49ers MVP standings: Part II

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…

October 3, 2012
Read More >>

Jets-49ers matchups: Part II

The 49ers play the Jets Sunday at the Meadowlands. In the meantime, I’ll break down one key matchup per day. Wide receivers Santonio Holmes (5-11, 192  pounds) and Jeremy Kerley (5-9, 188 pounds) vs. the 49ers defensive backs. The 49ers defense, as great as it is, does not match up well against big tight ends or small, explosive receivers who can line up all over the formation – in the…

September 26, 2012
Read More >>

Lions-49ers matchups: Part III

Part III of the Lions-49ers matchup series. Calvin Johnson vs. the 49ers secondary: Carlos Rogers, Tarell Brown, Chris Culliver and Dashon Goldson. It’s almost impossible for any secondary to match up with Calvin Johnson, perhaps the best athlete in the NFL. He puts you in a bind. How many snaps can you afford not to double team him? Double-teaming him leaves the rest of the Lions’ skill players – Brandon…

September 14, 2012
Read More >>

Fangio on the Lions: “This team will run the ball out of the gun.”

SANTA CLARA – The transcript of Vic Fangio’s Thursday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers. Facing another team that likes to throw the ball around, is there much carry over from last week to this? “Well, there is in the sense that they play a lot of the similar personnel groupings, and they have some similar talent. So, there is some carry over.”   They don’t do as many four…

September 13, 2012
Read More >>

Week 1 grades: The 49ers upset the Packers 30-22

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Here are my grades for the 49ers, who upset the Packers 30-22 at Lambeau Field in the season opener. QUARTERBACKS: A. Alex Smith may have played the best game of his life, even better than his comeback win against the Saints in the playoffs. Granted, the Packers secondary was horrendous, but Smith threw 2 TDs and no picks. He averaged a stellar 8.1 yards per attempt….

September 9, 2012
Read More >>

Chris Culliver, and The Look from Aaron Rodgers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – It was fourth and ten with 54 seconds left, and the Packers had to convert the first down or they’d lose. Aaron Rodgers saw Jordy Nelson single-covered by Chris Culliver. Rodgers stared at Chris Culliver. Culliver stared back. Rodgers lifted one eye-brow, as if to say “I hope you’re ready,” and then he called hike and chucked it deep to Nelson, going for it all, not…

September 9, 2012
Read More >>

Packers-49ers matchups: Part V

The 49ers play the Green Bay Packers in three days. In the meantime, I’ll break down a few key matchups a day. CB Tarell Brown: 5-foot-10, 193 pounds, 27 years old, 4.42 40-yard dash vs. WR Jordy Nelson: 6-3, 217 pounds, 27 years old, 4.45 40-yard dash The Packers love to match up Nelson against the smallest cornerback in the secondary. The 49ers’ smallest corner is Tarell Brown. Nelson is…

September 6, 2012
Read More >>

Five questions for the defense

SANTA CLARA – Tuesday was a defense-dominated day in the 49ers’media tent – Vic Fangio, Larry Grant and Ricky Jean Francois all spoke at the podium, and I spoke one on one to Chris Culliver in the locker room. I asked each guy the same few questions, and here are their responses followed by my conclusions. Question 1: How would you characterize this defense? FANGIO: To me it’s in the…

August 21, 2012
Read More >>

Training camp report: Thursday, the good – Vernon Davis and Josh Johnson

SANTA CLARA – Thursday’s practice was the last 49ers practice open to the media this season. It was a light practice – the players wore shorts and went about half speed. Alex Smith mostly played against the scout-team defense, but when he did face the starters he threw two touchdown passes – one to Kyle Williams in the middle of the end zone – right in front of strong safety…

August 16, 2012
Read More >>

Training camp report: Wednesday, the good — Kaepernick, Owusu and Culliver

SANTA CLARA – Sorry this post is so late; practice ended at 7:30 tonight. This is the good. The not-so-good will follow. Chris Owusu caught roughly five passes, including the catch of the day against the first-team defense. He beat starting cornerback Tarell Brown deep down the sideline and leaped to catch a Josh Johnson pass over free safety Dashon Goldson. Owusu has been on a tear for the last…

August 15, 2012
Read More >>

Training camp report: Monday, the good — Alex Smith, Colin Kaepernick, Chris Culliver and Carlos Rogers

SANTA CLARA – Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick both made a few beautiful throws against the second- and third-team defenses in Monday’s practice. Smith hit Vernon Davis (covered by reserve linebacker Mike Wilhoite) on a deep route for a 25-yard gain, and then on the very next play Smith hit Randy Moss (covered by reserve cornerback Anthony Mosely) deep down the left sideline for a 30-yard gain. Smith’s best throw…

August 13, 2012
Read More >>

Training camp report: Monday, the good – the defense

SANTA CLARA – The 49ers’ run defense is the best in the NFL, but their pass defense stood out on Monday. Justin Smith dominated the first half of practice, sacking Alex Smith twice. He constantly forced quarterbacks to abandon the pocket and throw on the run. He sat out the second half of practice and as a result the offense played much better. Perrish Cox picked off Alex Smith. On…

August 6, 2012
Read More >>

Top five performers: Week One

Here are the top five performers in training camp at the end of Week One. Justin Smith – The defense has dominated the offense for most of training camp, and Justin Smith is a big reason why. He’s almost too good. Sometimes when the offense is really struggling, I wonder if they’d look better if only they didn’t have to practice against Justin Smith. Sometimes Jim Harbaugh makes the second-team…

August 5, 2012
Read More >>

Training camp report: Friday, the good – the cornerbacks and an unexpected running back

SANTA CLARA — The Niners’ cornerbacks stood out at Friday’s practice. Tarell Brown beat Randy Moss both times he faced him in one-on-one drills. Brown also broke up two Alex Smith passes intended for Mario Manningham – one in a red zone seven-on-seven drill and the other at the very end of practice. Smith tried to throw a quick pass to Manningham but Brown tipped it out of the receiver’s…

August 3, 2012
Read More >>

Fangio says the defense can be as good or better than last year, “but it might not show on paper.”

SANTA CLARA – Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio talked about what makes NaVarro Bowman and Carlos Rogers so good, the Niners cornerback competition and how good the defense can be this year. Here’s a transcript, courtesy of the 49ers. What are some of the things that have allowed LB NaVorro Bowman to emerge as an All-Pro, as such a young player, in his second year, last year? And also, you have…

August 1, 2012
Read More >>

Training camp report: Wednesday, the not-so-good — sorting out the cornerback depth chart

SANTA CLARA – Perrish Cox has been getting beaten on the outside pretty consistently so far in training camp, and today he was getting beaten on the inside during team drills by Kyle Williams. Cox’s main value to the team is his ability to play the “nickel back” – the cornerback who covers the slot receiver. The Niners have one very good nickel back – Carlos Rogers – but they…

August 1, 2012
Read More >>

Training camp report: Wednesday, the good – Kyle Williams and more

SANTA CLARA – Kyle Williams had his best practice of the offseason, and he was the best wide receiver on the field today. I saw him catch nine passes, including the catch of the day – a diving 20-yard reception over the middle in front of Perrish Cox. Williams also beat Tramaine Brock for a deep touchdown in one-on-one drills. If Williams dropped a pass, I didn’t see it happen….

August 1, 2012
Read More >>

Training camp report: Manningham and Bowman shine

SANTA CLARA – Here are my observations from the second padless practice of the Niners training camp. THE GOOD Mario Manningham – Four catches (two against the first team defense), no drops. He could have had five catches, but Alex Smith overthrew him deep when he had beaten Perrish Cox down the left sideline. Manningham beat Culliver short towards the end of practice. Culliver was so frustrated he slapped Manningham…

July 28, 2012
Read More >>

Ranking the Niners best players: Nos. 16-20

This is the fourth edition of my series ranking the Niners 25 best players. To read the previous edition, click here. 16. Chris Culliver, CB – Targeted 50 times in 2011 and allowed just 4.9 yards per pass, fourth best of all cornerbacks in the NFL (Carlos Rogers allowed 6.5 yards per pass – 19th best). Culliver played left cornerback in the Niners nickel defense, which is a tougher job…

June 27, 2012
Read More >>

Minicamp review

Here’s my minicamp review. Keep in mind, it was a non-contact minicamp. No pads, no tackling. It was basically two-hand touch. So I’m focusing on the players involved in the passing game – quarterbacks, wide receivers, tight ends, cornerbacks and safeties. BEST OFFENSIVE PLAYERS Vernon Davis: He got open almost every time in one-on-one drills. He caught a few touchdowns every scrimmage. After he scored I often heard defenders say…

June 16, 2012
Read More >>