The good and not so good from the 49ers’ evisceration of the Rams

Posted By on October 13, 2019

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Dante Pettis (18) is tackled by Los Angeles Rams safety Taylor Rapp during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

The 49ers just pulled off a franchise-altering upset of the Rams. Just eviscerated them. Here’s what stood out.

THE GOOD

  1. The pass defense. I’ve never seen such dominant pass defense before. The Rams came into the game with the second-most passing yards in the NFL, and the 49ers held them to just 78 yards through the air. Exposed Jared Goff and Sean McVay as overrated has-beens.
  2. Arik Armstead. He gets my game ball for the second time this season (first time was against the Steelers). Armstead has been the 49ers’ most disruptive, most relentless defensive player all season. Figures – his contract is up at the end of the season. He has earned himself quite a pay day.
  3. Dee Ford. He has knee tendinitis, which has limited his effectiveness this season. Last week against the Browns, the 49ers mostly used him as a decoy. But, against the Rams, he was no decoy. He recorded 1.5 sacks and forced a fumble.
  4. Solomon Thomas. Played defensive tackle and finally looked like a first-round pick. Recorded a sack and played with great effort. Good for Solomon.
  5. Jimmie Ward. Broke up two passes and played a key role in the 49ers brilliant pass defense. Ward has improved the 49ers defense since returning to the lineup last week.
  6. Jaquiski Tartt. Recorded an excellent tackle for loss. During the week, Tartt told me I only write about him when he messes up. He’s right. My bad. Tartt deserves lots of praise. He has been consistent and effective when healthy.
  7. George Kittle. Played with a groin injury and recorded a game-high 103 receiving yards. Who IS this guy?
  8. Dante Pettis. Last week, I wrote he’s a flat-out bust. This week in the locker room, he asked me why he’s a bust. I told him that merely was my opinion, take it for what it’s worth. He called me a bleeping joke. Fair enough. We’re even. I told him I hope he proves me wrong, and I will praise he him if does. Today, he took a big step toward proving me wrong. He was the best wide receiver on the field for either team. Averaged 15 yards per catch and almost scored a touchdown, but got pushed out of bounds after making a nice, leaping grab. I respect Pettis for making me eat my words so quickly. He’s a competitor.
  9. Daniel Brunskill. Made the first start of his career and gave up no sacks.

THE NOT SO GOOD

  1. The run defense. Gave up five yards per carry. Fortunately for the 49ers, no team can beat them simply by running the ball. Still, the 49ers need to find a way to improve their run defense as the season progresses.
  2. The run game without Kyle Juszczyk. The 49ers averaged only 2.4 yards per carry. This wasn’t a problem against the Rams and their anemic offense. Against a better team with a better offense, the Juszczyk-less run game could become an issue.

This article has 315 Comments

  1. Daniel Brunskill. Made the first start of his career and gave up no sacks.

    Hey Sebbie… Brunskill, you know, the AAF guy.

    1. AAF? That league that folded, and they kicked the players out of their hotels with no funds to get home?
      .
      Did Baalke run that? That sounds like he would have relished the chance to cut those players with no thanks or help.

      1. Sebbie… Take a cue from Grant’s new behavior and admit to being a bit hasty–in this case, writing off any player who’d sign with the AAF. I don’t flippin’ care what you thought of the league as a viable entity. You went on and trashed all the players too. I suggested that a number of players would make it onto NFL rosters, and you just couldn’t acknowledge that. Again, your Grant is showing some humility these days (so it seems)–you can too.

  3. Can’t wait for Hurd to return. Insert him in the offense and see what happens.

  4. I disagree grading the rushing offense so harshly. The Rams d line still has a guy named Donald playing. Meaning….their decline is still solid. Missing 3 key blockers on offense, this is what I expected from the rushing attack.

  5. Thinking back to late preseason when Grant’s buddy Joe Shasky (@ButcherBoy415) came unglued over ‘billions of robot morons’ buying all that cra* that the Yorks and 9er execs were peddling (player qualities, coaching abilities, etc.).

    1. And remember Grant’s umbrage at all the media that were supposedly propping up the Niners, and he, only he, our Grant, had the balls to write the truth?

      Skip your optometrist appointment, Grant, your hindsight is a perfect 20/20

  6. The run defense. Gave up five yards per carry. Fortunately for the 49ers, no team can beat them simply by running the ball. Still, the 49ers need to find a way to improve their run defense as the season progresses.

    But we did stop them when it counted. The goal line stand, for example. As well as all the failed 3rd and 4th down convertions.

  7. Good column for some inside the locker room reveals. Looks like Grant is squared with Pettis and Tartt now. Grant, you aren’t the one mispronouncing Jaquiski are you?

  8. What’s with the Chargers? Sure, one of those “who did we beat?” was the Steelers, but they are romping over the bolts with their QB3

  9. I’m surprised how well Skule and Brunsill held up for the most part. I’m even more surprised that I saw Jimmy making 7 step drop passes….I looked to the sideline to see if Mike Martz snuck onto the 49er coaching staff. You don’t see that as often in the NFL these days and even less so with back up Tackles playing.

    1. I’m not. If you did some scouting on both players, you’d have found out why the 49ers liked them in their scheme, and the potential within it….

        1. Yep, the mark of a great team is depth and the fact that Lynch and Shanny have been able to overhaul this team in 3 years is a testament to their football acumen, along with a little luck….

      2. I read the scouting reports on both players. Nothing said that they would be able to so quickly step up and play effectively for an extended period of time. I doubt anything out there said that no matter how well their skills might fit the run blocking scheme….which is why I believe that OL coach John Benton must be doing a pretty good job of preparing these guys to play.

        1. Nothing said that they would be able to so quickly step up and play effectively for an extended period of time.

          Why would anyone have to say that? With Brunskill it was a question of NFL strength and conditioning. With Skule it was more of the same. Benton deserves all the credit, but he has to have something to work with, and both Brunskill and Skule possessed the traits inherent to this system….

          2. You said….”if I had read the scouting reports”…my point is that I did.

            If you prognosticated this degree of success by these two young offensive linemen; then you should be sitting in Lynch’s chair. Yeah…OBVIOUSLY they had scheme fit skills…but that’s nowhere close to saying they’re ready to compete as starters in the NFL.

            1. I didn’t prognosticate anything other than to say I wasn’t too concerned, because I knew they were capable and I had every confidence in the acumen of our coaching staff, particularly the head coach….

  10. Prediction:

    John lynch = executive of the year
    Kyle Shanny = Coach of the year

    49ers = super bowl winner 100th NFL season

  11. I was right about Gurley, I was right about Goff and I was right about McVay. I’m glad Grant has finally come around.

    2. Calm down. That and your fantasy team finally scored a victory. But you still have a long way to go to become Sebbie the great predictor of success.

      1. Anyone that’s calm after that win isn’t a 49ers fan. Tonight we party. Tomorrow we calm down and focus on the Redskins….

        1. Only messing with you, bud. At Sebbie’s expense of course. Today was a great day. :)

  12. If you look at the schedule you want to win the next two. Skins away and the Panthers at home. Then you play Arizona on Thursday night and I rest anyone dinged up. I might start Mullins in that game.. The next game is the big one at home vs Seattle.. 11 days to get ready plus a two week rest for anyone banged up.. That’s the game you want..

    1. Arizona is getting better, slowly. They’re no pushover. Kyler Murray is starting to make some big-time throws.

  13. 19-0! SUPERBOWL! DOMINANCE! Kill BRADY the first time to 16-0 teams meet in the SUPER BOWL!

  14. ???I am over happy.???…its freaking amazing??….after suffering through seasons of losing ??……..

    This win to me brought back memories of Ken Norton Jr. Int return for a td and using the goalposts as a punching bag…..

    We own the .?…sorry Rams….

  15. grant, i respect your newfound ability to admit erroneous opinions. it seems as if your doing well “standing in the pocket and taking the hits” from these guys when you see them face to face as well. Keep it up, be fair and be humble when your wrong……and your gonna earn a lot of respect from the athletes as well as us readers.
    I think its time for a fluff piece! all kidding aside….ive enjoyed the praise from you recently…..but it seems almost disingenuous at times…..i mean you’ve buried everyone here for so long….from Lynch and Shanny and Saleh….(horrible GM, nothing more than a glorified OC -the worst DC in the league) to almost every player to a man ( sol, pettis, AA= busts, sherm-old man playing on one leg, JG, Ford KA=overpaid)
    maybe point out some things such as bad luck due to injuries in previous years ( Garcon, JG, Ward, Tart etc) and the fact that being aggressive in acquiring the most important missing piece, a pass rush has all paid off in a big way!
    i also think Lynch has hit big on enough free agents, UDRFA’s and draft picks to be absolved of shame for draftin Solly over Mahomes and drafting RF at all

  16. Damn. It’s great to be 5-0. The crazy part is I don’t think the 49ers have hit their stride yet. Once they can consistently play well in all phases this team can beat anyone.

    1. Yeah, I agree. It’s not like the team is winning games with no margin for error. They’re leaving points on the field and still beating down opponants.

  17. Cool article Grant Good to read about your interactions with players in locker room. Apparently players are reading you! :-) Can you get up close and personal interviews with Shanny and Lynch? Would be interesting to get their reactions to your ‘suggestions’. Has there ever been a team that lost their top 3 OT’s? Could help explain anemic running game. Don’t sleep on Az. Kyle Murray was GREAT today, on a team w/o top wide outs (except Fitz) and O-Line getting better each week (more experience playing together). Good news, Az can’t stop TE’s. Kittle should have career day, fantasy fans.

    1. That would be a great interview w/KS and Lynch. Kittle is a force on this team even injured!. Here’s a cool 7 min. youtube clip of Kittle on “Game Pass film sessions” breaking down some of his routes and the O.

      https://youtu.be/SPDIbCDdN8Y

  19. Mitch Wishnowsky watch…

    Wishnowsky – Punting Avg -39.8 , Inside 20 – 0

    Kasey Redfern signed by the Falcons on Friday…

    Redfern – Punting Avg -43.3 , Inside 20 – 1

  20. « Jack Hammer says:
    October 11, 2019 at 8:59 pm
    Nah. They need to stay the course, Run the ball, get after it on defense.

    I’d look for somewhere in the neighborhood of 28-35 pass attempts. »

    44 rush attempts, 35 passes

    2. I’d say that sticking to the run game in those conditions only makes sense if you don’t trust your passing game independent of your run game. A decent passing game is what was needed against those stacked boxes that mostly shut down the run game. And to my surprise a few of those passes actually looked like 7 step drop passes (out of necessity for deeper routes and full field route concepts due to down and distance situations)….for a second I thought Mike Martz might of snuck into the Niner’s coaching staff.

      But given what the Niners have in the passing game, you’re right it makes sense to lean on the defense (lucky for them that’s an option) and keep hammering away at the run with some opportunistic pass plays (and a few good ones) to eek out enough points to win. But it’s not a recipe I’d like to repeat if necessary. I’d like to be able to lean on the passing game if absolutely necessary when facing those 13 stacked in the box defenses.

      1. eek out enough points to win.

        #3 in PPG, #2 in scoring margin is hardly “eeking out enough points to win” Sheesh. I know, I know…who have they played, right?

        1. Sort of. Compare PPG, First downs per game, yards per game, etc. the 2019 offense (so far) is beyond what we dreamt of in 2011.

            1. Jack you’ve been good with your predictions so far. Do you really think this year’s team is going to end up 18th in offensive TDs per game, 26th in total yards, (cough) 31st in 3rd down conversions….?

    3. I told you it would be closer to 35 rather than 28, and Jimmy did air it out more downfield.

  21. I will eschew the normal analysis of this total victory, and talk about Grant’s interactions with the players. It is interesting to note that Tartt complained that Grant did not talk about him, except to mention something negative. That just proves that they are reading what he writes, and they are hypersensitive to any criticism. The players should realize that it is his job to be critical, especially when warranted. Now that the Niners are on this 5 game win streak, he is praising their play, because they deserve it. Pettis took umbrage with the bust label, but that just gave him more motivation to prove Grant wrong, so the criticism worked.
    .
    Grant was effusive with his praise of Saleh, after bashing him during their 4-12 season. Saleh has improved, but it might be because he has better position coaches, and better talent. Woods and Kocurek have their squads playing at an elite level. Stopping the Rams on four 4th downs, was very impressive.

    2. Sebs…………So Grant can motivate the players better than a coach with a pink slip? So Grant is responsible for the great play of the D and not Woods and Kocurek? They have nothing to do with it? Interesting hypothesis……………..

      Sebs, without a snarky intent, your starting to look at Grant with the the same lack of objectivity as you do a certain some one else……..
      I shall have to remind you-again- of this unpleasant fact, so as to keep you on the planet earth: sometime today, Grant had a bowel movement on the terlit-and it may or may not have been pleasant-depending on your proximity.

      He’s just a man, Seb, who gives opinions that are often insightful and sometimes not.

  22. Los Angeles needs to set up a GOFF-und me page so they can buy a legitimate star QB.

  23. Kyle channeled his inner Jim Harbaugh.
    The running game was not working… but he kept pounding, running clock and allowed the D to win the game.

    Jimmy was not spectacular, but he wasn’t bad either even given that the pick was not his worst throw of the day. I do not wish to bash the oline, considering the injuries and amount of time they have played together, they played about as well as could be expected. However, I also must admit that Jimmy made them look better than they were by getting rid of the ball quickly, often under duress.

    Kudos to Saleh for getting the D squared away… they looked soft on the opening drive. And It looked like it was about to be a long day.

    Kyle also gets credit for recognizing the flow the game and not getting too cute, playing conservative and walking out of their with a win.

    1. Yeah, JG was pretty good for the most part today. He did an excellent job getting the ball out quickly and keeping the offense moving despite not being able to rely on the run game consistently picking up yards and having the Rams D in his face pretty regularly.

  24. Jimmie Ward quite rightly is getting a lot of praise for that two play stretch where he broke up two passes on 3rd and 4th down. But he had an equally impressive play a series or two before that where he crashed through the middle of the D to stop Brown on a 4th and short for another turnover on downs. Pretty sure he was involved in one of the tackles on the goal line stand as well. He really had a great game.

    Solomon Thomas is also quite rightly getting praise for his play today. His sack was obviously the highlight. But he had another impressive play earlier where he got quick pressure and almost got a sack, and was part of the penetration that caused a TFL on a run play in the 3rd qtr. Probably his best game as a 49er.

    Saleh is getting a lot of the credit for the D, which is certainly fair enough. But the position coaches need some credit too. The DBs are playing great. Basically the same group as last year, but look completely different. Woods has them playing fast and aggressive in coverage. Last year they looked lost and spot dropped all the time. The play of the guys in front also obviously helps, but still very impressive turnaround from this group. Good job by Joe Woods.

    1. Scooter, I said the same regarding our defensive position coaches. Woods and Kocurek have certainly been instrumental in assisting Saleh’s success….

        1. Simple answer is one’s performance was good enough to earn himself a DC job in the NFL, and the other is working for the NCAA….

    2. I agree with what you say about Ward. His overall play has been quite good. Note that he did get trucked by Robert Woods on the end-around resulting in a touchdown.

      1. Yeah, that was the only negative play of his I noticed. Looked to me like he tried to force the fumble rather than make the tackle.

  25. Last year the team suffered injuries and collapsed. This year the team has suffered injuries and has kept going!

    What is the difference? I think coaching and preparation (and to a degree, personnel on the D side anyway). So the coaches deserve a ton of praise for learning and adjusting.

    1. What is the difference? I think coaching and preparation

      And obviously depth behind those injuries. Remember the preseason hand-wringing over how the team was paper thin and an injury to Staley away from a 3rd straight year of futility?

      1. No chit, Ribico. 3 years into a complete overhaul and the franchise has developed their depth through coaching and experience out on the field. Pretty obvious!

      2. “Speed. Sound. Aggressiveness, and having outstanding players have made a difference. When you can put a player 20 yards deep, and the next two plays have him erase the offenses No. 1 wide receiver; you know you have a versatile defense.”

      3. Sure, guilty as charged, yet there was plenty of reasons to worry about this team going into the season especially with what transpired last year.

        Last year’s team and this one look very similar except for some key defensive players. The anemia of the offense last year certainly sunk more than one game but it is hard to believe that the leap they made from one year to the next occurred. Why I posed the question.

  26. San Francisco has outscored opponents, 86-31, in the second half, and it has not allowed a point in the second half in its past three games.

    1. The defense has held opponents to only 4 conversions on 32 third down attempts the last 3 weeks.

    2. IIRC, wasn’t it the opposite during most of Harbaugh’s tenure? Harbaugh’s teams scored far more points in the first half than in the 2nd half (at least I remember that was the case one season).

  28. I was way wrong about this game and very happy about it. Regardless of yesterdays outcome we will need both tackles and Juice back if we expect to keep winning and have any success in the playoffs.

    1. I think many of us were wrong about this team, and are happy about it. I guess I had been expecting the worst, but not hoping for the best, because the last 4 years have been brutal, and I did not want to have my hopes crushed.
      .
      It sure is nice to see the Niners relevant again.

        1. I was talking to Old Coach, not you.
          .
          Go see your shrink so he can tell you the world does not revolve around you.

            1. Many posters were not expecting a 5-0 start, Grant included.
              .
              Name one who was.
              .
              We were wrong, and HAPPY about it.
              .
              There are many posters on this site, and I did not specifically include you in that ‘many’ category.
              .
              In fact, I was trying to studiously ignore you.

          2. Now hold it Seb, for a long time you have for the most part mirrored Grants dismal attitude toward the team. There are going to be a few of us, Razor, Rib, Prime, myself and a couple of others, that have had unwavering support for this regime that are going to have some fun with the naysayers. Surly if we had been wrong I am sure you and others would quickly point that out.

            1. Under, I am a die hard faithful Niner fan. I hunger for another ring. I am not a fake fan.
              .
              I also am a realist, and know the Niners went 4-12 last season. I lowered expectations, but still wanted them to win. I certainly did not predict they would go 3-13. I started out predicting they would go 8-8, which would have doubled the win total from last season. At the end of TC, I was so heartened, I thought they might go 9-7. After a strong preseason, I even thought they might earn a 10-6 record, and sneak into the playoffs.
              .
              If you had been wrong, I would welcomed you back to the real world. I certainly would not be happy to do that. I want the Niners to win, but NOBODY predicted a 5 game winning streak. However, I am HAPPY I was wrong, and look forward to watching this season unfold.

              2. Seb, you’re still in the 49ers family circle, but don’t ever go against the family again.?

              5. Very well said, Razor-and, like Michael Corleone’s brother Fredo, Seb is on record going against the 49ers repeatedly….the draft, play-calling….did I mention the draft?

                Hopefully, Sebby will not ultimately end up like Fredo for going against our 9ers………..a pitiful conclusion to a storied life……..

          3. “Go see your shrink so he can tell you the world does not revolve around you.”?

            That is a laugh coming from you.

          4. “ Go see your shrink so he can tell you the world does not revolve around you“

            Says the guy who thinks the 49ers take his advice on a blog.

            5-0 and all the naysayers who said Shanny and Lynch could not build a winner and it was taking too long, like Sherm said, you look stupid!

            1. Indeed. In my mind, if Shanny couldn’t resurrect this franchise then who could? Certainly not the Purdue coach, or the special teams coach from Kansas City, Toub.

              Another clue was when Dick Charmin wanted to join the 49ers due to the generals in charge, and Jimmy G. He’s a very intelligent player. Ok, maybe getting to play Seattle twice a year had appeal as well, but still, I thought it was telling when he chose the 49ers….

              1. Let’s not forget the job Lynch, Carthin, Peters and Mayhew have done scouting and drafting.
                To see guys like Mosley, Skule, and Brunskill come in and play mistake free, wow. That’s impressive.

            2. Yup, it sure was nice to see a flea flicker, after I posted 10 ways to improve, and included a flea flicker.
              .
              Tartt and Pettis just admitted they dote on everything Grant writes on this blog.
              .
              Sherman welcomes constructive criticism, because then, they will not become soft and complacent.

              1. Seb, if you could impart one centilla of wisdom for Tartt and Pettis today, what would it be?

              2. Read IF, by Rudyard Kipling.
                .
                If neither foes or loving friends can hurt you,
                If all men count with you, but none too much;
                If you can fill the unforgiving minute,
                With 60 seconds’ worth of distance run,
                Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
                And- which is more- you’ll be a Man, my son!

              4. Sherman welcomes constructive criticism, because then, they will not become soft and complacent.

                And he calls them out for being idiots. Do you think Sherm reads yours posts, idiot?

              5. Seb-stop reading “IF” and start reading “WHEN”–by the 16th Century Scottish poet Red O’hara–it will give you a whole different perspective.

              6. Donald, your snark is trite. Of course, Sherman reads the constructive criticisms, because he mentions them.
                .
                I am not part of the Naysayers who he calls idiots. That is more in your line, because you did not comment on the upcoming game, or deign to give a prediction. You just yap at my heels.
                .
                Meanwhile, I am putting out ideas that might help the Niners win. I am hoping the Niners learn from their mistakes, so they do not repeat them. I am the one concerned about adequate preparations, and adjusting to adversity. I am not a naysayer, but a troubleshooter. I am the guy who stops them from becoming soft and complacent.
                .
                An idiot, would just snark away throwing out bluster. When I posted my 10 point plan, you said that they would ignore it. In it, I proposed sending a man in motion. You think that only an idiot would think of that. Too bad Bill Walsh , and now KS, put a man in motion. I proposed sending exotic blitzes against Goff. You think only idiots would do that, it might lead to 4 sacks. I caution them to consider time outs to be precious. You think idiots should just waste them like drunken sailors.
                .
                Over 3 years ago, I said they should have 15 scripted plays, and plays dependent on down and distance. You must think that is the most idiotic idea in the world. Actually, they have 24 scripted plays.
                .
                I said they should be deceptive. You must think KS is an idiot, because he promised to be more unpredictable.
                .
                You may think I have idiotic ideas, but that is what every low cognitive ability person thinks of others, when they cannot understand what is said.

          5. “I was talking to Old Coach, not you.”
            Cool, so you’ll stay off our comments unless we address you? Sweet!

            1. Dave, that is the whole problem. All I want is to blog in a calm civil manner. I have told posters that they should not get upset, and react negatively, engaging with me.
              .
              They just cannot help themselves, and like a moth to a flame, they fly off the handle, and spew invective.
              .
              I cannot even write something that Scooter agrees makes sense, without the burner troll accounts calling me a moron. That is fine, because I think they have low cognitive ability to want to waste time outs like a drunken sailor, or talk about free agency.
              .
              It is OK. I do have posters on this site that I have had good relations with, and can ague and disagree, without being disagreeable. There are many posters on this site that I leave alone, without any discourse. Your problem is, that you just addressed me, or referred to me.
              .
              Just let me blog in peace, and I will be very happy. I certainly think you have nothing to bring to the table, so I will leave you alone.

        2. Ribico says:
          October 14, 2019 at 8:56 am
          What do you mean “us” kimosabe?

          Exactly!
          I said it in week 1 and prior. I think some on here are underestimating the talent on this team

          Keep the crow for yourself Sebbie

            1. I think many of us were wrong about this team

              Did you predict they would go 5-0 ? Then, you are one of us

              Don’t let those goalposts cold cock you while you are moving them Seb. There’s a world of difference between predicting and undefeated start an “being wrong about the team”. Don’t drag us eternally optimistic fans into your morass, got it?

              1. Heard today that Sherman said: “there is no more room on the bandwagon so don’t try and jump on now”. LOL

              2. Donald, You are no cheerleader for this team. You seem to confine yourself to snark.
                .
                I did not read a word of optimism from you, about how the Niner defense would shut down the Rams.
                .
                The morass you are referring to is the one from last season’s 4-12 record. It is OK to have lowered expectations after only 4 wins. I still want them to win, so I do not need to jump on the bandwagon, I am helping Razor drive it.

      2. Well said, Sebs–maybe no more poetry for you?? Perhaps its time for the jokes? I got a million of ’em.

  29. Grant,
    One category to add to the not so good, Special teams coverage units. I don’t know the stats off hand but they seemed to give up quite a few yards on punt and KO returns.

  30. One of most impressive things about this game was- The Niners were gashed on that first drive by the Rams, and Saleh made a shrewd assessment, and quick adjustment.

  31. 5-0 with 3 road wins. Doing so while missing Staley, McGlinchey, Juice, Hurd, and Taylor. All guys the 49ers expected to contribute. If the 49ers can get through the next 4 games (Redskins, Panthers, Cardinals, Seahawks) at just 2-2 they will have a 7-2 record. Then several of those guys come back and the team goes on a run. IMO the next 4 games determine if the 49ers make the playoffs and their playoff seed.

    1. Redskins game has the makings of a classic trap game.

      Panthers are resurgent and Kyle Allen /CMC are making their offense good. Their D is always on point.

      Cardinals away, with Peterson back will be a handful.

      Seahawks always play us tough and Russell Wilson is playing at MVP level.

      So basically, don’t take any team lightly and keep grinding…..the goal now should be the Playoffs by winning the Division.

  32. 1. Great game and win against a divisional rival.
    2. The team has dusted off cobwebs and is the best team in the NFL. Yeah, I said it. There were injuries during the preseason and several of our starters were limited and did not get first team reps or any reps . The first 3 regular season games were like our preseason .
    3. Jimmy G had a good game and is a good qb. He may even be elite. Imagine if he had the Bucs receivers. Rams D was stout versus the run yesterday . JG in turn effectively moved the ball down the field. As usual there were 2 critical drops which cost us 2 tds – Goodwin and Coleman.
    4. Petis was a bust last week and now suddenly he isn’t ??? The reality is that he is inconsistent and lacks confidence. Can that confidence grow -yes. Let’s see if it does.
    5. Our best receivers in order are : Kittle, Breida, Juszczyk, Coleman, Deebo, Pettis, Goodwin/Bourne. Notice the first 4 are not WR. We need a number 1 WR.
    6. Activate Jordan Mathews
    7. We play the @ Cards Thursday night 10/31 and then the next game Monday 11/11 home against Seahawks. Hopefully we get some guys back during that 11 day mini-bye ahead the Seattle which is looking like a huge game.
    8. Here we come DC.

  33. I want to give Solomon Thomas kudos for playing so well. Many have called him a bust, but he is an important rotational player on that line, and the coaches are finally putting him in positions to succeed.

    1. A disappointment as a 3rd overall selection, sure but he’s not a bust, plus he has yet to reach his full potential.

      1. +1 That’s the way I see it, he may be like Armstead slow to develop then comes on with a bang. I sure hope so, he is a good kid.

        1. “When Solly got the sack, then you started to see the arguing amongst the offensive linemen and all that s—,” Bosa said.

  34. I am one happy fan. It doesn’t get much better then this. 5-0, with 2 victories back to back on the east coast, a victory over a tough Steeler team, a thrashing of a Brown team that some predicated would be a SB contender, and the absolute beat down of the reigning NFC champs.

    This team hasn’t even reached its entire potential especially on offense. Also the Niners need to re-sign Arik Armstead, at the moment the defense MVP. Old Coach and myself were the only two that were on board with that pick.

    The value of the running game and playing good defense is still alive and well in the NFL.

    1. Not so fast. If you remember, I too was on board with the Armstead pick, plus I called it after it came to me the night before draft day while I was laying down for bed. Now, I have had some trepidation about Arik since the selection due to injury and performance. I agree he’s worth signing but only if he takes a hometown discount. I don’t think the 49ers resign him, because I think Thomas was selected to take over his duties next year. It’d be nice to hold onto the Twin Towers, but not sure it’s prudent considering the $20 million dollar a year price tag he’ll likely earn. It only makes cap sense to have a single tower….

      1. Sorry my man, excuse my memory Razor, I just remembered all the backlash of drafting him. Yes he had injury issue but what Niner hasn’t? This is a devastating D-line and I would hope that the Niners do their do diligence to retain it. Why break up something that is very hard and rare to put together? I know Buck and Kittle need their money too….

        1. No apology necessary my friend, but Scooter and Rocket were both diametrically opposed to the selection, if my suspect memory serves me properly….

          1. Yep, I wasn’t a fan. He’s been a better player than I thought he would be. But as good as he is playing right now I also still think it was a bad pick. I am all for letting players develop but a first round pick shouldn’t take until year 5 to dominate.

            1. Well, the injuries didn’t help and he didn’t have the greatest supporting cast. Your point is well taken though, but the same could be said of Ward. If both of them power the engine to get us to the SB and win it, then I guess all that flies out the window….

              1. Yes, Ward is the same.

                Don’t get me wrong, I like both players and have done since their rookie years. Armstead showed much more as a rookie than I anticipated and Ward I have always thought showed talent. I hope they can keep both guys around beyond this season the way they are playing, and Armstead is definitely playing like a former first round pick this year. But you want more from a first round pick ahead of their 5th and 6th seasons than the 49ers got from Armstead and Ward.

      2. Razor,
        I understand your logic but i’m not sure one good game makes Thomas a solid replacement for Armstead. Lets see 5 or 6 more before we crown him. imho

        1. Fair enough, but like Pettis, I believe Thomas can use that game to springboard himself into consistent improvement throughout the year. As Undercenter has stated, this team offensively and defensively has yet to reach their collective potential. By the time we get our 5 starters back, I expect this to be a much improved unit on both sides of the ball….

      3. Yep. Armstead is having a great season, but it’s his fifth year. Because of injury and performance, the team didn’t get the “benefits” you hope to get from a first round selection (i.e. high-level performance at a rookie salary over multiple years). Now, Nick Bosa, OTOH, is giving us everything we could have hoped for. Only question with him is injuries and, so far, that hasn’t really been an issue. Same can be said of Buckner and to a degree McGlinchey, but expect more improvement from him.

        1. Good point. I’d love nothing more than to retain his services, however I fear it’s impossible. Even for the wizard of cap….

          1. The only way I see that we can keep Armstead is if we are able to trade Solly. His cap hit is around 9 million next year. He played well yesterday. I know I’ve been hard on him, but I really do want him to succeed. If he keeps it up, then he can replace Armstead.

            If Armstead leaves in free agency, does the team get a 3rd round compensatory pick?

            1. I do believe that’s part of the equation with regard to letting Armstead hit the market. Whether or not it’s a 3rd round pick is convoluted due to the NFL’s formula, but that’s what I’m hoping we get. If the Patriots are doing it, I think we should find a way to do it as well….

          2. I agree. Teams will be throwing money at him. Maybe his friendship and camaraderie with his team mates may persuade him to stay, but money talks, everything else walks.
            .
            Maybe the Niners should follow the Patriot model, and let players walk, then obtain replacements through trades and the draft. Armstead may garner a third round pick, but not if the Niners sign a bunch of free agents.

        2. I think it also needs to be stated that when Armstead was drafted it was on a descending team with little to no talent where as Bosa was drafted on a ascending team with some talent. I love both players I just hope there is a way to keep it all intact.

        3. Cubus,
          The difference between Buckner\McGlinchey and Armstead is the difference between 2 top 10 picks and a #17 pick. If Armstead continues to shine this year he will have given the 49ers 1 great year and 1 very good year (2019 and 2018 on a poor defense) imho

      4. whoa! slow down there fellas!! first off, im a sacramento guy and went to football camp at Oregon…ive always liked AA…..but im also the type of optimistic fan that trys to talk guys up instead of putting them down.
        I also remember the context of which AA was drafted and understand what type of player he is……HES NOT FETCHING 20$mil a year on the open market!! he was drafted as a 3-4 end…..then we ditched the 3-4……
        hes not a DE whos gonna get 12+ sacks a year…..hes not explosive enough…hes no Bosa!
        Hes a DT in todays NFL (does anyone run a 3-4 anymore?? if anyone does…they dont pay DE’s tons of $)……and hes no AD!! AD is an anomaly!! He gets double digit sacks and makes about 20 mil a year……but whos the next best and highest paid DT??????? its a position like the full back ….devalued! mos teams have a fat, immobile guy on run downs….then put in more of a pass rusher on pass downs…..
        id say AA is a player that would be very intriguing to other GMs….and might fetch 10 mil a year on the open market…….but at the end of the day……hes not a guy you could count on as a primary pass rusher ( proof is in niners D the past 3 years) and justify paying top tier pass rusher $$ to ( 20 mil a year)
        id advise the FO to lock him up RIGHT NOW for 8-12 mil a year for 4-5 years

      5. Arik is having a great year, and deserves to be paid, but I wouldn’t personally break the bank for him. He gets a lot of help playing alongside Buckner, Bosa and Ford. As it is, I’ll wish him well and thank him for his time here, but unless he, like Razor, takes a hometown discount I don’t see the value in sticking there. I’ll miss him.

  35. Even a foggy Monday morning is a bright happy day after a win. ?
    Young guys stepped up.
    How ‘bout those traveling fans?
    I’m a Homer but would not have bet $$ they would be 5-0.
    They have room for improvement in all phases, and they may achieve that.
    I’m not quite ready to anoint, but enjoying the run so far.
    When SF faces the SeaHawks, all they have to do is keep Wilson in the pocket and get push up the middle. (Of course all teams know that and none have been able to do that since he came in the League. ? )

    1. Ah, but we have the front 7 to do it-effectively……….tho Wilson is the MVP for Seattle, no doubt about it.

      I don’t think he can run away from Kwon and the rest of our LB’s…..

  37. What this blog was battling over last April–predictions for the 2019 season…
    https://49ers.pressdemocrat.com/predicting-the-49ers-win-loss-record-in-2019/

    Here’s a classic exchange…

    49Reasons says:
    April 18, 2019 at 11:20 am

    And your [Grant assertion]: 49ers – Rams Result: Loss. No explanation needed is frankly absurd, IMO! Kyle out-schemed McVay the first time the two teams met, only losing on a blown call, which is now reviewable, so the Niners should be 2-2 vs the Rams during Kyle’s tenure. There are a lot of people who think Kyle is the superior game planner compared to McVay, and looking at their recent Super Bowl results, it’s hard to argue otherwise.

    So yah, explanation definitely needed!

    Especially when you consider Gurley’s arthritic knee, which may be signaling an end to the Rams recent good fortune on the injury front (the odds are catching up to them), and their inevitable hangover, coming off of frankly, an embarrassing Super Bowl loss.

    Reply
    Grant Cohn says:
    April 18, 2019 at 11:21 am

    Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

    Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

      2. Grant’s “contrition” isn’t close to proportional to his smug, condescending opinions and comments derisively disagreeing with commenters who correctly predicted better days ahead for the 49ers. He wants to say, “oops, bygones, right?” Uh, no, not really. Grant is a gadfly and not much more.

    2. Jack Hammer says:
      April 18, 2019 at 12:03 pm
      ✅Wk 1 @ #Bucs (W) 1:25 start time makes them think it’s not an East Coast game
      ✅Wk 2 @ #Bengals (W)
      ✅Wk 3 vs #Steelers (W)
      Wk 4 bye
      ✅Wk 5 vs #Browns (MNF) (W)
      ⛔️Wk 6 @ #LARams (L)
      Wk 7 @Wash (L)
      Wk 8 vs #Panthers (W)
      Wk 9 @ #AZ (W)
      Wk 10 vs #Seahawks (W)
      Wk 11 vs #AZ (W)
      Wk 12 vs #Packers (W)
      Wk 13 @ #Ravens (L)
      Wk14 @ #Saints (L)
      Wk15 vs #Falcons (W)
      Wk16 vs Rams (W)
      Wk17 @ Sea (L)
      11-5

      This team has the potential to be 14-2 or 13-3. The defensive front is the best since 1984. Garoppolo has his bad moments, but his good moments are more often. He’s led this team back to win a game late. He’s made throws in the face of pressure.

      Beating the Rams with both starting tackles out really says all you need to know about this team.

      1. The at Ravens and the at Seattle games are the only two games that I think are going to be real difficult. I do realize the Packers and Saints are on the schedule…

        1. I’m guessing the original prediction was because it was a cross country trip and potential let down game.

          1. It was the East Coast trip. Plus, don’t think anyone saw the Redskins being this bad back in April.

            1. Plus, don’t think anyone saw the Redskins being this bad back in April.

              Why not? They were just as bad in March, plus they drafted a big project QB in the 1st round, and a rookie pass rusher who’s already got a commercial. Not due to his stellar play mind you, but because of his last name….

      4. Jack,
        While you have dissected and bashed many levels of the team over the past few years (many warranted). I must give you respect for being flexible enough to see what we all see, a power team in the making.

        Many here (including me) raised some collective eyebrows when you predicted 11 wins this year. Personally, I thought you were being sarcastic. But you are looking pretty darn good right now.
        Keep up the the good work.

        1. He just piggy backed off my prediction of 11-5.

          Razoreater says:
          April 17, 2019 at 5:57 pm

          Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 8, 1:25 pm at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.W

          Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 15, 10:00 am at the Cincinnati Bengals.W

          Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 22, 1:25 pm vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers.L

          Week 4: Bye.

          Week 5: Monday, Oct. 7, 5:15 pm vs. the Cleveland Browns.W

          Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 13, 1:05 pm at the Los Angeles Rams.L

          Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 20, 10:00 am at the Washington Redskins.W

          Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 27, 1:05 pm vs. the Carolina Panthers.W

          Week 9: Thursday, Oct. 31, 5:15 pm at the Arizona Cardinals.W

          Week 10: Monday, Nov. 11, 5:15 pm vs. the Seattle Seahawks.W

          Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 17, 1:05 pm vs. the Arizona Cardinals,W

          Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 24, 1:25 pm vs. the Green Bay Packers.W

          Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 1, 10:00 am at the Baltimore Ravens.W

          Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 8, 10:00 am at the New Orleans Saints.L

          Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 15, 1:25 vs. the Atlanta Falcons.L

          Week 16: Saturday or Sunday, Dec. 21 or 22 vs. the Los Angeles Rams.W

          Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 29, 1:25 pm at the Seattle Seahawks.L

          11-5

          Got him by about 36 hrs.?

          2. “He just piggy backed off my prediction of 11-5”

            LOL. We took different roads to the same record. I have a feeling we’ll both end up being wrong in the end.

              2. 7-4 or 6-5 rest of the way. Not a bad season to say the least. I just think we’ll get bit worse on the injury front but let’s see.

          3. Razor,
            You, my friend have cemented your place among the IT49ERSB site champions with your unflinching stand on Nick Bosa.
            There certainly were many reasons by some here as to why drafting Bosa was a bad idea.
            Thanks for holding ground!

              1. Razor will disagree with that statement. He knows I wanted a trade back, and was willing to pass on Bosa, but once the Niners selected him, he knows I was rooting for Bosa to succeed, because that would have meant the Niners would succeed, too.

        2. Jack has been very good in his assessments. I didn’t give the team talent enough credit.

          1. SY,
            At the end of day we all wanted the best for our team. We converged to that end from different directions, but here we all are sitting pretty at 5-0.
            It’s all good my friend.

            1. AES,

              Appreciate your kind words. I made a mistake in evaluating the team. It happens I know, just want to own up to it.

              Never wanted the team to lose. Glad that has changed.

              Elated at their newfound swagger. I can smell what the 49ers are cooking!

          2. Jack wasn’t the loan ranger on thinking the 49ers were going to be substantially better this year. Maybe it’s that you did a poor job in assessing the 49ers fortunes this year, just a thought. You were quite strident in arguing the 49ers had a long way to go, if I recall correctly.

            1. Ex,
              Not sure if you are directing this at me. But if you are, I said from day one that the new regime would need 3-4 years to rebuild the dumpster fire that they inherited.

              My motto for year 2 was to have patience.
              I called this season the year of the “turn around” which we are all witnessing.

              I’ve stayed positive (with a couple of momentary lapses along the way) with Shanahan and Lynch from the moment they took over.
              So far, so good.

              1. Nope, AES, I was responding to another poster. Sorry for the confusion, I should of made that clear.

  38. Jimmy G is going where he never has before – starting his sixth straight game. He still has some work to do but he is coming along.

    1. Check out the stats that Grant tweeted on Jimmy’s 5 games in 2017 and first 5 games in 2019. Nearly identical.

      But I have to admit in 2017 I was hardly ever nervous when I watched him play – in fact, mostly the opposite. But now, I am a bit more nervous particularly regarding turnovers. But when you look at the stats Grant tweeted including the fact that the team was/is 5-0 in both comparisons, the results have been virtually identical.

      1. JG is still learning, next week is his sixteenth start. Not all those starts are consecutive which doesn’t help with the learning curve. JG is where he should of been last year. He is a year behind in his development. I agree he makes me nervous but so do the receivers.

        1. Yep, and I’d add Gould to my nervous twitches. I don’t want to start referring to him as fool’s Gould.

          1. I hate to blame others for someone’s failure – long snapper, rookie holder. See what happens when Nelson gets back.

        2. Agree. I’ll be happy to get Trent back as Jimmy needs someone else he can trust esp. on 3rd down.

      2. There is no denying he is good for a couple of poor decisions a game, but where you feel nervous I actually feel excited. Over the past two and a bit seasons under Shanny, the only times I have felt confident the team would convert a 3rd and medium or 3rd and long was with JG at QB. He obviously doesn’t always do it, but he does it often enough, and that is a big reason the 49ers get into scoring position pretty regularly with JG under centre. And he does it regardless of the players around him. He can adapt and find ways to make plays when under duress.

        1. I still expect Jimmy to make the plays and move the team, it’s just that I don’t have as much confidence as I did in 2017. I posted because I was surprised when looking at the stats, there was virtually no difference. What makes me most nervous is the out throws to the sideline. He’s been intercepted or nearly intercepted a number of times (probably more than 5) on that throw. Also, I should have mentioned, it’s not just Jimmy, it’s the WRs as well. But it’s best to remember that he really hasn’t started many games. Really looking forward to having TT back.

          1. Yes, his biggest issue as a QB is not seeing guys that move from where they are “supposed” to be. Three of his INTs this year have come as a result of the defender leaving his responsibility and anticipating the ball will go elsewhere, and Jimmy not seeing them (the pick-6 at the Bucs, the INT by Jackson against the Bengals, and the INT by Peters yesterday). He almost had another one by Littleton against the Rams too. He doesn’t confirm defenders are where he expects them to be before throwing.

            His second biggest issue is staring down receivers which can allow those players to move from their responsibility.

            These are correctable mistakes, but just because they are correctable doesn’t always mean they will get corrected. However, even if JG never does correct them he has shown he can be an effective starting QB regardless. I just question whether he can be a SB winning QB with those errors in his game (dominating supporting cast notwithstanding).

            1. I think these two are just getting to know one another, Jimmy and Kyle. By the end of the year, I’d like to think those issues have been mostly mitigated….

          2. Very well said all of you as I agree, his throws to certain areas are nerve racking, but man can he zip it in there as well.
            That throw to Pettis at the goal line was a laser.

        2. That’s true… but it’s also because the narrative about him has changed.

          When he first came here he was “making plays” now he’s “inaccurate and making bad decisions”.

          The reality is he is pretty accurate, and tries to make to many plays which sometimes leads to bad decisions.

  39. Well this Rams fan has to eat sh*t today. Your Dline is a beast and the coverage was really tight. While I still don’t agree with the guy on here who keeps focusing on Goff as the problem, there is no doubt he and the offense as a whole were taken to the woodshed by the Niners yesterday. Our HC the Boy Wonder has had his ass handed to him multiple times now and hasn’t shown the ability to figure out how to counteract it. They also have a big time Oline problem that the Niners took advantage of. You guys have a good looking team. Hopefully the Rams are playing better by the time the rematch happens.

    2. You forgot to mention your team shot it’s wad, while the 49ers are being built with sustainability in mind.

      1. The Rams have to improve the Oline, but the rest of the offense is in place provided Boy Wonder can figure out how to attack the fronts he is going to continue to see. The defense is going to need some changes at the Corner spots but the rest of the unit is pretty solid. Niners look good but this is a tough division and the Rams and Seahags will be heard from before it’s all said and done.

        1. I’m taking it one game at a time, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to 11/11/19 when The Bosa Constrictor will assist in the suffocation of Mr. Wilson….

        2. I believe the Rams have over $100,000,000 committed to five (FIVE!) players next year. And that’s BEFORE they redo Ramsey’s contract. The Rams have also traded away a ton of picks. This means the Rams have put a crimp in the both their ability to build through the draft and add in free agency. Additionally, Goff has been exposed and has significantly regressed. Now, he may adjust and continue his upward arc, but there isn’t much evidence of this happening, so far this year.

          1. It’ll be a total of 6 years in between their 1st round selection of Goff in 2016, and their next 1st round pick in 2022.

      2. I recall in Shanny & McVay’s first year this was my exact thought. The 49ers were being rebuilt from scratch but the Rams were ready to win immediately. McVay walked into the best situation in the NFL for a new young coach. And they were smart to pair him with Phillips as the DC. Shanny inherited the worst roster in the NFL so it was a given that it would take time to win. I think both are very good coaches but I’ve always thought I’d rather have Shanahan than McVay. I just wasn’t sure York would give Shanahan the time he needed to build a winner, especially after McVay came in and started winning right away. McVay better figure out how to make adjustments to deal with the reality of Gurley’s health or he will find himself working as Shanny’s QB coach in 2 years.

    3. T. Martins your Rams team have kicked our ass a few times in the recent past.

      ” Our HC the Boy Wonder has had his ass handed to him multiple times now and hasn’t shown the ability to figure out how to counteract it.”

      Jack is that you?

      Our HC is sometimes referred to as Lil Shanny.

      1. I call him the Boy Wonder because everybody was bowing at his knee and he really hasn’t done anything worthy of that kind of respect. I don’t dislike him but he really hasn’t shown an ability to adapt when opposing defenses take his favorite options away. He’s got a pocket QB who isn’t getting protection in the pocket and a running game that gets stymied by defenses that are athletic enough to cut off the outside zone. The defense isn’t good enough to make up for it and I’m really not sure what they do from here. At least they get Atlanta this week.

        1. Please do not take umbrage, because I have said the same thing about KS.
          .
          McVay wasted time outs like a drunken sailor. He should have considered them precious, and saved for legitimate challenges, and the last 2 minutes of each half. I bet the Rams sure wanted to have a couple of those time outs back, when they really needed them.
          .
          Also, keep your chin up. The Rams are still a formidable foe. That Aaron Donald is a BEAST.

  40. It’s funny to hear some of these big mouths on these sports channels.
    Like Mr Nate on the NFL network sitting there trying to toot his own horn. In the beginning of the season he dumped on SF. Now he’s saying he predicted this and that. What a joke. He and that scrub who use to play for a Pitt and Micheal Robinson the biggest Seahawk fan in tv can stick their comments right up their……. y’all know where.

    Truth is a lot are forgetting this is basically Jimmy G’s sophomore slump year and has tons of room to grow and get in fine tune with his receivers. He’s shown flashes of brilliance when teams didn’t know how to plan against him yet, has made some horrible decisions and at times loses his focus on footwork.
    Those a correctable with time.
    His arm and pocket presence are a plus and that’s a great thing to have when you’re finding your complete game in this Sport.
    He’s going to be a 49er great. And he and this team is lucky the defense is this good right now while he’s going through his learning curve.
    People seem to forget that Brady and Montana were not great looking their first two seasons. Those first super bowls were thanks mainly to the defense.
    Sound familiar?

      1. My problem with the Bosa pick was the injury issues.
        And with a team loaded with injury plagued players it seemed who could blame me?
        I’ll hold off after they’ve both played a whole season.
        But for the record I stared multiple times I’d be happy with Bosa too.
        Never said they made a mistake by going Bosa. I just preferred Allen due to durability and ceiling.
        So don’t you go labeling me as one of the Bosa haters.
        He was my very first choice prior and was pissed when they won the 4th game.
        So meh!! ?

  41. Oh how sweet it is when great minds think alike.

    Saleh after the Cardinals chose shrimp over grass fed beef:

    “Oh man, are you kidding me?” Saleh recalled, laughing. “Getting him was a blessing, man. I was hugging people. … Steve Rubio, one of our scouts, was with me, and we were pumped up. We were like kids in a candy store. I had to keep my composure, but when we left the room, I was ready to go. … I got my suit off cause I was sweating … got my head all shiny.”

    In full disclosure, after the selection I screamed so loud that I got evil looks from the wife but I didn’t let it deter me. I then proceeded to run up and down the hallway in jubilation!

  42. Ribico says:
    October 13, 2019 at 6:00 pm
    David,, that was a gut wrenching drop alright. But wasn’t the next play that pass to Kittle that got them beyond where the Goodwin miss occurred?

    Reply
    David Alexander says:
    October 13, 2019 at 6:12 pm
    I believe so. But then Jimmy threw the pick in the end zone. If Goodwin catches that pass, maybe we punch it in afterwards.

    REPLY by TomD It’s difficult for fans to see what the QB is looking at on these plays –
    so lets just assign JimmyG an 80 PR for the game.

    The 80.7 PR was generated by a dropped Goodwin pass for a TD and a holding non-call on Kittle in the end zone (who, otherwise was wide open) and with a fierce Rams pass rush from the 2 yard line, a UFA OT protecting his right, and a 6th Rd OT protecting his blindside, JG had to let it go differently…Timing was affected by the hold—once again, Niners got screwed by officiating.

    There was also the TD to Dante Pettis taken away by a nice defensive play by the Rams 2ndary.

    https://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/129314-kyle-shanahan-upset-jimmy-garoppolo-interception-49ers-rams/

  43. As the team struggled in Kyle Shanahan’s first two campaigns, going 6-10 and 4-12, it was the first-time defensive coordinator who drew the bulk of the criticism, with many fans and some media members calling for his firing. In Shanahan’s end-of-season press conference last December, he and general manager John Lynch were asked if Saleh would return as defensive coordinator.

    How soon we forget….

  44. sebnynah says:
    October 14, 2019 at 8:00 am
    I think many of us were wrong about this team, and are happy about it. I guess I had been expecting the worst, but not hoping for the best, because the last 4 years have been brutal, and I did not want to have my hopes crushed.
    .
    It sure is nice to see the Niners relevant again.

    REPLY: Seb, nice of you to acknowledge my prognostication prowess after picking the 49ers to make the playoffs.

    Your ‘archived’ response was that I was looking at the team through rose colored glasses and you (Seb) were a realist—that 8-8 was more realistic.

    In spite of losing Staley, Mcglinchey and Juice, the 49ers are more on track to legitimize my football prowess and dispose of yours on history’s trash pile of bad predictions….Maybe you will learn not to fool with the bull one day–I hope– for your own posting image.

  46. Garoppolo became the eighth quarterback during the Super Bowl era to win 13 of his first 15 career starts. He has completed 102-of-146 attempts (69.9 percent) for 1,163 yards with seven touchdowns and five interceptions through his five starts this season.

    Super Bowl Era

    PlayerWins1.Ben Roethlisberger, Pit.152.Roger Staubach, Dal.143t.Jimmy Garoppolo, NE/SF13
    Dan Marino, Mia.13
    Dak Prescott, Dal.13
    Philip Rivers, SD13
    Mike Tomczak, Chi.13
    Kurt Warner, StL13

    https://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/129352-heres-milestone-49ers-jimmy-garoppolo-can-reach-washington/

    1. Hey, Grant got the Pats right, that has to count for something, right?

      As much I as I zing Grant, I don’t envy him. He has to put out comments and projections, a lot of them, for his paycheck. And there’s no hiding on the internet when some of these comments and projections turn out to be less than prescient. It’s all to be taken with a salt shaker’s worth of salt.

      1. rib, not true at all! for over 30 years….i read sports articles that were informative by unbiased reporters!!!!! this has always been my issue w grant! he dosent report ANYTHING!! its always his BIASED OPINION!! Even when he relays actual information…..like when he shows/ breaks down plays etc…. its always HIS OPINION!!!! he not a 49er coach…hes never coached or played football……and hes a reporter that dosent report anything!!!!!! just shoves his biased opinion down our throats……..and sadly…..some of you cant get enough of it!!!!!

        Frankly, im a little irked that he’s just jumped right on the band wagon without acknowledging he was wrong about pretty much EVERYTHING and EVERYONE over the last couple years! glad players are calling him out in the locker room!
        Grant! looking right at ya bud!! now you see why your opinion means nothing?? pretty much wrong about everything out of your mouth for the last 2 years……..look awful foolish……even more so for not giving any sort of explanation……just jumping on the band wagon as if no one will notice you!!!!!
        Do some reporting……that is your job no?

    2. Yeah, 49ers 29 out of 32, sure, Grant. As Maxwell Smart (Agent 86) used to say, “Missed it by that much.” (Just as the bumbling Agent 86 really missed it by a mile, so does Grant, with shocking regularity).

      Here’s a fun exercise, let’s list the best and worst sports reporters in the BA…

  49. Wondering–if the 9er season plays out extremely well–who’ll be the first 9er player with a national, high-profile endorsement–like Aaron Rodgers has with State Farm? And what product or service would it be?

    2. Are you kidding? With Jimmie’s looks, the sky’s the limit. A SB win, he could have more deals than Shaq, Peyton and Rodgers combined.

      1. I hope he declines. How many deals or commercials have you seen Brady do over his career?

            1. I don’t know how long he’s had a relationship with the expensive watch company (though I suspect after SB). Both Aston Martin and Sam Adams are recent.

              But he’s had other relations over the years. Disney, for example and I’m sure we simply don’t remember others.

              We see Baker on the Home Depot commercials and he hasn’t done squat. Some have more opportunities and better agents who push commercial venues with more visibility and others make less visible Endorsements.

              1. Yea, I don’t like to see players that haven’t done squat do commercials. Case in point, rookie Montez Sweat.

  50. ““There’s nothing more that I love than watching our defensive line play. I was sitting there in the third quarter and I was like, ‘Huh, I think the day that Jimmy G threw five-straight interceptions might have had something to do with our D-line being in his face for five-straight plays. They’re pretty dang good. It’s really fun to watch …”

    Kittle

    Hopefully it adds clarity to those five interceptions. I now can appreciate the difficulty going against this defense.

  51. Grant,
    I’m not sure if you are around today but if you are I have a request. Next time you are in Santa Clara could you ask the training staff what the expected return dates are for the following players.
    J. Hurd
    T. Taylor
    J. Staley
    M. McGlinchey
    A. Witherspoon
    Juice

  52. Having a hard time keeping track of the dates injured players will (likely) be able to return. Glancing at the schedule I’m hoping some will be back by the Seattle game.

    Week Date Opponent Location
    7 Oct 20 SF @ WAS FedExField
    8 Oct 27 CAR @ SF Levi’s® Stadium
    9 Oct 31 SF @ ARI State Farm Stadium
    10 Nov 11 SEA @ SF Levi’s® Stadium
    11 Nov 17 ARI @ SF Levi’s® Stadium
    12 Nov 24 GB @ SF Levi’s® Stadium
    13 Dec 01 SF @ BAL M&T Bank Stadium
    14 Dec 08 SF @ NO Mercedes-Benz Superdome
    15 Dec 15 ATL @ SF Levi’s® Stadium
    16 Dec 22 LA @ SF Levi’s® Stadium
    17 Dec 29 SF @ SEA CenturyLink Field

    Anyone know the return estimates below?

    The 49ers hope Staley can return by week:
    The 49ers hope Juice can return by week:
    The 49ers hope McGlinchey can return by week:
    The 49ers hope Witherspoon can return by week:
    The 49ers hope Trent Taylor can return by week:
    The 49ers hope Hurd can return by week:

      1. I gave you a long answer how I’ve been. After posting it said “comment awaiting moderation.”. Now its gone.

        Hope “fine” will stick.

  53. NFL Week 6 notes: No home-field advantage in L.A.; who’s No. 2 in the AFC?
    By SAM FARMERSTAFF WRITER
    OCT. 14, 2019 10:09 AM

    The Rams get shut down by San Francisco, the Chargers get smacked in the mouth by Pittsburgh…
    What’s more, the 49ers and Steelers fan bases come out in droves wherever their teams play (in LA).
    I was at Rams-49ers and would say it was a 50/50 crowd that looked more 49ers-heavy because of the red seats at the Coliseum.

    RAMS

    Before we get to Sunday’s recap, I have one question: When did Jeff Fisher start coaching the Rams again?

    After getting worked by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home a few weeks ago, and then losing on the road to the Seattle Seahawks four days later…The resurgent 49ers — rooted on by a large and boisterous contingent of fans among the crowd of 75,695 — gave up an early touchdown before shutting down the Rams and improving to 5-0.

    “It turned into a home game pretty quickly,” said 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who completed 24 of 33 passes for 243 yards, with an interception. “It was a lot of red out there.”

    https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2019-10-14/sports-report-rams-chargers

  54. Not Grant, but I’ll make my case:

    J. Hurd, first eligible in Week 13.
    T. Taylor, Week 11.
    J. Staley, Halloween.
    M. McGlinchey, Halloween
    A. Witherspoon, Halloween
    Juice, 11-11-19.

    2. Would be perfect to have Staley, McGlinchey, Witherspoon and Juice back by the Seattle game.

  55. Joey Bosa – 3 Sacks
    Nick Bosa – 3 Sacks
    Bosa Sack Total = 6
    Both have matching sack stats and matching number of letters in their name = 8

    TJ Watt – 4 Sacks
    JJ Watt – 4 Sacks
    Watt Sack Total = 8
    Both have matching sack stats and matching number of letters in their name = 6.

    I really hope the Bosa boys take this challenge seriously. They need to finish the year ahead of those Watt boys.

  56. I’m so sick of the jimmy g slander amongst 49ers fans and media dummies like Cohn. You guys don’t know what you’re saying if you don’t think he’s been playing really well. Has he made bad throws? Yes, but it has not been Bortles esque as the idiot grant Cohn claims. He is way better the nick mullens.

    Part of the reason the defense is so good is because the niners consistently dominate time of possession. This allows our smaller and faster defense to be fresh and violent. Notice how efficient jimmy is and how good he is on third down. He constantly releases the ball quickly so we never take bad sacks that ruin drives. This is why he wins and Cj and mullens didn’t. The best drive of the game from jimmy yesterday actually resulted in no points. The rams were dominating the field position battle after our goal line stand and we got the ball at the 8. Jimmy went on a phenomenal four minute drive and ended the half(Gould missed the field goal). If we had gone three and out(like we would’ve the last couple years with mullens or Cj) the rams could’ve easily scored with great field position and timeouts instead we went into the half tied 7-7 on the road against a well rested team. These little things make him Brady esque. The way he’s able to elevate everyone around him with a lot of unproven weapons is outstanding. Yesterday without two starting tackles he still only was sacked twice. Mullens was taking so many sacks and hits with a better offensive line last year. You know nothing about football if you think mullens is better. His decision making needs to improve at times, but we can say that about just about every qb. Football is the ultimate team sport and jimmy g is playing complimentary and winning football to the max.

    Just for contrast if you want to see the opposite look at the chiefs. Pat Mahomes is a special talent and a great qb, but he constantly leaves his terrible defense in bad positions by not winning time of possession. Ever since hunt got cut the chiefs can be had because you can keep their defense on the field for long stretches. Jimmy is certainly not better than Mahomes, but the little things is why we are winning.

      1. Thank you. I find the criticisms of jimmy to be just lazy and stupid. There is a reason we win when he starts. There is a reason we have finay been able to overcome offensive injuries. I get that grant likes to be a contrarian, but to me, mullens at his best is a worse version of 2017 case Keenum. Defenses would tear him up if they actually prepared for him rather than him over achieving on a bad team for 8 games.

        Jimmy has long ways to go, but anyone who has played football and coached/observed football can see that there are real traits to be excited about. This year I can see why Belichick thought that he was the future. His cool demeanor and swag rubs off on his teammates. Our receivers have not done his stats any favors, and he still manages to consistently move the ball.

        Here are some of the most telling stats of how good he is:

        Through 5 games we win time of possession by an average of 11 minutes. Is our run game good? Yes, but we are converting 46 percent of our third downs. Last year the great Nick mullens converted 36 percent of his 3rd downs.

        We convert 6 third downs a game which is 5th in the nfl.

        We have the least amount of 3 and outs in the nfl.

        Our sack rate with a patch work offensive line and jimmy is 3.8% and with mullens and a healthy offensive line it was 5.8%. To me this is the most telling stat. Sacks kill drives and possessions. You could argue that mullens played from behind so the pass rush got to him, but anyone who watches the game can see how much quicker jimmy releases the ball and makes plays. To me comparing the two is pointless because jimmy is clearly better and is amongst the league leaders in these important stats(including wins). I just wanted to push down mullens for the idiots like Cohn who are trying to be relevant by taking contrarian stances.

        Of course Cohn won’t refute the facts. If you argue with him he will immediately change the topic or say something else instead of refuting the points you made.

        1. Jimmy’s ability to get the ball out quickly and convert 3rd downs are definitely two of his strongest assets, and while he isn’t setting the world afire he is certainly part of the reason the 49ers are winning. JG is a good QB that has a couple of areas in his game that are worrisome, but may be fixable (or mitigatable) over time.

          1. Those are nice assets, but I’m sure Jimmy gets that all the time. For me, there is a whole lot to work with and he’s got a cathedral ceiling. If either of you two ever run into Belichick, be sure to thank him for not having to burn a top 10 pick on a quarterback for me….

        2. Thank you for your concise explanation. The thing I love the most is how you get the point across without wasting words.

        3. Interesting poster. Disses JG with his name, then defends JG, with long dissertations, that could be summed up by saying he is playing well enough to win, but could get better.

        4. I’d think that those who actually thought that Mullens was a better QB than Jimmy G don’t really understand all the responsibilities of a QB, and the requisite skills. This is a guy who’s just started 15 games and is yet to establish rapport with his receivers. He has elite traits. It’s amusing to read pundits on this blog led by Grant go something like: “yeah, Jimmy G completed 23 out of 29 and yeah, three of those incompletions were not his fault, but did you notice that 2 of those 29 were poor throws?!” Such fans deserve Alex Smith and nothing more.

          1. Mood,

            This is a very important point. JG has not played in many games. I think Holgrem said you don’t really know what a QB is going to be until he’s played 40 (?) games. JG has a chance to get a lot better, it remains to be seen if he will, but he has a lot of very good characteristics.

  57. Is it me or has the run defense been terrific until that game yesterday? So why talk like this has been as issue this year?

    Jimmy is a good qb but not a great one. Makes too many dumb mistakes to be great. If we didn’t have the defense we have, his mistakes would be more costly than they are. That said, he makes some terrific plays too. And he’s a winner, so you can’t beat that.

  59. I think there was more to Jimmy G’s interception throw on the goal line than we know. It looked to me that Deebo was supposed to run back from the LOS and take his defender with him leaving Kittle one on one. I think JG was actually throwing to Kittle on the play because instead of holding still and keeping the defender with him, Deebo quickly broke for the end zone and took his defender with him. In addition, Kittlle’s defender was clearly guilty of pass interference because he literally grabbed Kittle and kept him from going to the ball. During the game you could see KS complain to the officials that Kittle was held and kept from the ball. I can say this for certain, had Deebo not broken for the end zone, his defender could never have intercepted that pass and the PI call on Kittle would have been obvious. KS is extremely good at designing plays and you have to ask yourself if he would ever put two receivers that close together on a designed play, particularly in the red zone. I say no way.

    1. Yea, I don’t ever like to see receivers running routes that close together. Something about that play just didn’t look right.

    2. Deebo was definitely meant to hold Peters short of the end zone. However, I’m pretty sure Peters had already left Deebo and moved back to help defend Kittle prior to Deebo moving towards the in goal. Can’t blame Deebo for what Peters did. JG just didn’t see Peters.

      1. I watched the replay in slow motion before I posted and I think if Deebo had stood pat, the play would have worked. It was a timing thing and I can’t blame Jimmy G for the timing getting fouled up or the clear PI missed call on the intended receiver. I think Kyle was right and PI should have been called but …. someone posted earlier this week about where the close calls go and the Rams were the home team. I might be in the minority who think that some of what looks like Jimmy G’s screw ups are not necessarily on him but that doesn’t make me wrong.

        1. someone posted earlier this week about where the close calls go and the Rams were the home team.

          If you couldn’t tell you were in LA as soon as the refs made Shanny use his challenge flag on an obvious out of bounds call right before their eyes, then you were probably illegally impaired….

      2. Kittle would likely have made the contested catch had he not been held. I think Jimmy G floated the ball for Kittle to high point it.

      3. From what I saw looking at the play multiple times, it looked like Deebo was supposed to draw the DB to him with the fake (which he didn’t bite given he is a veteran and it was short yardage) and the pass was supposed to be to Kittle (which is why Shanahan was arguing with officials about a hold), once the ball was in the air, Deebo recognized the danger and tried to break up the INT.

  60. I love that the 49ers are relevant again. I think Jimmy G will be the reason we do not win a Super Bowl this year. He is a good QB but makes too many mental mistakes. The defense and Kyle’s system has helped him a lot. I trust Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Russell Wilson in a playoff game more. I just don’t see Jimmy G as an elite QB.

    1. WW somewhat true however the WR core is a mess and is not helping JimmyP at all…..what 3 drops yesterday and some poor route running on the int……he needs guys around him…..team drafted two WR’s and neither have made an impact…..its the passing game that is the weakest link

    1. Interesting but it wasn’t actually Belicheck it was his QBs coach. Still impressive considering he coaches Brady.

  62. One thing that is currently getting overlooked is the fact that the reason Skule & Brunskill are looking as good as they are is because of how quickly Jimmy G releases the ball. Remember 2017? Jimmy G took a team without Joe Staley & Trent Brown during many of his starts and won those games 5-0. Hell, he even made guys like Zane Beadles look good.

    It’s not that Skule & Brunskill are magically so good. It’s Jimmy’s lightning release that’s making the whole O-Line look good.

  63. Remember what Jim Harbaugh said about Freddy P. Soft?

    “He’s a four inch guy, that wears a cape and a hat with a plume in it. He’s just tall enough to talk right into your ear and tells you, ‘You don’t have to practice today,’ ‘Why are you working so hard?’ or “Get over there in the shade. There’s no reason to attack with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind today. So take break. Take a knee.’”
    “Yeah. He’s a guy that you don’t want around. You want to get him off your shoulder as fast as possible.”

    Well there’s no need to worry Niner fans, Freddy P is frightened of this 49er team. The defense makes shivers run up and down Freddy P’s spine. When Freddy P thinks about our defense, he runs and hides under his bed like a 7 year old boy hiding from the Boogey Man.
    Freddy P. Soft ain’t goin near this 49er team!

    1. Dude we are 5-0……can you freaking believe it…..after all those years we all suffered through watching us be the terrible team….?????

  66. Interesting to hear what the teams say after losing to the 49ers….

    Bucs = we made too many turnovers
    Bengals = we had too many mental errors
    Steelers = we did not take advantage of the opportunities
    Browns = they are a great team
    Rams = they gave us a humbling experience

  67. Looking at the remaining schedule for the 49ers, I believe there is a strong chance the team can go 14-2 or 13-3. The only games I can see as potential losses are the Packers, Saints, and one of the two against the Seahawks. Despite some of its weaknesses, this 49ers team is very good, and I can see this franchise lifting up its sixth Lombardi Trophy to conclude the season.

    1. Am actually concerned about playing the skins…..they will give us a big dose of AD ….and we are travelling East.

      My faith is in Kshanny try to beat down on his previous employer…

      1. I really am not worried about the Redskins. It could be a trap game, but the defense was able to keep a better RB in Chubb from being a scoring factor, and the team is better able to handle trips to the eastern U.S. now.
        If there is one team of the ones I did not list that could surprise the 49ers, it would be the Panthers due to the expectional play by McCaffrey.

  68. Some are quick to say “I said”……Those of you that never had faith in Jimmy Ward…..best show your face now….#20 49er Jersey is about to be sold out!!!!

    1. The main (and pretty well only) issue for me has been Ward’s health, and it still is. Ward is definitely worthy of a big payday with how he has played and been a significant factor since he came back from his injury, but I am not sure if it should be the 49ers that gives him that big payday.

  69. Jimmy Graham
    -very good with Brees
    -disappointed at Seattle
    -disappointed at Green Bay
    Is Brees the best of those three QB?

  70. Was out camping with the kids and missed the game. Just finished watching the recording. It’s a good time to be a Niner fan. If the injuries are limited for the rest of the season, Niners should win the Division and go deep into the playoffs. This team has great leadership and is very tight. Richard Sherman sounds like Bellichick here with his “do your job” exhortation to his team mates.
    http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-gameday-prime/0ap3000001065644/Deion-tells-Sherman-he-thinks-current-49ers-resemble-previous-S-F-Super-Bowl-teams

    1. How sweet will it be to get all 5 starters back? Staley/Witherspoon both by Halloween and Juice and McGlinchey possibly in time for Seattle, and then Taylor the following week….

  71. One of the very silly new trends is to use the QB rating to evaluate a QB performance on one game or sometimes even by quarter. It is a rating to show performance over a long period, like a season or even 8 games, but even then it does not tell you the story about QB clutch, guts and smart.

    Always remember … Joe had three interceptions in the “Dallas game” …. Know what his QB rating was for that game? … Neither do I.

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