Here is my Thursday article on the Thanksgiving football. This article runs in the Thursday sports section of the Santa Rosa Press Democrat. Football on Thanksgiving is a tradition and a burden. Let’s start with the tradition. Thanksgiving football precedes the NFL by more than 40 years. Princeton and Yale played each other on Thanksgiving 1876, and the University of Michigan played every Thanksgiving from 1885 to 1905. The Detriot…
NEW ORLEANS – Here are my grades for the 49ers’ 23-20 loss to the Saints. KAEPERNICK: C-. Kaepernick passed the ball well. He was 6-for-15 on third down and 2-for-3 in the red zone. His worst pass was an interception, but it didn’t cost the team anything. Kaepernick ran down the defender and made him dive for the end zone and the defender fumbled the ball out of the back…
Here is my Friday column on the 49ers’ upcoming game against the Panthers. SANTA CLARA – I would feel confident picking the 49ers to win on Sunday, but offensive coordinator Greg Roman gives me pause. This is the kind of game he screws up. Roman has had extra time to prepare for the Panthers’ No.2-ranked defense because the 49ers are coming off a bye week. It’s the extra prep time…
SANTA CLARA — Greg Roman spoke in the media tent Thursday afternoon. Here is a transcript courtesy of the 49ers’ P.R. department. Opening Statement: “Good afternoon. I’d just like on behalf of the offensive staff to send out best wishes to [Houston Texans head] coach [Gary] Kubiak, [Denver Broncos head] coach [Jon] Fox and their families. Our thoughts, prayers are with them and their families and their health. [Offensive…
SANTA CLARA — Jim Harbaugh spoke in the defensive meeting room Monday afternoon. Here is a transcript courtesy of the 49ers. Were there a few more people getting treatment today after having such a physical game yesterday? “It was normal, a normal day.” Did it seem like a more physical game than usual? “It was very physical.” On the 18-play drive in the fourth quarter, how well-executed…
SANTA CLARA – Jim Harbaugh spoke in the defensive meeting room Monday afternoon. Here’s what he said. Q: Any word on Ray McDonald’s injured bicep? HARBAUGH: Not yet, no. Q: Did anything strike you on film last night about the way your team played last night? HARBAUGH: There was a lot of good, good overall play. Very disciplined, evidenced by the penalties, three penalties and one was a delay of…
SANTA CLARA – Colin Kaepernick spoke in the 49ers’ locker room Wednesday afternoon. Here’s what he said. Q: We talked to Jon Baldwin yesterday and he said he’s been getting some extra work with you. What’s your assessment of him and how he’s progressed since he’s gotten here? KAEPERNICK: He’s been great. Jon has come to work every day, he’s been ready, he’s been trying to make sure he’s making…
SANTA CLARA — Jim Harbaugh spoke in the media tent Wednesday afternoon. Here’s a transcript courtesy of the 49ers. You were with Colts QB Andrew Luck for three years, three seasons. What did you teach him that helped him become the football player he is now? “He came in with a lot of talent and a lot of things taught by his mother and father, and other God-given ability….
SANTA CLARA — Colin Kaepernick spoke in the locker room Wednesday afternoon. Here’s a transcript courtesy of the 49ers. Head coach Jim Harbaugh just retold the story about you coming back from the Manning Passing Academy having met Colts QB Andrew Luck and then telling him about it. What do you remember from that? “He’s a great quarterback, very intelligent, very intuitive. Knows what he’s doing on the field.”…
SANTA CLARA – Here’s what Bruce Miller said in the locker room Tuesday afternoon. Q: After watching the film, what did you take away from your performance and the performance of the offense as a whole? MILLER: Myself, I just have to be better technique-wise, fundamentally sound. Just have to play better. As an offense the thing we take away from that one, as always, is turnovers. Drive killers. Penalties….
SANTA CLARA – Here’s what Owen Marecic said at his locker Tuesday afternoon. Q: What have you been doing the past few weeks? MARECIC: I’ve been training up in Portland. Q: How does it feel to be here? MARECIC: It feels good, an opportunity. I’m looking forward to finding a way to contribute. Q: What did Jim Harbaugh say to you? MARECIC: Nothing too specific. I’ll work every day to…
The 49ers just announced they’ve placed injured nose tackle Ian Williams on the injured reserve list. To replace his roster spot, the 49ers have signed free agent and former Stanford fullback Owen Marecic. It’s worth noting 49ers’ starting fullback Bruce Miller has struggled the first two games of this season according to Pro Football Focus. They’ve given him a -2.1 run blocking grade and a -0.8 pass blocking grade through…
Predict how many snaps each of the 49ers’ offensive skill players will play during the upcoming regular season, and explain your predictions. Keep in mind, the 49ers’ offense played 1,032 snaps last regular season. Here are my predictions. 1. Vernon Davis – 1,000 snaps. He’ll play every single snap he’s physically able to play. 2. Anquan Boldin – 900 snaps. With Crabtree out, the 49ers need both Boldin and Davis…
This upcoming season, the 49ers arguably will have the slowest base offense in the NFL. I’m talking 21 personnel – Frank Gore at tail back, Bruce Miller at fullback, Vernon Davis at tight end, Michael Crabtree at flanker and Anquan Boldin at split end. When those players are on the field for the 49ers, their fastest players are the tight end and the quarterback. If the 49ers want more speed,…
The 49ers need a big, bruising running back, so they interviewed one at the East West Shrine Game – SMU’s Zach Line. Line (6-0, 232 pounds) rushed for 4,185 yards in his collegiate career – 265 fewer yards than SMU’s all-time leading rusher, Eric Dickerson. Line primarily rushed from the pistol and shotgun formations in college, which means he’s a good fit for the 49ers’ offense. Line isn’t just a…
Last week I listed the five biggest questions the 49ers must answer this offseason. This morning I’m sitting on my bed thinking about the five biggest storylines of the 49ers’ offseason. Here’s what I came up with. Trent Baalke. He’s been inconsistent. In 2011, he arguably had the best offseason in the NFL, drafting Aldon Smith and Colin Kaepernick and Bruce Miller and signing Carlos Rogers and Jonathan Goodwin and…
This is my Saturday article on the gradual construction of the 49ers’ roster. By GRANT COHN After the 2004 season, the 49ers were the worst team in football. They had practically no talent, they had won two games, and they had one Pro Bowler, long snapper, Brian Jennings. This season, the 49ers are going to the Super Bowl and they have arguably the most talented roster in the NFL. Nine…
Greg Cosell spoke on KNBR on Monday and Tuesday. Here’s what he said about the NFC Championship game. Q: How do you think Colin Kaepernick performed as a passer against the Falcons? COSELL: I thought he threw the ball exceptionally well. I thought he did a really good job of stepping up in the pocket, which younger quarterbacks – particularly ones that run – sometimes struggle to do because as…
Greg Cosell spoke on KNBR Thursday morning. Here’s what he said about the 49ers and the Falcons. Q: Was Kaepernick’s record-breaking performance aided by an awful Packers defense? COSELL: I think that’s fair. I think the numbers reflect that. He had three scrambled in the first half for 53 yards. All of them came against man-to-man coverage concepts. Two of those plays they doubled Michael Crabtree. I think that playing…
Here are the 49ers and Seahawks injury reports, courtesy of the 49ers. 49ers Questionable: LB Tavares Gooden (ribs), LB Clark Haggans (shoulder), WR Mario Manningham (shoulder), DT Justin Smith (elbow), DT Will Tukuafu (concussion) Probable: K David Akers (pelvis), G Alex Boone (knee), LB Navorro Bowman (shoulder), LB Ahmad Brooks (shoulder), CB Tarell Brown (shoulder), S Dashon Goldson (foot), RB Frank Gore (wrist), G Mike Iupati (shoulder), RB Bruce Miller (shoulder), CB…
