SANTA CLARA – Jim Harbaugh was asked two questions about A.J. Jenkins at his Tuesday press conference. Here’s how Harbaugh answered those questions.
Q: What do you want to see from A.J. Jenkins when he reports for minicamp in a few months?
HARBAUGH: The next thing for all our guys is getting some R&R, recharge the batteries. And while they’re doing that, really start thinking about how they can get an edge. For receivers, same as quarterbacks, they’ve got to train and make sure they’re really training. Lifting and working and training with a real purpose to have a career-best year, that in mind, that next year would be a career year for him.
Q: He had mentioned he wanted to get bigger and stronger. Was that an issue his rookie season, that he wasn’t big and strong enough for what he was needed for?
HARBAUGH: I think that’s a good goal for any football player.
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Not big enough, not strong enough, not smart enough. If he’s to have a career breakout year, these areas need to be improved.
Smart enough? Did he not graduate from college…and not a SEC university? Seems to be smart enough. And I dont see how getting bigger is needed, is DeSean all that big?
Great point!
None of us will really know why AJ was never given the opportunity to contribute.
The only thing 49er fans can count on is AJ coming back next Season & being more prepared to actually contribute.
* long irritating sigh *
I’m just too upset from the weekend to talk about the WRs at this juncture.
Who the hell is AJ Jenkins??
a bust so far
Keenan Allen?
Considering he had one drop and didn’t catch a pass, it won’t be difficult for Jenkins to have a career best year in his 2nd season. All he has to.fo is catch 1 ball!!!
Bwahahaha…that was great…career year ..2 catches 25 yards!
Yes, this exactly.
IMO, drafting Jenkins was a strategic error. The Niners need a tall, large, strong, receiver who can run routes without being jammed by the physical Seahawks CBs, and one who can reel in high passes in the red zone. Jenkins may yet be a decent receiver, but Baalke and his staff’s evaluation of receivers somehow does not give me confidence. Hopefully, I will proved wrong after this draft.
I said this before and I will say it again Jenkins was drafted for the future which is Kaepernick. Colin can throw it vertical an A.J. has the speed to go down field
Niners fans typically can not think ahead! This coaching staff has been drafting to support CK in the future with James and Jenkins! Hopefully Jenkins will spend this off season training like a champ to get better in everyway! GO NINERS
If Jenkins can’t separate himself from being jammed at the LoS, he will be going nowhere.
Sure, Ginn has the speed to go downfield too. Speed doesn’t make a good receiver. Anyway, Jenkins to too small and is suited to be a slot receiver anyway. What a bad pick.
@Mood…
That, reportedly, was his problem in training camp…..at this point he isn’t physically strong enough to get separation from a DB at the line of scrimmage….another thing is, while at Illinois, he pretty much played against zone coverages as opposed to man-to-man coverages he’ll be facing in the NFL….a little time with the strength coaches this offseason and we should see some improvement…god knows he has the hands and speed to be a viable weapon for the 9ers
Who really made that pick? We were all clamoring for a big TE or WR with hands that could help in the RZ.
We were?
I wanted an offensive lineman.
Getting Kyle Williams back in the slot is going to be huge for Kaepernick.
And Harbaugh didn’t notice when he drafted him he was small?
Yeah I wasn’t too worried about AJ Jenkins not getting lot of work in this season but the fact that they trusted Chad Hall in the Falcons game more than him has definitely made me second guess Jenkins pro potential. I hope he has the ability and the team has the confidence in him for him to emerge as a real #2 to Crabtree because if he can’t then they might need to go for a guy like Wallace.
Grant, you mentioned jenkins possibly getting cut and not even making the roster next year. What if the niners had taken your advice on kaepernick after one season because his release was long, throws were high and looked to run before throwing. Take a step back and breathe slowly. The sky is not falling. It took another former first round draft pick until his 3rd season for him to shine. Yes, people ridiculed crabtree and now he is doing just fine.
There was debate on this blog previously about whether AJ is a bust. I still believe it is too early to label him a bust, but he can’t wait until his third season to become a contributor. If he gets lost in the shuffle next year he’s done.
It took a decent QB to get him the football and trust him to catch it. Crabs has been ready
No he finally got healthy!
So VD is only productive when catching balls from a subpar qb?
Sean every so often 23 likes to revert to his obsession. He truly knows now how important it is for a QB to have the game manger as part of their game. Kap will learn this.
Sean,
Crabs has never had VD’s speed. Vernon got eniugh.seperation for Smith to feel comfortable. Crabs got seperation as well. It just wasnt VD seperation. So in Smiths eyes, Crabtree wasnt open.
Once Crab’s foot issues were behind him (about the middle of last year), he started performing very, very well, with both Smith and Kaep as QB.
It was his foot finally being healthy 23 and you know it. Still can’t stop talking about smith huh
I like Crabs. I think he was having a good season before CK took over. But can he make that big tough clutch catch? In the SB, he had a ball hit his hands during the comeback and dropped it.
Manningham made a tough catch. Crabs didn’t.
VD also had a pass go through his fingers, although that was a tough one because he was going full stride. He should have laid out for it.
But VD made an enormous catch last year against the Saints. It would have been nice if CK targeted him in the endzone instead of passing three straight to his buddy Crabs.
“buddy Crabs”? It does make you wonder if MC was in his ear or somehow influenced him on those passes to the point of forcing them. It just doesn’t seem like JH/GR calling those types of plays at the 5 yd line.
Fansince77 – What the hell are you talking about? You didn’t see Crabtrees TD in Super Bowl when he busted two tackles and sparked the comeback? Fans like you make me sick to be in here.
BTW, Manningham did not play in Super Bowl. You’re really on top of your game. Did you see Kendall Hunter make any good plays too in Super Bowl?
Crab, 77Fan is talking about MM making a big catch in the SB for the NYG. It sure doesn’t seem like a JH/GR offense throwing three times to MC on the last series of the game does it? I don’t know if CK had a pass and a run play and chose the pass or if they gave him those pass plays down there. It is interesting.
Hofe – Roman & Kap choked on those last 4 plays. The plays on goal line are throws to TE’s over the middle or crossing patterns. Like Pats do with Gronk & Hernandez.
The throws should’ve been to VD or DW or have Kap bootleg.
Hofe – Half of these non regulars in here dont know crap. I dont give them benefit of doubt unless they are specific.
*The best plays on goal line*
Crab, I hear you I’m still frustrated as well, but just trying to figure out what happened when they were so close that last series. No FG runs.
Hofe – The LMJ run up middle was a waste of a valuable play. Roman panicked and tried to take time off clock. He was worried about scoring to soon. Dumb!
Crab 15,
I’m not hating on Crabs. He made some great plays in the game. But we’re talking about the biggest game on the biggest stage. He had a TD pass go through his fingers. He had a deep ball slip through his fingers. A great player makes that tough catch.
Why would you throw a fade to a guy who is 6’1 and not known to be a leaper?
Makes no sense.
The team has talent but they have yet to prove they are mentally tough. Until they break through and win it all, they are fake bullies.
Jenkins is short. We need another WR, maybe Boldin?
Dwayne Bowe!
They get a big reason like Dwayne Bowe and it is over for the league!
They should have went after Vincent Jackson!
Niners should pick up FA Ramses Barden and draft Quinton Patton in the 3rd round (hopefully he lasts that long). They may want dump Delaney Walker and pick up Ertz in the 2nd round.
Oh, and hope AJ gets bigger and stronger so their #1 pick from last year isn’t a bust.
Eartz may not last until the 2nd round….he is a huge TE talent.
Ertz can’t block and has no strength. Waaay overrated.
Having a career best year shouldn’t be too tough for Jenkins considering it means he need just 1 catch…
Wait til next year…
shuffle and deal
love the name mr. sumo
Initial read on Jenkins: bust.
We lose 2 WRs and our #1 draft pick can barely crack the playing day lineup. That’s just sad.
I will be glad to eat crow if/when he proves me wrong next year. I was going to suggest he might have 18 months to prove me wrong – ie, going into the early part of the 2014 season – but I think we’ll know early in the 2013 season whether the young man can make plays. Can’t remember the last skill player who took 3 years to make a mark – i’m sure it’s happened, but you tend to know before that.
I think its early to call AJ Jenkins Rashaun Woods 2.0, what i’d like to see the kid do is work out with Jerry Rice and condition himself. Then have a good mini camp, this team needs him to step up. We are gonna have holes in this roster cause of Free Agency and will to devote to improving this team.
Grant has a first round pick WR ever been cut after less then two years with the drafting team?
For reasons that have nothing to do with whether or not Jenkins will develop into a legitimate NFL receiver I think there is little to no chance he’ll be cut before the end of next season.
I dont think the 49ers want to admit that fast they made a mistake if he turns out to be Rashaun Woods 2.0
At least Jenkins wants to play, woods just wanted to fish.
Yeah I’m thinking AJ will do what he can not to be a bust, I dont remember Woods doing a thing.
We need speed in our wideout! to counter the physical nature of the Seahawk corners! a physical wr with SPeed! GO NINERS
I’m not 100% sure of this but I recall reading somewhere that when Jenkins reported for training camp and Harbaugh called him out because he was out of shape, the Niners fired the area rep who scouted him.
Does anyone else recall that?
Jenkins was called out because he had no shape
If this cat could play he would be out there making plays, other then drafting James at the RB posisition last April it is looking like the 2012 draft class is looking like bust class. Can anyone other then James play in the NFL, so far it is not looking like it. With 14 draft picks coming up in this years draft I hope the 49ers brass hit on a few good ones.
I was hoping to get these guys into the pass rush rotation. But one went on IR the other injured and then practice squad. I have hopes for one of them being a future replacement for Brooks or if Smith ends up getting arrested. At the very least one actually providing that breather/change of pace/style rusher.
Anyway, here are two prospects to look at in camp…
Darius Fleming
Cam Johnson
* It is amazing we almost took home the trophy with the lack of productivity by the reserves. No disrespect to RJF and James and others who came up big when called.
I like the noises AJ is making about getting bigger, stronger and faster, and working out with Kap. Hopefully its not just talk. It isn’t just the physical he needs to work on though – he needs to get the mental down pat so he can play as fast as his physical skills suggest.
If he develops, a Crabtree, Manningham and AJ trio looks solid. But would like to see another WR or 2 added for competition and depth.
If Jenkins got jock itch he’d have a better year than last season!
Please Aj don’t turn Into woods 2.0, willams acl Mario acl time to step up Aj. I’ll like to add this can the 9ers please get another pass rusher instead of hopeing aldon gets there every time he isn’t lt,get Brooks out there on pass rush downs and get some someday on the other side of aldon,go 9ers everyday all day
its dejavu all over…..Last year the main thing to fix was lack of touchdowns in the redzone…….looks like its the same this yr.
“Kaepernick completed 1 of 5 passes for eight yards and no first downs in the red zone during the 49ers’ 34-31 defeat to the Baltimore Ravens. He took two sacks on red zone plays.
Completion percentage in the red zone was one area where former 49ers starter Alex Smith outperformed Kaepernick this season. Smith completed 70.6 percent of his passes (12 of 17) with eight touchdowns, one interception and two sacks on 26 red zone action plays. Kaepernick completed 47.5 percent of his passes (19 of 40) with seven touchdowns, one pick and four sacks on 68 action plays in that area. “
lol MM and KH,,,,, nuff said now beat it scrub.
I can’t believe people are still mentioning Alex Smith. AS would not have gotten us this far with our defense and special teams this year. Plug Ck into last years team and we go undefeated!!
Left over trolls with still some lingering affects of Kool-Aid from the Alex Smith cult. Just scroll on by.
Like we do with Neal’s comments.
Good morning C balls
“Plug Ck into last years team and we go undefeated!!”
First you say there is no way “AS gets us this far this year” and then if “CK played last year the team goes undefeated”! Really? Such nonsense for so early in the a.m. smh.
Hofe,
I meant with CK’s play from this year and last year +\- takeaways? Yes, I really believe it. 30 plus points, a stingy defense and the best special teams? Um yeah..
This was a SB or bust year. CK is great, and incredible talent. But putting him in the middle of the season was a risk and it didn’t pay off because we didn’t win. A true fan would look at the strengths of Smith and not say that we wouldn’t have got to the SB if he was the starter. A true fan would root for the team regardless. A true fan would look at the stats and would at least consider the possibility Smith might have fared better in that situation and question the wisdom of the switch. A true fan supports the team if he thinks Harbaugh’s move may not have paid off because we didn’t win.
For all the amazing passes, runs etc, he didn’t get it done. Harbaugh didn’t finish. Just like last year with Smith. YOU HAVE TO FINISH. It doesn’t matter if they played crappy for a half. They had a chance to win it and didn’t. Don’t blame the refs. Or the playcalling. It comes down to players making plays.
CK is a phenom but didn’t get it done. In the same situation, Joe Montana got it done. Ben Rothlesberger got it done. That’s how quarterbacks are judged.
But that’s the past. i’m over it. CK is gonna play pissed and the Niners will rebound with such focus to be the first team to go 19-0.
Fan seriously what a moronic post. Obvious to everyone involved that it was the defense that didn’t get it done.
The QB move while unpopular was already proven to be the right move. CK gave us the best chance to win and is the superior QB.
I repeat our defense and special teams put us in a 45-6 combined score hole against the Falcons and Ravens. Not even the great JM could have overcome that.
If it were the other QB with the same results, many would be all over him, but now this QB gets a pass??!
Fan,
Yes, you’re right, CK did not get it done.
Maybe he should have taken Culliver’ place at DB, or better yet, why was he on the sideline during the Ravens KO when he should have been on the field using his blazing speed tracking down T.Jones?
But hey, I understand that the fanbase needs to vent, and what better way to vent then to begin the asinine comparisions with AS all over again (lol).
Hey, if the old AS supportors need to use this forum as theraputic remedy I guess I’m all for it.
Hofer,
my guess is you post a lot less here these days because you lost so much credibility this last year. Guess what, the offensive line, the running backs and the QB and one of our WR’s gets a free pass. They all produced. Had monster games. So yes they get a free pass IMO.
Our first half honestly was the worst of all the teams in the playoffs IMO.
If you want to rip on the most exciting player we have go ahead. At this point you have nothing left to lose.
Sorry, I meant to say our first half DEFENSE was the worst of all the teams in the playoffs.
Fan,
Did they not have a chance to win the game at the end? Yes or No?
If they had scored we would not have to ask these questions.
That’s how QBs are judged.
HOF, that’s what I’m saying. Thats how Qbs are judged.
Alex Smith lost the game against the Giants because he went 1-13 on 3rd down. And that it was his fault that Kyle Williams dropped those punts.
I’ve never called Bay Area Fan a moron because that would be a insult to morons.
It’s not fair, but hey it’s football.
77, thank you for not having anything 49er associated to your name and avatar. You are an embarrassment to our fan base.
Enjoy the success of the team and look at the true weaknesses of the team when assessing blame. Otherwise risk looking like a moron…..
I don’t see anyone else supporting your stance. Although Clod might jump in just to take a shot without forming his own opinion of course.
AES,
I’m not a big Alex Smith supporter. In fact I love CK. And next year is gonna be special.
But looking back from the beginning of the year, all i really wanted as an SB trophy. I didn’t care if they won all the games 10-6 or whatever.
I’m not hating on CK either. He’s only 25 in his 10th game. CK said he would take Crab on a fade any day. Really? That’s a low percentage pass. You take Vernon Davis.
Hey it’s over. And I’m over the loss. Coulda woulda shoulda. Doesn’t matter. Next year I think they play pissed. Colin plays pissed because he knows me made mistakes and then he will get better. Adversity builds character. It’s how you pick yourself up in life.
But darn it– Niners were soooo close.
It’s a game of inches…
“my guess is you post a lot less here these days because you lost so much credibility this last year.”
Bay, I’ve posted less lately because of the troll nonsense. If anything, you’ve posted less and you are not seeing the light because you are still “numb”! Get over it. You know who you would blame so call it straight. I do.
77fan, people here resort to name calling because they don’t have any debating/people skills.
>>I repeat our defense and special teams put us in a 45-6 combined score hole against the Falcons and Ravens.
Looking at that 6. Didn’t our offense have just as many opportunities to even out those scores? Or did they never take the field?
Rib,
nice AS avatar buddy. Let me school you a bit Rib, when your defense is a turnstyle defense it puts double the pressure on your offense. Don’t waste my time with your garbage. Especially when I bring up something legitimate.
Why don’t you ask your fellow Smither Hof about
2nd round QB’s never having success.
6’5″ QB’s not having success in our system
CK being a running QB that will be a long project and likely not succeed.
CK not being able to read defenses.
The running game and chemistry not being as good with CK under center.
See a Smither like Hof can make BS comments like this and a Smither like you Rib would prefer to jump on me for calling out our defense that played lousy in the first half of games during the playoffs. Go enlarge your avatar and cuddle with it dude. I prefer to think about the draft.
@ ribico:
Learn the party line. When the team fell behind in 2011 and early 2012, it was solely because of the offense. After that, it was solely because of the defense and special teams.
Bay, I really don’t care at this point. All water under the bridge since we were only a QB away from the SB right? Time to move on…
>>when your defense is a turnstyle defense it puts double the pressure on your offense.
Bay, you got that back ass-wards. When the offense doesn’t produce it puts too much pressure on the defense*. Ask Mr Everything, he will back me on that.
*only valid with a QB named alex Smith.
BTW, nice twist, ripping everyone but the QB.
Take a look at the thread jokers. Smither, Smither, Smither….. Have fun following your new team next year.
Bay,
I understand you are in mourning. No one here wanted to lose the SB. I was here early SB morning excited and ready to start crankin’ (I didn’t see you by the way). Anyway, why the blame game now? It’s over and you are ripping everyone but the QB. Are you just looking for an argument because you are in a “ripping mood”?? Again, everyone here wanted a 9er win not a loss.
Smh. If you don’t accept Bay’s view, you are a “Smither.” Why go to the trouble of actually addressing the points that others make when you can label them and call them names?
Bay, if your argument appears on the following website, it means that you need to rethink it. The website is not a how-to manual.
http://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/
Bay Area Fanatic,
When you step out of your cave, maybe you can actually see there are many ways to support the team. I’m sorry your man crush on KAP was not enough to get it done in the biggest stage. It’s not his fault. It was only his 10th start. Before you start labeling people morons, maybe you can look back all the great QBS who played in the Superbowl and didn’t get it done. John Elway was not considered elite until he won in the 90′s, when he had Terrell Davis. Dan Marino could very well had been the best of all time but, he did not win his only Superbowl appearance. Never mind the fact he had no defense to support him. No on cares.
So moron on that for awhile.
I am happy to have CK as the QB for the Niners in the 2013 season.
Ultimately the switch did not work because they did not win it all. And the one thing that Smith DOES do better then Colin is in the red zone. That’s where experience matters. He had all the ability in the world but decided not to try and run it in on the 2nd down sprint option. He froze. What you used to blame Alex for, he didn’t make the play. That’s a part of 49er history and nothing is gonna change that.
DEAL WITH IT!
seriously, CK was a main contributor to the loss…as was whitner, culliver, LMJ, drops by crab, and davis….
it was all about the pistol and athleticism….not reading defenses, making single reads, not throwing rcvrs open, JH tried to throw the league a curveball and it almost worked….and yet it didn’t….
so i agree in major ways with what 77 posted
CK was ultimately the reason the niners snatched defeat from the jaws of victory…..instead of going for glory with that magnificent specimen of a body of his he fell to the ground for a ray lewis mercy sack to protect himself…..
CK’s results were ultimately the same as AS and yet blame is shifted elsewhere because he is young, but hey he is 25 only 3 years younger than AS with a ready made team around him….
just sayin
jaws,
Bay Area Fanatic said, on another thread, 2 plays cost the Niners the game. Ahmed Brooks jumping offside, and LMJ fumbling. Really? How is that even logical. Oh yeah, why not include choosing to take the ball when they won the coin toss? Or maybe it was Beyonce’s fault for being such a hottie the whole team was distracted. The NFL should have hired some homely looking girl, like Sinead O’Conner.
There’s a lot of reasons, lots of mistakes and CK made his fair share.
Harbaugh did too. He almost pulled it off. But didn’t.
Very few teams make it back to the SB after losing it, but this team is build to do it. Hopefully they have the drive and stay humble.
Windsor CK’s results were not the same as Smith’s. First off CK didn’t wet his pants in the face of a pass rush. Second, CK made it further into the playoffs than Smith. Third, CK accounted for almost 400 yards in offense over 300 of it in the air. It took eight years for Smith to reach that figure only twice. So NO Windsor the results were not the same.
The QB position for the Niners was severely upgraded from meek and mild to beastly and fearless.
Bay,
He didn’t wet his pants, but that last series was atrocious and I don’t only blame it on the GR offense. GR doesn’t call three passing plays from the 5 since he’s been here. CK must have gone pass all the way and never looked at the run plays he received. Again, ever down both CK and AS have received a pass and a run play to call depending on reading the defense. JH would never call him out though just blame it on the execution. Why did CK blame himself when discussing the game?
BTW, 300+ yds passing in a losing effort is typical. They were play catch up from the 1st qtr on especially after the half. Check the stat lines of losing teams the QB usually has more yds than the winning QB.
Go look at Montana and Youngs stats when winning a SB then come talk to me.
Now were comparing stats and these players to 30 years ago? How many yds did JMo have running the football? He was a pocket passer and very seldom ran. Look CK is outstanding for only playing 11 games, but he isn’t infallible, including the INT and missing some reads.
I cant remember who it was, might have been Fan who said the trade off of an explosive quick strike offense resulted in the defense being on the field more, thus, more fatiqued as the season went on.
Before we were more methodical and ball control on offense which allowed the defense to play less and be fresher. I am not sure if the stats support this but thought it was an excellent and valid point.
@FDM,
I hope Grant takes a look at this. The Defense wore down. They didn’t have the depth. I know they had a really long drive in the NO game. I think it was a gradual erosion of the D’s strength because they played so few starters.
BayAreaFanatic,
No one here questions CK’s physical skills. Like the Niners they can overwhelm weaker individuals and teams. But when someone stands up to the bully, then what does the bully do?
The Ravens were not scared of CK at all. Sure he made his plays, but he didn’t make them when they count.
This is fact. You can throw all the stats you want but he didn’t make the play when he needed. You love to slam Smith every chance you get. But you know what? When you look back at Smith’s career, even through all the crappy years and crappy teams, when it came down to the very end of the game, there is enough body of work to show he made the play to either tie or win the game.
Every kid dreams of making the Pass and the Play to WIN THE GAME. They don’t dream about 300 yard games.
I have no doubt CK will do this in the future. He just didn’t do it in the biggest game, on the biggest stage.
Great point Fan. The identity of the team changed and had to change because of the switch and style if offense. As much as a talent CK is and will be long term the better QB, there is no denying that the pressure become greater for the defense. They could not play that bend but don’t break style cause they were on the field longer and maybe like you guys said, they got tired late in games.
Overall it was a good decision to go with CK because if his talent. But looking back it did change out identity and style of play on both sides of the ball.
Hofer,
you asked about 300 yard passers and I provided you an answer. You didn’t like my answer since it included facts that proved your theory incorrect.
Next you came back and asked how many times Montana rushed the ball. Your assertion is that Montana was a pocket QB and very seldom ran. To be honest I remember Montana being very mobile. To answer your question, Montana ran the ball 6 times in the first SB and 5 times in the 2nd SB. You come to your own conclusion.
Change of subject. The last four plays. I believe Harbaugh should have used both timeouts and taken his time with the play selection. You can assume all you want that CK checked out of runs. All assumption at this point.
This coaching staff went through some growing pains of their own this year. Especially against the Rams. Next year I believe we will see a more tactically savvy coaching staff. Especially with clock management.
Bay you’re right. The defense Didnt give up scores like that last season. That’s another fact. And another gift Alex smith got last season. And we still won close games.
NO WAY in hell this team gets that far and gets ripped off on the last drive with Alex Smith under enter. These folks know it. It’s painfully obvious to them.
Does ck get a pass IMO? Nope because he Didnt finish the job. But most of the blame lies directly on the defense and ST. CK carried this team like Alex smith never could. Period!
MD,
look at this thread. It’s three guys that are spitting out crow feathers as they type. Coughing those things up in their sleep.
Did CK finish the job? No. More important, was CK put in a position to finish the job by the coaching staff in those final four plays? My opinion is NO.
Did the team support their young QB anywhere near the level that they carried AS last year? NO.
We all see it. This is the Smithers last attempt to now come and finger point at the player who took over for their hero. Not working. The NFL has embraced CK as a star and the 49er fan base has as well.
The coaching staff has an offensive identity problem that needs to be resolved. They need to fix the process in which they send plays in for sure.
When they got down to goal to go, the staff was unprepared.
Just like in the last game against the Rams. CK ran the ball down and the Niners had the game. All we had to do was milk the clock and instruct the players to stay in bounds. We threw on first and ran out of bounds on second leaving enough time on the clock for the Rams to come back and win. Bottom line, our coaching staff has to grow up. The level of detail that John Harbaugh demonstrated down to the holding of players during the safety play was brilliants. We lacked that brilliance.
Bayarea says “The coaching staff has an offensive identity problem that needs to be resolved”
And that was the main point of contention that everyone feared when the switch was made. It was not based on talent, but what would happen to the identity of the team. It changed dramatically. Good, bad, or indifferent, it changed our season. It changed the way the coaches playcalled, it changed the way the defense had to perform, and it basically changed the entire philososphy. So, again, why do this so late in the season?
If it was a matter of who is the better QB, CK hands down. But if it is amatter of how we would play the game and change our entire system of play on both sides of the ball, it cost us.
Harbaugh went with his gut and ego instead of his brain. It’s all hindsight now but like you said, the problem with the switch was not who is the better QB, but how it would affect the other moving parts.
Again, BayArea fan is so narrow on what he sees and what he assumes. It’s like talking to a child.
You have to look at the facts. This is not about Alex or CK. We all love CK. But you have to be insane or delusional not to know that it was a risk to change a QB in mid-stream, despite how much you hate Alex, he was not playing bad. You can no longer make the statement of whether Smith under center could or couldn’t take the team to the SB.
The argument was he couldn’t win it. Well guess what? CK didn’t either.
You can whine and cry all you want about the D not playing as well as last year but — AGAIN – did CK have a chance to win the game at the end? I just re-watch those passes at the end and it’s true what the Ravens said about CK, he was a stick and read thrower. One read, and he threw it. He had a wall of blockers on the 2nd down pass to Crabs and could have least made it to to the 3. He DIDN’T. End of story. Move onto Next Year.
In the end, the switch was disruptive because it didn’t produce the desired result, which was a Super Bowl trophy.
The good from all this is we are all excited about CK for next year.
It did not effect how we played defense. The time of possession was within two minutes. Are you telling me two minutes effected our defense that dramatically? You guys and your disguised agendas kill me.
Two injuries killed our defense period. Justin Smith’s injury and to a degree Aldon Smith’s yet to be disclosed injury.
As for the switch. Overall it was successful. WHY? Because it made us more explosive and it got us to the superbowl. Even with our limping defense. Harbaugh can now point to having a QB that forced defenses to defend the entire field. A young man that in 11 games has already won two playoff game. Instead of an 8 year vet that hit his ceiling and only won one playoff game in 8 years……… Easy choice. On to next year.
@ Bay:
Funny, from where I sit, it looks more like a guy doing whatever he can not to admit his obvious hypocrisy. Instead of addressing the actual arguments made by those three, the best you can do is call names, question their fanhood, and try to change the topic.
I also see that your sidekick showed up to passionately lob a few conclusory, but nevertheless hypothetical, declarations. Did you see the exclamation points?!? You don’t even need reasoning when you have those.
>>45-6
Thank goodness for the reviled Akers. Otherwise that’s a nice goose-egg from our vaunted offense.
Clod,
your posts are as worthless as a flat spare tire. You don’t add anything. And now you are a hypocrite. You are jumping in and defending folks that are taking a stance but providing zero facts. Their opinion vs mine.
Your shtick is old. Valueless. Take a stance once in a while Clod.
Also enjoy the fact that we now have a franchise QB that replaced our safe game manager. We are about to shore up our weaknesses and make another run at the superbowl. GREAT TIMES…..
Bay once again, try like Claude said to stay focused and minimize the insults, it only weakens your arguement.
The debate is not who is the better QB, rather, would the switch impact the entire path of the team. Injuries on the defense is just an excuse. Last year in the NFC Championship game against the Giants we had no WR’s, you seem to forget that as a reason?
The point and question is, did the inexperience catch up to CK in the pressure moments of the SB? We know it could very well happen and it did. I think you just need to admit that CK had his struggles insted of putting it on the coaches and the defense solely.
>>Funny, from where I sit, it looks more like a guy doing whatever he can not to admit his obvious hypocrisy.
Claude, You could bet welcher’s bottom dollar that if Bay were dragging out that pathetic 45-6 stat while AS was QB, guess what side of the team would be at fault?
Obvious hypocrite is obvious.
FDM,
I think if you hop off of your ” I used to coach ” high horse and quit belittling folks for their opinions and placing yours above theirs, your points could be more valid.
I’m sorry we are talking about CK who for the entire 2nd half was the best player on the entire field. Responsible for two scores, almost 60% passing and almost 400 combined yards. Was he nervous? I don’t know. And you don’t know either. What I do know is the coaching staff could have done a better job from the point of first and goal.
Rib,
I continue this dialogue to prove a point. I pointed out ASmith’s inefficiencies, inadequacies and I spelled out that he would be replaced with CK. I begged for it. A small group of misfits thought they knew better. Look at this thread. The ones that want to cling to a certain argument and throw blame at Smith’s successor are the same group of misfits…. Just saying hahahaha. Hey Rib, nice avatar.
Bays says “What I do know is the coaching staff could have done a better job from the point of first and goal.
And maybe CK could have thrown a better pass huh? Dont think Roman had anything to do with the riffle from 3 yards away to Crabs that only could have been caught with a net, and then the fade route which was hail maryed.
Admit all faults acorss the board just like you did with Alex for 3 years and maybe you can claim back soem respectability on here.
@ Bay:
I am taking a stance, and I thought it was quite clear. You are a hypocrite. When Smith was QB, you went on and on about the need for the offense to get off to a fast start so that it did not put undue stress on the defense. You went on and on about the importance of efficiency in the red zone. And you laid the team’s “poor performance” in those areas solely at Smith’s feet. Moreover, you complained even while the team was winning. In fact, you were at your bitchiest when the team was winning.
So, what do you do this year when the team gets off to a slow start in multiple playoff games? … when it doesn’t operate very efficiently in the red zone? … when, after a painful loss, someone points out that those are still problem areas? Not only do those things no longer seem so important to you, but you point the finger of blame everywhere but at the QB position. You are a Grade A hypocrite. The only thing that hasn’t changed is your tendency to attack personally those who disagree with you.
Let’s be clear. I am not taking sides in this debate, other than to say that everyone’s fingerprints are on the Super Bowl loss. It was a team loss. I’m not siding with either one of you because I don’t have a burning desire to scapegoat anyone for it. It was a team loss. The defense gave up too much and the offense did too little in the first half. In the second half, both offense and defense stepped it up. Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite enough. I’m not here to take sides. I’m just pointing out that you are full of crap.
I am sorry that you find my comments worthless. Then again, I am only as good as my subject matter, and I am writing about you.
Bay, I’m not blaming anyone, least of all CK.
I’m just pointing out the ridiculously obvious bias of your reasoning:
Defense put the team in a hole. Offense had nothing to do with it.
Yeah, right. Silliest thing I’ve read, post-SB loss.
BTW, glad you still get a kick out of my avatar. I’d rather have my AV than what passes for the thought process of your brain.
@ Bay_Fanatic
I took the Fan out out your name because you clearly on not a fan. You’re just a bully and now you’ve just talked yourselves into a circle. It’s not about whether people agree or disagree. It’s an opinion, to look at what went wrong, why we lost, not assume blame. And really how can anyone “blame” KAEP for the lost? It’s was the only his 10th start? His inexperience caught up with him. It’s what the experts said, not me.
If it was a blow-out in the Niners favor, we would not be talking about this.
If the Niners got killed, we would not be talking about this. It’s a team loss.
But QBs are expected to rise to the occassion, end of the game, and MAKE THE DAMN PLAY.
He is not the reason we lost. He is accountable to why we did not win. Because he had a chance to do something when it mattered most and he did not.
He will grow from it and move on. I have no doubt.
Adversity makes you stronger.
Hopefully you can stop being so pig-headed and at least consider that other posters might have valid things to bring up — as opposed to calling them clowns and morons.
Fan,
don’t back off of what you said. You wrote,
“A true fan would look at the stats and would at least consider the possibility Smith might have fared better in that situation and question the wisdom of the switch. A true fan supports the team if he thinks Harbaugh’s move may not have paid off because we didn’t win.”
YOU are telling us what a “true fan” would feel. So get off your high horse. You know nothing and have exposed yourself with what you wrote to be a SMITHER.
Also you said you removed the “fan” from my name. No you didn’t. You removed the Bayarea. So on top of being a smither, you are a window licker…..
@ Bay:
Actually, he removed only the “area” from your name. See the “Bay_” in front of the “Fanatic”?
How does that window taste?
Seriously, you may as well have written “Your a moron.” Sometimes, unintentional comedy is the best.
@Bay__atic,
You still have not answered the fundamental reason for this post, why did your savior, Jesus Kaepernick, let you down? Why, when HE HAD A CHANCE to make a play, he did not. He’s Jesus, right? 2nd and goal, Sprint Option roll-out. He should have levitated above all the players and just moonwalked into the end zone.
Why didn’t he do that? Because karma is a B-I-T-C and you know the rest.
You have no argument to make so you resort to calling people names.
And FYI — I was rooting for KAEP to make the play. I wanted him to succeed. Can you honestly say the same for Smith?
KAEP DID NOT MAKE THE PLAY.
Why?
Please answer that for me.
Oh wait, I know your answer — because Brooks was offsides in the first quarter and LMJ fumble in the 2nd quarter.
Anyways, it’s a tough loss. We all lost.
It wasn’t meant to be…
AJ could be the real deal, calling him a bust now is pre-mature, I would expect he will train hard and time will tell. I still would like a big fast receiver to compliment Crabs and Manningham will be the third option.
3rd day of mourning. Slowly coming around. Realizing that our defense and special teams put us in a combined hole of 45-6 against the Falcons and Ravens. Not championship caliber.
Last year I remember wanting to keep this defense intact. Thinking we could go on a 3 year run with the guys we had. Guess I was wrong.
Our needs are many on defense. First off, I don’t know if we should pay Goldson. He is such a liability in coverage. His eyes getting stuck in the backfield made him responsible for Atlanta’s first touchdown.
Whitner is another liability. Too short to guard taller receivers.
Culliver is another liability. Only the 49ers know how much upside he has since he’s so young. I’d be happy if he turned his head and tracked a ball from time to time.
Justin Smith will have surgery and return healthy. However he is passed his prime.
My opinion is we draft a defensive backfield and a defensive tackle. We bring in Revis for one year and let the young guys marinate. Then we should be set for 2014 with a youth movement again on defense.
I stated here yesterday that the 9ers have quite a few picks and many won’t make the team. It is better for them to package some picks to move up and get 1 – DL, 1 – DE/OLB, 1 – WR/TE, 1-2 – DBs. Choosing 8 to 9 guys which all won’t make the team, is a waste especially for a team that needs top quality not quantity.
Bay you’re right about the D having trouble but the O could’nt score or sustain drives early in either game which did’nt help the D any.
Philly I don’t want to rip you. Unfortunately I am in the ripping mood. Our offense averaged 34.7 points a game in the playoffs. Obvious where are weaknesses are. Think before you post.
@ philly9er:
Remember in the old days when bayareafanatic would would lecture us on how the offense’s tendency (under Smith) to start slow put unnecessary and unfair strain on the defense? I do. I wonder why he’s no longer so concerned about offensive slow starts? I guess all the strain caused by Smith’s slow starts finally caught up with the defense in the playoffs.
bay also doesn’t seem to be as concerned about red zone efficiency as he used to be. Actually, he’s still concerned, but, now, it’s a coaching problem.
If you had asked people if they would have taken the Niners scoring 31 points against the Ravens, they would have in a heart beat. The defense simply did not play like a championship defense and their weaknesses were exposed.
From ESPN: “Including the Super Bowl, the 49ers allowed five touchdowns and a 67.5 completion percentage on passes more than 10 yards down field in the postseason. In the regular season, the 49ers allowed only three touchdowns (fewest) on those throws and a 38.7 completion percentage (third best).”
You can’t ignore these statistics:
Defensive passing yards allowed in 2012:
200.2 yards allowed per game in the regular season
306 yards allowed per game in the postseason
Defensive points allowed in 2012:
17.1 points per game allowed in the regular season
29.7 points per game allowed in the playoffs
Offensive yards per game in 2012:
361 yards per game in the regular season
473.1 yards per game in the post season
Offensive scoring 2012:
24.8 points per game in the regular season
34.7 points per game in the post season
The strength of the team wasn’t the strength of the team when it mattered. They were a liability.
Clod,
you are so cute with your rebuttals. Unfortunately your rebuttals are always void of an opinion as usual. I just want to know if you always went through life without an opinion, or did your work experience as an attorney slowly train you to critique others thoughts instead of attempting to form your own : )
Bay is not a fan, he’s an Alex hater. And then he rips on anyone that offers a different opinion that does not fit into his narrow definition of what a successful QB can and should be. And anyone who suggest anything logically is now a moron.
Not true fan. Just you are the moron. Once again, no one backed your stance. Have a nice day.
@ BigP:
No question, the defense fell off in the playoffs. I would suggest that it fell off prior to that. From the second half of the NE game forward, the defense was not the same. The drop off pretty much coincided with Justin Smith’s injury, but I don’t know enough to conclude whether that speaks to causation or mere coincidence.
Either way, my hope would be that the team focuses on the defense in FA and the draft. While I will defer to Baalke/Fangio, I would like to see them add quality, rotational depth along the line (reduce J. Smith’s and McDonald’s minutes), another pass rusher (if they can find someone who can do both, all the better), and a safety who can cover. And I suppose they need to make a decision on Soapoaga.
@ Bay:
Like you, I have many opinions. Unlike you, however, I try to ground them in fact and reason and to avoid forming them until I am reasonably well-informed on the subject matter. You should try it sometime. Or at least refrain from attacking people whose opinions differ from your less-than-informed one.
Otherwise, you make yourself a target, and then you get all whiny when someone takes you to task for being inconsistent/hypocritical.
@ Bay
Its great that the niners avg. went up to 34.7 pts a game in the playoffs but the offense started out slow in both games . They were outscored 45-20 in the 1st halves of the playoffs. Its not like the offense was lighting it up to start the games and only the defense started slow.
Philly,
in 2010 the offense put the defense in a position where it had to hold an opponent to 14 points or less. That wasn’t balanced.
The defense that we rolled out after halftime against the Patriots put our offense in a position where it had to score every time it had the ball. Not balanced either.
AS last year had the benefit of putting up low points, low production and getting to play the field position game. That defense is gone. I’d say out of 10 positions that need to be filled, 6 of them are on defense IMO.
>>Defensive points allowed in 2012:
>> 17.1 points per game allowed in the regular season
>> 29.7 points per game allowed in the playoffs
Interesting. We had a nearly identical 12 point defensive dropoff in last year’s playoffs as this year.
14.3 points per game allowed in the regular season
26 points per game allowed in the playoffs
But last year’s was all playoff shortcomings was all about Alex, amiright?
Rib,
are you just throwing crap on a wall to see what sticks or do you have a point other than your really cute Avatar?
Yes, maybe I can make a point like Bay does merely by insulting other poster’s handles and avatars. Can you show me how that’s done?
>>AS last year had the benefit of putting up low points, low production and getting to play the field position game.
Except when we got to the playoffs and the defense started giving up big(er) yardage and big(ger) points. Last year as well as this year. It’s going to happen when we start playing the better teams. Next year, in the big games, the offense had better start the game at the opening whistle as well.
BayArea Fanatic,
I sympathize with you. You are in mourning. It’s gotta suck that you can blame everyone else but not accept the fact that all Colin need to do was make one play out of three chances and the Niners could very well be holding a parade.
Fan he only likes to talk about one QB and that QB didn’t play so he tends to shy away from criticism involving the other QB.
What I want to know is did CK audible into or out of that last play of the game? Or was the play called by the coaches and they just went with it?
Prime,
KAEP said he audibled into the Fade Route because he saw cover zero. He might the right read, but the wrong audible. The Fade Route is a low percentage pass. Crabs was expecting a different pass, he pivoted into DB, perhaps thinking that he was going to get a low pass much like the one Alex threw to him in the AZ game when he went 18-19.
It’s not KAEP’s fault. It was only his 10th game. Give credit to the Ravens. They forced him to make a pass every time.
So glad Alex Smith is gone and all we have to work on are special teams and Defense.
Bay, reading you is enough to get anyone out of a funk. Lol comment of the day! : 0
>>So glad Alex Smith is gone and all we have to work on are special teams and Defense.
Lol. Then maybe next year you can complain about first half stats that look like 30-6.
The TEAM needs work on both sides of the ball, Mr Brilliant. Nor was Smith a one-man villian, Kaep is not a one man savior.
They definitely need to reinforce the defense and add some WR’s. The good thing is they have the picks to make it happen. As brutal as the SB loss was, this team is in position to be very good for a long time. They have a ton of picks this year, which will allow them to move around in the draft and secure some bad asses.
1. D line (no pass rush after Smith was injured, needs youth)
2. WR (They need bodies and they need size. Moss and Ginn will most likely be gone and Williams and Manningham are coming off of severe knee injuries. They may have to add someone in FA.)
3. Kicker
4. SS (Whitner is a liability in coverage, especially the red zone.)
5. QB (Harbaugh needs to develop a farm system of QB’s that will procure draft picks via trade at some point.)
Oohh big p, I like your Qb thought process. Pick, train and then trade.
Like your list
Phiily,
I don’t believe that our offense was totally inept in the first half.
Craptree dropped a pass in the endzone that seemed intented for R.Moss.
LMJ fumbled deep in Ravens territory on what looked to be a promising drive. Just the possibility of those two scores could have given us the win if equated into the final score.
In the second half, Crabtree had a deep pass he just missed and the same goes for VD.
Also, on CK’ last pass to Crabtree in the endzone, had he thrown the ball about 3-4 feet shorter there’s a good chance that Crabtree makes a play on it even with a DB hanging around him.
There were opportunities, but the execution was not there.
*Crabtree
Ravens made the tough plays. Niners didn’t. Same with the Giants game this year.
It’s almost like we lost some of our grit and sand paper mentality late in the year. We started to get bullied late in games. I don’t like that!
Prime,
Like you we had our doubts for the switch for many reasons. No doubt CK has talent and can be a starter. One of my concerns was how the team was build to be slow and methodical on Offense to give the Defense rest. To run more plays to shorten the game. Was it worth having the high octane offense is the D wears out? Well after the Pats game the D, which at the time was the identity of the team, did not play as well. The O was more explosive, but at what cost?
Just sayin….
Look for them to draft another QB.
Harbaugh + QB + 1 year = Trade for Draft Picks
I could see that happening in the 3rd round with one of the two picks the 49ers hold.
Not too many Qb’s available in the draft.
Nice piece by Mindi Bach over on CSN Bay Area Sports.
Teammates giving well deserved props to Alex Smith.
Thoughts and prayers to Delanie Walker and his family.
What a tragic thing to happen after coming to see your nephew play in the SB.
Why?
I think the two most most critical plays in the game were Brooks off sides and La Michaels fumble. 7-10 point swing.
Nope. The 3 most critical play was at the goal line at the end of the game.
2nd and goal. Sprint Option right. CK rolls, hesitates on the throw to Crabs, doesn’t try to run it in like Elway to give the Niners the lead.
3rd Down. Throws to Crabs for what would have been a one yard gain. Doesn’t scramble and buy time to find someone else who is open. Like Flacco did early in the game.
4th down. Throws a fade that wasn’t almost uncatchable even though Crabs was held. even Crabs, who is not big leaper, said if he had throw it lower, kinda like how Alex threw it to him in the Cards game when he passed for 19-20, he would have had a chance to make a play.
CK, with all that ability, did not GET IT DONE.
That is not to hate on him, because he is going to BALL in 2013. But in the SB, he didn’t make the play.
He will get it over and come back even hungrier. I fear for the league but on the Sunday, it was not to be.
FYI — After the KO return, my buddy who is a Bears fans asked jokingly if should they put in Smith, and I said hello no. I want to see CK come back and if he does that, his legend will grow.
So I really wanted him to succeed and make the play.
There were alot of pass rushers and receivers on IR… Manningham, Williams and Hunter (out of the backfield) on offense, and Haralson, Dobbs, Johnson and Fleming on defense.
Players the 49ers aquire (draft/trade/FA/re-sign) will vary depending on how well these 7 players recover, as well as the 49ers internal assessment of AJ Jenkins.
If the 49ers think the above players can recover 100%, look for the 49ers to trade up and draft quality defensive players. If not, look for the 49ers to duplicate the 2012 draft, heavy on receivers and outside linebackers.
Prayers go out to Delanie walkers family.
Sad day in the Niner family….
Thoughts and condolences to Delanie Walker and his family.
yes