49ers 17, Broncos 42: Grades

The Broncos eked out a 42-17 win over the 49ers Sunday night. Here are the Niners’ grades.

KAEPERNICK: D. Carried the team in the first half. Posted a 140 passer rating in the second quarter. Would have been a 156 rating if Anquan Boldin hadn’t dropped a touchdown pass on third-and-goal from the 4 yard line. Kaepernick led a 7-play, 85-yard touchdown drive that took 2 minutes and 58 seconds at the end of the first half, cutting the Broncos’ lead to 11, giving the 49ers momentum. And then Kaepernick flunked the third quarter. Posted a passer rating of 12. Threw for 12 yards. Threw an interception right to Broncos’ cornerback Aqib Talib on the Niners’ third play of the second half. One play later, Peyton Manning threw a touchdown pass. 28-10 Broncos. Next drive, Kaepernick threw a line drive past Brandon Lloyd who was open deep on third-and-10. If Kaepernick had thrown the pass with touch, Lloyd probably would have scored. But the 49ers punted. Three plays later, Peyton Manning threw another touchdown pass. Game over.

RUNNING BACKS: D-. Frank Gore gained just nine yards on 20 carries. We let him slide a bit because there were no holes. That said, Carlos Hyde gained 15 yards on three carries and looked more energetic than Gore. Greg Roman waited too long to give Hyde the ball, waited until there was 1:31 left in the third quarter.

WIDE RECEIVERS: C. Brandon Lloyd and Stevie Johnson played well. Johnson caught a four-yard touchdown pass. He has been the 49ers’ best red-zone receiver this season. And Brandon Lloyd caught a 37-yard pass. He has been a legitimate deep threat. Excellent signing. Problem is the starters didn’t perform against the Broncos. Michael Crabtree caught just four passes for just 27 yards. He may have been the worst receiver on the field. Anquan Boldin wasn’t much better. He caught seven passes for 50 yards, dropped a touchdown catch and committed a pass interference penalty that negated a touchdown catch by Crabtree.

TIGHT ENDS: F. Vernon Davis dropped a pass and caught two. Roman didn’t call any deep passes for him. Roman didn’t call any passes of any kind for Vance McDonald. McDonald is just a blocker. And he blocked poorly.

OFFENSIVE LINE: F. Gave up six sacks, six quarterbacks hits and nine tackles for losses. Joe Staley gave up three sacks. Anthony Davis gave up one. Pass protection has been an issue all season. Without Mike Iupati, run blocking is an issue, too.

DEFENSIVE LINE: F. Allowed Ronnie Hillman to average 5.3 yards per carry. Raise your hand if you thought Ronnie Hillman would average 5.3 yards per carry. Also allowed Juwan Thompson to average 5 yards per carry. Raise your hand if you’ve heard of Juwan Thompson.

LINEBACKERS: F+. Aaron Lynch sacked Manning once, and Ahmad Brooks made a tackle for a three-yard loss near the goal line. Chris Borland and Michael Wilhoite were bad. The Niners need Patrick Willis back.

DEFENSIVE BACKS: F. Allowed Manning to complete 22 of 26 pass attempts. Three of Manning’s incomplete passes were dropped by his intended receiver. Tramaine Brock probably shouldn’t have played. It was his first game back from a turf toe injury and he gave up two touchdown catches, one to Wes Welker and one to Demaryius Thomas. Perrish Cox also gave up a touchdown catch to Demaryius Thomas, a deep touchdown catch. Dontae Johnson ran into an official in the end zone and gave up a touchdown catch to Emmanuel Sanders.

SPECIAL TEAMS: C. Phil Dawson missed a 51-yard field goal. Three plays later, the 49ers fell behind 14-0.

COACHES: F. Why did Jim Harbaugh let Kaepernick play in the fourth quarter when the Niners were losing by 32 points? Kaepernick took two sacks a shot from behind before Harbaugh brought in Blaine Gabbert with 2:49 left. Harbaugh got outcoached. So did Roman, who could not get the running game going without Iupati. And so did Vic Fangio, who could not fool Manning, could not pressure him, could not challenge him. Not in the slightest.

This article has 295 Comments

  1. Brock pretty much had to play considering the other injuries, but he should’ve had a lesser role. I don’t think Roman got outcoached at all this game, a couple bad playcalls here and there but there was a lot of points left out on the field due to poor execution. 49ers should’ve had at least 7 more points in the first half and Kap missed some passes in the second half that easily could have been a a couple more touchdowns. Hard to say Fangio got outcoached as well when the secondary had basically no depth because both Culliver and Ward were inactive. Injuries were just too much tonight, bye weekis coming at the right time.

    1. Also Aaron Lynch was really good, should get his own grade. Was dominating their right tackle all night and their should have been calls for holding on Manning’s first two TD passes.

  2. I don’t know about ck getting that grade. He was under pressure the whole night. Had passes dropped. Yes qb miss targets at times. Even open receivers. But without his arm tonight we score nothing. c- in my book. Every other player and coach get an F.. Well except Johnson and Lloyd. I called it and saw it coming. There isn’t a year that’s gone by where harbaughs team gets blown out. This was our blowout loss this year. It will not happen again. No they get healthy and make that push for the playoffs. Arz schedule will get tough, Seattle can’t win even healthy. We win this division at 12-4 or 11-5.

      1. Hey there Sanfranbob, you and fan77 are great 49er fans that arent’ afraid to tell it like it is. I feel CK didn’t do enough to try and win and it’s just another excuse out there. He has to pass like Peyton. We got to stop pandering to what this player wants and execute the passing game.

    1. 9erMD

      I salute your loyalty…that stuff you’re smoking…? It’s legal in Washington and Colorado now.

      1. Everyone sucked but well kap he gets a C-. I guess that’s the bright side. If we can just get the rest of the team up to a a C-. 11 wins. wild card. MD is a glass half full kind of guy. I respect that

        1. Were you watching the same game? I think we played more starters on defense in the preseason. The offensive line has been banged up all year Ninermind prediction of 12 and 4 is a reach but I do see 11and 5 or 10 and 6 making a strong playoff push

      2. Sacked 6 times. Enough said. And it was supposed to be a C+…
        Throwing every down. Down by 2-3-4 scores the whole game. He threw some nice passes that were dropped. Quit hating on the guy. He’s the best qb we’ve had since YOUNG. And is only getting better.

        Or do you two think the season is over?

        1. No, sea son ain’t over, but CK is not the Answer if we are pleased from some under pressure play . He does not have touch. Period. Runs and sometime laser throws. Enough for a top elite qb?

    2. I agree. We played our second and third string against one of the top teams. But now it’s obvious who will or will not be around in 2015…

    3. 12-4 or 11-5. Come on now. More like 10-6, as Grant predicted before the start of the season, or 9-7. Lucky if they make the playoffs. Time to turn to the Giants and the World Series. The Giants are a far more likeable bunch anyway, with a great manager who does not get outcoached in big games.

      1. Yeah there ha go Rob. Because the giants were on top the whole season. They didn’t struggle at all. Lol some of you guys are hilarious

  3. because Crabs and Boldin were so bad, i would give the wrs a D or lower, but generally I think you nailed it, Grant. Let’s hope we get everyone back and at 100% for the stretch run.

  4. These grades are too kind. F’s across the board would be more fitting. Dropped passes, penalties, poor game plan and execution on prime time shows us why national writers are so critical of Harbaugh and the 49ers. What happened to Vernon Davis? Thomas looked 10 better.

  5. Offensive Line – Bad. I can understand the sacks, but the run was consistently stuffed vs a normal box.
    Running Backs – NA. Hard to grade because of poor blocking. Hyde had some good yards after contact. Lack of edge speed was evident. They sorely miss Kendall Hunter… a much bigger loss then meets the eye.

    Vernon Davis and Crabtree – Ho-Hum.
    Boldin, Stevie Johnson, Lloyd – Giving us about what we expected of them… Johnson/Lloyd perhaps a bit more.
    Ellington – Drafted to be a durable blue collar slot receiver with slick moves. He was never advertized as a pure speed burner before the draft. I can’t blame him for not blowing by DBs deep. Ellington will be a versatile, slot WR with decent enough speed and good RAC, and that’s just fine.
    McDonald – Is he even on the team?

    OLBs – Not bad. Lynch blew by the OT with beautiful moves, but Manning gets the ball away so fast. If Colin were the Bronco’s QB, Lynch would have had 3 sacks and several hurries.

    Quarterback – If Colin ever develops his ability to see the field, he will dominate. If not, he will be a roller coaster how entire (not long after 30) career. That said, he mechanics are improving… throwing motion more compact (even compared to last year). Watch his college tape, he’s made huge strides. But will he learn in time to take advantage of this talent stacked team?

    Honorable Mention – People think I’m crazy, but a 4-3 with Brooks as a MLB would be fun. He absolutely stoned the runner. Loved it.

    1. correction “…a roller coaster [his] entire (not long after 30) career. That said, [his] mechanics are improving…”

  6. Let’s be honest about the passing offense…Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis have VANISHED this year. Crabtree is 2nd on the team in receiving but, that’s deceiving because he has NOT been clutch at all. Absolutely unreliable this season.

    And Aaron Lynch was drawing double teams throughout the game. That’s huge news to have another guy who can pressure the QB and draw double teams. When our guys get back this defense will feast on other teams AND they’ll be playing with a “chip”. Teams can’t double team everybody. The Smith Bros, Lynch, Willis, and Bowman are just too much to account for.

    I expect this team to play better down the stretch simply by getting healthy.

    1. NR – ever think we may have hyped up crabtree too much? Or maybe he hyped himself up. When has he ever been clutch? For a while he was just the #1 receiver on a team with no receivers.

      1. SanFranBob, there’s a good chance of that. Crabtree doesn’t really threaten defenses. His presence doesn’t make tram adjust their strategy. I like Crabtree, but he still hasn’t “broken out.” I’m starting to think he never will. The good thing is that Stevie Johnson and Brandon Lloyd have both stepped up in clutch moments.

    2. Thank you, NinersRoc… everyone’s going to get their panties in a bunch about this game, but the Niners are playing the best team they’ll play all year short-handed on a short week. No Iupati, Willis, Bowman, ASmith, Culliver. Only 3 CBs, and one has a turf toe. Take away that pick play on Reid by the ref on 3rd and goal in the first half, Lee’s missed field goal, and Boldin’s shocking TD drop and that’s a 10-point swing. VD’s drop killed a drive, too. Doesn’t change the outcome, but the perception of the game is skewed by little things here and there.

      Credit to Manning who gets the ball out early and to the right guy. The only way to shut him down is to jam receivers, throw off timing and get pressure with 4. Without Aldon, we can’t execute the game plan.

      As for the O, the WRs played well, VD looks terrible, VMac was invisible, and the run game couldn’t get it going… but the Broncos are ranked #1 in defensive DVOA, so don’t sweat it. Just hoping our OL injuries don’t kill us. Need Iupati back, and Looney may just work out as C for now.

      1. 2 weeks ago AZ lost 41-20. Their 2nd and 3rd string QB put up 21. Our first string QB put up 10 and we got 7 by Blaine Gabbert.

        Yeah our defense was missing half its starters so this was a chance to see if our offense can shoulder the load.

        Not sure why Roman called so many spread offense plays, Kaep was playing a nice 2nd quarter but it plays right into Manning and Denver’s wheel house. Kaep’s not at point in his development to be a consistent passer. Yeah the line gave up some sacks but he also held the ball too long.

        It’s just hard to figure out what the identity of the offense is.

        Before we get carried away with the passing based on the Rams game, Russell Wilson also threw for over 300, and he has no WRs at all, and ran for over 100.

        It’s soul searching time!

        1. And 80 of those yards were againts a prevent defense. Whoopty dooo.
          “Yeah we gave up some sacks”… Yeah that’s no big deal. He held the ball to long???? I guess 2 seconds is way to long for you. Lol bet you loved every minute of this game. What a shame. Smh

          1. Hey even those dudes on KGO, who was kissing Colin’s biceps, said that sometimes he stands back there and gets skid dish after a few seconds. Call it what you want, he’s simply not a QB that has any sense of pocket presence. What about the sack where he thought there was pressure, turns out there was none, rolls left, runs into Ware, and turns his back away from the receivers, and then runs into a sack.
            The Line has not played well all year but at the same time his giddiness in the pocket doesn’t help.

            I didn’t love any minute of it. It’s a sad sight to see a 4th year QB who is getting 120 million who is so wildly inconsistent.

            Don’t you find it ironic that Gabbert scored the first TD at Levi’s and also the first 4th quarter TD of the season?

            1. I find it fishy that you would rather have Smith back and now you’re bringing up another white qb with two meaningless TD’s this season. Wonder why…

              1. I don’t want Smith back. I want a ROI. If we kick a starter who was 6-2, who then goes to the Pro-Bowl on his new team, I want the current guy to play consistent and get better the more games he starts. And I want him to prove me wrong and hold up that lombardi trophy with his tattoo biceps.

                He’s not the reason they lost yesterday. Denver was simply the better team, even if all the starters were healthy on defense.

                If you’re cynical about CK’s ability to play as a pocket QB and skill set (ie. limited throws), every game he’ll give you a few plays that make you think he won’t ever figure it out. If you love CK and his dynamic skill set (throwing off his back foot running left) every game he’ll make a throw that only he can make.

                The Offense always has this dysfunctional feel. Because CK plays frenetic and chaotic. He seems way more comfortable when the play breaks down.

      2. 3 pro bowlers out, starting cb out. Starting NT out. What are you that guy that says injuries aren’t an excuse? Normally they’re not. But when more than 1/3 of your starters are out and 3 are the best at their positions. What did you think was going to happen vs manning and this offense. Go back and look at my pick. I called a blowout. Why? Because it makes sense. That’s the point!

          1. When he and Davis are back and healthy I think the O-line will gel and get hot like they usually do. Vernon Davis is a big part of blocking too.

            1. I hope you’re right I just feel that there are more issues with the offense that that.

            1. There has been discontinuity in the O line all year, too. Injuries and Boone’s holdout have been major factors in how the O line has played.

  7. I agree with most of the grades. If we weren’t going to put heat on manning , the outcome was predictable. I said the same thing after the niners/broncos preseason game. PM looked extremely comfortable in the pocket.

    Ill add Baalke grade- F

    Vance Mac , 2nd round pick, is a non factor. Carrier should replace him immediately. Tank, 2nd round, pick is still “learning his assignments”. WTF. 2012 draft was a trainwreck. Ward, is still too soon to make a final determination, but call me skeptical thus far.

    1. Ward is definitely no Reed thats for sure. Questionable if he was worth a first round pick. When the Niner’s had the depth to take chances in the draft it might have been ok for high risk high reward shots at injured players like Tank and Latimore and certain others that were drafted to redshirt till they recovered. Problem is that one never knows how well an injured player will recover and the team needed those red shirts this season . TB needs to adjust his drafting to account for fewer available picks and also to draft for the present instead of stacking players for the future.

      I it seems they are giving Vance too much extra time just like they did with AJ because they still hope the eyeball test could be wrong. For a blocking TE he sure can not block very well.

      1. Willtalk,

        That you would even suggest that after four or five games we know anything about Ward’s ultimate value as an NFL player is laughable.

        I’m not saying you’re wrong, it remains to be seen, (although he has looked very good at times playing a very difficult cover position) but it’s way premature to even discuss Ward not being a good draft pick.

        1. exgolfer:

          I think it’s ridiculously early to give up on Vance McDonald, let alone Jimmie Ward.

          As for Ward, except for the Bears game, he has been better than expected. I have no question that his absence played a significant part in the team’s pass coverage problems.

          1. Vance MacDonald has been a liability considering he was a 2nd round pick and puts the ball on the ground and or cannot catch it. There is a reason the coaching staff has not given him more touches.
            I would say between him and LMJ, those were two of Baalkes head scratchers when you already had Gore and Vernon and took those guys so high in the draft.

            1. I agree FDM. Vance is a pretty boy and tight ends should never fumble.hes got bad hands and that fumble against the Rams was terrible as he was the one that initiated the contact.
              Vernon needs to get healthy as you can tell he is not 100% healthy. I’d like to see more Carrier before VMac.

  8. Niners were in a bad shape with regards to personnel health, and ran into a buzz saw. ‘Nuff said. It’s unreasonable to start passing judgement on players based on this game. However, in the big picture, Stevie Johnson may have finally replaced Crabtree as the 3rd down go-to guy for the mid-term Niners’ future since re-signing Crabtree is going to be hard. Also, on the personnel front, hopefully Marcus Martin has been studying the playbook during his rehab.

    The next few games are against losing teams giving the Niners a chance to bounce back.

    1. IMO…. We have one really losable game left. The one in Seattle. These are the same problems every year before the bye. And folks jump off the ship. It’s comical. I really don’t think some really know that a bad defensive game can hurt the offense too. And besides that. Denver is no slouch on the defensive side of the ball. I still think with two more losses we will win the division. Now is when the season starts rolling.

      1. I don’t think you know that a bad offensive game can hurt the defense. Only two lose-able games left? More like only two winnable games – Raiders and Washington. rest will be tough. Lets hope they can start putting up some points.

  9. If kap is holding the ball he’s actually going through progressions, if he gets rid of it quickly he’s not going through progression, which one do you want?

    1. Just because he’s holding the ball doesn’t mean he’s going through the progressions. It merely means he didn’t pass it to the first guy. You rarely see him step up in the pocket, or throw it to an outlet guy in the flat, or a check down.

      1. Fansince77- ” Just because he is holding the ball doesn’t mean that he is going through progressions.” Then what else is he doing autographing the ball for a fan? Absurd rational on your part. If everyone is covered and the pocket is collapsing what do you want him to do? Throw it away. You do realize you have to be outside the pocket to throw the ball away don’t you.

        You might be one step above Jim Mora in that you only focus on CK and not Jim and the entire offensive scheme and team as well. As to stepping up in the pocket he did it a lot in this game. What were you watching. The announcer even complemented him on how well he stepped up in the pocket. If you didn’t see it you should have at least heard it if you were paying attention at all. It is obvious you see what you want to see and your credibility is garbage.

        1. No he wants a qb who always had happy feet in the pocket and no arm strength to make consistent throws over 15 yards, or a qb who threw a pre season TD and a late 4th quarter TD in a blowout over a rising and improving youngster. Basically he will take any white qb over ck. It’s painfully obvious when you praise Gabbertt for his huge TD passes this season. Smh

  10. Fan77, he’s done that several times the last few weeks lol.. No matter what he does you’re going to critique it. Outside of that horrible int, Kaep played decent. You’re not a troll are you?

    1. Did you read the grades from Grant? He played a good 2nd quarter, and then after that INT, the game was over. He had a rating of 12.

      The KGO guys think that Kaep doesn’t have enough weapons, or dynamic playmakers.
      Yeah Lloyd and Johnson are not young, but Johnson can play. And Lloyd was open on that deep pass.

      He has a long way to go. Troll/No troll. doesn’t matter. We needed the offense to step up without all those missing defensive players and it didn’t happen.

      1. Fan, The Broncos f@#$ing scored 42 points and you’re blaming CK. CK was the only reason why we’re even in the game in the 1st half in spite of no running game and no help on Davis and Crab, and bad OL protection. Did you even see that drive at the end of the 1st half? That was all CK!

        1. They could have scored 18 and we still would have lost. It takes more than 1 drive to win in the NFL. 17 points doesn’t win many games.

          1. 17 pts would have still won Seattle the Superbowl. And tonight, we could have score 35 pts. and still would have lost.

            1. if we could have kept a drive going and not turned the ball over the defense wouldnt have been on the field so often to give up so many points. and this game has nothing to do with seattle and superbowl game. irrelevant

            2. We have only scored more than 28 points once so far this season and that was with a pick 6 from the d. 35 would have been great.

        2. Fan77 us a troll. Told you guys months ago. Now you know.

          The Niners usually use a game like this as motivation.

          Speaking of motivation. I just read that multiple league sources have stated that Aldon Smith’s suspension could be lifted one or two games early.

          1. Bay Area Fanatic,
            I asked you to explain what a troll is, and you did not. Why? because I’m acting just like you when you bash Alex Smith non stop, even when the team was winning.
            Jack Hammer calls me BayAreasince2013 which makes the most sense.

      2. Yeah the 21 points and 14 point lead right off the bat had nothing to do with “the game being over”
        Let’s just say that it’s ck’s fault that.
        1 Dawson misses a fg
        2 VD drops big passes
        3 Boldin drops an easy TD
        4 the offensive line couldn’t stop a cup from leaking with a 5 pound back of concrete..
        5. He can’t run block
        6 he gives up catch after catch
        7 he can’t pressure the qb
        And finally it’s his fault that the defense is depleted.
        There you go racist77.. I’m on your team. Ck sucks. Start Gabbertt and hope Alex smith gets traded back to us, or we can get McCoy back.
        Yeeeeeeaaaaahhhhhh!!!! Wheeeeeew!

      1. i didnt read that he blamed anyone. He just pointed out his observations. You haven’t disputed any of them..

      2. I don’t love Wilson, I just wish Kaep has some of his leadership qualities. I don’t blame this loss on CK. We knew the defense was going to be short handed. We just needed him to step up and he didn’t. I’ve been consistent with my issues with Kaep. Everyone say he’s better this year. And if we look at his WRs, they are clearly an upgrade. And his completion % is up, so is his 3rd down efficiency. And yet somehow it doesn’t seem like the offense is more explosive, dynamic, or efficient.
        Sooo what the heck?

        Someone wrote that outside that one INT he had a good game. That one INT pretty much sealed the game for Denver when their QB throws a perfect pass for a score.
        Yeah the same immobile QB with a bad neck and weak arm strength passed 22-26 and made it look way too easy.

        We can blame the O-line, but KC has a worse O-line and people love to pile on Smith, who oh by the way doesn’t have an WRs at all!

        1. Fansince77: What has Smith got to do with the game against the Bronco’s? By the way the 49er line isn’t better than the KC line. This line at present is far worse. So are you justifying getting on Kaeps case as retribution for what fans do to Alex? This pretty much defines your agenda. You are still buutt hurt over Alex. Don’t say you are not because you just brought him up completely by yourself. Your own words betray you. Get over it. Alex doesn’t play here anymore. Get some counseling or have a good cry.

          Sanfranbob- He doesn’t blame anyone? He just stated that we needed Kaep to step up and he didn’t. That’s not putting the responsibility ( blame) for the loss on Kaep? Don’t pretend that you are not a Kaep hater either bob. Birds of a feather flock together.

          1. Did he step up? OK I’m a hater. If that’s what you call not being a blind idiot…guilty as charged.

        2. Kap (not Kaep) is not to blame. Trolls like you give Niner fans a bad name. If Walsh was Kap’s coach he’d already have a ring or two and be in the Pro Bowl. Harbaugh/Roman are clueless.

          1. Also ever think about this – the niners should have at least 1 ring with harbaugh as coach. Was it his fault his qb froze and when 0-3 from the goal line in sb? Or then forced a ridiculous pass to end the NFC championship game on an INT? Yeah maybe harbaugh is clueless actually

  11. “Yeah the same immobile QB with a bad neck and weak arm strength passed 22-26 and made it look way too easy.”

    So, you’re saying that our D is soooooooo bad that Payton made it look easy, right?

    1. I’m saying that Payton is a QB who can read defense and beat them with his brain. Colin’s strengths as a QB are his physical gifts, the rocket arm and his legs. But in this game it wasn’t enough. His fate, and the Niner’s fate, will rest on whether he figures out how to be a pocket passer.

      I may have an opinion of his game, but others have also said that his growth as a QB is moving at a glacial pace.

      The KGO announcers, who are not Colin Haters, named three plays in the 2nd quarter, the one that lead to a FG when Boldin didn’t catch the pass that could have been a TD. The first play was the under thrown pass to Boldin that he had to scoop off the ground. A better thrown pass would have been a TD according to them. And then he couldn’t get the team lined up right, so they had to burn a time out. And their was PI on Boldin that wiped out a TD pass to Crabs. And then Boldin couldn’t catch the pass for a TD. THEY said that while the focus is on Boldin not catching the pass, there were three mistakes by KAEP that also affect the outcome. That’s what Larry Krueger and the other dude said.
      I thought KAEP had a good first half lousy second half. He just didn’t rise to the occasion, so we’re back at square one.

      1. Everyone with two one good eye and a brain could see those things you described. Dont need a KGO announcer to tell me what I see. They are just a bunch of smucks talking on the radio. I also saw the mistakes that Kaep made as well. You put to much emphasis on the QB play. He didn’t rise to the occasion you say. Well he even by your standards rose to the occasion in the first half but it didn’t do much good because most of the rest of the team didn’t. It’s a team game and against a good team like the Bronc’s it requires a good solid team effort. Saying Kaep didn’t rise to the occasion so we are at square one is a purely asinine statement. Here is a case when I hope you are just a biased Kaep hater because the alternative would be very sad for you indeed.

        1. I listen to KGO all the time. THey are accurate with Kap. you must be watching high school football.

      2. CK’s fate rests with the success of the running game. Sure, Gore is going to have some good games. That’s what happens when a great back gets old. They don’t lose their abilities all at once. They continue to have good games but it’s not consistent. Gore had a horrible game against a team that did not stack the box all night. He’s had a few of those stinkers this year.

  12. I swear after every win the talk is SB and loss means the skies are falling. If you expected tonwin this game on a short week, with all the injuries and on the road against one of the best teams in the NFL please let me have what you are smoking

    1. I expect them to win every game. Did so even during the dark days of the early and mid 2000s. Otherwise what’s the point of watching the games, going to the games, rooting for the team?

      1. You can hope and be open to the possibility but just because we are fans doesn’t mean we need to not be realistic. If they could have won it would have been great but a lose under these circumstances shouldn’t come as a major shock either. It would have required a better effort by all with very little wiggle room for error. Possible yes! But against the odds.

        1. I’m not delusional and no loss comes as a shock. This was long odds at best, 2nd and 3rd stringers lined up against the all-time best regular season QB and down to our emergency center at the end. But if you go with the odds, KC shouldn’t have beaten SD or the Rams Seattle either.

          In any case, the sky is *not* falling. We have the bye, we’ll get health(ier), our first stringers back and I expect to win out.

          1. It’s easy to say that the 49ers can win all their remaining games left. But than again you’d got to play the game and you know that the other teams aren’t laying down. And don’t forget the word upset always there no matter how a team is:-)

      2. I always pick the niners to win and that choice is made with my heart. My brain did not go along for the ride last night which IMO was predictable. I didn’t think the defense would allow that many points, and I thought that the starting offense would have scored more. But, the outcome of the game was predictable.

        It’s also predictable that the niners will kick ass the rest of the season and there is more than a good chance that they win the division.

      3. Ribico,
        I expect them to win every game and show dominance. They have a good roster. We knew defense was going to have its hands full even if it was at full strength. Every phases of the game needed to step up. That’s why I nitpick on Colin. I expect him to get better and rise up.

  13. Kaep gets a C on my board.
    The one big mistake he made was the forced throw that was intercepted by Talib which should have gone to Ellington for a 1st down to keep a crucial drive alive. We squandered away TD’ on offense and our defense was completely gashed by the Sheriff.
    It was Payton’ night and their entire team and fans rallied around him.

    We’ll put this one behind us and be totally different team after the break for the stretch run.

    1. 2 TD’s squandered… Boldin’s drop and Kap’s miss to Llyod. That said 28 points still would have lost the game. The kill shot after Kap’s int basically put it away. They just got manhandled by a better team (right now) at home motivated by history. It happens every year with the 49ers. Denver will still fall short in the playoffs because its Peyton’s January mode. I just hope the secondary is healthy when the Niner’s get to Brees and Eli.

      1. Don’t be to sure that Denver will lose their steam going to the playoffs. They looked like the team this year that’s going to win it all. They looked like they won’t be stopped:-)

        1. I don’t think Denver will lose thier steam, but Peyton will lose. Check his record in the post season! THAT IS WHAT I WAS IMPLYING>

  14. Tough, tough loss. Losing Kilgore hurt. Saw Denver with lots of hands to the face and holds that weren’t called. The offensive line needs consistency which it won’t get with the Kilgore injury.

    Cowboy and Brooks needed to play great games and neither had exceptional evenings.

    Brock looked very rusty, but he will improve.

    Willis loss was a big one. Thomas had 171 yards last time I looked. Borland and Wilhoite just are not the same as Willis and Bowman. Losing one we can scheme around, both left a big gap.

    Niners did not play physical enough too.

    They have time to get healthy, rest, and get their unity back these next weeks.

    1. I think the receiver was held on the interception but if it was enough to affect the result I couldn’t say. It wasn’t really blatant just enough to possibly throw them off their route. A lot of body contact out of the legal area.

      1. It was a bad read and a bad throw. He should have taken Ellington underneath, that’s what the design of the play looked like. He made a mistake. Live. Learn,. Grow. Stop making excuses for him.

  15. It is what it is. These guys are tough and they will pull it through. In the meantime I’m not one to pile on. Bad form. Hope everyone gets healthy soon…

  16. Kaep played well. I did throw my phone across the room when he threw that pick but overall he did well. He threw the ball 40 times, we ALL know what happens when he throws over 30 times. Statistics prove it. One thing I wish is he did was run more (my heads going to get chopped off for saying that). I do respect that fact that he went through his reads and stood tall in the pocket while he was getting molly whopped. When we go 5 wide, once you see all DB’s backs turned and no one is open, run. He has to make them respect his legs. I don’t like design runs but if the DB’s backs are turned, LB’s are blitzing run. It slows down the pass rush.

    RB’s it’s hard to grade them when they don’t get the ball. Gore only had 9 carries. We all know what happens when he doesn’t touch the ball 15-20 times. Hyde made some good runs but I put this on coaching. We should have went big upfront, 22 or 21. We all knew if Manning was on the field he was scoring. They have to feed Frank Gore and Hyde non stop in the second half of the season.

    I’m disappointed in VD and Crabtree. These guys are either injured, mentally not there, or something. To me it’s like they feel sorry for themselves. I wish they’d give Carrier more of VD’s reps. He’s hungry – feed him. Same thing with Crabtree, give his reps to Ellington or Patton. These young guys want clock, give them the opportunity. My main man Boldin was a disappointment as well. Dropped a touchdown and had a penalty on another. C’MON MAN. Llyod and Johnson, I see them doing big things in the second half of the season. Increase those guys reps. Boldin, Llyod, Johnson, and Ellington should be the top 4 recievers. I’m looking for more excitement out of the group during the second half of the yr.

    Oh the defense. Man, it was disastrous. I was livid last night. Our d-line wasn’t playing that great. Borland was making taking tackles 7-10yds down field. I don’t know if it was because our d-line couldnt keep their o-line off our LB’s or if Borland was just scared to mix it up with the big guys. To see him get pushed backwards into the endzone by the RB was demoralizing. I hope he was embarrassed and gets a flame lit under his arse. Wilhoit was no better. I just had my eye on Borland. He comes from the Big 10. Very few conferences produces LB’s like them.
    And the DB’s. OMG. Brock should not have gotten that much clock, at least thats what I tell myself initially. But he is a major factor in our defense. He has to get back into game shape. He looked bad. I’m sure it was because of it being his first game back, against top notch receiving core, and arguably the greatest QB to play the position. The rest of those guys were scared to tackle. They left people wide open. Etc etc

    Roman has his work cut out for him. Gore/Hyde need to touch the ball a lot more. 5 wide works, but our power running game works as well. If something is working great, go no huddle, when it gets stopped, switch it up, we HAVE to slow down edge rushers flying up field. Fangio, making due with the cards he’s dealt. I’m ready for the second part of the season.

    The Broncos did exactly the same thing as the Seahawks two years ago. Spent money to win a championship now. Gentlemen, the Broncos will be there. I do think we can beat them, I just think we can feel sorry for ourselves. That being said, I think 3 losses at the break with all of the injuries and suspensions we are alright. We’ll be getting a lot of reinforcements. Hopefully Lattimore gets the green like. Teams will have trouble with him. Speed + Power.

    1. Yeah when we lose..everything seems to be off..O-line sucked..,Dawson missing field goal,..Gave manning a short field..boldin,crab and Vernon dropping passes..Defense can’t get critical stops,the refs with bs calls,conservatism,the run game not working..I agree ky..Kap didn’t take off at all too much..We we’re committed to passing to win this game..Had the game gotten closer..the run game would’ve returned..I was mad at Kap interception too..Coaches gotta drive the point home.”live to fight another down”..don’t go for the juggler..Any glimmer of hope..ended with that interception..Everybody didn’t do their job today..all around lost..The running game is the key to our victories..and the lack of..is the key to losses..This oline is making it hard to run and pass this season..it’s crazy..The defense can only do so much..The oline has to do better..

      1. One negative pattern I sense with Kaep is that when he is throwing the ball well he tends to keep trying to put it into more and more progressively smaller windows. That was not a good idea in this game and it bit him. The receiver was run off his route and that effected his throw but still he should have probably gone for the safer throw.

        1. Will, in the NFL most of the windows are tight. It’s about ball placement. As far as the INT, I think you got confused on the coverage. But it doesn’t matter now. If we get to the Super Bowl, I’m sure we’ll see them again.

  17. It’s been a long time since I saw a Niners game where the entire fourth quarter was garbage time. I’m glad this wasn’t a home game… No telling how long it would take to get the stink out of the building from this one.

  18. There is no way this team resigns Crabtree. They will not put up big money for an oft injured player that plays only when he feels like it.

    I think Davis’s back is still bothering him, you catch with your whole body and he just does not look as explosive or as flexible as he has in the past.

    1. Either that or he is no some sort of pain killer. Backs are very tricky and can effect the entire nerves system. He should not have been playing at all. I think he probably over rates himself. He is not a spring chicken anymore and something like this will affect his performance more than he can imagine. A back injury can effect your hand strength.

    2. You’re absolutely right, i’d agree on what you’d just said. Let this overrated whiner go to the Cowboys where is belongs.

  19. How do you really grade a team that is doomed going in? I knew this was a loss as soon as the schedule came out. As soon as I realized that the NFL had once again chosen to give Manning the perfect storm to shine. At home, mile-high altitude, short week and the NFL hates the Niners almost as much as Chris Collinsworth.

    In four years, we have played Brees (3), Rodgers (2), Manning (1) and Brady (1), and only one of those regular season games have been at home. Think about that, 1 out of 7 games against the best QB’s in the league were in SF. I don’t think that’s a coincidence. The NFL is going to give every advantage to their superstars. Most of the time, we beat them’em, so eff’em. Yet, the simple fact that we have had to travel against the best almost every single time, tells me all I need to know about the NBA, er, I mean NFL.

      1. It’s all about the NFL scheduling formula. This year the NFC South #2 was scheduled to host the NFC West #2.

          1. The NFL schedule is set years in advance. There are only 2 teams per season that aren’t known and those are determined on where a team finishes in it’s division. In 2012 the NFC South #1 from 2011 was set to host the NFC West #1. In 2013 the NFC West faced all NFC South teams and it was the 49ers turn in the rotation to visit New Orleans (the Saints are already slated to visit SF in 2016). In 2014 the NFC South #2 from 2013 was set to host the NFC West #2.

            It’s not black magic or subjective at all. If you want to see who and where the 49ers play in 2015, 2016, or so on just check here:

            http://www.johnnyroadtrip.com/schedules/nfl_future_nfcw.htm

            The two games without an opponent will be determined by their final position in the NFC West standings.

  20. Also, whoever this Jim Mora loser is that keeps commenting during our games, he needs to be gone. You don’t allow someone to remain that is not a Niners fan and whose sole intent is just piss people off. GC, please get that zero outta here.

    1. I suggest an editing option, that allows users to set an ignore option for certain accounts.
      So if I didn’t want to see Jim Mora’s posts they wouldnt show up on the board for me, or if someone didnt like my posts they could block them from showing up.

  21. The bigger issue is the 49ers with all of the injuries looked like a team that plain quit

  22. Let’s be real for a moment; when the season started this was one of the games people marked as a L so where’s the surprise. Out of the first half I had them 5-2 losing to Denver and Arizona. The choke job against Chicago is the one that stings the most right now! Considering all the turmoil I am still disapointed but they are right where they need to be. 5-2 with wins over both one loss teams in the NFC outside of thier division would have made it a lot easier but now at 4-3 they can only afford to lose 2 more games (not to Arizona) this year to realistacally make the playoffs (outside of winning the division) as it stands right now with some help from other teams.

    Arizona’s hitting the meat of their schedule so I expect them to fall off. Hopefully Detroit and GB take a dive in the standings. GB hasn’t beaten a team with a winning record but only play 3 more teams with winning records so they have an edge. Philly has a tough schedule and Dallas has manageable games left but Demarco Murray has never stayed healthy so anything can happen with them. Here is to coming back strong and finishing the season 7-2 by any means neccessary!

    1. I feel ARi can win out if the QB stays healthy and defense is healthy. Murray will stay healthy. I’d be concerned of Frank Gore if he can stay healthy. I still feel 5 or 6 is in the reach of the playoffs unless Ari/Sea can win out. 5 and 4 if lucky.

    2. Really you counted this as an L before the season started? Did you not expect this team to be a SB contender? Before the season started I didn’t write this game off as an L. I thought they were a team that could win it all. Obviously they are not that team.

      1. Yes. I knew they would be without two starters on defense. So a team has to gon16-0 to get to a Super Bowl? The f**k outta here.

        1. That’s not what I said. I guess I just hoped that they could step up and beat a Superbowl quality team for once. You know the ones you have to beat to win a ring. . Of course they are going to lose some. I would rather see them take a week off against the giants though I guess.

    1. The Official I’d heard said in KNBR that they should’a done a better job in making the call right late in the game:-)

    2. I agree! They were questioning the officials call on the fumble late in the game, they said in KNBR that is was a bad call that went against Seattle, because the official didn’t take another looked at the replay..

  23. Where are all those who were praising Baalke last week?

    Do you really think Borland is a viable option at inside LB?
    Do you really think the wasted draft picks on “red shirts” are paying off?

    1. He looked bad. Real bad. As I said earlier, I don’t know if the Broncos O-line was getting on him too quick or what but he was getting blown back. As a former LB, he has to be embarrassed. He lacked aggression. I’m hoping someone reviews the film and says our D-line was letting the Broncos O-line get to the second level too quick. I hope that’s the reason for his poor performance.

      1. I just have to laugh when I see somebody compare themselves to a player that made it to the NFL when they are watching games from the couch in their living room. Sure, Borland made some mistakes in his first NFL start. He took a bad angle in the long Hillman run and came in too high at the goal-line on the other TD run, but there were also times where he looked like the only defensive player that knew where the ball-carrier was while everybody else looked totally lost. I don’t think being the team’s leading tackler with 7 solos and 1 assist with a sack is that bad for a first start as a rookie. But I’m sure you would have done better, right?

    2. Didn’t like the Borland pick at all…..definitely didn’t like drafting injured players.

    3. Where are all those who were praising Baalke last week?

      I don’t about anyone else, but I’m right here. I can’t wait to read a cogent explanation on how last night’s loss can be laid a Baalke’s feet.

      Do you really think Borland is a viable option at inside LB?

      By all means, let’s get rid of a player after his first start. After all, any rookie who, in his first start, can’t stop Peyton Manning is obviously a lost cause.

      Do you really think the wasted draft picks on “red shirts” are paying off?

      Not yet, but it’s still relatively early.

      1. Claude,

        You can’t have it both ways. After beating the Rams, some – including you – were pointing to roster depth as the reason for the win. After the loss in Denver, where is that argument? As I stated in my reply to BOS49er, Harbaugh and his coaching staff are saving Baalke’s arse with solid coaching. But as we saw against Denver, good coaching can only go so far. At some point, you can’t coach your way out of a talent deficiency.

        1. “After beating the Rams, some – including you – were pointing to roster depth as the reason for the win. After the loss in Denver, where is that argument?”

          That game was more about vets not executing than the backups.

        2. If you can’t appreciate how good the 49ers’ roster depth is, I just don’t know what to say. They’ve played a brutal schedule so far (opponents’ cumulative record: 29-15) and have had a crazy number of injuries on the defensive side and o-line, and are 4-3, and that includes a fluke loss to the Bears. The fact that the 49ers have credible NFL caliber players to cover all the holes on their roster should be enough to prove Baalke’s ability as a GM.

        3. Nick:

          I think exgolfer and Jack effectively dismissed your argument, but I’ll add my thoughts since you called me out by name.

          Who’s trying to have it both ways? Despite the absence of 6 starters from the 2013 defense (Dorsey, A. Smith, Bowman, Whitner, Rogers, Brock and now Willis), 3 of whom are All-Pros , the 49ers’ defense has played well this season(currently ranked second in the league, even after Sunday night’s embarrassment). That’s a testament, at least in part, to the depth assembled by Baalke. It’s absurd to downgrade him because, after absorbing all those losses, the defense got torched on the road against what is arguably the best team in the league.

          Once again, I ask the Baalke critics to name a GM who has better handled a similar loss of talent. Better yet, with all the benefit of hindsight, tell me what players Baalke could have/should have acquired who would have prevented the Broncos’ offensive explosion.

          1. Claude,
            Your argument shows how good the coaching has been. Like I said, good coaching can mask some talent deficiency, but only to a certain extent. Baalke is replaceable. Harbaugh is not.

    4. Nick,

      Sorry, I was away for a few days, but I haven’t gone anywhere.

      The 49ers were on a short week, on the road and were missing HALF their D, including arguably the best pass rusher and two best ML’s in the league. Their best CB pretty clearly wasn’t ready to play, but he had to.

      The O line was in disarray, missing Iupati and with Kilgore being injured.

      Oh, yes, and they were playing one of the best teams in the NFL. You do realize the other team gets paid too, right?

      Let me ask you, what do you think Seattle’s defense would look like if it was missing Earl Thomas, Dick Sherman, Bobby Wagner, plus two or three other starters? Hell, their defense doesn’t look that good now (they do have a couple of injuries).

      No, one game doesn’t tell a story. I’d rather look at an entire season of solid play while missing their TWO BEST DEFENDERS, along with a bunch of other injuries and off season defections.

  24. Peyton Manning was awesome. i hope CK can learn from this game. I think the 49ers are going to have problems in NO and NYG.

  25. The 49ers can easily go 7-2 the rest of the way. The remainder of the schedule looks quite easy. With the team getting healthier (with the exception of Kilgore) and Aldon Smith coming back, I’m not worried about how things are turning out.

  26. Another reason that niners will not resign Crabtree is that the “trouble in the Locker Room” stories have probably come from Crabtree’s Dallas agent who is a close buddy of Deion Sanders. I think that Balke and Harbaugh know this and will be delighted to see him gone.

  27. Tramaine Brock probably shouldn’t have played.
    ——————–
    Tramaine Brock shouldn’t have played.

    Fixed it for ya. That decision alone earned Fangio in F in my book.

      1. I have that’s why I posted the article. But since you seem to be a feeble-minded individual, when you live in areas closer to a team you sometimes hear stories that have yet to be put on the Internet. Then again, you may believe everything on the Internet is fact as well.

  28. Other bloggers suggested this teams iq is jut too low. I thought about it, could it be there is something to that? Our team was drafted to maul and run the ball, which it can on lesser teams. Against a team that can stop the run, we almost become amateurish. Our pass offense the last 3 years is 28 th or something like that. Manning Brady, Eli , Wilson will never get on the cover of go like vid and kap, but they win super bowls. We throw pitiful incomplete passes to Crabtree in the playoffs. Is it the ol wrs position coaches or basic team philophy? Defense is banged up and will help later with heathy bodies, but the lousy pass offense especially in the red zone will remain unless harbaugh has an epiphany and makes changes especially regarding the ol and wr coaches ( they have not produced in the draft or development of any wr in 4 years) I still have some hope for kap though he really looks like the Nuevo mike Vick, which is not encouraging. My thoughts harbaugh ends up in Michigan , 49ers go with a “higher iq” hc ( anti- mike dikta) who understands nfl passing offense and both vd and Crabtree are gone next year. My hope though is harbaugh wakes up( his brother changed the ol and fired his oc friend mid season to win the super bowl) and gets off his azz and makes some changes. Go 49er!

    1. Please elaborate on what “high IQ” means? What IQ scale are you using? Have you seen Wilson’s last two games? Or are Kaep’s tattoos, headphones, and clothing a problem for you to?

  29. That was a total buzzsaw we ran face first into last night;

    1) Peyton was trying to achieve a milestone while at home.

    2) Short week for the team

    3) Significant injuries at key positions

    4) Brock had no business playing in that game and Borland/Wilhoite couldn’t cover a dollar bet with a 5 dollar bill.

    It might prove that Baalke has taken too many chances on injured draft picks that are either taking too long to be ready or just simply wont be. Those picks could have been players that are already contributing to the team especially now with big injuries.

  30. 49ers opponents over first 7 weeks have a .667 win percentage. Over their next 4 it’s ~ .375. Time to get healthy and do work.

    1. Sounds great, now to find a way to play teams with losing records in the playoffs.

  31. Nick
    I praised Balke last week and guess what? after a loos EVERYONE saw coming he is still one of the best Gm’s in the league. If you disagree then tell me a name of one that has done better in the last 5 years. Borland is a rookie making his first career start VS an all time great QB and an O that’s rolling. Do you expect his to come in and be a pro bowler? Why because Willis did it? For a team that has had as tough a schedule as our first 7 games and the fact that we played those gamers with a severely depleeted roster we can do much worse that 4-3 (have you seen the saints lately?) The redshirts could help this year (lattimore starting practice in 2 weeks) and Tank is sitting behind a pro bowler.

    AGAIN I ASK NAME ME A BETTER GM in the last 5 years

    1. BOS49er,

      You asked for a name, I’ll give you two:
      1. Seattle Seahawks GM John Schneider
      2. Denver Broncos GM John Elway

      In 2013, Seattle needed to improve it’s pass rush. What did Schneider do? He signed DEs Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett. Both played a key role in Seattle’s Super Bowl run.

      Last year Denver got blasted in the Super Bowl. They needed to improve on D – secondary and pass rush. What did Elway do? He signed safety T.J. Ward, DE DeMarcus Ware, and CB Aqib Talib. They lost Eric Decker and replaced him with Emmanuel Sanders – a speedy WR free agent that Baalke overlooked.

      Last year, the 49ers’ areas of need were CB, safety, ILB, and pass rush (DE, OLB), and wide receiver. Baalke traded for WR Stevie Johnson (solid move), signed safety Antoine Bethea (solid move), but neglected CB and drafted an undersized safety in Ward, reached for Borland in the draft (highly questionable move), got lucky with Aaron Lynch.

      Now you tell me, is Baalke better? Harbaugh and his coaching staff are saving Baalke’s arse with solid coaching. But as we saw against Denver, good coaching can only go so far. At some point, you can’t coach your way out of a talent deficiency.

      1. Nick,

        Both Elway and Schneider are using an unsustainable cap management model. They are in win now mode. Both teams will have increasing cap pressure in the coming years.

        I would rather have a team that has a chance every year, rather than a shot at booming and then cap hell bust. To each their own.

      2. Nick.
        I quite sure I will get nowhere arguing the merrits of a draft 7 games in to the season (Ward vs BRoby who was the only CB left on the board unles you wanted to trade up, and a “reach” for borland who was the 1st or 2nd best ILB in the league??)

        But to your two awesome GM’s: Shneider traded a 1st and a 3rd pick for a guy who he then resigned to a monster contract before getting 8 games of mediocrity from him and ultimately trading him for a 6th rd pick halfway to the season, leaving the seahawks with WHO at WR? baldwin, kearse and locket (oh yeah richardson too how is he doing for a 2nd rd pick? 5 rec 40 yrds vs Ellington 4 rec for 45 yrds and a TD)
        Elway sure seems smart to bring Manning on board but at some point giving people on the north side of 35 all that $$ will come home to roost. Do you suppose that Sea and Den have better rosters than do the 9ers?

        1. Seattle has a SuperBowl ring thanks in part to Harvin. Denver will most likely get one this year. How many rings does Baalke have?

      3. Nick:

        I just saw your 7:47 am comment from yesterday. I wish I had seen it yesterday, so that my reply was more timely.

        It took you an entire day, and all you could come up with was 2 names? Yep, that settles it; Baalke’s a bum. By the way how do the three teams’ respective records, including playoffs, compare over the past 4 seasons? And while it’s nice that you have already awarded the Lombardi trophy to Denver, perhaps we ought to require them to actually win it before you crown them champions.

        The following two observations are priceless.

        reached for Borland in the draft (highly questionable move)

        Really?

        http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=91054&draftyear=2014&genpos=ILB

        Borland gets drafted in the round predicted and he was a highly questionable reach? OK.

        got lucky with Aaron Lynch.

        What a great self-fulfilling, question-begging circle of b/s that is. Drafting Lynch can’t be used to demonstrate Baalke’s ability to evaluate talent because you’ve already determined he can’t evaluate talent. Therefore it must have been luck, right? That’s a nifty bit of logic. You never have to admit you are wrong because successful draft picks can be dismissed as mere lucky guesses.

        Of course, given the amount of talent on the team, Baalke must be the luckiest man on Earth, luckier even than Ringo Starr.

        Smh.

        Keep digging, Nick. You’re bound to get out of that hole soon; I’m sure of it.

        1. Claude
          Since your attributing all the success to Baalke, please tell us what was his record what Singletary?

          1. Nick:

            Show me where I have attributed all the success to Baalke. I have only objected to your increasingly extreme and absurd position that Harbaugh is solely responsible for the team’s success and that his coaching has covered for the team’s alleged talent deficiency. Just because I don’t think it’s all Harbaugh doesn’t mean I think it’s all Baalke. It’s not an either-or choice.

            That you are left with nothing more than straw man arguments tells me this debate is pretty much settled.

            What is it with people who adopt extreme positions? You almost always seem to think that anyone who calls you out for your extreme position has adopted the opposite position to the same extreme degree.

  32. Thanks for your article. As usual, very well written and organized, direct and to the point. I think we’ll be a better team after the bye. The wounded will be healed. Sorry to lose Kilgore, but I expect MMartin to be an improvement. And Kaep and the receivers are definitely arrow up. I am convinced Kaep has entered the circle of the elite, but obviously his line is chopped liver and not designed to pass protect. I’d be surprised if Baalke does not address that during the offseason.

  33. My grade on Kaep would be higher. Our offense was forced to become one dimensional in the second half due to the poor performance of the defense. I think you have to consider your offensive line grade when evaluating a QBs performance. He made a lot of incredible throws rolling to his left that no other QB in the NFL can make. The pick was a bad decision and his grade certainly should take a ding as a result. However, there was immediate pressure up the middle. Your grades strike me as a bit emotional. I wonder if they would be the same if you wrote the story the following day?

    1. Sad things is had the ball been thrown to Ellington, he would have taken it to the house. …that’s a 14 point swing.

    2. The offense was not forced to become one-dimensional down only 18 with nearly a full half to play. That’s like going to a prevent defense ahead 18 at the half. The 49ers have the tools to score quickly. With a beat-up OL, abandoning the run was the worst thing they could do. It doesn’t matter if Gore or Hyde fail to pick up big yards, it keeps the D honest.

      I was at the game. The Niners were gassed in the second half. Sending out 4 wides with an empty backfield time after time accomplished this: Kap on his ass and Manning back on the field.

      1. Down 18 to a team that would almost certainly score again. They had to press the pace at that point.

  34. I just read the Manning “keep away” celebration was planned ahead of time. ….how lame! But where’s the flag?

  35. I was delusional last season too, when this team was 6-4 and I was saying they were going back to the Super Bowl. Yes they missed by one game, but what some of you don’t understand is. This team has had it’s blowout losses and bad games before the bye. This team also goes on long winning streaks and wins on the road.
    Seattle later in the year and sd at home? Really what other games truly scare you and aren’t winnable this season? It’s a miracle this team is 4-3 heading into the bye with the huge pieces missing. An beating two 6-1 teams in that span. If that doesn’t tell you that the coaching is top notch and they want to win, idk what to tell you. If Seattle was missing chancellor, Sherman, and the other holding cheat in the secondary, and we didn’t blow them out I’d be shocked. Denver would have done the same to them. And I would have expected that. You want to worry a little about the future of this defense then I can’t blame you, but how can a reasonable fan burry this team right now over a blowout loss vs arguably the best qb in history without three pro bowl players? I guess the sky does fall for some.

    1. MD,

      This year seems a little different, I see Kaep improving his clock management the last couple of games, has better pocket presence, and he seems not to zero or just target one receiver Our O line is made up of duck tape and band aids and the same for our d line and secondary. Although we will have Willis and heard that Aldon Smith , might be back a game or two sooner. I am not sure about our coordinators are top notch, if they were, they would be head coaches by now. I am not throwing in the towel yet, far from it. Alot of games left.

    2. I agree Seattle and San Diego back to back are the 2 games that they can afford to lose, but the any means necessary in my earlier post meant that if they slip up against Brees or E. Manning they have to win in Seattle and beat SD to end up 7-2. Ready for the Calvary to arrive, the team to get healthy, and finish strong!

  36. I keep wondering why Vernon Davis keeps getting a pass (no pun intended) on his poor catching ability. Yesterday he dropped yet another ball because he didn’t use his hands and let the ball bounce off his body. Most of his drops are because he either doesn’t extend his arms or he tries to trap the ball against his chest. It’s poor technique that he should have corrected in college.
    All the other 49er receivers use their hands the right way. Why are the coaches not demanding he work on this? Vernon is so good, but he could be even better.

  37. Why the hate for Borland? Team members on TV said heplayed his ass off. Seems the stats bear that out. So what gives?

    1. I was one of the people critical of him. I also stated I would have to see if part of the reason for him being blown backwards was because of the d-line not protecting him. On some of the plays I watched him he was making tackles but it was after the RB had gotten 5+ yards. It seemed as if his first step were backwards instead of forward. That’s just being hard on a rookie. I know the speed of the game is a lot faster. I’m not saying it was a bad pick, I’d just prefer him to be taking on blocks and backs at the line of scrimmage and 7 yards down the field.

      1. I actually thought Borland played pretty well for a rookie, but maybe I missed something. I saw he got pushed back on Hillman’s short yardage TD, but he was one man against Hillman and an OL. He did his best and he at tried his butt off.

      2. What does the linebacker play state about our most valuable linebacker? Willis was greatly missed. Don’t get me wrong. I love Novarro and Smith, but Pat is the man who makes the defensive machine go. Borland played as well as he could at this stage, so people should lay off the rookie. He had a tough assignment.

        In terms of offense, Iupati is key in the run game, it seems. Looks like his stock goes up when he is not on the O line. Last year’s championship game was a case in point.

        A few have stated that Brock should not have been out there, and I concur, but what realistic options did Fangio have?

        On positive side, CK continues to improve. His pocket presence improves each game as do his check downs. That may be the point. This team is trying to get through the season, but they are constantly reading for post season games too.

        I thought the 49ers had an outside shot to “steal” this game if they ran the ball effectively-they didn’t; if mistakes were kept to a bare minimum-they weren’t; if some key players played lights out-Did not occur; and Kap kept progessing-which did occur but he cannot out Payton Manning, yet.

        Niners need to heal and rest up, and go on a tear.

  38. KY, I hope the guy makes it. He seems to have beaten back adversity all the way from junior high. Gotta root for the underdog..

  39. Info from Matt Maiocco

    Johnson – 25 catches, 315 yards, 3 TDs in 153 plays.
    Crabtree – 32 catches, 322 yards, 3 TDs in 361 plays.

    To be fair, what;s not listed is how often Crabtree’s double teamed, or facing the oppositions best CB, or that Crabtree may be getting over a (semi-secret) camp injury.

    Still, the production difference is stark. Stevie Johnson has almost identical yards/TDs playing under 43% of snaps.

    The new guys (Lloyd and Johnson) are doing what we hoped they would do when they signed. Vernon and Crabs need to get well.

    1. I think Johnson is definitely a difference maker and needs more snaps. He started to develop chemistry with Kaep in training camp.

      The Niners were playing 5 wide most of the game so it would be hard to double Crabs and in truth, his play doesn’t warrant a double. Maybe Boldin, but not Crabs. He’s not a breakaway threat, just a good possession WR. I love watching Johnson run after the catch, He’s shifty.

  40. Having had a chance to watch the game and digest, here are my thoughts:

    – The depleted D was out-gunned, plain and simple. Didn’t generate a lot of pressure, though what really hurt them was Manning’s ability to pick apart the zones and find his open receiver.
    – The coverage was not good, no getting away from it. Brock looked every bit like a guy coming back from an injury that was short on reps. The LBs got torn up over the middle by D. Thomas, though Bethea will likely be the one that gets hit by PFF as he was providing coverage over the top on many of those routes. Cox is better on the outside than in the nickel, and he should go back there when Ward is healthy again.
    – I didn’t really notice how Johnson or Cook went, aside from the first TD where Johnson ran into the ref. Maybe that means they weren’t as bad as others?
    – Despite the scoreline, and some people’s comments at the time, I didn’t see the D give up and quit. They kept trying, and the more the game got away they started trying too hard at the expense of assignment integrity (Hillman’s first TD run is a good example), but at least to my eyes it looked like they kept trying to the end. That is a good sign.
    – Kaepernick was decent in the first half, and wasn’t helped by his receivers much. Too many dropped passes, some of them pretty easy ones too. The game should have been tight heading into the half. After the half Kaep was not good.
    – The reason the offense struggled though can be placed at other people’s feet before Kaep. The OL was horrendous. Simply horrendous. Gave up constant pressure from all sides, and couldn’t get any movement in the running game. Its almost laughable to think this was once considered one of the best OLs in the NFL. At the moment I think they are one of the worst.
    – Crabtree, Davis and Boldin were also sub-par. So many drops, and Crabtree and Davis didn’t appear to be getting open. Boldin was his usual self when it came to route running and attitude, but there were two TDs they left on the field, both due to Boldin (his drop, as well as his PI on Crabtree’s TD).
    – However, the biggest issue (aside from the OL) was that the game plan stunk. Once again they abandoned the running game and switched to a spread offense. I don’t mind using the spread as a change up, but making it a staple takes play-action out as an option. The 49ers offense looks best when the threat provided by play-action is the staple of the offense. And while I appreciate the OL wasn’t creating any push, the 49ers are a team that needs to stick with it as this offense struggles when teams know they are passing on almost every down.

    All in all a pretty bad day at the office for the 49ers. Good news is they have a chance to get healthy now, and an easier schedule moving forward. On the personnel front, I would seriously consider getting Johnson and Lloyd more playing time at the expense of Crabtree, not Bruce Miller. And when Aldon Smith is back I would be trying to find ways to get Smith, Brooks and Lynch all on the field in obvious passing downs, if possible.

    1. Why make a lot excuses, it doesn’t matter if N Bowman or A.Smith was playing. The way the Broncos were playing, they would’a beaten us easily. Just take a looked at it Peyton Manning was taken out of the game before the end of 3rd quarter with the 42-10. What does it tell’s you?The 49ers were just over matched, getting tired of all the excuses:-)

    2. Thanks Scooter. Great analysis.

      I barely watched the second half, especially after the Kap pick and Manning TD pass right after. That pretty much killed it for me. But Kap looked great in the 1st. But just way too many mistakes by key players.

      This offense isn’t built to score in a hurry. Let’s get healthy and come out swinging.

    3. Some really good points in there Scooter. Nice job.

      One thing I have noticed is that they are very successful out of the 4 and 5 WR sets when they use them. Problem is they go back to the conventional sets when they get in the Redzone and stall. If they are going to go spread and use it to move down the field, don’t abandon it in the RZ if it worked to get you there.

      1. They didn’t abandon it in the redzone. They were in it on 2 of the 3 plays. A pass to Crabtree that netted 0 yards and a Boldin drop on a walk in TD.

        1. In general Jack. I’m not pointing to a few plays. I’m talking about the common theme when they get into the RZ over the course of the season. Maybe I’ve forgotten, but most of the games I’ve rewatched didn’t feature many 4 and 5 receiver sets in the RZ.

      2. They have had some success with the spread, rocket, but mainly early in games. The problem with going a heavy dose of spread is it eliminates the threat of the run, and teams start to tee off on the pass later on. The OL hasn’t held up. I like the idea of mixing 3 and 4 WR sets in, but the team needs to still keep some balance in those sets to prevent D’s from just reading pass, try and create some hesitation.

  41. Give the whole team F. But than again you’ve got give the Broncos a lot credit in both side of teh game. They mad our team like a Junior playing against the Varsity team. That’s why Kaep is the greatest QB ever:-)

  42. I’m not interested in grading individuals in a sport where there are such complex interrelationships.

    Kap’s interception came at a time when we needed long drives to keep Denver’s offense off the field. Kap forced the ball into coverage when he had an open receiver right in front of him for a first down. A sure first down on third and four was much more important to the team than another twenty yards that would have taken a miracle throw and catch. I hope he comes to see that aspect of football sooner than later. Maybe having a crippled defense will push the lesson home sooner.

    Right now Denver seems to be the elite team in the NFL. There is no guarantee that enough injured players will return for the 49ers to be anywhere near elite this year. Bowman may never be his old self. Willis has turf toe which can kill a season. Aldon may be All Pro when he returns, but that’s probably a long shot.

    With an offensive line struggling, it’s going to be very hard for the offense to cover for the depleted defense. I expect that, from here on out, every game is going to be a struggle. If the 49ers win the Superbowl this year it will be a miracle much like the Giants being in the World Series.

    1. C’mon dude don’t compare the Giants to the 49ers:-) What Miracle are you talking are you talking about?They’re the best team in the league for two months before the S. F Giants players all hit the funk and the team went on a down slide. And it’s not surprising to see how well they’d been playing in the Postseason, because for one reason they have a lot characters and class and they’d always have the Magic in the playoffs, and they have leadership and they feed on each other:-)

      1. The Giants do have a lot of characters and class, but their magic is off the charts.

        Thanks for calling me “dude”. That’s quite a complement at my age.

        1. I love the Giants, and have for years. The only way the Giants are in the World Series this year is because they are all magical warlocks of some sort, or have sold their souls to the devil. And I’m loving every minute of it!

  43. Rewatching the game a couple things stood out. Wilhote is not a NFL starting LB. He avoided more contact than he did initiate it. The other guy beside him deserves no praise or criticism as he was thrown into a very unmanageable situation.
    The secondary whether it’s healthy or not is this teams Achilles heal. What’s up with Eric Reid? He has been playing like a rookie but in his rookie year he was good. What happened?
    Lastly, CK showed a very good fight. He has grown the last 4 weeks as a leader and more refined QB.

    This season is going to come down to getting healthy and running the table in December. We’ve had all our injuries. Now it’s time to turn it up.

    1. “We’ve had all our injuries. Now it’s time to turn it up.”

      What sort of probability theory led you to that conclusion? The risk of injury doesn’t change based on a teams injury history.

      You can hope we are getting healthier, but it’s just a hope.

      1. Probability theory? Are you kidding me?
        Usually teams that have injuries have them early in the season or late. In either case there is no theory. Just going off what I’ve seen in years past. This year it seems adversity has hit the NINERS before their bye week.

    2. I didn’t notice Reid as the problem in the secondary yesterday. The secondary has been playing pretty well this season for the most part until yesterday, and it didn’t appear to me as though Reid was the one to be singling out as having a poor performance.

      1. Scooter, I see Reid biting on a lot of pump fakes. He seems to never be in the right position and overall hasn’t made a difference. Do you see different?
        That first TD last night he bit way too early. Isn’t a free safety suppose to be more or less in coverage against the pass? I know the 49ers safeties are interchangeable but on deep balls, he is no where to be found.

        1. Reid has been inconsistent this year. So has Bethea. But they’re going against Manning and that’s not really fair. Reid played as he was coached, which looked like cover 3 and then Manning went over the top for 2 TDS.
          Likewise, on 3rd and 2, Kaep misread the coverage and tried to force the ball to Johnson and the safety stayed back, when Kaep had Ellington for the 1st down underneath. That play looked like they would have gotten a lot of yards!

            1. Why is everyone so sensitive over Kaep? He’s a grown man playing a grown man’s game.

            2. That’s not an insult. Kap did throw down field into coverage when he had the first down to Ellington. “Fan” does look for none existing faults many times but not this time. It is the kind of fault that Kap has been working on and I think that he’s improving. The man who’s touchdown record was broken last night was famous for the same fault. Once he got it under control he won the Superbowl.

              1. Well at least you didn’t call me a troll. I don’t make up his faults. Everyone knows Colin’s issues and shortcomings now. They also know his strengths. If you just watch him play and objectively watch how he throws the football, and then how his feet move in the pocket, you’ll see some of the nuances and kinks in his game that he will eventually have to deal with and could prevent him from really taking big jumps in his game.

                I thought his 2nd half was pretty good. But as the game goes on, you start to see some of those issues pop up. He only have that one pass, and that’s a fast ball on a slant or dig, because he has not fixed his throwing motion to touch passes.

                He’s improving at a pretty slow pace. If this was still school, he would be in the bottom percentile.
                He’s also making the same mistake. He was locked into his first read. I know you peeps don’t like Cosell, but he said that on the INT, they baited Colin into thinking it was Man coverage. And then when he looked away and to snap the ball, Talib backed off. That was a well designed pick play for Ellington. But because Colin was already locked in, he couldn’t adjust.
                Not sure if this has to do with his wind-up motion. I’m sure he know it’s his hitch, which means if he tries to adjust to a 2nd read, he’s a split second slower because of his big wind-up.
                Not hating — just observing, for better or worse…

              2. One thing that’s being overlooked on this play is the move by Talib. He came off Ellington to loop around to be in position to make the pick.

                I’m not absolving CK of the responsibility of picking that up, he still should’ve hit Ellington for the first down, but it was a veteran move by a very good cover CB.

        2. It’s not that simple Prime. It all depends on where his assignment is and what he sees at the snap. The Broncos were doing a good job of clearing out areas before throwing deep by design. Reid can’t be everywhere at once and sometimes it comes down to your coverage one on one. The Niners lost most of those battles last night and lot of it was positioning at the snap and not getting physical with the receivers. If you give Manning free releases for his targets off the LOS, you are going to be picked apart and that’s what happened. The only chance they had was to play tight and get jams on the receivers, and there was little of that and few attempts at it.

          Miserable game all around and one that they will likely try and forget about as quickly as possible as they have with the regular season games in Seattle. This team has shown a resiliency the past two years to recover from a game like this and come back strong. The fact they will get some people back in the next few weeks will be a plus as well, but the overall play needs to get cleaner on both sides of the ball; particularly up front.

          1. Outside of the Cowboys game Reid has not done much. Compared to his play last year he seems to be trying to do too much or he is not in sync with his assignments.
            Now granted he has had no help from the pass rush or his new corners but overall the secondary has not been very good to a man.

            1. Prime,

              Before this game I thought the secondary was doing quite well actually, especially in light of the lack of pass rush.

              1. I expected more with the size of Culliver on the outside, and Reids second season in the system. Bethea has not been an upgrade over Whitner and its been a revolving door between Cox, now Brock, and Ward.
                Yes the pass rush has been inconsistent but last night showed how much of weakness it is.
                For a pretty good defense, the secondary will be tested a lot the rest of the way.

              2. Prime:

                … overall the secondary has not been very good to a man.

                This is where your fear of statistics leads to you make uninformed assertions. Even when you include last night’s debacle (Manning’s passer rating was nearly perfect), and given the pass rush problems the team has had, opposing QBs still have earned a passer rating of only 84 against the 49ers this season, which ranks 8th in the league. That doesn’t happen when the secondary isn’t playing well.

                http://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/opponent-average-team-passer-rating

              3. Take a step back Claude, don’t look at stats, use the old fashioned eye ball test and tell me:
                1. In this championship defense, where have the breakdowns occurred and where is the weakest part of the defense?

              4. … use the old fashioned eye ball test …

                I don’t think your eyesight is as good as you think it is, and the stats would seem to bear that out.

                Btw, the secondary can be the weakest part of the defense and still be good. It’s not a zero sum game. As for breakdowns, they’ve occurred everywhere.

                The biggest problem with the defense is that it is missing 5 projected starters, 3 of whom are Pro Bowlers and/or All Pros.

  44. Tramaine Brock has been bad since he signed his contract extension last November.

    In the 7 games leading up to the extension he had given up a passer rating of 71.05, with 4 interceptions and only 3 touchdowns.

    In the 11 games since the extension he has given up a passer rating of 107.16 with only 1 interception and 5 touchdowns.

    1. His contract extension has nothing to do with Brock down slide in defense. The truth this guy was playing over his head, and now it’s showing up how terrible of a defender he his. He was good when our veteran CB was still here:-)

      1. He’s been hurt. Turf toe is a tough injury. Besides he missed 6 weeks before last night and comes back against a red hot passing game and no pass rush.
        No one on the 49ers secondary has been great. Cox has been good but even he got burnt last night.

        1. Take out last night and he has still given up a QB rating of 89 since the extension and a 60% completion rate compared to 55% before the extension.

          1. He’s played 2 games all year. Actually one and a half. Add the fact last night was a nightmare for everyone, how can you be critical T. Brock?

            1. It’s not just about last night. He wasn’t very good over the final half of last season, especially from week 15 on when he gave up 31 receptions on 50 targets for 403 yards, 2 touchowns and 1 interception.

              There’s a reason he was the most targeted player in the secondary over that period. Teams will always go after the weakest link.

              1. Weakest link? Last year in the playoffs who got picked on? Carlos Rogers.
                Between Brown, Rogers and Whitner,they all gave up game changing catches. The NINERS could have easily kept any one or three of those guys but decided to keep Brock. Why do you think that is?

              2. They didn’t have to sign him to an extension and they could have drafted his replacement. He was not beaten out in camp and played pretty good in GB, CaR and Seattle in the playoffs.
                The 49ers believe in him,he’s earned his starting role and he’s been hurt.
                For you to evaluate him now and parts of last year is strange for a guy who usually withholds judgment til players perform or not perform in big games. Like I said I thought he was pretty good in the playoffs last year.

              3. “He was not beaten out in camp and played pretty good in GB, CaR and Seattle in the playoffs.”

                He gave up a QB rating of 97.5 in the playoffs with a 65% completion rate and a touchdown.

                “For you to evaluate him now and parts of last year is strange for a guy who usually withholds judgment til players perform or not perform in big games.”

                He didn’t play well in the biggest games of the season last year, and has yet to stop a pass thrown in his direction this year. Romo was 2 for 2 throwing at him in the first quarter before he left the game.

                I understand that you like the guy, but after a hot start he hasn’t played well for a while.

              4. See Prime, if you didn’t run away screaming from stats, you wouldn’t keep making these mistakes.

              5. Claude using QB rating to determine if a secondary is playing well is a joke. How many other factors play into that rating? That’s why stats don’t tell the whole story. There is a million other factors there to determine before saying that QB rating is accurate enough to say the secondary has played well.

                Claude its not a mistake to form an opinion and not use stats. This isn’t politics, it’s sports!

              6. Jack go back to the three playoff games last year. Show me some stats where he played poorly?

              7. Claude using QB rating to determine if a secondary is playing well is a joke.

                Only to those who are afraid of stats. As you yourself have acknowledged, the pass rush has not been it’s usual self. And yet, the pass defense has been very good, last night notwithstanding.

                Claude its not a mistake to form an opinion and not use stats.

                Perhaps, but the way you keep making mistakes, I’m beginning to see a cause and effect.

              8. Does QB rating take into affect if the defense was in man or zone? Does it take into affect how effective a dline is in generating a pass rush? Or how about the team having to travel or play in a anti climatic weather they are not accustomed to?
                Does it also take into affect the whether team was allowed to substitute or was in the correct formation based on the offensive personnel. Also, did the CB have single coverage or help over the top or in the middle or a specific percentage of snaps?
                If there are stats to confirm the effectiveness of QB rating that takes into every subjective or objective cause and affect, I’d gladly say the 49ers secondary is playing well or not.

              9. Prime:

                Now, you’re just being silly. Or stubborn. Or both.

                The passer rating statistic tells you how well or poorly a QB passed against the defense he was playing. Over the course of a season, it tells you how well or poorly he passed against the collection of defenses he faced. Conversely, passer rating against tells you how well or poorly the defense defended against the pass in an individual game or over the course of a season.

                Fwiw (and I think it’s worth a lot), there is a high positive correlation between passer rating and winning.

              10. It’s not silly, those are legit factors that contribute to that rating.
                Passer rating is calculated using a player’s passing attempts, completions, yards, touchdowns, and interceptions.
                Sure but what about strength of schedule, or type of defense you face? The NFC West has some of the best defenses in the league. How is it accurate In comparing it to a teams QB in a division who has to play them to one that doesn’t? Is that a fair and accurate way?
                So back to my original point, how can it determine if a secondary is playing well or not?
                Forget all that? Play along. Tell me what part of the defense that has struggled this year?

              11. Sure, there are lots of factors that contribute to pass defense, but passer rating against explains on a macro level how well a team is defending against the pass. Once again, you have acknowledged that the pass rush is off this year. If the pass defense has been good (and it has), then you have to give credit to the guys in coverage.

              12. So basically the secondary is dependent on the pass rush and the pass rush is dependent on the secondary?
                If that’s the case as you state then the statistic of QB rating against Brock or any other player is not a true measure or accurate enough to determine pass or fail.
                A secondary could face a running offense with minimal pass attempts and score high. Whereas a secondary could face some pass happy teams in consecutive weeks and score poorly.
                My point is that in football it will always vary week to week to who and what your facing. Each team or player faces a different factor every week and the stats are not consistent for all being evaluated.
                Example: AFC West corners face different offenses than would AFC Central corners. The comparison is unmeasurable because the participants are different week to week, season to season.

              13. No Jack you and Claude have not used another player to compare against Brock. But you have used QB rating to show that Brock has not played well. However as I have shown, QB rating against a player is not an accurate enough stat because their are inconsistencies in who it measures against from week to week.
                The sample in which it is measured against changes every time for each player and or defense.

        2. Prime, regardless of whether you like the guy or not, there is no denying Brock was awful yesterday and got picked on a lot. He certainly wasn’t alone, but its the truth.

          Prior to last night the pass defense had actually been very good. I don’t understand why you are saying guys like Cox, Culliver, Ward, Bethea and Reid have struggled this year. Each guy may have had some moments where they have been less than stellar, but as a collective they have been outstanding. That doesn’t mean they haven’t given up some plays, of course they have, but so does every player. And that is despite not getting much help from the pass rush this season.

          Unfortunately for Brock he came back in a game where the whole D struggled against one of the best offenses in the NFL. But he did nothing to distinguish himself positively (and did a lot wrong), which makes me wonder if he deserves a starting role when everyone who has been playing, and playing well, is healthy again.

          1. I don’t think it really matter who was back there. Cox, Ward, Culliver, Brock, Cook, Bethea or Reid. They looked out matched. Fangio didn’t have a good plan on how to stop Peyton, and didn’t have any answers. The Niner D usually sets the tone, so when they’re reeling like that, it’s going to be a long game. They needed to choose their poison with Manning. Maybe Seattle last year was the only team who could have matched up against Manning because they were allowed to grab and mug. The slowed down Denver in Seattle, but Denver did force OT.
            And then Russell lead a drive to win the game. If only Colin didn’t throw that pick and if only he had hit Lloyd on the post. Oh well…

  45. your grade for Kaepernick seem to be a tad too harsh. I’d have given him a C- and Gabbert getting a TD even in garbage time is cause for celebration and would nudge the grade to a solid C.

    I’d give Fangio a bit of a pass considering he has one starting linebacker and one shaky CB returning from injury.

  46. It boggles my mind how some of you talk about how horrible the secondary is this year. Does ZERO pass rush mean anything to some of you?
    This is what a good secondary does when it’s on it’s own island with no help up front.
    Get turnovers
    Extend the play for a sack or throw away..
    Don’t get beat over the top

    Now unless I’m a true homer I can’t see where these guys haven’t done this with no help most of the time.
    Again before last night this group is one of the best in the league. Did some of you forget that Bowman is also a huge piece to our pass rush? Not just Smith? The lb’s are the most crucial part in a 3-4 defense and we are missing not 1 not 2 but THREE all pro lb’s. I was laughing at some of the predictions this week even from folks on here I respect. A blowout was going to happen last night. With Willis it might have been closer. This league is a league of luck now.
    Those who stay healthy are going far, if you’re not healthy this water downed league will get you destroyed by the healthier team. I’ve heard the same people on here calling me crazy for thinking we will win the division still and Arizona won’t. I’ve heard Arizona is better, Arizona has a huge lead, arizona is also injured all over the place….. But I didn’t see any of those folks putting up the beat down Arizona got from Denver. But yet they are still the best team in the division. Lol
    Take a look at their schedule heading into Sunday from here on out. The cupcake games are done. Now is when we find out of they’re really this good. My hunch is… NOPE!
    1 game under last year at this time and the season is over. Lmao hilarious!

    1. Fruitcake, don’t take everything so literal. The worst part of the defense is the secondary. The dline has done it’s just in stopping the run. The LB’s have done an okay job in defending the short and intermediate routes and in stopping the run.
      All I’m saying is the secondary has not done its part yet. It’s the one area that is not up to par with the rest of the defense.

    2. I bet a coworker today that we’d win the NFC West. He’s a Cardinals fan and convinced they are pretty much going to win out.

  47. So much for last week when the Niners played their best game. I didn’t comment as I wanted to know if it was for real. Now, they played the worst game of their year. I think they need an upgrade at every position except the Receivers, and even they need a real kick in the pants.

  48. Looking at the 49er schedule, they should help drive Oakland to 0 and 16, I feel the back to back road games is going to hurt them. I feel they’ll make it to 9 and 7, and I’m being more then generous. I still feel one and out playoff.

    1. If they go 9-7 i don’t think they’ll make the playoffs. The NFC is too deep. We’d have to beat the Eagles/Cowboys, Hawks, and 2 of the NFC North teams. That would be tough to do with a 9-7 record. I think 10 wins would likely get us in to a 6th seed.

      1. The 49ers will likely need to get to 11 wins to make the playoffs. Right now they are chasing Green Bay and Philly for a wild card spot.

      2. There’s a lot of games left to go and I’m still not a believer that Dallas can sustain what they are doing right now. I think they lose at least another 2-3 games before it’s over. I also see the Cards losing a few with their second half schedule. Too early to make playoff prognostications.

        1. “I’m still not a believer that Dallas can sustain what they are doing right now. I think they lose at least another 2-3 games before it’s over.”

          That’s still 12-13 wins.

          1. That’s what I was thinking. I’m sure Dallas fans would be happy about that.

            I agree with Rocket’s thoughts on the Cards though. They have the Eagles, Cowboys, Lions, and Hawks in Seattle coming up. They will truly be tested. I don’t think they’re the real deal. It should be a very close division race by the end of the year.

            1. The Cardinals are the real deal under Bruce Arians. Arians is 24-10 as a head coach since taking over the Colts in 2012 when Pagano was ill.

              They will be tested, but even if they lose 2 of those games you listed they are still at worst tied for first with either the 49ers or Seahawks and right now they own the tie breaker over SF.

              1. They have the wins to back them up at this point, but they really haven’t looked great while doing it. I know I hate the ugly win argument, but statistically they haven’t looked great and they’ve faced quite a few subpar teams in WAS, OAK, and NYG.

                I know that’s also partly due to the injuries they’ve had at QB

        2. My point wasn’t to predict wins and losses. I simply meant that Dallas likely won’t sustain this level of play and will lose a few in the second half. If we get down to counting wins and losses as it pertains to making the playoffs, then there is also the fact the NFC East still features a number of head to heads that will have an effect on Philly, Dallas or both. The NFC North is the same with the Packers and Lions having to play again along with both still having to play the Patriots.

          In summary, I’m saying there’s a lot of football left to be played and the teams sitting high and mighty right now, may not be in another 6 weeks or so.

          Leo,

          The Cards will fall to earth in the second half of the season with that schedule.

          1. Put it however you want it. 10 wins will put the 49ers in the same position as 10 wins put Arizona a year ago.

            1. In the Montana years, the 49ers missed the playoffs with ten wins and won the Superbowl with the same number of wins. Ten is a painful number.

            2. Possibly and I didn’t dispute that anyway. I’m saying that things will be much closer record wise when the second half of the season is played. The Cardinals are going to come back to the pack and I think the Niners can still reach 11 wins.

  49. Looking at the PFF grades for the o-line, Boone graded out well (3.8 overall, 1.9 for pass blocking, 1.7 for run blocking). Did he play so much better because he finally had Anthony Davis next to him (even if Davis himself played poorly) or was it just that Denver had so much success against Davis, Staley and Looney that it didn’t bother to test Boone?

    1. Either way, this Kilgore injury definitely doesn’t help. We got consistent play out of him. Now we’re looking to a rookie just coming of an injury and who didn’t have much of an off-season.

      I’m a bit concerned going forward with all the turmoil we’ve had on the line up to this point.

      1. M&M is more physically imposing than Kilgore, however his mastery of the entire playbook is the question that will not get answered until we see him in action. If he gets it, the potential is there for an upgrade…..

      2. I agree with you there. If we can get Iupati back during the bye, and get Davis up to speed we should look a lot better than we have at any point in this season.

        If we can just stay healthy from here on out, but that’s a lot to ask.

  50. the Seattle Seahawks will be more than happy to
    restart their season (and reignite their SB hopes)
    with two resounding wins against “this” Niner team.

    my, my, my … Pete Carroll’s gum is tasting good…
    Note to Coach Harbaw: why the f-ing time out late?

    1. Hey there buddy. I just play the wonderful song from the Seattle DJs they laid out for old Jim Harbaugh. Last 2 losses for your seattle, total ripoffs. I don’t know what the NFL is doing anymore with joke officiating to allow this to happen. Maybe they want Dallas to win it all, I don’t know, but I think of it as a step to get rid of Harbaugh.

    1. He did say Kaepernick was MVP. So there you have it. He is the leader of a very average offense.

      1. Yep, he like many others can see that Kaep has progressed as a player and is playing pretty well. And he also said the main reason the offense is middle of the pack is the play of the OL, which he blames on a lack of continuity.

        And by “very average” I assume you mean it is, as Maiocco put it, middle of the pack. Not the way some use very average to mean not good.

  51. It’s been a long time since I saw a Niners game where the entire fourth quarter was garbage time. I’m glad this wasn’t a home game… No telling how long it would take to get the stink out of the building from this one.
    Meanwhile, Manning gets his record against our second string D. Not that he hasn’t earned it over the years, but in my mind, there’s a little asterisk attached. I’m hoping we get a chance to see how he does against the REAL Niners in the last game of the season. I envision A very different outcome.

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