What's the issue?

[nutty]

the way i see it, they're going to stick to the formula that's been so successful the past two seasons. Get a lead, play defense, run the ball, slowly and methodically incorporate the passing game and throw short-medium passes, but mainly control the tempo of the game. It's what we saw with Alex, and it's what we saw with Kaepernick. Yeah, the "sexy" and appealing play to the fans is to take more shots, go for it all, etc. But when you have a running game/power attack like SF has and a defense like that, just play to win and no need to go for the highlight reel. It worked last year and it's been working this year. Harbaugh knows the fans are going to want the big plays, but no need to call those when what's been working is continuing to work.

Yeah, I know. But, when we get behind, that's when that playcalling bites us in the ***. Also, when we get the lead, we take our foot off the gas and that sometimes bites us in the *** too. So frustrating. Get the lead, step on their throat, ride out the win. That's my motto

[lol, please]

The offense needs to be unleashed through Kaepernick and we could rip New England apart. We have the tools.

[RedandGold_35]

The unrealistic part of my brain holds out hope that JH and Roman are just holding all their big play stuff close to the chest and waiting to let it out in the playoffs....and then I wake up.

[nutty]

The offense needs to be unleashed through Kaepernick and we could rip New England apart. We have the tools.

That's the underlying basis of my complaint about the play calling. We have the tools, just not sure why it's not showing on the field.

[nutty]

The unrealistic part of my brain holds out hope that JH and Roman are just holding all their big play stuff close to the chest and waiting to let it out in the playoffs....and then I wake up.

lol...yyyyeeeaaaahhhhh, that made me laugh lol

[DerekRE_3]

I said pre-snap.

I wasn't responding to your post.

[OREcoast49er]

We definitely need to clean up the penalties and grow some balls on the play calling if we want a shot at winning in New England

[bigcheeze]

I think the problem is we're re-training our offense so we had to take a few steps back in the offense. We are having to adjust play calling to plays that benefit Kaep's abilities over Alex's abilities. While there has always been some wonky play calling, it seems to have gotten worse in these last few games.

It also "feels" like everyone is trying so hard to make plays, because of what I believe Manningham said after Kaep's first game was that everyone was trying to step up their game to help Kaep win. I think that's causing mental errors, as players aren't playing as relaxed as they were.

[DownSouth49er]

I wasn't responding to your post.

Oh ok, guess I shouldn't have ASSumed lol.

[NinerHomer49]

Playcalling and game planning. It's off the charts horrible. They're playing a gimmick offense as a base offense and it's killing them. Too many 7 OL packages. Too many pistol offense plays. They were in that almost the entire second half. It worked better than what they did in the 1st half...but that's not saying much. If they don't wise up quick, fast and in a hurry the season is going to go down the *******! Where are the 2 back sets? Where are the 3 WR sets? You can't bring this stuff out only on 3rd down. I have absolutely no confidence in the coaching staff right now.

[Lakers211221]

I think people are too quick to try and point things to one particular issue. It's the QB. It's the OC. It usually isn't that simple. And honestly, I don't think there was a real issue in this game. I think the 49ers played well against a good defense. Here is a summary of the end of offensive drives:

1st HALF:

Series 1: Had a manageable 3rd and 4. Pocket collapsed entirely too fast and Kap had to run forward into a sack. It looks like both Iupati and Goodwin were beat in 1 on 1 matchups. They are the reason this drive stalled. Also, credit has to go to the Miami pass rush.

Series 2: This drive was also killed by the offensive line. On second and 4, Boone was moved early and backed us up, then Cameron Wake beat Anthony Davis and sacked Kap really quickly. It caused a 3rd and 15 that we did not convert.

Series 3: 49ers have a 3rd and 1 inside the 10 yard line. Carlson Dansby makes a great play and stops Gore on a handoff. No blame really here. It was just a great play by Dansby. Results in a FG.

Series 4: 49ers drive down the field, but time becomes a factor due to a sack by an unblocked defender (this was on LaMichael James). Because time became a factor, Kap had to throw the ball away on thrid down (smart play) when nothing was open in the endzone. 49ers kicked FG.

2nd HALF:

Series 5: 49ers have a manageable 3rd and 4 after a pair of runs. Another quick sack. Jared Odrick beats Alex Boone. It was a nice play by Odrick.

Series 6: 49ers recover muffed punt and start the drive out with great field position. Nice run by Dixon for 8 yards, then it is punched in by Gore (with the jumbo formation that so many of you criticize). Result: TD

Series 7: This is the drive where Kap throws the deep pass to Moss and the defender arm bars Moss and the refs blow the call. On 2nd down, LaMichael James gets a 14 yard run, but Iupati gets called for the hold and puts the 49ers in 2nd and 20. Gore picks up 18 on a screen pass. On 3rd and 1, the 49ers run a bootleg out of the shotgun, but Miami snuffed it out. 49ers go for it on 4th and get a defensive PI called when the defender rides Crabtree on a slant route. A couple of nice runs by Gore put the 49ers on the 1 and Dixon punches it in (with the hated jumbo formation). Result: TD

Series 8: 49ers have a manageable 3rd and 5. Kap throws a 4 yard button hook to Crabtree, but he is tackled immediately short of the 1st down marker. Kap might have been able to hit Moss for the first but it was a much tighter window. Nobody else was open. Chalk this one up to good coverage by Miami.

Series 9: 4 out of 5 runs out of the "gimmick" offense formation (read-option) that everyone is complaining about...results in 65+ yards rushing and a Kap TD.

Series 10: 49ers kneel the ball and run out the clock.

Additional Observations:

-If you remove the series where they kneeled the ball, the 49ers put points on the board on 5 of their 9 drives (55.6%)

-The Read-option was very successful resulting in multiple large gains by James, Gore, and Kap. The jumbo formation was mostly successful as well including it resulting in 2 TDs.

-Kap was efficient. He completed 78.3% of his passes (plus there was a Vernon drop and the Moss drop/PI play). Kap had a 100.2 QB Rating despite all 3 of the 49ers TDs coming on running plays.

-The run game lead to 5.5 yards per carry (Gore was 5.3 yards per carry).

-The Miami Dophins played very good defense. They also had a few long drives that took a lot of time off the clock and kept the 49ers offense off the field. This kept the game close and limited the 49ers offensive opportunities. Both teams played well. SF played better.

[rapjuicer06]

OR VD!!!!

We have one of the best TEs in the league and he only 3 catches for 19 yards in the last "3" games???? Are you kidding me?

Wasn't everyone in here saying Kaep took the "handcuffs" off Davis?

It's not any one thing. It's all of the above among more

[NinerHomer49]

Wasn't everyone in here saying Kaep took the "handcuffs" off Davis?

It's not any one thing. It's all of the above among more

I did start wondering during this game whether or not "Alex" was actually the one being handcuffed. Granted I was extremely disappointed in his play in Minnesota and not as enthralled with his performance vs the Cards as some...but the coaches just don't seem to know how to use the talent the offense has.

[hd1906]

We only see games, not practices, so idk how much stock I put in sum ppls overall criticisms on this forum..

[bigcheeze]

We only see games, not practices, so idk how much stock I put in sum ppls overall criticisms on this forum..

I'm sure John Skelton had a great week in practice last week....

Games matter, not practices at the end of the year.

Note - I'm not discounting practice because I know it get's you ready for the game, I'm just saying a couple of weeks ago my son was just tearing up the practice field before his game... during the game. Not so much

BUT... you are right... everyone ahole on the internet has an opinion. (Yes, I'm one of those aholes )