Posted By: Indiana Jim (06/11/2007 7:45:32 AM)
Comment: Hey Kong, how could Notre Dame beat the 49ers if they couldn't beat NAVY?

Posted By: KezarMike (06/11/2007 7:37:31 AM)
Comment: I hate to have to repeat myself (well, not really), but "the bottom line is the bottom line." The coaching staff either prepares and develops Alex Smith (as well as the other players) and designs and calls effective plays or they don't. The coaching staff either practices the players so that the plays are effectively executed in the game or they don't. The front office, such as it is, either gets effective players (and impact players) or they don't. I know Randy Moss dogged it in Oakland and basically stole his salary of maybe 10 million dollars and may have done the same with the 49ers, but he is now going deep and leaping for TD passes (which he does basically better than practically any player who ever has) and "DJack" is pretty much a zero. Forget the nice talk and sense of humor, etc. Coaches either get results or they don't. Capiche?

Posted By: Billy Bob (06/11/2007 5:50:13 AM)
Comment: Timbo: Firstly, who are you to criticize someones opinion? Secondly, who are you to insult someone? Kong is welcome to his opinion, just as you are to yours. Are you too ignorant to realize that by calling Kong a "whiny dufus", you are in fact labeling yourself as a "whiny dufus"??? It's a shame that the comments on this message board have deteriorated as badly as our offense has.

Posted By: ???? (05/11/2007 10:55:29 PM)
Comment: Why did you remove my post?

Posted By: Timbo (05/11/2007 10:23:59 PM)
Comment: To: Kong When you call out an NFL team for not being "proffesional".... be sure to hit the spell check button so you don't look like a complete ass making accusations about others abilities with misspelled words. Just a little advice... Plus Bryant Young, Frank Gore, Patrick Willis, and even Alex Smith are the epitome of "professional". And some day the Niners will play well, and although the team has played poorly, when they start playing better you will still be a whiny dufus who can't spell. Congrats on that, at least THEY will get better.

Posted By: kong (05/11/2007 9:50:01 PM)
Comment: Nolans time as coach is over. Notre Dame could beat the niners. This is supposed to be a proffesional football team. It's the coaching,plain and simple we have a coaching staff that has no experience or brains. They are treating this like it's on the job training, if it is they should go screw up another team not this one.fire all of them.Spent all that money this off season to get worse!

Posted By: Bill (05/11/2007 8:31:55 PM)
Comment: Regarding the 2nd down calls, I would like to see the ratio of running/passing when it is 2nd Down and Long (Let's say more than 6 yards). I bet it is closer to 90%.

Posted By: Aaron (05/11/2007 8:22:27 PM)
Comment: Rich, you hit the nail on the head in my opinion. Nolan is still coaching like he has a 2-14 team, or like a seriously overmatched college team hoping to stick around and keep it close and maybe pull off the upset. Nolan talks like a man who has a good football team but he doesn't handle game day as if he believes it. I think Nolan has done some really solid things in trying to turn this thing around, but he appears paralyzed by focusing his thought process on all that can go wrong during the game. That's why he called the timeout on third down two years in a row: he's still afraid of a bad snap or a miscommunication on a crucial play. There are always maybe half a dozen moments during a game where the winning team took some real chances and said "screw it, win or lose it's going to happen now." Nolan continues to try and minimize those moments and push them as late into the game as possible. It seems like a decent strategy but in practice it only makes you delay the inevitable rather than attacking it. The biggest problem, however, is that nothing will lose the respect of the players faster than a coach who won't be aggressive. You can't have naturally aggressive players without naturally aggressive coaches, and so here we are. there are bigtime plusses and minuses to taking any action regarding Nolan, so I am hesitating to make a final decision on it for now. I do know that conversation will take place somewhere in or around Niners headquarters this offseason, and for Nolan during his tenure with the Niners that's a first.

Posted By: Graham (05/11/2007 8:07:06 PM)
Comment: Houston niner, I see your point. I think it was okay to assume the first play wouldn't lose yards, though. Call me conservative, but why not just run two power plays between the tackles? Nothing fancy, just assert your will. With two chances, you'll get a touchdown 4 out of 5 times from the 1. So I think it was a questionable sequence, maybe even below average planning, but not idiotic or anything.

Posted By: Rich, DE (05/11/2007 6:58:52 PM)
Comment: Was surprised to hear Nolan use the term "bend but don't break" today as he described their effort on the defensive side of the ball. Have you ever heard Nolan refer to the Niner's defense as a bend but don't break defense? Granted, it's a general term; but always associated it as a means to keep opposing offenses from making big plays against weaker defenses because they don't have the horses to stop them. Were we really that scared of the Atlanta Falcons' offense and Harrington? Harrington might be good at those short timing throws, but didn't get the feeling he was enough of a threat to even suggest "bending".

Posted By: Craig (05/11/2007 6:38:38 PM)
Comment: First, Joe, you are right.... I was yelling the same thing; 4th down on 4 yard line... go for the touchdown if you want to win, Nolan; how hard is it to come up with a play that would net 4 yards? Then again, the 49ers, have Hostler at OC coach (with Nolan over his shoulders)...enough said. As I keep saying: Nolan, WR coach, OL coach, and offensive coordinator all need to be fired. Period..... There is no excuse for how this team is coached after all the money the Yorks spent on free agents. No excuse at all. And by the way, cut the team's losses with QB Smith. He is a bust. Nolan fortunes are tied to QB Smith.... the team misfired on both. Mistakes happen. York, you are losing your fan base with this pathetic product on the field.

Posted By: Joe (05/11/2007 5:59:40 PM)
Comment: I hear what your saying Pat..but how often is our offense four yards away? Turned out by the next time we got the ball we needed a touchdown anyway and had to go 80 plus yards to get it in a little over 2 minutes. I know this sounds like second guessing...but I was saying that when it was happening. Just needed four yards. And if it failed I doubt with Joey Harrington at quarterback the Falcons would of taken to big a risk backed up on their own 4 yard line.

Posted By: SLCParmer (05/11/2007 5:21:25 PM)
Comment: I forgot that he was an undrafted free agent pick up. Touche Maiocco, Touche.

Posted By: Pat (05/11/2007 5:12:03 PM)
Comment: Joe, in defense of the call to kick the field goal... by kicking the field goal, we're only down 1 point. It put us in the position to only need a field goal and with that much time left, probably have 2 chances. Going for the TD and failing, that just leaves us in the position to need a TD, which, for our offense, seems quite difficult.

Posted By: SLCParmer (05/11/2007 5:06:21 PM)
Comment: Just a quick response to a previous post by john, the 49ers did draft a quaterback in the later rounds of this year, luke getsy.

Response: Getsy was a free-agent pickup from Akron who did not take one snap in the exhibition season. --Matt M.

Posted By: Joe (05/11/2007 4:50:10 PM)
Comment: I for one am not ready to fire Nolan. The teams been approving until this season. I'll give him a mulligan. Although I'd like to see approvement starting next week in Seattle and more gutsy of calls in game winning situtions. Also yes Smith was bad yesterday, but if I am him, I'd be afraid to throw anything because the receivers can't catch. Again reminds me of Favre. How many thought he should retire and look at him this season. As for Jackson. Cut him. He doesn't even look like he cares if he's out there. The last two interceptions the passes were headed his way and he wasn't close to that. Matt...if you relook at the tape I'm wondering if he quit on the pattern. As for the 4th down field goal..I didn't like the call. 8 minutes to go and 4 yards away from the lead...you take your shot. Even if it doesn't work out the Falcons are deep in thier own territory and if the defense can hold them you get the ball in good field position. It reminds me of last years 4th down against the Rams. Play not to lose...you lose. You think they would of learned that from that game...or the Raven game settling to set up for a 50+ yard field goal. Nolan does need a spine...Also the third down call...Smith should of changed the play. It was obvious from the Falcon defense they weren't going to run up the middle for anything. Even the TV commentators mentioned if he would of bootlegged it he would of walked in. Watching this team is not alot of fun.

Posted By: SactoBob (05/11/2007 4:48:31 PM)
Comment: I was shocked Nolan failed to mention Zak Keasey.

Posted By: Pat (05/11/2007 4:46:22 PM)
Comment: Can you actually believe McCloughan said that this OL group was the "10 best" he's ever been around or seen. This was before the 1st game I believe. He said, not the best starting 5, that would go to Seattle when he was there, but for overall talent of the top 10 lineman, the best. Yikes... Sure isn't working out that way. And, if McCloughan really believed that, or still does, then it wouldn't seem he would have a high opinion of Warhop.

Posted By: SonocoNinerFan (05/11/2007 4:25:58 PM)
Comment: Matt- I heard somebody ask about the prospects of re-signing Patrick Estes. How about Damane Duckett? Is he still too green for the 53-man or could we see him out of necessity?

Posted By: john (05/11/2007 4:25:07 PM)
Comment: Matt - I heard McCloughan state that he believed in drafting quaterbacks all the time. He said this was the philosophy he learned in Green Bay. Why do you think they haven't tried to draft a quaterback, especially in the later rounds? Also,I want to thank you for your statements about a lack of pass ruch. This team has not had a pass rusher since Haley. If you look at all of the competitive teams in the league, they have a pass rush. And along those thoughts, why isn't Brandon Moore on the field more? He was their best pass rusher last year, and their best defender at the end of last year.

Posted By: windex666 (05/11/2007 4:09:49 PM)
Comment: Patrick Willis is leading the NFL in tackles while Adrian Peterson is leading the NFL in rushing yards. Has this ever happened before with two rookies leading the league?

Posted By: http:// (05/11/2007 4:06:33 PM)
Comment: Isn't this getting a little absurd? Snyder gets abused by Atlanta, the coach has said he is better suited to be a guard, you have the future left tackle in Staley playing right tackle, and a decent right tackle in Harris and yet everything stays the same. I guess we will just wait for Jennings to get healthy, again? Oh by the way, Jennings has been healthy at least once hasn't right? OK I admit it, the line, with the exception of Snyder looked good for the most part so I won't even mention replacing Allen with Snyder and getting ready for the future.

Posted By: Windex666 (05/11/2007 4:00:05 PM)
Comment: It seems like all of "Nolan's Guys" are the main problems with the team. 1)Marques douglas- undersized and not strong at the point of attack. 2)Mark Roman-burnt toast on any coverage assignment, he's a big hitter but can't see the whole field and can't tackle. 3)Jonas Jennings-What Ronnie Lott said(Don't know what he said but it was probaly true)jennings is soft as white bread.4)Alex Smith-Can any one say "let's do the robot" 5)D-Jacks new name is N-Sac!!! Thank you, have a great day...Pray for world peace and the 49ers.

Posted By: Houston 9er (05/11/2007 3:59:31 PM)
Comment: I think Nolan and Hostler may have prepared 2 plays during that timeout. The part I don't get is why call the timeout before 3rd down. If he felt the need to regroup why not call the TO before 4th down. Calling the Timeout before 3rd cost him a valuable TO to be used later in the game and also made the 2nd play he called during the TO unusable. I didn't disagree with the field goal attempt. I disagreed with wasting a TO to create a play he couldnt use. Senseless!!!!!

Posted By: Marco in Stockton (05/11/2007 3:59:06 PM)
Comment: I see a team going nowhere and after 30 years of season tickets it is getting old watching the "York" years. How could this organization right itself Matt?

Posted By: Question (05/11/2007 3:56:41 PM)
Comment: Hey Matt, great reporting as usual. Quick question, is it possible for the niners to be forbidden from using the 49ers name for a while? Or at least not be able to wear the logo?

Posted By: Graham (05/11/2007 3:53:23 PM)
Comment: I think Nolan did prepare two plays in case we didn't make it on 3rd down--two 1-yard plays. Losing 3 yards changed the situation drastically, though, and as Matt wrote in his gameday blog, kicking the field goal was the right decision in that situation.

Posted By: Ken (05/11/2007 3:47:07 PM)
Comment: Matt do the Niners have a QB coach? Who is working with Smith on his fundamentals, technique etc......please tell me it's not Dilfer.... Smith has not progressed as one would expect. He is 23 years old and too this point in his carreer probably has had very little criticism. If I were Nolan I would want to ensure we gave this highly paid person all the coaching he needs to either be successful or become a back up somewhere.

Response: QB coach is Frank Cignetti, who had been in the booth the first five games of the season. --Matt M.

Posted By: ccryder (05/11/2007 3:45:13 PM)
Comment: I have finally figured out why S. Hill has been on the bench. He is more accurate than Smith and more moblile than Dilfer. If they put him in a game and he does a decent job then he will make everyone of the Niner's brass look even more foolish for giving Alex millions to be a bust.

Posted By: Mike in SF #2 (05/11/2007 3:40:25 PM)
Comment: Houston 9er - to add to your post. Alex Smith said after the game that he was NOT given two plays to run down on the goal line. He was only told the 3rd down running play to Robbinson. Again, Nolan is FULL OF IT.

Posted By: The Truth (05/11/2007 3:38:01 PM)
Comment: Oneniner is really Mike Nolan. Hey Oneniner, I mean Nolan, don't you have something better to do today? FIX YOUR TEAM. Your time is up my friend.

Posted By: Garrett (05/11/2007 3:34:57 PM)
Comment: Matt, was Nolan asked about Hostler's play calling? It seemed to me that no matter what the situation was we ran on every second down... if I was able to notice that, I am pretty sure Atlanta was able to also.

Response: For the season, the 49ers have run on second down 64 times (4.19-yard avg) and passed 79 times (3.46 avg). --Matt M.

Posted By: allen49stars (05/11/2007 3:34:25 PM)
Comment: This team has zero fire! After every game or should I say every loss, it's the same speech from everyone. No one is upset, mad or furious. Everyone has this golly gee, down on your luck attitude. Someone need to stand up and say this is bull shit and say this is unacceptable! From the head coach to the players every post game speech is the same, week after week. Get some "F"in passion about your losses. I'm not saying I want the T.O. reaction, where it becomes the blame game, but I would like a Shockey or Horn attitude. Oh wait, Nolan gets rid of anyone vocal & challenging. No Pennington or Carr, they suck just as bad. 9ers offense looked the best when they focused on VD, he should be 1st option, then look elsewhere if covered. Nolan got out coached by a complete tool! I was hoping for 8-8 or 9-7, but now we are looking at 4-12 or 5-11! Wasn't there a comment last year by Norv saying Alex threw the best ball he had ever coached? Was he high? I don't want Norv back even if he gets fired in SD. Alex before injury: 53% comp, after 48%, both suck! It's not a coincidence that during his rookie year it took till week 17 to get his 1st TD. The writing is on the wall, we all just need to read it.

Posted By: Doug (05/11/2007 3:29:39 PM)
Comment: Several bad seasons....what's one more?? I'm truly learning the meaning of the word "patience". Let's see how they fare next season providing they keep the same coordinators on staff. It's hard for a "team" to pull wins when there is entirely too much shuffling of players and coaches. Hope for best and always keep your head high.

Posted By: Danny (05/11/2007 3:29:14 PM)
Comment: Hey Matt, Two questions for you. First, what do you think is the Niners most glaring deficiency on this team? Lack of Top wide receiver (or dependable WR), lack of pass rush from OLB, or something else? And second, do you know the Niners cap situation going into next season?

Response: First the easy one, the 49ers are in fine cap shape for next season. Check out the links to the left of the page. That cap information will give you an idea. As for their most glaring deficiencies, it seems to change every week. At different times this season on offense it's been WR, OL and QB. Defensely, it's certainly the lack of a pass rush. --Matt M.

Posted By: Houston 9er (05/11/2007 3:10:37 PM)
Comment: Oneniner, I like your posts but you're really losing it. Nolan chose to call a timeout when he had the Falcons on their heels. He gave them a break at the exact time he should have attacked. What's worse was his explanation that he wanted to prepare 2 plays in case they didnt make it. That explanation makes absolutely no sense. Also, the technical difficulties with receivers is 100% Nolan's fault. Those difficulties represent an unprepared team.

Posted By: SC Rick (05/11/2007 3:06:02 PM)
Comment: Worst since '78? I don't think we need to go back that far, how about the year before we drafted Alex with the #1 spot? That year we played Miami at home to determine who was the bottom of the pile.

Posted By: Larry Wilson (05/11/2007 3:04:16 PM)
Comment: Matt, is there any way you can get some data on drops for the last game... Alex seems to be getting the flack but D.J. was horrific, among others at dropping passes in key situations. No effort.

Response: I keep my own stats on those numbers. When I get some time, I'll pass them along. From this game, Jackson, Walker and Battle each failed to hold onto catchable passes. --Matt M.

Posted By: Lenny (05/11/2007 3:03:06 PM)
Comment: Matt, can you think of many quarterbacks who have significantly improved after 3 or 4 years. I can think of Drew Brees, but that is about. I am trying to think of positives and Smith's age, VD's development, Patrick Willis, and maybe the niners still being able to run a little without Gore are about the only things I can think of. What do you see as positives for the future?

Response: The most obvious one is Steve Young. He turned out to be pretty good after a horrible first couple seasons, followed by four more seasons in which he rarely played. --Matt M.

Posted By: Aerin in Chico (05/11/2007 3:00:31 PM)
Comment: Matt, I am looking for some silver lining in regards to Alex Smith. Is there anything that you have seen in his play over the last two years, that would give 49er fans some encouragement looking to the future. I know for myself, I just want to see a game or two in a row, where he shows us the potential to be a good QB.

Posted By: Nate (05/11/2007 2:57:47 PM)
Comment: This team is in shambles. Look at how the Lions, Texans, Packers, Saints, and other horrible 2004-2005 teams have made progress since hiring new coaches. If management fires Nolan/Hostler, I hope they go with a staff committed to a Walsh-style passing game - not for sentimental reasons, but because its so much more fun to watch. These games are absolutely awful; I can't believe I lose 3 hours every Sunday watching this stuff. Let's get some West Coast Offense people on board - Norm Chow, Ty Detmer, Andy Reid, hell anybody. If we have to lose, lets at least lose in an entertaining way.

Posted By: oneniner (05/11/2007 2:54:39 PM)
Comment: houston ...i am not sure why you are blamin nolan for the timeouts...it was obvious we had some techincal difficuties with receivers.....A.Smith would play better next week, its revenge time...there is still hope

Posted By: mike (05/11/2007 2:42:00 PM)
Comment: This is the worst team I can remember it reminds me of way back to 1978 and 1979. The teams production is much like 1978 when they were last in the league and Deberg had one of the lowest qb ratings ever at 40.0! Its sad when a team reminds you of when they used to have OJ. They might need a huge change like an innovative coach, we need another Walshlike gamechanger.

Posted By: Houston 9er (05/11/2007 2:38:41 PM)
Comment: Matt, Do you think Nolan is completely blind to his deficiencies in game management specifically related to his use of timeouts? Or is it that he can't admit errors in game management publicly? His answer on that question annoyed the hell out of me.

Posted By: Ultimate Niner in Dallas (05/11/2007 2:25:11 PM)
Comment: Matt: Something smells in Denmark, as they say. Why wait so long to put JJ on the IR list? Do you feel there is more to this story than what is being "told"?

Response: I believe he needed surgery, but originally the team planned for him to have it scoped after the season. With everything that's happened, I believe they thought it best to just end his season now. --Matt M.

Posted By: AF in WC (05/11/2007 2:19:20 PM)
Comment: Something is definitely fishy about the Jonas Jennings situation, not that I'm sad to see him go. He's a bigger bust than Alex Smith and that's really saying something. Still the blocking scheme on the left side seems to let a lot of ends have cheap shots at our QB. Happens at least twice a game.

Posted By: Pat (05/11/2007 2:14:23 PM)
Comment: Matt, what was your reaction to Nolan's response to the question to as if he saw Jennings as part of the organizations future, if he'd be part of the team next year? It sure looked awkward and that Nolan seemed to by lying or hiding something. Any info on what kind of cap hit we'd take if he is released?

Response: Yes, he said my question caught him off-guard. According to my records, there is $5.876 million in bonus money that would could against the 49ers' cap if they decided to part ways and took their hit in a lump sum. Or they could work it out so that he counts $2.392 million in 2008 and $3.484 million in 2009. Jennings, by the way, is scheduled to make $3.45 million in base salary next season. --Matt M.