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The Tape: Prepare to be Gored

Watching Frank Gore I wanted to be able to report that he's slowed or lost his preternatural ability to find seems. Too bad. Gore looks every bit the power, cutback rusher that laid a pair of mushroom clouds on us last year. The problem for San Francisco seems to be that their front five isn't getting much push. That's pretty forgivable against the Steeler's power trio. Just for kicks I decided to look back at Gore's two other bad showings to try and figure out if something tied them together. The answer would seemingly be bulk in the middle. Gabe Watson, Adam Carriker and Casey Hampton are 300+ pound, two-gap run stuffers. The Niners run up the middle with conviction, but Eric Heitmann is not getting good push and it looks like age has finally caught up with 35 y/o Larry Allen. He's as strong as ever, but so slow that he's simply not pushing his man fast enough to create a hole.

Still, that's against the Steelers.

Seattle has only one real wide body to strangle the middle and that's Brandon Mebane. I think with Chartric Darby a near non-entity thus far it might be time to give Mebane the start. It's certainly the more favorable matchup from the Hawks' perspective. It would seem given the Hawks' depth a tackle platoon wouldn't be hard to imagine, with Mebane getting most of the looks against power rushing teams and Darby against zone-blocking, passing heavy attacks. That is assuming that Darby is still better than Mebane in those situations, which, I guess is mootable.

The 49ers feature a power rushing attack not-dissimilar to the Cardinals. Both feature a lot of conservative personnel packages: multiple tight ends, fullbacks, H-backs, wide receivers tight and bunched--lots of designed rollouts. That style gave Seattle fits in week two. The scary proposition is take the near constant seams Edgerrin James was seeing and have Moran Norris lead blocking and Frank Gore rushing. So, yeah, the Hawks as-is are probably going to lose this matchup. Darby will be absorbed into Allen like a mutating Tetsuo, Norris will destroy whatever linebacker happens to be near that gap and Gore will live in the second level. Can't say I like that, but it's only the running game. Alex Smith still looks schizoid under pressure, as likely to run five yards back as throw the ball wildly on the run.

The Hawks are the better team, but between how Alexander matches against the Niners linebackers and the Niners rushing attack matches against Seattle's quick but small front seven, it would seem we are near conceding the run game on both sides of the ball. That's an awful big handicap to overcome and the reason that a clearly better Seahawks club went 0-2 versus the Niners in 2006, and may start 0-1 against them in 2007.

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The Eight Man Front
John Clayton wrote an interesting article this week.  Apparently the defensive adjustment of the year has been an increased use of eight man fronts: not only to provide better run stopping but to put increased pressure on the quarterback.  

The 49ers appear to be the perfect team to use this strategy against: they have a great running game, a young quarterback who doesn't handle the blitz well, and a lack of speed at receiver to punish the man-to-man outside.  

Marshall tends to be pretty conservative, and we don't have the prototypical run support safety (as opposed to last year, when it was all we had).  Still, do you think we might see Russell crowd the line more often this week?

by Patrick on Sep 25, 2007 2:50 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Hmmm
An interesting proposition, especially with a secondary that provided such a hit-and-miss performance last week.  We gave up some huge numbers to some spectacular receivers, but we also kept a dynamic and fluid offense from really scoring many points.

The secondary has a lot of talent, we might be able to get away with something like this....

How would Darby AND Mebane do, John?  

by jimmimoose on Sep 25, 2007 3:20 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

What was interesting last week
It was the first time in a while that our corners were playing man up defense. Where Tru had Johnson and Kelly had TJ. Most of the time our corners just play a side and stay there regardless of the receivers.

The most encouraging thing for me about last game is even when they gave up completions they were still in good position to make tackles.

I don't think I would have 8 in the box every play but I trust in our corners not to get burned

V. 1.0, mutherf***er, know what I'm sayin'?

by Scruffy Lefty on Sep 25, 2007 4:03 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I'll agree with that
Something that I've been seeing so far this year is a far more physical defense.  Last year we'd give up big receptions, miss a tackle, and give up huge plays all over the place.

We haven't really improved our scheme that much, I don't think, teams are still completing tons of plays against us.  TJ and Ocho were catching all day long.  But when they did catch it, we hammered 'em quick and hard, and left 'em battered.  

I missed some of the Arizona game, so I don't know if we were doing it the first half there, but I see our guys really hard-hitting this year so far like I haven't in a while.  It's fun to see us punishing some people again.  

by jimmimoose on Sep 25, 2007 5:02 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Hard hitting?
Aside from two hits last Sunday (Hill's hit on Rudi Johnson, and the scissor tackle/forced fumble on the last kickoff), it was a pretty soft showing from the defense.
I reject your reality and substitute my own!

by Phildopip on Sep 25, 2007 5:20 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Oh Reginald.....
I disagree!

The Hawks are flying to the ball, hammering guys, and laying 'em out.  Chad Johnson was holding his back after getting left out in the open across the middle several times last week, in obvious pain after a dual-tackle that was pretty savage.  Someone  mentioned over on FO how he seemed to be hearing footsteps most of the second half, cringing away from gathering in a couple of catchable balls.

I had the same thought during the TB game, the defense looked like it was actually capable of knocking down whoever had the ball, it wasn't only a guy wrapping up and waiting for three other Seahawks to come help gang tackle.  I've seen Trufant lay down some heavy poundings a couple of times, which is impressive for someone of his size.  

I'm not saying the Hawks are preventing other teams from gaining yards much better this year, I just see them hitting players with more energy and commitment than I remember from last season.  Whether that's going to translate into victories, I dunno, but I take it as an encouraging sign, anyway.  

Besides, what do you know? You were too busy stuffing your face with crabcakes from your super box seats, chowderhead!  :-)

by jimmimoose on Sep 25, 2007 6:49 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I think you sacrifice too much pass rush.
The decline from Bernard to Darby is pretty huge.

by John Morgan on Sep 25, 2007 7:37 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Terrill
Not that you have other things to do John, but I'd be curious to hear what you think (at some point in the season) about Craig Terrill's play.  I am not as observant or knowledgeable of line play as you, but it looks to me like he's been in the backfield a lot.  I seem to recall he blew up at least one running play to the offense's right against the Bungles.

I'm glad we have those two from Purdue.  Tney're both fun to watch.

by jeager on Sep 25, 2007 8:08 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Terrill
He's in the backfield a lot because Mebane (whom he cycles in with) is taking two or three blockers at a time.

by Bloof on Sep 26, 2007 3:34 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

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