The Madden simulations (used loosely) continue after missing week two against the Saints. Today, we visit tomorrow's matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and our San Francisco 49ers. Things have been going the way of the 49ers lately, as they've been picked to win every time so far. of the preseason simulations. Turns out the team won all of those games. Keep in mind, folks, that this is all for fun, and in no way, shape, or form am I really claiming that this "simulation," is actually a simulation at all. It's just a fun look to take before a game. I find that occasionally some things will be pretty on point. Good players generally play good and bad players generally play bad. Of course the stats never come out looking great. But, and here's a "for instance," the 49ers get beat by tight ends over the middle in Madden, which is pretty darn true to life, no?
So basically, the situation is that I pop in Madden NFL 11 for the Xbox 360, turn the game on All-Madden difficulty with something like 8-minute quarters. I be sure to make the roster accurate, and I watch the game - providing commentary to all of you. At some point this year, I'd love to record a full game and provide audio commentary, but that's for the future. For now it's a good ol' text breakdown.
I'll do my best to adhere to the injury reports, but again, it's not always easy to do so. Let's get to it, make the jump.
The 49ers are kicking off and the ball is fielded by Jamaal Charles, who takes it to the 25-yard line.
Chiefs First Drive: Matt Cassel takes the first snap from the shotgun and his first pass is incomplete over the middle and S Dashon Goldson almost picks it off. From the shotgun again, it's a deep pass to the right side but it's out of bounds, with CB Will James in coverage. 3rd down with ten to go, and Cassel is in the shotgun again, it's a handoff to RB Jamaal CHarles, but he is brought down for a two yard loss by LB Patrick Willis.
The Chiefs elect to punt and WR Kyle Williams takes it for an eleven yard return, and Collinsworth talks about his potential to apparently take it back every time.
49ers First Drive: Alex Smith, from the shotgun, hands off to Frank Gore who has a hole on the left side and goes ten yards before being brought down. It's a 49ers first down. Wait, they measure and say it's 2nd and inches. From under center, it's another handoff to the left, and Gore is patient behind his line. Chilo Rachal moves out and makes a crushing block and Gore is out there, five yards, he's got a man in front of him and he spins outside to the left again, six yards, seven yards, finally he's set on and brought down after ten yards and NOW a 49ers first down. That's two rushes and 20 yards for Gore.
From under center, it's a run to Gore again, on the left side, and Gore makes one player miss and rumbles for another ten yards, but it's marked 2nd and inches again. From the shotgun, Smith hands off to RB Brian Westbrook, but there's no blocking and he's dropped for a three-yard loss. 3rd down with three to go for the 49ers. Westbrook is still on the field. From the shotgun, it's another handoff to Westbrook, and look at that: he's dropped for another three yards. 4th and 6, and the 49ers are trying for a long field goal. It's a 50-yarder, with the wind, and Joe Nedney makes it in, just barely. The 49ers lead 3-0.
Nedney kicks off and the ball is taken at the nine, and is brought back, again, to the 25-yard line. Taylor Mays on the stop.
After The Field Goal: Cassel, with his first play from under center, takes the snap from the offset I formation. It's a run to the left side and Thomas Jones picks up one yard before running into NT Aubrayo Franklin. From under center again, Chambers is in motion and Cassel drops back, has a man, but is pressured big by RE Justin Smith and he throws an incomplete pass to his left side. 3rd and 9 for the Chiefs, from the gun, Dashson Goldson is on Jamaal Charles, who makes a cut and snares in a short pass from Cassel and turns it into a first down.
1st and 10 from their own 37-yard line, Cassel from under center takes the snap and delivers a strike underneath to Dexter McCluster, who makes a defender miss and takes it nine yards before being brought down by CB Nate Clements. The next play is an end-around to Chambers, who runs up the middle and picks up the one yard.
1st and 10 for the Chiefs on the 48-yard line. It's a full house backfield and a fake to Thomas Jones, Cassel has nobody open, so he tries to run it on the left side and takes it four yards before being brought down by LB Manny Lawson. 2nd and six and the first quarter is over. Cassel takes the snap and throws immediately to WR Bowe, and it's a first down and not much else.
1st and 10 in 49ers territory now, and it's a 10 yard rush by Thomas Jones bringing up yet another Chiefs first down. On the next play, Cassel is pressured and hit, and throws a limp duck into the air, but the fullback brings it in and gets eight yards. The Chiefs are close to the red zone now, from the shotgun it's a handoff to Thomas Jones, who gets nothing bringing up 3rd down with 2 yards to go. From under center, Cassel has good protection and delivers over the middle, but the pass falls incomplete and misses the receiver. 4th and 2 and the Chiefs elect to kick a field goal, and it's good from 40 yards out, and the game is tied at 3-3.
The Chiefs kick off to WR Kyle Williams, who takes it to the 25 from the 7-yard line.
After The Field Goal: Smith, from under center, hands off to Frank Gore, who goes six yards on the right side before being brought down. Smith drops back to pass and hits WR Michael Crabtree for only two yards, bringing up a 3rd and 2. From the gun, it's ah and off to Gore, and he's stopped at the line. A quick 3-and-out for the 49ers offense. Ugh.
Andy Lee's punt goes to the 25, and the ball is taken to the 31-yard line.
After the Punt: Caassel, from the gun, is pressured, hit by LB Manny Lawson and has his pass batted down at the line by DE Ray McDonald. Again, he goes from the gun,and it's a three-yard completion over the middle to Bowe. 3rd and 7, from the gun, the Chiefs are running down the clock with a minute and thirty to go in the half, and the 49ers aren't using any timeouts for some reason. Singletary can't manage the clock even in Madden. Cassel thinks he has a guy on the left side, and passes deep, but CB Shawntae Spencer breaks it up. 4th and 7.
The Chiefs punt, the ball goes to Kyle Williams at the 21-yard line, and with no blocking picks up only three-yards.
After the other Punt: Smith drops back, and fires downfield to Michael Crabtree down the right sideline, but it's broken up. 2nd and 10. From the gun, Smith is immediately pressured by a defender coming in unblocked, Smith hits Morgan in stride, who picks up about 15 yards before being brought down. The Niners take a timeout.
1st and 10, Smith from the gun has another guy unblocked in his face, and Smith hits Morgan again on the left for seven yards. Another timeout, 36 seconds to go in the half. From under center, Smith fires deep to WR Dominique Zeigler, who is covered by three players and can't get the ball. 3rd and 3 to go from their own 48-yard line with 30 seconds on the clock. From the shotgun, Smith dumps off to RB Frank Gore for a first down. The last timeout is used. 20-seconds on the clock.
1st down, and Smith takes the snap. He's pressured, but Mike Iupati makes a good block. He stands up in the pocket and recognizes the safety downfield who took the middle of the field, he has Josh Morgan who beats his guy in one-on-one coverage on the left side of the field, and he fires a pass to him, and hits him in stride at the 22-yard line, and Morgan keeps going, 20, 15, 10, 5, the CB dives and can't get him, TOUCHDOWN 49ERS! The extra point is good and the 49ers are up 10-3 going into the half.
For the Josh Morgan touchdown reception, click this link for a video!
After The Score: Nedney squibs it up the middle and Charles takes it to the 32-yard line. Cassel takes it from the shotgun and hits WR Bowe on the left fir eight yards. The Chiefs take a timeout with 4 seconds remaining in the half. The 49ers get pressure with their line on the next play, and Cassel scrambles to the right, throwing it away as he's brought down by Isaac Sopoaga and Justin Smith.
Halftime: Gore is running well and the line appears to be blocking. Josh Morgan is making his case for awesomeness. The 49ers lead 10-3.
The Chiefs kick to Wiliams, who takes it at the three-yard line and takes it out to the 28-yard line.
To Begin The Half: Smith, from under center, hands off to Frank Gore who goes five yards before being hit, breaks a tackle and takes it another three yards, bringing up a second down with two yards to go. Smith takes the snap from the gun and has pressure on his right side, and wisely hits Josh MOrgan after about seven yards, who truns upfield and turns it into a first down and more, taking it across the fifty yard line. He's brought down at the Chiefs 45-yard line, with a 49ers first down.
Smith motions Vernon Davis to the right from the offset I formation, and is immediately pressured, he passes over the middle and it's incomplete as he's hit. 2nd and 10, from the gun, and it's a handoff to Frank Gore, who follows Mike Iupati up for seven yards before being brought down. 3rd down with 3 to go, Gore takes the handoff to the left side side and picks up the first down. He's now had the ball eight times and taken it for about sixty yards. The 49ers have the ball at the Chiefs 31-yard line, with a first down.
Smith, again from the gun, motions Davis to the right side. Smith has nobody open downfield, so he dumps it off to Zeigler, who picks up about six yards on the completion. After the completion, it's Zeigler again, who picks up another nine yards and a 49ers first down. They're in the red zone now, and Smith takes the snap from under center, has nobody open, and turns and throws across his body to Zeigler on the left sideline, who toe taps it for four yards. It's a fake handoff to Norris, and a toss to Gore, but he's brought down behind the line of scrimmage to bring up a 3rd and 8. Smith takes it from under center and hits Josh MOrgan over the middle on a curl pattern and it's close. They measure, and they say it's 4th and 1 to go. From the eight yard line, the 49ers elect to kick a field goal. It's good, and the 49ers lead 13-3.
Nedney kicks to the five yard line, and Charles brings it to the 29-yard line, looking good on the return. Kyle Williams on the tackle.
After The 49ers Score: Cassel from under center, tosses to Thomas Jones, and Patrick Willis avoids the fullback and brings him down behind the line for a three-yard loss. Cassel hands off again to Jones, and he is brought down at the line of scrimmage after breaking an Aubrayo Franklin tackle, he's brought down by CB Tarrel Brown. 3rd and 13 for the Chiefs, and the third quarter comes to an end. Cassel, from the shotgun has good protection, but doesn't appear to have anybody open downfield. He tries to make something of nothing and throws a pass down the left sideline and it's picked off by S Dashon Goldson! Goldson goes down the sideline, breaks a tackle and picks up 24 yards before being brought down.
For the Dashon Goldson interception, click this link for a video!
After The Pick: Smith, from the gun, hands off to Gore who picks up three yards on the left side. Gore picks up two yards on another carry after that. From the gun on 3rd and five, Smith takes the snap, looks around, and it's a screen to Gore on the left side. David Baas, Iupati, Rachal and Morgan make key blocks and Gore takes it 31 yards for the touchdown. After the extra point, the 49ers lead 20-3 over the Chiefs.
For the Frank Gore touchdown reception, click this link for a video!
With Five Minutes To Go: Nedney kicks off to the Chiefs and it's taken at the five. He brings it out to the 24-yard line, and the Chiefs line up in the shotgun. Jones has a run on the right side, and is dropped for a loss by Patrick Willis. More shotgun, and Cassel hits Pope over the middle for eight yards and Lawson fails to strip the ball. With the hurry-up offense, Cassel throws deep when they only need three to go after being hit by a blitzing Nate Clements, but the ball is broken up on the right sideline by S Taylor Mays.
The Chiefs go for it on 4th and three, and it's a complete pass to WR Bowe, who gets the first down conversion. The next play is a first down pass to Bowe, but it's broken up by LB Manny Lawson. 2nd and 10 with 4 minutes to go in the game. Cassel drops back from under center and is hit by a blitzing CB in Tarrel Brown, and his pass falls incomplete. 3rd down with 10 to go for the Chiefs, Cassel is pressured by Manny Lawson, but Cassel has Pope over the middle for a huge gain. 45-yards to be exact, and the Chiefs are in the red zone. 1st and goal.
The first down pass is almost picked off by LB Patrick Willis, 2nd and goal. Cassel's second down pass sails out of bounds as he's pressured. 3rd and goal. From the gun, it's a completion to McCluster, who is shot of the goal line and only picks up five. 4th and goal with three yards to go, and the Chiefs elect to go for it with 2:20 to go in the game. It's a run, and Thomas Jones gets the garbage time TD for the Chiefs. After the extra point, it's 20-10, with the 49ers leading.
The Chiefs go for the onside kick, but it's recovered by WR Dominique Zeigler.
After The Garbage Time TD: Smith, from under center, hands off to Frank Gore, who picks up four yards, bringing up the two minute warning. It's a handoff to FB Moran Norris, and he picks up three yards, bringing up three yards to go.The Chiefs take a timeout. I have yet to see a Taser play work for the Niners in this game, and it didn't in this case either. Gore loses a yard. The 49ers go for the 52-yard field goal with the wind and look at that - it's good. The 49ers are up 23-10.
The kick goes to the eight yard line and Charles brings it to the 24.
After The Field Goal: From the gun, Cassel is pressured and hit by a defender as his pass sailed incomplete. Again from the shotgun, and it's McCluster ten yards deep, who gets the first down. Cassel goes under center now and hits McCluster over the middle again - but the ball is instantly knocked loose by an explosive hit from LB Patrick Willis, and it's incomplete.
Uh, OK. The next play, the ball sails through the midsection of CB Shawntae Spencer who jumped up for it (literally glitched through) and Bowe has it. He runs down the sideline and the Chiefs score another touchdown, 65-yards in fact. The game is 23-17 now. Huh.
Another onside kick fails as Delanie Walker gets the ball. A minute left to go in the game.
After That Silliness: Smith takes a knee and the Chiefs take a timeout. OK. The 48ers take another knee. Then another one, and the 49ers have this game won.
The Old Spice Swagger Player Of The Game is QB Alex Smith, who had 11 completions for 153 yards and two touchdowns, with no interceptions. The Doritos Crunchtime Play of the Game is the touchdown reception from Josh Morgan.
Final Score - San Francisco 49ers 23, Kansas City Chiefs 17
|
49ers |
Chiefs | |
| 210 | Total Offense | 212 |
| 57 | Rushing | 16 |
| 153 | Passing | 196 |
| 0 (+1) | Turnovers | 1 (-1) |
| 3-8 (37%) | 3rd Down Conv. | 2-8 (25%) |
| 0-0 | Penalties | 0-0 |
| 16:29 | Posession Time | 11:31 |
QB Alex Smith 11/14 153 YDS 78% 2 TD, 0 INT
QB Matt Cassel 12/27 196 YDS 45% 1 TD, 1 INT
HB Frank Gore 13 carries, 66 YDS, 5.0 AVG
HB Thomas Jones 7 carries, 12 YDS, 1.7 AVG
WR Josh Morgan 5 REC, 94 YDS, 1 TD, 18.8 AVG
WR Dwayne Bowe 5 REC, 99 YDS, 1 TD, 19.8 AVG
WR Frank Gore 2 REC, 38 YDS, 1 TD, 8.0 AVG
LB Patrick Willis 3 SOLO, 3 TFL,
S Dashon Goldson 1 TAK, 1 INT
Postgame: The 49ers defense wasn't tight at all at the end of the game, if you negate that long touchdown, the Chiefs were seriously ... not good. Was an entertaining game to watch, though.