NEW ORLEANS — The 49ers just beat the Saints 31-21. Here are the grades for the 49ers defense and special teams. Defensive line: B+. Justin Smith had 1.5 sacks – he’s coming on at the end of the season, just like he did last year. Ray McDonald almost sacked Brees on the first play of the game. McDonald didn’t do much the rest of the game. And Isaac Sopoaga was…
The 49ers play the Saints Sunday at the Superdome. In the meantime, I’ll break down five key matchups. LT Jermon Bushrod and LG Ben Grubbs vs. Aldon and Justin Smith These two O-linemen are over matched. They will not be able to stop either Smith one-on-one, and they will not be able to handle the T/E Stunt. They couldn’t handle it in the playoffs last season. The two Smiths racked…
SAN FRANCISCO – The 49ers destroyed the Chicago Bears 32-7 Monday night. Here are the grades for the 49ers defense and special teams. Defensive line: A. They held the Bears rushing attack to just 3 yards per carry. Justin Smith got consistent pressure on the quarterback for the first time this season. Ray McDonald tackled Chilo Rachal in the end zone for a safety. Linebackers: A. NaVorro Bowman had a…
SAN FRANCISCO — The 49ers tied the Rams 24-24. Here are the grades for the 49ers defense. Defensive line: D. Isaac Sopoaga was a liability at nose tackle. He actually got planted on his back by Steven Jackson in the first quarter. Sopoaga was briefly benched for Ricky Jean Francois. Ray McDonald was flagged for a 15-yard helmet-to-helmet hit on Bradford. Justin Smith finished with eight tackles and two pressures….
Now that we’re halfway through the season, there’s a book on how to beat the 49ers. We know it, the 49ers know it – it’s their job to know it — and the rest of the NFL knows it. Let’s explain that game plan and list the teams that can pull it off. Stop the run with seven defenders. If you can do that, you can beat the 49ers. You…
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…
The 49ers are halfway through their season. Today, I’ll give midseason awards for the best offensive and defensive players. Best defensive player: Honorable mention – DT Justin Smith. Justin Smith was the best defensive player in the NFL last season. This season, he’s more like the fourth or fifth best defensive tackle in the league. He has zero sacks and 14 pressures. At the midpoint last season, he had five…
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…
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…
SANTA CLARA – Jim Harbaugh spoke in the media tent Friday afternoon an hour after the 49ers sent out his statement which responded to Kevin Gilbride’s statement about Justin Smith. Harbaugh, however, did not want to talk about his written statement. Here’s what he said. Q: We saw your statement. Could you expand on it, what Kevin Gilbride said about Justin Smith? HARBAUGH: Nothing to expand on. I said what…
SANTA CLARA — Here’s what Justin Smith said about Eli Manning Friday afternoon. Q: How good is Eli Manning? JUSTIN SMITH: He’s a good quarterback. A lot of people don’t give him the respect he deserves. I think he’s definitely one of the top three, four quarterbacks in the league. It’s going to be a tough game. He’s going to do what he comes here to do, and that’s move…
SANTA CLARA – Here’s what Justin Smith said Friday afternoon at his locker about Kevin Gilbride’s recent comments. Q: You saw Kevin Gilbride’s comments, right? JUSTIN SMITH: Heard about them, didn’t read them. Q: What’s your reaction? JUSTIN SMITH: No reaction. Q: He said you get away with murder. JUSTIN SMITH: Hey, better than getting caught with it. I really don’t know what he’s talking about to be honest with…
SANTA CLARA — On Thursday, New York Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride said 49ers defensive lineman Justin Smith “gets away with murder” the way he holds offensive linemen and never gets flagged. The 49ers’ just sent out Jim Harbaugh’s response, a statement he apparently made before Friday’s practice. HARBAUGH: “Kevin Gilbride’s outrageous, irrational statement regarding Justin Smith’s play is, first, an absurd analogy. Second, it is an incendiary comment targeting one…
SANTA CLARA — Here’s what Vic Fangio said about Justin Smith in particular and the 49ers pass rush in general at the Thursday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers. How has DT Justin Smith been playing this year? And how do you expect the Giants to counter him? “He’s been playing the same that he always has at a very, very high level, Pro Bowl level. He’s one of…
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…
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…
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…
My Week 2 Power Rankings, in tiers. Tier 1: The 49ers. Tier 2: Empty. Tier 3: Empty. Tier 4: The Texans and a few other teams. Tier 5: It doesn’t matter. No team ranks anywhere near the 49ers right now. They’re in another universe. They’re so good, it’s more interesting to rank the 49ers players against the other 49ers players. So let’s forget the Power Rankings for now. Let’s create…
SANTA CLARA – Here’s the complete transcript of Jim Harbaugh’s Monday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers. Harbaugh explained why he suited three quarterbacks against the Lions. He also told two Muhammad Ali stories, praised Michael Crabtree’s “frog-like” catching ability, and more. Enjoy. “Sorry I’m late. I was getting a little something to eat. A little hungrier today than normal.” Did you have a $2 steak? “No. It was…
Dear Jim Schwartz, You want to call a running play against the 49ers, but it doesn’t exist. Il n’existe pas. Justin Smith will stop it while thinking of other things. Take your running plays and throw them away. They’ll only help you lose on Sunday. You have to pass against the 49ers. Remember how Bill Walsh used to set up the run with the pass? You have to set up…
