Are the 49ers Super Bowl Contenders?

  Are the 49ers Super Bowl Contenders?

Good news! The 49ers beat the St. Louis Rams yesterday 35-11. The bad news is the 49ers looked great against a weak team, but can't produce the same outcome against playoff teams. In a weak primetime game aired on the NFL Network, the 49ers dominated the line of scrimmage. Making life miserable for Rams quarterback Sam Bradford and running back Daryl Richardson. Bradford threw 41 times and only connected on 19 of them. He was sacked five times and just seamed uncomfortable in the pocket. Richardson rushed 12 times and only racked up 16 yards. This is the 49ers defense that we all seam to recognize. To bad it came against one of the most disappointing teams in the league. Seriously its the Jacksonville Jaguars and then its the Rams. After the 49ers didn't score a single point in the first quarter, they quickly found their toughness in the way they're accustomed to. Shoving the ball down the opponents throat, with Greg Romans pistol power running calls. The only problem is the 49ers could find themselves 1-3 after four games. Losing to the Seattle Seahawks and Indianapolis Colts, the 49ers were 50 yards away from losing a shootout game in week one against the Green Bay Packers. Yeah, a shootout! That's not the 49ers way of winning games, its through tough defense and power running. At least it use to be.

The 49ers are a running team. If that quickly changes to a passing team, the game could be headed for a rough outcome. The 49ers ran the ball 42 times and threw only 23 times against the Rams. That's because they won the line of scrimmage battle. They looked good against the Rams, but then again the Rams defense are giving up 30.2 points in four games, which is ranked 28th in the league. The defense is horrible, giving up 175 yards to DeMarco Murray, the week before. I wasn't mad because Murray is on my fantasy team, but Murray ran for a lot of yards against them the year before. My point is the Rams defense sucks! A week later, Frank Gore ran for 153 yards on 20 carries. That's a whopping 7.7 yards a carry. That is dominating the line of scrimmage, followed up with play-action. In the two losses, the 49ers were dominated. They only ran the ball 23 times against the Colts and 20 times against the Seahawks. 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is a mobile quarterback, who has the ability to throw the ball in the pocket, but he is more effective when he is on the move. When defenses shutdown the run, his best ability is taken away from him and he is now one-dimensional. The 49ers have to be successful running the ball for him to be his best.

Secondly, the 49ers need to be able to bring their high-powered defense every game. Against the Rams they shutdown everything the offense was bringing. They took out the run game and then took out Bradford's favorite targets on the field. Throwing for only 202 yards on 41 attempts. In the lost against the Colts, the 49ers gave up 184 yard on the ground. That was unheard of at Candlestick Park. With the Colts winning the yards being produced on the ground. The 49ers are throwing more than running, which is not found in their game plans. Kaepernick isn't Joe Montana or Steve Young. So winning with his arm isn't going to always work. He is a quarterback who has the frame of a receiver and the legs of a kick returner. The read-option and pistol formation are used to complement his qualities. To keep defenses guessing is what he does best. That's what separated him from former 49er quarterback Alex Smith. Smith is one-dimensional; a passer who looks to throw 10 yards in play-action and was very successful in taking care of the ball, simply because he never threw down-field. Kaepernick has the ability to do that, but he should be looking to run first.

The reason we haven't seen Kaepernick at his best is because of the play-calling. I rarely seen the read-option being used in the 49ers games this year. Coach Jim Harbaugh is concerned of getting his quarterback hurt. He should be, especially after Packers Clay Matthews tried to take his head off out of bounce in the first week. Playing Kaepernick as a pocket quarterback is hurting the team. Taking away a mans best asset leaves him with nothing. I say, let him play his style that we are used to seeing. Having defenses look confused and lost. Teach the quarterback to get down and slide if in trouble. Not to take hits like RG3, and not to throw hits like Jay Cutler. Its a long season and most teams go as the quarterback goes...unless you're the Minnesota Vikings. If the 49ers are not going to use him for what he can do, then what's the point of having him on the team. They might as well have kept Alex Smith, if they're scared of using a mobile quarterbacks skills. The 49ers do have injuries on the offensive side, but the injuries are in the passing game. Its irrelevant to what the team needs to do. Meaning Michael Crabtree and Mario Manningham are expendable. They have a veteran receiver in Anquan Boldin and a talented tight-end in Vernon Davis. They can coach-up others to catch the ball and to run routes. Big names are overrated. But they are a team who runs the ball, they don't need their best receivers to be affective. Like Sandra Bullock said in the movie The Blind Side, "Run the damn ball."

When they look bad against playoff teams, the Super Bowl looks further away in the distance. The 49ers need to change that. They need to run the ball to be effective and they need to bring that tough defense every game and they have to do it against good teams. They will have plenty of chances to redeem themselves. With matchups against the Houston Texans, Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints. They have to establish the line of scrimmage early, because once they fall behind, they seem to get out of that running funk. Once that happen, its a whole different game plan, because the opposing team has them in unfamiliar territory. I don't see the 49ers making a repeat trip to the Super Bowl, I 'm not even sure they will make the playoffs, but I do know if they don't get back to their X and O's, its going to be a long season. Running the ball, while serving up the read-option and playing hard nose defense is 49ers football 101.

Fourth & Forever: Best Read-Option Teams

Fourth & Forever: Best Read-Option Teams

The read-option is the new wildcat and the newly found play-action remix. Times have changed in the NFL. Pocket quarterbacks are too one-dimensional. Teams are looking for mobile quarterbacks, who can be a good pocket quarterback and a good running quarterback. Plug that into the offensive schemes and the defenses have to prepare for both situations. Add in a good running back and this team has just become more dynamic. To run the read-option to perfection, you need a good duo; running back and quarterback. To keep defenses unbalanced, the read-option shouldn't be used excessively, but moderately. Plus no one wants to have their quarterback repeatedly in harms way. I'm going to be taking a look at the top read-option teams based on what they will do this season.

Chip N Dales Rescue Rangers have landed in the city of "Brotherly Love". Last season, the Eagles didn't get any love. The offensive line was terrible, giving up an average of seven sacks a game. Starting quarterback Michael Vick missed six games because of injury. Starting running back LeSean McCoy missed four games because of a concussion. The line couldn't stop a bowl of cereal from hitting the ground. I explained it to the Pillsbury Doughboy and he couldn't stop laughing.  Vick kept getting pressured out the pocket. Andy Reid had fans standing outside the Eagles facility protesting his release, and eventually it happened after a 4-12 season. But with former Oregon coach Chip Kelly uptempo offense, this team is going to be explosive, coming in at number three. The offensive line is better, they drafted offensive tackle Lane Johnson with the fourth pick in this Aprils draft The 6 ft 7  tackle  will definitely help. I was reading an article on Bleacher Report about Kelly's Eagles. They ran 86 plays in their first pre-season game against the New England Patriots, while not winning the time of possession advantage. 86 plays in under 29 minutes compared to the Patriots who ran a total of 72 plays. With Kelly its all about running as many plays as possible and scoring in bunches. Wearing down defenses and making them pay for it. He uses a different type of read-option that can limit the quarterback from running down-field. Don't be surprised to see receivers in the back-field, this is a running team. He uses mis-directions with the running back and different formations with the offensive line to keep the defense guessing. Pulling line-men around to double team defensive line-men and getting to the second level at linebackers. With McCoy and Vick being able to run and make cuts in fashion, this could be the best rushing team in the league. Kelly's inside and outside zone read-option scheme is going to help them win, especially when the defense can't figure out if its a running or passing play.

The Seattle Seahawks come in at number two. This team runs the read-option like its no ones business. They are a running team with work-horse Marshawn Lynch leading the pack. The former Golden Bear has been on a tare with quarterback Russell Wilson running the team. Lynch ran for over 1700 yards last season, averaging 5.0 yards per carry and totaling 14 touchdowns. 13 on the ground and one from the air. The Seahawks are a running team. Last year they ran the ball 54 percent of the time. Wilson, who was a rookie last season ran for five touchdowns and threw for 29. Having a quarterback rating of 100.3 in his first year makes him a big time threat moving forward. The more he develops, the better his team will become better. This Batman and Robin duo run Emerald city. Either one of them can be Batman, therefore teams just cant focus on one. Trying to plug the running lanes, leaves man to man coverage down-field. Faking the hand off to Lynch gets the defense leaning toward one side and Wilson lets it fly to receivers Sidney Rice or Golden Tate on the other side. Option two is Wilson him keeping the ball, going one way while Lynch has the defense chasing him. This team is unpredictable when it comes to scoring points. They averaged 25.8 ppg and 360.1 ypg. Feed the beast indeed!

Staying in the NFC West, the San Francisco 49ers come in at number one. The combination of quarterback Colin Kaepernick, running back Frank Gore and that pistol formation offense are lethal. The Packers are still trying to figure out who had the ball, from that 45-31 NFC Divisional game. The reason why they run this offense to perfection is because of the playmakers on the team. A good quarterback, to go along with a good running back, with the addition of two full-backs or tight-end in the backfield in unheard of. When the play starts, one full-back block the defensive end, while the guard will pull leading the way, followed by the other full-back and Gore. In order to get to the running back, the defender has to get through the guard and full-back. Then Gore is not an easy target, he is big back, who can break tackles. If Kaepernick keeps the ball, he wants to get to the outside running lanes. For this to work the outside defender isn't blocked, in hopes of the defender biting the fake hand-off to Gore. The person who was suppose to block the end defender is blocking up-field. The defensive end or linebacker comes in and Kaepernick keeps it and has a ton of running room because the other defenders are drawn down-field to the decoy receivers. The formation gets defenders to check for the run and when they realize its a pass their man is open down-field. For instance tight-end Vernon Davis is a mismatch. His man doesn't commit to him and he's left open. Plus he ran a 4.3 at the Combine. He can run right past most linebackers. There is a ton of things that can be done to produce yards out of that formation. Kaepernick averaged 7.7 yards a carry and Gore averaged 4.8. Combined they ran for 20 touchdowns. Just imagine if Kaepernick played the whole season. If I was coach Jim Harbaugh I personally would have bought former quarterback Alex Smith a Christmas gift for getting hurt, but I guess giving him the boot works as well.

The reason why I didn't pick the Redskins in because I think Robert Griffin lll, is going to be used a different way this season. Coming off a ligaments injury, the Redskins are not going to let him loose. He might now run with the ball for awhile. Of course it will intimidate defenses, although I still see the Redskins easing him in slowly. This offense is good, but won't be as explosive. The teams I discussed earlier are going to be the most effective running the read-option. The Eagles are the firecracker team to keep an eye on in the NFC EAST. Kelly is going to have defenses sucking air in, trying to catch their breath. Michael Vick is going to reinvent himself in this offense. McCoy, who I picked in my fantasy league 10th overall is going to get me a ton of points. The more plays that are ran, increases my point value. "Rescue Rangers!" Russell Wilson has another year of training camp under his belt. He reads the defense well, scrambling moving the chains. Marshawn Lynch, will do what he does and that is moving the pile and eating Skittles on the sideline. This offensive is going to be that much better, when receiver Percy Harvin comes back from injury. The 49ers are the team to beat. Kaepernick had a full training camp with the number one offense and Vernon Davis is going to be used more, due to injuries to the receivers. That pistol just became modified. There ranked number one on power rankings for a reason, its not just because of the defense, although it helps.


 

Fourth & Forever: Previewing the NFC West

Johnny J

Rain or sun. Sun or rain. The NFC West is a division that is known for both. With two of the teams already projected to be at the NFC Championship game. Those teams are the San Fransico 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks. Talk about a one-two punch! The Seahwaks are ranked first and the 49ers are next in line at number two. I'll tell you which one of these sophomore quarterbacks will help their team win the division. Also in the NFC West, are the St. Louis Rams and the Arizona Cardinals. These two teams are in the rebuilding stages and are missing key components to even think about the playoffs.  One is missing a good quarterback and the other one is missing a lead back. One of these teams will come in last place and it's my job to tell you which one.

When you think of the 49ers, names like Joe Montana, Steve Young, and Jerry Rice comes to mind. Heck I'll even throw Terrell Owens in there, just because he might sue if I don't. Colin Kaepernick was just added to that list after leading his team to Super Bowl XLVII last year. Not bad for someone who took over the starting job in the middle of the season in only his second year. Now in his third year, he is looking to the future. No I'm not talking about him signing with the Miami Dolphins. But him getting a full season underneath that 49ers' helmet. Mobile quarterbacks are more vulnerable to getting hurt than pocket quarterbacks. They're running right toward the defense, while pocket quarterbacks sit in the pocket and picks the defense apart. Kaepernick needs to be good at both. We know he can run, but what about being a good passer? With two of their top receivers starting the season on the Physically Unable to Perform-list (Pup-list)--Michael Crabtree and Mario Manningham--others will have to step up. Players like Anquan Boldin and Vernon Davis. Boldin is old and inconsistent and Davis, I heard, might move to wide receiver. Yes he is a mismatch with size, but he is mismatched with speed. So there is no help for Kaepernick, but old faithful, Frank Gore is still on the team. Another year is added for the nine-year veteran. He has to average more than 70 yards a game for this team to help Kaepernick or else the QB could find himself on the ground a lot--a coach's worst nightmare.Gore has only averaged approximately 70 yards per game the past three seasons.

The Seahawks have a solid squad. They have all three phases locked: Offense, defense, and special teams. Not to mention one of the best home-field advantages in the NFL. Loud is an understatement as they've always been at the top of the league in forcing false starts at home.The Seahawks have great, young talent in second-year quarterback Russell Wilson. He beat out projected starter Matt Flynn, who was shipped down the coast to Oakland. Wilson is also a mobile quarterback, but unlike Kap, Wilson has pocket awareness. His strength is knowing how much time he has before the pocket collapses and then committing to tucking the ball and running it or letting it fly. Oh, he has another weapon in versatile receiver, Percy Harvin, who can set up as a receiver or in the backfield. Did I mention he runs back kick and punt returns? He can put up enticing yards from scrimmage every year. Russell also has a beast running back. "Beast Mode," Marshawn Lynch, if healthy, can steam roll over people with his brute strength. Who hasn't heard of him yet? Then he is rewarded with a bag of skittles for his efforts. On the other side of the ball, the Seahawks have three people in the starting secondary over 6-3: Richard Sherman, Brandon Browner, and Kam Chancellor. More like "Ball-hawks!" They either pick off the pass, bat it down, or draw a flag ("Fail-Mary" refs, where are you?). The flag rarely comes out. They were sixth in INTs. The Seahawks will win this division.

St. Louis might be the best third place team in the NFL. With a struggling quarterback in Sam Bradford and a running back who is not starter material, the Rams are playing for third place. Darryl Richardson has the job of filling former running back, Steven Jackson's shoes. Congratulation kid, you have been promoted. All you have to do is run the ball down the opponent's throat. Oh wait, you're not a power runner, you are more like a sprinter/open-field runner. A seventh round pick, he weights under 200 pounds. He will be hit and tackled for a loss at the line of scrimmage, consistently. That will continue to chew on Bradford's confidence, who I believe lost it when he signed his contract. Since he came into the league in 2010, he has been sacked a total of 105 times and has had 17 fumbles. Either the offensive line is terrible or the quarterback holds the ball for too long. I think both sides play a part. Receiver Danny Amendola was Bradford's best option until he broke his collarbone. After that he didn't have any other playmakers with good hands. When you lack confidence, you tend to hold on to the ball a second or two later, then you end up on the ground. Then they kept giving the ball to Jackson to try and figure something out. He did get over 1000 yards, but not because of the line. He used his strength and heart to help push the line. Draft pick receiver Tavon Austin should be a playmaker. He had 29 touchdowns and over 3000 yards receiving at West Virgina. I give this team third place, just because Jeff Fisher is a god coach with good instincts. A third place ribbon for your squad coach.

Do you remember when the Cardinals reached the Super Bowl in 2008, with aging quarterback wonder Kurt Warner? It doesn't seem that long ago, although with the Cardinals not reaching the playoffs since Warner retired in 2009, it does feel like a lifetime ago. They never recovered.  They tried to replenish the team by trying out seven quarterbacks since then. The've become the first team to lose 700 total games as a franchise last season. Carson Palmer will be the eighth quarterback starting for the red and white deserted--err--sorry, I mean't "desert team." Palmer has a good arm, but bad awareness for secondary defenders downfield. In other words, he throws a lot of INTs. He already had a change of scenery, so a fresh start isn't his problem, but it's his desire to play. Remember, he quit on the Bengals. Once a quitter always a quitter. He's not dedicated, although he does have a elite receiver in Larry Fitzgerald who rarely drops passes. In 2011 he dropped one pass in 150 targets. The man with the golden hands. Now with Rashard Mendenhall in the backfield. The Cardinals have a power runner who should help their 31st ranked offense this year. Mendenhall is not a flashy guy, but he does the dirty work that needs to be done. A number two receiver in sight? I don't see one, so this trigger happy turnover guy should be targeting Fitzgerald like Jay Cutler does Brandon Marshall. On the other side, their defense is decent. They have Pro Bowler, Darnell Dockett on the line. He is 31, but can still play at a high level. Then you have cheater violating the league substance abuse policy in Darryl Washington. When he comes back, he will definitely give that defense a spark. Oh the secondary is fully loaded. Cornerback Patrick Peterson and third round pick Tyrann Mathieu on the corners and Adrian Wilson and Kerry Rhodes super safety duo at the end of the defense. A lot of INTs, I say. Just stay away from the paraphernalia Mathieu.

So I expect to see the Seahawks back in the fold of going deep in the playoffs, unless they meet the Packers, which will result in a loss. I'm not really a big Pete Carroll fan, but he has a solid grip on this team. The team feeds off his energy and they produce. They run, run, until you stop the beast, then when you  look up it's  play-action time. That's how they get opponents to bite the run every time. Then comes the long bomb to receiver Sidney Rice. The 49ers will be fighting for a wild-card spot, just because they are going to get off to a slow start with no receivers. It will be great to see how these mobile quarterbacks will avoid injuries throughout the season. The Rams need to put playmakers around Bradford. He doesn't have anybody but rookie "I-need-to-prove-myself" Austin. I expect him to be sacked even more this season. Richardson is not the guy to replace Jackson. Their running game will go nowhere. The Cardinals' defense will keep them in games. Palmer is not the answer. Having a guy prone to turnovers is a slight upgrade over Kevin Kolb, who threw a total of 28 touchdowns and 25 INTs in two seasons for Arizona. That sounds like Palmer's numbers. Rain or sun. Sun or rain. The NFC West will be a battle of two teams.

JOHNNY JAX TOP 5 SUPER BOWL XLVII PREDICTIONS

RAVENS v 49ERS! LET'S DO THIS!!!
(photo courtesy of Ed Mancia)

Johnny J

We asked Johnny J to come up with 5 Super Bowl Predictions for our gambling fans who like to make bets on the outcome of football games and are especially addicted to prop bets.  Here are his prophecies.  

1. The Baltimore Ravens will win 13-10, thanks to a late fumble, by Frank Gore. Gore will get hit by Mr. Banned-Substance-Himself (the Morphed, Half-Man-Half Deer, Ray Lewis--Ed) going up the middle in a 4-minute offense.

2. Jim Harbaugh, will continue to spit on anyone within a 10-foot radius of him and the refs. He will eventually run past his brother, by-passing any handshakes and immediately look for Jim Schwartz.

3. Ray Lewis, will be sobbing all over the field, with the media asking about the PEDs that accelerated his recovery from a triceps injury in time for the NFL Playoffs. His arm will be oozing from a gash that his teammate Ed Reed gave him (allegedly). Reed was not fined. Did I mention his arm was oozing needles, creams, sprays, and ointments (and so will his tear ducts--Ed)? Ray Lewis will continue to avoid answering those sorts of questions and will continue to sob as he points towards the sky, spewing out unintelligible, random things.

4. Joe Flacco will throw a touchdown pass to Torrey Smith. He will go 17-38 with 2 Ints and a fumble. He will continue to think he is elite and will no doubt, get elite-money. Ray Rice will cough up the football twice, losing one. He will still think he is immune to coughing up cold and phlegm, but not footballs.

5. That guy who made the locker room speech to the 49ers in the commercials, will be making that same speech after the game. "It's because I care Patrick [Willis]."  Jim Harbaugh will walk to the locker room spitting at reporters. He decides to throw his infamous red marker to the crowd. He will later ask the league to do a random drug test on Ray Lewis.

Put some money on this and run with it!  If you want to show some appreciation, please put money in my PayMyFriend account @makejohnnyjrich.  Good luck to you gambling fiends out there.

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