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Previewing the Patriots
http://www.49ers.com/pressbox/news_detail.php?PRKey=4697§ion=PR News
The 49ers face their first AFC opponent of the 2008 season this Sunday when they host the New England Patriots.
Despite easily handling the Kansas City Chiefs in week one, New England suffered a colossal loss when Pro Bowl quarterback Tom Brady blew his knee out in the game.
While some wrote the Patriots off after Brady’s injury, New England has far from let the curtain fall of their hopes for a Super Bowl repeat.
As Brady said, “I like our chances.”
Without him though, the 2-1 Patriots are 1-1 with Matt Cassel leading the team to a victory over the Jets in his first start at quarterback. Cassel is 48 of 72 for 448 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception for an overall 87.0 QB Rating.
And whereas the Patriots passing offense ranked number one in 2007 under the command of Brady, the offense currently sits at 24th with Cassel running the show.
Another notable stat is the Patriots offensive sack count. Brady was sacked only 21 times in 2007, but 2008 has been a different tale for his backup. Cassel has already gone down 9 times on the season. The uncharacteristic sack count for a New England offensive line that features Pro Bowl left tackle Matt Light, Pro Bowl left guard Logan Mankins and Pro Bowl center Dan Koppen is mostly a reflection of Cassel’s inexperience. The group does have a new starter at right guard with Billy Yates getting the nod over Russ Hochstein, who now sees action only in a tight end role on short yardage situations.
Through the air, Cassel does have some serious weapons to work with. Randy Moss re-signed with the team this offense and is second on the team with 12 catches for 163 yards, althoughsurprisingly, only one touchdown. The Patriots have been using more screens and working the underneath routes with the quickness of receiver Wes Welker, who leads the team with 19 receptions for 178 yards.
New England might opt to take more shots deep to Moss this week after watching tape of the way the Saints erupted against the 49ers secondary.
With Donte’ Stallworth departing after one year with New England, Jabar Gaffney has stepped into the role of the team’s third receiver. He has six catches for 51 yards, and has accounted for the Patriots only other passing touchdown on the season.
New England could get back another passing threat this week in tight end Ben Watson, who had been out with a knee injury. Watson has only one catch on the season after finishing the 2007 year with 36 receptions for 389 yards and six touchdowns.
Former Raiders running back LaMont Jordan currently sits at the top of the Patriots rushing statistics with 19 carries for 90 yards and a 4.7 average. Sammy Morris, a 9-year veteran, has received eight more carries on the year, but for only 80 yards total and a 3.0 average.
New England’s starting back, third-year player Laurence Maroney should return from a shoulder injury that prevented him from playing in the Patriots upset loss to the Dolphins prior to last weekend’s bye.
Defensively, New England couldn’t hold onto their shutdown corner in Asante Samuel, who commanded large dollars on the free agency market this off-season. Nickel corner Randall Gay, who the 49ers saw last week in New Orleans, also departed the Patriots secondary. Still, the Patriots backend has fared well against the pass with an NFL overall 12th ranked unit.
Hard hitting veteran safety Rodney Harrison holds the most notoriety in the Patriots secondary with two Pro Bowls to his credit. James Sanders has been getting the starts at free safety, although he’s split time with Brandon Meriweather.
The Patriots signed cornerback Lewis Sanders from the Falcons in free agency and still list him as their starter on the left side, but nine-year veteran corner Deltha O’Neal, who latched on with New England in early September has started the last two contests. Ellis Hobbs stars opposite O’Neal, and he and Meriweather each have one interception on the year.
The Patriots 3-4 defense has been susceptible to the run this season, dropping to a 25th ranked run defense after their week three game when Miami rushed for 216 yards and four touchdowns. All four touchdowns came on direct snaps to the Dolphins running backs.
Up front the Patriots feature three returning starters in Richard Seymour, Vince Wilfork and Ty Warren. Seymour enjoyed five consecutive trips to the Pro Bowl from 2002-2006, while Wilford, the Patriots big man in the middle was selected to his first Pro Bowl in 2007.
Longtime veteran linebacker Junior Seau didn’t return this off-season, and has been replaced by New England’s number one draft pick, Jerod Mayo. Mayo is second behind Harrison in total tackles with 25 stops to date. The rookie has come along quickly, aided by the guidance of his inside backer partner, veteran Tedy Bruschi, who has 24 total tackles. Mike Vrabel and Adalius Thomas start at the two outside backer positions and are tied with two sacks on the season.
Kicker Stephen Gostkowski, a fourth-round draft pick in 2006, is 7 of 7 on field goals this season. His longest kick was from 44 yards out against the Dolphins.
Punter Chris Hanson is in his second season with the Patriots, but his 10th in the NFL. Hanson owns a 47.3 average and a 37.6 net. His longest punt of the year was a 70-yarder.
Ellis Hobbs is New England’s featured kickoff returner and owns a long return of 81 yards on the year. He also set an NFL record in 2007 with an 108-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against the Jets.
Backup running back Kevin Faulk is the Patriots punt returner with 5 returns on the season for a 17.4 average, and a long of 24.
New England’s coverage units have been solid, allowing a long kickoff return of 31 yards and a long punt return of only 10 yards.
The Patriots will roll into San Francisco fresh off their bye, and likely eager to recover from the shocking 38-13 lopsided defeat by their divisional opponents. The 49ers likewise need to regroup after a letdown performance on the road in New Orleans, and capitalize on their home field advantage.
The Candlestick crowd this Sunday is expected to be an exuberant one as the Faithful also anticipate the retirement of Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young’s jersey at halftime.
Kickoff is at 1:15PM PST.
http://www.49ers.com/pressbox/news_detail.php?PRKey=4697§ion=PR News
The 49ers face their first AFC opponent of the 2008 season this Sunday when they host the New England Patriots.
Despite easily handling the Kansas City Chiefs in week one, New England suffered a colossal loss when Pro Bowl quarterback Tom Brady blew his knee out in the game.
While some wrote the Patriots off after Brady’s injury, New England has far from let the curtain fall of their hopes for a Super Bowl repeat.
As Brady said, “I like our chances.”
Without him though, the 2-1 Patriots are 1-1 with Matt Cassel leading the team to a victory over the Jets in his first start at quarterback. Cassel is 48 of 72 for 448 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception for an overall 87.0 QB Rating.
And whereas the Patriots passing offense ranked number one in 2007 under the command of Brady, the offense currently sits at 24th with Cassel running the show.
Another notable stat is the Patriots offensive sack count. Brady was sacked only 21 times in 2007, but 2008 has been a different tale for his backup. Cassel has already gone down 9 times on the season. The uncharacteristic sack count for a New England offensive line that features Pro Bowl left tackle Matt Light, Pro Bowl left guard Logan Mankins and Pro Bowl center Dan Koppen is mostly a reflection of Cassel’s inexperience. The group does have a new starter at right guard with Billy Yates getting the nod over Russ Hochstein, who now sees action only in a tight end role on short yardage situations.
Through the air, Cassel does have some serious weapons to work with. Randy Moss re-signed with the team this offense and is second on the team with 12 catches for 163 yards, althoughsurprisingly, only one touchdown. The Patriots have been using more screens and working the underneath routes with the quickness of receiver Wes Welker, who leads the team with 19 receptions for 178 yards.
New England might opt to take more shots deep to Moss this week after watching tape of the way the Saints erupted against the 49ers secondary.
With Donte’ Stallworth departing after one year with New England, Jabar Gaffney has stepped into the role of the team’s third receiver. He has six catches for 51 yards, and has accounted for the Patriots only other passing touchdown on the season.
New England could get back another passing threat this week in tight end Ben Watson, who had been out with a knee injury. Watson has only one catch on the season after finishing the 2007 year with 36 receptions for 389 yards and six touchdowns.
Former Raiders running back LaMont Jordan currently sits at the top of the Patriots rushing statistics with 19 carries for 90 yards and a 4.7 average. Sammy Morris, a 9-year veteran, has received eight more carries on the year, but for only 80 yards total and a 3.0 average.
New England’s starting back, third-year player Laurence Maroney should return from a shoulder injury that prevented him from playing in the Patriots upset loss to the Dolphins prior to last weekend’s bye.
Defensively, New England couldn’t hold onto their shutdown corner in Asante Samuel, who commanded large dollars on the free agency market this off-season. Nickel corner Randall Gay, who the 49ers saw last week in New Orleans, also departed the Patriots secondary. Still, the Patriots backend has fared well against the pass with an NFL overall 12th ranked unit.
Hard hitting veteran safety Rodney Harrison holds the most notoriety in the Patriots secondary with two Pro Bowls to his credit. James Sanders has been getting the starts at free safety, although he’s split time with Brandon Meriweather.
The Patriots signed cornerback Lewis Sanders from the Falcons in free agency and still list him as their starter on the left side, but nine-year veteran corner Deltha O’Neal, who latched on with New England in early September has started the last two contests. Ellis Hobbs stars opposite O’Neal, and he and Meriweather each have one interception on the year.
The Patriots 3-4 defense has been susceptible to the run this season, dropping to a 25th ranked run defense after their week three game when Miami rushed for 216 yards and four touchdowns. All four touchdowns came on direct snaps to the Dolphins running backs.
Up front the Patriots feature three returning starters in Richard Seymour, Vince Wilfork and Ty Warren. Seymour enjoyed five consecutive trips to the Pro Bowl from 2002-2006, while Wilford, the Patriots big man in the middle was selected to his first Pro Bowl in 2007.
Longtime veteran linebacker Junior Seau didn’t return this off-season, and has been replaced by New England’s number one draft pick, Jerod Mayo. Mayo is second behind Harrison in total tackles with 25 stops to date. The rookie has come along quickly, aided by the guidance of his inside backer partner, veteran Tedy Bruschi, who has 24 total tackles. Mike Vrabel and Adalius Thomas start at the two outside backer positions and are tied with two sacks on the season.
Kicker Stephen Gostkowski, a fourth-round draft pick in 2006, is 7 of 7 on field goals this season. His longest kick was from 44 yards out against the Dolphins.
Punter Chris Hanson is in his second season with the Patriots, but his 10th in the NFL. Hanson owns a 47.3 average and a 37.6 net. His longest punt of the year was a 70-yarder.
Ellis Hobbs is New England’s featured kickoff returner and owns a long return of 81 yards on the year. He also set an NFL record in 2007 with an 108-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against the Jets.
Backup running back Kevin Faulk is the Patriots punt returner with 5 returns on the season for a 17.4 average, and a long of 24.
New England’s coverage units have been solid, allowing a long kickoff return of 31 yards and a long punt return of only 10 yards.
The Patriots will roll into San Francisco fresh off their bye, and likely eager to recover from the shocking 38-13 lopsided defeat by their divisional opponents. The 49ers likewise need to regroup after a letdown performance on the road in New Orleans, and capitalize on their home field advantage.
The Candlestick crowd this Sunday is expected to be an exuberant one as the Faithful also anticipate the retirement of Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young’s jersey at halftime.
Kickoff is at 1:15PM PST.
Wrap Up: Don't Panic
http://www.49ers.com/pressbox/news_detail.php?PRKey=4693§ion=PR News
Catch up with former 49ers cornerback Eric Davis each week as he recaps Sunday's game. In this latest column, Davis breaks down what went wrong in the loss to New Orleans.
49ers fans- don’t panic! The Niners had a bad game. It’s early in the season still, and hopefully the 49ers saw in themselves what I did this past Sunday. We are now a month into the season. The talent is there. No more discussions about what this year’s team can’t do. The offense CAN move the ball. The defense CAN play smash mouth, “big play” football. And, special teams CAN, and did in New Orleans, contribute in a positive way. The 49ers didn’t lose to the Saints because there is a lack of talent on this squad. They lost because talented players got their butts handed to them. The 49ers record is 2-2, and that’s EXACTLY what they are - a .500 ball club. Until they figure out that being successful in the NFL is not about being “good” but about being “consistent,” the players are going to come up short. I know that they are working hard, and of course it matters to them all. However, a standard of play has to be set by the PLAYERS and met by them each and every game day. The 49ers lost to the Saints because the players didn’t play at their highest level.
Football is a game of match ups. For me the 49ers matched up well on paper and should have been able to win most of them in the game. WRONG!! Key matchups - the Saint number one passing offense against the 49ers seventh ranked passing defense. I thought there was no way the secondary would allow Saints QB Drew Brees to have back to back 400 yard passing games. WRONG!! I thought there was no way a 49ers offense coming off of back to back 30 point games would not put up big points against a struggling New Orleans defense. WRONG!! I didn’t think there was any way the offensive line would allow the quarterback to get hit nearly every single time he dropped back to pass. You can’t win with that.
The 49ers secondary is as solid a unit as any in the NFL. Drew Brees attacked the secondary, putting constant pressure on them down the field, and they had a HORRIBLE day. Brees tested their technique and focus and they failed the test. Nate Clements is a solid, solid corner. Bad technique caused him to give up a deep ball. Nate is one of the best bump and run corners in the league, and he knows to stay square at the line of scrimmage and disrupt the release and timing of the receiver’s route. He didn’t do any of those things on the deep ball, and he got struck. Dashon Goldson was also beaten - again bad technique. For a receiver to run a double move, he has to make his second break on either his first step or third step after his initial move. Dashon didn’t keep his eyes on the receiver through three steps on the break, and he was beaten on the double move. It’s just a basic technique thing.
Unless you’ve played the cornerback position, I can’t begin to tell you how difficult it is to stop the touchdown pass thrown on Walt Harris. The fade stop route is almost impossible to stop. It takes perfect timing even if you know it’s coming. Walt was in great position. There wasn’t much more he could have done. That play doesn’t bother me, but the double moves and receivers getting behind the safeties can’t happen. They are all better than that.
Pass protection has been a problem in a couple of games. So, as an offensive lineman you have to know that pressure is coming. The “Mike Martz’” offense is not the problem. Martz is not the one getting tossed around and flying through the air from his tackle position like a superhero. You have to hold your block. The line was consistently being beaten off the ball. The quarterback was hit almost every single time he went back to throw the ball. That has nothing to do with scheme. There is no way to sugarcoat it - the O-line just flat out got their butts kicked. They were getting smacked around and they did not do anything all day to stop it. At one point in the game JTO had been “hurried” by the Saints front on 23 out of 26 drop back passes. People, that’s not good!
These linemen are a part of the Martz’ offense and whether it’s their job to protect him for one second on a three-step drop or four seconds because it’s a seven-step drop, so be it. You have to do your job, period. The guy you line up against is either handing you your tail, or you are kicking his. That’s the mindset on every single play. It was that way before I played, it was that way when I played, and it’s that way today. Whichever team wins more of those individual battles wins the game.
JT O’Sullivan made some bad throws in the red zone. He didn’t do the math. He saw his receiver had beaten one defender but lost a safety in coverage on one interception. He simply under threw the ball on another. Throwing picks in your own end zone are killers. There’s a 14-point swing when you have an opportunity to score, but turn the ball over and your opponent scores. The offense put 30 points on the board the previous two games, and should have had that opportunity in this game against a not so great New Orleans defense. But, guys didn’t make plays. O’Sullivan threw perfect spirals into the other team’s chest. That’s not coaching. That’s not scheme. That’s players not making plays on game day. The NFL is not about being good. It’s about good players being consistent. He lost a fumble because he was scrambling for his life. Still, that’s a ball he has to get rid of. He was trying to make a play, but he needs to “feel” players coming. That feel comes with experience. Throw it away, tuck it away, just don’t turn it over.
There were some highlights. I felt that Patrick Willis did a very good job. It seemed scheme wise they had him spying Reggie Bush and every time Bush touched the ball, Patrick was the first one to rally and get a hit on him. He looked like his old self and was around the ball all day. Joe Nedney did his job usual good work. Allen Rossum was able to provide big returns on a few occasions. Those returns don’t happen without the other core members stepping up and sustaining their blocks and playing solid football.
You can’t go on the road into a tough environment like the Superdome, play badly, and expect to win. Historically, it’s been a tough stadium for the 49ers to go into and play well in. It’s loud and it’s hostile, but the 49ers went up to Seattle and beat the Seahawks,12th man and all. On Sunday they didn’t play with the same confidence and swagger.
We saw last week against the Lions that the talent was there. We saw what this team is capable of doing. Don’t panic. It’s there. This is a division that can be won.
There is a silver lining. The 49ers are 2-2 and they are in it. They played two at home and two on the road. You’ve got to take care of home and go .500 on the road to give yourself a shot at the playoffs every year. Right now, they are in the hunt. They’ve shown they can play solidly in all three phases. Now, just do it.
http://www.49ers.com/pressbox/news_detail.php?PRKey=4693§ion=PR News
Catch up with former 49ers cornerback Eric Davis each week as he recaps Sunday's game. In this latest column, Davis breaks down what went wrong in the loss to New Orleans.
49ers fans- don’t panic! The Niners had a bad game. It’s early in the season still, and hopefully the 49ers saw in themselves what I did this past Sunday. We are now a month into the season. The talent is there. No more discussions about what this year’s team can’t do. The offense CAN move the ball. The defense CAN play smash mouth, “big play” football. And, special teams CAN, and did in New Orleans, contribute in a positive way. The 49ers didn’t lose to the Saints because there is a lack of talent on this squad. They lost because talented players got their butts handed to them. The 49ers record is 2-2, and that’s EXACTLY what they are - a .500 ball club. Until they figure out that being successful in the NFL is not about being “good” but about being “consistent,” the players are going to come up short. I know that they are working hard, and of course it matters to them all. However, a standard of play has to be set by the PLAYERS and met by them each and every game day. The 49ers lost to the Saints because the players didn’t play at their highest level.
Football is a game of match ups. For me the 49ers matched up well on paper and should have been able to win most of them in the game. WRONG!! Key matchups - the Saint number one passing offense against the 49ers seventh ranked passing defense. I thought there was no way the secondary would allow Saints QB Drew Brees to have back to back 400 yard passing games. WRONG!! I thought there was no way a 49ers offense coming off of back to back 30 point games would not put up big points against a struggling New Orleans defense. WRONG!! I didn’t think there was any way the offensive line would allow the quarterback to get hit nearly every single time he dropped back to pass. You can’t win with that.
The 49ers secondary is as solid a unit as any in the NFL. Drew Brees attacked the secondary, putting constant pressure on them down the field, and they had a HORRIBLE day. Brees tested their technique and focus and they failed the test. Nate Clements is a solid, solid corner. Bad technique caused him to give up a deep ball. Nate is one of the best bump and run corners in the league, and he knows to stay square at the line of scrimmage and disrupt the release and timing of the receiver’s route. He didn’t do any of those things on the deep ball, and he got struck. Dashon Goldson was also beaten - again bad technique. For a receiver to run a double move, he has to make his second break on either his first step or third step after his initial move. Dashon didn’t keep his eyes on the receiver through three steps on the break, and he was beaten on the double move. It’s just a basic technique thing.
Unless you’ve played the cornerback position, I can’t begin to tell you how difficult it is to stop the touchdown pass thrown on Walt Harris. The fade stop route is almost impossible to stop. It takes perfect timing even if you know it’s coming. Walt was in great position. There wasn’t much more he could have done. That play doesn’t bother me, but the double moves and receivers getting behind the safeties can’t happen. They are all better than that.
Pass protection has been a problem in a couple of games. So, as an offensive lineman you have to know that pressure is coming. The “Mike Martz’” offense is not the problem. Martz is not the one getting tossed around and flying through the air from his tackle position like a superhero. You have to hold your block. The line was consistently being beaten off the ball. The quarterback was hit almost every single time he went back to throw the ball. That has nothing to do with scheme. There is no way to sugarcoat it - the O-line just flat out got their butts kicked. They were getting smacked around and they did not do anything all day to stop it. At one point in the game JTO had been “hurried” by the Saints front on 23 out of 26 drop back passes. People, that’s not good!
These linemen are a part of the Martz’ offense and whether it’s their job to protect him for one second on a three-step drop or four seconds because it’s a seven-step drop, so be it. You have to do your job, period. The guy you line up against is either handing you your tail, or you are kicking his. That’s the mindset on every single play. It was that way before I played, it was that way when I played, and it’s that way today. Whichever team wins more of those individual battles wins the game.
JT O’Sullivan made some bad throws in the red zone. He didn’t do the math. He saw his receiver had beaten one defender but lost a safety in coverage on one interception. He simply under threw the ball on another. Throwing picks in your own end zone are killers. There’s a 14-point swing when you have an opportunity to score, but turn the ball over and your opponent scores. The offense put 30 points on the board the previous two games, and should have had that opportunity in this game against a not so great New Orleans defense. But, guys didn’t make plays. O’Sullivan threw perfect spirals into the other team’s chest. That’s not coaching. That’s not scheme. That’s players not making plays on game day. The NFL is not about being good. It’s about good players being consistent. He lost a fumble because he was scrambling for his life. Still, that’s a ball he has to get rid of. He was trying to make a play, but he needs to “feel” players coming. That feel comes with experience. Throw it away, tuck it away, just don’t turn it over.
There were some highlights. I felt that Patrick Willis did a very good job. It seemed scheme wise they had him spying Reggie Bush and every time Bush touched the ball, Patrick was the first one to rally and get a hit on him. He looked like his old self and was around the ball all day. Joe Nedney did his job usual good work. Allen Rossum was able to provide big returns on a few occasions. Those returns don’t happen without the other core members stepping up and sustaining their blocks and playing solid football.
You can’t go on the road into a tough environment like the Superdome, play badly, and expect to win. Historically, it’s been a tough stadium for the 49ers to go into and play well in. It’s loud and it’s hostile, but the 49ers went up to Seattle and beat the Seahawks,12th man and all. On Sunday they didn’t play with the same confidence and swagger.
We saw last week against the Lions that the talent was there. We saw what this team is capable of doing. Don’t panic. It’s there. This is a division that can be won.
There is a silver lining. The 49ers are 2-2 and they are in it. They played two at home and two on the road. You’ve got to take care of home and go .500 on the road to give yourself a shot at the playoffs every year. Right now, they are in the hunt. They’ve shown they can play solidly in all three phases. Now, just do it.
Lawson out for this week's game
http://49ers.pressdemocrat.com/default.asp?item=2267635
Linebacker Manny Lawson will not play in Sunday's game against the Patriots due to a hamstring strain, 49ers coach Mike Nolan said today. Tackle Jonas Jennings (shoulder) is also out, as is cornerback Shawntae Spencer, who is out for the season after undergoing ACL surgery last week.
The 49ers have not played Spencer on IR because there is nobody they can sign that would get onto their 45-man game-day roster, Nolan said. So if the 49ers were to add someone, it would only be as a practice player.
Everybody else is expected to practice today, except RB Frank Gore and CB Walt Harris, both of whom get their regular Wednesday rest.
Here some other highlights of Nolan's meeting with the media this morning:
--Tully Banta-Cain could be active this week in Lawson's place. "We'll see how he practices," Nolan said.
--Nolan said he plans get try to get more and more playing time for Lawson when he returns from his injury. Lawson has not gotten much playing time this season. When he plays, he's been primarily a first-down player. When the 49ers go to their "sub" and "big sub" packages, Lawson is the first player who comes off the field. Nolan said he thinks Lawson is a good player and doesn't like looking on the sideline and seeing him there. Nolan said the addition of Justin Smith and Ray McDonald's emergence as a pass-rusher has contributed to a dip in Lawson's playing time, too.
--When asked if the 49ers took a step back against the Saints, Nolan said it was a bad game. He said what matters is how the team responds to that poor performance. He said the errors in pass defense were more technical errors. He cited a play in the fourth quarter in which Nate Clements was playing press coverage against Devery Henderson on a third-and-13. Henderson beat Clements deep for an 81-yard gain. He also mentioned Michael Lewis' play when had great position against Robert Meachem on the flea-flicker but didn't make a play on the ball. Nolan was more willing to give the Saints credit on the play in which Lance Moore beat Mark Roman and Dashon Goldson for a touchdown.
* * *
I asked Nolan about what he wants to accomplish with his "sub" and "big sub" packages. Here's what he said:
"Everybody in the league does it. Simple case, if you stay in base when they go to three wide receivers and you have a lot of confidence that Takeo Spikes can cover Wesley Walker (Wes Welker), then you try to do that. In our case, I'd like to think we have a better matchup with a defensive back. (It's) a standard throughout the NFL. It's a matchup issue. That's all it really is.
"You can get away doing it the other way if you're strictly a zone team. You can leave any group on and get through the down, and we do that at times. But the personnel on the field, whether offensively or defensively, is a matchup game. If it was good to stay with one standard group, even offensively, people would do that. Typically, if your best players are one personnel group, you'll stay with them longer. But football has evolved from 30, 40 years ago where now there are a lot of players going onto the field. Teams need five and six wide receivers because four of them are out there at one time.
"There's a reason on third down that you see a lot of little guys out there. When they do change, you want to make sure you don't leave yourself vulnerable to a mismatch, so somebody can take advantage of you."
And does Nolan feel like his nickel defenses have been successful this season?
"Sure," Nolan answered. "The Seattle game, that was the lowest-percentage game that quarterback (Matt Hasselbeck) has ever had. We got a couple picks in the game. Obviously, we didn't get as many sacks as you'd like, but you have a better chance of getting sacks with the group out there than with the regular group. When you have a good game, you like what you did. "The disappointment of the day (against the Saints) had more to do with the explosive passes than anything else. It wasn't a scheme issue."
http://49ers.pressdemocrat.com/default.asp?item=2267635
Linebacker Manny Lawson will not play in Sunday's game against the Patriots due to a hamstring strain, 49ers coach Mike Nolan said today. Tackle Jonas Jennings (shoulder) is also out, as is cornerback Shawntae Spencer, who is out for the season after undergoing ACL surgery last week.
The 49ers have not played Spencer on IR because there is nobody they can sign that would get onto their 45-man game-day roster, Nolan said. So if the 49ers were to add someone, it would only be as a practice player.
Everybody else is expected to practice today, except RB Frank Gore and CB Walt Harris, both of whom get their regular Wednesday rest.
Here some other highlights of Nolan's meeting with the media this morning:
--Tully Banta-Cain could be active this week in Lawson's place. "We'll see how he practices," Nolan said.
--Nolan said he plans get try to get more and more playing time for Lawson when he returns from his injury. Lawson has not gotten much playing time this season. When he plays, he's been primarily a first-down player. When the 49ers go to their "sub" and "big sub" packages, Lawson is the first player who comes off the field. Nolan said he thinks Lawson is a good player and doesn't like looking on the sideline and seeing him there. Nolan said the addition of Justin Smith and Ray McDonald's emergence as a pass-rusher has contributed to a dip in Lawson's playing time, too.
--When asked if the 49ers took a step back against the Saints, Nolan said it was a bad game. He said what matters is how the team responds to that poor performance. He said the errors in pass defense were more technical errors. He cited a play in the fourth quarter in which Nate Clements was playing press coverage against Devery Henderson on a third-and-13. Henderson beat Clements deep for an 81-yard gain. He also mentioned Michael Lewis' play when had great position against Robert Meachem on the flea-flicker but didn't make a play on the ball. Nolan was more willing to give the Saints credit on the play in which Lance Moore beat Mark Roman and Dashon Goldson for a touchdown.
* * *
I asked Nolan about what he wants to accomplish with his "sub" and "big sub" packages. Here's what he said:
"Everybody in the league does it. Simple case, if you stay in base when they go to three wide receivers and you have a lot of confidence that Takeo Spikes can cover Wesley Walker (Wes Welker), then you try to do that. In our case, I'd like to think we have a better matchup with a defensive back. (It's) a standard throughout the NFL. It's a matchup issue. That's all it really is.
"You can get away doing it the other way if you're strictly a zone team. You can leave any group on and get through the down, and we do that at times. But the personnel on the field, whether offensively or defensively, is a matchup game. If it was good to stay with one standard group, even offensively, people would do that. Typically, if your best players are one personnel group, you'll stay with them longer. But football has evolved from 30, 40 years ago where now there are a lot of players going onto the field. Teams need five and six wide receivers because four of them are out there at one time.
"There's a reason on third down that you see a lot of little guys out there. When they do change, you want to make sure you don't leave yourself vulnerable to a mismatch, so somebody can take advantage of you."
And does Nolan feel like his nickel defenses have been successful this season?
"Sure," Nolan answered. "The Seattle game, that was the lowest-percentage game that quarterback (Matt Hasselbeck) has ever had. We got a couple picks in the game. Obviously, we didn't get as many sacks as you'd like, but you have a better chance of getting sacks with the group out there than with the regular group. When you have a good game, you like what you did. "The disappointment of the day (against the Saints) had more to do with the explosive passes than anything else. It wasn't a scheme issue."
Young: Candlestick is Home
Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young spoke with a few local camera crews on Thursday after filming a segment for ESPN over at Stanford. The 49ers legendary quarterback will be honored this Sunday at halftime of the 49ers game vs the Patriots when San Francisco retires his #8 jersey.
“I’m kind of glad there’s not a new stadium,” said Young. ”A lot of people have been sitting in those seats for 30 years and they went through that whole time with me and Joe, the 49ers and Bill, everybody - Jerry. So it’s kind of a nostalgic feeling. I think the Hall of Fame was nostalgic for me going back to even when I was little, but this is very intimate because the 49ers is who I was and who I became. I remember being back at my first practice in Redwood City in 1987 and it just reminds me of that moment when I walked out to a team that had already won two Super Bowls in the last six years, and how little I felt. I remember thinking, ‘How am I ever going to do anything here with this group?’ You look at the names, and all of the famous names of those 80 teams. I thought, ‘I don’t know if I belong.’ Here I am, about to be the 11th player to have his jersey retired. It feels like wow, that’s an amazing run.”
Young hasn’t yet prepared his speech for Sunday, but he did promise that he will speak mostly to the 49ers Faithful. Running into fans and hearing them re-live some of his football moments from their perspective has become very special to him over the years, and that’s who he said he has the most to say back to this weekend.
In the immediate years following his retirement, watching football was “painful” because he still wanted to play. But at this point, Young enjoys watching the game like any other fan, and said he can’t wait to return to the field at Candlestick.
“Being on the field is huge. It’s Candlestick and it hasn’t changed at all. The smell, every time I’m at Candlestick, that kind of musty smell from the tides coming in, there’s a feel, a smell, it’s home. It hasn’t changed.”
Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young spoke with a few local camera crews on Thursday after filming a segment for ESPN over at Stanford. The 49ers legendary quarterback will be honored this Sunday at halftime of the 49ers game vs the Patriots when San Francisco retires his #8 jersey.
“I’m kind of glad there’s not a new stadium,” said Young. ”A lot of people have been sitting in those seats for 30 years and they went through that whole time with me and Joe, the 49ers and Bill, everybody - Jerry. So it’s kind of a nostalgic feeling. I think the Hall of Fame was nostalgic for me going back to even when I was little, but this is very intimate because the 49ers is who I was and who I became. I remember being back at my first practice in Redwood City in 1987 and it just reminds me of that moment when I walked out to a team that had already won two Super Bowls in the last six years, and how little I felt. I remember thinking, ‘How am I ever going to do anything here with this group?’ You look at the names, and all of the famous names of those 80 teams. I thought, ‘I don’t know if I belong.’ Here I am, about to be the 11th player to have his jersey retired. It feels like wow, that’s an amazing run.”
Young hasn’t yet prepared his speech for Sunday, but he did promise that he will speak mostly to the 49ers Faithful. Running into fans and hearing them re-live some of his football moments from their perspective has become very special to him over the years, and that’s who he said he has the most to say back to this weekend.
In the immediate years following his retirement, watching football was “painful” because he still wanted to play. But at this point, Young enjoys watching the game like any other fan, and said he can’t wait to return to the field at Candlestick.
“Being on the field is huge. It’s Candlestick and it hasn’t changed at all. The smell, every time I’m at Candlestick, that kind of musty smell from the tides coming in, there’s a feel, a smell, it’s home. It hasn’t changed.”
Wed, Oct 8 Carlos Holmes, of the Dayton Daily News, reports Cincinnati Bengals WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh has been the subject of trade rumors, according to a source. The San Francisco 49ers have shown interest in acquiring Houshmandzadeh, who will be an unrestricted free agent after this season. 49ers offensive coordinator Mike Martz is believed to be enamored of Houshmandzadeh and may have learned some positive things from a member of the Zampese family who Martz remains close to.
