Jim Harbaugh spoke on KNBR Wednesday morning. Here’s what he said about the possibility of Justin Smith returning for the playoffs, and how his absence has affected Aldon Smith. Smith has not had a sack since Justin Smith’s elbow injury in New England.
Q: Should we expect that Justin Smith will play on Saturday, January 12th?
HARBAUGH: I think that depends on how Justin feels, where his strength is and how the doctors feel about it. From talking to Justin, it’s improved every single week. Hopeful is how we would classify that, that he will play in the game.
Q: How big is the bye specifically for Justin Smith?
HARBAUGH: Hopeful for that, that he continues to progress like he has, and having the strength return.
Q: To be a productive pass rusher, is Aldon Smith dependent on Justin Smith’s return?
HARBAUGH: We’ve always said it’s a team defense kind of thing. I think Aldon will benefit from some of the rest that he has an opportunity to take. I think, watching the tape, he’s somebody who needs it. But yeah, your point that it’s a team dynamic is true.
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Justin has been a 49er since 2008 and none of our outside linebackers have had big sack numbers before Aldon arrived. Yes, Justin makes Aldon’s job much much easier, but lets remember that all the other OLB filling his spot before he arrived had very very pedestrian sack numbers. Aldon is a unique talent.
Aldon is a beast !
Hope the rest does him good and he comes back after the bye
fired up and ready to go !
On another note .. former Niner Eric Davis has an interesting
NFC playoff prediction .. =>
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-am/0ap2000000120937/NFC-Playoff-Predictor
Grant I might have asked or do you also believe that maybe it was a mistake expanding Aldon’s role so much in just his second year. Like any player you gotta limit their pitch count throughout the season and by moving Aldon to basically an every down player maybe they’ve worn him out this year?
@ Coffee
Your question was directed at Grant, so apologies if needed, but my take is Aldon is a rare talent guy who came as a high 1st Rd pick, who has been asked to elevate his game from a fine rookie year and who has succeeded. It has been mentally and physically challenging, but he’s still growing as a player. He’s getting an opportunity to play with a bullseye on him in Justin’s absence. He’ll be a better player for all that. Oh and yes, he’s worn down like a bunch of guys this time of year.
So I’m not really arguing with you, just saying the coaches did it with eyes wide open, and he’s ben on the field more with an opportunity to make plays. Double edged sword.
The injury to haralson (and all the other OLBs) pretty much forced them to play aldon so much. He likely would have played significantly fewer snaps if there was someone to take his place.
He is dependent on JS most of his sacks come with JS tying up 2 men , he has not had a sack since Justin went down and he’s not even putting pressure. AZ has the worst line in football and he wasn’t getting close. He’ll yeah he dependent on Justin but he’s not the only one
Fwiw, ProFootballFocus’ All-Pro Team:
https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2013/01/02/2012-pff-all-pro-team/
Five 49ers made the team:
Joe Staley (2d team)
Mike Iupati (2d team)
Alex Boone (2d team)
Aldon Smith (2d team)
Patrick Willis (1st team)
@Claude
Glad to see Alex Boone making the list. I remember when things got a little shaky around here during the off-season regarding the guard position.
A great comeback story for AB.
@ AES:
Extending Boone’s contract through 2014 last December looks omniscient in retrospect.
Agreed Claude, good foresight by the Org.
The weakest department of the team in the not to distant past is quickly becoming one of the best in the league.