FanPost

Joe Looney film study, 49ers-Ravens Preseason Game

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Fooch's Note: I embedded a few of the pictures, but not all.

Disclaimer: I by no means consider myself an expert in the studying of film. Everything from here on out is my amateur opinion. Also would like to apologize for the low quality of any images used. You have been warned. Also, this is probably going to be long.

Every since Alex Boone's holdout began people, analysts and fans alike, have been considering who would take his place should his holdout last into the regular season. Third year Guard Joe Looney from Wake Forest is by and large the favorite to take Boone's Right Guard job should Boone not report or otherwise finds himself off the team either through trade or being cut (I know Boone being cut probably has a less than 1 percent chance of happening). The coaching staff signaled this notion throughout camp by giving Looney the 1st string reps and starting in preseason game number one. After the game people's opinions on Looney's performance seem to have tended towards the negative. I somewhat disagreed so I put my opinion to the test by re-watching the game but concentrating solely on Looney and how he played. I watched every play multiple times, pausing and un-pausing, rewinding and so forth, noting who was arrayed against him, how well he blocked, recognized schemes and plays, etc. I'll give a description as best as I can of every play he was in and pictures for some of the noteworthy ones, good and bad.

1st Drive

Play #1: Run Play, Dive Left 1st and 10

Ravens starting NT Brandon Williams (98) lines up at the 1 technique (the spot in-between the Center and Guard) between Kilgore and Looney. Looney and Kilgore double team Williams as Hyde runs ball through now unoccupied left A Gap because Iuapti moved DE Haloti Ngata (92) out of running lane while Vance McDonald cuts OLB Terrel Suggs (55) out of play. ILB Josh Bynes (56) makes initial contact on Hyde as FS Darian Stewart (#24) makes final tackle. Good for 7 yards.

Play #2: Pass Play 2nd and 3

Ngata (92) lines up at 0 technique (over Center) and immediately rushes the A Gap between Kilgore and Looney. Both double team Ngata effectively.

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Pass from Kaepernick to WR Stevie Johnson incomplete. Penalty on OLB Pernell McPhee (90) for Unnecessary Roughness on Kaepernick. Iupati completely whiffed on the block against McPhee and allowed a hit on the QB.

Play #3: Play Action, Naked Boot 1st and 10

Ngata (92) lines up directly over Looney. Williams (98) lined up over Kilgore. Ngata initially rushes Looney but almost immediately recognizes the play action, spins away and backwards from Looney's block and runs left to try to cut off McDonald who lined up as a lead blocker to the left of Hyde but breaks towards right flat instead. Pass completed for 17 yards. Ngata non-factor in play. After Ngata spun away from Looney to go after McDonald Looney didn't seem like he knew what to do so he turns to his left to engage Williams (98) who really wasn't in the play.

Play #4: Run Play, Off-Tackle Left 1st and 10

This one was a little odd. Williams (98) lined up at 1 tech between Kilgore and Looney.

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It looks like Looney is trying to pull to the left but gets caught up in a human pile that developed between the hashes.

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He seems to recognize he isn't going to get out of the pile in time so he goes to half-heartedly block Williams (98) in the back. Neither player is in the play. Hyde run is good for 19 yards.

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Play #5: Run Play, Draw Left 1st and 10

Williams (98) lined up at 2 tech straight over Looney. Williams engages Looney but to no affect. Play goes away from right side to the left. Hyde runs for 8 yards.

Play #6: Run, Pitch Right 2nd and 2

Williams (98) lined up over Looney. Pitch goes to Jewel Hampton (33) running to right sideline.

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Williams and Looney engage, neither can move the other.

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Run goes for 1 yard as Hampton is tackled short of the first down by SS Matt Elam (26) after a failed cut block by J. Martin (71).

Play #7: Run, Dive Right 3rd and 1

Williams (98) lined up directly over Looney.

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Hampton (33) takes handoff and intends to run through the right B Gap behind Tukuafu (48). Looney doesn't get low enough on block against Williams.

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Williams gets leverage advantage and pushes Looney completely off him. Williams makes tackle in backfield for a 1 yard loss.

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Drive stalls in red zone at 7 yard line and Field Goal unit must take the field.

2nd Drive

Play #1: Pass 1st and 10

Ngata (92) lines up at 1 technique between Kilgore and Looney but pinched in towards Kilgore. McPhee (90) is lined up on the outside shoulder of Iupati.

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Ngata bull rushes Kilgore with Looney helping in a double team of Ngata initially. Iupati also engages McPhee originally.

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Kilgore then takes McPhee for Iupati, leaving Looney with Ngata. Neither Ngata nor McPhee gets any pressure on Gabbert.

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Pass incomplete to WR Stevie Johnson. Penalty for Defensive Holding.

Play #2: Run, Dive/Fullback Wham 1st and 10

Ravens are running a basic 4-3 Under Defense here. The Niners are going to counter this by running a Wham play with Fullback Bruce Miller (49) being the Wham blocker. Ngata (92) is lined up at 3 technique between Iupati and Staley. Williams (98) is lined up over Kilgore at 0 technique. Defensive End Chris Canty (99) is lined up at 4 technique over Jonathan Martin at Right Tackle.

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At the snap of the ball Kilgore is going to let Williams go unblocked as he surges towards the second level to block ILB Mosley (57). Looney, having no Defensive Linemen to block, also runs to the second level to take the other ILB Josh Bynes (56).

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The play calls for Bruce Miller to wham Brandon Williams as he comes unblocked into the backfield. Hyde is to run between FB Bruce Miller blocking the NT Brandon Williams and RT Jonathan Martin blocking Chris Canty with Kilgore and Looney taking out the ILBs.

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Williams sheds Miller's block making first contact while Canty shakes off Martin and finishes the tackle. Run goes for 4 yards.

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Play #3: Run, Off-Tackle Right 2nd and 6

Single back set with Carlos Hyde the RB. Brandon Williams (98) lines up between Kilgore and Looney. Ngata (92) lined up over Iupati, Canty (99) over Martin.

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Staley and Iupati double team Ngata while Kilgore and Looney double team Williams. ILB Mosley (57) sees the A Gap between Kilgore and Iupati open up like the Red Sea

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He charges through it into the backfield to make the shoestring tackle on Hyde because Canty shed Martin's block to fill the running lane. Gain of 1 yard.

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Play #4: Pass 3rd and 5

Ravens are going to Zone Blitz this pass attempt. Seven players are going to crowd the line of scrimmage but only five will actually rush. In all, two DLs (92, 90), four LBs (55, 56, 57, 58), and a CB (25) at the last second will crowd the line.

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At the snap the CB goes to cover slot WR Quinton Patton in man coverage. OLB Elvis Dumervil (58) falls back to cover the middle of the field with Suggs (55) and both ILBs Mosley (57) and Bynes (56) rushing. Looney gets McPhee (90) lined up directly over him. He's one-on-one with McPhee at the start of the play but Martin joins in as he has no one to block because Dumervil jumped back into coverage.

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Kilgore is laden down by both ILBs rushing him. He has Bynes blocked but Mosley gets past, who is picked up by Hyde. Bynes eventually sheds Kilgore and makes the hit on Gabbert just as he releases the pass. Pass completed to WR Stevie Johnson for a 6 yard pickup and first down.

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Play #5: Pass 1st and 10

Chris Canty (99) lined up directly over Martin but goes straight for Looney at the snap. Looney is initially pushed back by the bull rush but regains control before he can get pushed into Gabbert's lap. Gabbert threw to Stevie Johnson because he thought Johnson found a hole between the zone coverages. He didn't see Suggs had fallen back into zone coverage in the flat. Luckly Suggs didn't react fast enough to the pass even though he had inside leverage on Johnson. Johnson attempted a leaping catch but the ball bounced off the top of his hands, popping it up and over him and the oncoming DBs for an incompletion.

Play #6: Pass 2nd and 10

Chris Canty (99) lines up on Looney, Brandon Williams (98) lines up on Kilgore, and Courtney Upshaw (91) is lined up in a two point stance on Vance McDonald who is tight on the line next to Martin. At the snap, Canty stunts around Williams and McDonald proceeds to run a Curl off the end of the line leaving a rushing Upshaw to Jonathan Martin. A stunting Canty is taken by Kilgore who passes Brandon Williams to Looney. Pass completed to McDonald for 7 yards.

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Play #7: Pass 3rd and 3

Pernell McPhee (90) is lined up on Looney.

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At the snap, McPhee uses a swim move on Looney to avoid the first block, gets under and past Looney, and proceeds to the QB as Looney desperately tries to reengage.

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McPhee didn't get the sack because Looney was able to push him down before he could get to Gabbert. Pass incomplete. Penalty for Offensive Pass Interference on Quinton Patton for a push-off.

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3rd Drive

Play #1: Pass 1st and 10

Another 4-3 Under look from the Ravens. Ryan Seymour is now playing Right Tackle as Jonathan Martin has moved to Left Tackle. Brandon Williams (98) is lined up over Kilgore, Kapron Lewis-Moore (95) is lined over Seymour. At snap, Brandon Williams drives Kilgore backwards as Seymour takes and walks Lewis-Moore away from the pocket. Looney doesn't help Kilgore fast enough and both are pushed into Gabbert's face by Williams as he throws the pass. Gabbert can't step into throw and pass goes high over Patton's head for an incompletion.

Play #2: 2nd and 10

False start penalty on Jonathan Martin. 5 yard penalty.

Play #3: Pass, Screen 2nd and 15

No one is lined up over Looney. He is one of the blockers for the screen so he, along with Adam Snyder (playing LG) and Kilgore immediately run to the left hash to block for Jewel Hampton. The only Raven who has a chance to tackle Hampton, Mosley (57), is blocked by Snyder, and Looney is a free blocker who could surge ahead to block incoming defenders for Hampton. Hampton drops the pass. This drop really hurt because Hampton probably would have had a huge gain had he caught the pass.

Play #4: Pass 3rd and 15

Only four rushers from the Ravens on a 3rd and long. Timmy Jernigan (97) lines up on and bull rushes Kilgore. DeAngelo Tyson (93) lines up on and rushes Ryan Seymour. Looney is left with no one to block so he goes to help Seymour with Tyson. Pass incomplete to Patton.

4th Drive

Play #1: Run, Sweep Left 1st and 10

The Sweep is going to the left of the formation. All Looney has to do is plow forward and take out a defender from pursuing the play. He pushes Jernigan back and out of the play before Jernigan even has a chance to pursue. Run goes to Jewel Hampton for a 2 yard gain.

Play #2: Pass 2nd and 8

Timmy Jernigan (97) lines up on Looney. One-on-one battle that results in Looney being pushed back but not enough to affect the throw, which is intended for TE Derek Carrier (46) but intercepted by CB Asa Jackson (25).

5th Drive

Play #1: Run, Off-Tackle Left 1st and 10

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Looney is the pulling Guard in this play. He pulls to the left side of the formation and swings past Left Tackle Jonathan Martin to block the OLB John Simon (94) which he does.

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The play breaks down because Martin can't hold his block on Kapron Lewis-Moore (95) and FB Will Tukuafu can't hold his on ILB Albert McClellan (50). Run goes for 2 yards.

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Play #2: Pass 2nd and 8

Ravens bring four rushers on the play. Looney is the only Offensive Lineman with no one to block, the other four are in one-on-one situations. Kilgore and Martin are both badly beaten, Snyder and Seymour hold their own. WR Chuck Jacobs drops the pass.

Play #3: Pass 3rd and 8

Ravens have two down linemen in their sub-package on the line of scrimmage. They also bring the lone ILB and FS on an inside blitz. Looney picks up the ILB, Albert McClellan (50), while he was trying to rush the A Gap. Kilgore gets pushed into Gabbert's face by NT Brandon Williams (98). Pass goes to Chuck Jacobs for 7 yards. 4th down.

6th Drive

Play #1: Pass 1st and 10

Looney engages Lewis-Moore (95). Wins battle with help from Kilgore at end of play. Pass is batted down.

Play #2: Pass 2nd and 10

Looney and Seymour team up on Lewis-Moore (95). Jewel Hampton gets beaten by ILB Mosley (57) on a B Gap blitz, Martin gets beaten on a speed rush by McPhee (90). Mosley and McPhee meet at QB for the sack. End of 1st half.

Summary:

After looking at all the plays Joe Looney had in the game, I wouldn't be overly concerned with him starting for us. In my mind he's an able pass protector who's probably a net neutral in run blocking. He did have a fairly egregious play on the last play of the first drive on 3rd and 1 on the Ravens six yard line. He simply didn't get his pad level low enough against NT Brandon Williams and lost all leverage allowing Williams to throw him aside and get into the backfield for the tackle. But he did have some good plays like standing-up Haloti Ngata a few times in pass protection. He does lack some situational awareness that I think comes down to lack of real game experience. All in all I think its been highly exaggerated that Joe Looney had a bad game, he didn't. He didn't shine in his chance to take a starting job, but he also didn't disappoint.

I know this is supposed to be a study of Joe Looney, but other Offensive Linemen stood out, and not in a good way. The players around Looney, Daniel Kilgore starting at Center and Jonathan Martin starting at Right Tackle and moving to Left, had bad to terrible games. Kilgore just isn't strong enough to hold up for long in pass protection. He was constantly being pushed around by the Ravens starting NT Brandon Williams and had a play or two where Ngata just made an absolute rag doll of him. And Jonathan Martin couldn't hold a block to save his life. The defenders he was supposed to block almost always seemed to be involved in the play somehow. I would hope that rookie Marcus Martin can get up to speed on the offense fast enough to supplant Kilgore as soon as possible. I'd also be worried if Martin were to make the roster as the primary swing-tackle.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors.