49ers vs. Seahawks: Athleticism And The QB Position
by David Fucillo on Sep 10, 2011 4:00 PM PDT
in San Francisco 49ers News
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PrintEarlier today, Matt Maiocco put together a rundown of various questions the 49ers could have answered tomorrow against the Seahawks. With less than 24 hours until the 49ers kick off their 2011 NFL season, it will be nice to finally get some concrete answers. That's not to say we'll get final answers to the questions, but we can at least start to have legitimate 2011 data, as opposed to preseason stats, when we rush to judgment.
Maiocco opened the post by discussing QB Colin Kaepernick as a possible wildcat QB. Trent Baalke made some comments after the draft about having a possible advantage with Kaepernick coming out of the Pistol offense and being able to have some QB-driven runs.
Do you expect to see anything like that during this season? Kaepernick has struggled throwing the ball but he still does have the legs to scramble and he was a beast at Nevada in such situations.
At the same time, Alex Smith is a guy who actually is a solid scrambler. He is no Michael Vick when it comes to running with the ball, but his experience in the Urban Meyer spread offense at Utah leaves him in a position to hurt some teams with his leagues.
While it will be interesting to see if Kaepernick is mixed in on any offensive packages, I'm most intrigued to see how Jim Harbaugh utilizes Alex Smith's athleticism. Harbaugh seemed to mix in the occasional designed run with Andrew Luck at Stanford, and he seemed to provide for some early run options in plays. I don't expect QB runs every offensive series, but I would not be surprised to see them mixed in here and there.
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I still find it kind of hard to believe
they’re going to bring in Kapernick in spot short yardage positions. Seems too gimmicky for someone like Harbaugh. I think they’ve just been letting the media run with the idea so that maybe the other teams need to spend an extra hour preparing for it.
I do think we’ll see plenty of roll outs for Smith and I think he’ll be encouraged to tuck it and take the 5 or 6 yards when it appears, more so than in any previous year.
by whistlingmountain on Sep 10, 2011 4:15 PM PDT reply actions
I would laugh...
If Kaepernick came in on third and one… faked a dive play, and chuck it up deeeep to Edwards. Surprise Pete!!!
by Sigelvictory on Sep 10, 2011 4:19 PM PDT up reply actions
Too gimmicky for Harbaugh?
Did you watch any Stanford games last year?
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by Kidd2Petrovic on Sep 10, 2011 4:23 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
The answer to the question
of whether or not Kaep gets into the game will show me a lot about Harbaugh’s personality and moxie. I’m very interested and excited to find out what kind of gambler he turns out to be.
I do think that we’ll probably see some naked bootlegs this season with Alex. You already made the point that
He is no Michael Vick when it comes to running with the ballbut he is still a threat to gain significant yardage if the defense gets fooled.
Come on, Alex, please be good this year...
I dont see it happening
This is the NFL, it does not work.. I do however see them getting Alex moving the pocket around but ultimately to throw, run only if you have no passing options or a huge running lane. Alex is really fast and if he has room he can eat up a lot of yards quick with his feet, but we don’t want him running into traffic and taking any big hits.
Kaep is not ready to be in the game, in any kind of package. He needs time.
Bottom Line....If our O-Line keeps Alex un-touched....then 9ers Win.
Its all on the big guys up front, its that simple.
"If we score more points than the opposition, we will win"
John Madden, anyone?
"The past is the past. The only time I look into the rear view is for the cops and I don't speed." -Shawn Andrews
by TryAndCatchVD on Sep 10, 2011 5:11 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
nooo
if we knock out Jackson then they put in Jesus and we’re in trouble
"probably get some stitches too! you have a good night! go warriors!" - david lee
Haha ain't that the truth.
Aaron Curry is the first Seahawk since Walter Jones to have a legitimate shot at Hall of Fame induction - John Morgan
by Fearless Frog on Sep 10, 2011 9:52 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
No O-line keeps their QB untouched
There are a bunch of highly payed professionals, across from our O-line, whose job it is to ensure that doesn’t happen.
Most give more than 2 seconds before he gets hit though
If Alex can get a consistent 3.5+ seconds of protection the team will do good things.
Gimme 1 round!
by ItBurnzWhenIP on Sep 11, 2011 12:09 AM PDT up reply actions
I hope our line improves
But I can’t help but wish Alex handled pressure better than he does. I feel it is much easier to improve the 1 position on the offense with someone who can handle pressure better, than getting 5 all-star guys in front of him so that he MAY play great. I really do hope he can be all you believe him to be. There are too many weapons on our offense for us to not put points on the board.
Let's not overrate ourselves.
We have Davis.
Our other weapons are unproven rookies, guys who have failed to produce up to their talent level, and declining veterans trying to either rejuvenate their careers or hang on for a couple more highlights.
Don't need any wildcat junk with Kaep
I would like to see them run Alex once in a while, he has the skills to run a bootleg from time to time. Would probably help keep the D honest as well.
I guess Alex Smith's Legs are in a League by themselves!
"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, either way, YOU'RE RIGHT !"
I'm thinking..
If we keep the gameplan simple i.e. run up thr gut 56 times we will win. Oh nm that was the Singletary theory. Kinda irionic, Singletary, single play the whole game, coincidence?
I thought that was more Raye’s theory and Sing’s was get penalized 5 for delay of game.
by Doni S on Sep 10, 2011 10:34 PM PDT via iPhone app up reply actions
On serious note...Staley-Iupati-Goodwin-Rachal-Davis (Boone)
No more excuses…if they are a top 5 NFL quality line, then they PROVE it this season starting this sunday!
I hope they prove their at least top 25 this year.
Gimme 1 round!
by ItBurnzWhenIP on Sep 10, 2011 7:18 PM PDT up reply actions
I hope they prove they are at least top 25 this year
Gimme 1 round!
by ItBurnzWhenIP on Sep 10, 2011 7:18 PM PDT up reply actions
Way to shoot for the stars
I don’t see why they can’t be in the top half of the league, looking for 12-18 myself
Oh I dunno
Perhaps because they weren’t top 25 last year, and it looks like they’ve gotten worse as a unit, not better?
Well, potentially....they should be this season
Staley 1st rounder / Iupati 1st rounder / Rachal 2nd rounder / Davis 1st rounder
Plus other starting offensive players…
Crabtree 1st rounder / Edwards 1st rounder / Ginn 1st rounder / V.Davis 1st rounder / Alex 1st rounder / Gore 3rd rounder
That is a TOTAL of EIGHT 1st rounders in our starting offense…We gotz to be good this season, right?
at some point you have to stop grading them based on where they were drafted
and judge them based on what they’ve done on the field
They’re not and will probably never be a top 10 line with the 5 guys slated to start the season. They won’t be a top 20 line unless Davis gets much.. much better. ( Staley has probably reached his ceiling as a below average guy, Goodwin is past his peak, and Rachal is going to be a career mediocre RG. Davis is the X-factor for long-term success )
by whistlingmountain on Sep 10, 2011 7:35 PM PDT up reply actions
could still move Davis inside and let Boone have the other T spot. But I think JH wants to see if Anthony can handle his assignments out there 1st.
by Doni S on Sep 10, 2011 10:41 PM PDT via iPhone app up reply actions
Parking....
Theres really no “overflow”, if its the dirt parking lot your refering to its $30 and to beable to park inside the gates u need a prepaid parking pass usually taken by season ticket holders….
by Frisco_Kid on Sep 10, 2011 8:38 PM PDT via iPhone app up reply actions
Park in Walnut Creek and BART into the city
Since you can’t tailgate after kickoff anymore there is no point to ever drive into that mess again.
Gimme 1 round!
by ItBurnzWhenIP on Sep 10, 2011 9:16 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Lest's start the Andrew Luck sweepstakes
Go niners!
The Colts already started with the manning injury! Do you imagine if the colts sucks all season a they pick #1 that’s a Greenbay pakers story all over again. Manning vs Luck
by senero on Sep 10, 2011 9:17 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
or a Montana v. Young
1. Luck still needs some polishing and what better way to get that than under one of the better QB’s to ever play the game. When Peyton retires, he’ll hang it up for good…probably.
by Doni S on Sep 10, 2011 10:47 PM PDT via iPhone app up reply actions
He's got some pretty decent wheels.
I wonder if he is faster than Andrew Luck.
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I wouldn't mind taking advantage of Smith's athletisms and see him scramble a bit.
However, I am a little wary since he’s has had multiple injuries that that shoulder of his.
extrabaggs
"Just your typical Giants scoring rally: A faceburger on the basepaths, two errors from the second baseman and a bases-loaded balk."
Alex Smith's Legs
The problem is that Alex Smith’s legs have had 5 different offensive coordinators in 5 years, so they are not mentally capable of running like normal legs. Or like the legs of a NFL QB who’s been in the same system with the same coach for his entire career, like . . .well, like . . nobody.
But that’s not the point. The point is Alex Smith’s legs have been at a severe disadvantage all these years, and he’d be one of the great runners in the league if only his offensive coordinators hadn’t switched every year, with each one telling him to run a different direction.
blah blah, I hate Alex, blah blah blah
by Andrew9erfan on Sep 11, 2011 12:31 AM PDT up reply actions
Alex Smith is not a good scrambler
It’s a myth caused by a gimmick offense in college against a weak schedule. He has decent speed but he’s not a instinctive runner.
He has 450 total rushing yards in his career. About 133 per every 16 games played.
1) Young: One of the great QB runners ever.
2) Garcia: Really good instinctive scrambler. Particularly at running for it on 3rd down for drive extenders.
3) Montana: Great athlete. Took up big chunks of yards when it was available to him. Then would slink out of bounds without getting touched.
4) Smith: overrated. Where are the yards? Where are the first downs? He’s more mobile than average, but it’s never been a weapon.
Euphoric recall
I miss watching Garcia run to the line of scrimmage and barely get the pass off before crossing the line
Have to correct you on one point:
Smith is not overrated on his run game. He’s not a scrambling QB, but he has the mobility to make things happen if there is a) a wide hole open and b) no other option. That’s all you want from a primarily pocket passer, and he does that very well. Not very many rate him otherwise.
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