49ers 13, Texans 24: Grades

SANTA CLARA – Here are the grades for the 49ers’ 24-13 preseason loss to the Texans.

QUARTERBACKS: D. Blaine Gabbert, Thad Lewis and Jeff Driskel combined to complete just 47 percent of their passes. Gabbert was terrible early. He missed a few receivers by wide margins and failed to see a wide-open Torrey Smith deep down the right sideline. Then Gabbert settled down and threw a beautiful touchdown pass to tight end Vance McDonald. After Gabbert left the game, Thad Lewis came in and averaged a whopping 4.6 yards per pass before he left with a leg injury. Jeff Driskel replaced him, threw 12 passes for 20 yards and ran five times for 61 yards. After the game, Chip Kelly called Driskel the most impressive player on the third unit.

RUNNING BACKS: C+. I would give this unit an A+ – the team averaged 6.9 yards per carry – but both Carlos Hyde and DuJuan Harris fumbled in the first half, and I downgrade the running backs one full grade for each fumble. The past two seasons combined, Chip Kelly’s Eagles led the NFL in turnovers. Will that trend continue on the 49ers?

WIDE RECEIVERS: D. Jerome Simpson led this group with three catches for 29 yards. He had a good game and probably will make the final roster. Backup slot receiver DeAndrew White also had a good game – two catches, 23 yards. He probably will make the final roster as well. Other than those two, the Niners’ leading wide receiver was Dres Anderson who caught just one pass for 12 yards.

TIGHT ENDS: A. Vance McDonald was the most dangerous receiver on the team, catching two passes for 54 yards and a touchdown. On the touchdown catch, the linebacker covering McDonald (Benardrick McKinney) slipped and fell and left McDonald wide open. Easy catch. Still, McDonald made a nice move in the open field, avoided a tackle and scored. Great play. It’s clear the Niners want to get McDonald the ball “in space,” which is smart. He can’t consistently make catches in traffic.

OFFENSIVE LINE: A-. Anthony Davis gave up a sack playing with the second-string offensive line. The Texans blitzed, and Davis didn’t know who to block, so he blocked no one. Other than that play, the Niners’ offensive line was almost flawless. The running backs had huge holes to run through all night.

DEFENSIVE LINE: C. Shut down the Texans’ backup running backs, but gave up 7.5 yards per carry to the Texans’ starter, Lamar Miller. When Houston double-teamed rookie defensive end DeForest Buckner at the point of attack, they usually pushed him out of the play. Buckner is much more effective chasing runs from the back side of plays. He struggles holding his ground against double teams, as does rookie defensive end Ronald Blair. But Blair is the most explosive pass-rusher among the defensive linemen. The Texans had a tough time keeping him out of the backfield on pass plays.

LINEBACKERS: B. NaVorro Bowman missed a tackle in the first quarter as he dove at the feet of Lamar Miller. Bowman still looks slower than he did before his brutal knee injury. Still, he was the best inside linebacker on the team. The second-best inside linebacker was Nick Bellore, who recorded one sack and a tackle for a loss. He’s a dark horse to start. At outside linebacker, Ahmad Brooks registered one sack, Tank Carradine and Aaron Lynch played well against backups and Eli Harold did nothing. He’s a dark horse to disappoint.

DEFENSIVE BACKS: A. Chris Davis broke up two passes and gave up zero catches on three targets. He looks like the overwhelming favorite to start at nickel back Week 1. On the outside, starters Tramaine Brock and Jimmie Ward also played well. In fact, every single 49ers’ defensive back played well except last season’s starter, Kenneth Acker, who missed a tackle and gave up two touchdowns. He’s a liability in man-to-man coverage and probably won’t make the final roster.

SPECIAL TEAMS: C. Former fifth-round pick Bradley Pinion kicked a 25-yard punt, and undrafted wide receiver Bryce Treggs looked scared. At one point he tackled himself during a return. On the positive side, 41-year-old kicker Phil Dawson made both of his field goal attempts, including a 50-yarder.

This article has 294 Comments

  1. Well that was a let down. I hope to see more improvements from the QBs Saturday. A true test against Denver.

    1. Rebuild, I think next week could be more of the same against Denver, maybe worse with their pass rush. I think their secondary will blanket our no name recievers and bully our OL. I am not sure we’ll get anywhere in the QB competition.

      1. Wilson, your right it’s going to be tough. I just have to get the mind set that it’s going to be a long season regardless.

        1. Man did you see all the sacks Denver had against the Bears? Maybe Blaine doesn’t miss those throws next week? I will also be interested to see how the no huddle holds up at mile high since our guys are used to the altitude. Could be that one QB has a breakout week. I hope none of our QB’s get injured next week. This D knows how to handle a running QB like they did with Cam. It will be interesting to follow practice. Grant are you coming to Denver to see the practices?

        2. It wouldn’t be this grim if idiot York didn’t DESTROY the team. #whofiresHarbs? #dumbass

          1. Harbaugh fired himself or can you go to work every day and repeatedly insult your boss and keep your job? No employer would keep an employee who they believe is insubordinate and does not work well with the other people in management. A widely reported example, York showed up for a team meeting and in front of the team is told to get out this is a meeting for men. Yeah you could say this to your boss and keep your job.

            1. To Denise, that is.
              9ers have had 3 coaches in 3 years. Thats squarely on the owners lap–not to mention the state of the team. Please, no more painting York as a victim anymore…………

  2. All and all I would say those grades were fair. Was very impressed with the o-line.

  3. “Niners want to get McDonald the ball “in space” which is smart” sounds like the way Seattle used VMac’s Rice teammate Luke Wilson.

    1) Hypnotize the linebackers with crunching runs, QB scrambles.
    2) At just the right time, send the TE straight down the seam like a dagger. Usually from a single back formation with receivers out wide.

    Get good at it, and defenses will have a match-up problem. Put in a safety and VMac will crunch him in run plays. But in a linebacker and VMac will fly past him. One of the main reasons the TE position exists.

    1. I keep telling y’all Grant reports based on the players HE wants to see make the team and start. He is totally opinionated and his post read that way. Ray Ray played damn good. Like when he said Treggs tackled himself. No his plant foot slipped while making a cut. Treggs looked good on his returns. Very decisive not scared at all.

      1. And people crap on the punter. Yet they fail to acknowledge he had to rush the shanked punt because the line let a rusher through and it was rush the punt or risk a block. It’s just life.

        But nobody can seem to see that. Rather it’s ‘OMG! Pinion is the worst ever!’

  4. “NaVorro Bowman missed a tackle in the first quarter as he dove at the feet of Lamar Miller.”

    Bowman wasn’t diving at Miller’s feet. He tripped over the feet of Wilhoite who was getting blown back.

    1. Grant wrote Bowman’s career obit last year, he’s just coming from there, waiting to announce the funeral. He did similarly with Gore a few years ago. (shrug)

  5. A few observations:

    – Oline looked very good, especially in pass-pro, which has not been the case in past preseasons. Very promising.

    – Lynch is a grown man

    – Vmac looks ready to turn the corner

    – Heath Evans, and really any NFL analyst, really doesn’t like Chip. Nothing but negativity.

    Overall defense was solid, Blaine should settle in but competition is wide open. Mike Davis looked like a new man. Hurry up offense was interesting.

    1. Heath drives me crazy a little bit. When he doesn’t like somebody he just rags on them at every opportunity.

    2. As for Heath Evans and a lot of the other analyst’s, all I can say is ….. some people are simply resistant to change. They were taught a certain way of doing things and they don’t want to believe that a “college” style offense can succeed in the NFL.

      All I can say is, taking a team that won 4 games the previous season, and going 26-21, with 1 Division Title, in your first 3 seasons, IS succeeding. Just saying! So ….. Heath Evan’s can KMA!

  6. Biggest areas of concern:
    1.WR unit
    2.Kick/Punt returner
    3.Pass rush
    4.QB position
    5. This quick no huddle scheme

    1. I’m with you on the top 4 Prime. I’d replace #5 with Run Defense, although I don’t think it will be a huge liability.

      As long as they can sustain some drives and run the ball, I actually really enjoy the no-huddle. I find it exciting to watch when the offense has the opponents defense on their heels, unable to substitute, reeling, and gasping for air.

    2. On your # 5 concern, Prime, I am not so concerned about up tempo no huddle as I am not sold on it. Guess that becomes a concern if no one learns from failure.
      It stopped working in Phily when the rest of the league got hip to it. It telegraphs itself and its limited playbook.

  7. Take away 2 FH fumbles and the 49ers could have been up 20-0 at half time…Let’s give the boys some credit for 300+ FH yards and only 1 sack. Defense played great in FH.

  8. Quick take on O-Line: Andrew Tiller is going to struggle when asked to move laterally. He’s too slow.

    1. Niners may keep Garnett at LG, let AD reclaim his starting posittion he lost due to injury, and put Brown at RG.

        1. Jack, on that ZBS play where Christian Covington came in and slammed into Mr. Hyde causing a fumble, that was Tiller’s mistake not sustaining his block long enough for Brown to get to his spot, right?

          1. Yes. That’s a technique issue that should be corrected with coaching and reps.

            Brown is too slow though to play guard was my point.

    2. Is that what happened on A Davis’s sack? Tiller didn’t get over fast enough to help or was it Thomas or another one of our guards. The camera work and replay’s didn’t really help us see what happened there.

      1. That was more in reference to a run to the right that called for him to pull and kick out. He’s just too slow to get out there.

              1. That sounds good to me, but I am still thinking -Staley, Garnett, Kilgore. Brown, Davis.

                AD played in 3 NFCC Games and a SB.

              2. Seb, I’m not so sure they move Brown if he keeps playing like he did last evening and Davis isn’t decidedly better. Looking forward to the results of Saturday’s OL test against Denver’s front….

      2. Thought they overloaded the right and Davis tried to pick up the inside pass rusher, which left the DE unblocked.

  9. My picks for the 49ers VS Texans, preseason game 1 standouts:

    OFFENSE: Mike Davis (wow), Vance McDonald, The 1st string OL, DuJuan Harris and Thad Lewis

    DEFENSE: Ronald Blair, Aaron Lynch, the entire 1st string Defensive Backfield, Garrison Smith & Nick Bellore

    HONORABLE MENTION: Dontae Johnson, Marcus Cromartie, Jerome Simpson & Ray Ray Armstrong

    I’m keeping Harris on my list despite the goal line fumble because, from my viewpoint, it looked like Lewis was to blame for the poor exchange.

    1. Oh, and my GOAT OF THE GAME: Kenneth Acker. He stood as an extreme contrast to the rest of the DB’s, including the rookie Prince Charles, because he played so poorly. He’s got a huge hill to climb now, IMO, if he wants to make this team!

  10. The two Hyde passes were poor by Gabberr, but the two that were missed by patton and white(?), basically the two that we were a bit low, those are on the wrs. Those are catches nfl wrs make. Those two get caught and gabbert is at 60% completion and it doesnt look so bad. And while the oline is an improvement, there were still plenty of times the qbs and rbs had to make people miss to avoid a negative play. Those need to be fixed, example being the scramble gabbert had were a free blitz came straight up and he sidestepped and got 8 or so. That’s too dangerous.

    1. The best QBs throw to their receivers best catch radius. You can’t throw to Boldin’s catch radius unless you have Boldin for a target. Montana didn’t throw to his receivers as if they were all Jerry Rice.

      We don’t have a QB with that skill level.

      1. I concur that receivers like Rice, Moss, Boldin have special catch abilites and radiuses, however, those throws are ones that all WRs should make. Catches that guys like Rice and Boldin and Moss can make are above and beyond the standard 2 foot radius of a normal WR, passes that can only be caught 1 handed or by contorting your body in a way that seems unhuman…but again, those 2 throws, while yes low, were mid thigh to upper knee area, nothing special and something some of us could catch.

        But this is what the preseason is for…to improve on these things when it doesnt matter.

  11. Pros:
    OL
    DL
    CB/S
    RB
    LB
    K

    Cons:
    WR
    QB
    OLB

    Kap gotta get healthy and at least be decent or else this team is screwed
    KR/PR

  12. 49ers can win 7 or 8 games with average qb play. If kap returns to form they can be a wildcard team.

      1. Glad that some other posters see what I see. Some regular posters declared that Gabbert would win the competition hands down,then we watched his first 2 throws. Kinda reminded me of Jax.

        The others anointed Driskel as the new starter. Don’t make me laugh.

        Believe it or not, I think that a SB QB gives the Niners the best chance to win. With the marked improvement of the O line, and the first string defense being so stout, the Niners are poised to return to relevance.

        1. Kaep is no more a SB qb than is Tony Eason, Rex Grossman, Joe Kapp, Billy Kilmer and a countless number of other guys who just happened to go along for the ride.

          1. Bah. He spotted GB a gift TD, then proceeded to run wild. The Niners were down 17 points on the road, and Kaep led a furious comeback.

            Kaep finally has a coach who is smart enough to utilize him properly. If you think Gabbert will lead the Niners back to the playoffs, watch his first 2 throws. Driskel reminded me of the Florida Driskel, even though he was playing against third stringers.

            After last game, Thad Lewis may supplant Gabbert as the backup. I liked his accuracy and escapability.
            Gabbert threw a TD because the defender fell down. Big whoop.

            1. How do any of those games relate to him being a Super Bowl qb?? They don’t. Playoff success is not the same as Super Bowl success, as we all know Mark Sanchez is 4-2 in the SB and 2 AFC Championship game appearances. Fact is that Kaep went to and lost the SB and has continued to regress from that point as a player. He is no different than those players I mentioned, guys that went to and lost a super bowl. I’m sure plenty of them had success in their run to a SB since obviously they got to a SB!

              1. Getting to the SB is a litmus test for a QB. Those other QBs did get to a SB. but like you implied, the whole team was a huge factor in their getting there, too. Kaep, with his on the road playoff win after being down 17 points, just shows me he is no flash in the pan.

                With the O line improvement, the Defense playing Niner Football (O-7 third down conv.) and the vast improvement in the coaching department, Kaep could return to the 2012 Kaep.

              2. Stuck in the glory days. A few corrections for you Seb. SB participating QB, not winner, big difference.
                The sooner you realize that CK needs to get on the field and prove himself again, the more realistic you will sound. Banking on performance 3 years ago is waste of time in todays NFL. In case you are wondering, this is a what have done lately type league.
                Arm fatigue, what a joke! Storm is on hold!

              3. Prime, Kaep has worked out hard to get his body ready for the season. Sounds like he has over worked his shoulder, so he needs to rest and recover. It is not the end of the world, and if Gabbert has to start, so be it. Maybe it would be better if Kaep avoids those 3 playoff teams in the first 5 weeks.

                I was also responding to Em, who mentioned the Grossmans and Easons, who were SB QBs also.

                I know, it was hard to swallow losing a SB, but that just shows how hard it is to achieve greatness, and one would appreciate the accomplishment even more. Look at the Warriors. Best record in the NBA, but fall to a lesser team who hit that last shot to win it all.

            2. Seb, with the Defense that Kap had when he went to the SB………………YOU could have gotten us there!

              (Maybe)

            3. I liked his escapability too, but his ACL thought otherwise. Judging pro QBs by their first two throws in the first exhibition game is the most accurate way to predict career outcomes. First two throws–take it to the bank. Seb knows.

        2. Of the 4 QBs, Gabbert has the most football smarts and is picking up the demanding Kelly system the fastest. He has one flaw ( and not necessarily fatal) which is his inaccurate passes that he seems to have never fully corrected over the years.
          However his passes do become more accurate as the game rolls on. We have to be patient and hope he does no blow it in first few possessions of a game. Best we can hope for — considering current QB state of affairs.

  13. Can we all agree with gabs we won’t sniff the playoffs, kaep has the potential to get us there. Could be dynamic in this offense, if and when he gets physically and mentally right.

    1. We can agree that you don’t truly understand Kellys system and that Kaep is not a good fit for it because he’s not a good timing qb…

      1. No, we cannot agree at all. Kaep, when he ran the pistol at Nevada, thrived with the timing passes. That is why he threw for over 10,000 yards.

        1. No, the pistol offense he ran was not a west coast timing offense. He has too long of a throwing motion, he doesnt go through his reads, and he is immobile in the pocket, all things you need to succeed in a WC based offense.

          It doesn’t matter if they line up in shotgun, its still based on quick reads and throws, he is incapable of that…he stares down receivers and has a long windup, he doesn’t throw to a spot he throws when he see’s an open receiver.

          So yes, Kaep is not a good fit for the Kelly offense, formation doesn’t matter, its the passing concepts that do.

        2. Em, Kaep threw timing passes. That was apparent, if you watched his games at Nevada, which I tried to do as much as possible.. Of course, it was not the classic WCO, but Kaep played in a system that fully utilized his talents.

          When the receivers were not open, Kaep, after faking the handoff to the RB, would go to his third option and use his legs to gain first downs. That is what the pistol was all about. Every play, there would be multiple options, and Kaep would take what the defense gave him.

        3. Kid stuff. This is the NFL, and Kaps not going to beat enough teams with accuracy and timing passes.

          1. No, he will out think them and take what the defense gives him. He will also beat them with his legs.

            Kaep will employ mobile pockets by rolling out and hit wide open receivers because the DBs freak out that Kaep will run by them.

            Hopefully, Kaep will use deception to fool the defense and make an easy throw to a receiver in space, or have the RB hit the secondary at full speed.

            1. You are truly delusional. Out think them? Thats the funniest thing I’ve heard in years. The man who threw back to back pick 6’s is going to know use his brain…ha ha ha.

              No one is scared of Kaep, N..O…O…N…E..!

              You have to be a plant, this is beyond ridiculous.

    2. Darrel Reed

      ‘Chip’ finally found the perfect place for Kaep….standing on the sideline with a surly look and his headphones on….will he ever ‘get IT’…?

    3. Not as the defenses are playing him now. Kaps going to have to show them something new.

  14. Just got home from the road trip from Levi’s back the Valley. Hate to say it, but I actually liked the drive to the old Stick than to Santa Clara, but I digress.

    I was particularly interested in seeing Ron Blair, Jeff Driskel and Kelvin Taylor in this game.

    Blair is going to develop into a good disruptive player sooner than later.
    Taylor never got it going.
    Driskel can run, but his accuracy will need polishing. Also, I thought that he could have run for large chunks on the read option had he not handed off to the RB.

    Mike Davis was my biggest surprise. He ran with very good vision and showed a quick cut to avoid tackles at the LOS. He will establish himself as the clear-cut #2 RB behind Hyde.

    Grant, you are right in giving kudos to the Oline. It was nice to see a positive improvement with this group.

    What I learned from today’s game:
    1. Our 1st team unit will surprise some teams this year.
    2. Pray our 2nd team unit never has to play this year.
    3. Gabbert will need to be more accurate but I like his quick thinking (knowing that VMac should beat a LB) and his quick release.
    4. If I go to another game this year I’ll have to leave 5 hrs before the game starts.

    1. AES – Thanks for the breakdown. I couldn’t get to a TV today, but stuck by the radio and watched dispatch tweets and highlights.

      I’m not that surprised about Davis. His last year in college he gained weight because of an injury, and some family issues disrupted his training. (His previous college season he was much lighter and faster).

      He injured his hand in his rookie season, so he never got rolling till late in the year.

      Today Davis looked quick. Quicker than his college tape even. A good sign.

    2. “2. Pray our 2nd team unit never has to play this year.”

      Our 2s did pretty good. It was the 3s and 4s that really struggled.

      1. Scooter,
        Here is the revised version.
        Acker will not be a starter. If he is on the 2nd team, I pray our 1st string CB doesn’t lose any playing time!

        1. My understanding has been Acker has been playing with the 3s.

          1st team: Ward and Brock
          2nd team: Johnson and Reaser/ Robinson

          Slot 1st and 2nd team has Ward/ Davis/ Reaser. Redmond has gotten some snaps with the 1s/ 2s as well.

          Acker is down the depth chart. He’s in a dog fight just to make the roster at this point.

    3. Our second team was fine. The Texans used many of their first string well past the time our first string (except Lynch who was, apparently, out there to be punished) had hit the showers and were standing on the sidelines in street clothes.

      Meanwhile, for the Texans, Jalen Strong, one of the starting WRs, was in there until almost the 4th quarter while others played deep into the 2nd quarter, early 3rd quarter. And the same thing happened with their #2’s against our #3’s.

      So what I took away is they couldn’t do crap against our #1s. And even though they spent the rest of the game using the depth chart advantage they created, they couldn’t do crap offensively until they over-whelmed our #3s and #4s.

      1. Moses,

        I’m not so sure Lynch was being punished, the 49ers probably wanted to see the OLB’s who will be available during the first four weeks work against the best competition possible.

      2. Texans were missing a number of players on both sides of the ball and mixed 3rd and second string in early in the game, so the suggestion that the Niner backups were playing against mainly first stringers doesn’t fly. The First and second string units for the Niners did a pretty good job, but that wasn’t the starting unit for the Texans on either side of the ball.

    4. As someone who used to go to games at Candlestick and lived in the south bay, welcome to life in the bay area. I used to have to leave at 9 am for 1 pm kick offs and it would be 2 hours sitting in that dirt parking lot and dealing with hunterpoint traffic and roads…not getting home until after 7 or so in the evening. And this was mostly in the mid-00s when the likelyhood of 65k fans showing up to games was pretty low.

    5. Give Gabbert credit for seeing the opportunity for an open Vance Mac. If he can just keep those passes accurate then they will compliment a good read of the field.

  15. Is it just me, or is the fact that Pinion had a horrible day punting a bit alarming?
    He under kicked and/or shanked the majority of his punts… not a good compliment to a defense that looks to spend mass amounts of time defending the end zone.

    1. He’s killing the punts in practice. I heard on the radio that the punt protection was lacking. He might have been just trying to get the punts away to avoid blocks.

      1. I hope that you’re right, B2W.

        On a better note, I was very pleased to see improvement from last year along the offensive line, as well as the secondary

        I thought that while Gabbert was off with his accuracy, he went threw his reads fairly well and wasn’t far off with a few of his incompletions. As the season grows closer I hope to see his accuracy improve… With that being said, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited about Gabbert and Kaep dueling it out in Denver next week.

        1. Remember what New Orleans did to the 49er offense in the 2011 preseason game? Denver can do that if they want to.

          1. N.O. Blitzed the hell out of us, which is highly unusual in the preseason. But I wouldn’t be surprised if Harbaugh actually asked them to do it. We actually blitzed more than I like but who knows what the teams coaches wanted to see.

      2. The punt he shanked had a rusher coming up the gut. It was rush it or be blocked from how I saw it.

        He still averaged 40-yards despite that punt.

        But people have their prejudices and will always find fault when (and broadcast it widely), perhaps, they should just STFU.

    2. It was one bad punt. He still averaged 40 yards. I mean, ****, he kicked one 25-yards while under pressure and still average 40…

      Get a grip.

  16. In the first preseason game, I think the first two quarters are the only ones that count as far as evaluating the team is concerned. So I’m encouraged. 300+ yards of offense and a lock-down secondary without benefit of Armstead and Lynch in the pass rush. Gabbert was meh but the oline, RBs, and TEs were a breadth of fresh air. Also, the no huddle seemed to have the desired effect on the Houston defense.

    1. Houston was missing some defensive “players” too, and they have a Gabbert playing QB at $19M/year.

  17. There were a tremendous amounts of positives from this game (OL, DBs, DL, RBs, 2nd stringers) and some grave concerns (QB, WR, Punt & STs). Denver will be stouter test of the overall team.

    1. To see a “tremendous amounts of positives” might be slightly over the top.

      On thing I liked a lot with Kelly’s fast offense is that we should have seen the last of time outs used to avoid delay of game penalties. It should help in noisy road games too.

      1. Well, I just meant in comparison to last year where only the kicker was decent. Everything else stunk.

        1. East, I totally agree. Even though they lost, and made way too many mistakes, the coaches got to play everyone and some really shined.

        2. Granted, they were not playing against the 2 Texan defensive studs, but overall in the first half of this first pre-season game they looked better than they did in nearly every regular season game last year.

      2. That was something else that was impressive. The lack of penalties was surprising considering how fast they are operating and how early it is in camp. That’s great to see.

  18. ht, drisk looked antsy in the pocket and rushed some throws. I chalk that up to being nervous in his first game. That won’t be a problem in the fourth game. Also he get more playing time in the fourth game, at least a quarter. Plenty of time to show off his arm.

    1. 80, I have written previously that Kaep would win the game if he got the ball into Frank Gore’s hands. Looks like Chip is following my advice by all the runs and 11 passes targeted at the RBs.

      I have also been an unapologetic fan of Kaep, and try to defend him against the constant screeds posters put up on this site.

      If you like Kaep, be prepared to be dissed, smeared and insulted. It does not bother me, because I have thick skin, and I invite their scorn because I do not think highly of their football knowledge to diss the last QB to take the Niners to the SB.

      1. Gabbert took them halfway to that Superbowl before a 2nd string QB–kap– took over due to injury (who Elway considers a backup only–and I trust his evaluation over the “Sebster’s”). The Defense and read option (figured out now by NFL Teams)
        did the rest.

      2. Praise be that Chip found Seb’s posts. Good thing the opposition hasn’t discovered Seb yet. All of us can be proud that Seb’s on our side–well, most of us anyway…

      3. Seb, Chip was “following your advice” way up in oregon, with Philly…long before he started going to you in private meetings for advice.

        I still say your messing with all of us. Only professional politicians talk this way…..

    1. Seb… Seb is a legend on this board. He (assuming Seb’s a he, it doesn’t matter) is clairvoyant, opinionated, and an unabashed apologist for Kaep. Seb predicts that Kaep will–once again–“take the world by storm.” Seb also claims that most Niner coaches read his posts thoroughly for ideas and tips. Not to worry, Seb will return to this board and ‘take it by storm’.

        1. Cassie, before the game, one play I mentioned was the misdirection counter. The RB should take the ball, run a couple steps one way, let the defense flow to that side, then cut back. I said it could be devastatingly effective. After 160 yards rushing in the first half, they must have totally ignored my comments, but channeled my thoughts.

        1. Seb, doesn’t get mad, he thinks he’s getting even, until he reads the York’s may be sitting Kap on purpose by BASG, although I scooped him by weeks and said the York’s money making ways may bear responsibility here.

          I hope U find happiness in life, Seb, now that You have to follow Hayne and Kap out the door….Good Luck.

    2. Seb (sebnynah) is unrelentingly over optimistic about what the 49ers could be if they would only follow The Seb’s advice.

      In your case, you just overstated the level of wonderful that you saw in the first preseason game. When I first started following the 49ers, I would get excited by what went on in preseason games. That was 1946. Ugh.

      1. Sir, considering that I proposed just modest advice like stopping shooting themselves in the foot, my ideas do have merit.

        Considering that the Niners went from offensive putridness last year to 300 yards in the first half, I would consider that a huge improvement. I said that I wanted Chip to go bold. When he went for it on 4th down, I was jumping for joy.

        Remember, after 2014, I stated that I would be happy if the Niners just got a play off in time. Forgetting about last year, it sure looks like Chip is following my advice, so I am happy, even if others claim they NEVER read the blogs.

        1. How about we take 2nd Ammendment Rights away from those who shoot themselves and get them the help they need.

        2. Dont take the Seb bait! He HAS to be messing with us. You have to go back in history to find people that talk like this. The Roman Empire, 3rd Reich, etc.

  19. ok, I think kap gives us the best chance to win but I don’t think he will be as fast coming off of leg surgery and his previous foot injury. Also Kurt Warner ruined him. Kurt injured his thumb with his weird follow through. Now kap has the same injury. I worry about his ball security.Hope I’m wrong though.

  20. The Good: Niners O-Line, Mike Davis, Vance McDonald, Jerome Simpson, Josh Garnett, Ronald Blair, Ray-Ray Armstrong, Nick Bellore, Garrison Smith, the whole dang secondary. Side note: if we can generate any type of pass rush, our secondary could be lock down. Small sample size though, we’ll see.

    The Ok: Blaine Gabbert passes early, DaJaun Harris fumble, Hyde fumble, Trent Brown looked gassed with uptempo offense, Dres Anderson (gotta make that catch).

    The Ugly: Kelvin Taylor, Kendall Gaskins, Colin Kelly, Michael Wilhoite, TJE, Kenneth Acker, Jeff Driskel aside from his runs.

    Biggest surprise: O-line, RB’s & secondary play

    Biggest disappointment: Fumbles, Blaine Gabbert accuracy, lack of points for how many yards put up in the 1st half

    1. 49ers improved OL play shouldn’t be a big surprise. The group has more talent than last seasons, but that’s only part of the story!

      By spreading the field with receivers, Kelly forces defenses to remove players from the box, helping crystallize the front for the offensive line. By putting the quarterback in the shotgun and making him an extension of the blocking scheme with the zone read, Kelly is able to neutralize the defense’s inherent numerical advantage. On the whiteboard, all of this allows him to more easily do what he really wants to do: run the ball up the middle with the inside zone. But if the defense begins to “cheat” in their alignments to better stop the run, meaning they’re no longer in those sound looks that are drawn up on the whiteboard, packaged plays give the quarterback the option to make the defense pay for getting out of position after they’ve already declared their intentions. Once the defense gets back to playing “honestly,” Kelly goes back to pounding the rock up the middle.

      Everything is amplified by the up-tempo no-huddle approach, which limits the defense’s ability to disguise pre-snap and increases the likelihood that someone doesn’t get aligned properly. This is designed to give the OL the advantage on a consistent basis and if there were an aspect of Kelly’s offense that was truly revolutionary, this would be it.

  21. Grant, I generally agree with your assessments, but have one small disagreement. Harris did not fumble. I think Lewis did not hand it off properly, or tried to pull it back too late.

  22. Grant might not be, but I was impressed by the way Lewis played last night. It was the first time he had ever employed Chip’s offense in a real game. Below is a link to his nfldraftscout.com evaluation the year he graduated from Duke (2010). He fits this offense. Not a very strong arm, but this is a short to medium passing system. I’m not thinking he is “the answer.” I’m just throwing out the possibility they are going to be reluctant to cut him, making their decision of what they are going to do with their four QBs an interesting one.

    http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/historical/1114348

    1. Thad played better than Gabbert. If it is a true competition, maybe Lewis supplants Gabbert as the backup to Kaep.

      Driskel should be cut so they can keep better players on the 53. If he clears waivers, they might stash him on the PS.

      1. I think it will come down to how they envision Driskell, don’t you think? If they think that in a year he might be really nifty, they won’t risk cutting him IMO. Then logically it will come down to whom they rank numbers 2 and 3, and salary concerns. If they rank Kaep 2, they’ll have reason to want to trade him, even if it means eating salary. Based on yesterday, Lewis would make a good 2. If Kaep beats out Gabbert, I’d say try to trade him.

  23. God it’s going to be a long season with these clowns at QB. They are so bad. Let’s fast forward to 2017 draft please!

  24. Oh….My ……God!

    Jed, did you see your OL last night?…Probably not while finding your nex victim to bump (other than The Girls Scouts of America) in search of more stadium profits, stiffing T. Kawakami on a bill or threatening him with a suit for reporting 49er annual profits.

    RECAP:

    1st QTR: Starter, Gabbert nearly snapped a knee due to a bad block. (Remember, you lost a starter this year to 3 surgeries from bad blocks last year–Kap).

    3rd QTR: Thad Lewis left the game w/o use of his leg due to a missed block.

    4th QTR: Driskel performed tuck and runs most the night so can’t evaluate.

    Jed, the 2016 draft and F/A was supposed the fix this. Uncle Eddy would have by now and the Raiders outbid you for Osemele even though the 49ers led the league in one stat at least–CAP SPACE?…

    Jed, I spent last night observing O-linemen Baalke deems starters (although at the expense of the WR position, he re-drafts OL busts annually preventing top WR from being drafted)….Grade F on passblocking….Guess why Jed…..A SF Giant analogy….Jake Peavyitis–Jake can go 5 innings and give up three hits, but one is a 3-Run Bomb, and the other a tape measure shot….Grade F –the NFL equivalent is the QB knockout punch in preseason, when the other team isn’t trying.

    Jed, it’s serious. No more jokes around the water cooler about your 49ers….Fire Baalke ASAP or I honestly believe you’ll be the 1st ownership to in NFL history to preside over a QB killed in the line of duty.

    If that happens, you’ll be slapped with a real law suit and stripped of all duties by an embarrassed NFL

    1. sebnynah

      August 15, 2016 at 7:18 am

      After 160 yards rushing in the first half…

      TomD:

      Maybe Baalke, Barry Switzer, and Bo Schembeckler can gain even more yds. in a team effort sans redzone scoring…..

      Meanwhile, I’ll side with ex-49er Eric Davis on NFL Network : “Yards are just a stat–you win by points”…

      So 49er fans, we’re Mike Martz in reverse with an inept redzone offense…TomD

  25. 1st preseason game so I won’t read too much into it. The team didn’t look all that great but they’ll get better. The thing that concerns me is the precision in execution required for this offense to work in the NFL. I can see in college how this offense can make big plays when you have faster players than everyone else but that’s much tougher in the NFL because everyone is fast. If this offense has 1 play where they don’t stay on schedule then they have a very tough time picking up 1st downs. When you have players, especially QB’s, who are off you are going to have a ton of 3 and outs which puts a lot of pressure on the Defense. My biggest concern coming out of this game is I’m not sure the 49ers have a QB who can run this offense. They just aren’t precise enough.

    1. TomD, you are a BOZO!

      You cut and paste one sentence from an article, out of context with the point of the article, in order to support your false narrative. Here’s that sentence, and the following sentence contained in the article:

      The 49ers offense struggled early on, as they failed to move the ball very much before Carlos Hyde fumbled, leading to a Texans touchdown.

      Here’s the next sentence you conveniently left out: The 49ers recovered, however, with Gabbert leading the offense to a touchdown. The starting defense held the early Texans offense scoreless as well.

      In the end, the article you referenced went on to give the 49ers every offensive group an average score of B-, which absolutely contradicts your narrative.

      I’ll say it again.

      TomD, you are a BOZO! We all know you are a Raider fan posing as a critical 49ers fan. Do us all a favor and go F_CK Y_UR_ELF!

        1. Hey Seb, yah, I am over this poser TomD. What a full blown wanker this guy is. And I use the term “guy” loosely! He’s clearly the definition of a troll. I wish Grant would do us all a favor and eliminate the pollution TrollD brings to this forum. We give you a hard time Seb, but at least you are clearly coming from a good place and mean well. :)

          Cook looked pretty good. He’s got a knack for improvising and finding ways to move an offense. I expect him to beat out McGloin, who averaged 3.7 YPA on Friday. We’ll see.

          1. One more thing about Cook and why he’s progressing nicely …….. he’s got a short memory when it comes to getting over mistakes. He doesn’t let a bad throw or bad read effect him emotionally, and that’s always been one of his best qualities.

  26. – Gabbert was, Gabbert. Not great, not dreadful, but not a winning option either.
    – OL looked solid.
    – Davis has great feet and will be nice change of pace back. Player of the game.
    – McDonald and Bell looked promising.
    – Ellington still showed quickness on couple plays. He will be our best WR.
    – Hyde will be good until he gets hurt.
    – Buckner and Blair will become key pieces by third or fourth game. Blair could be steal.
    – DB’s looked good against a crappy QB, but still showed real promise. Played ball instead of man. That’s a change.
    – Lynch was unblockable when he came in. Brooks and Carradine showed as well.
    – Driskel will be better. Looked nervous, clearly not ready for speed of game. It will slow down for him.

  27. TomD is the savant, Not the “Sebster.” Do not be fooled by his Kap’s fools on the Hill Gold.

    What we learned from Chip Kelly’s debut with 49ers:

    Kelly and the 49ers finished with 409 yards of offense on Thursday, and moved the ball easily in the first half, much like the Eagles did the majority of Kelly’s three years with the team.

    Where the 49ers struggled, however, was the red zone, where the 49ers went 0-of-2 on the night — again, just like his Eagles teams did the last three seasons.

  28. Kelly has yet to have an elite quarterback during his NFL career, going from Michael Vick to Nick Foles to Sam Bradford when he was with the Eagles.

    Maybe quarterback Colin Kaepernick will find his way back to the player he used to be a few years ago. For now, however, it looks like Kelly will roll with Gabbert as his starter — and once again not really have a quarterback .

    http://www.nj.com/eagles/index.ssf/2016/08/what_we_learned_from_chip_kellys_debut_with_san_fr.html

  29. As an ex running back in the industry I saw Gabbert’s hesitancy on reading the DE in Kelly’s zone read offense.

    It appears that Driskel and Kap have an advantage here, but neither would last the season because the defense hold the hammer–that is, a personal foul weapon used to end a QB’s season called the late hit–only 15 yards, and they win the game.

    Believe me folks–it’s no joke! Just as kap is tripped up by a D-lineman or DB, another tackler spears him in the back seconds later…

    I laugh at people like Seb, who have never played the game, enamored by a guy running a 4.28 /40 (in Kap’s case, a 4.56) thinking wow. However, fan’s in close quarters, tripped up, a DB is only 2 tenths of a second away or closer when they apply the game ender, hospital trip. Smart teams know the “spear” is coming so do not have the team leader on designed runs often.

  30. But Gabbert being the frontrunner, and eventually getting the job (probably after the third preseason game) was telegraphed. If the 49ers were truly enamored with Kaepernick’s upside, they wouldn’t have allowed him to pursue trade talks with other teams or talked with the Broncos

    Chip Kelly wouldn’t have gotten the job if he came in with high hopes of turning Kaepernick’s career around.

    The 49ers think Gabbert is “Alex Smith 2.0” (that came straight from the mouth of Ted Robinson, by the way), and with Jim Harbaugh now the spawn of Lucifer, 49ers management thinks of Smith as the one who got away.

    1. I told you fans, Baalke and York invented Kap’s injury story, but no one listens to TomD’s conspiracy Kap views, until another author prints it for real.

  31. I have yet to watch the game a second time so I’m not going to single out too many individual players, but overall not too bad for the first preseason game.

    To the surprise of many I’m sure, I’m not going to give BG much grief for his play. We know he can hit those short passes in his sleep, so missing a couple to start the first game doesn’t bother me. What I question about Gabbert is his ability to stand in and throw the ball down the field when the situation warrants it. That is what I need to see improve once the season begins. Overall the QB’s were a mixed bag. Some good runs and decisions on where to go with the football, but some poor accuracy along with it. Driskel looked like the guy I saw at Florida. A great athlete, but a little stiff in his movements in the pocket and troubles with accuracy. He is going to need some time to develop before they can even begin to see if he is capable of playing at this level.

    Mike Davis last night looks like the Mike Davis from SC. Not sure who that guy was last season, but this year’s version is looking lean and very quick to the hole. If he continues to play like that, the depth at RB is very solid. I continue to be amazed at Draughn too. He’s a good player and very tough. How in the world has been cut by so many teams?

    WR’s were non descript for the most part, but Dres Anderson showed an ability to get open. Now he just needs to catch the ball. Nobody stood out here which is predictable, but a concern nonetheless.

    TE’s are going to play a huge role in the passing game this year so it was good to see McDonald make a play. He almost dropped the first pass thrown to him (caught it between his legs), but the athleticism is undeniable. Chip likely sees him as the closest thing he has to Zack Ertz and will give him a long rope to take that role in the offense.

    Oline was very good, especially the first two units. 1 Sack given up by Davis on a play he seemed confused as to who to block. Good protection overall, and huge holes made in the running game. If this team is going to make any noise offensively the Oline has to be playing like that consistently.

    Dline was up and down. Didn’t hold up well against the first unit for Houston against the run, but played very well in coverage. Teams don’t show very much offensively and Houston was pretty basic with their packages, but the coverage in man was excellent, especially considering there wasn’t much of a pass rush.

    Overall the defense looked solid but had some issues with run fits and the pass rush struggled against backup OT’s as neither starter played for Houston. The offense ran the ball beautifully in the first half and had the Texans defense gassed, but the passing game obviously needs a lot of work.

    It’s early and this game was pretty standard for mistakes and miscommunication, but to gain 300 yards in a half is impressive, even if it is a preseason game. Definitely something to build on.

    1. I think my favorite part of the game was when Draughn absolutely trucked that DB. That was fun to watch.

        1. Yea, I loved that play too, Brotha. Can’t wait to see McCray back out there laying the wood too!

    2. Not bad rocket. However, I have to point out that Mike Davis struggled with his conditioning badly, especially his final season in 2014.

      ESPN: South Carolina RB Mike Davis “struggled quite a bit in 2014, and based on what I’ve heard and what I saw on tape, it had to do with him not staying in shape, which is definitely a red flag entering the draft,” wrote ESPN’s Todd McShay.

      http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/cfb/93770/mike-davis

      Rotoworld: Davis (5’9/217) succeeded Marcus Lattimore as South Carolina’s bellcow, turning 454 carries into 2,440 yards (5.37 YPC) and 22 TDs. He caught 70 passes in three years. Davis followed a promising sophomore campaign with a down 2014, however, partially due to added weight and partially due to injuries. His Combine was pedestrian, running 4.61 with a 34-inch vertical and 9-foot-8 broad jump. Davis’ burst underwhelms and he doesn’t move well laterally, but he gets what’s blocked and runs hard inside. He can also play on passing downs. Davis projects as a No. 2 back who could have some short-term success as a stopgap starter.

      In other words, though he was in better shape in 2013, only now is Mike Davis in the best shape of his life.

      1. I was referring to his healthy year at SC. His Jr. year he had some injuries which dropped him. He was really good both running and catching the football, which is why I was happy the Niners got him in the 4th. Glad he’s in shape, and it shows.

      2. Good story. Davis got his act together quick and now he looks quick on the field.

        Cannot say the same for the guy who got cut by Fisher first day of camp because he broke the girl in the room rule. See hbo hard knocks first episode.

  32. he (Gabbert) showed some glimpses that he should be the team’s starting quarterback in 2016, which was more than his competition, Colin Kaepernick, could do.

    Gabbert overcame a spotty start against the Houston Texans by flashing arm talent and athleticism to new coach Chip Kelly in the Niners’ preseason opener in Santa Clara, Calif. On his final snap of the day, Gabbert ripped a sideline throw to tight end Vance McDonald, who turned upfield to complete a 43-yard touchdown hookup. Two plays before the score, Gabbert extended the drive by evading a sack and scrambling 13 yards for a first down.

    http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/49ers/2016/08/14/blaine-gabbert-colin-kaepernick-chip-kelly-san-francisco-quarterbacks-texans/88739040/

    1. Of course, if the Texans had suited up J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney, it might have been a different story. More fumbles returned for TD’s or injured QB’s may have occurred…TomD

  33. Vance McDonald, you are still in my doghouse.

    2013, VM drops a perfectly thrown Kaep bomb that would have been at worst a field goal, or potentially a TD. Ball hit him right in the hands. We lose to the Panthers in week 11, 10-9. Had VM caught that ball, we win the division, don’t have to play a wild card game and most importantly, don’t have to play in Seattle in the NFC championship.

    I’m not over it, VM cost us a trip to the Super Bowl. Nice hair cut though.

  34. Horsepoop on JJ Watt and Jadeovan Clowney

    We’re missing Armstead and Dorsey…so don’t try to hand me that Texan ‘Po’me business…they more than made up for it by playing their 1’s against our 2’s, and their 2’s against our 3’s and 4’s . they know that they were in a game, and they had to fudge to come out ahead….

    1. Nice fumble by Hyde returned for TD w/o Clowney or Watts in the Game. No problem. Other teams will rest their stars also when 49ers come to town.

  35. Only if we had a QB….. that’s going to be my mantra till we have one. I expected better from Gabbert on the short throws. I had no expectations of Lewis or Driskel. I think Lewis would be an excellent return man and even a change of pace back, he has great balance and elusiveness. Driskel, well his rookie was showing, I expect a better performance from him with ensuing games.

    I didn’t notice any nine in the box in the first half. I thought the o-line did a really good job and that unit has the potential from going from worst to first on the Niner team. Got to do well in the trenches. Next week I will be checking out the D-line.

    Going for it on fourth down in their own territory was bold but nothing new in the laurels of Kelly football. He expects his defense to hold in case of failure. I have no problem with that thinking. Also no delay of game penalties.

    1. Driskel….61 yds rushing, 20 yds passing, under duress most of the night with new receivers and he’s a rook.

      1. This just in……nobody cares what TomD – the Raider fan, has to say. Most of the time he simply cut & Pastes sentences out of context.

        TomD has nothing of substance to add to this forum. Like I said above, you are a BOZO. In other words, you are a typical Raiders fan.

        You clearly know very little about the sport of American Football, therefore you are simply mucking up this forum. That makes you a moron when it comes to the 49ers.

        1. Grant, do us all a favor and shut this idiot TomD down. He doesn’t simply offer this forum a counterbalance. He’s here because he’s a faceless coward. A small person in a big mans world, so he hides behind a keyboard and monitor.

          That makes him a troll Grant. We really don’t need trolls bringing this forum down, do we?

          1. Uhhhh…. considering YOU were the one caught talking to your other account … you might want to lay off that one.

  36. There’s an(other) ESPN insider article out that paints a fairly ugly picture of the 49ers QB situation.

    http://www.espn.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/17305635/six-nfl-quarterbacks-need-improved-accuracy-green-bay-packers-aaron-rodgers

    And since I’m a nice guy I’ll show you the goods.

    “1. Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco 49ers

    C%+: minus-4.4 percent

    Kaepernick started off his career in 2012 with a great C%+ (7.3 percent) in a vertical offense, but he has declined every year since. Always more of a “thrower” than a precision passer, last season was especially bad as Kaepernick struggled to locate receivers, let alone deliver accurate passes. The most troubling fact was that his average pass distance dropped to 7.7 yards beyond the line of scrimmage after being in the 9.5-9.8 range in the previous three seasons. So even though his passes were shorter, he was worse at completing them. Now you can start to see why he may be benched (again) for Blaine Gabbert in San Francisco.

    3. Blaine Gabbert, San Francisco 49ers

    C%+: minus-1.9 percent

    Chip Kelly has always stressed “repetitive accuracy” as the trait he looks for in a quarterback. Gabbert had his best season in 2015, but that’s not saying much after a horrific stint in Jacksonville, where he had seasons with a C%+ of minus-8.9 percent (2011) and minus-9.8 percent (2013). Gabbert has the worst career passing DYAR (minus-1,769) of any quarterback since 1989. He has a knack for throwing short of the sticks. Last season, Gabbert threw short of the sticks on third down 65 percent of the time, the highest by any quarterback in a season since 2006.

    If there is any hope for the 49ers this year, it’s that Kelly’s system has helped Nick Foles, Mark Sanchez and Sam Bradford post the best C%+ seasons of their careers. Kaepernick and Gabbert will be looking for a similar boost.”

    1. Grimey – I expect the QB’s to be statistically better but are they better QB’s? I am thinking not.

      1. I think Chip has a QB friendly offense with lots of easy throws and simple reads. He just hasn’t had a good consistent QB. This year seems no different to me.

    1. It’s not a bad idea Jay. However, Davis seems to be in a good place attitude wise right now. If he’s against the switch, and I think he is, it could be counter productive.

      1. Hair Metal Alert!
        If I still had my locks they’d be flying all over the place right now.

        1. Razor has a metal song or lyrics ready for any occasion. The man is committed to the cause!

          1. Yea, I remember when I saw Vinnie Vincent open for Iron Maiden at Long Beach Arena, on the Somewhere In Time Tour. One of my favorites….

          2. It’s impressive, but I’m not sure my vague, cryptic remarks actually raise the degree of difficulty.

          3. We flew from Tahoe and I’ll never forget that flight, due to the Santa Ana winds rocking the plane as if Maiden were on board. Scary!

              1. I think so, was 1986 or 87. First and only time I flew in those winds. I guess they were pretty notorious back then, but I was unaware….

              2. Was on a small turboprop from SFO to Santa Barbara in 1987 that was bounced around very hard on approach. Was late on a Monday afternoon. Saw Bo Jackson have a great game that night while waiting at the airport for luggage.

    1. He was a camp arm and offensive tutor. Although an injury is never a good thing, at least now he can remain on the team and continue to assist in processing offensive information throughout the season for Gabbert and Kaepernick….

    2. The extended hits that he made possible by continuing to try to escape on one play alone, was enough to make me think he couldn’t survive playing in the regular season. It was an amazing play, but self defeating.

              1. My bad, I was looking at a report from May, “I think he’s got great anticipation and a very strong arm,” Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. “(Despite his height), the balls are coming out at a good release point. He’s used to functioning that way. To do that in the NFL, you’re going to have to adjust a bit if he were your quarterback”.

              2. It’s all good Razor. The fact that he’s already waived means he’s available now.

  37. “…, but gave up 7.5 yards per carry to the Texans’ starter, Lamar Miller”
    This is the most misleading way to present a RB that had 4 carries for 30 yards with a long run of 14 yards.

    Please just present the facts and not use “bad” sounding stats to fit your narrative.

    1. I feel like he was the preference of the old administration. Unless Baalke has an attachment.

  38. I hate to see injuries but Lewis was never going to start. On the bright side, We will have a decent sample size to evaluate Driskell.

  39. “49ers QB Colin Kaepernick, who did not play Sunday night, is dealing with what two sources called “a dead arm.” SF hopes strength back soon.”

    Adam Schefter

    1. That’s exactly what I was afraid of when researching his arm fatigue and tightness. Dead arm is serious and if there’s an impingement, surgery may be required. I remember Bortles played with dead arm, and I don’t believe required going under the knife….

    1. Well as a champion of the little man at draft time and the receiving end of some derision in that stance(I take comfort in Matt Waldman’s company here), I’ll suggest Vernon Adams as an addition if Kaep needs further surgery.He is a gamer (albeit a diminutive one) and a quick read .

              1. You’re not gonna be singing that tune when Shane Ray busts you in the ribs this weekend.

        1. Sorry didn’t see this until this morning Z,I dont know what the legalities are with the contract but I can’t imagine that an arrangement couldn’t be reached.

  40. Did you guys watch the same game I did? The team actually looked rehearsed, smart and like they knew what there were doing (for the first time in a LONG time). Granted, it’s just preseason but still some sort of progress…

  41. We could potentially need to sign two QB’s if this dead arm issue is as bad as it sounds.

    Depending on the severity and possible rehab of that arm problem, the Niners could start the season with Gabbert and Driskel. Knowing Kelly’s history with QB’s going down at some point, that means they could be relying on Driskel for a portion of this season. The kid is not ready to play and that could really be detrimental to his development. Might need to trade for somebody.

    1. Probably won’t be popular with the large animal loving crowd in the Bay area, but Mike Vick might be the best option available at this point. At least he knows the offense.

    2. I think its a bit premature to think Kaep will be out long term at this point. May be the case, but its jumping to conclusions.

      If the 49ers are interested in trading for a QB, the Chiefs may be a good place to go sniffing after the signed Foles. They have 5 QBs on their roster atm.

      1. Probably scares the living sh__ out of Baalke and Jed though. Seeing as how Kap still has millions of $ guaranteed for injury.

        1. Not really. Each season’s salary only becomes guaranteed on April 1st of that year. His 2016 salary is already fully guaranteed now, regardless of what happens. His 2017 salary isn’t fully guaranteed until April 1st 2017, and so on.

          Even if this injury keeps him out for much of the year, it is highly unlikely to continue into 2017 unless they do nothing about it until next year (which if the injury keeps him out this year, wouldn’t be the case).

          1. So to refresh my memory and to be clear. If the team cuts Kap before 4/1/2017, they do not need to pay his 2017 salary, regardless of whether or not he is injured during the 2016 season. Is that correct?

          2. April 1st is the date when “guaranteed for skill” kicks in. “Guaranteed for injury” doesn’t have a cutoff date. That’s why they didn’t just cut him before april 1st this year.

            And I’m not saying this is necessarily the injury that’s going to trigger it, but it’s a reality check for the FO because, as Thad just showed us, anytime you take the field you risk a season ending injury.

            The 49ers are walking the tightrope trying to see if Chip can do something with Kap.

            1. Yes, but so long as he can pass a physical prior to April 1st 2017, they can let him go without having to pay his 2017 salary. This isn’t a career ending injury, even if it is the more serious kind of dead arm.

        1. Why? A Dr that hasn’t examined Kaep suggested the cause of the injury may be exactly what most are suggesting anyway, and that it may take a few weeks to heal.

          The ‘few weeks’ is the only concern. Doesn’t sound like a long term injury. Just long enough to rule Kaep out of the starting QB competition.

          1. Yea, “few weeks” is a big concern because there is no longer a competition. Secondly, if you read the final statement regarding the possibility of internal rotator cuff inflammation or “Impingement”. That’s the major concern because that could possibly lead to surgery, Scooter….

            1. But the possibility of impingement is nothing new from what has been said about a ‘dead arm’ previously. As the Dr was very quick to point out, he hasn’t examined Kaep. He has no idea how severe it is. He was just laying out the possibilities with that type of injury. Far too soon to be worried about the worst case scenario. We’ll know more in due course.

              As for a few weeks being a big concern, I would actually argue the opposite. I think it is everyone’s interest to end the QB competition as soon as possible, so the starter can get the reps required. Its a shame it looks like an injury may force the issue, but the outcome may actually be a beneficial one.

              1. Far too soon to be worried about the worst case scenario.

                When the story first broke about arm fatigue, Grant and few others were making light of the injury. Now we’re finding out that it has ended the competition. Too soon for worst case, fair enough. But I think it’s worth keeping in mind, that the potential is there for a worse prognosis than the latest we’ve received.

                I think it is everyone’s interest to end the QB competition as soon as possible, so the starter can get the reps required.

                Normally I’d agree, but the extra reps did not seem to help Gabbert much Sunday evening….

              2. Fair go, Gabbert had one or two practices of all first team reps. Its hard to imagine any QB won’t benefit from getting all the first team reps over an extended period of time.

                The competition isn’t officially ended either. We have a few reports now suggesting it may be a few weeks. It also may not. The 49ers officials are to date still making light of the injury, and suggesting it won’t be long before he is back. Kelly has suggested Kaep will be available for the Broncos.

                To be perfectly honest I think it is in Kaep’s best interests to lose the starting gig to start the season anyway. Far less pressure on him this way, and it gives him more time to learn the offense without the continual nit picking of his performance. As Grant has outlined, there is probably a good chance Kaep will get his shot at some point this season. Converse to the usual scenario, he’s better to get that shot later rather than sooner, in all likelihood.

              3. You make good points, Scooter. It’s disappointing, but as you say, it may be for the best….

          2. Don’t say that Scooter. You might have some fans go into deep depression. Kap needs to get on the field and play this competition out. He can’t go out like a wounded duck, that wouldn’t be right!

            1. The #7torm has dissipated due to a relentless rotation in a weak upper Glenohumeral Joint!

      2. Scooter,

        That’s why I prefaced it with potentially. Just thinking ahead in case it is a longer term recovery.

        The Chiefs are down to four QB’s now. Tyler Bray suffered a neck injury over the weekend.

      1. I don’t see Jack Hammer as the president of that circle,last we heard he was giving Ray Ray the raspberries and running like hell.

  42. There are certain things I can never forgive in a human being.
    1 child abuse
    2 animal abuse!
    I don’t care if he claims a change. As an adult consequences stick forever on certain things!
    I wouldn’t watch a single minute. I’ve already dumped the seats. So go on and test me some more York! :-)

  43. Hodges to start saturday, Armstrong to start week 3. Ray Ray would be my choice but it’s too early to tell.

      1. I beg to differ. Ray Ray may be undisciplined like Patton, who made critical errors at the worst times.

        However, he is talented and played well last game, so maybe I am barking up the wrong tree.

      1. Coming in at 15 snaps, C-Ray C-Ray finished as the highest rated defender against the Texans….

        1. Yep just pointing out his history doesn’t scream future starting ILB for the 49ers. Armstrong was a liability in coverage for the Raiders which is a big reason he was cut.

          1. He looked good last night, so he’s an ascending player under a new regime. O’Neil had said he was in the mix to start, and it seems it wasn’t just coaches speech. He’ll need to spring board off this performance and carry it over against the Broncos….

  44. He’s starting week 3 so Chip feels he deserves a shot. Some of the miami U. guys come into the league entitled and immature. Hopefully he has his act together after being cut.

  45. So this talk about moving A Davis to RG sounds good in principle if he and Brown are members of the best five. However, from AD’s point of view, it might not be a good move. Guards make less money than tackles and this will pigeonhole him in that role. The money isn’t an issue while he is on the 49ers because he’s locked up for a few years. But when that contract is up, other teams might view him now as a guard and the niners might as well, thereby reducing his earnings potential.

      1. Your probably right, but I bet AD doesn’t consider himself to be a “backup” anything. His agent will probably be telling him what I posted. After all, that’s part of the agent’s job, isn’t it?

        1. I know, but in a few years time when his contract is done, he’s better off selling himself to the market having been a starter rather than a backup. Much harder to convince a team to give him starter’s money if he’s been a backup for a few years.

          1. Also he could be “versatile” and a “team player”. And fwiw Mike Iupati makes more than Davis, although that may be more a function of when their respective contracts were signed.

            1. Also a reflection of one hitting the open market, the other signing before hitting the open market.

          2. How many young people do you know that think that far ahead. I certainly didn’t. For most it takes experience and wisdom to view it that way especially when it comes to their own careers.

            1. If he isn’t thinking that far ahead, he really shouldn’t be worried about whether he plays OG or OT this season.

              1. Right now I’m sure he thinks he is a starting tackle and moving to guard would be a demotion. Isn’t that part of the attitude you want in a football player; at least initially. But I agree that I would like to see him eventually take the position that in the end he’ll do what’s best for the team. That would seem to be a major shift in attitude for AD, though.

              2. Yeah, I think the personal emotions of moving from OT to OG would be the bigger hurdle than the financial ones. You are most likely correct that he would see it as a demotion of sorts – the old theory was you want your best OL at OT, so if he has to move to OG then it could be seen like the team is saying he isn’t in the top 2 OL anymore.

                Funny thing is though, as disruptive 3T DTs have become more prevalent, teams are starting to put more emphasis on the interior of the OL. You just need to look at the $$ paid in FA for interior OL this past offseason to see it. After watching the 49ers QBs running for their lives from pressure up the gut last season I am all for making the interior OL the emphasis!

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