49ers 26, Eagles 21: Grades

SANTA CLARA – The 49ers beat the Eagles 26-21 Sunday afternoon. Here are the 49ers’ grades. KAEPERNICK: B-. Made both of the 49ers’ touchdowns happen. On the first one he scrambled left, drew the Eagles’ entire defense and threw back to the right, across the whole field to Frank Gore who was wide open. One of the most thrilling plays you’ll see. Next, Kaepernick scrambled to the left and threw…

September 28, 2014
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Vernon Davis says he’s “not sure” if he will play Sunday, says 49ers’ offense “can’t do much without” Frank Gore

SANTA CLARA – Vernon Davis was interviewed at his locker Friday afternoon. Here’s what he said. Q: Do you think you’re going to be able to play on Sunday? DAVIS: I’m not sure yet. I’m just going to play it by ear at the moment, continue to keep working and, hopefully, I will feel ready on game day. Q: So are you going to wait until an hour before the…

September 26, 2014
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Greg Roman on the Cardinals’ D: “They were selling out. Like full waving-the-flag selling out to stop the run.”

SANTA CLARA – I asked Greg Roman a question Thursday afternoon about his play calling against the Cardinals this past Sunday. Here’s my question and his response. ME: In retrospect, do you feel you underutilized Frank Gore and the base running game, or were the matchups unfavorable against the Cardinals’ base defense? ROMAN: With what they were doing going into the game, they were selling out. Like full waving-the-flag selling…

September 25, 2014
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Jim Harbaugh says he “wouldn’t categorize” the 49ers’ offensive identity

SANTA CLARA — Here’s a transcript of Jim Harbaugh’s Wednesday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers’ P.R. department. We talked to Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly today. He told some of the stories about offensive coordinator Greg Roman going up there and then him coming here. Can you talk about when he came here, I believe it was 2012, just what ideas were exchanged between him and your staff…

September 24, 2014
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Colin Kaepernick: “I think we’re multiple in what we do.”

SANTA CLARA — Here’s a transcript of Colin Kaepernick’s Wednesday interview, courtesy of the 49ers’ P.R. department. How tough does the Eagles defense look to you? “Very good defense. Do a lot of different things and do a lot of things well.”   Do you think that the offense right now is grappling in any way with an identity issue? Are you guys a power-running team? Are you a spread-it-out…

September 24, 2014
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Frank Gore: “Whatever the coaches feel can help us win, I’m with it. As long as we get the ‘W.'”

SANTA CLARA – Here’s what Frank Gore said to Bay Area reporters in the 49ers’ locker room Wednesday afternoon. Q: How are you feeling? Sunday was so frustrating. Where are you at right now? GORE: I’m good. We’ve got the Eagles this week. We looked at our mistakes last week. Now we move on. We know we’ve got a good team, we’ve just got to put everything together, start fast…

September 24, 2014
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49ers victims of identity theft

This is my Tuesday column on the 49ers’ offense. Who are these guys? The 49ers’ offense used to have an identity. It was a power-running offense. It was a rhinoceros. It had a metamorphosis last week and now it’s a bug. The 49ers rode the rhinoceros to three consecutive NFC championships and one Super Bowl appearance. Twice, the rhinoceros trampled the Arizona Cardinals last season – 49ers halfbacks carried the…

September 24, 2014
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49ers 14, Cardinals 23: Grades

GLENDALE, AZ. – The 49ers lost 23-14 to the Cardinals. Here are the 49ers’ grades. KAEPERNICK: A. Gained 290 of the 49ers’ 318 total yards. Ran 13 times for 54 yards and completed 78.4 percent of his passes. Passer rating was 103.3. The entire offense was Kaepernick. Hard to win in the NFL with a one-player offense. RUNNING BACKS: D. Frank Gore carried the ball 6 times and gained 10…

September 21, 2014
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How 49ers can beat Cardinals

Here is my column previewing the 49ers-Cardinals game. Two things. One, the 49ers have to blitz. Two, Bruce Ellington has to carry the ball. Otherwise, the 49ers could lose to the Cardinals. Ideally, 49ers’ defensive coordinator Vic Fangio wouldn’t have to blitz. Blitzing comes with risk, involves rushing a fifth or sixth defender. Better to rush with four and cover with the remaining seven. Fangio doesn’t have that option. Without…

September 19, 2014
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49ers 20, Bears 28: Grades

SANTA CLARA – The 49ers lost 28-20 to the Bears Sunday Night. Here are the 49ers’ grades. KAEPERNICK: F. His worst game since two games ago. Looked like Tony Romo looked last week. Committed four turnovers – one fumble and three interceptions. Would have been five turnovers but one of the interceptions hit the grass before a Bears’ defensive back caught it. Also committed a delay of game penalty on…

September 14, 2014
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Top-four questions the 49ers face against the Bears

We all know the 49ers will beat the Bears this Sunday Night. I’m saying the final score will be 24-13. The game will not be close. That said, these are the four questions that interest me most about this game: 1. Who will lead the 49ers in rushing, Frank Gore or Carlos Hyde? The Bears gave up 7.3 yards per carry on 21 read-option runs against the Bills last week….

September 13, 2014
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Will Frank Gore or Carlos Hyde lead the 49ers in rushing against the Bears?

I tallied up the Bills’ rushing numbers against the Bears Week 1. The Bills gained 22 rushing yards on 7 direct handoffs — 3.1 yards per carry. The Bills gained 154 rushing yards on 21 read-option plays — 7.3 yards per carry. With that in mind, who do you think will lead the 49ers rushing Sunday Night against the Bears — Frank Gore or Carlos Hyde — and why?

September 12, 2014
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Greg Roman says LaMichael James is a really good football player

SANTA CLARA — Greg Roman was interviewed in the 49ers’ auditorium Thursday afternoon. Here’s a transcript courtesy of the 49ers’ P.R. department. Opening comments: “It was great to start off the season with a win. We moved onto a Chicago Bears team on Monday that has a very experienced defense. Starting with their front four, they’ve got one of the best pass rushers over the last decade in [Chicago Bears DE] Jared…

September 11, 2014
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Charting carries for Frank Gore and Carlos Hyde: Week 1

I tallied up these Week 1 stats: FRANK GORE Shotgun/Pistol read-option handoffs: 3 carries, 9 yards (3 yards per carry). Under center direct handoffs: 13 carries, 57 yards (4.39 yards per carry). Weakside direct handoffs to the offense’s left: 3 carries, 3 yards. Weakside direct handoffs to the right: 1 carry, 0 yards. Strongside direct handoffs to the left: 2 carries, 23 yards. Strongside direct handoffs to the right: 7 carries,…

September 9, 2014
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49ers 28, Cowboys 17: Grades

ARLINGTON, Texas – The Cowboys handed the 49ers a 28-17 win Sunday evening. Here are the 49ers’ grades. KAEPERNICK: A. Efficient. Completed 70 percent of his passes, averaged 8.7 yards per pass attempt, threw two touchdown passes and zero interceptions and converted 7-of-12 third downs. He found his receivers when they were wide open and he made some terrific throws while taking big hits. RUNNING BACKS: B. LaMichael James was…

September 7, 2014
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Tramaine Brock breaks up three, Chris Cooks gives up nine

SANTA CLARA – Here’s what stood out to me at the 49ers’ first padded practice of training camp. THE GOOD 1. Tramaine Brock. Broke up three passes today. First, he intercepted Kory Faulkner who was trying to throw to Stevie Johnson. Then, Brock broke up a pass intended for Carlos Hyde. And then, Brock broke up a pass intended for Kassim Osgood. 2. Michael Crabtree. Dropped one pass in the…

July 26, 2014
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Bruce Miller on Kendall Hunter: “This year we were really looking to bust him out and use him a lot early.”

SANTA CLARA – Bruce Miller was interviewed Saturday afternoon by Bay Area reporters outside of the 49ers’ locker room. Here is a transcript. Q: Does your heart sink for what happened to Kendall Hunter? MILLER: Yeah. One, just being a close friend, a teammate, a brother – you don’t ever want to see that happen to a guy, especially a guy like Kendall who puts in so much work, so…

July 26, 2014
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Carlos Hyde: “In practice right now, you don’t get too many chances where you get to run somebody over.”

SANTA CLARA – Carlos Hyde was interviewed Saturday afternoon by Bay Area reporters outside of the 49ers’ locker room. Here is a transcript. Q: Are you excited to put the pads on today? HYDE: Yeah, I’m pretty excited. It has been a while since I’ve had the pads on. Well, I take that back. I just had the pads on when the rookies had to report. I had the pads…

July 26, 2014
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Don’t think Vernon Davis has conceded

This is my Wednesday column on Vernon Davis. SANTA CLARA – This is about Vernon Davis and the nature of news. Davis, who held out of OTAs and mini-camp because he wants a new contract, ended his holdout and showed up Wednesday for Day 1 of the 49ers’ training camp. A positive start. But not positive enough for the 49ers. The 49ers chose not to make Vernon Davis available to…

July 23, 2014
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Five key questions for the 49ers

This is my Sunday article on the 49ers. For the 49ers, training camp is about becoming the best. Second place isn’t good enough anymore. Enough with second place. Win the Super Bowl before the window of opportunity closes. With that in mind, here are five key questions the 49ers will face in training camp. 1. Will Carlos Hyde rejuvenate the 49ers’ running game? Frank Gore is slowing down. In the…

July 20, 2014
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