Niner News Thread

[PoLLo LoC831]

i tho u would know dat being Smith is a backup QB, and he might end up on IR list so we need another backup QB, but its all good. hopefully next game is a good one.... they need to give Gore da Ball More & not turn da ball over as much....

http://sfo.scout.com/2/788784.html
Frank Gore is SFI’s Niner of the Week for his performance in the 49ers' 23-13 season-opening loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
He finished the game with 151 total yards
Sunday standout: Gore led the 49ers with 96 yards rushing on 14 carries and also in receiving with four catches for 55 yards, accounting for 52 percent of San Francisco's 291 yards from scrimmage. Gore gave the 49ers their only lead of the day when he broke off the right side and then burst into the open field to beat Arizona defenders on a 41-yard dash to the end zone that put San Francisco ahead 7-3 with six minutes remaining in the first quarter with what proved to be the Niners' only touchdown of the afternoon. Gore produced positive yardage on each of his carries and half of his carries went for five yards or more. Gore also had receptions of 14 and 5 yards during a second-quarter drive that led to Joe Nedney's 39-yard field goal. He had a 14-yard reception in the fourth quarter that led to Nedney's 30-yard field goal. Five of Gore's 18 touches resulted in San Francisco first downs.

Season to date: After one week, Gore leads the 49ers in rushing, receptions, receiving yards, total yards from scrimmage and is second in points scored. He ranks sixth in the NFC and 10th in the NFL in rushing, and his 6.9 average ranks second among the league's top 10 leading rushers. His 41-yard run was the NFL's fourth-longest touchdown run during Week 1. He is tied for 22nd in the NFC in receptions, is 17th in the conference in receiving yards and his 13.8-yard average per catch ranks ninth among the league leaders. He also ranks among the NFL leaders in total yards from scrimmage.

Need to note: Gore's 41-yard touchdown run was his eighth career run of 40 yards or more and his fourth touchdown run of 40 yards or more. In his previous game against the Cardinals in November of last year, Gore rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns and recorded a career-high 11 receptions for 98 yards to personally account for 214 of San Francisco's 374 total offensive yards while earning NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Gore, who has led the 49ers in both rushing and receptions each of the past two years, ranked fifth in the NFC last year with 1,102 yards rushing and 27th in the conference with 53 catches.

Gore says: "The offensive line did a great job and so did the receivers. They did a great job blocking down the field. I just read off my linemen, the hole was there, and I hit it. But we're a better team both on offense and defense. We just can't make the same mistakes that we did. You cannot win a NFL game when you make (five) turnovers."

Looking forward: Gore will continue to be the central figure of the San Francisco offense as the 49ers continue the first stage of their season. Gore accounted for a NFL-high 40.5 percent of San Francisco's offensive yardage in 2007, and if Sunday's opener was any indication, he'll continue to be counted upon for the bulk of the 49ers' yardage both on the ground and swinging out of the backfield in the passing game.

ALSO CONSIDERED: DE Justin Smith (game-high seven tackles, half a sack, two quarterback hits, participated in all 73 of San Francisco's defensive plays, strong effort throughout); LB Parys Haralson (four tackles, 2.5 sacks, two tackles behind the line of scrimmage, three quarterback hits, outstanding play from the defensive edge).

 

[PoLLo LoC831]

Waiting on Dr. Andrews ...
Free-agent quarterback Jamie Martin has had his physical. But the 49ers are holding off on signing him until they figure out what to do with Alex Smith. And they can't make a decision on Smith until Dr. James Andrews examines the images of Smith's shoulder. Those images arrived in Birmingham, Ala. today. But I'm told that Andrews typically schedules his surgeries for Tuesdays and that he probably wouldn't get around to Smith's case until late in the day.

Smith fractured a bone in his throwing shoulder on Friday. If he needs to have surgery, the 49ers likely will place him on injured reserve and sign Martin. If Andrews decides on a less drastic course of action, Martin might not be needed as long or at all. Hence the waiting ...

 

[MOREBASS]

Franky had damn near 7 yards per carry! How can you have a back of this caliber and only hand it to him 14 times ?!

Plus, Frank is the type who gets into a groove the more he touches the ball ! Still a great performance that kind of is dulled by the fact that our offense played like shit.

All good though, its just week one.

 

[Syko Sniper]

^^it was only a few more plays they passed, plus the cards held the ball and thats why our D was out so long, can't turn it over like we did against seahawks and we should win that game they have fuck all wide recievers available.

 

[PoLLo LoC831]

49ers sign Martin
http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/archives/015240.html

The 49ers have signed ex-Rams quarterback Jamie Martin, an indication that Alex Smith will go on injured reserve. Martin's agent Tom Mills said he has just faxed the necessary paperwork and the deal is complete.

Martin, 38, appears to be the only quarterback the 49ers targeted. He has a long history with Mike Martz, including two stints with Rams when Martz was the head coach and one with the Redskins when Martz was the team's quarterbacks coach

 

[PoLLo LoC831]

Scouting Seattle

Mike Holmgren started the 2008 season knowing it’s his last with defensive coordinator Jim Mora set to take over the reins in 2009 as Holmgren opts for retirement. In this final year, it’s clear that Holmgren is looking for his four-time defending NFC West Champion team to battle its way to the Super Bowl for one last great ride.

But his team’s performance in a week one blowout by Buffalo didn’t live up to Holmgren’s lofty standards.

“We got kicked around pretty good today," said Holmgren after the opener. "It's one of those games we're going to learn a painful lesson. But we'll be better next week."

The 49ers also expect to put behind a loss to Arizona that was marked by five turnovers when they take flight to Seattle for their second straight NFC West divisional contest.

“I think it’s carelessness when carrying the ball,” said head coach Mike Nolan of the turnovers. “I think that’s what that is. We have playmaking ability without question. We made a lot of plays, that’s there, but we also have to secure the ball better.

“I'm excited about the prospects of this football team. But it is about winning. So it's difficult to get too excited when you're 0-1."

Holmgren’s had his own adversity this off-season when it’s come to his typically well-oiled offense.

After leading the Seattle receiving efforts in 2007 with 1,147 yards, Bobby Engram openly expressed his displeasure over his contract situation, but showed up for camp ready to show Seattle why he deserves a new contract. But a cracked bone in his right shoulder during a preseason game has Engram sidelined at least thru the month of September.

Deion Branch returned to practice last week after having reconstructive knee surgery in the off-season, but he didn’t make it back in time for the season opener. His status is unknown at this point for week two.

The situation didn’t improve any Sunday with Nate Burleson leaving the game with a knee injury. The receiver said he planned to play this week, but news came out on Monday that he’s instead done for the year.

With DJ Hackett departing in free agency, that leaves Seattle with fairly inexperienced receivers in Courtney Taylor, Logan Payne and Jordan Kent.

The unit is also without tight end Marcus Pollard, who departed in free agency. Last year’s sixth leading target for Seattle with 28 catches was replaced by Jeb Putzier, but the former Texans tight end had a season-high two catches in 2007, clearly not the same kind of passing threat as Pollard.

Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck started the game despite missing time in camp with a back injury, and without his normal group of receiving targets, the veteran struggled in the passing game. He completed only 17 of 41 passes for 190 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

The offensive line added Mike Wahle from Carolina this off-season to play along one of the league’s best left tackles in Walter Jones, but the expected 2008 starting bunch was without right tackle Sean Locklear last week, who was out with a left knee sprain. Locklear was replaced in the week one lineup by Ray Willis, but could be back for this Sunday’s game. Whether it was his absence or not, Seattle’s line struggled, allowing five sacks.
|
It appears Seattle's line has taken an additional hit with Rob Sims reportedly suffering a torn pectoral muscle in Sunday's game. Sims moved to right guard this year after starting at left guard last season. His likely replacement would be Floyd Womack.

Even with the replacement of Shaun Alexander in favor of returner Maurice Morris, and newcomers Julius Jones and TJ Duckett, Seattle managed only 85 rushing yards. Morris started, but left the game with a knee injury after six carries for 31 yards, and a long of 17. Morris is expected to be out a few weeks. Duckett didn’t even get a carry, while Jones finished with 13 rushes for 45 yards and a long of 24. Toss out the two long run plays, and Seattle averaged only 2.32 yards per carry.

Seattle’s front line of defense features a new face in the lineup. First-round pick Lawrence Jackson out of USC enjoyed his first start at end last week, opposite sack master and high-motor player Patrick Kerney.

Otherwise, it’s the same starting personnel from last year highlighted by Pro Bowlers Lofa Tatupu and Julian Peterson at linebacker, and Pro Bowl cornerback Marcus Trufant, who received the franchise tag after intercepting seven passes last season.

Seattle’s pressure oriented defense notched only one Kerney sack, and a pair of quarterback hurries in their game against Buffalo. They were without starting tackle Rocky Bernard last week, but the formidable player who was responsible for the hard hit that injured Alex Smith’s shoulder last year, should be back in the lineup after a one-game suspension by the NFL.

The defense started strong against Buffalo , holding them to three and outs on their first four possessions before allowing an explosive 32-yard pass play that led to a touchdown lead late in the first quarter.

Seattle held Marshawn Lynch to just 76 rushing yards, but Trent Edwards finished the day with 215 passing yards and a 95.8 QB Rating as Buffalo’s offense put up 20 points on the scoreboard.

Seattle lost one of their better special teams coverage players this off-season in linebacker Niko Koutouvides and subsequently found themselves on the end of some costly special teams errors in their first regular-season outing without him.

First up, Buffalo’s Roscoe Parrish returned a punt 63 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter.

Then, similar to the 49ers, they lost a fumble on one of their kickoff returns that was recovered by Bills field goal kicker Rian Lindell and quickly led to a touchdown.

That fumble came just 20 seconds after a fake field goal by the Bills, one that instead earned a touchdown with a 19-yard pass.

49ERS Rank SEAHAWKS Rank
Total Offense 22 Total Offense 26
Passing Offense 14 Passing Offense 21
Rushing Offense 18 Rushing Offense 25
Total Defense 10 Total Defense 21
Run Defense 17 Run Defense 14
Pass Defense 15 Pass Defense 25
KOR Average 25 KOR Average 6
PR Average 31t PR Average 7
KO Coverage 4 KO Coverage 28
PR Coverage 28 PR Coverage 29



The only things that seemed to go right on special teams for Seattle was a 45-yard field goal by Josh Brown’s replacement kicker, Olindo Mare, and a blocked field goal by Craig Terrill. (The 49ers will still see Brown this year when they face off against the St. Louis Rams).

The loss of Burleson for the year will also impact Seattle’s special teams since he was their primary punt returner, and a good one at that with a 94-yard punt return for a TD and a 91-yard kickoff return for a TD in 2007.

Seattle also showed displeasure with their punter Ryan Plackemeier, releasing him on Tuesday and signing former Packers punter Jon Ryan.

These two NFC West foes badly need to bounce back from week one disappointments when they take the field for Sunday’s 1:05pm PST kickoff. Catch the game on Fox to find out which team will come out on top.

 

[kayvee]

Niners QB Smith on injured reserve again

By GREG BEACHAM, AP Sports Writer 3 minutes ago

The San Francisco 49ers put quarterback Alex Smith on injured reserve with a shoulder injury, probably ending the former No. 1 draft pick's four-year career with the team.

Smith had surgery on his right shoulder in December, but appeared to be at full strength in training camp. He lost his starting job to journeyman J.T. O'Sullivan in camp, and Smith then felt a painful new injury in his shoulder during practice before last week's season opener.

Smith has a broken bone in his shoulder, and likely will require more surgery, coach Mike Nolan said.

source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080910...ith_injured;_ylt=AmB1E394.0cc9XcTEzLnsacLMxIF

~k.

 

[Tony]

That's weird... Smith didn't have a broken bone in there while competing for the starting position. Looks like it's the end of Alex Smith in San Franciso.

 

[kayvee]

^ yup

~k.

 

[PoLLo LoC831]

i was about to post it as well

49ers Place Smith on I/R, Sign Martin

http://www.49ers.com/pressbox/news_detail.php?PRKey=4601&section=PR%20News

 

[poranamo3rd]

man, Alex "The Bust" Smith needs to kick rocks...

 

[PoLLo LoC831]

On the NFL: Give the 49ers' and Raiders' owners an earful

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/09/SP8L12QPVC.DTL

Bay Area NFL fans, you are angry, fed up, frustrated. Don't apologize. You have earned the right.

Now it's time to do something about it.If you are sincerely disgusted with the state of your once-mighty franchise, be it the 49ers or the Raiders, then take action. No more blaming the beat writers and columnists for stating hard truths that you've known in your hearts for years. No more pleas to fire the owners on Internet message boards.

That is not going to happen. They are not selling.

Do something about it. Make the owners, whose teams opened the 2008 season with maddeningly predictable results, explain themselves to you.

Demand that they conduct town-hall meetings across the Bay Area and tell you, the ticket-buying, jersey-wearing fans, why your once-proud favorite franchise is an NFL embarrassment.

Demand that John, Jed and Denise York get microphones, take hard questions and give honest answers about their football product, a 49ers team filled with high draft picks and big-money free agents who consistently fail to deliver.

You don't want to hear Jed York telling you yet again why the 49ers need $136 million in redevelopment funding from Santa Clara to build a $900 million stadium. That won't fix this.

Demand that Al Davis - yes, even though he is 79 and frail - stand before you. Not Jim Otto or Amy Trask. Make Al Davis explain why he has committed nearly $200 million of the Raiders' future this season to unproductive free-agent signings. Why does he misjudge talent and character, year after year?

Davis must explain why he refuses to let his head coaches coach. Why he has almost entirely disbanded his personnel department, starting with the departures of Bruce Allen and Michael Lombardi, until now. Do you really think Mark Jackson makes a football decision?

Think about it: If Ted Kennedy, who is dealing with brain cancer, can muster the strength and conviction to stand before the Democratic National Convention and deliver a rousing speech, why can't these Bay Area owners stand before their fans?

Five seasons have passed since either the 49ers or the Raiders were contenders. Neither franchise has sniffed .500 since 2002, when both won their divisions.

Remember when we thought it was all coaches Steve Mariucci's and Bill Callahan's fault? Could we have been that naive?

The 49ers and Raiders share this: In the past decade, they have proved to be colossal organizational failures.

You can blame the coaches, or the players. But look where it starts: It's ownership's fault.

The York family failed to install a competent front office, after alienating Bill Walsh and Bill McPherson and ignoring advice on how to run the franchise from such NFL personnel experts as Ron Wolf and such wise former 49ers players as Steve Young and Ronnie Lott.

Instead, the Yorks turned over a football dynasty to a carnival barker, Terry Donahue, and a Stanford MBA with zero football background, Paraag Marathe. When it became obvious that Donahue had to go, the Yorks made an even more catastrophic mistake.

They turned over their football operation to one man, Mike Nolan, who had not been an NFL head coach and had zero front-office experience. When Nolan showed he was in over his head, the Yorks refused to fire him as head coach. Then they promoted Nolan's right-hand man and a college scout, Scot McCloughan, to general manager.

You saw the results of that expertise Sunday: No draft pick from this year cracked the 49ers' starting lineup in a 23-13 loss to Arizona.

On a good team, you expect this - draft picks are for reloading, tools for the future. On a bad team, they are for rebuilding. A team that has won 25 games in the past five seasons does not have the luxury of allowing a first-round defensive end, Kentwan Balmer, to waste away on the bench. Or watching the No. 1 pick in 2005, quarterback Alex Smith, ruined by mismanagement and injury.

As for the Raiders, you saw all you needed to see Monday night when Denver ran up 41 points on them. You saw coach Lane Kiffin - who has reminded us relentlessly on the record that he had little input on coaching or personnel decisions this past offseason - watch helplessly while his offensive line crumbled and his defense failed to blitz. Think that was his call?

Look upstairs for the answers, Raiders fans. To the owner's booth.

Candlestick Park and the Coliseum were once Houses of Dread. Now they are crumbling relics that amplify the decay of the franchises they house.

The dysfunction must stop. Sell your tickets, burn your jersey - it's time you tell the owners that you have had enough.

 

[PoLLo LoC831]

Purdy: 49ers and Raiders stunk in openers

http://www.mercurynews.com/49ersheadlines/49ers/ci_10423438?nclick_check=1

So at least we have a common theme for the 49ers and Raiders in terms of what's ahead this weekend:

Odor-Eater Sunday.

Because you must admit, right now, both teams stink. If you combine the 49ers and Raiders rosters, as they performed in their openers, you get the smell of a moldy liverwurst sandwich that has been sitting in the luggage bin of John Madden's bus for five days in 100-degree heat.

And please make that sandwich the size of Robert Gallery or Jonas Jennings, huh? Because it's a very large smell.

But you already knew that.

The question is, which team will eradicate the stink faster? Like, say, this Sunday? The 49ers at Seattle? Or the Raiders at Kansas City?

Or if you want to be more negative: Which team is worse, with the least chance of turning things around?

To glean an answer, it was instructive to attend this week's day-after media sessions by both coaches. Mike Nolan did his Monday, following the 49ers' ugly loss to Arizona. Lane Kiffin did his Tuesday, after the Raiders' embarrassment against Denver.

Normally, the Q-and-A sessions are rote affairs, full of tortured spin. But this time, it was more like looking at two sick patients trying to diagnose their own diseases. The take here, after sitting through both, is this: Kiffin has more of a handle on what's wrong with his team. Nolan still appears to be searching.

Kiffin is more eager to toss out first-game video and try to start fresh. Nolan was more into clinically dissecting the problems. And whether either man can take corrective action that succeeds is an utter coin flip. But one team is in better position to do better. Which one? Sorry. You'll have to wait a few more paragraphs.

What you need to know, first and foremost, is that neither Kiffin nor Nolan will be fired this month. Beyond that, who can say? But both Kiffin and Nolan are sons of NFL coaches.

They know the rules of the game. You put your head down and do the work. Then take the consequences.

For the moment, Nolan probably has more front-office support. Although that wouldn't be difficult, because Raiders owner Al Davis supposedly asked Kiffin to resign after last season (rather than firing him and having to pay him more money).

Also, before this season began, you had to wonder if the coaching tumult of the Raiders' off-season — when Kiffin wanted to part ways with defensive coordinator Rob Ryan but Davis intervened and forced Kiffin to keep Ryan — might make its way onto the field somehow.

"I don't know," Kiffin said Tuesday, when asked that question directly. "If it does, I can't go back and change that. So I don't know what that has to do with the penalties and missed coverages. But if it did, I can't change it."

He's right about the last part. However, Kiffin surely has been around the game long enough to know that players who must constantly guess which person is really in charge — Kiffin, Ryan or Davis? — can lose their focus.

At certain points during those long television timeouts, they have to think: "What's going on here?" Especially when expensive new defensive acquisition DeAngelo Hall commits a brain-dead penalty at a crucial time. If you were a lesser-paid player, wouldn't you ask yourself which person was so eager to give Hall so much dough?

Kiffin's best hope: That the man he wanted to ditch, Ryan, can rally the defense out of the ditch. Because it's clear that quarterback JaMarcus Russell and running back Darren McFadden can move the offensive needle. And the Raiders' schedule does get soft in the middle portion.

But the team's finger-pointing culture will be hard to escape.

The 49ers' issues are skewed much more toward Nolan's ability to convince the 49ers they are good enough to win — especially because they might not be. He was working the angle hard Monday, though.

"We're going to be a better football team than we were last year," Nolan promised. "I believe we already are. We were 2-0 last year, but we had our issues."

Of course, if they are not 1-1 after Seattle, issues will return. But give Nolan's team credit. In the opener, it was at least able to keep the game close for more than three periods. Unlike, say, Kiffin's team. And the NFC West looks stunningly mediocre.

To sum up, then: The Raiders have far more potential to get better. But the 49ers actually might.

 

[Syko Sniper]

^^interesting read, but after all its only one game, the world is not going to end...maybe if they lose the next one this article would be more appropriate seeing as seattle are heavily depleted.

 

[PoLLo LoC831]

Smith done for season - likely done as a 49er

http://sfo.scout.com/2/789217.html

The 49ers have placed quarterback Alex Smith on injured reserve, which not only ends his 2008 season before it even began, but also could signal the end of Smith’s tumultuous career with the team. Smith may never play another snap for the 49ers, but 14th-year veteran Jamie Martin might. Martin was signed Wednesday to replace Smith on the roster, and he’ll be the team’s No. 3 QB Sunday vs. Seattle.

Smith? His days with the 49ers appear decidedly numbered. He was seen briefly during the team’s open locker room period early Wednesday afternoon, ice attached to his injured right shoulder with bandages, walking towards meeting rooms for the team’s regular 12:30 quarterbacks meeting.

But that’s a place Smith no longer needs to be, and it will be interesting to see if he’ll continue to hang close to the team – some players go on injured reserve and are never seen around the team the rest of the season – because his salary figures practically prohibit Smith being part of the 49ers in 2009 if he is not their starting quarterback.

Coach Mike Nolan made it clear that’s a subject he didn’t want to talk about Wednesday.

Nolan displayed little emotion or sentiment when he announced Smith’s status at the start of his morning media briefing for Seattle week.

“Alex Smith will be placed on IR, he has a shoulder injury,” Nolan said. “I have no specifics about the injury whatsoever. He’ll be on IR, it’s a shoulder injury, and that’s about as far as I’ll go specifically.”

Nolan said he didn’t even know the diagnosis for Smith or whether he is headed for another surgery on the right shoulder that required season-ending surgery after Smith separated the shoulder in Week 4 of last season.

“Nope,” Nolan said. “All I need to know is if he’ll be back on this football team so that I can make an adjustment to our roster. So I don’t have any specifics for you other than that.”

When asked about future plans for Smith, and whether the team might consider letting him go now so that he could begin shaping a career elsewhere, Nolan replied, “I’ll just tell you real clearly, I’m not going to answer any hypothetical questions about what it’s going to be in the future. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there. My focus right now is on Seattle. If you want to talk about Seattle we’ll do it, or otherwise we’re pretty much done.”

Smith appears pretty much done in San Francisco. He is owed a non-guaranteed base salary of $9.625 million in 2009, and if he were on the San Francisco roster next season, he would count $12.292 million against the team's 2009 salary cap.

General manager Scot McCloughan went on record last week saying Smith would have to clearly exhibit that he’s going to be San Francisco’s starting quarterback in 2009 to return next year at those numbers. And now, obviously, Smith won’t have an opportunity to exhibit that in 2008.

“You can’t. You just can’t,” McCloughan said when asked if the 49ers could have Smith return as a backup in 2009 at his current cap figures. “At any position, the amount of money we’re going to invest in him, it’d have to be proven that he is the guy, (when) we get into the offseason, he’s our guy for next year.”

The offseason still is a long way away, and the 49ers wouldn’t have to make a final roster decision on Smith until the end of February. The team is on the hook for Smith’s $2.3 million base salary this season. His cap number for 2008 is $9.916 million. But if he no longer is in the team’s plans, the 49ers can release him as soon as this season is over. He would count $5.3 million against the team’s 2009 cap if he is released.

Then there’s the question of whether Smith would want to come back to the 49ers, where he has been through four offensive coordinators in four years and had a public spat last year with the head coach regarding Smith’s toughness.

Smith declined comment Wednesday. It still has not been decided whether he will undergo surgery to repair a fractured bone in his right shoulder, Smith’s latest injury that came to the forefront when he felt significant pain while making a deep throw at the end of last Friday’s practice session.

Smith had made it through training camp and the preseason without much incident regarding the throwing shoulder that underwent surgery last December to repair three torn ligaments.

Smith is scheduled to make $24.6 million with the 49ers over the next two seasons, and considering Smith’s agent Tom Condon reportedly feels the team has mishandled his client over the past two years, it is unlikely either side would be much interested in renegotiating his contract for Smith to remain in San Francisco.

Smith hasn’t really shown on the field that he deserves to be the No. 1 quarterback here anyway – a role that was handed to him during his first three seasons with the team after San Francisco selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 draft. Smith was beaten out for the starting job this summer by journeyman J.T. O’Sullivan, who joined the 49ers as a free agent earlier this year.

Smith has an 11-19 record as San Francisco’s starting quarterback, and in three seasons with the 49ers has completed 54.4 percent of his passes for 4,679 yards with 19 touchdown and 31 interceptions for a career quarterback rating of 63.5.

Shaun Hill, who shared the first-team snaps with Smith during the first week of training camp in July while O’Sullivan watched from the sidelines, said it’s not accurate to label Smith a bust in his time with the 49ers.

“I don’t think he’s a bust at all,” said Hill, who has replaced Smith as O’Sullivan’s backup. “I don’t agree with any of that. Last year with the injuries – and injuries do happen – that’s what hampered him. Trent (Dilfer) and I were so excited last year about what he was going to do that season. He looked so good in the preseason, so good throughout practice, so good in the offseason, even. We were just so excited about what he was going to do. I’m just very sad that this is happening to him again with the injury. Hopefully, they can get it corrected, and he can move on.”

Said running back Frank Gore, who joined the 49ers at the same time as Smith, “I’m sorry to hear about his shoulder and the other stuff that’s out there about he might not come back. I feel sorry for him. He was a great teammate.”

“Was” being the operative word there. The 49ers, it seems, already are thinking and talking about Alex Smith in the past tense.

 

[Syko Sniper]

^^what a waste..

if he is released do you think we will pick up a first round QB ?

 

[D.I.R.B]

Finally that bum Smith is gonna be gone...what a fuckin bust

 

[xpanther206]

There's a decent chance Mike Holmgren is your general manager next year.

 

[V]

There's a decent chance Mike Holmgren is your general manager next year.

if we dont go atleast 8-8 this year, I would love to see that happen

 

[PoLLo LoC831]

Clements' Coverage, Seattle

http://www.49ers.com/pressbox/news_detail.php?PRKey=4606&section=PR News

49ers Nate Clements is back with his Clements’ Coverage column this year, taking turns each week with receiver Bryant Johnson in scouting out the upcoming opponent. Get Clements’ take as he locks down his focus on the Seattle Seahawks.

We all know that Mike Holmgren is a west coast minded type of coach, so nothing has changed in terms of what Seattle’s offensive scheme is going to be this Sunday.

Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck is good at reading defenses and he runs things with a good tempo. If his first read is taken away, he knows where his next read is going to be. So, you really have to take those first couple of reads away from him and then try to get him rattled.

Losing Nate Burleson for the season hurt them because they did a lot of things with him on offense, and he was their punt returner. So, that’s a hit for them.

Deion Branch is very quick and explosive, and he’s a very good route runner. I don’t know if he’ll be up for this weekend or not coming off that injury.

They are thin at receiver, but you’ve got to expect the next guy to step up. Injuries are part of the game. I think Holmgren thinks his system works no matter who is in there as long as everything is on time and run right. So, I’m sure they have confidence in the guys who will step in.

I haven’t seen too much on some of their other guys prior to this year, but that’s the nature of this business. One of their receivers, Courtney Taylor, played last week and had a few catches. He has good size and good hands.

I do expect definitely to see Seneca Wallace out there as a receiver too. They are down in numbers. He knows the offense and he’s athletic and versatile. It’s not the first time he’s played receiver, so I’m pretty sure they will rely on him.

My thing is, you’ve got to get after them up front. Their offensive line has always been the strong point of their offense. They’ve had a real good offensive line, anchored by Walter Jones, and you have to be ready for the challenge that they present. You’ve got to disrupt his rhythm and lock down the receivers so we give our guys time to get to him. We just need to throw off his timing, mess up his reads and try to be disruptive.

Shaun Alexander moved on this off-season, so we’ve got new backs to face. Maurice Morris was hurt last week and has been ruled out, so we’ll probably see more of Julius Jones, and probably some of TJ Duckett. Jones is a quick back. If he sees a crease, he’ll definitely hit it so you’ve got to close up the hole and get to him before he can really get going. Duckett is a veteran in this league and he’s a big back. He can pound it. A guy like him you want to hit before he starts get going.

Tight end Marcus Pollard was part of their passing game, and it remains to be seen if they’ll get that from their tight ends this year. You just never know. The next guy might be just as explosive, or even better. I’m pretty sure that they are going to look to get their tight ends involved in the passing game, so we just have to do our job and play our style of defense. We aren’t going to overlook anyone.

We didn’t get off the field on third down last week and we didn’t create turnovers and that definitely hurt us in the game against Arizona. Plus penalties, that was another problem. We need to execute, get off the field and make big plays.

I think we just need to play consistent. I think that’s the biggest key for us. Play consistent in all three phases and I think we will be fine.

Every week we focus on all three phases during practice, not because we made a good or bad play that weekend before, but we look at the film, make the corrections, apply them in practice and by the time game situations come, we should be prepared.

So, we know going up there that it is going to be loud for our offense. I’m very confident that our guys will be prepared. If we operate in all three phases and take the crowd out of it, we should be okay.

I saw some good things from our offense last week and I’m confident in what they can do. Our job is to get them the ball, that’s what we have to do. That’s about all I can say.