Joe Staley, Isaac Sopoaga Receptions (VIDEO): Fat Guys In Little Coats

by David Fucillo on Oct 31, 2011 7:30 AM PDT in San Francisco 49ers Game Recap, Review 2011

The 49ers did not get a "pretty" victory over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, but there were still some fun highlight-worthy plays. Joe Staley and Isaac Sopoaga each managed to make a solid catch that picked up a first down for the 49ers. Staley made a great catch and run for 17 yards that got the 49ers down to the Browns 31. Sopoaga made a nice catch and run of his own for 18 yards on a key 3rd and 4 in the fourth quarter.

Both play calls were perfectly executed. After the game, both Coach Harbaugh and Alex Smith discussed how Greg Roman had seen something in watching film of the Browns. Both plays involved some misdirection to the right and the big men getting up left. Staley lined up at the tight end position at the end of the line, while Sopoaga lined up in the offset fullback position to the right of Smith before running left. My only guess is that Roman saw the Browns over-pursuing on play action and leaving tight ends and fullbacks uncovered. Pretty simply.

Head after the jump to view video of the two catches. I've also included some comments from both players. We've got a gif of Staley's first down celebration over SB Nation Bay Area.

Joe Staley Reception

T Joe Staley
Post-Game Quotes - October 30, 2011
San Francisco 49ers vs. Cleveland Browns

What did you think when they called the play [his 17-yard reception in the first quarter]?

"I was kind of nervous. I haven't touched the football since we ran a tackle-eligible play when I was a senior in college. I got minus-6 yards on the play. I certainly didn't want that to happen. That was the last time I caught a football in a game. I just wanted to make sure I caught it and once I caught it, don't fumble and whatever happens, happens. I really wanted to hit somebody really hard. I wanted to chuck somebody. And I really wanted to do a dance. So I was happy I was able to do everything."

What was the best part: the catch, the run or the celebration?

"The whole thing is something I'll never forget. It was something that was very memorable and that it happened in a game that we won was very exciting."

Did you know they were definitely going to do it? Was that in the script?

"We were all pretty confident that it was going to be called."

You guys had just gained 50 yards rushing on the previous two plays. Does that set it [Staley's reception] up?

"That's one of the things our coaching staff does a great job on. They just don't call plays. They call plays that have a high percentage of being very successful. In the first half, our running game was working really well. That's a tribute to everyone blocking, but also to the coaching staff who put us in a really good position. Everybody feels really involved with everything. [T Alex] Boone wasn't a starting tackle, but he had a ton of plays today. Everybody feels really involved with the offense and it keeps everybody excited."

Isaac Sopoaga Reception

DT Isaac Sopoaga
Post-Game Quotes - October 30, 2011
San Francisco 49ers vs. Cleveland Browns

Were you ever known for having good hands?

"To myself, yes. For the whole world and fans, surprise. Catching a rugby ball that's big is really hard and catching a football with my big hands was easy for me. I was anxious for it."

How many times do you figure you practice that play [interception] in practice?

"In practice we run it twice a week. It was a good feeling to catch the ball in the game."

When was the last time you caught a pass in any sort of game?

"It was in 1998, back in high school when I played football."

Fat Guy In A Little Coat

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Comments

Love the video! Good Stuff

But both our “fat guys” actually looked very fluid both receiving and then running with the ball. This is the kind of stuff that will give the other teams nightmares come playoff time, just having to spend the time practicing against the ridiculous amounts of variation that the 49ers have started putting into their “big” packages. It is the equivalent to teams having to prepare for Vick or Newton. It means more work for the opponent. I love it.

Come on, Alex, please be good this year..
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by Jesse Reed on Oct 31, 2011 7:43 AM PDT reply actions

The Ice play

made me forget how bad the offense was in the second half. I was thinking the whole time he was running that he was going to score. He made the right decision in going out of bounds. Dont want to lose the ball in a critical point of the game when the Browns had gotten the momentum

"I hate it! It looks like a stickup at 7-Eleven. Five guys standing there with their hands in the air."

Norm Sloan

"We have a great bunch of outside shooters. Unfortunately, all our games are played indoors."

Weldon Drew

by EcERyda69 on Oct 31, 2011 8:01 AM PDT reply actions

Disagree with going out...

This was the only thing I didn’t like about these two plays. Soap should have just covered up the ball and tried to stay in bounds. It really didn’t matter because we had enough of a cusion at that point to still run time off the clock, but that extra 40 seconds would’ve taken us inside the 2 minute warning before they get the ball back.

by 9thevolution on Oct 31, 2011 8:13 AM PDT up reply actions

if it was an offense player i would agree

but a DT slipping out for a pass to get a key first down? Come one, he did the right thing by avoiding contact if he is unsure of his ability to protect the football.

by brenrobb on Oct 31, 2011 9:02 AM PDT up reply actions

He tooootally should have stayed inbounds.

There was only a DB in his way and he was partially blocked! I was like “What the hell was that?” He actually stepped out when he is 300 lbs+ and running full speed? And running down the clock was important at that point in the game. But still awesome to see him make a catch.

Call me cautiously optimistic....because I know what the Niners do to people who have real optimism (see the last 8 years).

by crumpedup15 on Oct 31, 2011 9:40 AM PDT up reply actions

He would not run anybody over.

Nobody would try to block him high. They would cut his legs, he would crash to the ground, and bad thing could happen – from fumble to an injury.

It is fundamentally a gimmicky play for other defenses to worry about. No need to risk anything to your starting NT.

by Mindless on Oct 31, 2011 11:52 AM PDT up reply actions

Kawakami is right in this instance

the plays by staley and ice really do show swagger. It’s almost as if the 49ers game plan for the second half was to run out the clock, keep the film to a minimum.

http://blogs.mercurynews.com/kawakami/2011/10/30/the-new-49ers-can-win-with-tricks-win-boring-win-any-way-they-want-to-thats-true-swagger/

by reedkrase on Oct 31, 2011 8:09 AM PDT reply actions

Dont like reading Kawakami articles but this one I liked

"I hate it! It looks like a stickup at 7-Eleven. Five guys standing there with their hands in the air."

Norm Sloan

"We have a great bunch of outside shooters. Unfortunately, all our games are played indoors."

Weldon Drew

by EcERyda69 on Oct 31, 2011 8:21 AM PDT up reply actions

one in three are good

usually you can tell by the first paragraph

by reedkrase on Oct 31, 2011 8:49 AM PDT up reply actions

Agreed! He's a bandwagon type to me anyway! Always very critical until we win! Only one worse? Sando, the seahawk lover! Blah, blah, blah!

Enough said above! I can't believe the "t-raiders" are going to play in OUR stadium! Bastards!

by 23mjheart on Oct 31, 2011 10:41 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions

That's how it has seemed through most of the games where they had a 2 score lead going into half

Like Harbaugh knows him and Roman can get the offense moving and get points, but only does it out of necessity, in order to keep surprises for the entire season. Look at the Bengals game, they didn’t do too much all game, but then near the end they needed a TD, and the offense moves the ball with no problem in order to get it.

by sanfranfanmdk on Oct 31, 2011 3:07 PM PDT up reply actions

One thing I noticed about the Staley catch was that Ginn muffed his block.. or Staley could have gone another 10+ yards.

Can you imagine a DB looking to tackle either of these guys.. OUCH!

"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, either way, YOU'RE RIGHT !"

by Eastbayjim on Oct 31, 2011 9:28 AM PDT reply actions

the best part about these plays

is that now defenses will have to have a LB spy/cover them in short yardage situations.

Brian Sabean: Sing His Praises To The Heavens!
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by zenbitz on Oct 31, 2011 10:21 AM PDT reply actions

I've seen this before

I actually remembered that J.Staley was a TE in college and I have had a jumbo package in Madden that lines him up as the 3rd TE. The first time my friends saw me throw to him for a first down, they were all mad. Then I showed them his ratings for speed and hands and they shut up. Now they know I can run play action from that jumbo package :)

by Nicholas Cannelora on Oct 31, 2011 10:32 AM PDT reply actions

I wonder if Madden makes adjustments.

by Mindless on Oct 31, 2011 11:50 AM PDT up reply actions

Sapoaga's catch was useful in the game.

Staley’s was run purely to get it on the film, I would think.

Brown’s (really good) pass D was completely punked on both plays. If that adds a split second of hesitation to DEs and OLBs getting around Staley and Iupati, that’s only good.

by Mindless on Oct 31, 2011 11:49 AM PDT reply actions

I can't get enough of that Staley gif

I was turned away from the screen when they ran the Staley play, but I heard them call his name and I was like, “say WHAT!”

His little “first down” move at the end is hilarious, I just love when players get pumped up after executing a play.

Win or lose, at the end of the day I'm just happy to see the Niners play well... Okay, winning is good. I prefer winning.
"Yeah, I do get emotional. It fires me up. It fires me up a lot. I'm not going to apologize for that. If that offends you or anybody else, then so be it."

by El Dorado on Oct 31, 2011 1:47 PM PDT reply actions