San Francisco 49ers 14, Atlanta Falcons 16: Grade Mike Johnson's Performance

Smith didn’t play well
Mike Johnson did a really good job of calling plays. Using different personnell, getting the ball to different people—I’d give him a B. I don’t think he reacted well at half time—it felt like he didn’t adjust well to the defense. The two best driver were early in the first and early in the 4th quarter and they were both pretty good drives.

The ball moved, but you can’t expect wins when you don’t score for 3 quarters.

I think the fact that it’s not jimmy raye (F) may make people rate it a little higher, but the 49ers scored only 1 touchdown on offense today…

Yes, Smith made some soul-crushing INT, but when the offense only scores 1 TD with often-decent QB play you can’t really say it was a well called game.

Much more optimistic with Johnson at OC though.

It looked good the offense made careless mistakes to not score points.

I dont have a the slightest idea how, but i know it involves smith not on the field.

I thought the whole point of having these three different RBs is to keep the defense off balance and have more weapons but not exactly useful if they don’t see the field.

Dixon is at least a bigger target for Alex to miss.

But I can see why he hasn’t been willing to take too many deep shots.

This was a case of tthe game plan doing good but the players failed to deliver. we were litterally 3 turnovers from being dominant again. The only thing this team did today was earn another game from me at this point. which is usually the hole we dig ourselves in again and again. they always seem to play to the level of the team they go against and find a way to loose. its depressing, i look at them and see such a good team that cant win and the ball never falls there way. Its like our loosing is more to blame on bad luck that anything else. but MJ put us back in the right direction at least. we will see next week i guess.

I’d give the man more credit, but there was no win in the end. No one can take any credit on this offense (or this team, for that manner) until the conclusion of a game where more points sit with the “SF” than the opponent, and not a minute earlier. Its like looking at the schedule and saying “Hey, look: if we can pull out wins on our homestand and heading across the pond, maybe we’ll still have a shot at 10-6 coming out of the bye week at .500” Its possible, but not feasible and really discussable, until a complete effort culminates in even a single win.

In my opinion, Johnson might have done a good job, but I don’t think any accurate grades can be made until the “Win” comes. Until that time, its a winless squad bereft of success, and only more errors that must be addressed come out of this loss – just like with the last 3.

…this is killing me

I gave a C. I mean, really, still way too many runs up the gut on first down.

I have felt prior to today that the offense has been undercoached and too conservative, as per Raye and Singletary. Maybe they are just not that talented. Maybe having Alex Smith as quarterback, or two rookie linemen, just is too much to overcome.

Midway through the fourth quarter I just knew that this was going to end badly because they hadn’t scored an offensive touchdown since the first drive. Even when Clements intercepted that ball and was running towards the end zone my mind was saying, “How are they going to eff it up.” And then they effed it up.

In some ways I wish that Alex Smith got his bell rung, something, just so we could see how Carr would do. I don’t remember him constantly throwing him or some of the other stuff that Smith does.

I dunno.

I feel so hopeless about this team.

but then the intentional grounding when we needed a field goal. Argh.

Well at least the cards are getting destroyed so we won’ t have to deal with any trolls

Grade “F” mostly for staying within Jimmy Rayes game calling and not changing out the failure Quarterback. He would’ve earned a “D” if he called plays to protect from turnovers, knowing Alex was going to throw picks. He really should’ve known Alex would throw those picks. The coaches act as if they happen magically, out of nowhere. Also there was absolutely no second half adjustments, as usual.

17 possible points! 2 interceptions,1 ground’n! WOW! The play calling was ok, but when Alex keeps making these BONEHEAD mistakes, it won’t matter! I saw the game, defense played well. Alex needs to go!!!! Taking the sack would of been better, we punt push them back, and maybe our defense holds’em! An interception is never good!

The defense was on their heels most of the game. Evident the 49ers don’t have a QB who can deliver a knockout blow.

MJ gave some different looks today and that’s exactly what I was hoping to see. I was also hoping to see more of Davis….especially after that great touchdown. But we did go to Crabs enough to make me think things are a changing….recongizing matchups. Jimmy Raye….you paying attention? So that part was good.

The bad: we really need to use our weapons more aggressively. i know it’s hard when your QB sucks and makes horrible descissions (more on that), but you gotta keep pushing. We also need to see more Dixon/Westbrook plain and simple. Gore is a workhorse, but he does have backup….we NEED to use that talent we have stacked in that possition. Does Gore feel threatened or something? If so, he really shouldn’t. But I have to say MJ is a definate improvement over Jimmy Raye.

Back to Smith. I find it funny how most people (writers/announcers) always echo the fact that he’s such a smart QB. He always makes horrible choices in situations when things breakdown….and even times when the play doesn’t breakdown. My opinion of a smart QB is someone who can execute the game plan, but also be able to audible and IMPROVISE when he needs to. And when he does try to come up with something….he almost always makes a bonehead decision. How is that smart? To me Alex is a “book smart” guy with absolutely ZERO “street smarts”.

Smith never looks sharp!!!!!!! He has little moments and thats it! His recievers and Gore are really busting their asses to make plays! Smith is a YAK buster, rarely throws a great pass! I’m sick of the guy!

mostly because some of the calls were a little retarded. I mean, HB Draw on 2nd and 22? Really?

Johnson did well enough to warrant that. The team played as well is it could and didn’t under perform. Expectations for Singletary on game management practices should be management’s priority. I’m not really sure what his role is out there, to tell you the truth. Sorry to wander from topic. Keep Johnson for another month and then look at it.

J stays Smith goes! We need a vet. qb, some1 who will take us to the playoffs and maybe a superbowl! Cards did great with Warner! We cant start over! The 90’s, niners needed d-fense, we got it and took it to the house! Niners are championship caliber! Sing needs to change his way of think’n. The QB is the leader, not just another small part of this huge equation!

The reason being is even though the playmakers for the 49ers got the ball it was few and far between. In the first half not enough Gore, in the second half too much Gore not enough involvement with the receivers.

This team needs balance also Anthony Dixon needs to be used more as the season progresses especially in short yardage situations.

Love the play on third and one and throwing deep to Delanie Walker.

1 offensive TD
We make the Raiders look like juggernauts!

Needs more spread and less tipped balls

Smith continued to blame his two interceptions on himself, saying they were costly and that they were bad decisions. Smith said on the first one, he should have taken a sack instead of throwing high to running back Frank Gore. On the second one, Smith thought the safety was going to follow Vernon Davis across the field. Instead he stopped and stepped in front of Josh Morgan for the pick.

From San Francisco Chronicle

I thought the Gore runs in the second half were good calls, as the team was moving the chains. Alex Smith just threw a timely INT that killed one drive, and the OL allowed a sack that thwarted another (intentional grounding, same thing). I’m not going to completely toss Smith under the bus, but I’m ready to start thinking about a new QB in 2011 (I just hope its a proven QB, not a drafted one unless he comes in Round 2 and is named Ryan Mallet).

Mike Johnson called a pretty good game I thought, and I’m still seriously blaming this entire loss on Nate Clements’ stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid fumble. I’ll forgive him eventually, like in 10 years.

Would have liked to see Westbrook used for pitches and swing passes. Alex cost us bad but he still outplayed Ryan. Which just confuses me more.

The defense as a whole minus Mays needs to step up. And Manusky dropping everybody into coverage on 3rd and 15 from the 5 was the stupidest call I’ve ever seen.

Honestly I think Manusky cost us more than any single player.

… dang i wish i could be excited too …!!

I can’t believe I spent OVER $1000 to watch my Niners next wk. Tickets, hotel, rental car, plane tickets ( that does’nt include spending money)! But I love my niners! We will be on top again! VICK-less and philly d-fence is very beatable we should win this game! We lost to a damn good team today, a champinship caliber team!

on wide receiver screens let him use his speed.

@Seahawks biggest and baddest home stadium in the NFL
vs. Saints Super Bowl Champions
@Chiefs Pretty loud stadium huge home field advantage, team is 3-0 so far.
@Falcons This team is pretty darn good

I think if we give Smith and Johnson a couple of weeks to get all of the kinks ironed out, there could be good things that come…I think there will be measurable improvement.

Hell, if you look at the 49ers offense and compare it to any game that wasn’t New Orleans, there was a significant statistical improvement:
— Time of possession, the 49ers topped the Falcons
— Significant improvement in yards gained
— Significant improvement in third down conversions
— The ball got to many more of the playmakers
— The running game was fairly productive
— Shots were taken down field.

I think Singletary can actually say execution was the main problem here….

He made good calls, keeping the ball moving. They had manageable 3rd downs, I think they went 6-12 on 3rd down, 50% on third is not bad. Alex Smith is the WORST and he needs to go. He killed some key drives. People want to talk about how smart he is, but he is an idiot. It’s too bad too, I was rooting for him just so we don’t need to draft a QB next year and address other positions, but I want Smith out ASAP.

Yup Johnson did a good job its just Smith being dumb

the first thing I saw was Roddy White charging, and I said “Don’t Fumble,” especially since he couldn’t see Roddy from behind. But still, it’s inexcusible. Stop running, and you can run out most if not all of the game clock… Thanks Nate. (And remember Dre’ Bly from last year? It was Roddy White that time, too.)

play hard and try to be the first zero-and-four team to make the playoffs in ages

or

tank the rest of the season season and draft Andrew Luck

this is the point in the season where we decide we get on a big winning streak because the next 6 games are definitely winnable

or we tank and draft our franchise QB (LUCK) and maybe a new coach

the worst thing that can happen is we go 7-9 or 8-8 and barely miss the playoffs and it’s last year all over again

we missed on mcnabb, who i lobbied for, but got shot down by obviously some real geniuses at this point who thought Alex Smith was the answer.

… The O line start’s to gel , a more creative Offensive game plan, And Smith yes Alex Smith make’s huge stride’s and turn’s all the hate away … i’m gonna copy and paste this post in case i’m wrong and just switch the week’s around until they come true …!!

If we had a goddang QB.

gave the man a D the biggest play of the game was a pass interference call that truthfully shouldnt have been called. idk sure it seemed we moved the ball pretty well at times but i’ve seen that before. again how many people are gonna be blamed and pulled until smith loses his damn job.

when your offense scores 7 points. I know execution was terrible, and I know the players have to make the plays and they didnt.

And I know he was better than Jimmy Raye. But I think we are overvaluing his performance because he is simply better than Jimmy Raye, the WORST coordinator in the NFL before he was fired.

7 points is 7 points regardless of how much he changed it up and had good variety. 1 TD stinks.

would be the rotten cherry on top of a decomposing cake. Its usually a fun family rivalry between my dad (and his family with roots 100% in Philly) and myself (as the rebel), and after going to the Linc for the loss last year, a lot of Eagles fans seemed kindly optimistic about us returning the loss to them this season. But with what’s happened so far this season, sentiments may be changing considerably…

Does anyone else sense an extreme ho-hum offensive scrum next week, that’ll smell so bad, people will be running for cover from the living room?

And the point total would reflect that if the QB did not make two huge mistakes, the OL one. MJ called the usual plays, some new ones, and did his best to put the ball in the hands of guys that can gain yards. He also did this in his first week, on the road, and without Delanie Walker for over the half the game.

His game plan was excellent under the circumstances. Niners had more TOP despite running fewer plays, scored a TD on their opening drive, and looked very good on their first drive to start the half was well as the drive to try and put away the game. You can’t blame him (or any coaches) when players make mistakes in ways that are completely on them.

Runs to the outside!? Spreading the offense out even when we’re NOT down by two touchdowns with 4 minutes left in the game!? What sort of madness is this? If Jimmy Raye was watching today, I have to think he was pretty flabbergasted by seeing all these plays for the first time. For this reason alone Johnson did a good job, but there was still plenty that was missing. Still no Westbrook? I’m seriously having a hard time understanding what the reason is that he’s not on the field. Just getting him out there provides enough of a threat to make a defense think twice about how they cover the run, or to watch for a screen, etc. My second complaint is the throws that were called were not quite good enough. It was good to see Crabtree make those catches 10-15 yards out, but why not more? Whatever your overall opinion of Alex Smith, I think it’s pretty safe to say at the very least that he frequently struggles with the short throw, and as for the long bomb…..well at least there’s always PI. I’ve always thought that the mid-range throw was more or less Smith’s strong point, and I’m a little disappointed Johnson didn’t do more to take advantage of it. The play-calling in general still seems too conservative. It’s always either taking all three downs to crawl up to the stick, or hucking something deep to keep a defense “honest”. One thing that HAS to change is that when we get the lead, we have to keep trying to score points, instead of these constant pointless drives where we act like we’re just borrowing the ball until the opposing team gets their act together and re-takes the lead.

Why not more of Dixon?
Why so much of Gore up the middle? (us him,but be smarter)
Why not more screens when ATL was teeing off on Smith?

(from recollection) seemed ATL opted to go max pressure on Smith much of the second half. Seems there were at LEAST a couple series where we could have FEASTED with screen passes. What did we run? One all game? It worked. No need to get fancy. When ot works, GO BACK TO IT.

With Smiths bad decisions, I saw a QB on an 0-3 team who was trying to force the issue to make something happen.

Keep in mind that Ryan threw a couple INT’s as well. ATL’s running game was simply more effective. As for Smith’s “shuffle pass” attempt, could have been worse – see Bree’s last week.

I think Smith has some issues. What I find really annoying is that I just don’t see him playing bad enough to loose his job nor good enough to build confidence. Play calling was better, but could have been better still. There were execution issue with the offense that were not all on Smith. I saw improvements with Crabs, and some nice effort by VD and Gore fighting for yards to get first downs. Our “D” also failed to stop the final drive by ATL (failed to “finish”), but Mays looked good overall and his play on the blocked punt was excellent.

Overall, I think this is where we should have been the lasty preseason game or on week one. Overall I do see a lot to build on. Mistakes were made, but fewer than before. ATL is a VERY good team. If we keep moving forward we can still do well. ANY setbacks and I think the West becomes out of reach.

He did a good job of getting crabtree involved but way too many screen type plays. Once our weapons started getting into the flow of the game i would have liked to see Alex Smith take more shots downfield.