Carlos Hyde keeps his 49ers running back job, but he’ll have to share it

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SANTA CLARA — Carlos Hyde still holds the title of the 49ers starting running back despite getting benched Sunday for most of the second half against the Colts, Kyle Shanahan confirmed at his Monday press conference. But Hyde and his backup, Matt Breida, may split time moving forward.

“I plan on going with Carlos early,” Shanahan said, “and I plan on spelling him with Breida regardless, whether (Hyde)’s doing good or bad. Breida had a real good week of practice. We weren’t out there as much as we wanted (against the Colts), especially early in the game, and we ended up just going with the hot hand. We felt like Breida was going better at the time. I think they ended up 35 plays (for Breida) to 33 plays (for Hyde), so it was pretty even. That’s how it played out in that game, but I think it will be a different story each week.”

Click here to read the rest of my Tuesday article.

This article has 136 Comments

  1. I gotta go with Shanny ..when he says ..=>

    “…I plan on going with Carlos early,” Shanahan said, “and I plan on spelling him with Breida regardless, whether (Hyde)’s doing good or bad….”

    Can’t see how Carlos could disagree … (don’t know if he does, either) ..

    After all … Shanny knows a bit about Hyde’s injury history,
    I would imagine .. and is just trying to delay the possible ..inevitable..

    Carlos has been doing a great job… considering .. the cleats he’s had to fill !

    (Ah ! … memories of Steve Young …huh ?)

    1. Shanny likes multi back attacks. With Carlos, it can’t hurt. Backs like to get their rhythm, but you have to produce. Who’s hot?

      Another note, watching MNF. Wheaton looked great coming out of college. Grant loved him and I didn’t disagree. Disappointment x2. Bust in our evals. It happens

    2. He is not changing his game planning based on the limitations of the available personnel, thanks to the luxury afforded by his 6-year contract. That’s a good thing for the young players.

    3. He runs two different backs with two different basic styles of play. That’s his style. I think if he had Barry Sanders, he might do it differently. But there are very few backs that ever make it to the NFL with the abilities of Barry Sanders.

      1. Way too early draft prediction is that when the 49ers draft Saquon Barkley, back up running backs will be an after thought.

        1. Can’t believe Saquan Barkley gets all this ESPN and pollster Love when Bryce Love is eclipsing him soundly. As an all-round threat, McCaffrey was way better in 2015 than Barkley and didn’t win the Heisman (CMac was not even in the top 5 of one-third Heisman voters that year which completely de-legitimizes the Heisman to me).

          Love is by far the most explosive and productive college RB in the country so far, either running between tackles or outside. In just six games, Love has rushes of 75, 69, 68, 62, 61, 59, 53, 51, 47, 43, 39, 39, 32, 31, 31, 30, 27, 25, 21, and 20 yards. And none of the games are include patsies that SEC and Big 10 schedule to pad wins and stats.

          Love is averaging 10.5 ypc. His awesomeness in charted here:
          http://engaging-data.com/bryce-loves-awesomeness-updates/

  2. RIP YA Tittle. Yet another Forty Niner QB better than Kaep! The list only grows! ;>}

    On a serious note, I hope that all of you and your families and friends are safe from the horrific fires today that still continue as I type. One of my nephews lost his home in Coffey Park this morning, but he and his girl friend luckily escaped with their animals. Not much else. Things can be replaced. Lives can’t. Again, hope all is well and prayers to all the unfortunate victims to this horrible event.

    1. I did not post yesterday morning because my son called at 6 AM, and I spent the morning helping him clear his roof and gutters, and cleared branches off his roof. I brought hoses and sprinklers so we soaked down the property.
      .
      Sorry to hear about your nephew, but glad he is safe.
      .
      Yesterday, it looked like it was snowing, but it just left a fine layer of ash. Black pieces of burnt leaves and debris fell that were the size of my hand.
      .
      RIP YA Tittle, another Niner Great.

  3. So another preseason darling bites the dust. So long Lorenzo. Turns out playing safety against second and third stringers isn’t as easy as playing against first team players.

    I suspect this means Eric Reid will be right to play this week.

    1. Recall the pre-season Hall of Fame player Marcus Rush?
      Wonder if Reid and the Niners can work out an extension. His brother just won the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week and is one of the top 5 free safeties in college. Although a junior, he may declare for the 2018 draft.

      1. I think he’s on the Chiefs’ practice squad now. He played for the Jags (2 games) as a special teamer last year.

      2. Good call on Rush. Every year fans fall in love with one or two players, then rip management when/if those players get cut… Nate Davis, Rush, BJ Daniels, Glenn Winston, Jerome… everybody loves the idea late round or undrafted gem and a feel-good story… you feel bad for the players, but unfortunately the result is more often than not the same in the long run. That said, I would like to see Jerome back on the practice squad!

        1. I liked Marcus Cooper. Another Niner draft pick who Baalke cut and went on to play well. Joe Looney started games for the Cowboys, and is now good enough to be second string for their O line. He could easily be a starter for the Niners, but Baalke cut him, too.
          .
          I liked Lorenzo Jerome, but was worried that he did not have enough speed to be the single high safety.
          Guess Lynch thinks that Dexter McCoil is an upgrade.

        2. And of course the linebacker from Stanford – Skov. He was an amazing guy until his knees were destroyed in college. And you could see his talent when he was playing against all those 3rd & 4th stringers who lack the athleticism to play in the NFL.

          But everytime he went first string it was painful.

          Then, of course, every scrub back-up QB Tim and SonomaStateGrad rooted for and declared ‘better than Alex Smith.’ Years of laugh-fest there…

          1. Skov not only had the talent, skill and instincts, but he really loves football. He was the heart and soul of the Cardinal defense during the Andrew Luck era. It’s too bad his body let him down.

    2. Yeah, it rare works out. In fact, any high quality player you get out of Round 4 or lower is pretty much found money. And if they somehow develop into a HOF player, like Charles Haley or Tom Brady, you weren’t good, you got lucky.

  4. Grant,
    You seemed intent on pressing Shanahan about Carlos Hyde. What answer were you hoping to get?

    1. Yeah, Grant was pressing the questions about Hyde. But they were legit questions. Hyde is supposed to be a feature back in a contract year and he got benched in favor of an UDFA in a winnable game. Pretty huge story. The benching is either going to cost Hyde a whole bunch of money in the offseason or he’s about to go on a tear and play much better. IMHO, the fumble was a problem for Shanahan but the bigger story was Hyde’s poor pass blocking. He has to turn up his effort in blocking or he will lose the starting RB job and millions of dollars on his next contract. Kind of a little disturbing that Shanahan doesn’t feel the need to speak directly with players he benches. Not sure how he expects them to understand where they need to get better. Seems like a poor approach to communication.

      1. No need. Bobby Turner probably gave him an earful, and fumbling the ball, whiffing on blocks and only getting 11 yards is good reason to go with the hot hand.
        .
        Maybe instead of forcing Hyde to do things he is not comfortable with, they should play to his strengths.

      2. Houston,
        Yes, the questions were legit. I’m only saying that there seemed to be a conclusive answer that Grant was looking for with his questioning of Hyde.
        Shanahan’ responses were to the point and he did hide his feelings regarding Carlos, but it didn’t seem that Grant was satisfied with these answers.

        Hyde will not be here next year (imo) and I believe that he and the Org is already aware of this.
        I said back in August that Breida would likely receive some playing time in his rookie season and it looks like he will eventually leapfrog Hyde sooner than later.

        1. How did it seem like I wasn’t satisfied? I had those questions written down before the press conference started.

          1. Grant,
            Seemed like you were trying to get a commitment from Shanahan regarding Hyde.
            It was obvious that Hyde was having a poor game on Sunday. It was a good decision by coach to sit him.
            But it seemed like you were trying to get a commitment from Shanahan regarding Hyde. Hence my original question of what answer were you looking for?

              1. Grant,
                I may be off, but I counted 6 questions from you regarding Hyde. Anyone who saw the game is aware that Hyde had a poor outing. Not critiquing the questions, but you seemed to be pressing for some kind of commitment from Shanahan in the area of what he wants to do with Hyde.

                Also, not once did I hear or read Shanahan use the word “benched.”
                The word bench(ed) carries a very strong and negative meaning in professional sports. Pulling Hyde off the field may have been a metaphor for being benched but Shanahan did not use that term.

        2. Agree that Hyde won’t be back. My personal opinion is Hyde is a very talented RB and will be very successful if he finds the right system. The Eagles come to mind as a good fit for Hyde if he can clean up his pass blocking. Shanahan has a track record of finding good RB’s so I’m really not too worried if the 49ers re-sign Hyde or not.

          1. I would be upset if they resign, Hyde, but I don’t think they have any plans on doing so. Same goes for Reid. I think they like the combination of Ward/Tartt as their safeties moving forward….

  5. So no change in RB use since day one: Hyde first, Breida second, Mostart 3rd.

    Way to make a headline & article about nothing.

  6. Kevin Lynch (KNBR)

    When asked a week ago if he would consider making a change at quarterback, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said, “No, I wouldn’t.”

    On Monday, after Brian Hoyer’s uneven performance in the 26-23 overtime loss at Indianapolis, Shanahan said, “Everything is on my mind.” When asked if considering backup quarterback C.J. Beathard was still on his mind, “I look at every position.”

    Then he went into specifics. “Brian did some good things in that game. By no means was it perfect. I still expect him to play better. I expect us all to play better, expect me to coach better. C.J. is doing a good job in practice,” Shanahan said.

    So the door has been officially kicked open on playing Beathard. The whispers around the team were that Beathard wasn’t ready to assume the job. However, with Shanahan saying the fifth-round rookie is playing better in practice, it appears Hoyer is on notice. “…if we feel it’s the best thing for the team, the best thing for C.J. and the players around him, that’s when we’ll do that (consider a Beathard start).”

    Hoyer almost assuredly will start this week in Washington. The 49ers then come home to play the playoff-worthy Cowboys and go back East to visit the revived Eagles. The schedule softens after that with the Cardinals (at home), Giants (home), Seahawks (home) and then at the Bears and Texans. That could be a time to insert Beathard if Hoyer continues to struggle.

    Not sure if he’s reading things in. I mean, he’s the one that couldn’t figure out rookie QBs fumble and started the idiotic ‘Alex Smith has small hands’ rumor because he fumbled a lot as a rookie. (For the record, while he doesn’t have Brett Favre hands, he had the largest hands of any QB drafted that year.)

    http://www.knbr.com/2017/10/09/shanahan-softening-on-possibility-of-49ers-qb-change/

    1. MosesZD,
      CJ will get his opportunity to play by game 10. I’m sure that there is a learning curve attached to Shanahan’ system that Beathard is trying to grasp.
      Since there is no way this team is going to run the table ala the Packers of last year, we may as well give the kid a a good look.

      1. I think by then the fan base and the owner will be pushing for some change and Shanahan will oblige with…you guessed it! By then he may have enough knowledge to shine enough to win a game or two and look like the second coming of Montana (not that he will be).

        This will do two things (three really):

        1) Cousins will be superfluous or at least seem so. This will allow the 49ers to save a ton of money and spend it on…

        2) FAs who will have a real impact- OL, WR, CB, DE

        3) Make Hoyer expendable- duh! But in in addition, it will free up that important first rounder to get either another QB or another impact player and not have to draft for need.

        It will also buy a tremendous amount of goodwill and trust from the fan base, which is very important too! This will translate to ticket sales and buzz going into next year!

        Shanahan is no dummy, I think he is biding his time…

        Does he retain Hyde, I think he has to otherwise he may upset the apple cart. I think he may part ways with Bowman though.

  7. What turned Alex Smith from a career average of 6.9 yards per attempt into a QB that is averaging 8.8 over the first 5 games? This isn’t system familiarity. His average for the first 4 years on the Chiefs was 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.4 / 7.2 . He’s been trending higher but then dropped off last year.

    1. The biggest change is Reid’s play calling this year. Reid was using tons of regular and bubble screens over the last few years, especially last year. There have been times where Reid was throwing five and six screens (some counting as runs because the pass was scored as a backward lateral) a game and doing that game after game after game.

      He’s cut back on that this year and is dialing up more down-field passes.

      1. So that’s all it took, was a coach to call more down field passes? Have to think there’s more to it then that but I do appreciate the insight.

        1. Easier to call downfield passes when play action is working, and play action works better when you have the league’s best running back…..

          1. Had the best running back in the league his first two years in K.C. when he averaged 6.5 and 7.0 yards per pass.

            1. And bad WRs. They released Maclin for a reason. And it wasn’t the cap as the fact he was playing like a 2nd string WR while getting paid for being a great WR. He’s even worse in Baltimore so far.

              Making it perplexing, is that he’s not even old. Just 29. He should be still close to his peak even though he’s on the wrong side of the age curve. But it’s just not happening.

              So even though I wanted the 49ers to sign Maclin… Maybe we dodged a bullet.

        2. It doesn’t hurt having to look over your shoulder at the guy breathing down your neck to help get that extra motivation.

        3. Or it could be that AS’ injured shoulder took a long time to heal. I remember when Alex became the starter at QB and the 49ers brought in Antonio Bryant. It wasn’t long after that that Smith and Bryant were connecting on down field passes. You could see Alex beginning to flex his skills even back then.

          But then he injured his shoulder and tried to play after his head coach questioned his courage and resiliency. This only caused further damage to his shoulder which eventually put him on the shelf for some time.

          Smith was/is never one to complain but his injury may have been worse than reported. The beautiful thing is that now he seems to be throwing the deep pass with precision and great touch.
          Although I’m a lifelong fan of my 49ers, I’ll admit that I will be watching the SB with special interest if Alex is in it.

      2. I think Moses is right. At the beginning of the season, Alex mentioned in an interview that they intended to push the ball downfield this season then they had done in previous seasons.

        Why? Maybe Reid thinks Hill is now ready to be a consistent downfield threat on every down. Maybe Reid wants to see how Alex responds to Mahomes challenge. Maybe after 2-3 seasons, he finally has faith in Alex to be consistently accurate with his deep throws….

      3. I think we’re seeing a highly motivated Alex Smith that has become comfortable in a system which now allows the coaches to dig a little deeper into the play book. Having a hot young rookie with a cannon for an arm that also played pretty well in the pre-season coupled with the fact that he’s likely playing in a contract type season has motivated Smith to play the best football of his career. He’s also likely finally reached his peak as an NFL QB and it happens to be at a time when he’s on a pretty decent team.

        1. Oh what could have been…! Just kidding! I do think that the biggest loss to the 49ers offensive regime is hardly ever mentioned and that is Delanie Walker!

      1. The only entity that benefits is AP because it means he’ll continue to be employed. A part of his failure in New Olreans is an offense that isn’t well suited to his style. A larger part is that he’s no longer a shadow of the player he used to be.

        1. The Cardinals must be really desperate! AP is a shell of what he once was and their running game isn’t going anywhere, with or without him. Having said that, watch him gash us for 120.

          1. AP has routinely struggled against S.F. throughout his career for some reason so I’m not too worried about that. In 3 games against us he’s averaged 58 yards a game with 0 TD’s.

            The Saints needed him as badly as the Cardinals do, so for them to give up on him tells you a lot about the player.

            1. True but look what a rookie did to us the other day with only about 30 yards to his name prior. Who knows what AP will do with this DL?

      2. Both. He was a terrible fit in New Orleans and they needed to move on. He’ll be a better fit in Arizona where they desperately need some help as Chris Johnson is doing nothing. In either case, he’s still a diminished player.

  8. Fans ! In the poll greater than 71% or 2431 of the population voting thought the team would win 5 or more games. Almost a full 35% of the respondents thought that the team would win 8 games or more.

    To say that everyone knew this was a rebuilding year and that it would take a long time is a little bit of a laugh as many fans thought much more highly of this team than they ought to coming out of the gate. I still cannot, for the life of me, understand Grant’s prediction. That one didn’t make any sense at all!

    This team could be 4-1 and it could be 3-2, but it isn’t. It’s 0-5. And it will likely be 0-8 before too long. That is the reality of a club that is starting out, we are basically an expansion club!

        1. Loyalty. I refuse to concede a loss until it happens. I don’t expect it. But I refuse to concede a loss no matter the ‘realism’ of the situation.

          1. Guess I’m not that loyal. I wish for unbeaten but vote realistically. Also don’t think my kids are the best at everything in the world or the cutest either. Just like them better than anyone else.

            1. The NFL mantra is “On any given Sunday” although the 49ers have been making a heroic effort to disprove it.

  9. Read an article that had Ditka saying they there has been no racial oppression for 100 years.
    .
    He did redeem himself by saying that maybe he needs to be better informed.

      1. My understanding is that Seb never got hit, so how does he have CTE Mood? I think it’s another form of brain malfunction altogether;)

    1. Funny how people who accuse their rivals of being unpatriotic worship men who engaged in armed rebellion against the United States

      1. My position is Traitors Don’t Get Statues. Keep them in the history books where they belong, but no statues.

        1. It depends on the context of the statues. The statues at Gettysburg (and other battlefields) are, in my mind, different from those found in town squares and parks throughout the South. The battlefield statues have a historical gravitas that should at least be considered. The town square type statues lack the same significance.

          What I would like to see is the battle flag of the Army of Northern Virginia (which most people call the Confederate flag) replaced on all war monuments that are not related to the Army of Northern Virginia. That flag was used post-Reconstruction as a symbol of continued defiance and of oppression, and its use on monuments that are not directly related to the army that flew it are reflections of the ideology behind its later use, whether such reflections are intentional or not. If we are going to put a flag on Confederate battlefield monuments, it should be the official flag of the Confederate States of America, as that flag has fewer modern connotations (in fact, many people cannot even pick it out of a group of other flags). Here is an interesting article on this topic: http://www.historynet.com/embattled-banner-the-convoluted-history-of-the-confederate-flag.htm

  10. Since we are on the topic of RB, I want to talk about the future HOF waiting in the wings for the 2018 NFL draft. Hyde appears to have fallen out of favor, though I never really expected the 49ers to pay Carlos what he’s going to be looking for in his second contract. Breida is more of a 3rd down, change of pace RB, so this team is likely in the market for a RB.

    Though this flies in the face of Kyle’s general RB philosophy, if the 49ers are able to lure Cousins to Santa Clara next offseason, I think the 49ers should seriously consider drafting Saquon Barkley. It goes without saying that the 49ers need to solve the QB position during the offseason. Whether it’s Cousins, CJB, or one of the draft prospects, Kyle has to find the 49ers next long term QB before next season. QB is at the top of the list for me, in terms of pressing needs, and ShanaLynch can no longer afford to patch up the position with a stop-gap bridge QB.

    That said, if the 49ers go the draft route, it doesn’t necessarily mean they need to use their high first round pick on a QB. Kyle knows what he wants in a QB, and there’s always a chance that his guy can be found in the second round or later. That brings me back to RB Saquon Barkley. I don’t often fall in love with a RB, but this guy is something special. He’s the kind of transformative talent which only comes around once a decade if even that. He’s the most nimble, elusive 230 lbs RB I have ever seen, and his breakaway speed is undeniable. Think about it ….. when was the last time you saw a 230 lbs RB return a kickoff 100 yards to the house? He’s a better runner in space than AP, he’s more elusive than Zeke, he runs with just as much authority as Fournette, and I think he’s a better receiver than all of these guys. Saquon would instantly give the 49ers a big, durable RB who they can lean on and take pressure off of the QB. The only way to stop this guy is to stack the both and sellout against the run, which surely makes any QB all the more effective. In fact, if Brian Hoyer wasn’t so terribly innacurate, I’d even say Barkley would make a big difference for Hoyer’s game as well. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen anything from Hoyer that tells me he can win games consistently in this league, regardless of the talent around him.

    SaQuon Barkley is the best player in this draft class, bar none. He’s worth serious consideration at the top of round 1!

    1. Sorry, stack the *box & Saquon Barkley is a better runner *between the tackles than AP. Comparable in space.

    2. Meh, Saquon Barkley is definitely a great player. He will be picked in the top 10 of the draft for sure. Not sure I’d spend a high pick on a RB though when you can get good players later in the draft. The 49ers have 5 picks in the first 3 rounds next year. Even if they sign Cousins, I think you have to go QB with one of those 5 picks. If the 49ers rebuild is going to be successful Lynch needs to hit a home run with next years draft. Imperative for the 49ers to find the QB solution and upgrade their o-line and secondary. My favorite player in the draft that would immediately help the defense is Minkah Fitzpatrick. On offense, I’m not sure you draft an interior o-lineman in the top 10. If there is a legit #1 WR I think you have to think about upgrading that position as well.

      1. If there is a legit #1 WR I think you have to think about upgrading that position as well.

        I’ve got them taking Rosen with their first pick, and Courtland Sutton with their first pick in the 2nd round. I think he has the skill set to develop into a legit #1 WR….

        *I know you don’t like Rosen, but it’s my belief Shanny will like him the best. I also do not believe Snyder will allow Shanny to get Cousins. He will either fire Allen, and sign Cousins long term, or franchise him again. As for Garappolo, I do not believe BB will allow him to leave, and will franchise him, if necessary. That won’t be required if Brady retires, which could happen, given the amount of punishment he’s already taken this year.

        1. Not sure on Garappolo. I don’t think he’s all he’s cracked up to be. He would obviously be a major upgrade over Hoyer but I don’t see Garappolo as a long term answer. I think you have to go for Cousins (who I’m lukewarm on but think he is pretty good) or you draft a guy. I’m not a Rosen guy. I’d rather have Darnold but I also trust Lynch/Shanahan on the player selection so whatever they do will be fine by me.

          I actually saw Courtland Sutton play in high school. He went to Brenham high school which is a pretty good program just outside the Houston area but they play in a smaller division in Texas. He played against a friend of mine’s sons team that year so I went to watch. He was definitely a good player but I saw a lot better receivers that year. I actually thought he was a better baseball player than football player (my son played in some tournaments against his teams).
          I’m surprised at what he’s been able to do at SMU. From what I’ve seen he will definitely be a 1st round pick. I’m just not sure he’s an NFL #1 WR but my judgment is probably tainted by thinking he was good but not great in high school.

          1. I’m not so trusting when they thought they could go into the season and be competitive with Brian Hoyer.
            WSH would be foolish to let Cousins walk. Garrapolo is the next logical move because he won’t cost any picks and he is more proven than any draft pick.
            If neither guy is targeted, it’s Josh Allen.

            1. Prime,
              I’m not completely sold on any backup QB’ who have played behind Brady.
              Here are some names of backup QB’ for the Pats.
              1. Matt Cassel
              2. Matt Gutierrez
              3. Kevin O’Connell
              4. Um, Brian Hoyer
              5. Ryan Mallet.

              There have been others, but the point I would make is that not one of these QB’ ever made a significant splash in the NFL.
              Mallett and Hoyer have had a few good moments but not enough to cause them to find longevity on a team.

              Backup QB’ seem to do good when they get a chance to play in NE, but I believe it has to do more with coaching and an established winning culture.

              1. Garrapolo is yes an unknown. But he was high on a lot of teams draft boards coming out including ours when Harbaugh was here.
                The reason I like him is because he wont cost the 49ers much in free agency. I like the free agent route with him because it will allow us to keep developing CJ and use those other picks to address other areas. We can then still draft a project QB in the 3-5th rounds.

                I know everyone wants Cousins because he is proven. I just think with his age and salary its not worth the gamble.

                The other point is a lot of Pats backups have not been great outside NE. I think Jimmy G is different in that he has the pedigree to be good and with Shanny endorsing him and he could be a good fit in our scheme. Mobile, good arm, and has learnt how to be a pro in a very good system in NE.

                The only other alternative then is draft a QB in the 1st round which again, is a gamble. You miss there and it sets us back once again. With Jimmy G, you use those high picks to get a #1 WR, OLB, and corner.

    3. You honestly want to spend a top 5 pick on a RB to play in a system with a history of making late round RBs look good? When they have so many other needs? Jeepers.

      1. He may, but not Shanny the Younger. I doubt STY will ever take a RB in the first round. With the talent deficit facing the Niners, I think the possibility is pretty close to zero.

  11. Okay Grant….Riddle me this….how in the world do you explain this:

    https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/pro-ranking-all-32-nfl-offensive-lines-by-average-grade-week-5

    “19. San Francisco 49ers

    Average offensive lineman grade: 58.2

    The 49ers’ offensive line has taken a big step forward from last season as they went from having the 29th-best pass-blocking efficiency rating in 2016 to ranking sixth this year with 48 pressures allowed on 211 pass-blocking snaps. The unit is anchored by its two tackles, Joe Staley and Trent Brown, who both are among the top 17 offensive tackles this season. Furthermore, San Francisco is one of only three teams that averages more than 2.0 yards before contact on inside zone runs and actually lead the league with 3.10 yards before contact on these runs. The 49ers’ weak spot is the interior offensive line where left guard Laken Tomlinson and center Dan Kilgore rank 63rd and 32nd at their respective positions.”

    1. Needed to happen, but too bad they have left it til now to realise the CBs aren’t good.

      1. Here’s to hoping Witherspoon continues to progress. I didn’t notice him Sunday, That could be a good thing, but he only played 6 snaps.

      2. They drafted a coverage-specialist CB and signed K’Waun Williams, one of the NFL’s best nickle-backs.. So I think your assertion they didn’t know the CBs weren’t good until recently doesn’t bear-up to the reality of their actions.

        Problem is when you need:

        Two DEs.
        Two LBs.
        Two Corners.
        A Nickle-back.
        Two WRs.
        Three Interior Linemen,
        Two back-up RBs,
        A ‘hands’ TE.
        A QB and his back-up.

        You can’t fix it all in one year.

        1. Right, so they were expecting their 3rd round pick to come in and be good right away?

          Lets face it, when they released Brock they should have signed a vet replacement for him.

          1. You’re missing the point. They couldn’t fix it all in one year and you’re holding them to an impossible standard.

            They needed 14 new, average-to-high quality starters, never mind upgrading back-ups, by my count. When any critic of the rebuilding process can point to how a team is going to get 14 quality starters in one offseason…. Especially in light of the fact they clearly addressed the position(s) they’re being criticized for… Then I’ll take their criticisms seriously.

            But until then, I’m just going to keep pointing how unrealistic the criticisms are.

            1. Please. I’ve been one of the voices of reason regarding this being a rebuild. But when they released Brock and moved Ward to FS there was always going to be a hole to fill at outside CB. They didn’t. One 3rd round pick was never going to be sufficient.

              This team had significant cap space. They didn’t need to go out and sign a top flight CB, but they should have signed a decent guy that could start for a year or two. The fact they are now signing Leon Hall just points to the fact they misjudged what the CBs they had on the roster could do.

              1. They have whiffed on a couple things but I guess when you have so many holes and needs, you can’t address it all.
                The thing about the cap was they were never going to over spend on top guys or even depth guys. It’s all about the draft these first 2 years.

                Let’s face it, this year is a dress rehearsal for the coach and GM to see what they have and then in the off-season start phase 2 of the rebuild.

                Yes we are all disappointed in the record and we all have opinions of what should have been done. Unfortunately we are not part of the decision making.
                We have to remember, this is a complete rebuild. 3 years before we are significant again.

              2. I totally agree Scooter and would add that they knew that Garnett had a significant injury and that Zuttah wasn’t working out and could/should have worked to garner a trade/exchange/something at that point too! But they didn’t.

                I think they had a bit of hubris regarding what they had in personnel and maybe read their press clippings regarding what they were capable of achieving. They are finding that the NFL is a lot harder than at first glance (things always look easier until you have to do it). Learning experience, I hope!

                I also would add that there were mass retirements and injuries on previous teams too and very few fans gave those coaches or FO people passes on personnel non moves or poor decisions.

              3. The Garnett/ Zuttah thing I can forgive. They did try and fix the middle of the OL. Zuttah, Fusco and Barnes were brought in. Garnett getting injured and neither Zuttah or Barnes being even good enough to make the roster was a bit surprising, and unfortunate. Zuttah and Garnett in particular were being counted on to be part of the solution in the middle of the OL. Sure, you can argue they should have done something about it in TC when it wasn’t working out as hoped, but at that point it was always going to be pretty dire.

                The CB situation is different. They released Brock early on. They knew they were probably moving Ward to FS early on. They knew that was two starting outside CB spots they needed to replace. They rolled the dice with the young guys on the roster and a 3rd round draft pick. It was a mistake. Should have added a vet that was capable of starting as well.

    2. If the 49ers sign their next starting QB instead of drafting him my top 3 choices for the first pick as of right now are:

      Derwin James (s)
      Trey Adams (ot) like Mike McGlinchey a lot too.
      Iman Marshall (cb)

      FU Trent Baalke. After all these drafts we’re still being forced to take defenders first and/or early.

        1. Seb,

          Why don’t you drive to 49er headquarters and ask Jed if you, Jed and Kap could take a knee together
          at clown alley ?

  12. Jeremy Kerley appears to have a positive impression of Shanny (and Niners’ prospects under Shanalynch) despite being cut.

  13. Seb,

    You lose again and I Win !!!….You are 0-4 vs. Tom D. head to head in the prediction game.

    Your predictions of Kap, Jarryd Hayne, Lorenzo James, and Brian Hoyer lose to Barkley.

    TomD’s picks of Matt Breida, Hoyer to beat out Barkley for # 1, Kap to be beaten out by Blaine Gabbert and Jarryd Hayne to be cut.

    Too bad Gadfly can’t post more often. I look forward to his Seb insights. He may be a psychiatrist.

  14. 49er DB’s have Zero interceptions this season

    CB Leon Hall :

    40 yard dash time: 4.38 seconds; Low 4.29
    Height: 5′ 11″
    193 Lbs

    All-Pro player in 2009 and has 27 career interceptions, six forced fumbles and 113 passes deflected in 133 career regular season games

    1. Remember Walsh’s first season? They were Shanghai-ing cabbies and truck drivers and carpenters off the street to play DB. Then he drafted a secondary.

      1. I loved it. You could actually see things progressing. The highlight of the season was beating the Buccanners who were a playoff team.

        And, yes, they used to bring in new DBs for tryouts every week. Which is how we got this guy:

        FS Tony Dungy

        Who was replaced by this guy:

        FS Dwight Hicks

        The rest were just grist for the churn-over mill.

  15. On the second sack of Hoyer, the Colts had a two man rush. Staley was the one who got beat, but couldn’t Oline communication have resulted in Tomlinson helping him out. I’m not sure because Staley got beat badly to the outside and it seems like Tomlinson would only have been able to provide inside help. But had they communicated, maybe Joe would have taken a much more aggressive position to stop the outside rush.

    https://www.ninersnation.com/2017/10/10/16456344/49ers-colts-film-study-video-sacks-breakdown-gif-brian-hoyer-joe-staley

    1. Hyde helps with a triple team. Why he’s now gonna share more snaps….and more….and more.

      1. I’ll say the same thing to you as CFC:

        Ah, and it’s a James Brady post… I should have known. Whenever we get mediocre ‘film study’ from that site, it’s James Brady.

        I’m curious, when Brady decided it was Hyde’s fault, was it because he assumed Hyde has x-ray vision and can see through the 6′ 4″ (and taller) men in front of him…? Remembering of course that your eyes are a good 5″ below the top of your head and you can’t see over them…

        Because when I look at it, I don’t see how Hyde could have seen him come in on that delayed, misdirection blitz without X-Ray vision. I think the person that messed up was the guard who could see him and didn’t kick over.

        1. Hyde has to know if he stays in to blitz, that linebacker could green dog, which he did. That’s why Hyde got benched.

        2. All due respect Moses, when my coaches said: “Don’t just do something, stand there” they were joking. My read of Hyde, great athlete, poor instincts.

    2. No way Tomlinson could have helped on there.
      It would have asked the guard to leave a gaping hole in the center of the line.
      Staley just got abused on that play.

    3. What seemed to happen, at least to me, was Staley was slow off the snap. He might not of heard it and reacted to the rushers movement instead of the snap count. Or he was just a beat slow. That puts the advantage fully in the rusher’s court.

      1. I saw the film differently. If the unblocked player had been blocked, Hoyer could have stepped up in the pocket and delivered a pass. As It was, Staley’s man barely hit Hoyer as he was driven back by the unblocked rusher. BTW, I didn’t bother to read Brady’s words but just went to the film clip and made my own conclusion. Fair to say that reasonable people can disagree on some things, no?

  16. Brother tuna ,, I believe there was a couple of good ones ,Lott came in as a cb , switched to safety . Just to name just one .
    Looks familiar , they might be copying the old man .
    Him and shanny , good way back ,he was a ball boy than .
    Bill Walsh ,was amazing .
    Execute and accountability .

    I could only hope he ( being shanny ) was paying attention . Hell of a story ,ball boy to head coach . You get the picture .

  17. Best outcome ball boy , to Superbowl . Head coach .
    Just like with Walsh , there was growing pains .

    Just a thought , pattern that he is taken , looks alot like he following Walsh .

    1. Ah, and it’s a James Brady post… I should have known. Whenever we get mediocre ‘film study’ from that site, it’s James Brady.

      I’m curious, when Brady decided it was Hyde’s fault, was it because he assumed Hyde has x-ray vision and can see through the 6′ 4″ (and taller) men in front of him…? Remembering of course that your eyes are a good 5″ below the top of your head and you can’t see over them…

      Because when I look at it, I don’t see how Hyde could have seen him come in on that delayed, misdirection blitz without X-Ray vision. I think the person that messed up was the guard who could see him and didn’t kick over.

      1. It’s a straight whiff from Hyde, make all the excuses for him you want but he should have seen the defender coming straight through the opening vacated by the left tackle. Seeing that defender is his job on that play. When the left tackle was pushed out Hyde should have recognized it and moved over to fill the gap instead he stayed in the middle putting himself in a bad position to see and react to someone coming through that gaping hole in the offensive line. That was 100% on Hyde and he blew it.

        1. Way we were schooled, whenever all middle rushers are accounted for, you look to the outside for someone who is unblocked or someone who needs help. The defense’s alignment and the blocking call dictate where your reads are. Hyde thought that he was just supposed to stand there and watch while blocking nobody. I’m trying to remember a time ever when I sat reviewing film with the coaches and they said, if you don’t see anything that needs doing, just stand there and watch.

  18. Browns benching Kizer. That team just can’t do anything right. I mean he was the wrong QB to draft to begin with but why in the hell did they push him to start? If Kevin Hogan wasn’t good enough in training camp to beat him out what could have possibly changed? Maybe he wasn’t better and they just started the rookie to sell more tickets. Those are the kinds of decisions that ruin franchises. Or just make the bad ones stay bad.

    1. ” If Kevin Hogan wasn’t good enough in training camp to beat him out what could have possibly changed? ”
      What if Hogan was better than Kizer in TC, and it was Jackson’s arrogance that propelled Kizer to the starting job. Hue Jackson on Kizer back in August:
      “It’s been good to watch his development throughout the offseason. Obviously, he’s a young quarterback, and he still has a lot to learn. He’s going to learn a lot and gain a lot of experience, and the only way you get that is by playing.”
      Who did Jackson think Kizer was Andrew Luck? This guy is supposed to have been an NFL QB coach?!
      The top college underclassmen QBs may elect to delay draft for another year to avoid being drafted by the Browns…

  19. Agree straight up wiff on Hyde for Missing the block , it is his assignment.
    Yes we should see more from the rookie ,MB .
    But honestly I’m picking Hyde , he has been there done that. Therefore more of a consistent time frame ,more to judge him on .

    Note don’t think he’s right yet ( physical speaking)
    MB looked good , so yes give him some time .

    1. Hard to imagine a current NFL player that would not be an upgrade. My tired old eyes tell me that the entire pass defense is not transitioning from zone to man quick enough. They’re constantly trying to keep all receivers in front of them. If all defenders drop too fast large gains can be had underneath the LBs. When the secondary drops too far, huge gains are had underneath the secondary. This is especially troublesome for Robinson who can’t cover when a receiver gets even with him. It also makes it more difficult for the pass rush to get to the QBs. With two competent CBs, the return of Foster and some modest improvement in at least one other LB, the defense could be much more solid.

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