ST. LOUIS – Here are the grades for the 49ers’ 35-11 win over the Rams. KAEPERNICK: B+. He played very well – 115.7 passer rating – even though he rarely went through his progessions. He didn’t have to – in this game his first read usually was open. This season if his first read isn’t open, he scrambles. On one play in the fourth quarter Kaepernick started scrambling to his…
Here is my Tuesday column on the upcoming 49ers-Rams game. You don’t have to look hard to find reasons to pick the 49ers to beat the Rams Thursday night in St. Louis. Here’s one: The Rams stink. Last Sunday they got destroyed by the Cowboys, a .500 team the past two seasons. And the Rams showed no emotion while they got stomped. It was like they expected it and didn’t…
SAN FRANCISCO – Here are the grades for the 49ers’ 27-7 Week 3 loss to the Colts. KAEPERNICK: D-. His second horrendous game in a row. He completed just 13-of-27 passes for 150 yards. He also threw an interception and fumbled. Kaepernick is the kind of quarterback who wants to feed the ball to the receivers he trusts but he trusts just one receiver – Anquan Boldin. Kaepernick hardly looks…
SANTA CLARA – Vernon Davis spoke at his locker Friday afternoon. Here is a transcript. Q: What is your reaction to what happened with Aldon Smith this morning? VERNON DAVIS: I’m not too certain about the details as far as what happened to Aldon Smith but it definitely caught me by surprise. He was doing a pretty good job as far as staying out of trouble and things like that….
Jim Harbaugh spoke in the 49ers’ media tent Friday afternoon. Here’s a transcript. Q: Can you fill us in on Aldon Smith’s status for Sunday? HARBAUGH: The task today was to go and have a great practice. The time spent Sunday will be for us to go get a win, beat the Colts. We’ll make those decisions. Q: Have you spoken to Aldon about the incident this morning? HARBAUGH: Yes….
Here is my Friday column previewing the 49ers-Colts game. Even if Indianapolis hadn’t traded for Trent Richardson on Wednesday, the 49ers still would have a tough time beating the Colts on Sunday. Look at the facts: The Colts ranked fifth in the NFL in rushing yards without Richardson. They average 5 yards per carry. To beat the 49ers, you have to run the ball well and that’s what the Colts…
SANTA CLARA – Greg Roman spoke in the media tent Thursday afternoon. Here’s a transcript. ROMAN: Afternoon, we’ve got a playoff team coming in here in the Colts, very well-coached, very good defense. Just day-to-day here in terms of getting ready. Thursday is more of a situational day for us and that’s what we’ve just been working on this morning. Any questions? Q: How big of a priority is it…
SANTA CLARA — Jim Harbaugh spoke in the media tent Wednesday afternoon. Here’s a transcript courtesy of the 49ers. You were with Colts QB Andrew Luck for three years, three seasons. What did you teach him that helped him become the football player he is now? “He came in with a lot of talent and a lot of things taught by his mother and father, and other God-given ability….
SANTA CLARA – Here’s what Vance McDonald said at his locker Tuesday afternoon. Q: After watching the film, what did this offense learn? V. McDonald: First and foremost we’ve just got to take care of the ball. That’s the most important thing. Without the ball you can’t score points. Q: We all know that’s a very physical defensive front in Seattle. Did they bring anything different than you expected? V….
Here is my Tuesday column on the issues the 49ers currently face. The Week 1 win against the Packers masked issues on the 49ers, but the Seahawks just tore off the mask. What do we see? The offense is worse than it was last season. Let’s start there. They’re missing key players: Michael Crabtree, Mario Manningham, Delanie Walker and Frank Gore. Yes, Gore is missing. More on him later. Crabtree…
SANTA CLARA — Here is a transcript of Jim Harbaugh’s Monday press conference courtesy of the 49ers. Anything going on with NT Ian Williams? What’s his prognosis? “It looks like he’s going to be out for the year. Disappointing, he’ll have surgery today.” It was a broken ankle? “Yes.” After watching the play, any thoughts on just the block? “No, an unfortunate play.” How do you…
Here is what Greg Cosell about the upcoming 49ers-Seahawks game on a Sports Illustrated podcast. Q: Last year before the Super Bowl, we talked a lot about the creativity that Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman implemented in the run game. This year, they’ve taken that creativity to trips and bunch, and the way they set Anquan Boldin and Vernon Davis up in those multi-receiver formations was a thing of beauty….
SANTA CLARA — Jim Harbaugh spoke in the media tent Wednesday afternoon. Here’s a transcript, courtesy of the 49ers. WR Kassim Osgood is back on the team, what do you expect from him? “He is. I expect major contributions on special teams.” Will he be a gunner? “He’ll be a core player.” What weighed into the decision to put LB Nick Moody on short-term IR rather than…
SANTA CLARA – Pete Carroll spoke to Bay Area reporters on a conference call Wednesday afternoon. Here’s what he said. Q: What were your impressions of the 49ers’ Week 1? CARROLL: They couldn’t have been much more explosive in the throwing game. It was a fantastic day for the quarterback, a great breakout day for Anquan Boldin in the new uniform. Vernon Davis was no surprise, he did great. They…
Here is my Monday column. Enjoy. SANTA CLARA – Let’s focus on the good after the 49ers’ Week 1 win over the Packers, a very good team, probably not a great team. THE GOOD After just 11 starts, Colin Kaepernick probably is the best quarterback in the NFL. You could say he singlehandedly beat the Packers. His defense gave up 28 points, he had no rushing attack and still he…
SAN FRANCISCO – My grades for the 49ers after their 34-28 win over the Packers: KAEPERNICK: A. He outplayed Aaron Rodgers and shredded the Packers’ defense despite having no rushing threat, one wide receiver and one tight end. Kaepernick may be the only quarterback in the NFL who can pull that off. Here’s his final stat line: 29-of-37 for 412 yards, 3 TDs, a 129.4 passer rating, 9-for-18 on third…
SANTA CLARA – Vernon Davis spoke in the media tent Thursday afternoon. Here’s a transcript. Q: You’re old teammate, Randy Moss, said he wasn’t sure about the rhythm or rapport you have with Colin Kaepernick. Do you feel like you guys have something beyond what you had last year? VERNON DAVIS: I do. I feel like me and Colin are on a different level than we were last year. When…
SANTA CLARA – Greg Roman spoke in the media tent Thursday afternoon. Here’s a transcript. ROMAN: Afternoon. Excited to move into the regular season. I think we’ve had a very productive preseason-phase. I’d like to thank everybody that was a part of the team during that time. We’re set and ready to go. We had a great practice yesterday and looking forward to having another great one today. Any questions?…
Brent Jones spoke on KNBR Tuesday afternoon. Here’s what he said. Q: Will there be anything Scott Tolzien can tell the Packers that will make a difference? JONES: I think generally there could be a nugget or two. You know what he can do – and maybe they’ll change this up, but when you change stuff up that has been consistent, you kind of mess up your own team –…
Here are my grades for the 49ers in their 41-6 preseason win over the San Diego Chargers. QUARTERBACKS: B+. Colin Kaepernick completed three short passes and then left the game. Colt McCoy was decent, completing 8-of-15 passes for 56 yards and a touchdown. His longest completion was a 12-yarder. B.J. Daniels played well, better than McCoy. Daniels completed 5-of-9 passes for 76 yards and a touchdown, and he ran 6…
