As Promised. Part 2: What Has Gone Wrong?

                          I Think it’s suffice to say that more has gone wrong then right for the 49ers this season,  hence the 3-4 record.  But some of what has gone wrong is self inflicted while others are pure luck or great opponent play. 

Offensive Line:  Issues with this unit began before the season even started before when Marvel Smith surprisingly retired due to injury.  Days later the 49ers signed Tony Pashos which was a heads up move by this organization and possibly even a better signing then the aforementioned,  or course until he was lost for the season.  Do you all remember the offensive line play in the pre-season?  By this I am talking about the 1st string and nothing after that.  They opened up holes and even protected the QB well.  What the “expletive” happened?  Months after looking like an up and coming linemen Chilo Rachal has taken a dramatic step back regressing in a major way.  I am not sure if David Baas is completely healthy because in the past he has been a pretty good offensive linemen,  not great just solid.  But this season he has also taken a step back which is surprising in a contract year.  Adam Snyder has not stepped up in any way to take a hold of a certain position,  I had major hopes for him stepping up this season but now that has of course faded.  I cannot say anyone on the offensive line is playing at an all-pro level simply because how bad they have played as a unit but both Eric Heitman and Joe Staley have been real solid game in and game out.  Now that we have found two solid offensive linemen it just so happens one of them,  Joe Staley,  will be out at least 6 weeks.  Just can’t get any worse right?  Wrong!!!!  Barry Sims has been penciled in as a replacement for Staley and that is an outright scary proposition for me,  though he did play good last week.  One positive though.  Can it get any worse?

Offensive Play calling:  I gave Jimmy Raye a little bit of a break early on because our offense was being lead by a signal caller with physical limitations.  But since Alex Smith has taken over what is his excuse?  Many will point out that Smith dropped back 34 times against Indianapolis but that is not what I am talking about.  It is possible to throw more then run without actually opening up the offense.  The play calling since Smith has taken over has gotten better but needs much more improvement.  It is clear that the strengths of our skill position players are in a more spread like offense.  Smith,  Crabtree,  Morgan and Davis all have shown they can strive in this formation,  why not run an offense that plays to your players strengths?

Disappointing Players:  I have been more surprised by improved play from some of our unproven men. I am not going to list any offensive linemen in this point because it has been mentioned beforehand. But to some extent Glen Coffee,  Josh Morgan,  Manny Lawson and Parys Haralson have all either taken a step back or not shown what we had expected. I thought Haralson was going to rack up double digit sacks this season.  What the heck has happened?  Where has he been in the pass rush?  This guy has not stepped up as the play making OLB I thought. Manny Lawson just isn’t a pass rushing linebacker,  he is a good  player, a real good player.  But it’s obvious he isn’t playing in the right position and/or scheme.  Either move him inside or trade him to a team that can better use his skill set.  Josh Morgan began the pre-season as the #1 receiver and since has been demoted to the slot a #3,  possibly soon to move back up to #2,  but at no response to his play.  I am not sure if he is anything more then a #3 receiver in the NFL,  I really hope I am wrong considering it appears we do have a #1. I understand he is a rookie but Glen Coffee really upset me with his play in place of Frank Gore.  Besides not being able to block and pick up the blitzes he looked lost in terms of finding the holes and busting through them,  I saw multiple times where he hesitated when the offensive line opened up a lane you could drive a bus through,  this hesitation caused the defense to recover and stop him for a minimal gain.  I will give him some time because it isn’t easy reading the defense less then a year removed from college.

Tough Luck Losses: How many of us actually thought the 49ers would go into Indianapolis and Minnesota and come out losing by a combined 7 points? These two teams are a        combined 31-3 in there last 34 regular season game,  that’s right 31-3. I am not making that up go check it out.  We went into there home domes and led most of the time yet to lose the game in 4th quarter. We got Favred in the first game and blew it with boneheaded plays in the 2nd game.  The measurables in the NFL are to win games, there are absolutely not moral victories.  It is the little things that cost us those two games. In Minnesota it was the Clements dropped INT deep in the Vikings end,  losing Frank Gore on the 3rd play of the game,  The BS penalty calls that led to a Vikings field goal,  kick coverage breakdown on Harvin’s return,  closing up the offense with the lead near the end,  not playing a 2 man under on the game winning TD pass.  At Indianapolis it was the Crabtree fumble,  Smith overthow,  defensive lapse on 3rd and 20, Spencer biting on a trick play,  delay of game followed by a sack that took us out of field goal range and inability to get off the field on 3rd down.  In the grand scheme of things 6 plays out of 120 or so in a game doesn’t seem like much but when playing a team that is far superior to you the margin for error is much less.  I guarantee we had more offensive and defensive breakdowns in the Rams games then these two combined but it’s who your playing the highlights your mistakes.

                                    I was going to add a 5th slot to this thread which would have been not being able to end games.  But I think that goes into the tough luck loss category and my explanation regarding that.  Plus this thread was getting incredibly long.  On the positive side if the 49ers can sure up just a couple thing I see no reason why we cannot win 7 or 8 of our final 9 games and win the west.