NFL draft: 49ers eye Seahawks rivalry with Day 2 picks

This is my news story on Day 2 of the 49ers’ draft. SANTA CLARA — The San Francisco 49ers must have made their second- and third-round picks with the Seattle Seahawks in mind. The Niners needed a cornerback. During the offseason they lost Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox, both of their starting cornerbacks from last season. When it was time for the Niners to make their selection in Round 2…

May 1, 2015
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Super Bowl winner is…

This is my Sunday column. This Super Bowl will be nothing like the previous one: Seahawks 43, Broncos 8. This one will be grim. The Seahawks won’t blow out the Patriots. The Patriots won’t blow out the Seahawks. Neither team will score more than 20 points. This year’s Super Bowl could come down the final play. As opposed to last year’s Super Bowl, which came down to the first play….

January 31, 2015
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49ers see runs of success in their quarterback’s future

This is my Sunday column. Keep running him until he breaks down. That is the 49ers’ plan for Colin Kaepernick next season. I can’t prove it beyond a reasonable doubt, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, but I can make a case. Exhibit A: Mike Shanahan and Rob Chudzinski – the top candidates to become the Niners’ new offensive coordinator, according to reports. Shanahan was Robert Griffin III’s head coach…

January 17, 2015
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The quarterback deficiencies of Colin Rand Kaepernick

This is my Sunday column. As Jed York and Trent Baalke search for someone who can make Colin Kaepernick a competent pocket passer, keep in mind that Jim Harbaugh, the Quarterback Whisperer, couldn’t do it; George Whitfield, the Quarterback Guru, couldn’t do it; and Bill Walsh, The Genius, almost certainly wouldn’t care to try. Of course, I can’t prove that last part — Walsh passed away in 2007 — but…

January 3, 2015
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Vic Fangio on the Seahawks: “They’ve evolved into a really good offense.”

This is the transcript of Vic Fangio’s Thursday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers’ p.r. department. Last week, obviously, we saw that LB Ahmad Brooks was on the sideline. How difficult of a decision was that for you to make? “It was difficult to do, but it was an easy decision. He missed an entire meeting on Tuesday and then was 20 minutes late on Wednesday, so, at that point,…

December 11, 2014
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For Kaepernick and Wilson, two paths to the spotlight

This is my Thursday column. Jim Harbaugh isn’t helping Colin Kaepernick. All this talk of greatness is a burden. Here’s what Harbaugh said at Sunday’s postgame press conference: “(Kaepernick) is a great player. I don’t know how everybody else doesn’t see it that way. Great with a capital ‘G.’ At the highest level of great.” Never mind that Kaepernick’s passer rating ranks 17th in the NFL. Never mind that he…

November 26, 2014
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Fangio: “When Wilson has the ball in his hand, he’s like defending Barry Sanders.”

SANTA CLARA — This is the transcript of Vic Fangio’s Tuesday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers’ P.R. department. How is DT Justin Smith, his health? “Good.”   He was listed with a back injury. Is that a minor thing? “News to me.”   Do you expect him to play on Thursday, no questions? “It’d be news to me if he didn’t.”   His snaps are a little bit down…

November 25, 2014
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Why NFL offenses should call QB rollouts much more often

During the 2013 regular season, Colin Kaepernick’s passer rating on rollouts was 106.9. On straight dropbacks, his passer rating was 89.5 — a difference of more than 17 percent.  The 49ers called 47 rollouts for Kaepernick, and he dropped straight back 410 times — one rollout for every nine straight dropbacks. The NFL average passer rating on rollouts was 96.6 in 2013. The NFL average passer rating on straight dropbacks was 86.9 —…

June 9, 2014
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Kap’s off in the pocket

This is my Thursday column on Colin Kaepernick. Late last season, Joe Montana told USA Today that Colin Kaepernick needed to improve as a pocket passer. Kaepernick disagreed. “I think pocket passing is something that is overlooked as far as what I do,” Kaepernick told a local radio station. Suggesting Montana, the greatest quarterback ever, is not a discerning quarterback analyst. “I think people see me run around, see me…

May 1, 2014
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Russell Wilson 2013 passing stats: Inside/outside pocket

To help put Colin Kaepernick’s 2013 inside/outside of the pocket passing stats in context, here are Russell Wilson’s 2013 inside/outside of the pocket passing stats: INSIDE THE POCKET 322 attempts 213 completions 2,568 yards 20 TDs 5 INTs 66.1 completion percentage 8.0 yards per attempt 6.2 TD percentage 1.6 INT percentage 104.7 passer rating OUTSIDE OF THE POCKET 153 attempts 87 completions 1,313 yards 9 TDs 4 INTs 56.9 completion…

April 29, 2014
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49ers stock report

Here is my Wednesday column. Here is the current stock report of six prominent 49er figures, letting you know if their stock is up or down. Jim Harbaugh: Stock down For eight consecutive years, his stock was up, up, up. That trend ended Jan. 19, the day Harbaugh lost the NFC Championship to the Seahawks the same way he lost the Super Bowl to the Ravens the season before —…

March 5, 2014
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Ranking the top QBs in the NFL

Who are the best QBs in the NFL? I’m going rank them by tiers. You’re free to rank the QBs however you see fit. TIER ONE: GREAT QUARTERBACKS. QBs who can carry a team even if it lacks a good defense or key offensive personnel. 1. Peyton Manning 2. Aaron Rodgers 3. Tom Brady 4. Drew Brees TIER TWO: GOOD QUARTERBACKS. QBs who lack one or two qualities the great ones have. QBs…

March 3, 2014
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Johnny Manziel is not a franchise QB — he is the next Matt Leinart

This is my Monday column on Johnny Manziel. One week before the NFL Scouting Combine, Johnny Manziel – bless his heart – said he wanted to be the first rookie quarterback to win the Super Bowl. Don’t count on it. Manziel has a better chance to be the next Matt Leinart. Remember him? Won the Heisman Trophy at USC in 2004. The Arizona Cardinals drafted him with the 10th pick…

February 24, 2014
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Biggest difference between 49ers and Seahawks

Why are the Seahawks better than the 49ers right now? Where is the biggest gap between the two teams? Is it the secondaries, the coaches, or the quarterbacks? The Seahawks have the edge on the 49ers in all three areas, and the biggest edge might be at quarterback. Just compare their 2014 postseason stats: Colin Kaepernick: 42-of-85 (54.9%), 576 passing yards (7.0 yards per attempt), 3 TDs, 3 INTs, 74.0 passer…

February 3, 2014
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Seahawks pass game in a funk

This is my Wednesday column on the Seahawks’ passing game. Don’t blame Russell Wilson. People say the Seahawks’ passing game is spiraling counter-clockwise down the toilet because Wilson is in a slump. No. It might be more accurate to say that Darrell Bevell, the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator, is in a slump. “His passing game appears chaotic and out of sorts,” said a former NFL offensive coordinator. “Some weeks, Bevell is…

January 15, 2014
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A stat to consider about the 49ers

Week 2 when the 49ers played the Seahawks in Seattle, Russell Wilson completed just eight passes and his passer rating was an abysmal 63.9. But the 49ers defense allowed 104 rushing yards and a touchdown on 14 read-option runs. Russell Wilson averaged 5 yards per carry (10 yards on 2 read-option runs). And Marshawn Lynch averaged 8 yards per carry (73 yards and 1 TD on 9 read-optoin runs). His backup,…

January 15, 2014
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Stats to consider about the Seahawks

What do you make of these stats for the Seahawks? Passer rating allowed this season: Richard Sherman: 45.9 Byron Maxwell: 47.2 Walter Thurmond: 67.3 Kam Chancellor: 61.1 Earl Thomas: 78.4 Yards per carry allowed the past five games: 3.34 Yards per carry allowed at CenturyLink Field this season: 3.6 Points per game allowed at CenturyLink Field this season: 13.8 Yards per play allowed at CenturyLink Field this season: 4.4 Opponent’s…

January 14, 2014
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49ers 19, Seahawks 17: Grades

SAN FRANCISCO – Here are my grades for the 49ers’ 19-17 win over the Seahawks. KAEPERNICK: D+. He was pretty good in the first half and awful for most of the second half until his 8-yard run to seal the win on third-and-7 at the end of the fourth quarter. That’s why I give him the “plus.” He missed wide open receivers all game and completed just 52 percent of…

December 8, 2013
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49ers have home field and motivation — will it be enough?

Here is my Saturday column previewing the upcoming 49ers-Seahawks game. I think the Seahawks will beat the 49ers on Sunday. But I’m going to make a case for the 49ers because they are a good team with a good chance to win. And it’s important to look at an issue from all sides. Almost everything works in the 49ers’ favor: The Seahawks could have an emotional letdown after Monday night’s…

December 7, 2013
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Fangio says Wilson “can run any offense.”

SANTA CLARA — Vic Fangio spoke in the media tent Thursday afternoon. Here is a transcript.   How much of Seattle’s success is success on first and second downs to stay in manageable situations, third and short? “Well, it’s a big part of their success. Basically, the big part of their success is they’re balanced. They run the ball on first and second down as much as anybody in the…

December 5, 2013
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