Game Ball Of The Week: Carlos Rogers Uses His Head

by David Fucillo on Sep 20, 2011 10:30 AM PDT in San Francisco 49ers News

While the 49ers did lose a tough one on Sunday, there were some fairly notable performances on the day. Cornerback Carlos Rogers was one such guy. Rogers was not spectacular on the day and notably took the blame for not playing deep enough on the final overtime pass to Jesse Holley. He got caught up in the play action and Holley blew past everybody for the easy catch and run.

While Rogers can be criticized for that play and some other hiccups during the game, he had an overall strong game. One of my favorite plays was when he cam in hard on Jason Witten to break up what seemed like a sure catch. Patrick Willis was the other part of that little sandwich, but Rogers did his share. I realize game balls don't go out after losses, but we're having this post every week so we'll try and figure out some bright spots for using it.

Thought the first two weeks of this season, Rogers has been a definite bright spot at the cornerback position. Against the Cowboys, the 49ers mixed up their use of Rogers, playing him on the left side, the right side, and even in the slot. He was playing man, playing zone, and he was even mixed in the blitzing.

The 49ers secondary has had some issues this season, but if you had to rank the areas for improvement, Carlos Rogers would rank pretty low on that list for now. The 49ers are hoping to get Dashon Goldson and Shawntae Spencer back this week. Spencer gets some crap at times, but he's shown at times that he can be a decent cornerback. He's not a spectacular corner, but Tarell Brown has appeared inconsistent enough that I think Spencer could be a bit more reliable opposite Rogers.

In spite of his solid play thus far, Rogers did also manage the most amusing play of the game. Redskins fans' biggest critique of Rogers was that he could never haul in interceptions. They felt he had awful hands and dropped numerous would-be interceptions. Head after the jump to view the play where we definitely can't blame his hands!

If the picture is slowing down the opening time of the page too much I'll just link to it. Let me know if it's slowing things down for you too much.

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Completely agree...

…this is looking like a solid pickup so far, a few hiccups notwithstanding.

by Bigmouth on Sep 20, 2011 10:54 AM PDT reply actions

Fooch.............

Please help me……My wife and I bought 8 tickets to the Oct 9th game against Tampa Bay. After the tickets were purchased, she was injured at the local hospital and is now only able to barely walk with a walker (she will get better with time)….we will need to take a wheel chair to the game as it will be too far for her to walk……does the stadium have handicap seating for wheelchairs ( I know they do) for people who have regular tickets or do you have to buy handicap tickets? Again, she was injured after the tickets were bought.

She is currently in rehab but will get out in a week. We are going there to visit family and want to attend the game, but our tickets are in a place where she would have to climb stairs. Row 19 is too far to climb, she may be able to do 2 or 3 stairs at the most.

Thanks….

by ericalancanty on Sep 20, 2011 10:59 AM PDT reply actions

Sorry to hear about your wife.

Hope she’s mending quickly with grace and humor.

Here is the link for 49ers contacts if Fooch can’t help you: http://www.49ers.com/about-us/contact-us.html

by McTee on Sep 20, 2011 11:04 AM PDT up reply actions

Thank you....

by ericalancanty on Sep 20, 2011 11:06 AM PDT up reply actions

email

I emailed someone I know at the 49ers. Go ahead and contact 415-GO-49ERS (415-464-9377) for now.

Follow @NinersNation

by David Fucillo on Sep 20, 2011 11:07 AM PDT up reply actions

Got it done........I called the number and talked to the operator, she has reserved two handicaped spaces for Michelle and I.

We will just exchange 2 of the other ones for the new ones. Again, thankyou for helping me……

by ericalancanty on Sep 20, 2011 11:26 AM PDT up reply actions

Hope you both will enjoy the game.

by LASVEGASNINER on Sep 20, 2011 11:32 AM PDT up reply actions

Thanks, we attended the Eagles game last year....with Corn on the Kolb beating us.

I just hope for a victory.

by ericalancanty on Sep 20, 2011 11:50 AM PDT up reply actions

It looked bad

but it looks like he assumed Witten would catch the ball and was breaking for the tackle. To be fair they were relatively close to the QB and he didn’t have a lot of time to decide whether to go for the tackle or try to play the ball. I’m ok with his choice. In fact, i wish Madieu Williams would have done the same on the pass to Austin.

As well as he has played this year, the screw up in OT was inexcusable. Especially since Dallas’ running game was non-existent up until then. In some ways I wonder if our team is in good enough shape as they seem to break down a lot at the end of the first half and through the second half. It may be a result of the lock out and all the new players on the team.

by odiez42 on Sep 20, 2011 11:14 AM PDT reply actions

The OT play

was Whitner’s responsibility. It was cover 2 deep safeties all the way. You can tell by the way the Madeiu Williams and Brown were playing on the other side. Rogers had short flat and hook zone and with what was supposed to be Whitner over the top.
Watch the replay and you can see Whitner get sucked in by the play fake and then haul ass to tackle the WR before he scored.

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 Sep 20, 2011 12:42 PM PDT up reply actions