SAN FRANCISCO – The 49ers massacred the Packers 45-31 on Saturday night. Here is the grade for the 49ers offense.
Offensive line: A. Joe Staley gave up the one and only sack. He injured his arm in the game and did not play particularly well. But the other four offensive linemen sure did. Mike Iupati, Alex Boone and Anthony Davis all were terrific run blockers. Jonathan Goodwin only had one bad snap.
Running backs: A. Frank Gore had his first 100-yard rushing game with Colin Kaepernick at quarterback. Gore rushed 23 times for 119 yards and a touchdown. He finally seemed comfortable taking handoffs out of the pistol formation, and he seemed much fresher than he did a few weeks ago in Seattle.
LaMichael James only rushed three times, but he gained 21 yards, mostly up the middle on the read option.
Wide receivers: A-. Michael Crabtree had a monster game, catching nine passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns. The Packers double covered him and he still killed them. How many wide receivers in the NFL are better than Crabtree? Five?
The other receivers caught three passes for 28 yards.
Tight ends: C-. Vernon Davis caught one deep pass – a 44-yard beauty. But he didn’t catch any other passes. Delanie Walker dropped not one, not two but three passes – all in the first half.
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Staley did not play well? Based on what? The one sack he gave up was when Kap stepped into it. He controlled one of the best pass rushers in football, while playing in pain. He will grade out as having an excellent game.
I thought he played well also. The pass protection was just great all night long, but that may have a lot to do with Kaep’s running too.
I have to agree, Grant, I thought in light of the match up, and his injury, Staley played quite well.
Totally agree, Staley was “a man” last night.
Staley had an awesome game. Grant’s trippin.
Grant reveals over and over is his predictions, analysis and superficial comments that his understanding of what is going on on the field is really slim…
I would have thought that the fact that Staley was injured would have garnered him an even higher mark. Staley for the most part fended off one of the more physical and aggressive defenders in the league while fighting through obvious pain and discomfort. If anything Staley deserves special praise rather then criticism.
staley dominated the golden boy…..slouching grant
Earl Thomas just got murdered by a 5’6″ running back lol.
Yeah, and Browner just got bowled over backwards trying to tackle a WR.
Not only that, but Kaepernick was targeting Vernon Davis on that pick six. If Davis didn’t have that 44 yard reception, TE’s more deserving of an F grade.
Are you saying it’s Davis’ fault for the pick six?
was targeting crabtree…until he slipped
The pick 6 was as much VD’s fault (probably 40%) as CK. Knowing that CK was moving from right to left, VD should have run toward CK and to the sideline, with safety behind him and a CB trailing after him. VD, from the highlights, seems to drift away from CK and waiting for the ball to come to him. If VD had come back to the ball, he could have broken up the pick by Shields. I guess in those situations, CK will learn to throw it away.
Now how great does the 2011 draft class look?
you must have been watching a different game if you don’t think staley played good.
+1 started to type the same thing especially after the 1st quarter thought the line was sluggish in the 1st.
It’s weird to think that we are essentially in the same WR predicament as last year. We only have Crabtree. But this year crab is the best player on the offense. Wrs combine for 12 catches for 147 and MC gets 9 for 119. Dude is a beast. Anyone still questioning if he’s a #1?
Don’t know if you call having Moss and Jenkins for the next game, “in the same WR predicament”. I have a feeling that GRoman and JH are keeping AJ Jenkins(or VD) under wraps until the playoffs, similar to keeping CK under wraps the last few games until it is playoff time. It is just out of character for Baalke and JH to draft a guy in the 1st round and not being involved much in the regular season. I just have an inkling that there are some special plays “reserved” for the next game.
I think Joe Staley played Excellently. Watching the game Clay matthews basically did nothing on passing downs and Kaep had a large amount of time to throw
“Joe Staley gave up the one and only sack. He injured his arm in the game and did not play particularly well.”
You have no clue what you are talking about.
The sack that Staley gave up was more Kaepernick’s fault because he held the ball too long.
Staley is Alex Smith’s best friend. Of course, Grant will find fault with him!!
Hard to nitpick after a awesome beat down like last night … But what is up with Delanie Walkers hands … Terrible
What frustrates me about Delanie is …. He can make circus catches, but when it’s right in the hands?!?! He drops them!! Irks me to NO end!!
Gore was more effective out of the pistol because Kap was actually keeping the ball on some plays. Kap was 12/16 to WRs 2/10 to TEs.
Iupati’s pancake block on Matthews was a thing of beauty.
It sure was….
Did anyone here that Delanie Walker stat they said in the game. He had 8 drops on 39 targets for the season. That is over 20% drop rate. When you factor that a few of those passes were likely uncatchable bad passes he likely drops 25% of the balls thrown his way. Vernon and Kaepernick need to spend the spring playing catch.
Hmmmmm me thinks you need a math leason…..if some of the balls he missed were uncatchable, then percentage drops, it does not go up
Staley should get a game ball he showed what this team is all about now lets take care of the Falcons and roll on to #6 !!!!!!!!
Grant on a side note. After a full NFL season plus even a playoff game do you still have the same opinion of Coby Fleener as you did at draft time?
I’m not setting up anything towards trying to say I(we) told you so, I don’t like to judge late first or early second round picks to harshly their first season but I still have to think you were expecting more then what you saw from him, yes?
Did AJ Jenkins play?
7 snaps(according to maiocco)
STALEY PLAYED HIS ASS OFF, THAT’S A MAN