49ers-Steelers film session

Posted By on September 24, 2019

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph (2) passes as he is pressured by San Francisco 49ers defensive end Arik Armstead during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Check out the best and worst plays from the 49ers’ 24-20 win over the Steelers.

This article has 278 Comments

  1. Cutting edge, 21st century sports journalism at its finest. Grant takes you deep inside the 49ers bunker, and goes through key plays in the game, while also critiquing players from the good to the bad. Well worth a listen….

    1. In terms of Nick Bosa’s performance, while the raw statistics may look a bit underwhelming, when you dig a little deeper, it becomes glaringly apparent that his impact on the 49ers defensive front has been overwhelming, to say the least.

      Despite being hampered by a serious ankle injury, which has severely limited his snap count …. an injury which, btw, a lot of people questioned whether he would even be willing to play through, Nick Bosa continues to lead all rookie DL’s in Total QB Pressures, and he has been equally as dominant against the run. While his ankle injury has, for the most part, prevented him from getting consistent work during practice and game preparation in the lead-up to Sunday’s, it hasn’t taken away from the kind of impact we expected from the top rated DE in this years draft class, when he’s out on the field.

      Anyone who has watched football long enough understands that sacks tend to come in bunches, provided a pass rusher is doing his job, and consistently beating his opposing counterparts. Bosa has been applying enough consistent pressure (again, he leads all rookie DL win-rate), along with his ability to consistently disrupt the defensive backfield, often times flushing opposing QB’s from the pocket a wrecking their rhythm, is one reason the 49ers have one of the top ranked defenses in the NFL. Perhaps most impressive of all, Nick has been equally as dominant defending against the run, further reinforcing the notion that he was the most the most complete Defensive End of his draft class, and by a considerable margin.

      Make no mistake … despite the serious ankle injury, Nick Bosa ‘s play on the football field is a very big reason why the 49ers are ranked 7th against both the pass, and the run, and 2nd in overall defense, while creating 7 defensive turnovers, already matching their turnover total for the entirety of the 2018 season!

      And the most impressive numbers of all ….. 3-0 BABY!

      Go NICK, and Go NINERS!

      1. So much fluff. Could have just wrote, “Bosa ‘s play on the football field is a very big reason why the 49ers are ranked 7th against both the pass, and the run, and 2nd in overall defense”

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        2. ~ So then Jack, what you’re saying is that there is no need to point out the fact that Bosa has been dealing with a significant injury, and has hardly practiced with the team?

          ~ Or that I shouldn’t point out that sacks tend to come in bunches?

          ~ Or that, despite some underwhelming numbers, I shouldn’t point out that Bosa leads all rookie DL’s in QB pressures, consistently flushing the opposing QB’s out of the pocket, which has already directly led to turnovers?

          ~ And, in addition to pressures, is the fact that Bosa has been grading out as one of the top run-stopping rookie DE’s, not also worthy of a mention either, Jack?

          By the way, there is one more thing I failed to touch on Jack, and something that doesn’t necessarily jump out on the stat sheet …… and that’s just how well Bosa and Ford appear to compliment each other’s play style. Ford is lightning quick to bring pressure around the edge, while Bosa’s stout run defense along with his ability to disrupt the backfield, has been having a major impact on the opposing team’s offensive attack!

          Wouldn’t you agree that there is a ton of value in having complimentary bookend Defensive Ends, and wouldn’t that be a subject worthy of garnering some attention, even though this might not jump out on a stat sheet?

          Come on Jack!!

          1. Here’s an idea Jack ….. perhaps if Grant was actually up to the task, and covering these positive aspects of Bosa’s play, rather than focusing on the negative, maybe I wouldn’t have to!

            Or did I miss the part where Grant mentioned that Bosa is leading all rookie DL in QB pressures, or how well Ford and Bosa compliment one another, and the direct impact that they have had collectively as a unit, on the 49ers #2 ranked defense?

            Just a thought.

            1. Not going to read all that.

              You wrote 4 paragraphs when. Your entire point could have been made with 1 sentence.

              I’ve praised the play of the D line numerous times so far this year. Lil Nicky is a part of that group.

              1. That’s fine Jack, I get your point. Some people are slower readers than others, and can only absorb so much information, at any given time. I guess that’s why some people only look to the box scores in order to figure things out.

                Spoiler alert – box scores mean very little, as compared to a full analysis, but I’m sure you know that, so cheers!

              3. But is it substantial fluff?

                Just playing with you Jack, I’ll work on that.

            2. Grant, I do think you know football, and there are times when I find your analysis to be essential. In fact, I often very much appreciate your POV as well. But there are other times when I find your material to be absolutely baffling, utterly incomplete, and even entirely misleading as well.

              Here is a perfect example of the latter, a statement, and POV which I find to not only be baffling, but utterly nonsensical. This is not an exact quote, but everyone on this blog will likely get your point: “Bosa watch – 7 pressures (for Bosa on Sunday) – can we see the pressures? No. There’s no, what’s the word …. accountability (PFF has no accountability).”

              Seriously Grant?

              Let me see if I get this straight. You would have us believe that Pro Football Focus is pumping up Nick Bosa’s numbers for some unexplained reason? Either that, or PFF is pulling data out of their arses, so to speak? It’s your opinion that we can’t trust PFF’s analysis on Nick Bosa, or for that matter, any other player, because as you said – they have “no accountability”?

              Wow! Here’s why you couldn’t be more wrong: Pro Football Focus runs a premier subscription service, meaning their livelihood’s primarily relies on their subscription base. If you’re looking for accountability, Grant, I cannot think of a better business model for insuring accountability, than providing a service that relies directly upon providing reliable data in order to justify their value in order to gain, and maintain a base of subscribers. If people don’t believe that PFF is credible, and/or provides credible data and analysis, why would anyone subscribe to their service? And, btw, every NFL team in the league uses Pro Football Focus. Every single NFL scouting and personnel department, use PFF in some form or another – ALL 32 TEAMS.

              Are we really supposed to believe that a company that relies almost exclusively on a base of subscribers, could care less about providing accurate information to their subscribers? And a company who’s services are contracted to provide accurate data and analysis by every single team in the NFL, is somehow providing bogus data and analysis on the 49ERS rookie DE, of which they have no accountability for?

              Really Grant?

            3. …how well Ford and Bosa COMPLEMENT one another…

              Although they probably compliment one other in the locker room, in the huddle, after a great play, such like…

              (Only posted as it seems you like to write)

              Go Niners!!!

      2. Cohn is comparing Bosa to some amazing player, 10 out of 10, legendary epic individual who dominates every aspect of his third game. It is completely true that Bosa is not that, he is barely among the top ten defensive linemen, if that. Therefore he is a total failure in this analysis. In reality he is improving the niners as a whole by a pretty large amount.

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    2. I have had NFLHDCHANNEL . COM for roughly a year now. It is a great service to have instead of your traditional cable or dish. There are no contracts and you can add on additional packages for a month then stop them the next (Great for football season ) . Really Love it.

  2. Went to check out your film session Grant , when I hit your link it goes nowhere , what’s the trick ?

    1. If you’re trying it from work, your employer may have Periscope blocked by their proxy. If you’re trying it from home, ask mommy and daddy to turn off the parental controls for a few minutes.

  4. Good notes, Didnt see how wide open Goodwin was on that play action pass to Kittle, I have noticed Garropolo is not taking many deep shots, I remember CJ Beathard did fire the deep post to Goodwin against the Packers and Giants, Hopefully Garropolo wont be afraid to let it rip next time.

  5. Episode full of confirmation bias…Hated on Bosa ahead of the draft…let’s pick out the worst plays for the rookie and highlight them so he’s not killed for being COMPLETELY WRONG…Hated on Shanahan and Jimmy…So let’s pick out a couple of NON THROWS…and criticize Jimmy for it…ignoring the safeties in great position to make plays on them…or criticize Shanny for deciding to run certain plays to see how the defense will react, and/or to put it on tape for one of the next couple of opponents. Because that’s what the great ones do…not only are they several plays ahead…but they’re thinking ahead to the next couple of games…knowing what they’re willing to put on tape and what they want to save for a later date…Harbaugh used to do it…Walsh..Mooch…McDaniels…Shows that his fake crow eating was just to taper down the criticism he was receiving or was about to receive…

  6. Good stuff Grant. I enjoy watching film and hearing some analysis on the plays. I tend to agree that Jimmy G isn’t seeing the field as well as you’d hope. Very curious on how he is being coached. Is he predetermining his reads because he’s being instructed to get Kittle involved early? That kind of thing. I also think Armstead is playing well but I don’t necessarily think he’s the best d lineman. For instance, the play where Armstead chases Rudolph out of the pocket really only happens because Dee Ford applies pressure and forces Rudolph out to Armstead. Armstead is double teamed and gets a decent push but the player who really created that play was Dee Ford.

    On another note, I watched this game from the Sports Book at Mandalay Bay. Several Steelers fans were all around. There are no more annoying fans than Cowboys and Steelers fans. I had a really good time celebrating the Pettis go ahead TD late in the game. I may have been a little over the top in my exuberance but… they started it.

    1. I have done that myself when we could, fun to be winning again! Hope it does not get to hot in Vegas for you!

      1. I just visit Vegas from time to time. Went in for a concert this past weekend. Houston actually feels hotter than Vegas during parts of the year so I’m used to it.

        1. Love Houston but very humid! Glad you had a good trip! Fun to be traveling around when the Niners are doing well!

    5. Be proud Houston to be a Niner fan. We are a historic franchise that lost its way the past 10 years but, in my opinion, we are back and getting better and better.
      3-0 baby!

      Go Niners!

      1. 49ers need to get better every week, Hurd and Taylor will be back now. I’m looking a little forward to hopefully 4-0. Not done since 1990 but the Browns played the Rams tough. Looking at 4-0 start records over the years, there’s about a 3 out of 4 chance they get a wildcard or better and at least 8-9 wins. The 12 games after Browns are tough and 49ers may only win 5-6 more times, hopefully more. GO Niners!

        1. Anyone else thinking the 49ers game plan will be to force Baker Mayfield to prematurely bail out of the pocket? Oh, that’s right …. no need to pressure the kid, Mayfield will bail out, moving backwards and to his right, regardless of the pressure. How in the world does he think he’s going to be successful doing this? Not only is he moving backwards 6 or 7 yards at a time, he’s also eliminating half of the field in the process.

          I think Rex Ryan is right about Baker Mayfield – “I know he is overrated as h_ll”, and I think Ford, DeFo, and Bosa are going to expose the kid in prime time, on the way to a 4-0 record!

    6. There’s no doubt Raider fan is THE most annoying out of all fans.
      The day cowboy and steeler fans start caking on makeup and whips and chains yelling RAAAAYDUUUHS through the stadium is the day they get on Raider fan level.

      1. Seahawk fans are the worst. Tons of face painted mutants running around that city and I’m not talking about just on game day, either.

  7. Grant, once again thank you! I appreciate you taking the time to interact with your audience, going into the steeler game thought it was going to be a blow out until I watched your pod cast, you did not need to apologize after because the game could of gone either way, your points were right on, I did think the Steelers lack of experience at qb would hurt and the d and home field would help. You are right on though about learning the game and I appreciate the knowledge!

  8. Watched the coaches tape from game pass in slow motion, and I was able to see some of the things you spoke about regarding Boza and #67,
    Boza will have more upside once is able to forecast or see plays develops instead of reacting to them. He seems to have a motor that doesn’t quit. The more he plays the better be is going to get and take better angles when he is ready to tackle the QB.
    Personally I think you are too critical of Moore again he doesn’t have that much experience at the pro level. Maybe Ward would be a better option until he gets hurt again.
    #67 played a lot better than most of us thought he would. I didn’t see that he got that much help on most plays but then the ball was going over the right side on most of the running plays. Your right he seems to get pushed back a yard when he makes a block but he wasn’t getting run over..
    Grant you should try to forecast the first 15 plays KS will run against Cleveland now that we have four games to pick from their tendencies.

    1. Grant you should try to forecast the first 15 plays KS will run against Cleveland now that we have four games to pick from their tendencies.

      Or for a more interesting challenge, the first 15 plays Freddie will run against the Niners…

  10. Great stuff Grant. Thanks. Does Bosa remind you of Ahmad Brooks at all? He seems like he beats his man but is continually chasing the play. I can remember Brooks vainly chasing QB after QB. I know he wears Dee Fords number and played on the same side, but to me there is a bit of similarity there. Great at flushing but not finishing.

    Also loved how you broke down each of the strengths and weaknesses. I agree that Shanahan and Saleh have really stepped up their game this year.

    1. Pass rushing is a fine art. It takes time to perfect the technique it entails.
      Give Nicky some time. The kid has a non stop motor. You can’t teach that. But technique, you can.

      1. PT, I’m not saying the kid can’t grow, but I am asking Grant if what he sees on the film reminds him a bit of Brooks, is all.

        Bosa is a far better DL than Thomas , I had hoped the Niners traded down and selected TJ Watt, who I felt would end up being a solid player like his brother.

        In any case, the 49ers have rectified the Pass rising short comings that have plagued the team for years and the results are evident.

        TBH, I didn’t think they would impact the DBs as much as it has but they are obviously doing something right! Kudos to them.

    2. Stats thru 3 games

      Nick Bosa:
      1 sack, 4 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 4 QB hits

      Josh Allen:
      2 sacks, 10 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 4 QB hits

        1. Agreed.
          I like Josh Allen, and think eventually he could be the better player but when watching the film, you can see who the more disruptive player is right now.

          1. That’s a fair enough criticism… he should have 2 more sacks if he just held on to the qb.
            Those are still positive plays but ones that could have been drive killers.

            On the plus side for him he is beating tackles much faster and more cleanly than I initially thought he could and I think he would be far more effective if his ankle were 100%. However, the 100% healthy part is and has always been the question with him, and will probably remain so until he makes it though a few seasons without missing several games.

          2. Yep, he’s had at least 2 clear cut sacks get away from him that I can recall, plus a few other near misses he could have made.

              1. That wasn’t meant as a defence of Bosa. I agree with Jack, he needs to finish. He’s making opportunities for himself but not sealing the deal.

              3. Agreed, Nick Bosa needs to finish. I was very surprised to see Rudolph squirm his way out of Bosa’s grip there in the 4th QTR. That can’t happen against Russell Wilson, if the 49ers have plans on staking claim to the NFC West. Bosa needs to get that part figured out. In the mean time, while Jarred Goff has a fantastic arm, and a lot of weapons at his disposal, he isn’t much of a threat to break containment. And Kyler Murray thankfully doesn’t yet have a defense to back him up.

      2. Stats thru 3 games

        I’m confused here Hammer, what’s the point of this factiod? Are you trying to praise Bosa or run him down? Given your history, I guessing the latter. If so, this isn’t proving much.

        1. Don’t be confused Ribbie.

          After week 1 a number of folks compared the stats of these two. Figured I’d keep up the trend.

          Positive or Negative? You can make your own conclusions. I’ve added a few comments that might help ya.

          1. Like I said, your always negative take isn’t bolstered whatsoever. You’ll need to hope for more JG multi-int games.

      3. Pass-rushing productivity, NFL edge rushers 2019

        Bosa — 14.0
        Myles Garrett, Browns — 12.8
        Danielle Hunter, Vikings — 12.0
        Preston Smith, Packers — 11.9
        Shaquil Barrett, Bucs — 11.8

        Bosa has 17 pressures in 68 pass-rushing snaps, while it’s taken Garrett 86 pass-rushing snaps to get 17 pressures.

        Josh Allen has also been on the field for 164 defensive snaps, whereas Nick Bosa has been on the field for 68 defensive snaps. So, in 96 more snaps, Allen has 1 more sack, 6 more tackles, and 1 more tackle for loss.

        I’m good.

        1. 107 snaps, per Houston 9er’s correct count; Pro Football Reference’s total snaps for Bosa failed to update to account for his 39 snaps in the Steelers game.

          I’m still okay with the pick of Bosa over Allen.

  11. I would love to see Bosa get more QBSks, but I’m happy that he is disrupting the backfield more often then not.

    Other players have benefited because of him collapsing the pocket. QB’s have been flushed out of the pocket causing turnovers. As far as I’m concerned he has done enough to earn his high draft stripes.

    I agree with those who say that his only hurdle is staying healthy. But I can’t hold my breath every time he’s on the field. If he does get injured the team will cross that bridge if it happens.
    Right now I’m going to enjoy the best defensive player chosen in the draft and be grateful that he’s a 49er.

  12. Bosa has trouble finishing the deal cuz he doesn’t have great closing speed. Great burst off the line, but top end speed will cost him some sacks. But a pressure serves great purpose as well, and is why the secondary seems to b so much improved…..

      3. And again I’d like to point out how beautifully Bosa’s skill set compliments Dee Ford’s. It’s like bread and butter, and that’s very important in terms of scheme.

        Hey, would you look at that Jack, maybe I don’t need to wear my typing fingers to the bone, to get my point across.

        Who knew, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯, cheers bro!

        1. BTW, I loved Josh Allen coming out. If Bosa wasn’t on the board, I was advocating for Allen to be the pick. He’s a fantastic player, IMO!

    2. The sacks will come. He does not need to get sacks in every game all he needs to do is disrupt the backfield and allow for teammates to make plays.

      Considering the fact that he’s still learning the speed, leverage and angles of the game it’s safe to believe that he’s going to improve at his position.

      Our defense is hugely better than its been over the last 5 years and Bosa is a big part of that.
      Keep your popcorn warm and ready folks, there’s good times ahead. We are making some noise because we finally have a team!

  13. Bosa is doing well. He should have gotten a sack, but whiffed. I would like to see him staying on his feet and lunging less. Bosa needs to be more balanced and in control.
    .
    I hope he gets 2 sacks the next game he plays. Hopefully, he will be fully recovered from his ankle sprain.

  14. On the first play it looked like Kittle was the first read based on the end zone view. Jimmy never really took his eyes off Kittle as he appeared open.

  15. On they play where Jimmy got decked at the 26 minute mark.
    While Jimmy made a great play I believe Kittle would be expected to step down and make that block, especially considering he was kept in pass pro.

  16. Looking at all those shots of the stands… It looked like the seats only were about half full.
    A ton of empty seats.

  17. I dont think anyone is calling Nick Bosa the best pass rusher in the NFL. However his pressures majorly affected the game… every time the qb resets his feet, throws early, or pulls the ball down and runs means the offensive play broke down. Last year this didn’t happen.
    I still think Ford is the best pass rusher on the team and wasn’t the biggest fan of Bosa coming out of the draft, but his affect on the game has been much greater than I thought it would be.

    1. This DL has consistently been pressuring the QB through 3 games, and importantly doing it often on 3rd downs. Pretty much all the guys up front have been getting it done, and there have been many instances where 2 or 3 guys are meeting in the backfield. That’s what a good pass rush does and it means the QB has little chance of escape. Too often in past seasons when someone won up front it was wasted by leaving an escape route for the QB to get away and still make a big play.

  18. Stats thru 3 games

    Nick Bosa:
    107 Snaps – 1 sack, 4 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 4 QB hits

    Josh Allen:
    164 Snaps – 2 sacks, 10 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 4 QB hits

    Wow! Nick Bosa’s stats are nearly identical to Josh Allen’s and Bosa has 57 fewer snaps. Add in the fact that Bosa is playing with an injured ankle and you clearly see the 49ers selected the more talented football player between Bosa and Allen.

      1. Players are not bubble wrapped on the field. They also can’t see if other players are coming in from all directions. Injuries happen.
        Bosa has played in every game, period.

        Holding the spector of injury over Bosa’ head is plain ridiculous and smacks of agenda driven fans and media types who are bent on proving that the org was wrong to draft him. Twisted motivation.

        I guess some people feel the need to be proven right even at the expense of seeing someone being injured.
        It is what it is. Have at it.

          2. Subjective.

            Bosa creates pressure on the majority of his reps.

            Kind of odd to try and find the flaw in that

            1. It is kind of odd but Cohn is odd. He makes snap judgments on small pieces of information and then when he’s wrong most of the time he’ll wait until he can find an example he thinks will support him and roll with that. To his credit he has stated he was wrong a on few things already the past couple of weeks but he didn’t have much of a choice considering he would look foolish if he continued on with his line of thinking. He’s doing that with Bosa vs Allen right now, but baby steps I guess.

          3. Disagree. Allen has not played better than Bosa. I don’t disagree that Bosa has areas for improvement but Bosa has been better than Allen IMO. And I do watch Jags games. Bosa is part of a 3-0 team and he’s contributed on the #2 defense in the NFL in terms of yards allowed. Allen is on the #20 defense and his team is 1-2. Individually Allen has been pretty good but Bosa has been better. And Bosa has contributed to a defense that is the main reason the 49ers are 3-0.

            1. Houston,
              I’m with you on this… in watching the tape of the 2 players, Bosa jumps off the screen much more visibly. I think he was the right choice for this team.

            2. The Browns are 1-2 and their defense ranks 16th in points allowed. Do you think Bosa is better than Myles Garrett?

              1. Myles Garrett is better but that’s not the comparison here.
                Allen has better stats but Bosa has been the better pass rusher and has been more impactful through 3 games. If he remains healthy I’m fairly confident Bosa will have more sacks by seasons end.

              2. Damn, you must be a Democrat. That’s some major league goal post moving right there. You went from Josh Allen to Myles Garrett in a quick breath. That’s just intellectually dishonest and silly. If we’re comparing those 3 then it’s obviously Garrett, Bosa, Allen. Any person with a half a brain can see that is obviously the order.

              4. Hey ex,

                Did you notice Trumps sudden urge to talk fun control today?

                Dude plays the victim constantly.

              5. Jack,

                Yes, according to him, the Dems are delaying action on gun safety. Meanwhile, the Turtle won’t allow a vote in the Senate on a gun safety bill the House passed, long ago. SMH

            3. Bosa is the better player but it’s no surprise Hot Take Cohn is in love with Allen. Allen had a big game on Thursday, as did everybody rushing the passer that night to the tune of 9 sacks against a Titans team struggling big time on the Oline. Allen is a good player but he’s not the pass rusher Bosa is and that is easy to see when you watch them. Bosa didn’t have a TC and has been playing with a sore ankle and still has been better than Allen over the course of the 3 games. Bosa has had one problem and that is wrapping up which is an issue but he’s affecting the QB every time they drop back so as long as that continues the Niners will benefit.

              1. Jack Conklin is an All Pro right tackle. Allen dominated him. Allen also has received more double-teams than Bosa, who mostly has had one-on-one matchups.

              2. He was an all pro OT two years ago. Last year he struggled returning from injuries and the Oline hasn’t been good to start this season. Everybody was sacking Mariota on Thursday and that was clearly the outlier in Allen’s season so far. Bosa has been more consistent over the 3 games.

              3. “Allen also has received more double-teams than Bosa, who mostly has had one-on-one matchups.”

                Interesting, how many have they each faced?

              4. “Jack Conklin is an All Pro right tackle. Allen dominated him.”

                Thanks for bringing this to my attention. Tennessee ranks #32 in sacks allowed. They are quite literally the worst pass blocking o-line in football. The Titans have given up 17 sacks this season. The next closest team are the Dolphins and they’ve only given up 13 sacks. Josh Allen has all of his sacks and 2 of his QB hits against the worst o-line in the NFL at protecting the QB. The NFL average is that the QB is sacked on around 6.4% of dropbacks. The Titans are giving up a sack on 15.9% of QB drop backs. That’s an astounding statistic. Further proof Bosa is better than Allen. And Allen gets to play the Titans putrid o-line twice this year.

              6. From David Lombardi of the Athletic:

                Bosa, who didn’t finish a sack on Sunday but generated a team-leading seven pressures — the highest of any 49er since Kyle Shanahan took over as coach in 2017 — now leads all NFL edge rushers in pass-rushing productivity, which is calculated by a formula that considers total pressures per pass-rushing snap:

                Pass-rushing productivity, NFL edge rushers
                Bosa — 14.0
                Myles Garrett, Browns — 12.8
                Danielle Hunter, Vikings — 12.0
                Preston Smith, Packers — 11.9
                Shaquil Barrett, Bucs — 11.8

                (Both Bosa and Garrett have 17 pressures. However, since Bosa has reached 17 over 68 pass-rushing snaps while it’s taken Garrett 86 pass-rushing snaps, PFF’s formula calculates a higher score for Bosa.)

                Bosa is playing like an all pro while dealing with a high ankle sprain and we continue to see old Hot Take and his minions try to feebly defend their ignorant opinions of the guy and pump up another player they must have liked better before the draft.

              7. How does PFF account for pressures that result in a completion?

                For example. Rusher beats tackle, pressures QB who escapes, makes the throw and it results in a completion.

              8. Thanks for that, notanexpert, those pass-rushing numbers of Bosa’s pretty well speak for themselves. Josh Allen is a fantastic young player, but Nick Bosa is clearly NEXT LEVEL.

                Considering the overwhelming consensus among the NFL scouting community, prior to the draft, Nick’s early edge-rushing productivity should be a surprise to, well …… nobody.

                After all, he is the SMALLER BEAR, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ , I’m just saying.

              9. According to Pro Football Reference, Bosa has nine pressures and Allen has 13. It’s too early to say which player is better.

              10. I agree Grant, it’s definitely too early. But for he record, I’m not trying to take anything away from Allen. I think he’s go to be a fantastic player, but he’s a different type of edge defender, IMO. Allen is obviously better dropping in coverage, but not as stout VS the run.

            4. This, Houston. Grant claims to be against PFF and Fantasy stats, yet that’s all he clings to when it comes to comparing Bosa to Allen. We don’t know what Allen would be doing on the 49ers. We can’t quantify how Bosa’s pressures have directly led to turnovers, and botched plays, and thus, we can’t just disregard pressures as a stat. The eye test tells me Bosa > Allen. I feel embarrassed to have been in Camp Allen leading up to the draft.

              1. The Jags have the easiest conference in all of football to sack the QB. TN ranks 32, Hou ranks 30, and Indi ranks 16 in sacks allowed. The average ranking of divisional opponent in terms of sacks allowed in the AFC South is right at 27th in the NFL. The 49ers also have a below average division in sacks allowed but it’s not remotely close to the Jags division. NFC West Avg ranking for all divisional opponents is at around #20 in the NFL. It’s very possible Josh Allen will end the year with more sacks than Nick Bosa. That is more of a reflection of quality of opponent rather than Josh Allen’s individual talent. Bosa gets many more pressures than Allen and he wins his 1v1 matchups much more consistently than Allen. Through 3 games, it’s clear to any knowledgeable football fan that Nick Bosa is better than Josh Allen.

          4. “Allen has played better.”

            No way. That’s a hot take to defend your draft take. Allen has had one very good game, on a day where the entire Jags D dominated an inept showing of blocking by the Titans. Other than that he has been fine, but only decent.

            Bosa has consistently been making life difficult for QBs, especially on 3rd downs. Consistently disruptive. If you don’t like PFF pressures that’s fine, but in this case it does do justice to his impact.

            1. Allen has been healthier, better against the run and more productive against the pass. Pressures are nice, but QB hits and sacks are better.

              1. He’s a LB/DE so should make more tackles. His pass rush stats are based primarily on one game against an OL that was inept.

                He’s been good, not debating that. But he’s not had a bigger impact than Bosa. Hasn’t been better than Bosa. And using those headline stats as your measuring stick for who has played better is a flawed way of looking at it.

              2. Jack Conklin hardly is inept. Bosa has more pressures because he’s had more one-on-ones. Allen has been seeing lots of double-teams. And he has been excellent against the run, contrary to his scouting report.

              5. That Titans OL is bad and Conklin’s rep is living on his rookie year play in Mularky’s run heavy offense. He’s not the same player, especially after his knee injuries.

              6. So Bosa’s QB Hit:Snap ratio is higher than Allen’s. If you run Bosa’s out to the same 164 as Allen he’s at 6.

              8. “That Titans OL is bad”

                So is the OL in Tampa though.

                In 2 weeks they get Cleveland which has the 3rd worst pressure rate allowed.

              10. One of the biggest pro-Bosa guys was going on and on prior to the Bucs game about how poor their OL was. After the game it was quickly forgotten.

                I actually like the job that Bosa is doing, with the exception being the misses. If he cleans that up his numbers will blow up I think. As you said, he just needs more practice.

              11. Yup. Unfortunately for Bosa, he fell a bunch in college, too. He needs some serious practice time.

              12. How about back to back All Pro LT Villanueva?

                Could our OL’s improvement in PassPro be linked to the acquisition of the new Ford Bosa?

                Buccaneers were vanquished, and are but a distant memory. On to the Browns!

              13. “According to 49ers fans, Jack Conklin stinks but Demar Dotson is perfectly legit.”

                Not at all. Bosa and the 49ers benefited from facing two poor OLs to start the year, no doubt. This past game however they faced a legit good OL. And Bosa was across from a very good OT. Bosa had a very good game against Vilanueva – beat him multiple times.

      2. Only time will tell if one of these guys turns out to be better than the other. Personally, I trust that shanny/Lynch are more qualified to make these decisions than anyone of this site. It really doesn’t matter now anyway as we have Bosa and I am rooting for him and the Niners. I’m not sure what you mean by referencing that Allen has not gotten injured. Did a 300 lb man fall on his ankle and he wasn’t injured?

    2. Also, it’s important to note that Bosa has contributed to a 3-0 team, while Allen’ team is 1-2.
      How’ Q. Williams doing these days?

    3. Based on their percentages the only real difference is in tackles. If Lil Nicky had the same number of snaps as Allen he’d be around 6-7 compared to 10.

        1. Sure, and the difference to this point is negligible.

          How do you justify Ronald Blair having 9 tackles on even fewer snaps?

          1. Through 3 games the sample size is small. I expect, the numbers of Blair and Bosa to even out tackle wise at least. Bosa had a goose egg against Cincy stat wise and that will skew results a lot so early in the season.

            Also Blair has been much better than people think and should have gotten more playing time all along, imo.

  20. Using stats for comparisons of players is an exercise in futility.

    Both Bosa and Allen are fine football players.

    Niners have not given up a rushing TD this year.

      1. I always thought when comparing or even contrasting that the variables had to be the same.

        Type of team playing on
        Type of team playing against
        home or road
        grass or artificial
        officials interpretation of the rules/ calls or non calls.
        weather conditions
        dome or open air
        etc.

        Face it they are both good football players, I don’t see either one being better then the other just different set of circumstances.

        Not trying to be a jerk here its just the way I was taught.

        1. You don’t sound like a jerk at all Under.
          These guys are just trying to find something to do or criticize to stir a controversy.

        2. “I don’t see either one being better then the other”

          UC,

          Here’s the thing, the stats bear that out so far. If you look at their productivity on a per snap basis the only difference between the two is 3 more tackles for Allen.

          1. Jack, if these two players swapped teams I bet the stats would be close to the same. I suppose the injury thing could be an issue, but so far he has played hurt and played well. Is he a china doll, time will tell.

          3. Jack:

            Let’s look at their productivity based on pressures per snap. From PFF:

            Nick Bosa – 17 pressures in 107 snaps
            Josh Allen – 15 pressures in 164 snaps

            Bosa is getting a pressure every 6.3 snaps, whereas Allen only gets a pressure every 10.9 snaps.

            1. Cubus,

              Pressures are subjective which is why I don’t put them in a comparison.

              “Jack Hammer says:
              September 25, 2019 at 7:23 am
              Agree, Lil Nicky has been very disruptive. Needs to start finishing”

              As this points out, I can see the activity of Bosa.

              Another part of using pressures as a stat, if a guy gets pressure but the QB makes him miss and then completes the pass is it still a good play? Does anyone break the pressures down to what the net result is?

              Really not trying to be nitpicking here. It just seems like if a guy gets pressure but the result is a positive offensive play it’s an incomplete job that shouldn’t be praised.

              1. Pressures are subjective, but so are a number of other statistics.

                “It just seems like if a guy gets pressure but the result is a positive offensive play it’s an incomplete job that shouldn’t be praised.”

                It could also be that the QB made a great play. But the pressure still affected him causing him most likely to get the ball out quicker than he would have wanted to.

                I believe that you among others have said that sacks aren’t the “be all, end all” and that pressures or disruptive force is what really counts. PFF attempts to provide a stat so that players can be compared. While PFF isn’t perfect, as long as they use the same methodology for evaluating players there is most likely value in the results. In this case there is a large disparity in pressures per snap between Bosa and Allen. Couple that with what the “eyes” of many qualified analysts are telling them and the conclusion seems clear: Bosa >> Allen.

              2. “It could also be that the QB made a great play. But the pressure still affected him causing him most likely to get the ball out quicker than he would have wanted to.”

                Or for example, Winston makes him miss, slides to his left and completes the pass for a first down to Evans. That shouldn’t be looked at positively because the job was 1/2 done.

                “I believe that you among others have said that sacks aren’t the “be all, end all” and that pressures or disruptive force is what really counts.”

                Yeah, and that’s why I made this comment:

                “Jack Hammer says:
                September 25, 2019 at 7:23 am
                Agree, Lil Nicky has been very disruptive. Needs to start finishing”

        3. Under, it’s called internet fruit salad. Compare apples and oranges then cherry pick data to fit preconceptions, then go bananas with coocoonuts extrapolations to achieve fruitful confirmation bias. Toss and add piss, vinegar or honey to taste.

      2. perceptions challenged

        lol. Hammer, better come up with something other than near identical stats (actually not considering the disparity in snaps) if you really want to challenge. Otherwise, consider perceptions confirmed.

        1. PFF does a fantastic job with the stats they provide. Their split break downs are the best I’ve found.

          I don’t agree with the subjective parts of their offering such as grades, pressures, etc.

  21. I am happy. The Niners are 3-0, and have become relevant. Still no respect, but I am glad they are being underestimated. That 500+ yard game against the Bengals showed how explosive and potent the Niner offense is, and after the Steeler game, no one can deny that the Niner defense gave up only 6 points off of 5 turnovers.
    .
    The Niners just need to reduce the unforced errors, and they may compete for the division championship. The Rams almost lost last game. The Seahawks barely beat the Bengals, who the Niners ran roughshod over. Both are vulnerable, and the Niners have greatly improved.
    .
    Thank you, Grant for the in depth analysis, breaking down these plays. I agree, KS has taken it to another level, and many teams will be copying him. Of course, it also looks like KS has borrowed some ideas from Andy Reid.
    .
    One small criticism, is the length. I hope you would be able to keep it to an hour. Right now, I am kinda busy, so brevity would be greatly appreciated. I still look forward to these sessions, and I have learned a lot, but I feel like you could convey all your salient points in an hour. I am glad you expanded the screen, but the technical difficulties must be tolerated, when setting up your new presentation. So I hope I do not come off at being overly critical, when discussing your periscopes. I eagerly await each one. You are doing a great job, and I am glad you permit me to post here.
    .
    This season has started well, and looks like it will provide much joy in the future. I am so glad that they are getting back to playing- NINER FOOTBALL.
    .
    GO NINERS !!!!!!

    1. “I hope you would be able to keep it to an hour. Right now, I am kinda busy, so brevity would be greatly appreciated“

      How long does it take to read football for dummies?

    2. SlepRaider says=One small criticism, is the length. I hope you would be able to keep it to an hour. Right now, I am kinda busy, so brevity would be greatly appreciated

      One small criticism is SlebRaider aka Pinata Boy wants Grant to change things just for him and him alone because he is kinda busy LMAO…..

      1. The reason he wants it shorter is because his brain cannot work to decipher information for more than 20 minutes.

  22. Solomon Thomas: 56 snaps, 1 sack, 2 QB hits, 5 tackles.
    Nick Bosa: 107 snaps, 1 sack, 4 QB hits, 4 tackles.

    2. Add another seven total pressures onto Bosa Jr.’s season tally. In Week 3 against the Steelers, Nick produced two hits and five hurries across only 24 pass-rushing snaps, taking his pressure total up to 17 and his pass-rush win rate up to 23.5%, tied for ninth (with Myles Garrett) and fifth, respectively among qualifying edge defenders this year. One thing to keep an eye on this far is his tackling — he missed another two tackles this week after missing one in each of his first two games, and that’s a big factor in his sub-70.0 grade.

      3. Is that likely a result of going from a 4-3 to a 3-4 under Fangio. I read that Warren Sapp didn’t really start racking up the sacks until he played in a 4-3 that allowed him to just pin his ears back and rush the passer.

    4. Grant, interesting stats. Who is the better player: Solomon Thomas or Bosa?

      Secondarily, are those stats an indication of the impact a particular player has on a DL unit? If so, where does that put a player like Justin Smith?

      1. According to PFF, this season Nick Bosa has 17 total pressures including 2 sacks (other outlets report 1 sack).
        Solomon Thomas has 4 total pressures including 1 sack.

      2. Grant is just trolling because he’s a dead end writer who has nothing better to do. Anybody who has watched the niners can clearly tell that nick bosa is making this team better. If you turn on the tape bosa flashes big. His main issue is that he needs to finish plays better both in the run game and as a pass rusher. I’m hoping he will improve this, but anyone who has played football can see the rare hands and feet unison that makes him special. Bill Belichick has always said that pressures are more important than sacks. Pressures help your defense on the whole and bosa’s immediate pressure makes the 49ers much better.

        If you want to form an opinion on josh Allen go watch the chiefs and Texans tape. You wouldn’t know Josh Allen played. The titans game was better but he was helped a lot by the push pressure Campbell created. Bosa on the other hand has made Armstead and Buckner better by forcing the qbs to step up into them. I do think Allen is a nice talent and will improve, but at the moment bosa has been better on tape through 3 games. We shall see how their careers turn out.

  23. Gotta love the idiot Cohn once again throwing out unsubstantiated information. Go watch the tape of the jaguars vs Titans. Josh Allen benefited greatly from the push Calais Campbell created. This collapsed the pocket and on Mariota making it easier for him. Besides that he was almost invisible on tape vs both the Texans and chiefs. Bosa on the other hand has enhanced deforest Buckner and Arik Armstead by the immediate pressure he creates forcing qbs to step up. Regarding the double teams bosa was getting chipped the whole game vs Villanueva while Allen wasn’t. Bosa also has a road sack while Allen doesn’t. You said dee Ford sucks because good pass rushers get road sacks while anyone can get a sack at home.

    Regardless I think both are talented players with different skill sets. So far bosa has been the better and more impactful player on tape, but only 3 games. As someone who played and coached football for 30 years I know it’s impossible to even have a strong stance on who is better. Bosa needs to finish plays better and Allen needs to improve his technique and run defense. Of course the idiot Cohn is out here acting as if he knows everything tho. No wonder he is the laughing stock of the media.

  25. if the 49ers really want to win this season, they are 3-0 in the first quarter of the season, they need to make a splash trade. My first thought would be at WR or RB but if Hurd comes back and plays good then not at WR. RB lets see if Coleman can play when he comes back, their is still time until the trade deadline. That just leaves LT or CB. Now Joe is coming back in 4-6 weeks and is signed for a few more seasons. That just leaves CB. Witherspoon will be back in 1 month. The defense is playing great, better than the offense but they are both ranked in the top 4 in the NFL which is good. But the defense had to bail them out 2 out of the 3 games so far. They need to just go out and get Jalen Ramsey and Witherspoon can be a good backup and start next year and let Sherman walk. people will say the price tag is too high and we don’t need him cause Witherspoon is good. he is only play good due to Sherman being on the other side, the pass rush and the teams they have played. Now he will be out and coming back from injury. If they have not already, they need to check on what it would take to get Jalen and or at least say they have but cost to much.

    If jalen did request a trade and is not getting along with the staff, the jaguars know they can’t keep him. Just because the Texans gave up a lot for a LT doesn’t mean they will get that for a CB. They could hold out and not give in. Their is reports that teams have offered first round picks and player or another pick. But if the 49ers gave next year and 2021 first round pick but got jalen and say a third round pick or second round pick back FOR 2020 in return WHY NOT MAKE THAT TRADE. he could make a big difference due to teams will need to throw the ball at somebody.

    1. Well, Grant’s already slapped the 9ers with an F for acquiring Kwon Alexander. So, maybe Wishnowsy will make a ripe target.

    3. Grant (and Hammer) razzing on a key contributor to a top 5 defense. These guys are really scraping the bottom of the barrel. And after just 3 fing games? Pathetic in the extreme.

      Grant, Bosa has played in all three games so far. Isn’t your agenda having him on the IR? Shouldn’t his stat line be all zeros?

  27. 1. The option play Kittle or Goodwin will be around for awhile. JG can pump fake or stare down kittle, then shift and hit Goodwin for the easy 80 yard score. Glad this play is in our arsenal.
    2. Deebo almost made a dynamic catch. He does have a size constraint. Hurd might be the guy who can make that catch. Also glad this play is in our arsenal.
    3. The Bosa play which flushed the qb out of the pocket only to be sacked by another niner is a successful play. So what if a diving Bosa missed the sack.
    4. Headline : Grant and Pettis are both cat guys.
    5. I did not realize Grant was a mind reader (below). By no means accepting the conclusion that either qb has superior intellect
    paraphrasing : ” KS is frustrated that Jimmy G is not as cerebral as Matt Ryan. “

    1. Grant is an idiot. Go look at Matt Ryan’s tape week 1 at the Vikings. It’s worse than jimmy last year and he has way more help. His opinions are not consistent and he has selective memory for the evidence he uses. Jimmy made the right decision on that play. He would’ve seen edmunds in the middle of the field and come to his second read in Kittle and thrown it. Grant complains that jimmy reads defenses slow but then he calls him out for missing a play that originally wasn’t available. He has an agenda of proving that he’s always right when he’s typically not.

      Jimmy and Mullens aren’t really comparable. Look at the way the niners move the ball with jimmy. Mullens is a solid backup but jimmy is the real deal. Cohn is just trying to troll. He picks on players that the niners like and then takes an opposing view just to criticize. Everyone knew that bosa was going to be the niners pick and he lit rally became anti bosa just to be critical.

  28. Need to watch the Browns/Ravens game this weekend… I’m thinking the Ravens aren’t terribly impressed with all the hype accorded Cleveland last off season.

  29. the niners are getting no love from anybody about their 3-0 start. they trying to compare the oppents they played when the Pats, Bills and Cowboys played almost the same teams and they are 3-0. Pats, Rams and Chiefs are good 3-0 teams. The bill, Lions are the surprise teams that are still undefeated. The Packers have upgraded their defense but their are in the middle. The cowboys are overrated team. They do have the best RB, Ill give them that but their division is so weak they can win it by going 8-8 and their defense is shaky at best. Then you got the 49ers who nobody is taking seriously. If I had to rank them would be Chiefs, they where a Dee Ford off sides from the super bowl, Pats, Rams, 49ers, Packers, Cowboys, Lions, and Bills.

  30. Nick Bosa: 107 snaps, 1 sack, 4 QB hits, 4 tackles.

    Sam Hubbard: 103 snaps, 2 sacks, 4 QB hits, 21 tackles.

    Both played at Ohio State. One has a famous last name.

    1. Grant, so with all your analysis and insight you have done on Bosa, are you saying he wasnt worth the 2 overall pick of the draft? I only see a non stop motor whenever he rushes the passer, I remember when we didnt have ford and bosa and we have Aaron lynch and Cassius Marsh on the DE spots, they rarely got pressure on the qb, basically running into a wall whenever they “rushed” the passer, anyways Bosa is a play disrupter, and we needed that.

    2. You’re comparing Bosa to those of a second year player here.

      Based on Hubbard’s rookie season the comparison is this if we use Hubbard’s 508 defensive snaps:

      Hubbard: 21 tackles, 7 TFL, 9 QB hits, 6 sacks

      Bosa: 19 tackles, 9.5 TFL, 14.2 QB hits, 4.7 sacks

  31. The Bosa “witch hunt” seems to be in full bloom.
    Maybe he’ll get 15 sacks against the Browns to satisfy his detractors – but then again….

      1. You will stop commenting because you don’t want Bosa to get 15 sacks or you’ll quit commenting so we can get a better blog host?
        Either way, I’d be happy!

        1. I’m not going anywhere. I just won’t argue with you guys. I’ll let you argue with each other.

          1. “I’m not going anywhere. I just won’t argue with you guys. I’ll let you argue with each other“

            And that’s what this is all about. You’ve created a forum with dialogue designed for 49er fans to argue. Turning hostile at times because some fans are so passionate about their team it turns ugly at times.
            Now that’s not your fault because each individual should be able to control what they say.
            I’m just saying it’s a very smart idea, but almost dirty at the same time.

            I don’t like it because trashing players, coaches and teams that fans really take to heart is almost cowardly way to draw interest.

            2. The only ones that turn hostile are those who cannot handle their opinion being challenged without calling the other person half brained or to meet up at a game they aren’t even attending.

              1. When you write daily columns disparaging coaches and players to people that have followed this team since it’s first Super Bowl, what do you think is going to happen?
                You will have people follow and you’ll have people defend against.
                Eventually hostilities are created.

                Like I said it’s a good business model if you want to go the way of being cowardly and dirty.

                Hammer, my plans changed to the Browns game to the Saints game. Like I said, you want me so bad,come up to Canada.I can make you look foolish on this blog or in person. It’s doesn’t matter to me.

              2. My praise this season has credibility, because I didn’t praise everything the 49ers did from 2015 to 2018, unlike some people in the media.

              3. Pff. I have conversations on here often that disagreements without it being hostile. It is only a few that can’t seem to handle it.

              4. Sports does not create hostility amongst fans. I follow many different teams and their beat writers never are hyper critical like you have been towards Shananhan, Lynch and many 49er players.
                I mean your Dad made a career out of it and it’s pretty evident you are trying to.
                There is no doubt that this blog has become hostile since you took over.
                Since you’ve started look at all the posters that have left. Case in point the little riff you had with Rocket invading his privacy.
                He was one of the best posters.
                He just challenged you and called out the BS and you took it to another level. Created hostility.

              5. The 49ers deserved hyper-critical coverage the past four seasons. Rocket was relentlessly hostile to me and other posters. He acted like this was his blog. Turns out, it wasn’t.

              6. PT can’t handle the truth, debate, disagreement or constructive criticism, just a sensitive fan.

              8. “The 49ers deserved hyper-critical coverage the past four seasons”
                In a rebuild? Developing and drafting players and signing key free agents? That deserved hyper critical coverage?
                No. Not even close.

                Rocket hostile? Come on man. Rocket never once used vulgarity or was rude or deliberate.

              10. “PT says:
                September 25, 2019 at 4:53 pm
                Hey Ben Jones. 3-0 and you can sck it!”

                This is Grants fault, right?

              12. Yes, Rocket seems to have moved on. I suspect–based on some of his last comments–that Brotha Tuna grew a little weary and pulled the plug. Htwaits, who almost always had interesting insight and a great sense of humor is no longer here either. Like, so what? Just observing…

                If anyone knows of a grad student needing a project for a seminar in human behavior, suggest they comb through five or six years of this blog’s activity–tracing it’s evolution, noting milestone events, breaking down key personalities and interactions, etc. I’d read it.

              13. BT explicitly said he was leaving due to the blog revolving around the opinions and outbursts of one particular poster.

              15. PT seems very sensitive to anybody saying anything about the 49ers, just a pom pom fan boy homer who can’t take anything even if they are 3-0. The team will hit hard teams soon and can end up with 9 losses if they don’t watch it, hopefully they get 10 wins. Now don’t get all emotional PT.

          2. Yeah, because you yourself know you can’t argue your points without being dishonest. What was it your boy Jack said? Ah yeah, “you don’t want your perceptions challenged”. Good job running away Grant, that’ll sure let you save face kek.

      2. Grant Cohn: an idiot who is not a good writer and doesn’t know anything about football. Also is respected by no one.
        Me: an idiot who is not a good writer and knows very little about football.
        Both like acting like the know something. One has a daddy who got him a job and one is just a football fan.

    2. And the usual religious artifacts for the witch hunt have been brought to bear: The Sacred Hammer of Justice, and the Almighty Cohn of Leveling.

      All those in their path….be afraid and despair!

  32. I wonder what the argument would be if the 49ers had selected Allen and the Jaguars had selected Bosa?

    2. If Allen was the obvious selection for the niners grant would’ve dug in real hard saying that bosa is amazing and that Allen sucked. He literally is just looking for clicks by trolling and taking the opposite side.

    3. I’d be rolling with Allen if he were a 49er, same goes for QW if he was here.

      But Bosa came to the 49ers with ready made detractors due to his injury history, preconceived contract hold out expectations, and the quitting on his team label. And of course the ever present political tweets.

      It was going to be a forgone conclusion that Bosa would be the target of niptpicking before the season even started. The team is 3-0 and Bosa has been a part of it, but his detractors will begin the comparison charts.
      But I guess that’s to be expected from those who weren’t all in on the Bosa pick.

      1. No doubt this is true but Bosa’s injury history is a legitimate concern as would Allen’s inexperience. I think both players are good AND have limitations.

        To be fair I have been pleasantly surprised with Bosa’s availability and execution. He’s one of the many reasons why this team is where it is, but it certainly doesn’t mean we have to run another talented player down.

        1. it certainly doesn’t mean we have to run another talented player down.

          What is that other player doing in the conversation in the first place? Because Hammer, then Grant wanted to use some inapplicable stat line comparison run down a talented Niner player, that’s why. If Allen is collateral damage, then lay the blame directly at those two dudes feet.

          1. “What is that other player doing in the conversation in the first place? Because Hammer, then Grant wanted to use some inapplicable stat line comparison run down a talented Niner player”

            The Bosa/Allen stats that I posted this morning actually were a continuation of the below comment from after week 1:

            “Razoreater says:
            September 10, 2019 at 1:45 pm
            Nick Bosa – 2 sacks, 2 hits, 2 hurries and 1 additional pass-rush “win,” exiting the game with a pass rush win rate of 28%. Good enough for the third-best mark among all defensive players who rushed the passer at least 25 times in Week 1.

            Josh Allen – 1 tackle

            Quinnen Williams – Zip/Nada”

            But yes, of course now it’s negative because the two have nearly identical stats 3 weeks in. LMAO!

          2. You really believe they are trying to  run down a talented Niner player ……..
            This is a new Rib am seeing on the board…

            The Allen -Bosa talk will forever be in football talk…just like Eli and Phillip.

            It is a legitimate conversation to have….why would u take it to the “hater” level…

    1. At least we aren’t arguing about which receiver should have caught the pass to win the game (and should be cut), which DB gave up the egregious TD to the opposing team (and should be cut/benched), what errant throw JG there that may/may not have cost the game (and should be benched), what coach made a mistake/ didn’t—-it was all execution (and should be fired).

      3-0 is better than 0-3!

      1. “At least we aren’t arguing about which receiver should have caught the pass to win the game (and should be cut), which DB gave up the egregious TD to the opposing team (and should be cut/benched), what errant throw JG there that may/may not have cost the game (and should be benched), what coach made a mistake/ didn’t—-it was all execution (and should be fired)At least we aren’t arguing about which receiver should have caught the pass to win the game (and should be cut), which DB gave up the egregious TD to the opposing team (and should be cut/benched), what errant throw JG there that may/may not have cost the game (and should be benched), what coach made a mistake/ didn’t—-it was all execution (and should be fired)..” SY

        Believe we have around 12 days before we play again. It wouldn’t surprise me if your above points find their way to this site sometime in between.
        Also glad for the 3-0 record. But around here the frog still needs to be dissected.
        It is what it is.
        I guess this would be a boring venue if everyone agreed on every topic. ?

        1. Exactly! But I’ve noticed a shift away from the team and the individual players follies to their rank and strength and weaknesses overall. I think that is a marker of a team in ascendency.

          Last year at this time people were arguing that the team wasn’t good because it had been decimated by injuries (though I admit that I did not buy that excuse then or now – I think NO and IND are good examples — Steelers too though they still stink), didn’t have players ready (Shanahan’s schemes are too difficult — this year it seems largely absent even though we still move players around), execution (true but it is on both players and coaches — and I see that Shanahan is at least putting in more practice time which matters here).

          It is a breath of fresh air to compare players with other teams. Funny how récord matters all of the sudden though.

          1. “It is a breath of fresh air to compare players with other teams. Funny how récord matters all of the sudden though.”

            Sure, I agree with that but only to a point. The anti-Bosa crowd will continue to splash this site with their comparisons chart’s because they are determined to find fault.

            How about the latest one: “Bosa falls a lot” (paraph).
            Not Bosa has improved the defense or Bosa has been a key factor in disrupting the offense.
            “He falls” (like in college).
            Ha! It’s actually becoming quite humorous.

            1. “will continue to splash this site with their comparisons chart’s”

              What’s funny about this is that the comparison between Bosa and Allen was first posted after week 1. Of course after that game Bosa had much better stats so it wasn’t a problem. Now after 3 weeks of the season their numbers are close to even and it’s the “Anti-Bosa” crowd determined to find fault.

              Go through my comments on Bosa since week 1. Other than saying he needs to finish more, there’s nothing negative about the guy. Heck I even said I was wrong on the guy pre-draft.

              Anti-Bosa, give me a break.

              4. Nah. What it sounds like is someone being frustrated that two players are being compared and the one that is on his team isn’t being called the best.

                Go through my comments from week 1 on. You’ll be hard pressed to find anything negative on Bosa. The stats provided yesterday morning weren’t meant to be viewed negatively or positively.

                The two have been nearly identical so propping up either over the other at this point is purely a matter of the team you cheer for or the one you preferred in the draft.

            2. “Nah. What it sounds like is someone being frustrated that two players are being compared and the one that is on his team isn’t being called the best.”

              We’ll, your offhanded assessment is wrong again. I never said that I had an issue with Bosa not being better than anyone else. My initial comment was that Bosa was the best DE drafted. I didn’t bring up Allen.
              I didn’t bring up the comparison charts and stats either. I didn’t unearth the comment that Bosa couldn’t finish sacks and had problems with falling down in college.

              Let’s be clear on this; I’m not part of the group nitpicking and going back to his college days to find faults in his game. The guy is a 49er wearing my favorite colors and playing up to his draft status (though injured).
              If we look hard enough we could find fault in anything.
              I guess that I’m cut from a different cloth.

              1. “I’m not part of the group nitpicking and going back to his college days to find faults in his game”

                Nor am i

  34. Pro Football Reference says Nick Bosa has nine pressures. Pro Football Focus says he has 17. Who do you trust?

    2. Didn’t pff also rank Mahomes the 7th best QB…

      I trust none….never relied on any of them….

      Bosa is a beast….dude is special……no cap

    3. I’ll tell you what I trust …. my eyes! The fact of the matter is that, 3 games into an NFL career is simply not a large enough sample size to make heads nor tails of individual stats. There are just too many factors that come into play, with such a small sample size. For example: a bum ankle, limited practice reps, no preseason work, thinking rather than reacting, etc.

      The only numbers worth giving a hoot about at this stage are these corresponding numbers:

      a) 3-0
      b) 2
      c) 7
      d) 7
      e) 75
      f) 208
      g) 283
      _______________________________

      a) Team record
      b) Total Defense (rank)
      c) Rushing Defense (rank)
      d) Passing Defense (rank)
      e) Defensive – Total YDS/G
      f) Defensive – Rushing YDS/G
      g) Defensive – Passing YDS/G

  35. I suspect Grant is on his way to another gig–something in the works for several months now, likely to mature by mid-2020, maybe early 2021. Grant is navigating broader media space–he loves it. He’s not content with traditional means of disseminating sports content–like the beat writers of the Paleolithic. Grant thrives on social media, like Twitter–trading barbs and snark, echoing barbs and snark, embedding a variety of snapshot-context media, sharing links to other high-energy, hot take content sources, etc. The Hotmic adventure provides a heady trip into the unknown–ripe for experimentation. Might work, might not. Who cares, there will always be something new. Grant won’t be nailed down, won’t be suffocated. And all that is cool. Wish Grant every success.

    I’d be mildly surprised if Grant is still running this blog in 2022 (running, or whatever one would call it…). Would be interesting to fast forward 40 years and see where Grant is professionally, if he slings content any differently (style-wise) than he does today (assuming he remains somewhere in the media-sphere), if he still sees things in sharp black and white, if he still draws lighting fast, occasionally accurate conclusions. Who knows. He will remain a fan of the 9ers–a love/hate/disgust thing.

    1. Love him or hate him, Grant is an incredibly hard worker and has done an overall good job on this blog, especially his periscope productions. He will be moving up at some point.

      1. No doubt he puts in the hours… He should matte and frame that small map he has stuck on the wall.

      2. Grant does an excellent job giving us info from interviews, video of practices, periscopes are great, this blog, ect. More than any other journalist I can think of covering the 49ers.

    2. Grant gets zero action on twitter.

      I think it’s hilarious that he essentially calls the rest of the beat writers shills. Both of the Matts have criticized the team. The difference is, they take a “wait and see” approach, when more information is required, rather than the “torches and pitchforks approach”.

      Grant is like trump, in that he has put out so many wrong statements, that everyone is numb to them, yet they still have the desired effect: lots of clicks. Grant has admitted this has shaped his style and this “who me?” act when challenged on whether or not he intentionally exacerbates hostility (read carefully: exacerbates, not creates) on this blog is comical (come to think of it, this is also consistent with trump’s behavior). Of course, it wouldn’t happen if people wouldn’t argue / escalate with each other, but Grant sets the tone, and does so intentionally.

  36. Tarvarius Moore has held his own at free safety, save for a couple bad angles taken on long touchdowns to JuJu Smith-Schuster on Sunday and John Ross Week 2 in Cincinnati. 

    I am disappointed with the bad angles Moore is exhibiting……two games in a row is really bad….

  38. Adrian Colbert has been promoted to the 53 in Seattle. It will be interesting to see how he plays for the Squawks.

    2. All that damaging Intel. Half the time I think players should get 00 licenses with all the skullduggery that occurs in the NFL.

      1. Being a global seaport, Seattle is brimming with drunken sailors. I’m confident Adrian will be offered libation in generous quantities, and will spill his guts accordingly. The outcome will be Seahawks creating such game time confusion for the 9ers that Kyle will expend his time outs like a drunken sailor.

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