My dad wrote a second column just now for Tuesday – this one’s on Randy Moss. My dad isn’t convinced this is a good move for the Niners. He is convinced that Moss is a hall of famer, but he’s not so sure he can still play. My dad believes Moss has a problem personality, too. To read my dad’s Moss column, click here.
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The prob is Alex can’t throw deep. What good Is it to have a deep ball wr when the qb can throw acc down field?!
You know who could not throw deep? Sean Hill and J.T. O Sullivan. I think Smith’s arm is not the real issue, it’s the depth at wide receiver. The lack of a true target. Crabtree is a number 2 receiver at best. Bring on Moss, bring on Ochocinco and bring Terry Glenn and Andre Rison out of retirement. It has to be an improvement than what we have now…
Here’s the problem. Your dad isn’t a coach, or a GM, or an assistant coach, or an assistant GM, or an assistant to an assistant…. Your dad and you to a degree are the reason that Jim Harbaugh and other good coaches treat the media the way they do. I only see the relationship with Jim and the media continuing to decline. Look at every move Jim and Baalke made and tell me how you and your dad are in any position to judge their decision… Its getting ridiculous. Right about football. Find out what the hell is going on with Payton Manning and give us the inside info on what the Niners are doing to sign him. I just read on a Denver site that the Niners are still in the mix…
WOW!
Nicely put Montana Joe!
Alex can’t throw deep?
Since Alex has been here the 49ers have never had a WR that could get deep!
Antonio Bryant.
And in that 1 year, AS threw plenty of great deep passes.
Hov,
That’s simply not true. Just this year alone, two of the prettiest were Alex-to-Crabtree (49ers v. Rams 51yrds), Alex-to-Davis (NFC Championship 72yrds). Just because we don’t throw deep often, doesn’t mean that we can’t.
Actually it seemed like Alex threw deep much more this season than any other. But look at the plays where he goes deep. For the most part he puts the ball where it needs to be but the WRs either drop it, or slow down in the middle of their route. Believe me Roman and Harbs will have plenty going Moss’s way and Alex will not hesistate to get it to him. Alex finally has a legit deep threat.
@Leo
The Nienrs didn’t run a lot of deep WR routes over the middle of the field. Just a lot of deep routes on the sideline. And virtually every time, the WR was covered pretty well.
So, AS threw it so that if his guy can’t get it, it won’t be intercepted.
Now, when he threw deep to VD (sideline or middle) he was accurate a lot of the time. If VD held onto the ball, it was a big play.
I don’t think AS is sitting back there saying “Hmm. MC is a WR. I don’t want to throw him an accurate deep ball. But, VD, I will.” AS trusts VD, and quite frankly VD was actually open when he threw it. MC and the WR’s spent much of the time being covered on those deep passes.
Tired of the stupid Smith can’t throw deep Bashing.
I have, about two-out-of-every-three years, pointed out that contrary to the haters, Smith’s deep ball completion percentage has always been perfectly fine. I’ll make an abbreviated analysis using the 31-40 split from the Top-10 Most Accurate QBs plus Smith (11th). Most QBs have enough attempts in this range to give a fairly smooth number:
Brees 53.3% Rodgers 51.4% Smith 50.0% Tony Romo 50% Freeman 33.3% Rivers 30.0% Stafford 28.6% Manning (Eli) 27.3% Roethlesberger 20.0% Hasslebeck 14.3% Fitzpatrick 11.1% Brady 0.00% (he threw, no completions and 1 for 6 over 40 yards. Brady is, and always has been, far more inaccurate at distance than Smith. Yet you never here the complaint…)
The problem with Smith is he has pass-dropping, can’t get open WRs. His TE, Davis, is a heck of a weapon, but is stiff and doesn’t function well when he has to turn in the intermediate game.
That limitation hurts Smith a bit in completion percentage over-time. But the trade off in big plays to Davis is worth it because DAvis is an outstanding deep receiver, despite being somewhat stiff.
Anyway, you guys hate Smith. Fine. But time and time again Smith’s excellent peformance in the areas you say he sucks mock your positions. It’d be nice you shut up and stopped with the ‘he can’t throw deep’ crap. He’s always been respectable in down-field accuracy percentage because he has one guy who can do it — Davis. And has for a long time.
Something else I criticized the 49ers (and Smith and Gore) for, and you didn’t, was the short-pasing game. With Harbaugh kicking Gore out of the short passing fame, Smith’s now up there with the league leaders in the short-game. Something, when Gore was dropping all those balls he wasn’t.
Now, if we fix the WRs… I predict his intermediate passing will ‘magically’ get better. Just like the short game jumped dramatically last year. And just like the deep game, since his second year, has been excellent.
Something so many of you seem to forgetr is that it takes TWO players to make a completion. Incompletions are not always the fault of the QB. Even if you think so. If the WR isn’t at the right spot on a timing route, it’s an INT or an INC.
And I think the evidence points far more toward bad WR play than bad QB play. Because with Gore out of the short game and the ever-excellent deep receiver DAvis, Smith’s got the numbers. But with the crap WR corps he’s had over the years… That intermediate is still weak…
So the real problem is that the fans and press are ignorant of both Smith’s performance and the real problems in the passing game. Smith isn’t perfect. But so many of you are so blind by your hate that it makes any honest and intelligent discussion impossible.
I’m trying to find something to argue with you about in your long post moses.
I just can’t. And that takes some doing. I can argue just about anything.
Holy Crap! Somebody else that gets it! Bravo Moses! I’ve seen alot of 3rd down passes hit 49ers receivers in the hands then then promply hit the ground.
Its not just an article on Randy Moss, but a not-so veiled crtitcism of Alex Smith. We won’t know what will happen until the games get played. We’ll see…
Grant…
When you wake up every morning, knowing your father is one of the most hated men in Bay Area sports and you share his last name, how does that make you feel?
Your dad is a contrarian. Period.
I’m proud to be his son. Did you disagree with specific points in his column?
Yeah a few…
“The fact is, Smith and the 49ers have not practiced throwing the deep pass. Now, they will have to devote time to that in practice — a big change for them.”
That’s simply, 100% not true.
“He started the 2010 season in New England, but after four games, Patriots coach Bill Belichick traded him back to the Vikings. Which means Belichick found out Moss was dispensable. Usually, when Belichick gets rid of a player, it means that player has reached the end of the line. “
This is misleading. Belichick traded Moss because he lashed out at the media, not because Belichick suddenly “found out” Moss was dispensable.
“His method is to pressure the quarterback to throw him the ball. If he does not get enough passes thrown his way — or thinks he doesn’t — he will cajole, challenge and badger the quarterback. He tries to make the quarterback afraid NOT to throw him the ball vertically.”
This is purely speculation and moreover false. Please tell me where Randy Moss has had instances of badgering quarterbacks. Tom Brady? Brett Favre? Kerry Collins? Andrew Walter? I think your dad has Terrell Owens & Randy Moss confused.
The knock on Moss has always been his level of effort… I get that. But when your dad goes out of his way in less than 5ish-hours to write an article bashing the move by the 49ers… yeah he’s a contrarian. Just own it.
(and yes, I understand your dad was probably trying to make his deadline for tomorrow’s paper, but still)
…Grant is quiet?……thanks Nick S. you just saved me time i could have wasted reading it……
….I think both Cohn are trying to so hard to get readers……..
@Nick S.
It is very interesting that LC brings up the KW overthown pass, then ends the article saying AS’s pass may not be able to reach RM.
So, there is a little play on words here.
And LC is somehow forgetting all the deep balls that AS did throw to the WR’s over the course of the season which the WR’s failed to make the play. Edwards in Baltimore comes to mind (would have been a TD, but was an Int). Ginn losing sight of the ball for a sure TD. There are more.
Yes. Because your dad doesn’t do the math. He just pops off.
I posted this at Comcast and once above. I’ll post here, as well:
Tired of the stupid Smith can’t throw deep Bashing.
I have, about two-out-of-every-three years, pointed out that contrary to the haters, Smith’s deep ball completion percentage has always been perfectly fine. I’ll make an abbreviated analysis using the 31-40 split from the Top-10 Most Accurate QBs plus Smith (11th). Most QBs have enough attempts in this range to give a fairly smooth number:
Brees 53.3% Rodgers 51.4% Smith 50.0% Tony Romo 50% Freeman 33.3% Rivers 30.0% Stafford 28.6% Manning (Eli) 27.3% Roethlesberger 20.0% Hasslebeck 14.3% Fitzpatrick 11.1% Brady 0.00% (he threw, no completions and 1 for 6 over 40 yards. Brady is, and always has been, far more inaccurate at distance than Smith. Yet you never here the complaint…)
The problem with Smith is he has pass-dropping, can’t get open WRs. His TE, Davis, is a heck of a weapon, but is stiff and doesn’t function well when he has to turn in the intermediate game.
That limitation hurts Smith a bit in completion percentage over-time. But the trade off in big plays to Davis is worth it because DAvis is an outstanding deep receiver, despite being somewhat stiff.
Anyway, you guys hate Smith. Fine. But time and time again Smith’s excellent peformance in the areas you say he sucks mock your positions. It’d be nice you shut up and stopped with the ‘he can’t throw deep’ crap. He’s always been respectable in down-field accuracy percentage because he has one guy who can do it — Davis. And has for a long time.
Something else I criticized the 49ers (and Smith and Gore) for, and you didn’t, was the short-pasing game. With Harbaugh kicking Gore out of the short passing fame, Smith’s now up there with the league leaders in the short-game. Something, when Gore was dropping all those balls he wasn’t.
Now, if we fix the WRs… I predict his intermediate passing will ‘magically’ get better. Just like the short game jumped dramatically last year. And just like the deep game, since his second year, has been excellent.
Something so many of you seem to forgetr is that it takes TWO players to make a completion. Incompletions are not always the fault of the QB. Even if you think so. If the WR isn’t at the right spot on a timing route, it’s an INT or an INC.
And I think the evidence points far more toward bad WR play than bad QB play. Because with Gore out of the short game and the ever-excellent deep receiver DAvis, Smith’s got the numbers. But with the crap WR corps he’s had over the years… That intermediate is still weak…
So the real problem is that the fans and press are ignorant of both Smith’s performance and the real problems in the passing game. Smith isn’t perfect. But so many of you are so blind by your hate that it makes any honest and intelligent discussion impossible.
I don’t get it. Why do some of you bother logging in here? Disagreeing is one thing but why the acrimony? You criticize Grant and Lowell, all the while reading every post, clicking into every article and pouring over their every word. Do you know that makes you suckers? This is Grant’s blog – he owns up to every word. So does Lowell. How can anyone question their credibility while posting on THEIR blogs anonymously? Come on, Niner fans, we’re better than this hypocrisy.
- Edward Marcus
Los Angeles, CA
+1
Here! Here! Mr. Marcus!!
**stands up and applauds**
-Daniel Flores
Omaha, Nebraska
If Moss could make Culpepper a pro-bowler, then what could he do for smith?
**strokes chin**
Hmmmmmm. Intriguing concept Big Niner ….. intriguing, indeed.
lol
Moss did make Culpepper a pro bowler. But it’s not hard to figure out why. Culpepper was a one trick pony. Fought off tacklers, kept plays alive with his feet ( like Big Ben ) kept his eyes down field and delivered a 70 yard bomb accurately. Alex doesn’t do ANY OF THESE THINGS.
It’s a situation where skill sets do not match up….
No, Smith just goes through his reads and throws the ball, or takes the occasional run.
One read. Not reads…
Guys a little harsh to attack the son of a guy who has been writing for a long time. Controversy sells, no need to attack like that. Moss is a gamble but Im pretty sure the Niners coaching staff will practice and develop plays to utlize everyone on offense talent, including Smith to Moss short, long, and inbetween. For Lowell to think otherwise is not accurate.
Grant doesn’t have to continue to post his dad’s articles on his blog. Fair is fair. Grant seems like a great guy, just like Alex Smith is a great guy. Time to step up or move out of the way…
If my dad were an award winning journalist I would post his articles on my blog every chance I got.
Article = BORING!!!!!!!!
s!$t, Grant. Your pops basically hit every lingering question I had. That was a damn good reading!! I feel if they adjusted to Alex’ strengths, they should adjust to Moss’ … get the best out of him. Hmmm … s!$% just got real in the bay!!!
Enjoyed the article by LC but if some of those (negative) things occur with RM, it is no different than with BE, the 9ers just release him and they are done. They move on no big deal.
Considering the considerable excitement 49ers players showed tonight I don’t think the 49ers can just release Moss if he starts acting up.
He’s a players’ player.
Moss is a baller. “Straight cash homie.”
Hof, you’re right! I think as much as RM is a player’s-player, our guys are team players. If guys aren’t sold out for team, then they lose respect from our guys. That’s why no one second guessed the team letting go of Braylon Edwards. If RM produces, he’ll get love from everyone, if he doesn’t produce big but keeps his attitude in check then he’ll be okay; but if he doesn’t produce and cries about it he’ll be shown the Edwards treatment.
Not to mention, there’s NO monetary risk for the 49ers, it’s all on Moss to keep it together!
Lowell is a hack. Same guy who after the Saints game writes this article http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20120114/SPORTS/120119673/1010/SPORTS?p=all&tc=pgall saying that it’s time for everyone to stop doubting Smith and that he was a great QB.
Now he goes and rips him over and over just one game removed from that? Cohn is a joke of a writer with zero credibility. He’s got an axe to grind and that’s it.
He basically insulted Alex, Harbaugh, Crabtree and Moss in this horrible article. Must be great to have a job where you can say one thing as a certainty and then be allowed to completely back off your statements once it proves otherwise.
Nice! I actually forgot about that article after the Saints game!
Romney does it….
I am sure Harbaugh and Baalke are smart enough people to ask the same questions as your Dad. I think if there was much doubt this would not of ever happened. I as a fan am putting my trust in H-B, so far they have done well. I do have reservations with this but if it works out this could be one of those great deals. I just hope Moss realizes at his age this is probably his last chance in football.
My dad states the obvious, too… but I don’t always write a blog about it ;)
Lowell hates Alex Smith and thinks Fraud Mike Singletary is a “good man.”
Singletary was a disastrous head coach but I don’t think that makes him a bad person.
The fact that he played for the Bears though…
@msc
I agree.
Pork, you need to learn to separate your hate of MS the coach from MS the man. If you don’t, you will go thru life hating a lot of good people who were miscast in something.
A little advice from an old man to anybody who’ll take it: It is unwise to tell another person what he or she ‘should’ or ‘needs to’ do. This specifically is a tip for DS, because he does nothing but preach as far as I can tell, but it’s just not a good way to treat people, and some really do take offense to it.
As for Mike Singletary, I agree with ‘Pork,’ for the former coach departed the team under terms of fraud when he accepted his severance, money he had vowed to refuse given failure to perform.
@hemingway
If you think it is cool to hate the person because he stank at his job, then you will have issues with me. That isn’t preaching. It is good advice.
By the way. Hemingway believed in peace. Promoting the idea of hating a guy who didn’t do you or anybody any real harm would disappoint Hemmingway. Choose a different name. You don’t deserve your hemingway name.
Heningway also believed in the value of pugilism to settle differences between men. Again, DS, you preach, you tell others what and how to do; a pity for all those people with whom you interact in real life. How boring.
Explain your suggestion to Grant about when to blog about his father.
Hypocrite.
If Moss can catch balls thrown at his feet, or 5 yards over his head, he’ll help a lot. Since when it is the receivers’ fault they get no catches? I’d rather see Kaepernick in there this year.
This signing makes me think the Niners aren’t planning on bringing Alex Smith back. Maybe this signing was an incentive to try and lure Payton to sign with the Niners or another elite soon to be free agent quarterback.
they signed Randy Moss not Reggie Wayne. Besides given Manning’s health there’s a good chance Smith has the stronger arm right now.
A 35 year old WR attracting a 35 year old QB? With the WR only signed for 1 year?
That will attract a QB? Okkkaayyy.
Here is a little tidbit that I got from Maicco’s Site:
-Can Jim Harbaugh still “bring it”?
Moss: “That’s funny you ask that. Yes, he can still bring it at his old age. I don’t know, he’s probably sitting there with an ice pack or something on his shoulder right now, but, yeah, he can still wing it-
Way to get on JH’s good side.
Well, Moss didn’t talk about “feelings” so he’s probably okay.
lol
I meant it tongue in cheek.
Moss has a great catching radius, can make a qb look good on an under thrown deepball, and if he has his speed can’t be overthrown. Perfect for Smith and the Niners who like to take some shots down the field to open up the running game. He’ll also help get the safety out of the middle so Vernon can get open. Harbaugh and Roman must be stoked.
There seems to be an argument for both sides of this question and all of them seem to be valid. As for LC, he is an acid columnist. He loves BW and defends him no matter what and he has it in for AS and continues to blame him for all the ills that befall the 9ers. It is always the doom and gloomers that all the attention and that is what he seems to like. I have read his tirades on the 9ers, the warriors and every other sprots team in the area. Always seems to look at the negative as a positive for his column. Grant, he is your father, but read his articles with an open mind and not with a sons faith in his father. I think you will find the same theme runs through all of his work. He looks at the dark side. I like someone that speaks his mind, but also recognize when a writer is obviously bias.
So wait… Lowell is Darth Vader?
Does Bill Belichick know Lowell stole his job?
I think winning will keep Moss involved. As far as his play, he’ll probably still be one of the best premier threats in the game. On the issue of Alex not being able to throw the long ball, watch all the games of this past season. He was at his best throwing long. His deep passes to Vernon before and during the playoffs were thrown perfectly. Purchase the season and playoffs from itunes and make your own decision.
The people who say Smith can’t throw the long ball are comical. Before this season it was always “Smiths best throws are the deep seams but he’s highly inaccurate throwing the short and middle passes” and now its “he’s just a dink and dunk qb who can’t throw the long ball”. Well which is it? Or maybe its that when he has weapons that can get deep (Antonio Bryant, VD being used as a receiver) that those throws are there.
Anyone who doubts Smiths ability to throw it deep, go to youtube and look at a video labeled something to the nature of “every Smith completion in 2010″. Focus especially on the pass to Crabtree vs the Raiders in the endzone….Deep, Accurate and a great catch too.
……this is…….aaaaaaaaawwwwwwwweeeeeeessssssooooommmmmeeee….
……..I am loving every second of this signing……
Stop saying “my dad……”. It’s so unprofessional. Use his name. This is a sports column, not elementary school.
No. It’s a blog, and he’s my dad.
Why are you up at 5 am blogging about your dad?
Why are you blogging?
Go back to bed old man. People like you thought racism was ok.
Don’t tell somebody what to think? Yeah. Don’t tell, them what their favorite color has to be, or who their favorite team has to be.
But saying it is ok for people to attack/hate another person (not their job performance) rather than to try to get them to stop hating…that is what is disgraceful.
Aren’t you telling Grant not to talk about his dad at 5 AM? Hypocrite. You can tell Grant not to blog at 5 AM and tell him the subject matter that he can’t write about , but allow another person to hate on another is ok? Times have passed you by if you don’t see how hypocritical you are in your 2 posts.
My Dad will always be my Dad, and my Mom will always be my Mom, even though they passed away years ago. When Grant says his Dad it makes me think of mine.
If everyone does not like Grant talking about his Dad then don’t read it.
Been reading your dad Lowell Cohn’ articles since the 80′ there is a reason why he’s had longevity, he’s pretty darn good.
Your respect for your dad is very admirable.
If we wanted to read your Dad’s column every day, we would. Stop cluttering my RSS feed with content I don’t subscribe to.
moss, grant, lowell, will each kick 3000 field goals. who are you people ?
Grant,
Not sure if you and your pops know this…but when you get on the PD sports page, your blog and his blog are top and bottom to each other. I think we can all see both of your articles, it’s pretty pointless to post a blog telling us that there’s a blog entry by your dad all of 2 inches lower on our screen.
Just sayin.
@mj
I’ll say that it is ok for Grant to link to LC articles if it is Niner/football related.
I would like him to write a lot more of what he thinks (details) instead of just giving us a link and saying “I agree”.
Treat the link just like any other blog, and tell us more what you think about the material in the link. Grant does this sometimes. I wish it became standard in all of his link blogs.
1st thing is this signing brings a little excitement to the Bay. I’m a little surprised, but as I said Monday, if Harbaugh and Baalke think it can work, I’m all in.
Grant doesn’t need me to defend him, but c’mon y’all, if you don’t like Lowell’s viewpoint, just don’t read it. Grant always makes note when he’s posting Lowell’s work. LC has been covering Bay Area sports for many years and so has perspective that Grant thinks is worth sharing. Sometimes I disagree with him, just like with Roger Ebert, I learn their bias and make my own judgement. Restaurant reviewers the same; I don’t trust Jeff Cox for Mexican reviews, but he’s on it for everything else.
Moss is coming in with a great attitude, I want to see that same attitude 8 games into the season. By then the team should have a better picture of themselves
the biggest effect this signing will have is on VD. the safety will have to help over the top on moss which will leave the deep post wide open for davis. 2 yrs ago davis had a record yr in a large part because of the deep post last yr teams were able to take it away pretty consistently because of the lack of speed of the 9er receivers. as long as AS and RM can hook up deep at least every other week look for davis to have a monster year. i’m not a RM fan but lowell will be wrong about his signing not because RM will have a great yr but because VD will.
Coach,
the safety will do no such thing. They will continue to play us like they always do. Single coverage stacked box. IF ALEX is our QB, they will force him to prove he can consistently exploit the single coverage on a wide receiver. Something he has never done his entire career.
Bay, read JM’s book. He mentions he didn’t throw deep well *until* 1985/86 when JR joined the team. In addition to JR, it was probably because JM had more talented receivers to throw to. Stay tuned…
@hof
That is because JR got open on the deep passes. He was open before the throw. And if he wasn’t, he somehow got open when the ball got there.
But JR was open a lot. Can’t be the best ever if you are not.
Ds you can’t blanket statements like that. Jm and jr had chemistry. Jm would throw him open at times. Jm had balls and pin point accuracy on deep throws. Again Crabtree would be a super star with a qb that throws with more accuracy and with confidence. Gotta hope harbaugh gets smith to do that more often this year.
MD, when discussing the RM signing, even ED mentioned on NFL net that MC couldn’t get separation from #1 CBs last year.
Ok HOF. Now you guys want to listen to someone on tv. But when they say smith lacks field vision and accuracy they don’t know what theyre talking about. These guys look at 32 teams and parts of games on a tv. Again. I know what I see in person at the games. Mc was upset more than the two times tv showed him.
MD, I didn’t say I agreed. I want MC to succeed which is not what the agenda guys want with AS. To me it is all about TEAM. If JH chooses to go with another QB, I’m with that as well after all he is CoY. MC has work to do and it will be interesting now that the talent around him is potentially better than him.
md
JR and JM spent time with one another and got that chemistry down immediately.
MC spent all of his first traning camp and preseason and 1/4 of his rookie year away from AS and the Niners.
MC came back in year 2 and again didn’t participate in TC anywhere near as much as J. Morgan did. And last year again, MC did not participate in drills as much as J. Morgan did.
There is a reason why MC and AS have never developed the kind of chemistry that JM and JR had. Or the kind that AS has with VD. And it has zilch to do with AS.
And, JR is way better than MC. Surely that is evident by now md. JR in his 3rd year was already marching towards breaking the WR TD record which he more than doubled by the end of his career.
JM didn’t even do much until year 3.
It is easy to compare MC and JR in year 3 compared to AS and JM in year 3.
Ds… Jerry rice had joe and Steve. mc had nothing even close to that. You give smith the excuse of different OC well mc has had the same. We don’t know if he can catch if he doesn’t get the ball. I guarantee if MC had Montana or young. We wouldn’t be talking about this.
@md
JR was voted the greatest player in NFL history. That list included Joe and Steve.
And who was SY before he had JR? Nobody.
Give credit to the non-QB positions md. I see you crediting the QB too often and blaming him too often. Give some credit to the other players man.
JR’s performance didn’t drop off a cliff when JM or SY didn’t start. When Bono/Elvis started he did just as well.
As it happens, JR got open all by himself. He didn’t need the QB to throw him open. And, average QB’s like Bono looked good. And they should. Anybody can throw it to an open WR, and JR was open a lot. Despite facing double teams every game from about year 2 (or 3) on. JR managed to more than double the TD record total that was present at the time of his rookie year (100 by Steve Largent).
No WR is going to ever beat that (double JR’s record).
If MC was on the Niners team with JM, he never would have seen the field. JR and JT and Wilson and company are way better. JM never would have thrown it to MC because MC would not have started, or played. If MC was around, BW would not have accepted his diva hold out, and MC would have been like every other college grad. Looking for work anywhere he can find it. McDonalds, Street Sweeper, any job. He was a disgrace to that uniform when he held out into the season. To be a Niners WR is to be closer to JR than most ought to be. He walked those halls and wore that uniform. You disgrace it all by his actions. And MC does not get that.
Listen to JM sometime md. He can’t talk enough about how luck a QB he was to have so much skill around him. JR, JR, RC, and a lot more. And don’t tell me it is JM being a good guy or teammate. JM has been retired about 20 years. If he didn’t think that he was fortunate to have such talent around him, he wouldn’t open every conversation by stating that.
To give the same answer to the same question over a 20 year period means that the guy really believes it. A spy would be impressed if he could manage the same answer consistently over such a long time. You can’t do it if you don’t believe it.
>>the safety will do no such thing. They will continue to play us like they always do. Single coverage stacked box
Single coverage like that led to VD’s HUGE game against the Saints And Greg Williams subsequent ouster for designing such a failure of a game plan.
>>Something he has never done his entire career.
Wait. I though you said you go to games? And see all the plays?
I’ve watched Randy his entire career. You guys realize that for this to work, IF ALEX is our QB he is going to have to completely change his mental frame work and step outside of his safety boundaries for this to work.
Most of the time prior to going into his break, Randy will stick an arm up, letting his QB know he’s got his defender. When Randy does this, he still does not have separation. Randy is the best ball tracker in the history of football. He asks his QB to put it up and trust that he will come down with it. I don’t think Randy knows that our QB just won’t throw it unless he is wide open.
This better work out, because it now makes Josh Morgan expendable. Crabs is now the possession guy, Kyle is the slot guy and Randy is the deep guy. Well the offense on paper just got much better, but in real life, it just went down the tubes. If Randy runs a couple of routes and puts his arm up, only to find out Alex checked it down and gave up on his route, if Randy runs a streak and is overthrown then you will begin to see Randy quit. Randy needs an elite QB that exploits defenses by utilizing Randy’s strengths. THE DEEP BALL.
We are asking Alex to excel at what he does WORST. When Randy quits and Harbaugh gives him the boot, I hope they have a better plan than Hastings and Swain……
smith throws the deep ball well to vd. i believe he does because VD is an exceptional talent. i believe he will throw the deep ball well to RM because he also is an exceptional talent. i dont think RM signing makes JM expendable, i think signing RM on the cheap [i assume] will give us more cap room to sign morgan and rogers and snyder.
@old coach
How much do you think JM will get?
Last year he made $581,000. I believe he was a 6th round pick. Considering his injury and lack of a really great stand out year, I think the Niners can pay $1 milion (2012 salary) at the most and get JM in here.
blah…blah…blah…is that the sky falling…? blah
Bay, you are trying too hard. AS and the 9ers best deep receiver VD didn’t have a problem and never did. This signing proves that this team needs WRs that can get separation – that’s all.
At best a middling signing. Nothing to get excited over. And he’s a quitter. Something to despise.
But-Harbaugh thinks of what he did for Smith,just like McGowan thought he found another Bonds of greatness when he signed ..Zito.
Difference is, this time, we didn’t pay $126M for it.
I like Lowell’s writing I just don’t like what he writes sometimes, maybe most times. Grant is more consistent in his opinions. Lowell tends to like to sensationalize often at the expense of his previously stated opinion, ie., Smith is great after the Saints game and now we need Manning if you want to win the Super Bowl.
It is hard to respect Lowell’s opinion because it will most likely change when the opportunity to sensationalize presents itself again.
So for me Lowell tends to be in the entertainement business and Grant tends to be in the opinion writing business. I respect Lowells writing abilities and I respect Grants well thoughout opinions.
Completely Agree. Sensationalist is the word.
I hear or read Kevin Lynch..and HE makes me cringe. His homerism and then add “inside” info like “I think Smith will sign with the 49ers” uttered 10 minutes ago..is about 3months behind what everybody else knew.
This was a really classy move by the organization to make sure he doesn’t break Jerry Rice’s records.
lol. Best post of the morning hehehehe.
I guess this signing lets us erase one of last years main ALEXCUSES off of the chalk board huh.
Harbaugh’s offense isn’t built this way? The vertical deep route is not part of our game. We don’t ask the QB to put up big production numbers like other offenses.
I laugh as much now as I did when I originally heard this stuff. The garbage the “protectors” vomit out when they go into protection mode for “their guy”.
Tell me now guys like Hofer, does that mean you were wrong now that you see they’ve added a deep threat? Because last year you said it wasn’t part of the philosophy. But you also said a QB like CK didn’t fit the mold of a Harbaugh QB……
Just trying to get this all straight….
..ha ha ha…you are pathetic……lol…….its like you hope the niners will suck…….
Bay, you sound bitter. Just like with the improvement of AS in other areas including a major comeback (6 total for the year) in the playoffs against NO, now the FO is focusing on getting AS some weapons. I know you like to blame everything on the QB, especially 3rd down conversions, but it is an offense issue. If the 9ers get JMorg back and sign another teams FA, they can focus on drafting CF. Imagine weapons like RMoss, JMorg, VD, DW, CF…wow!
this in my dumb opinion starts the shift away from a power offense…to a ball distribution offense….more WCO like….this would mean AS would need to make this offense his own….
i.e.
know where everyone is at as the play develops….and anticipate where they will be as the play breaksdown
anticipate the defense’s response to niners’ offensive sets…be able to read defense’s…
run a hurry up offense
these are the next steps AS needs to demonstrate and with an offseason and training camp and continuity in coaching staff my expectations are AS needs to make this offense his own by the middle of next season….
@Bay:
Just trying to get this all straight….
No, you’re not. If you were, you would actually read and reflect on what people actually write, instead of distorting what they write into something you can attack.
Do you understand the difference between the two following statements?
(A) The Bill Walsh Offense/West Coast Offense/Jim Harbaugh Offense does not feature or focus on deep passes.
(B) The Bill Walsh Offense/West Coast Offense/Jim Harbaugh Offense does not include any deep passes.
@Bay I think you are incorrect. It is not that the vertical game is not part of their game plan, it is the vertical passing game is not utilized as much as other teams. You need some sort of vertical passing game to keep the defense from keeping 7-8 defenders in the box. The problem last year was they had no vertical threat from the WRs and V. Davis finally being able to grasp the playbook until close to the end of the regular season allowed him to finally play his game and break out as a deep threat. Harbaugh’s offense is a WCO offense that is predicated on short quick passes and options to go deep if the defense starts to creep closer to the line of scrimmage. The 49ers threaten to go deep a few times a game to keep the defense honest, but more NFL teams use the deep threat to actually attack the defense. That is how I see Harbaugh’s style compared to others in the NFL.
If you just look at Stanford’s offense, they were more methodical up and down the field, and less about quick strikes.
Nice post Michael. Agreed, but were there less shots attempted down field because receivers were not open, because it is not part of the offense, or because Alex does not see the route and too quickly checks down after his first read?
By the way Hofer, nice diversion. I asked a question and it didn’t seem to get answered. Even Claude after doing his picking through it routine semi addressed what I asked… With his own question of course, but I’ll take it…
@Bay:
I am curious. What leads you to conclude that Smith “too quickly checks down after his first read”?
Claude… Just stop with the football talk. Your pathetic man. Do you ever watch any of these games? Seriously! Copy and paste is your assignment today son! Get it done!
@Bay:
It’s not a “picking through it routine.” The very premise of your comment was that some unnamed group of “protectors” had made the argument that Harbaugh’s offense does not include, and has no need for any deep passes.
I reject that premise. I doubt very few if any commenters ever stated their position that way. What I remember are comments like the one Michael just made – Harbaugh’s offense (like Bill Walsh’s offense) is centered around shorter passes. Deep passes, while included in the offense, are not a staple or focus of the offense.
So, adding a deep threat like Randy Moss is not inconsistent with the Harbaugh philosophy and does not mean anyone was wrong about that philosophy.
It probably does mean, however, that Harbaugh and Baalke believe that the 49ers’ existing WRs are not credible deep threats.
@ninermd:
I asked the question of bay, but feel free to answer it. If you are capable of doing so.
Go ahead. I look forward to this.
Claude I have answered that question in the past. Your the dig up old posts and copy and paste guy. I refuse to talk football with a 2nd grade football IQ. Thx but no thx. Been there and done that answer.
again, i point out walsh brought in a QB, forget if it was kemp or cavanaugh to demonstrate to montana how to throw the deep pass because he wanted it part of the game when rice arrived….also walsh brought in a world class hurdler in neimiah to help stretch the field
moss is being brought in this kind of vein……maybe not the focus but clearly being adamant about creating a dangerous offense that should not be predictable
@Bay We won’t ever know the answer to that unless we know who the main reads are and what the options were on the play, also what the QB is able to see from his vantage point. I agree that Smith probably takes the short quick read a bit too much, but I also didn’t think we had any deep threats either. But I don’t know if we should also have throw deep more often either. Ginn is fast, but he isn’t much of a receiver imo. Williams has the potential and he showed a few moves, but still inconsistent as well. Crabtree isn’t fast enough beat people deep consistently. Receivers can beat any CB once in awhile, but it is more if they are a real threat to consistently beat them deep that constitutes whether they are a threat or not, even if the CB plays with good technique and positioning.
I also wonder this about Smith’s mentality about not making mistakes last year. Most people didn’t think Smith would or should come back for many different and various reasons. However, once he did come back, I feel Harbaugh was smart enough to coach Smith into not throwing into tight coverage too much and play it safe. The reason I say this is because of the situation Smith was in last year. Smith coming back was not that welcomed by many fans. Harbaugh knew this being in the area at Stanford. He knew that to keep the rabid fans from jumping on Smith for any signs of bad turnovers immediately, he turned Smith into a safe play mentality. Let me put this up for example. There wasn’t a game last year where Smith himself caused more than one turnover right? Was there ever a game he really caused the team to lose because he fumbled or threw an interception late in the game to cost the team a chance to win? Not to my recollection. There was a game Tom Brady played versus Buffalo early in the season last year. Tom Brady threw 4 TDs, and they were leading big against Buffalo. However, Brady also threw 4 interceptions that lead to Buffalo winning the game. If Smith even has this kind of game, Smith would not have the kind of good will with fans from previous years to have survived last year. 49ers fans would have killed Smith for truly being the reason they lost the game instead of not being a major factor in winning or even losing a game.
Steve Young even said this on KNBR. Smith had a short lease on him from fans and being booed at home by fans is never good for his confidence and psyche. His confidence was already shot and beaten down by coaches who didn’t support him and threw him under the bus.
Imo, Harbaugh’s first year with Smith was to build back his confidence, and I think he was able to accomplish that. Now this upcoming season is for Harbaugh to continue to work with Smith with a real offseason to build upon the confidence he has now, and learn the offense even more. Harbaugh should now coach him to be less conservative and take a few more chances, but not be that aggressive as though he has free reign to do things. The 49ers system is still balanced, so while they will consider throwing a little more this season, it won’t be that much more passing than running either. Smith also doesn’t have to worry as much, to a certain extent, that fans will turn on him if he has a bad game. Smith itself is a project to rebuild him into a possible good/very good NFL QB/top 10 at his potential.
@ninermd:
As I thought, you cannot do it. You like to talk the talk, but you absolutely cannot walk the walk.
@Michael:
Nice comment.
You put some thought into it. We’re not used to that around here.
Some of you guys are pathetic. Attacking a man for the love for his father. Some people on this blog would read the LC columns if Grant didn’t post them. They are all relevant to topics we discuss. Trying to piss off grant will only make him less involved in the blog. Part of what makes this blog so great is Grants involvement with everyone. I for one respect everything you do Grant. Without you us niner fans would have to settle with basketball till football season starts again
@Adam707
+1
Yep what he said. If you don’t like it don’t read it or comment on his blog.
Grant…
Along with the PD this is obviously your blog and you do it well…it’s time to dq some of these people who deal in hate…vicious stuff like I’m reading here rarely ends well…
Jerry Rice claims that Moss will give us a new dimension by stretching the field and open up more opportunities for Crabtree.
If Moss is still on his game, the WR issues will disappear. Moss may turn out to be this years Harbaugh type signing by taking us to a higher level.
3 teams in one year
he hasn’t played well in what will be 3 years
he doesn’t block, big time half asser (will rub off)
huge head case, not a team guy ( so much for togetherness, camraderie)
alex won’t be able to get him the ball anywhere
the Smith and Moss trainwreck is coming full speed
HUGE STEP BACKWARDS, HUGE…
Grant
I’ve tried 5 times now to reply to someone and it is not working (two different computers). Is it a browser issue with chrome or does this have to do with what happened earlier?
Must be a browser issue.
Thanks I’ll try something else.
Well it works now so Thanks.
ALEX SMITH IS THE PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED
But wont so learn to live with it or be sour for the next 3 years. Your choice.
What part of LOW RISK signing does Lowell not understand? It’s not like they signed him to a 5 year $40M deal with $25M guaranteed. It’s a one year $2.5M deal (I’m actually surprised he got that much) with probably a bunch of incentives.
If Moss does not have his deep speed and can’t produce? – CUT or reduced to decoy work.
If Moss becomes a Malcontent? – CUT
If Moss dogs it in practice or a game – CUT
If Moss complains about the spread – CUT (and forced to eat at Mr. Chow’s Chinese fast food…I would have written that into his contract).
As for technical parts of Moss’s game. I think deep routes are pretty much what they signed him up for. Harbaugh and company know what Moss’s game is. Moss knows what his game is. In those jumbo multi-TE/Tackle (Nose Tackle) blocking goaline run formations, you need a single speedster deep threat to push 2 defenders deep to keep them off of the line of scrimmage and thus giving the run blockers the advantage. This was actually Ginn’s primary receiving role last year. You have to think Moss would be even a more significant deep threat that defenses would pay attention to. Also, Smith does throw deep. He’s just not terribly accurate or in sych with his receivers (except with Vernon…which means he can throw deep under the right circumstances). MOSS IS ONE OF THE BEST DEEP THREATS EVER AT ADJUSTING FOR THE BALL. That’s not even a function of his questionable speed…that’s hand eye coordination and body adjustment (something Ginn who has speed doesn’t have).
randy moss, nice
some may think this helps VD….i think it helps crabtree the most….crabtree is used to reading openings in defenses and having VD and moss tugging and pulling at the defensive schemes spaces and lanes will be created….
moss doesn’t really need to be an accomplished downfield blocker…..moss presence should open lanes by a couple of steps this way and that way……
it isn’t always about the go route…..a slant can accomplish the same thing
and for $2.5 mill it is a good investment
now for the dark side of my mind…..who is expendable…..morgan or crabtree…..maybe neither but i see both these players as equals in how they could play the slot position….
As do I jg.
You might want to reconsider your position. One where you agree with a blowhard. lol
JM will make a lot less (command a lot less) than MC is due. By a substantial amount. Especially if you look at next year’s salary.
nope can’t do that….you are what u are
Yes.
Somebody who does not care what others think and often end up being right. Even when the popular choice was not mine.
P.S. Funny how I am the blowhard when you have the restriction that I can’t reply to you. So, you will always have the last word.
colston is off the board….
if niners do bring in a garcon or meachem….the niners will be moving away from the power offense they were last year….this could be a organizational statement about gore effectiveness…..
would also mean i don’t think fleener would be a first round pick for the niners…..if a garcon is picked up….
if another FA WR is picked up then niners can control the values of their late round picks with quality picks in the CB and OG arenas…..
i am still looking for the niners to pick up a OG in FA and get a CB and another WR in the draft….to replace Moss after next year….
And he talks like Quentin Tarantino..I hate that…
Lynch-why are my posts so out of order?
testing to see if order is screwed up….expect this to follow the stan stuff
now expect this to be the latest post at 10:26
something is wrong
Trying to fix it.
Do you write and edit your posts and comments in source HTML?
I don’t know what that means. I use the word press thing. I’m not that technical. I just e-mailed the PD’s online director.
will be interesting the future interaction of the media to JH if moss issues arise….probably more alienation built into the next season between JH and the press…..
but was this really a signing blessed by seely
Grant- What moves do you see the Niners making in Free agency? Will they still possibly make a move for a quality receiver? Or focus now on getting Rogers back or go out and try to get Finnegan or Carr?
I don’t expect them to bring back Rogers or to spend big on a cornerback in free agency. I think they’ll sign a guy to a cheap one-year deal to compete with Brock for the 3rd CB job. I think they do want to sign one more receiver – Morgan or Robinson or Garcon, ideally.
Actually, scratch that, I expect the Niners to sign Perrish Cox to a two-year deal. Ha! https://twitter.com/#!/JosinaAnderson/status/179627208749490176
Don’t know what to feel about that signing. Drafted 2010. Out of league in 2011 and now we sign him. Looks like our secondary will be significantly weaker this year.
They better sign two of the tier 2 WRs. We saw what happened last year without a contingency plan – BE gets released and JMorg is hurt and they are bringing guys in from the practice squad to play in the playoffs – not good!
PC was released before reg season last year by Denv. He’s not a speed guy and he has some baggage.. Hmm.
But he played under Donatell, who has been the Niners CB guru.
I dont think they see him as a corner. Special teamer now maybe develop into corner later. runs a 4.58 not very fast. HOpe they dont picture this guy as the answer to losing CR
Maybe he’s faster now? You’re probably right, though. He’s the new fourth CB behind Brock, and the new returner unless KW blows him away in training camp, or the Niners re-sign Ginn, which I think is unlikely.
GC, didn’t realize he played for EDonatell so could be a steal or he could be just training camp fodder. TBD.
He’ll be good competition for Brock at CB and KW and returner, at least.
rogers to the rams?
eliminates ginn?
marginalizes KW into extinction?
all this from just one innocuous signing
Listening to Greg Papa describe what it takes to make Moss happy..and I dont think Greg realized he described the exact set up Moss had in NE..including a winning team that looked to throw him the ball.
And then genius coach Belichick cut him four games into 2008.
Like I said-a middling signing…more Manny like come to think of it then Zito.
Or it could be Pat the Bat. LOL
Niners signed CB Perrish Cox
Terrible signing. Wheres the mid west ethics and morals in that? Harbaugh’s taste of a championship run..rules all his thoughts now.
Did anyone else catch this on NFL Total Access last night? They were talking about possible teams for Alex.
The question was posed to the panel, and they had to stop laughing long enough to give a response….
The first part of the clip is about Matt Flynn – the Alex segment is after that.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-free-agency/09000d5d8278ceac/Free-agency-predictions-Offense
Lol I saw that yesterday. That’s why I posed the question of who would get a bigger deal. Flynn or smith.
It is laughable. MFlynn is this years KKolb – can you say overpay for playing well in 2 games!??
I actually felt a little bad for Smith when I watched it. I don’t disagree with what they said about the only place for him to go is SF, but the laughing about it was a bit much…kinda sad, actually when you’re talking about former peers and GM.
Someone on here in the last couple days said that Alex and Rodney Dangerfield have something in common (no respect) – apparently they were on to something.
Oh, and to answer your question, Flynn will get the bigger deal.
Bigger deal = overpay not more production. lol
http://youtu.be/T575Pbo4eWM
This is smith. What’s laughable is he thinks he can strong arm the 49ers! Just sign the damn contract.
Grant: your dad and everybody has had a say in the “Moss” matter, so now’s when I throw ALL of it out the window and go with Coach and Baalke.
49ers signed a rapist?…Ann Killion is has a TRUE rapist to hate playing locally.
wow-Harbaugh sort of took a few steps back in that “mid west ethics” he brags about.
He was acquitted.
THAT doesnt mean not guilty. Its not the same.
@Stan:
You mean it’s not the same as saying he did not do it.
If you have read Mike Florio’s discussions of the case at profootballtalk.com, this signing is troubling.
I know I read the young womans reaction at the aquittal..and thats heartbreaking.
DS:
I fully back your stance on hating on people because they do their job poorly ! Very good advice! Kind of how I feel about Alex and Sing. Great people and fine gentlemen with character,but rather poor at their jobs.
And you must have forgotten about Alex’s experience with Antonio Bryant,since you used him as an example of Alex doing well throwing deep well. Bryant was exactly what I fear Moss may be, the kind of receiver that will show up his QB when that QB cant get him the ball when he is wide open.I remember many times when Bryant would throw up his arms while glaring back at Alex,when Alex either didnt see him wide open or simply made a bad pass. I hope JH has spoken to Moss about that kind of behavior being unacceptable because in that regard Alex has not hardly improved at all.
I know Tim.
That is why I don’t call you a hater.
I just think you are very confused and wrong. lol
But if being clear and right was a requirement on a blog, I would have few people to blog with. And what fun is that?
: – )
Moss has to be humbled and not the problem he once was. He’s just gonna go out and play ball. That could be scary
has anyone taken the time to count how many passes AS threw at the WR’s shoes this year, it’s over 50%. He can’t throw, and if it were not for the defense how many games would they have lost, could you imagine how well we would do with a real throwing QB and our Def!!!!
@Dan
“…AS threw at the WR’s shoes this year, it’s over 50%.”
Do you even think? AS had a completion rate well above 50%. How does he throw 50% of his passes into the turf when he completes well over 50%. The sum would be over 100%.
Stop hating long enough to allow the neurons to fire in that empty space where your brain should be next time before you post.