Here’s what Greg Cosell said on the Murph and Mac Show Thursday Morning about Michael Crabtree’s two-touchdown game against the Arizona Cardinals last week.
COSELL: “[Crabtree] was impressive in this game. The three-yard touchdown was just a great throw and catch. It wasn’t as if he beat Peterson in the corner of the end zone. It was a great throw, incredibly accurate, and Crabtree went up and got it and Peterson was right on him.
“There were two plays where [Crabtree] beat [Peterson] with short-area quickness moves. One was in the middle of the field. It may have been the play that was short of a first down by one yard. And the other was the second touchdown, where [Crabtree] just beat Peterson with great short-area quickness. I thought Crabtree looked very explosive with that short-area quickness and burst.”
Question: Do you think Crabtree can repeat his terrific performance against Cortland Finnegan and the Rams next Sunday?
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The interesting thing about the TD throw that GCosell describes above is that AS released the pass when MC was still on the 2 yd line. Good trust and chemistry is forming between the two. The 11-15 connection is alive and well!
Grant, to answer your question, yes MC can have another good game against the Rams but GR needs to call a good game with timely play calls.
Hofe,
You mentioned ‘trust’ and I believe that therein lies the key.
With the first TD catch MC was closely covered by PP and yet took the pass out of the air for the TD.
I know that this is a hot button topic, but isn’t this what MC has been asking for and also took grief for after the championship game? He just wants an opportunity to make a play.
MC is not going to outrun the faster DB’ in the league but he can manuever his body and clamp onto most throws in his area.
The more I see AS, the more I see him developing a ‘perfectionist mindset.’ That has made him the most mistake free QB in the league which is great, but it also has hindered his ability to ‘trust’ closely covered WR’ who have the ability to make plays.
In any case, we now know that both AS and MC can trust each other to take a little risk even in close coverage.
This may prove to be an invaluable asset in close games as well as games where the team has to come from behind.
All good.
AES, i agree! If Alex starts to build the same chemistry he has with VD with several of our WR such as Crabtree this offense is going to be very good and productive. We have to keep in mind the history of Alex and the coaching and instability in the system!
Yes. He is the best receiver on the team. He will get it done.
Finnegan’s more physical and a seasoned vet. He’ll have more tricks up his sleeve. I don’t see MC getting the YAC he did against Peterson but he could get 5-7 catches and a td.
I think Peterson has been a better corner than Finnegan this year and Crabtree really dominated that matchup so I think he can do the same to Finnegan but I could see the 49ers thinking that Manningham/Moss versus Jenkins could give them a better matchup as hes been getting beat by double moves all year.
One simple word: yes.
Q: can MC punk finnegan the way he did PP?
my answer: doubtful, but I’d love to see it. Finnegan is a trouble maker but he also is pretty effective in disrupting WRs. It would be a huge statement for Crabs to have a good game lined up opposite him. That would show serious progress, both for Crabs and Alex.
I’ve watched Finnegan multiple times a year since he’s come into the league. He was a good cover corner for the first few years. For the last several years he has been poor in coverage. His entire game is to be a complete punk on the fields hoping to get WR’s off their game by hitting late, pushing them over piles, going after knees. Finnegan is by far the dirtiest player in the league in my opinion. If he can get guys off their game by trying to make them fight then he’s won. This is Fisher’s game plan as a coach. It’s no coincidence that Gregg Williams and Jim Schwartz have run dirty defenses. They learned it from Fisher. Expect the Rams game to be chippy and dirty. The 9ers should run over this team because they are much better. They just have to rise above the nonsense.
Its funny and sad Houston but i notice the same thing when i was watching Finnegan play! He is a dirty player and will talk alot of trash to get you out of your game! If you remember the Washington game, he was responsible for pushing JMorgan to a personal foul during the last drive which led to a washington loss! I do not respect dirty players like Finnegan. Hopefully JH and the staff our warnning the players about him. We should just smash this guy whenever we can!
Quinkness?