SANTA CLARA – A few Bay Area reporters approached Aldon Smith in the locker room Tuesday afternoon. We asked him if he wanted to talk about the report that he got jumped outside a restaurant in Columbus, Missouri last week. Here’s what he said. ALDON SMITH: “Nothing happened. I said what I had to say. That’s it. I’m not talking about it. Nothing happened. Nothing happened. Nothing happened. Nothing happened….
SANTA CLARA — On Thursday, Aldon Smith denied an NBC report that he had been jumped outside a restaurant in Columbia, Mo. Here’s what Jim Harbaugh said about that incident Monday at his press conference. Q: Did you talk to Aldon and are you satisfied with what happened? HARBAUGH: I personally tend not to believe everything I read on the internet. Trent Baalke talked to Aldon. Q: Are you fine…
Here’s what Greg Cosell said on the Murph and Mac Show Thursday morning about the 49ers outside linebackers – Aldon Smith and Ahmad Brooks. COSELL: “I’ve got to tell you, I was talking to my guys about this here at NFL Films – I think with [Aldon] Smith and [Ahmad] Brooks, [the 49ers] have the most athletic outside linebacker duo in a Base 3-4 in the NFL. “And of course,…
The 49ers defense ranks first in both yards and points allowed. They haven’t given up a touchdown in four of their last five games. Give Vic Fangio credit. The defense’s statistics have improved since last season even though they’re not getting as lucky forcing turnovers, they’re not getting as much pressure on the quarterback, and Justin Smith and Carlos Rogers have declined a little bit. The 49ers defense has weaknesses…
Some of you may be wondering why Aldon Smith and Dashon Goldson were not finalists in my midseason defensive player awards. Let’s be clear – they’re both having Pro Bowl seasons. Dashon Goldson is having the best season of any safety in the NFC. He’s defended two passes, intercepted two passes and scored a touchdown. He also made the hardest hit of the 49ers season Monday night on Early Doucet….
Here are the grades for the 49ers defense from their 24-3 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Defensive line: A. They completely shut down the Cardinals run game, holding it to 7 total yards. The defensive line often tackled running back LaRod Stephens-Howling five yards behind the line of scrimmage. Justin Smith got consistent pressure on a quarterback for the first time this season. Linebackers: A. The outside linebackers had dominant…
SANTA CLARA — Here’s what Jim Harbaugh said Thursday about the 49ers defense. We spoke about this on Friday but S Dashon Goldson seemed to have a really good game against the Seahawks, both against the run and the pass. Could you talk a little bit about him and how he’s produced well and what a key component he is to what you do on defense? “Yeah, talent, work…
SANTA CLARA — Aldon Smith spoke Thursday afternoon in the 49ers media tent. Here’s what he said about the defense’s No.1 ranking against the pass and the state of the pass rush. Q: You guys are ranked No.1 in pass defense right now. How much do you guys take pride in that? ALDON SMITH: We all take pride in it. That’s all of us working together – safeties covering, corners…
SANTA CLARA — Here’s what Aldon Smith said Thursday about playing every down as opposed to just passing downs this season. Q: Is it a big transition for you this season playing every down? Are teams still playing you the same way? ALDON SMITH: I play every down now, so maybe I get more double teams than maybe I would have. Really it’s all football. Some teams play their game…
SANTA CLARA — Here’s what Aldon Smith said Thursday about the Arizona Cardinals. Q: How do you view this game against the Cardinals? ALDON SMITH: It’s the next game. It’s a big game. It’s a Monday night game. It’s a division opponent. Q: Calais Campbell said he hates the 49ers with a passion. Do you guys share the same feelings toward them? ALDON SMITH: I’m sorry he feels that way,…
The 49ers play the Cardinals in Arizona Monday night. In the meantime, I’ll break down a couple of key matchups every day. The 49ers pass rush vs. the Cardinals offensive line and QB John Skelton The Niners have really struggled to sack the quarterback this season. They’re tied for 24th in sacks with just 11. Pro Football Focus ranks them 17th in overall pass rush. On the other hand, the…
SAN FRANCISCO – The 49ers beat the Seahawks 13-6. Here are the grades for the 49ers’ defense. Defensive line: C+. Marshawn Lynch rushed for 103 yards on this group, which has given up 100-yard rushers two weeks in a row. However, when Lynch came Justin Smith’s way, Smith stopped him most of the time. Smith finished with a team-high 9 tackles, but he did get planted on his back by…
SAN FRANCISCO — Here are the Week 6 grades for the defense and special teams. Defensive line: D. They got zero pressure on Eli Manning. They held Ahmad Bradshaw to 23 yards on 11 carries in the first half, but they gave up 93 yards on 16 carries to Bradshaw in the second half. At one point in the fourth quarter they gave up almost 70 rushing yards on 7…
Justin Smith is a habitual rule-breaker according the New York Giants’ offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride. Here’s everything Gilbride said about Smith, according to a Giants interview transcript: “Smith is a beast on the inside. He’s strong, he does as good a job of grabbing a hold of offensive linemen and allowing those twists to take place. He never gets called for it, so he gets away with murder. That, in…
SANTA CLARA — Jim Harbaugh spoke in the media tent Friday afternoon. He talked about meeting Willie Mays, playing three home games in a row and the role of motivational speaking in coaching. Harbaugh even quoted Napoleon. Here’s the transcript, courtesy of the 49ers. We haven’t talked to you since you had your special visitor here on Wednesday, number 24 Willie Mays. How was that? “It was awesome. It…
SANTA CLARA — Vic Fangio’s Thursday press conference transcript, courtesy of the 49ers. You played a couple teams earlier in the year that liked to spread you out, a lot of multiple receivers. Are the Bills the same way? “They play a lot of three wide receiver formations, yes. They do.” Is that similar to what the Packers and Lions did? “In some degrees, the formations are similar….
Here’s the second installment of the 49ers team MVP standings. To read the first installment, click here. Vernon Davis: The best player on the team, but he isn’t even the leading receiver. That’s Michael Crabtree, who has been targeted 31 times by Alex Smith. Still, Davis has caught 4 touchdowns in just 22 targets, and he’s an elite blocker. NaVorro Bowman: The best linebacker in the NFL. He’s giving up…
Here are the grades for the 49ers 34-0 trouncing of the Jets – the worst team in the NFL despite their 2-2 record. Quarterbacks: C. Alex Smith completed 12 of 21 passes for 143 yards. No touchdowns or turnovers. He did not complete a pass on third down. Twice he was sacked because he held ball for more than three seconds in the pocket. Colin Kaepernick attempted one pass –…
Jim Harbaugh’s Wednesday press conference transcript from Youngstown, Ohio, courtesy of the 49ers. How was the walk through back there? Seemed like old times being back in the parking lot? “Yeah, very familiar.” Are the buses a new addition this year? “Yeah, that was, Lou [Pezzola] added that.” Who’s Lou? Help me out. “Lou’s one of our security personnel.” So he came up with that one on…
New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan spoke to Bay Area reporters on a conference call Wednesday morning. He talked about the key players on the 49ers’ offense, the seven blue-chip players on the 49ers’ defense and the how the Jets’ defense will adjust to the loss of Darrelle Revis. The transcript. Q: Donte Whitner said the key for him in facing the Jets offense is keeping an eye on…
