SAN FRANCISCO – The 49ers massacred the Packers 45-31 on Saturday night. Here is the grade for the 49ers’ coaches.
Coaching: A. Both the offensive and the defensive game plans were terrific.
On defense, the 49ers struggled to get pressure on Aaron Rodgers with four rushers, so Fangio blitzed more than usual. He blitzed Patrick Willis in particular, who sacked Rodgers once and forced him to throw it away twice.
On offense, it was a great idea to use the pistol against the Packers, considering how well it worked for the Vikings in the first quarter last week. The 49ers fed the ball to their stud, Michael Crabtree, often and in creative ways. And they even got the ball to Vernon Davis. This may have been Greg Roman’s best performance.
On the other hand, the Packers had a horrible game plan. They did not attack the 49ers slot cornerbacks, and they did not have a plan to deal with Colin Kaepernick as a runner on the pistol option, and they shockingly did not make any halftime adjustments.
One more thing. Jim Harbaugh ultimately gets credit for benching Alex Smith and starting Colin Kaepernick. Clearly, it was the right thing to do.
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Agree with an A for coaching. They kept the packers D off balance all night and avoided becoming predictable late in the game when they had a decisive lead. Now comes the toughest coaching job of all: Break the WWL pattern and go get #6
+1 I agree in all reality beside the last drive the defense had given up less than 300 yards total offense to the Packers and on offense they were unstoppable. Not a Smither but was concerned about the change after what Alex did last year put this game aside Kap has proven to be a threat in the league for years to come.
Had the pleasure of attending this dominant performance.
Roman’s play calling was outstanding.
May he stay in Ace mode & may the fact that he is a HC candidate inspire the very best in him.
Other games I’ve wondered what he was smoking, but this one was near perfect.
However, I wonder how many tricks he has left in the bag? Hopefully, enough for 2 more W’s.
I think Harbaugh’s gamble paid off. The switch and the waffling was wanky but it paid off.
CK had a Nevada-style game and it was absolutely fantastic.
If the Niners can protect CK and he can protect himself and continue playing at this level we have a franchise QB.
This one may not have been quite as exciting as last season’s game purely because I expected them to win this first game and last year was a complete surprise, but this was an outstanding offensive performance and CK carried the water all day, in my opinion.
Crabs had some separation but not much (he makes up for it with flypaper hands) but CK has been threading the needle in really tight windows to get him the ball.
I’m actually questioning now whether Vernon Davis is still the fastest guy on the team. Like Davis said in post-game last night, he needs to get CK on the 40 and race him! CK is damned fast when he gets a full head of steam.
I can’t say enough about CK’s performance. One bad play and a few inaccurate tosses high but otherwise, pure gold! Fantastic game by CK, he really put the whole offense on his shoulders and it paid off.
Harbs deserves credit for the switch, as wanky as it was. Roman gets cred, too; he called a nice game.
I say bring on the Seahawks, the fans deserve another home game win!
Forgot the long seam to Davis. That was a brilliant pass, right on the money. Six inches either way and that play is toast. Really nice.
Well said Adam
Bring on Seattle. I’m going to watch that game now and hopefully Atlanta chokes again like years past.
Hey, Smither, talk out of one side of your mouth, then the other?
People here know what you really are. A Smither.
Hey ASB, you can either be a happy fan over a fantastic win…. or an @sshole. What are you going to choose… going forward?
Adam, well stated. Good times.
Should have done it at the beginning of the season. Alex was, is, and will always be, a bust.
It’s time to stand up and applaud Harbaugh/Roman for both guts and acumen: they put this game in the hands of a QB with 7 career starts. They could have opened up with a ball control orientation, featuring Gore, more Gore, and LMJ. But they let Kaep come out firing, and running. They made a football decision, had the guts to not just stick with it (to keep starting Kaep), but to take it to its ultimate station, and won.
Nobody has it better than us!
Did you even watch the game? We only brought more than 4 rushers twice. Yea willis rushed the QB a few times but when he came someone on the line dropped back into coverage. We blitzed less than usual not more
Dom Capers is a good coach, but he had no answer to CK last night. He was afraid to weaken his coverage to spy on CK, because CK can make any throw at any time. But by not spying him, he let CK run wild. It was pick your poison time. Fangio OTOH, knew he could not stop Rodgers all the time, but kept the bleeding manageable until the offense took over the game. Big time game for Vic. And JH / GR had a superlative game plan on offense. Outstanding job to outcoach a Packers’ staff that doesn’t let that happen very often.
If our D and O-line play this well the next two weeks, and our coaches do their thing at this level, we will get number six. It’s all about avoiding the three-week letdown that has plagued us this year now.
Looks like GRo wants a new job! That was an outstanding game plan, hopefully he continues for two more games
Coach Harbaw: Let’s review the season. Win two, lose one; win two, lose one; win two, lose one. Let’s compare weeks 4, and 5 and 6 with the past two games: Win #1 (27-13) over Arizona and win #2 (45-31) over Green Bay.
The pattern you established says that you will lose to Atlanta. Hold on, he objects: what about our 579 yards total yards against the Packers? Answer: the 600+ yards you put up against Buffalo did not erase the reality of the loss to New York (26-3). The Falcons will learn from what happened to the Pack. And to Denver. Be prepared for a football fight.
His Majesty King Colin will stumble, as two veterans did this weekend (Rodgers and Manning). Where is the proof, you ask? Remember that penalty for taunting? Some fans will say it is just his youthfulness showing. Others will realize that he learns it all from you. All of it. How many such 10 and 15-yard penalties can you afford against Atlanta?
What the hell? You are NOT doing Alex any favors with ridiculous posts like that. I now understand what a “Smither” is… someone who would wish ill-will for our team because “Their Guy” isn’t playing. Well I like Alex as much as the next person… but he needs to move to a team that needs him. Then you can go be a fan of that team… because you certainly don’t sound like a Niner Fan.
Are you on crack DS ?
The switch was made to get over the last hump. Alex could not win the NFC championship game and get the team to the promised land last year. Harbs believed Kaep could. Therefore, as has been said all year, the QB change can only be judged in the playoffs. Anything short of a super bowl and it was a controversy over nothing… if we make the super bowl it goes down as one of the gutsy moves, benching the 3rd highest rated passer and proven commodity of a QB for an unknown, of all time.
So if your theory is right, if CK can’t win in Atlanta does Scott Tozien start next year? (lol)
C’mon man!
Lol AES that was perfect.
Not what I was saying at all. I think Kaep has the talent to win a SB. But how many QB have put it all together in year 2 with half-a-season of QB play? Grant’s comment was about the genius of benching Alex mid-season. The difference between genius and controversy is whether the Niners win the SB. If he had waited until 2013 Kaep would have won the battle in the pre-season and there would have been no controversy and no discussion about whether Harbs is a mad genius…
Some of you are ridiculous, Alex was not great, but he was not a bust. Just a QB that should of been taken in the 4th round.
Coach Harbaw, The quarterback did not fumble any punt returns last year. The QB did not miss any field goal attempts either. So if some similar miscue costs the team a loss against Atlanta, well then Colin finishes the year with a clean slate. On the other hand, the coaches must then answer the question: when will you learn how to prepare your special team players? A loss in either of the next two games will rain all over your Colin Kaepernick parade. Does he still get to carry your clubs at Pebble Beach?
Hey you, Single Tiny Mind. Get off your one-track minded, single-thought abled obsession with Alex.
He’s trolling. Just ignore him.
Mr E are you doubling posting just so you can argue with yourself? ;)
Memo to Mr. Everything: The point is not obsession with Alex, or Kaep, or any quarterback. The key issue is the complete game. How many San Diego fans will trade Phillip Rivers and his huge numbers for a true team effort which reaches a divisional playoff every couple of years? Understand?
Now as for real obsession/psychosis, try looking into Coach Harbaw’s eyes during a press conference; see a picture of “single track”… over wrought…
Single Tiny Mind
You’re a dolt.
CK orchestrated a balanced attack and accounted for 10 yards per play by himself. The defense limited the Packers vaunted offense to 24 points, while making Rodgers look pathetic. The special teams recovered a fumble, had solid contributions in the return game, and limited the Packers return game.
Memo to Mr. Everything from
S.T.M. (= single tiny mind; If you spot it, you got it. )
The dolt sez: I am trolling and he is biting. CLANG!!!
dangle (see above) has your number, Mr. EVERYTHING:
Mr E are you doubling posting just so you can argue with yourself? ;)
Advice for the Mr. Everythings of this world: visit the snack bar and spend some money. Enjoy yourself. Pay attention to the nonfootball-related conversations going on around you. Win or lose; IT IS JUST A GAME.
By the way, speaking of Presidential elections, can we guess who you voted for last November? if you remembered to vote (during football season…)
Is there a point to your rambling?
Put up or shut up.
Time to reach for your wallet, Mr. Everything.
How much are you betting on the niners vs Atlanta?
Please advise.
If the answer is zero, then you obviously do not believe you own “rambling.”
Tell us: does the rubber meet the road?
Show us your (green) stuff.
Money talks, emails walk.
Alex Smith for President
DS has come out from under the couch with a new name….
You are a cliché
How did you get the accent aigu to appear in your message?
CB
If you’re typing on an iPhone, hold down the ë (è ê ę ė ē), and you’ll see a new world of possibilities.
Thanks