The 49ers called Sprint Right Option twice in the red zone on Sunday. Kaepernick takes the snap, takes three steps to the right and fires to the flanker, Michael Crabtree, who is sprinting to the sideline.
If the quarterback doesn’t throw it by the third step, the play is over except for the QB’s attempt to run and make something happen, if he can.
The first time the 49ers ran this play in the Super Bowl was at the end of the first half. Kaepernick took three steps, Crabtree wasn’t open, and Kaepernick dropped to the ground and took a sack because there was no other option.
Greg Roman, or whoever calls the red zone plays, came back with the same call again on second and goal from the five yard line at the end of the game, and again it was fruitless. The Ravens had good coverage and knocked the pass away.
If Sprint Right Option didn’t work for the 49ers the first time, what changed to make Roman, or whoever calls the plays in the red zone, think it would work the second time?
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Roman’s play calling there in the red zone was horrible, even more so at the final drive. No clue why he called those plays, it didn’t fool anybody the first time and it didn’t work the second time.
Let me repeat myself as I said this in an earlier posting about the coaches.
KAEPERNICK ALREADY SAID THAT HE CHANGED THE PLAYS IN THE FINAL SERIES FROM WHAT WAS CALLED FROM THE SIDELINE.
what we don’t know is how many times he changed the plays that were called.
Kaepernick said the final pass — a fade to Crabtree — was not the play call he delivered in the huddle. He said he changed the play at the line of scrimmage when he anticipated a blitz.
“That wasn’t the original option,” Kaepernick said. “It’s something I audibled to at the line based on the look they gave us. . . It was cover-zero. I was just trying to give him (Crabtree) a chance.”
http://www.csnbayarea.com/blog/matt-maiocco/kaepernick-i-made-too-many-mistakes
I really dislike the Sprint stuff especially with Kaepernick. All you are doing is cutting off half of the field, and more with each step.
I would much rather see a straight drop and if it’s not there let Kaep create, especially down in the Red Zone where you are most likely up against man coverage.
Bummer !!
The first time they ran it Crabtree looked pretty open to me, not wide open but as open as a player will usually get in the redzone.
I was thinking exactly the same thing Grant. To me these were the worst 2 play calls of the game. You already have a short field for the defense, you then cut away another half of it by having Kap go to the right, and there was no decoy element (where is the play action to a RB running to the left?!) to shift the defense left first and try and open things up. You can hardly be surprised then when the defense is able to cover everyone up! Horrible calls.
The most disturbing about his team is they are not ready for prime time and I along with many others want to know why after all that has transpired, last years loss in the championship game, not ready for the Gaints this year. This is not Championship football…
Harbaugh needs to straighten up the ship!
Anytime you sprint out, you are cutting the field in half. They should have spread it out and forced the Ravens to cover the options. You have a much better chance of either a receiver breaking free or Kaep taking it in for a TD.
1. Kap changed the play. this was his mistake, not Roman’s.
2. Kap is young, he will learn, but is a great talent.
3. I am real sad today, but if two years ago some one asked if I would be happy if we made it to the Superbowl in 2012 and loss, I would have said you bet!
This team has improved greatly and there is almost nothing but complaints! We now have a great coaching staff and team. They need some work but damn we went from being a joke to a powerhouse in two years.
Sprint right option was the play called on “The Catch”. Interesting.
The first play was not Sprint Right Option.
I hated the play calling on the 5 yard line! why not go back to the option that has been so effective the entire playoffs! Why not use a decoy such as james or Frank Gore! Why not throw the ball to Bruce Miller or Randy Moss! We really missed K Williams and Manningham in this game! Anyway i am very sad but proud of this team! GO NINERS
Sprint right option has been a staple in the playbooks for years,bill walsh and Jerry rice ran it for years I think roman wanna that play to be the winning touchdown cause he knows it’s a play the 9ers won
Many games with and has a history with the play
It’s really simply Roman…the water boy would of been the reason why today the Niner’s are still celebrating their 6th Superbowl victory…if only you would of asked him.”What”, you say, the water boy? Yes, as a matter of fact… despite his menial occupation as just someone who keeps the players hydrated, even he would of had enough common sense to make the simple choice of handing the ball off to Gore until he reached the end zone…whether it would of been on Frank’s first, second, third or fourth carry, believe me with a heart as big as Gores…he wouldn’t of been denied crossing the goal line. It would of been game over…history changed…instead of defeat, it would of been one of the most miraculous wins in the history of the franchise…even rivaling Joe Montana’s Superbowl victory that included “the catch” Us, 49er fans and players…instead of still wallowing in grief could of been planning for one hell of a parade about right now.
Really after it was all over…and with Ray Lewis spouting off about how God’s influence willed this Raven’s team to victory and all that hogwash about destiny and fate…I was wishing Frank would of walked over to Harb’s after seeing another last desperate pathetic attempt trying to complete the “ill-advised” fade route abomination, and said to him “Coach, I love you but, what we just did there was pretty stupid and it’s mainly the reason we’re leaving lovely New Orleans as the team that people will be saying for a long time came so close to winning the Superbowl.”
I wouldn’t of even be bring this up (and I don’t know why I’m telling this what I heard, because chances are your not going to believe what I’m telling you anyway… and I would also have my doubts if I heard the same story from someone I don’t know either) but a friend of mine who is close to Gore overheard him in the locker room after the game, saying something to the effect that “even our water boy could of came up with a better play call than that what was fed to us, those last two downs”.
I sure hope this team gets another chance because the 49er players won this Superbowl…it was our Coaches who lost it. I really feel both Greg and Jim… under the chaos and emotion swirling around and also the tremendous magnitude of the moment of those final four downs, and it’s finality – like anyone else probably would have lost some of their clarity or perspective during those crucial few moments when play calling decisions had to be made.
I for one believe the 49er’s will be back, probably next year and Kaepernick won’t end up suffering the Dan Marino syndrome…I really think the 49er’s more than any other NFL team right now…have the make-up to be a dynasty that will last into the next decade or so. Colin Kaepernick and this group of players are special and I expect at least two if not three or more 49er Superbowl victories to add to the five they already have…sorry Pittsburg, but we will soon be passing you by.
P.S. thanks to this team and it’s coaches for giving me some wonderful moments , especially over these last two years…and I’m already looking forward to what will be coming next.
You don’t have to rewrite the Rosetta Stone each time you post, a paragraph every now and then would help out old eyes like mine. ;)