SANTA CLARA — Here is the transcript of Kyle Shanahan’s Wednesday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers P.R. department.
Opening comments:
“Same thing with [T] Joe Staley, [CB] Ahkello [Witherspoon], and [FB Kyle Juszczyk] Juice you guys know from yesterday. [DL] Dee Ford was limited today with his knee and then you guys saw the new one with [T] Mike McGlinchey. McGlinchey is getting his knee scoped. He’s going to be out 4-6 weeks.”
Is that an injury that occurred during the game?
“Yes, yeah. It happened in two plays. I think it started in one and then got worse on another.”
With such an integral piece of your running game in Kyle Juszczyk missing now, how do you address someone to fill that gap? Obviously, his blocking techniques and his pass-catching ability too, like he is such an integral part of your offense, especially in the running game.
“I mean, you don’t replaced Kyle. He’s kind of one of a kind at fullback. We still use a fullback, and you do that with tight ends also. I mean, you motion them in there and do stuff, but no one is going to fully replace him. We’ve just got to do some different things and adjust.”
What’s the plan for replacing McGlinchey?
“We didn’t sign any. Oh, I thought you were talking about Kyle. [OL Daniel] Brunskill will be up, next guy up and we’ve got him and [T] Sam Young on the roster, so we’ve got those guys left. We will get them out there and going. Brunskill has got in a little bit, a few plays in the last two weeks. At least he’s gone in there a little bit. Had a real good preseason, so I know he will go in and do a good job.”
So, it’ll be Brunskill at right tackle and OL Justin Skule at left?
“Yes.”
Are you guys feeling any more urgency now to maybe make a trade?
“I mean, you always feel the same. Things got to be available without being held ransom. You’ve got to be able to make smart decisions and if there was a smart decision out there we would definitely look into it. We look into it all, but it doesn’t seem like many are available right now.”
General manager John Lynch has said something similar. Is Washington Redskins T Trent Williams really not available? I mean, have teams been kind of stonewalled when they inquired about him?
“We’re not allowed to talk about that, right? I mean, I think we hear the same things you guys are hearing. It doesn’t look like there’s much movement there.”
What’s there to know about Brunskill? What kind of player is he? How do you feel about him stepping in?
“I feel very similar to how we do about Skule. He’s a guy who got to play in the AAF this year. That’s where [vice president of player personnel] Adam [Peters] and the guys upstairs found him. I didn’t know much about him until he got here in OTAs and training camp. Got to see him then and I became a believer in him. He was number 61 for a while for me and then he became Brunskill because he was low on the radar as it started out, but he earned his spot on this team. He did a real good job. That’s why he was on the team. That’s why he wasn’t on practice squad and when he got in there for one play versus Pittsburgh and did a hell of a job, got to play a little bit two nights ago versus Cleveland, very similar to Skule in that the game is not too big for him, he’s very efficient, he’s a smart player. He will get the job done and he will be ready for the challenge on third down.”
How critical had Juszczyk been to the success of your run game in the first four games?
“He’s very critical. I mean, he is a big part of that. He’s just as important as those running backs are.”
With CB Richard Sherman’s experience, can he play an enhanced role for you guys particularly against a team with three great receivers? Is he an extension of the coaching staff in some respects?
“Yes, I think anytime you have very good players that have been playing for a while it’s because they are definitely very talented, but it’s also because of what’s upstairs. I mean, they know a lot of football, they’ve seen a lot of football, they’re smart, they know pass patterns, their recollection of plays they’ve been beat on is very well. I think Sherm is at the top of that aspect of that part of the game.”
There was a report that you guys worked out seven fullbacks. Did that happen yesterday and do you have any plans to sign any of them?
“No. No plans to sign any. We looked at them. You’ve got to be, I mean, we are one down for 4-6 weeks and we don’t have one, but tight ends can do that stuff too just like a lot of teams do. He’s not designated a fullback only, but you’ve got to do that in case you have other injuries.”
TE Ross Dwelley talked a lot about the tight ends play that fullback position effectively. Do you expect to see him slide in that role a lot?
“Yes, he would be the next man up. That’s what we use [TE George] Kittle on too though. It’s not necessarily all the exact same, but that is what most teams do. Not many teams have a fullback on their roster, but you motion a tight end back there and he is a fullback. We will do that or motion one of our receivers back there to play fullback.”
You guys had former NT Earl Mitchell back there a couple years ago. Are there any defensive tackles that you might use?
“[DL] Sheldon [Day] was ready for our goal line package and stuff and he’s always a backup fullback for us in case need be. Might have a hard time with the pass routes, but he can do the goal line stuff. He says he can do the pass routes, I believe him.”
What’s going to be the key to maintaining your success on the ground game without Kyle Juszczyk the next few weeks?
“I mean, Kyle is definitely one of our best players, but it takes all the guys. We have been playing very physical, I think, in these four games. We can’t lose that at all. No matter who has been out there guys have brought it on every play. No matter who’s run the ball, they try to get more yards than what’s blocked for. It starts with the effort of the whole team and when you have effort, usually good things happen. It’s not always going to be clean and stuff. The more you can get the ball, the better you can do on third down, the more we can stay with the run as a team and calling the game, the more you’ll get those stats. But, everything goes into that.”
Are you going to make a lot of schematic adjustments or do you feel like it’s going to be a pretty seamless transition?
“I mean, yeah of course. When you lose real good players, both of your tackles and your fullback you’ve always got to make adjustments. But, you’re not going to reinvent the wheel either. You’ve got to go out and play football and just try your hardest to put them in a position that gives them the best chance to be successful.”
McGlinchey hadn’t missed a game, I don’t think, ever in his football career before this. How difficult was it to tell him, or how much push back did you get from him and did he try to play through it?
“Yes, I think that’s why I wasn’t quite as worried about it when I talked to you guys Monday night. He didn’t take himself out, he was limping a little bit which he does a lot in games because those guys are linemen and that does happen. As long as there’s no bad damage, they’re usually alight, but he kept up with it. I remember seeing him doing it. I took him out personally. Just telling me he didn’t want to go out because he didn’t think he was that hurt. He didn’t feel like he was that much after the game, but the energy goes down a little bit, how amped up you are, he came in the next morning it was hurt a little bit more and when they checked it out it was a surprise to him and a surprise to all of us.”
How has he played this year to this point?
“Mike’s done a good job. I mean, he’s had some more challenges than he had last year, but Mike has done a good job. He had a tough matchup versus Pittsburgh where he missed a couple, which you guys documented. But, Mike’s done a real good job, he’s one of the main reasons we are running the ball so well.”
Will you have to make any move on the 53 man, because you already have on the 46 man the guy who would move up, so do you feel the need to do anything?
“Not right now. In order to do it because no one has gone on IR we would have to cut someone. We haven’t done that yet and I don’t see us doing that this week.”
What did you see on the tape from special teams especially with the long snapper? It seemed like a couple problems there on Monday.
“Yeah, on the field I thought it seemed like there were a few more. Just after getting in and watching the tape, I thought there was definitely one snap that he could’ve done better on, but I thought it was only one snap.”
This is a short week for you and meanwhile Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay, defensive coordinator Wade Philips and their staff have extra days to prepare. Do you go into this game feeling like you’re at a strategic disadvantage?
“I mean, it is what it is. You always want more days, not just for a coach to prepare, but also for the players to rest. This is how it was last year after Green Bay, so sometimes that can hurt yourself, too, though. Sometimes you get too many days to prepare and you’re a little bit rusty, you overdo it, so it works both ways. Normally, you’d like more time.”
Do you expect the Rams to bring extra wrinkles that they might not ordinarily because they have that extra time?
“You never know. You’ve got to be ready for everything. They’re always going to have, Sean and Wade, are always going to have a few wrinkles each game, but they believe in what they believe in and they’re not going to reinvent the wheel and try to stray too far away from what they do well. They’ve got a good team. They don’t have to make much stuff up. They’re going to be rested. We’re going to go in there, they’re going to be ready to go and it’s going to be a good game.”
I know you’re not a doctor, but fair to say that it’s cartilage damage that’s being corrected in there?
“Neither of us are doctors. He got it scoped.”
So probably cartilage?
“I would think so.”
Do you know what part of the play that happened on?
“No, I think it started with one of, the around that [WR] Deebo [Samuel] had where he bumped into him and the defender and I think he got rolled up about a quarter later, so it was one of those two. You could ask him, though.”
He had a PRP injection in the offseason. Is it the same knee?
“I’m not sure if it’s the same knee. The thing that he had in the offseason is something he’s had since college, so that’s a normal thing for him, something he was used to. This is a different thing.”
Not connected?
“Not connected, yeah. They fell on his legs awkwardly and it was an unfortunate injury.”
WR Richie James Jr. seemed to have a challenging night returning. He kind of hesitated, let a couple go that he probably should have caught. Did you talk to him about that? What was his–?
“I haven’t personally. I know they covered in the special teams meeting today. They’re ones, I mean, you’ve got to catch it. It changes field position too much. I know there was one real tough one that was way, I don’t know if it was the first one, there was one that was way too short. We didn’t expect him to catch it, but the other ones he should’ve. Ones he’d like to have back, definitely. He’s got to catch those. First left-footed punter, that’s always a little bit awkward, but he’s done it before. He’s done it in practice when we bring those guys in. Did end up having a good punt return in there at the end, but yeah, we need him to catch those.”
Is it reassuring at all to know that despite the fact that you’re losing these tackles and Juszczyk that you’re going to get these guys back for basically that long stretch at the end of the season, especially with your IR guys as well?
“Yeah, well I mean, always when you get bad news, you want to turn it into some good news, so glad they’re coming back in 4-6 weeks. You’re always upset when you lose guys, any guy, especially those guys, but then, at least we’re not losing them for the year. We’ve got a decent record right now and got to keep it going. Hopefully when they come back, they’re a part of something.”
Did he already have his knee scoped?
“No, tomorrow. Yeah, tomorrow.”
What challenges do the Rams present?
“They have challenges all over. They’re a very good team, they’ve got a very good special teams, a very good defense, very good offense. Their offense has been one of the best, if not the best, here for the last two years, going on a third year. They’ve been very good at running the ball, very good at throwing the ball. Their defense, they’ve given up some yards, some points and stuff, but they’re an opportunistic defense with very good players, smart coaches and they can create turnovers. Haven’t got as much as they’ve had in the past, but it’s a matter of time. They’ve got a very good team and it’s not a surprise why they were in the Super Bowl last year.”
What’s your early assessment of DL Nick Bosa? Has he been everything you had hoped he would be?
“Yeah, he’s right on track. We know he had a little bit of a late start with the injury. He’s played good in every game, though, even though he’s been limited. Last week was kind of the first time versus Cleveland that he really got to go and play a full game and more plays than just a limited role. It was a better result, so hopefully that continues to get better. I know he got out of it healthy and he’s been what we’ve hoped for so far.”
Is he healthier and more explosive than he was–?
“Yeah, definitely. You could see that in practice, just being able to get through the practice the whole week and not having the setbacks. Always when you have an ankle, each week just some little thing happens just here and there. I think he went the whole week last week not having it and when you see that, you just see each day it get a little better and better. They’re always better on Sunday, too. Or Monday.”
Losing another offensive tackle sort of puts the focus back on Justin Skule a little bit. How has he been generally in his two starts and has there been any particular part of his game that you’ve been impressed with?
“I mean, I think he’s been real good in his two starts. The first game, the biggest negative was just those penalties and he cleaned all of those up last week. He had a huge challenge in who he was going against. He definitely held his own. It’s a huge team effort, too. When you play well as a team, you don’t put those guys in as big of a predicament having to block drop back passing every play. So, when you can get the turnovers on defense, when you can run the ball well on offense and if you can get a lead, it does help those guys out a lot. Third down is third down, usually. When you do that, you’ve got to step it up. I know our first drive of the third quarter versus Cleveland was probably our best drive of the day. It was eight plays, I think 90 yards, but the third play was third-and-6 and Skule had a big block one on one. We had an out route to [WR Marquise] Quise [Goodwin] that got us the first down and that allowed us to go the rest of the way. If you don’t make that block on third down, you don’t get that drive.”
On that drive, it ended with a touchdown pass to Kittle and it seemed like Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett got a nice pass rush on Skule, but that ball was out before he got there. Is that a way that you, the play caller, can adjust to not having your two top tackles, just faster?
“It always helps when people are open faster. You can get rid of it before they get there. It’s not always easy, but yeah, the quicker you can get rid of the ball, the more it frustrates those guys and that’s why you try to mix it up so the defense doesn’t know what’s coming. If you become one dimensional, it’s a lot harder to block those guys and it’s a lot harder to get people open.”
I know you’ve been hard on your receivers the last few months. Is there extra emphasis or pressure, whatever, on them this week from you given that you might not be able to run the ball 40 times?
“No, I just expect them to do their job whatever’s needed and they’ve been doing that. I know we had two drops yesterday, but those guys, the way they competed in the run game, the way they competed in the pass game, they kept us on the field in third down. I know we had one third down that they didn’t where it got knocked out, but no, I want them to just keep getting better each week. You go into every game hoping to run the ball like that. It rarely works out that way. You balance both of that out and the receivers have a huge, they get a huge credit in what we’ve been doing in the run game. You can’t run the ball as well as we’ve been doing if the receivers aren’t blocking like that. But, those guys are getting better in the pass game and you never know what game, what quarter, but we’re definitely going to have to win a game throwing the ball also some time.”
Joe Staley, MCglinshey, KJ, Tough lossess during these last few weeks, when they return will they still play at a high level? Darn it, as long as we can keep George Kittle, Jimmy G, Breida healthy we could still play at a high level I believe. Brunskill needs to step it up big against the rams.
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I heard Brunskill stayed at the Staley Inn Express last night.
I hope his runskill is up to snuff.
Sticking to my early injury predictions and a 6-8 win season ?
Unfortunately i don’t think we’ve seen the end of these injuries..
TGP,
Fortunately, we are 4-0 and much better than last season when it comes to overall team talent. Sure, we’re going to miss MM, Juice and Staley, but we also have a chance to put some of our young players on the fast-track to develop.
It’s still going to take a couple of drafts and good FA signings to build a strong supporting cast to help lessen the impact of losing players to injury. And I’d rather stay positive then worry about the next injury.
I see the this great prognosticator is taking Sherman’s advice and sticking to one’s original prediction!
Lots of 12 sets this week. 12 with TE in motion to FB at times, and 12 with receiver in motion to backfield as well.
Gurley, thigh contusion and Talib, rib injury both missed practice and could be questionable. Even if they play, they may not have many snaps in them, in what I expect will be a very physical game….
Richburg is playing at a all pro level….the inside is safe …its the edges we need to worry about….
Well at least Jussie Shermolett apologized. Niners don’t need that Seattle taint in Santa Clara.
Yawn.
That’s the thing, that non-story, that worries you most?
Captain Sensible says:
October 9, 2019 at 8:54 pm
Well at least Jussie Shermolett apologized. Niners don’t need that Seattle taint in Santa Clara
Dude…. relax a bit are you here because you’re a fan? If so enjoy the early success dude. It’s not a given it will last
Niners and Pats are the top two in FO’s DVOA and DAVE ratings, and way ahead of the #3 (Chiefs)
https://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/teameff/2019
The percentage represents the team’s performance relative to the NFL average.
I am glad KS mentioned Kittle as a rotational substitute for Juice, until he gets back.
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Thankfully, Kittle is talented and versatile enough to play both positions.
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The Niners need to handle adversity, and they will face a desperate team this Sunday. I fully expect the Niner defense will continue to play- Niner Football.
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Wade Phillips will have looked at the 49ers- Browns game, and I hope it gave him nightmares.
Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack
Houston,
Earlier this week you did a good job handicapping this weeks game and how difficult it was going to be for the 9ers to win. Now that McGlinchey is out I give them a very small chance of winning. What do you think? Also when is this teams curse with injuries going to be lifted, it seems like its been around for about 4 seasons now. Shanahan must have done something very evil in a former life.
Yea, they gave us little to no chance of winning for several years. Staley goes down, change the tire and cut a trail. Witherspoon goes down, change the tire and keep on keeping on. The Glinch goes down, change the tire and head out down the highway!
OldCoach, I think it’s going to be very difficult to win. All the cards are stacked against the 49ers. From rest, to injuries, to Jimmy G not hitting his stride yet. BUT, Rams without Gurley are not SuperBowl worthy. Their defense is not as good as it was and their o-line has been porous. San Francisco is #2 on offense in points per game at 31.8. Rams are #6 at 29.2 and they’ve largely done that without relying on Gurley even though he’s scored a few short yardage TDs. 49ers are #2 on Defense in points per game given up at only 14.2 points per game. Rams are #28 in the league on defense with giving up 26.8 points per game. I am optimistic that the 49er defense will see the injuries to their offense and feel the need to rise to the occasion and stuff the Rams. I fully expect the Rams to score some points but the defense should hold them well below their average points per game. IMO this game will come down to whether Jimmy G and the WR’s can finally get in a groove and score some points. Next determining factor will be if Richburg, Tomlinson, and Person can keep Aaron Donald from wrecking the running game. I think they can do it but I’m not going to put any money on this game. If I were forced to make a pick on this game, I probably go Rams 21-20.
A few interesting topics.
1. How will Saleh approach the Rams offense?
Even while the rams are not what they were… they are still averaging 29.2 pts per game and are 5th in yards per game. They should still provide a good barometer for where this defense is at.
2. How will Kyle Morph his offense?
Will they primarily use 12 or 11 personnel? I highly doubt 21 personnel will remain the primary formation unless they build up a lead. They will need to get the ball out of Jimmy’s hands quickly… and they have already been doing so as Jimmy is getting rid of the ball in 2.45 seconds on average and that number went down to 2.23 seconds on average in this last game.
3. Can this offense Adjust if they are forced to rely on their passing game more? What receiver will step up and provide Jimmy with a reliable pair of hands (not named Kittle)?
Yeah its going to be interesting. The Rams weakness right now is the run game and O-line. I think we can expose that O-line for sure, put pressure in Goff’s face and mix up coverages which will cause him to make mistakes, look at his rating under pressure, not good.
They are definitely going to sell out on the run and make Jimmy beat them. Should still be a close game. 2 similarly built teams with similar styles of play and philosophy. But i think we get edged in this one 24-21, but i think we take the next one at home.
Man these injuries are tough. I’ve come to the point where I’m not doubting KS any more. I think he is coaching lights out football right now, and our Defense can get us through these next 4-6 weeks as long as offense takes care of the ball and can produce at 20 to 24 points. I really hope we can get these guys back in 4 weeks as opposed to 6 weeks. The bright side to this is that our schedule in the next 4-6 weeks is not terrible (Rams, Skins, Panthers, Cards, Hawks, and Cards again). We should hopefully have these guys back around the same time and in time for the real difficult final stretch of the schedule.
Skule has played very well so no real worry there, but that right side with McG was our bread and butter. It will be interesting to see how Kyle accommodates for that.
Gonna be interesting to see how the Rams running game fares against this wide 9. If they can’t get it going with Gurley or Brown, it looks as though they’re going to give Henderson an opportunity. I hope we have some surprises in store for McVay, because I want this win desperately. Gotta go into this game like we’re the ones who are 3-2, and physically destroy this Rams team….
Are they really lining up in wide 9 formation in base downs?
Better get Nick Mullens warmed up early. JG might not make it through the first half with this line.
KS’ s biggest challenge with all of these injuries. , let’s see how much of a great coach he really is. this is the statement game, on the road against a divisional rival that’s reeling on the brink of their window closing ( salary cap), battling injuries and an undefeated record. …. anyone ready for football? ?
It’s a wounded Ram, and it’s up to us to put it out of its misery. Gurley has a dead knee, and Goff lacks True Grit.
This is not a statement game by any means (The MNF was a bit of a statement game in some sense). Niners can lose a well-fought game this Sunday and still go 7-1 in the first half of the season).
I was hoping this would be a “GPS game”, but with some many starters missing on O, that won’t happen. I guess one could consider it to be a GPS game for the D.
statement game from the standpoint of we’re hurt but still beat you on the road…that’s what I meant.
28-20 San Francisco over the Rams.
I thought the Niners would run roughshod over the Rams, but now that the Grinch may have stolen this victory, it will be close. The Niner pass rush will get to Goff, and Goff will cough up the ball.
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Niners 24-23.
Just remembered that Clay Mathews is out. His replacement is not as skilled as he.
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I think the Niners will have an easier time defeating the Lambs, and am now leaning more towards Razor’s prediction.
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“Niners 24-23”
Way to mix it up. LMAO!!!
No, no, I have changed my mind, and think it will be more like Razor’s prediction.
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Niners 28-23.
Niners 29, Rams 19…
I hope you’re right. I wonder if Saleh will take a page out of the Patriots book on how to confuse Goff. If so, with that front seven, we should be solid. I worry about having to over compensate for the injured o line. I think we’ll see at least one naked bootleg out of a stretch play. Our Wr’s should get off too. I’m not impressed by their Secondary. traps and counters will be critical.
And the injury bug rears its ugly head yet again…..lets hope the bug dies off .things were going pretty well hhmmm… Eventually JimmyP will have to pass more lets see if he is up for the challenge ….. and the line can hold up
When is Trent Taylor coming back?
17-11-19
Does anyone know if the rams will move Donald outside to take advantage of the backup tackles?
My biggest concern on Defense is Kupp, he is very difficult to stop and appears to be Goff’s safety value. I hope the Niners can try to take him away from Goff.
If Juice was still in i would not be too worry about the run game, but with him and McG out it is going to be a real problem to run the ball effectively against the Rams To win the game the Niners will need to get the passing game going including a least a few completions of more than 20 yards to get the Rams to loosen up. If they can do this then Kittle could have a big game and the running game will have a chance. This is an opportunity for Bourne and Samuel to show what they can do and for Petitis to justify being a second round pick.
I think this maybe a time to use the Joe Gibbs 1980’s approach of using the pass to set up the run.
Donald has been lining up all along the front this year. I’ve seen him on the edge here and there; so yeah, they’ll likely test the youngsters.
Donald has been lining up all along the front this year. I’ve seen him on the edge here and there; so yeah, they’ll likely test the youngsters.
Yep, so everyone on the 49ers offensive line will be tested by him.
“Passing to set up the run” was one of the basic tenets of Walsh’s WCO. How did you get Joe Gibbs into it?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Coast_offense
I think it was said about Joe Theisman, and his ‘Posse’. Everyone was scheming to stop the passing game, so the Skins gashed them with the run.
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However, you are right. Bill Walsh stated that concept many times.
Just read JG’s presser. He has got it right. It does not matter if JG passes for 300 yards, the important thing is winning the game.
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I will take it further. JG should not be worried if the Niners are winning or losing. He should just concentrate on scoring a TD on every drive. If he scores TDs, and does not settle for field goals, the score will take care of itself.
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I wonder which question Grant asked. I surmise it might have been the one about not completing a ton of passes to his WRs.
Rams were in a dogfight against Cleveland a few weeks ago. The same poor Browns team we just saw.
We’ve seen the offense perform well before with guys going in and out. If the defense can put up another performance like it has so far this season this could get very interesting on Sunday.
I had this down as a loss in my preseason projection, but this is one I hope to get wrong.
Total offense – Niners
Passing offense – Rams
Rushing offense – Niners
Total defense – Niners
Passing defense – Niners
Rushing defense – Niners
Rest and Relaxation – Rams
Home field advantage – open
Injury – Both
Needing the victory – Rams
Special Teams – nothing special here.
Coaching staff – Niners
This game to me is more about the coaches than the players.
Shanny needs this one to show McVay he can out scheme him. MCVay needs this one to show his team that last year was no fluke and he isn’t going to catch anyone by surprise any more.
Niners need to keep developing their identity. Run the ball, be physical and let your defense dominate.
I’m taking the Niners in a nail biter Robbie Gould OT winner.
Niners 20
Rams 17
I think that score is about what it’d need to be for a 49ers victory.
The rams come into this game needing a win. With us missing key players on offense this may be their best chance at winning.
In this game I’m leaning on Shanahan’ scheme more than the replacement players. Shanahan has a chance to cement his place in the coaching ranks if he can win while key players are out. I believe that he will.
Off topic. But as a SFGiants fan, I can’t help but to be stoked over the dodgers going down last night. I told many of my family and friends (who are dodgers fans) to pray that Kerchoke would not take the mound in the playoffs. Now they know why.
But after the dust settles on this painful loss, the blame has to fall on Dave Roberts.
The rams come into this game needing a win. With us missing key players on offense this may be their best chance at winning.
In this game I’m leaning on Shanahan’ scheme more than the replacement players. Shanahan has a chance to cement his place in the coaching ranks if he can win while key players are out. I believe that he will.
Off topic. But as a SFGiants fan, I can’t help but to be stoked about the dodgers going down last night. I told many of my family and friends (who are dodgers fans) to pray that Kerchoke would not take the mound in the playoffs. But after the dust settles on this painful loss, the blame has to fall on Dave Roberts.
On point AES. Let’s add Saleh into the conversation with a game plan to stop McVays offense.
This is a coaches dream game. The players a statement game and for the fans, a good old fashioned slobber knocker for 60 minutes or more!
Go Niners!
You can say that again! ;p
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Ah yes, the Smog Doggies fail again, after winning a gaudy 106 games. They should have won last season, but the sabermetrics slashed and burned them.
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Now they let Kershaw implode again. Sounds like Dave Roberts is safe, but I do not know why. Bochy would have gone to the bull pen.
If the 49ers are able to come away from the next few weeks still in the lead of their division and none the worse for wear, they could very well be Super Bowl bound.
The way Shanahan has been calling this offense the loss of McG and Juice I think is mostly a concern for the run game. Not only has the team leaned on the run game through the first four games, JG has been getting the ball out very quickly all year, and especially the past two games with Skule at LT where he has averaged 2.35s and 2.08s to release per pass play. I don’t think swapping Brunskill for McG is going to have too big an impact in the passing game if JG is able to keep getting the ball out that quickly.
However, a key reason the offense has been able to run a quick pass game is the effectiveness of the run game and D. Need both of those to keep clicking. Here’s hoping the replacements for McG and Juice are able to step in and be effective blocking for the RBs, and/or that Kyle can work around those missing pieces.
I think Brunskill will be fine in the run game, it’s pass blocking that worries me most with him.
Dwelley will be fine as the FB, along with some Kittle.
Don’t forget 2013. Miller goes down, is replaced by a DL, team almost goes to the SB.
Yeah, I’m not actually too concerned- I think the team should still be able to run the ball effectively. And as I said, Shanahan has already been mitigating a weakness in pass pro at LT by getting the ball out quickly.
He also has been giving the LT help on certain plays…..by having the TE or RB bump the DE first before he gets to the LT
im with jack – Juice is GREAT at blocking in space….IMO Kittle is too! i think he fills that role. When it comes to bulldozing up the middle for short yardage/goal line…..Dwelly or D-linemen can fill that role.
The shanahan offense, like that of Walsh….relied more on fleet footed athletic O-linemen than dominant brutes. Everyone remembers us having smaller quicker O-Linemen…….we got it done without dominant house hold names b4…..i trust Shany to do it now, especially since hes confident in Brunskill just as he was in Skule. They have the skill set to fit his offense . Also, Staley was playing better than MmG…..
E-man stepped in for AK and made some great plays…..didnt miss a beat!
in year 3, were seeing shany’s vision of this team come to fruition! Hes got 53 players that fit exactly what he wants to do……and this is why were not missing a beat when subs have to step in!
This team has a dominant Defense reminiscent of the Harbaugh era…….
and a high powered offense reminiscent of the glory days!!!!!!!
The 49ers have the hot hand, the hot coach, the current hot d. The game is very much like the Browns game going in. The 49ers should win, however….
I expect a hard fought battle. Hope the team can maintain the level of intensity and ferocity of the last few weeks.
27-23 Niners.
Daniel Brunskil NFL Profile:
Pro Football Weekly:
The Way We See It: Very small but athletic tackle. Has limited growth potential but he shows talent on tape. Because of his size, some teams may move him to tight end and have him be their Y. Obviously he won’t be a receiving threat but he will be able to help the run game.
2017 NFL Draft Profile San Diego State OT Daniel Brunskill
Explosive with great footwork equals a potential to be an NFL tackle.
He had a great 2012 year where he broke out on the scout team and he played in 13 games in 2013 as a blocking tight end.
He is an athletic player for the position the footwork and also has the abilities get into the gaps on blocking. That athleticism allows him to get the advantage on that first step
PFF scouting report: Daniel Brunskill, T, SDSU
What he does best:
Good feet and moves well in space.
Very smooth working to second level in zone-blocking scheme.
Good at generating movement in run blocks.
Good understanding of angles to blocks.
Had excellent run-blocking grades in 2015 as a tight end before moving to right tackle in 2016 and finishing ninth in the nation with a run-blocking grade of 81.3.
Eighth-highest percentage of positively graded plays among draft class tackles.
https://www.pff.com/news/draft-pff-scouting-report-daniel-brunskill-t-sdsu
So if I’m reading this correct then Brunskill should be the FB and the team should bring in a new tackle ?
Sounds good. Razor pegged him as our Angus.
Brunskil Pro History:
Shanny:
“That’s how the guys upstairs found him,” Shanahan said. “I didn’t know much about him until he got here in OTAs and training camp. I got to see him then and I became a believer in him.
AAF San Diego Fleet, made AtL Falcon’s practice squad.
Signed by 49ers, played in the Cleveland Brown game.
Gibbs approach was a bit different than Walsh’s. Walsh’s approach was to use the first 25 plays to probe the defense and loosen the run game up with short and intermediate passes. Gibbs used the first half to attack the defense with intermediate and deeper passes and then used Riggins to pound the defense in the second half.
I think the Rams will sell out to stop the run as they will see it as the engine that makes the offense run. Because of the injuries (and this is the biggest factor), the Rams having a better defense than the teams they have faced and Wade P. being a better coordinator than they have faced so far this year I think the Niners will have trouble running the ball at first. While I could be very wrong, I think it would throw the Rams off to come out throwing the ball and then when the defense loosen up and they get tired hit them with a running game not built on power (Riggins was fast as well as strong) but on speed.
I would like to see how the Rams react to a 65% pass, 35% run play allocation in the first half and then the reverse in the second half.
To be clear, I was not disrespecting Bill Walsh who I still think is the best coach the NFL has ever had, I just was suggesting a somewhat different approach for this game. By the way, if this approach worked and the Niners win, then teams will have an even tougher time defending the Niners.
« the Rams having a better defense than the teams they have faced »
The Steelers actually are allowing fewer yards per play.
And Todd Bowles is a very good coordinator!
I respectfully disagree. Gibbs had his Hogs and was more of a power running system. This system reminds me of the Terrell Davis era.
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The Niners should not get cute and try to get pass happy. They should run the ball, because I do not want JG to get sacked, since the Niners lost both of their starting OTs.
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After the Niners had run the ball for 275 yards, Wade Phillips is going to have some sleepless nights, worrying about how to stop the Niner Juggernaut. Once the run game is established, the play action passes will throw them off balance.
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The Niners should run right at Patrick Natrez, the rookie replacement for Clay Mathews.
Clay Matthews will be replaced by Samson Ebukam, the starter for the Rams at that position last year.
So noted. They should run right at him, too.
From PFT (most are likely aware of this)…
Six days ago, Rams running back Todd Gurley had his best game of the year, with a couple of touchdowns in L.A.’s 30-29 loss to the Seahawks. But it came with a price.
Gurley missed practice on Wednesday with a quadriceps injury.
It’s the first Gurley injury disclosed by the Rams this year. While it’s not an injury to the knee that bothered him throughout 2018 — and that apparently has ended his days as a high-carry workhorse tailback, it’s a red flag for a team that desperately needs a win on Sunday against the 49ers to avoid falling to 3-3.
Also not practicing for the Rams were linebacker Clay Matthews (jaw), cornerback Aqib Talib (ribs), and linebacker Natrez Patrick (hamstring).
Receiver Brandin Cooks participated in a limited basis, which shows that he’s making progress from the concussion he suffered last Thursday. Linebacker Bryce Hager (shoulder) and safety Taylor Rapp (ankle) also were limited.
A loss in Sunday’s showdown with the 4-0 49ers would make it much harder for the two-time defending NFC West champions to win the division again.
If Gurley can’t play or is limited by the injury, Malcolm Brown and rookie Darrell Henderson (who hasn’t done much at all this season) would be in line for greater involvement in the offense.
Nick Bosa video analysis by Jackson Krueger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsRHYz_Lwag
I think Bowles is good but not as good as Phillips.
The Steelers defense maybe as good as the Rams.
There’s a name curiously missing from this list…it’s on the tip of my tongue. Anybody? Grant?
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EGiw1vCXkAAPT8B?format=png&name=small
Razor,
It might be time to end the Bosa draft debate. We got the best DE and possibly the best player in the 2019 draft.
I’m backing off the Bosa vs J.Allen vs Q.Williams conversation and the ‘eat crow’ crowd that frowned on the Bosa pick, because everyone can clearly see that the 49ers made the right pick.
To be fair,
Most that didn’t like Bosa didn’t like him due to his injury concerns. Those are not going away for a season or two.
Only a select few just thought he was overrated and questioned his ability.
That’s fair. I was so-so on the pick. Injuries were a big concern for me and still are but they decrease with each passing game. It was really good to see him healthy against the Browns and really hope it stays that way for the rest of the season. I’m glad that he played through the ankle issue, i think that showed more toughness and dedication than his brother ever has.
I will also eat a little crow on that as well, though i wasn’t completely negative I did feed into a lot of what Grant was saying. The guy is a monster and so fun to watch, this D-line is balling out and its so great to see them feeding off of each other. Long-term I wonder what there plans are for Buckner and Armstead, the latter is arguably having a better season than the former, but Buckner is still one of the best in the game and much more dependable.
I also mentioned that he falls down a lot, and he seems to keep doing that. However, he has a non stop motor, and gets up and makes plays.
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Yes, Razor can crow, because he was the Bosa’s main cheerleader on this site. A lot were trying to beat him down, but I told Razor to stand tall, and withstand the slings and arrows. Thankfully, he has been proven right.
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I felt perfectly fine advocating for a trade back, because the Niners need O line depth, and Ward may not stay uninjured. They really could have used a couple of those players chosen in the second round.
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I wanted multiple trade backs, and would have been happy with Clelin Ferrell or Brian Burns, who also have been playing well. Bosa has been playing well, but the whole D line has helped Bosa, by their stellar play. Some have been critical of Buckner, because he is not making a ton of plays, but he is doing his job, taking on the double teams. He is a team player, and I bet he is gladly assuming that role, just as long as the Niners keep winning.
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I was critical of Bosa before the draft, because of his injury history, but once they selected him, I rooted for his success, because he could help with the pass rush, which I saw as a glaring need.
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Bosa did not help his cause, by sitting out the OTAs, and getting his ankle rolled on in preseason, but now that he is healthy, he is living up to his hype. I hope he gets 12 sacks.
Before this Thursday night game Aikman was saying Golden Tate isn’t a deep threat. I remember thinking: He’s not, but he has some long TDs because guys covering him in the slot go to sleep on his occasional deep routes.
Voila tonight; 63 yard TD. Beautiful ball placement by young QB. That was a dime.
I don’t think I’m smarter than BB or McDaniels, but it seems to me they aren’t calling the best run plays for Michel’s skillset. I also recognize that NE OL isn’t great, especially with their best OC out, in either run blocks or pass pro.
Who do the rams ha e that’s scary in their d-line besides Donald?
Nobody! Their leading sack guy is gone.
Not to worried about the passing game.
This will be Kittles best game this season.
Fowler, Brockers, there book ends are pretty good who will be going up against 2 rookie tackles.
Neither player intimidates me, even with our 4th and 5th OT at both flanks. I don’t even think Donald is quite as formidable as he was last year without Susie next to him….
I agree Razor but both are good players.
This will be the toughest test of the year regardless of our injuries and theirs.
First division game, should be a dandy!
With the loss of Matthews (6 sacks) the Rams pass rush is mediocre, only 5 sacks among the rest of the group.
Throw in a rookie having to start at ILB for them so far, along with an aging Eric Weddle, this is gonna be very interesting. Just wish that Rams fan from 2 weeks ago would pop back in.
The Rams will stack the box, and dare the Niners to pass.
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However, the Brownies tried that, and the Niners put up 275 yards. Brunskill is a little light for being a RT, but Keith Fahnhorst only weighed 276 lbs, so maybe it will work out fine.
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I really hope the Niners make a sober assessment, and shrewd adjustment, and play Pettis less. He is hurting the team if he continues to fail to catch the ball.
Dan Audick, at LT, was even less – about 250. But different times, different physicality compared to today’s players.
Walsh seemed enamored with the smaller Olinemen because of their quickness off the ball. His WC offense relied on intermediate timing passes that didn’t require his Olinemen to sustain their blocks that long.
When Walsh finally got the big modern day Olinemen in Bubba Paris, he wanted Paris to lose weigh. Paris came into the league before his time. Wonder how much money a young Bubba Paris would be making today.