49ers in the redzone looking back, looking ahead

by David Fucillo on Dec 5, 2009 8:00 AM PST in San Francisco 49ers News

This post is sponsored by Comcast and their NFL RedZone channel. If you want to see every touchdown from every NFL game as it happens as well as live look-ins to all of Sunday's games in key situations hurry up and get yourself Comcast's NFL RedZone Channel.

As we head into tomorrow's must-win affair, I thought it would be interesting to look back at what I would imagine is a somewhat rare performance in the redzone by the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars entered the red zone four times against the 49ers and came away with zero touchdowns. While many teams will go 0-fer in the red zone, the Jaguars also managed to only come away with a single field goal. On the other three possessions, David Garrard fumbled twice and Josh Scobee missed a 21 yard field goal. I wonder how often we'll see that kind of ineptitude inside the red zone by an opposing offense?

Coming out of that game, the 49ers continue to put together an impressive red zone resume. While they rank 17th against the rush in the red zone, the 49ers are #1 against the pass and #2 overall. That pass number (-120.7%) is even more impressive when compared to other teams. New Orleans is a close second at -117.1%, but then the #3 team, the Oakland Raiders, is half the 49ers at -60.4%.

Any thoughts as to why the 49ers have been so solid against the pass in the red zone? Maybe it's just the fact that they've been "relatively" weak against the run, and teams elect to run the ball in from down close. Of course, the RZ run defense is at 1.3%, so it's not like they're completely awful by any stretch.

And so the 49ers head into tomorrow's game against a Seattle offense that is atrocious passing in the red zone, but is #3 in rushing offense in the red zone. It will be interesting to see how that is affected with Julius Jones in the starting lineup instead of Justin Forsett. And if Forsett is limited or inactive with the quad injury, how will that affect the Seahawks red zone performance? The 49ers, after all, employ a bend but don't break defense that seems to consistently allow teams to drive a decent distance before stiffening up. I've found the Seahawks to be quite the conundrum this season. On the one hand, they've been pretty poor a good chunk of the time and should be beat-able. On the other hand, I'm convinced they're going to catch the 49ers with their pants down and that scares the crap out of me given the stakes of this game.

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I am not really sure why.

Two possibilities come to mind:

One is that the 49ers really have quite an excellent defense except for lack of speed in the secondary. And that becomes less of a liability in the red-zone due to “field compression”.

The other factor could be related to motivation, guts (coaching) and the ability to step it up and give 120% at key times.

I wonder: has the pass rush seemed more effective, more intense, in the red zone?

by zacksf on Dec 5, 2009 9:54 AM PST reply actions

interesting

I’d guess the former, more than the latter. Lack of speed in the secondary is definitely negated by having your backs to the wall.

They don’t always step up at key times (needing the stop against Green Bay, for example), and it’s harder to figure that out. It certainly could end up being a reason, but the lack of speed makes more sense at this point.

by David Fucillo on Dec 5, 2009 10:14 AM PST up reply actions

Speed is certainly a factor

but in the redzone your passing lanes are also clogged. You have a much smaller section of the field to defend. That makes it tougher for offenses to throw the ball and easier for defenses to make the play.

Franklin’s INT in the Chicago game would never have happened if it wasn’t the redzone. Because of that he was able to drift over to that side, almost like a LB. If Chicago was on the 50 yard line he doesn’t make that play.

by smileyman on Dec 5, 2009 11:53 AM PST up reply actions

true

But to be so much better than all but one other team against the pass? Redzone passing lanes are clogged for all teams, but the 49ers have done something particularly better in those situations

by David Fucillo on Dec 5, 2009 12:05 PM PST up reply actions

Similar thought

I was thinking that the Niners pass defense is better in the red zone because they actually have such a good secondary. That secondary is often hung out in the middle of the field due to not having a good pass rush, thus the bend but don’t break passive philosophy. In a small section of the field, it’s easier to blitz or play a normal defense but with less ground to defend, their good technique comes into play.

You gotta bring ass to get ass.

by SpurredOn on Dec 5, 2009 12:33 PM PST up reply actions

Having Julius Jones start...

Is a blessing in disguise for us. Jones is highly overrated.

I like the spread and the passing, but don’t forget Frank Gore, he needs the carries, remember last game when he went for over 200 yards against these same bluebirds. It’s all about Gore. C’mon Raye don’t forget about my boy. (+ he’s on my fantasy team and 30 yards and a TD is not cutting it)

by brewitt on Dec 5, 2009 9:56 AM PST reply actions

Perhaps,

NN should follow Jimmy Raye’s lead and stop calling the offense “the spread,” and call it what others have suggested: "The Raye Gun." It does have a nice sound and the image of a Gun the shoots a beam of energy is a good one for the kind of offense we want to see.

by CorneliusJ on Dec 5, 2009 10:19 AM PST up reply actions