touchdown score in the first while Harmon came up with an interception in the final minute to make sure that there were no comebacks by the Rams. The plan to concentrate on the run backfired though. Swenson notched up over 100 yards from 25 carries, one of his better showings against the 49ers. However coverage was blown as Porter converted short passes to 70 and 60-yard touchdown scores, something that the home side has managed to avoid for most of the year. 438 yards is the most the 49ers have allowed this year with Strayhorn once again looking culpable for a lot of the damage suffered. Special Teams:Kick returns were a highlight especially Howards return into the Rams half after the field goal that put the Rams 31-28 up. The offence was able to capitalise on the field position to get a touchdown. Punts weren’t a factor as both punters only saw action twice. Schulz hit a 47-yard field goal to put the home side 7 in the lead towards the end and too much was asked of him when he was given a 53-yard field goal to kick in the closing stages of the first half (a decision that backfired badly as the Rams were able to use the great field position to get a touchdown and go into the half on level terms. Injuries:Smiley saw limited action in this game with 2 key run blocks and is now fully fit. In fact Sherman is the only name on the injury list as good luck with injuries continues. The rookie is still listed as questionable and is unlikely to see action until after the bye week. Game Awards Alan. Got off to a slow start to the game but in the second half he was almost perfect, completing 10 of 11 passes with the interception the only blot in his copybook. This despite a huge amount of pressure put on him by the hard hitting Rams defensive line, Hillenmeyer in particular. Howard. Stone put up more receiving yards but Howard is slowly but surely proving his value to the team. While his perfect catching record went in this game he remained a solid 3rd down option and his kick returns were a huge boost to the team. Buddy Morton. Morton can’t live up to the performance of last year but this was a good game for him as he sacked Bulger, knocking the ball out deep in the Rams half and had 4 quarterback hurries. :moop: :moop: :moop: Strayhorn – couldn’t do anything right, allowing 7 receptions including the two gains. :moop: :moop: Anthony Harmon. Did get the pick at the end of the game but his job is pretty simple in our defence and he failed to do it twice. :moop: Coach – asking Schulz to kick a 53-yard field goal with close to two minutes on the clock is never going to be a smart move. Rookie watchSkip Threats – We’re starting to know what to expect from Threats. The move to a three back committee cut into his carries but he averaged just over 4 per carry again Ricky Glaspie – No scores this week but two vital third down conversions to keep the game winning touchdown drive alive. It seems he only knows how to make important catches. Rick Thweat. Carried the ball the most but was caught in the backfield a bit too often and fumbled the ball once for good measure. Fernando Wilczewski. Has not been as productive since the arrival of Howard catching only a 6-yard pass in this one. Box ScoreGame LogNext Week:The start of a 4 game series that will show just how good the team is as the 5-1 Falcons come into town. Joey Harrington has found a new lease of life in Atlanta and, fresh off a player of the week award he will be looking to exploit the weaknesses the Rams exposed in the 49er defenc
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Post by coffers on Sept 28, 2007 9:52:55 GMT
Cracking stuff Nark, love the analysis.
KUTGWBDLMNRYSW! :thumb: (Good Work But Don't Let My Namesake Ruin Your Season)
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Post by Narcizo on Oct 1, 2007 9:55:30 GMT
Week 8 Atlanta FalconsFinal Score: Atlanta 14, San Francisco 17Four turnovers allow San Francisco to overcome Atlanta in a game strewn with errors. Offence:The offence sputtered in this game. The Falcon’s defence got a huge amount of pressure on Alan with four sacks, nine hurries and a blocked pass. All this resulted in the poorest showing this year by Alan, although he managed to stay cool under pressure and didn’t throw an interception but he averaged less than 7 yards an attempt, 2 yards less than his average for the year. In fact it is the lowest average Alan has passed for when the team has still managed to win, the four times he’s averaged less the 49ers have lost. The rush was unusually effective though, particularly on the final drive of the game, killing the clock and moving 57 yards all on the ground, actually averaging more per play than the pass did during the game. All other areas of the game suffered with the faltering pass, Alan was less than 50% on third down conversions while the red zone conversion was dreadful with a fumble by Skip Threats in the Falcons’ 10, a defensive penalty pushing the team out of the ten and then a bad snap causing a missed field goal. There was little to cheer about until the final drive showed that the offence could pound the ball on the ground taking advantage of a defence that was often looking for the pass. Defence:Luckily the defence was able to step up its game to cover for the offence. Despite allowing Harrington to convert every pass he made until the middle of the third quarter the defence was surprisingly effective. Holding the team to 3 third down conversions from nine played a big part, even when Harrington completed a pass he failed to pick up the yards needed for a first down. Obviously forcing three fumbles and making an interception helped matters. All of those turnovers occured when the Falcons were starting to look dangerous and two of them resulted in ten points. 2 pass defences and no hurries or blocked passes show that there was next to no pressure put on Harrington. However the one time Harrington was sacked he coughed up the ball which is a pretty good result. But for one 40 yard sprint by Kim Helfrich the Falcons weren’t able to run the ball at all. Those 40 yards almost accounted for half of all the visitors rushing yardage. Overall the game was won by the four turnovers though so Shane Calmus, CJ Cofield, Jeremy LeSeuer and Roderick Green were the stars of the defence. Special Teams:Schulz missed another but a bad snap was partly to blame for the miss and hit the deciding field goal with a chip shot. Bynum experienced a flashback to previous years as he hit the end zone twice from six punts, resulting in a less than impressive net yardage of 35 yards. Hamilton managed two punt returns for 15 yards while Howard was solid again averaging 28 yards on kick returns. Injuries:Strayhorn continues to have difficulties with his knee, spraining it this time and he won’t return until after the bye week. Lorenzo McGee broke his hand, an injury that will restrict his effectiveness but won’t keep him out of the game with Seattle. Shawn Sherman is only listed as probable but won’t suit up until after the bye week. Game Awards Rick Thweat. 99 yards from 18 carries and a touchdown run, his efforts on the final drive killed the game. Wesley Stone. It wasn’t a great day for the passing game but Stone got close to 100 yards catching 8 from 11 passes. Shane Calmus Made his fifth interception of the year in what proved a momentum shift as the home side could pull away to a ten point lead from the next drive. Offensive line, nice that they got 13 key run blocks. Not so good that they allowed 4 sacks and 10 hurries. :moop: Defensive line. 1 sack, no hurries. And the sack wasn’t made by the established stars. Not optimal Skip Threats. It seems he can either not get any yardage or he can spill the ball. Rookie watchSkip Threats – Right back to his early season form with 60 yards from 14 carries and a fumble. Lost. In the Falcons’ 10-yard line. Ricky Glaspie – Not targeted this game but he did have a very satisfying key run block on the last drive showing his strength to dump 300lb of defensive tackle Dwan Edwards. Rick Thweat. Best game of his fledging career, just one yard shy of 100 yards. Box ScoreGame LogNext Week:Huge game in the NFC West as we visit the 6-2 Seahawks. A win and we go into the bye week with the division within reach as the Seahawks will have to catch up 4 games on us, while a first week bye is within reach. A loss and the division is wide open again, making the game in Arizona after the bye week another key game. Rashaun Woods and Adrian Madise will be missing which is a bonus but we’ll need more than that to stop Doebler who will have a point to prove after missing the week one encounter.
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Post by coffers on Oct 1, 2007 9:58:20 GMT
Another win, so nothing new to report. KUTGW! :thumb:
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