SANTA CLARA — Here’s what Jim Harbaugh said at his Tuesday press conference about the red zone connection between Alex Smith and Michael Crabtree, courtesy of the 49ers.
Michael Crabtree said he’s been working a lot in practice with Alex Smith, as far as getting into the red zone. He had two red zone touchdowns, obviously last night. But, before that he had only had two in the last three seasons. What goes into in your mind, making a good red zone wide receiver?
“It was really evident in this ball game, just two guys really being on the same page. On the first touchdown, perfectly thrown ball and great hands catch. Great strong hands catch by Michael on the stop fade. And then Michael’s second touchdown, just two guys again, making a play, being on the same page. Knowing body language. Seeing body language. Made eye contact and the two of them made a play. I think that evidence speaks for itself, two guys on the same page.”
On that play particularly, were those routes run? It looks like WR Kyle Williams was almost in the same area as Michael? Was that play as clean as it was supposed to be?
“No. That’s what I’m saying, the two guys were on the same page. Michael really broke off his route. Alex read his body language. Michael came back inside. Alex hit him and then Crab found the lane to the end zone.”
I see what you’re saying, it was an in-route adjustment. Kyle was running one way but Michael was going back.
“Right. They both were on the same page.”
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What I liked about the first touchdown was that the ball was out of AS’s hand when MC was at the two yard line still moving forward toward the endzone. Once MC was at the goal line, he looked up and the ball was there to snag. Now that is throwing a receiver open and being in sync chemistry wise! Excellent play by the two of them!!
+1 yup!
MSando just wrote a piece on his blog stating AS may have passed 20 or 21 times last night. There was a completed pass to MM that was ruled a penalty and the refs automatically walked off the penalty as though it was accepted by the 9ers when they are normally declined when the receiver catches the ball. The other was a backward pass to MC. The league may reverse the calls as passes. Stay tuned…
I thought it was weird that they took that penalty. It was an 7 or 8!yard completion wasn’t it?
Yeah it was. That should be changed to a pass completion.
Yes it was. I couldn’t understand why if he caught the ball why they didn’t automatically decline the play like they always do in that situation.
Hofe – I just reviewed that play frame by frame. Alex had his right foot on 8 yard line and ball was released from his hand on 7 1/2 yard line. Crabtree appears to catch ball on his left shoulder on 7 yard line but camera angle does favor a lateral.
I doubt the Elias Sports Bureau reverses it.
FYI, these Elias dudes are from New York (East Coast Biased) :-).
Crab, good stuff. They may not reverse that one but the MM pass completion that was a PI call was automatically accepted without the option to decline when the receiver catches the ball. They will most likely reverse that one.
Hofe – That’s good news.
STATS DON’T MATTER..JUST WINS..WE WON THE GAME
Duh! YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME. Lol couldn’t resist on the 10th anniversary of that meltdown
One of the all time great rants
Two of the best were after a 49er a$$ whoopin too. The best was….. “Plaaayoffs??” Lol
They are who they thought they were!
yes Playoffs is the best, They were what we thought they were was another one
7:01 1st quarter. If anyone has the game recorded. Please look at the replay with the camera above. And tell me who you see running open. And Smith is actually looking at him while he’s running the route. You can’t call that on the OC. And I don’t think VD is NOT getting the ball only because of the OC. Take a look. It’s one of the few times you get that camera angle.
Does this deal with Smith’s first sack MD?
No. I was watching the game again and VD the man of topic lately was running open down the middle. The exact same route as his one catch he had. And was thinking is it all about the OC or has Smith elected to check down again. Well on that play you can see Smith has time and is looking in that direction and usually would make that throw. But he Didnt and VD could have easily scored if thrown to. Just wondering why Smith wouldn’t hit his favorite target there. That’s something I’ll be focusing on at the games. Strictly VD and Smith connection.
On another note I am stuck on the same play for like 5 minutes now. That hit that DG put on Doucett was awesome. I can’t stop rewinding it. Wheeew
Which is better: Whitner’s lights-out hit against the Saints in the playoffs last season or Goldson’s lights-out hit against the Cardinals last night?
MidWest,
My vote goes for Whitner’s hit lat year, but that was a sweet shot by Goldson.
Midwest
The Whitner hit was more meaningfull (playoffs, caused turnover etc.) but the goldson one was more violent and explosive. Doucet was de-cleeted which allways looks much worse
@MidWest:
Do I have to choose? That’s like asking a parent to name his/her favorite child.
Yadda-yaddda-yadda…
The two Crabtree performances that stick out to me most (not sure about the stats) are both against Patrick Peterson. I’m pretty sure he is a really good developing young player, so I find that interesting. I wonder why that is.
I would love to see him have games like that more often.