49ers @ Colts live blog

This is the live blog of the 49ers’ Week 5 road game against the Colts. I will update this frequently with information and analysis from my living room.

9:46 Here are the 49ers inactives:

  • SS Eric Reid
  • LB Reuben Foster
  • FS Adrian Colbert
  • LB DeKoda Watson
  • OL Erik Magnuson
  • WR Kendrick Bourne
  • LB Mark Nzeocha

10:02 The Colts receive the opening kickoff.

10:10 Adam Vinatieri blasts a 52-yard field goal, and the Colts lead 3-0. The 49ers invited the Colts into field-goal range with soft zone coverage and no pressure on third downs. Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh finally blitzed when the Colts got the 49ers 25-yard line and the blitzer, Jaquiski Tartt, sacked Jacoby Brisett. Blitz more, Robert.

10:22 George Kittle drops a pass in the end zone on third-and-4 from the Colts 10-yard line. That’s his third drop in the past three games. Robbie Gould makes a short field goal and ties the game at three.

10:23 Brian Hoyer didn’t take any hits during the opening drive and played well. What a shocker. He completed 7-of-8 passes for 73 yards. Pierre Garcon caught five of those passes.

10:26 The play design on the opening drive was excellent and the play call to Kittle was perfect against the Colts blitz. Kittle has to catch that pass.

10:30 DeForest Buckner and Solomon Thomas tackle Colts backup running back Marlon Mack for a two-yard loss. The Colts will face third-and-7 from their 41 when the second quarter starts.

10:33 The 49ers rush five defenders, and Aaron Lynch hits Brissett as Brissett throws incomplete. The 49ers will take over from their eight-yard line after the punt.

10:41 The Niners go three-and-out because Hoyer and Kyle Juszczyk fumbled an exchange on second-and-six.

10:42 The Colts fumble during the punt return but the 49ers don’t recover. Both teams are trying to give away the game early.

10:45 That second offensive series by Shanahan was just awful.  Zone read for Juszczyk? What was Shanny thinking?

10:47 On third-and-10, the Niners rush five and Aaron Lynch hits Brissett for the second time in this game. The Colts go three-and-out.

10:50 The Niners go three-and-out again. Garcon has been invisible for two straight series after catch five passes for 51 yards on the first drive of the game. Don’t overthink it, Kyle. Get the ball to Garcon.

10:58 On third-and-10 from the 49ers’ 44, Elvis Dumervil makes right tackle Joe Haeg fall on his face, then sacks Brissett for an eight-yard loss. That’s three sacks the past two games for Dumervil. Niners ball at their 19 after the punt. Let’s see if Shanny can locate Garcon’s name on the play sheet.

11:06 Shanahan fails to get the ball to Garcon for the third drive in a row, and the Niners punt after five plays.

11:10 The 49ers may have benched NaVorro Bowman. He’s not on the field for this series. He looked painfully slow trying to run down backup tight end Darrell Daniels earlier in the game.

11:16 Rashard Robinson breaks up a pass intended for T.Y. Hilton on third-and-goal from the 5. Adam Vinatieri makes a short field goal and the Colts lead 6-3 with 59 seconds left in the first half.

11:21 Robbie Gould makes a 43-yard field goal with two seconds left in the half. Game tied at six. Shanahan call two passes for Garcon during that drive and gained 27 yards. I can’t figure out why Shanny went away from Garcon in the first place.

11:23 Brissett takes a knee. Halftime.

11:23 One adjustment the defense should make: The slot defenders should play with inside leverage to take away the inside releases and quick passes, which hurt the 49ers in the first half. If the slot receiver works up field passed the quick throw game, then the slot corner can transfer to an outside technique.

11:34 NaVorro Bowman isn’t injured — the 49ers benched him in the second quarter.

11:40 On third-and-10, the Colts green dog and sack Hoyer. The Niners go three-and-out. Hyde fumbled a toss and loss six yards on second-and-4. Frank Gore has thoroughly outplayed him.

11:53 NaVorro Bowman returns to the game for the Colts’ opening drive of the second half. Aaron Lynch commits a neutral-zone infraction and a roughing-the-passer penalty. Elvis Dumervil and DeForest Buckner sack Brissett on second-and-18. And Robert Saleh gives the Colts and easy three points by calling a prevent defense on third-and-29 from the 31. Brisett checks down to Robert Turbin who picks up 11 yards. 9-6 Colts.

12:03 Joe Staley gives up a sack to Jabaal Sheard on third-and-16 from the 49ers 16, and the Niners punt.

12:09 Marlon Mack scores a 22-yard touchdown run after Jaquiski Tartt over pursues Mack in the backfield and gets caught in the wrong gap. Mack cuts back and there’s no one to stop him. Colts lead 16-6.

12:20 Hoyer hits Breida for a five-yard completion on third-and-4 from the Colts 36. 49ers face first and 10 when the fourth quarter starts.

12:23 On third-and-3 from the Colts 22, Garcon gets held but the officials don’t throw a flag. Looked like a penalty. Gould makes a 40-yard field goal, and the Niners trail 16-9.

12:33 On second-and-goal from the 3, Brissett runs a QB draw and scores. The Niners missed 357 tackles during that drive. Let’s blame Hoyer. Colts lead 23-9.

12:41 Hoyer completes a beautiful 51-yard pass to Marquise Goodwin, who goes up and catches the ball high above his head. Goodwin has improved his technique since earlier in the season. Good for him. Three plays later, Hoyer completes a shovel pass to Kyle Juszczyk, who scored for six yards out. 23-16 Colts with eight minutes left.

12:48 Brissett misses an open receiver down field on third-and-7 from the Colts 38, and they punt. Niners ball at their 11 with 5:29 left.

12:57 George Kittle catches a 19-yard pass and gets tackled at the Colts two-yard line just before the two-minute warning. Hoyer has thrown for 340 yards in this game.

1:04 On fourth-and-goal from the 5, Trent Taylor sets a legal pick for Kittle, who makes a five-yard touchdown catch. Kittle had five catches for 73 yards on that drive. Gould makes the extra point, and the game is tied at 23 with 20 seconds left.

1:07 The fourth quarter ends. Here comes overtime for the second week in a row.

1:09 The Colts win the toss and choose to receive the kickoff.

1:20 On first-and-goal from the 8, Ray Ray Armstrong intercepts Brissett in the end zone and returns the pick to the 49ers 28-yard line. That’s Armstrong second interception in the past two games. The Niners can win with a field goal.

1:26 On second-and-20 from midfield, Laken Tomlinson commits a holding penalty. Ugh. Niners punt three plays later. Colts get the ball at their 18 with 3:39 left.

1:34 Vinatieri is on the field to attempt a 51-yard field goal.

1:34 He crushes it. Colts win. 49ers are 0-5. Stay tuned for my Periscope postgame report and team grades.

This article has 350 Comments

  1. **** Goodwin. Can’t catch. Can’t block. Can’t stay healthy.

    Least he made up for it with that catch.

  2. Announcer is an idiot. That’s scored a bad-pass, not a drop. A drop is when you can catch the pass without any sort of ‘exceptional effort’ like diving to the ground or trying to catch it behind your back.

      1. I would agree with Moses. He had to stretch out for a ball low to the ground to make that catch. Sure it hit his hands but it took extraordinary effort to even get his hands on the ball . A drop is exactly that a drop of a pass usually catchable pass. That sort of pass is not always caught. If you have to leap and stretch at the same time to even get your hands on it I wouldn’t call that a drop. Sure it was catchable but still a very difficult catch to make.

    1. That wasn’t a pass that a receiver always makes. It was low and he had to leave his feet and stretch to even get his hands on it.

  3. totally agree put a hand on them at least,we already know what happens in soft zone it’s a dud.

  4. Brian Hoyer is playing against a very bad defensive team and still looks like the worst starting QB in the league.

    Painful to watch!

    1. Disagree. The plays are there but need a consistent QB to execute this proven offense. Penalties are troubling though which Kyle needs to get a handle on.

  5. The 49ers are proving beyond any doubt, if you don’t have a QB, you don’t have SQUAT!

  6. Would like to see some more runs on 1st down. Hyde is running the ball at 4.9 yards a clip this year. Feed him already.

    1. That 4’9 is deceptive. He had that one good game with those two long runs through huge holes which increased his ypc considerably. In this game he isn’t getting those holes and he isn’t effective.

        1. Ah. Different icon. I was wondering how you kept changing your icons… I didn’t think about a dupe-troll.

      1. Hahahaha. True entertainment. Let stolen valor see what it’s like to be trolled as he trolls this site.

  7. In all the things I imagined this game might be… 3-3 deep in the second quarter was not one of them.

  8. Sideline reporter doing such a great job explaining why Hyde wasn’t in the last drive and why Bowman has missed the last 2 or 3 plays…

  9. Brisset appears to have the tools and mental makeup to be a starter. Let’s see if he gets a chance to put it together.

  10. No idea why Shan thought Hoyer was the best option for his offense and why he hated Watson or for that matter, Brissett both of whom give you so many more options when you don’t have many offensive weapons. I’m all for tanking this year but Lynch better do something with a high pick cuz Thomas was a whiff at #3 compared to what he could’ve had.

    1. He wanted a QB with experience with his complex offense, especially the lengthy play calling. Just look at how poorly Matt Ryan fared his first year in Shanahan’s system. Hoyer started well in this game, but as usual his inconsistency takes over.

      1. Maybe he really didn’t want to overachieve with a temp QB. Perhaps this season is like training camp and preseason are to other teams. They are now 0-5 with 4 games they could have won. They are better than their record indicates plus they will draft high. This is the best case scenario for this season. This is what you want for long term success.

    2. Yeah, as Grant advised Shanalynch should have just gone with that other experienced QB who has available. Too bad the Fins got him..

      1. A major problem for Armstead is that for a third year player, he’s too inconsistent from play to play.

    1. He wasn’t brought in to be the starter. He is just their to help establish the offense. Thats all. You want at least one QB who knows the offense. Hoyer probable will not even finish this season once Beathard learns the system well enough. Does anyone really believe that Shanahan was going to really give his real impressions and plans for Hoyer and the team this season ? Naturally he is going to say what he did.

  11. Hmmm, the Niners wasted a time out, so they did not have all 3 to use in the last 2 minutes.
    .
    Some day…….

  12. Another self inflicted wound. AW was kneed in the head by one of his own players.
    .
    This game is tied at the half, and the Niners get the ball first.
    .
    This is a very winnable game.

  13. I feel like we could be 3-1maybe4-1 if we would just quit out thinking ourselves.just give the ball to Hyde and stick to the simple stuff we would be doing great.when we try and do some thinking we shoot ourselves in the foot,come on man

    1. Hyde wasn’t going to do anything against this defense. He now needs big holes to be effective. That is why they had him lose weight, however that also effects his strength and ability to break tackles. I personally do not think it was a good idea because he still is not as quick and fast as the other Rb’s in hitting the holes and he has lost what made him effective last season. He does not have the strength to run through tackles anymore and in respect to holes faster RB’s would take more advantage of them.

  14. Hoyer at the half at Colts 2017: 12/17 130 yards 0 TD 0 INT 92.8 RAT 6-6 score

    Kaep at home entire game vs Colts 2013: 13/27 150 yards 0 TD 1 INT 49.8 RAT 27-7 loss

    Yea, where’s Kaep? Sitting on his couch in his PJ’s, right where he belongs! LOL! What a chump!

    1. While it is silly to even bring Kaep into the conversation of QB for the 49ers, comparing the two teams from 4 years ago is also silly. When are some of you going to get it through your heads that you really can not logically do that. Could it be that it is because you lack logic.

    1. I suspect that he is still not 100 percent. He looks slow. However I think he doesn’t want to sit, because if Breida or the other faster backs ever get the opportunity to run through the same holes he had in his big game it will show that they can take greater advantage of them. In Hydes 60 yard run in which he was caught from behind those other backs would have taken it too the house.

    1. If Kaep was the QB he was in 2012 they would still not bring him back. It isn’t about Kaep but the system they want to run. It’s like they want to remodel the 49ers in their own image. When you remodel you have to get rid of all the furniture that doesn’t fit with the new decor. When are you going to get that through your head. You do not remodel around one piece of furniture if you already have a different motif in your mind.

    1. No big holes for him to run through. Those holes made him look better than the really is. He does look slower than normal. They made him lose weight to gain speed but he still is a lot slower than the rest of the RB’s and he has lost the strength that went alone with his loss of weight. In this system speed is more important than strength. Besides that he does get injured to easily and the loss of weight would make that even worse.

  15. I have no one to blame but Kyle for the piss poor readiness after half ,defense at least is prepared

    1. I think if he plays through the year injury free, let’s see if he plays itself into better form next year’s camp. The back to back injuries take time. He may come back even better. We need to assess the MLB position for sure. I would argue we need to draft another ILB high next year as well.

      1. Wishful thinking! How long ago was his first injury. He has not even come close to what he was. The odds decrease with time. They couldn’t get rid of everyone at once with their rebuild and he was one it suited them to keep this year. I doubt he will end up on the team they envision. You are looking at is as loyal fans and not objectively.

  16. Not a Kaep fan at all but lets not leave out the pesky FACT that the Colts were division winners at 11-5 that year. Let Hoyer face that D from 2013 and I’m sure he would suck like Kaep…

    1. 84.6 QB rating against in 2013
      84.4 QB rating against in 2017.

      There were other factors, including the NFC South was pretty bad (except the Colts) that year.

      1. The 2013 Colts also played 2 divisions with 2 playoff teams each in the NFC West and AFC West and throw in AFC North division winner Cincy, and an 8-8 Miami team. So don’t make it seem like the 2013 record came from playing just the AFC South. Do your stats point out that the 2017 Colts got their rating boosted based on playing a horrible Carson Palmer and D. Kizer while getting torched by Wilson and Goff. The point is stats can be skewed and the 2013 Colts had better players that the 2017 Colts. P.S. Kaep sucks! Stopped being a fan the moment he said he would go to Crabtree vs Sherman 1-on-1 every time after the playoff loss. Lol

    2. People always seem to forget those inconvenient circumstances and differences between the teams they compare players records and stats with. Teams change every year and even mid seasons. This applies not only to the the opposition but also the teams that the players have around themselves.

  17. Mental errors. Someone needs to make a play but be smart. Hold your assignments and the cream of the crop will rise up. If nobody rises up then that tells you Niners have mediocre players. This is not all on Kyle.

    1. There is a lack of adequate focus among the players. The vets seem to have their own problems

  18. I agree with the announcer. Saleh basically gave them the 3 points on that last defensive play. Play aggressively or at least don’t play ultra passively.

    1. His all gas no brake mantra is mostly false. Lots of soft zone, just don’t let them in the endzone.

    1. What you have to lose is a QB who is not familiar with the playbook and offense. it is bad enough when an individual player does not know the system but it’s a killer when the QB doesn’t. Get a clue, they are not going for wins this season. They just want to get a core of the players familiar with the offense while also evaluating how well they will fit in. They are now 0-5. The could with , the right breaks, be 4-1, but what good would that do them in respect to the long term. Their record would be based on over achievement and they would lose draft positions that is critical in rebuilding. A competitive 0-5 is the best case scenario for them right now. A better record using temp players that are not in the long term future for this team is counter productive.

    1. There is plenty of time left this season to evaluate CJ. They will probably do that in the later part of the season. Even if he starts the last few games it will still server that purpose. You guys still don’t get what Shanahans and Lynches plan for this season is.

  19. Hogan replaces Kizer and throws for a TD — first time the Browns have led this season.

    1. Faster RB are better suited to the system that they run. Breida looks better because he is faster and can get to the holes and around end quicker. Hyde also looks even slower than he usually does. Breida actually has some openings to run through in this game. He never had those in his previous games. I always say never judge players on their stats but how well they takes advantage of the opportunities that they are presented with.

    1. I thought he looked reasonably good on only the first drive of the game and the drive just before the half. Outside of that not good.

    2. Yes. He’s who he is what I thought he has been all his career. I think in general, and within a game, his play gets worse as the game progresses. And his game-to-game play gets worse as the season wears on. However, I don’t have numbers to prove it.

    3. Yes, on the last drive all he had to do was step up to avoid the sack. He has no pocket awareness

  20. Agree with Grant Cohn: We have been killed twice by the silly prevent defense. WE lost the game last week that way. Saleh is no DC. He is a position coach only.

  21. Hoyer reminds me of a headless chicken running around

    put in the rookie ….the playcallling makes sense, let’s move on, let’s see what he can do

    1. I would rather they have a 0-16 record than a 4-12 record. Better draft choices :)

      1. Anonymous Coward- What is wrong with you. Here you go thinking logically. These guys just do not get the purpose of this season. Shanahan and lynch outlined it right when they were hired but I guess no one listened.

  22. Too bad, this was the most winnable game of the year… Can’t imagine how lopsided this would be if Luck was playing.

  23. Can we see CJ soon? I predicted he would replace the horrible Hoyer in week 6 but it might be sooner

      1. Every hope I had for this team is playing itself out. Yes Hope! The hope for this team lies in the future not the present. That hope lies in the solid rebuilding of this team, staying on point with the plan and not sacrificing that rebuild just to win a few games now.

    1. Are you serious? A competent QB with a reliable receiver opposite to Garcon would have led these play calls to 2-3 TDs by now.

    1. They want to get the entire offense involved. They want to install the system and not just go with what works short term. These guys seem to have a plan. I can see it even if some of you don’t.

  24. I still can’t get used to seeing a Forty Niner QB throw the ball to the left side of the field after the ineptness of the last two years. Very refreshing.

    1. Especially since their were a lot of good receivers still available in a rich receiver draft. The worst thing about Ward was that it took to long for him to make a contribution to the team. Too much of his rookie contract time was eaten up before he contribute. Mostly because of injury, but then he was injured when he was drafted.

  25. The announcer I don’t know what his name is is saying the same thing I’ve been saying “I don’t know why the 49ers are playing so soft?”

    1. Because Robinson and Johnson, between the two of them, have been making every QB they’ve faced look like a HOFer. The combined QB rating against them is about 108.0.

      In short, they’re routinely burned. At least with a soft zone they won’t give as many explosive plays.

      1. Easy with those insults. I personally liked Paul HOFer as a player. He was very inspiring. LOL.

    1. Niners do not need a kap. They already have the largest salary kap space in the league.

  26. What great protection and what a great throw and catch. If only they could do that more consistently.

  27. Hoyer 21/31 255 YDS 1TD 0 INT 103.6 RAT

    Kaep 13/27 150 YDS 0TD 1 INT 49.8 RAT

    Do the math.

    1. Top-10 back averaging 4.9 YPC vs a 2nd stringer averaging 3.6. You should never criticize anyone. Ever. You’re dumber than a box of rocks.

  28. Now that was a smart call, feels like we haven’t converted a short yardage play on the ground in years.

  29. Agree Moses. Also, to blame this game on Hoyer, win or lose, is moronic. He’s done more than enough to win this game.

  30. Nothing like struggling to beat the worst team in the league. Maybe the kool aid chuggers will finally see this team for what it is, bad.

  31. We just must get a credible CB pair. Johnson has always been a joke and Rashard is outdoing him and was overhyped. Two bad Baalke picks.

  32. How does anyone equate the Colts being the worst team in football? Their record is 1-3. Please explain.

  33. Seems like every week we get the ball and it’s ours to win. Good teams drive down and score, bad teams don’t.

  34. Armstead again failed to seal the edge… He should be traded before he loses all of his value to other teams.

  35. where is Thomas? Our blown first round guy Thomas! Terrible defense again against a bad team.

  36. game over…Kyle looks bad again. Granted, he has little talent. Saleh looks really bad today as do the fraudulent CB’s.

    1. That could be said about the last 3 games.
      The pass rush came back down to earth now that they played an oline that didn’t have 2 or more starters injured. :/
      And these db’s absolutely kill me, how we didn’t find more help here is beyond me. This next season expect a full overhaul.

  37. look for Grant to revise his silly 9-7 prediction downward. Is it more like maybe 2 wins?

    1. The scary part is Weatherspoon cant get on the field even with our db’s… not very promising.

  38. We might as well sign two CB’s off the street. Johnson and rashard just are not NFL quality.

    1. Yeah, leave it to Robinson to celebrate his pbu when he could have saved the game with an int…

  39. I said over and over pick Fournette.
    I said over and over he is the next great back in the NFL
    His stats today
    Over 180 yards at 6.5 avg
    Should have grabbed him and Foster then a guard instead of Mr Softy Witherspoon
    Thomas was a bad pick
    Either take a QB and roll dice or take the sure thing in a back like Fournette.
    5 years from now Fournette will be a household name and one of those or a couple of those Qbs we could have had will be top ten guys.
    Where will Thomas be?

  40. Another entertaining game. Another overtime loss. Another day closer to the #1 pick, although the injury prone NYG just might go winless.

    George Kittle has arrived!

    This team is a franchise QB, lockdown CB and #1 WR away from competing for a division title. Works for me.

  41. Silver linings:

    1) Team fights hard and hasn’t given up — they obviously believe in the coaching staff.
    2) Foster and Reid most likely back next week.
    3) Niners should receive a boost in talent in next year’s draft.

  42. Niners did not follow my advice, even though posters derided it like it was so simplistic, it was not worth mentioning.
    .
    I said that the Niners should go bold,and not settle for field goals.
    .
    I said that the Niners should consider time outs to be precious, and saved for the last 2 minutes of each half.
    .
    The Niners could have won the game if only they had gone for the 2 point play. Even Jerry Rice said that. I am not the only one who advocates that the Niners go for the win, not the tie.
    .
    Niners just defeated themselves, again.

    1. I’m glad the Colts ST coach used your advice and decided to use one of your idiotic plays with predictable results.

      A 2 point play with a team that can barely get into the end zone in 4 attempts? Just shut up.

        1. Just because someone was one of the best WR ever, does not mean they are a good strategist. A lot of great players make bad coaches. His opinion should carry no more weight than anybody else’s.

          1. I will take the opinion of Jerry Rice, the GOAT, over the peanut gallery, every day of the week and twice on Sundays.

  43. Jerry should stick to catching, not coaching. Seb should stick to toking, not coaching. Jerry is a Hall of Famer. Seb is a Hall of Shamer!! Lol! Knuckleheads unite!

    1. Are you calling Jerry Rice a knucklehead just because he agrees with me?
      .
      Going for the 2 point conversion would have been a bold play.
      .
      I am confident the Niners could have gotten 2 yards. You obviously think they could not.

  44. Stick to toking Seb. Your so phony. If they had gone for two and not made it, you’d be the first one to second guess!

    1. I would have lamented their failure, but applauded them being bold, and going for the win.
      .
      Going for the tie is what losers do. Going for the win, is what winners do.
      .
      Some day, the Niners will learn how to win.

  45. As great as Jerry was on the field, he’s never been accused of being a rocket scientist. I doubt you have been either. Yes, your both knuckleheads if you think they should have gone for two points. Does that need further explaining? Knucklehead = not too bright.

    1. Jerry Rice has more knowledge in his toenail clippings than you do in your whole body.
      .
      Some Niner fan are you, dissing the GOAT.

  46. Dude, you couldn’t pick Jerry Rice out of a lineup! Not unless they have a pic of him in your “Football for Dummies” handbook! SU! Your pathetic.

  47. I would have said “police lineup” but you would have twisted that phrase into something political you little weasel! Your a disgrace.

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