So about that Panthers game. I went and rewatched it and tried to decide if this team is doing any better after than they were a year ago. My guess: why yes. There were some things that were just par for the course, obviously; Vance McDonald’s stone hands, Carlos Hyde coughing up a fumble for a TD, but beyond that, I liked what I saw.
Sure, some of the adjustments didn’t work, but at least they weren’t running it up the gut 50 times even though it was obviously it wasn’t working. The 49ers gave up some plays (uh, that defense did know Greg Olson is a good player, right?) but they were running around, being competitive, and the blowout didn’t come until the 4th quarter. Plus, some of those throws were just absolutely perfect. That Kelvin Benjhamin catch was covered fine by Jimmy Ward as far as I’m concerned, but it falling into his hands after was so lucky you’d think the 49ers were playing the Seattle Seahawks already. Speaking of Seattle, if you take out those perfect dimas, that game was eerily similar to the blowout the 49ers had in week 2 of the 2013 season.
It was a weird game at the end, but I was more happy coming out of that game than I was last year coming out of the Pittsburgh game. I’m going to go off on a limb though and say Blaine Gabbert is not the answer. The 49ers need a good wide receiver and a decent quarterback and then, they could be really, really evil. Onto the links!
49ers promote Skov, sign another LB to practice squad (CSN)
49ers’ defense has been this way before (Branch)
Chip Kelly cites entire offense for struggles in passing game, not just Blaine Gabbert (Biderman)
‘Repetitive accuracy’ missing for 49ers, Gabbert so far (Barrows)
They must have not polled anyone who bought a jersey recently. Poll says Colin Kaepernick is most disliked player in NFL (Biderman)
Surprise starter: 49ers RG Tiller determined to keep job (Branch)
Who’s the first quarterback to be benched? (Pro Football Talk)
Pete Carroll optimistic about Russell Wilson's ankle ahead of 49ers game (Biderman)
Lynch dramatically demonstrates support for Kap's protest (CSN)
Seahawks Doug Baldwin puts rivalry aside, collaborates on protest with Colin Kaepernick (Biderman)
What a horrible night to have a curse...