clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

#Channel49 Twitter Q&A NFL Week Seven: 49ers at Titans, Team MVP, and more

What 49er from the 90's would you want on this team? Will we see a bootleg this week? Who is Bubba? These are just some of the questions answered in this weeks mailbag. We're talking 49ers at Titans too.

Thearon W. Henderson

We had some really good questions this week, and would love for you to join next week on Friday at 2 P.M. on Twitter. Just send your questions to the hashtag #Channel49 and Aaron Malone (@GafflezMalone) and myself (@Woods49ers) will be there to discuss them with you. On a side note, I will be making the trip to Nashville for the game, so if anyone sees me please say hello, or tweet me while you're there.

We will see multiple bootlegs at some point, but that play falls into the category of using with discretion. The 49ers prefer to be as vanilla as they can be until they can't be. We have seen it in the Alex Smith era and now with Colin Kaepernick as quarterback. Bootlegs can be "money plays", and they don't want to show them if a game isn't on the line. With that said, the opportunity could present itself more frequently to incorporate bootlegs with the 49ers going back to a power run game predominantly. While the 49ers don't like giving teams game film to study up on much before the playoffs, I could see some more bootlegs going forward. Interesting.

So many to choose from! My pick is going to come down to need, and the 49ers could use some help at receiver and along the defensive line right now. That narrows it to Dana Stubblefield and Terrel Owens, with me narrowly bringing back T.O. Owens would provide a nice one-two punch along with Anquan Boldin, and then with Crabtree back... watch out! The 90's version of Owens put up 222 receptions, 3307 yards, 14.9 yards per reception, and 30 touchdowns. This was the happier T.O. too (when he wasn't literally crying), before all the antics and zaniness. Who would you "bring back"?

You know him as special teams contributor Ray Ventrone, but his teammates and friends call him Bubba. I have noticed Ventrone flying down the field on kickoff, usually one of the first ones near the ball. Admittedly, I didn't know who Ventrone was before he came to the 49ers, and looking at a picture of him I thought he was around my age of twenty three, but the dude is thirty! Ventrone was good enough to make the Patriots squad for four seasons (2005-2008), and the Browns for some of 49ers special teams coach Brad Seely's tenure there and onward (2009-2012). The 49ers special teams unit has looked better for the most part as the season has gone on, and Ventrone is one of the reasons as to why. Here's to you Bubba.

There should be optimism for solid play at both positions long term. With Tramaine Brock seeing the field instead of Nnamdi Asomugha, the 49ers secondary has looked a lot better, he's been a spark. Erich Wright has had success in his career and will bolster the secondary when he gets on the active roster, which will be in the next couple of weeks or so.

At receiver there shouldn't be worries long term either. Mario Manningham should be back week ten (after the bye week), and Michael Crabtree is nearing his return as well, don't forget about Quinton Patton either. Jonathan Baldwin might even become a contributor by seasons end. The 49ers depth isn't bad at these positions, the players just need to play up to their potential.

I don't have it in me to predict a loss, and no one else should either. The 49ers have a good chance to win every week, and I believe going into every game they are going to win it. You can do this being objective too, the 49ers are the most stacked team besides maybe the Seahawks or of course, Broncos. The biggest tests ahead will be against the Saints and against Seattle. Hopefully we'll see a Broncos vs. 49ers matchup in February if Peyton doesn't lay an egg in the playoffs.

Expect to see Dorsey active Sunday. Jim Harbaugh said Dorsey looked good yesterday. If he can't go, Tony Jerod-Eddie and either Quinton Dial or Mike Purcell would be active.

Frank Gore. In the 49ers last three victories, Gore has rushed for 153, 81, and 101 yards. Frank has kept the chains moving and has shown he ain't done yet! Runners up would be Navorro Bowman, Vernon Davis, and Anquan Boldin. Who is your team MVP?

The game plan changes due to the mobility of the two quarterbacks. Jake Locker is more dangerous throwing the ball when he's on the run, and he's dangerous scrambling as well. If Locker starts, the 49ers will dial up some more blitzes. It wouldn't be wise to allow him more time to get receivers open by scrambling around. That's how Andrew Luck beat the 49ers, he had time to move around and had time to make plays. If Ryan Fitzpatrick starts for the Titans, the 49ers will play coverage more-so like they usually do, only sending the front three and Corey Lemonier. It would be nice to see little more blitzing in general from Vic Fangio, I really liked the zone blitz he dialed up against the Texans (Schaub INT to Tony Jerod-Eddie), and a little more blitzing could help the 49ers put opposing offenses into long yardage situations.