What the San Francisco 49ers Must Improve Most Coming out of Week 8 Bye
The San Francisco 49ers were totally outclassed by the Denver Broncos in their most recent game. The final score was 42-17, and it could have been worse.
The 49ers now have a record of 4-3 and trail the Arizona Cardinals by two games in the loss column. The Niners are ahead of the Seattle Seahawks by one-half game, but the two teams are tied in the loss column.
The 49ers are a good team when their top players are on the field. However, injuries have taken a huge toll, and the 49ers are being forced to play several rookies and unproven players. In addition, the suspension of Aldon Smith has further decimated the defense.
The 49ers played the Broncos without Patrick Willis, Smith and NaVorro Bowman. Three of the starting linebackers from last season were all unable to play.
Other top defensive players that were out include Jimmie Ward, Chris Culliver and Glenn Dorsey. To make matters worse, cornerback Chris Cook had to leave the game due to a quadriceps injury. Cornerback Tramaine Brock returned but was torched by Peyton Manning and the Denver receivers.
Playing with so many of the top stars out on defense enabled Manning and the Denver offense to have a field day. Manning completed 22 of 26 pass attempts for 318 yards and four touchdowns.
Manning broke the NFL all-time record of 508 touchdown passes, formerly held by Brett Favre. With his four touchdown throws, Manning finished the game at 510.
The Denver offense rolled up 419 total yards, compared to the 49ers' 310.
49ers vs. Broncos game stats courtesy of scores.espn.go.com.
The injury bug is not limited to the 49ers defense. Left guard Mike Iupati missed the game due to a concussion and the starting center, Daniel Kilgore, was lost for the season with a broken leg.
The 49ers must avoid more major injuries or they will be in serious trouble. As it is right now, they are in jeopardy of missing the playoffs for the first time under head coach Jim Harbaugh.
The bye week could not have come at a better time for the 49ers. They are beaten up and need time to get healthy. Outside of Kilgore, Bowman and Dorsey, most of the injured players should be back when the 49ers return to action in two weeks against the Rams.
A return to good health is a big key to the 49ers' success, but there are several specific areas that also must improve for the 49ers to win consistently. Let's take a look at five critical areas that need to get better if the 49ers hope to get back on the winning track.
No. 5: Use More Screens, Flares and Draws
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The San Francisco 49ers offensive line was unable to keep the Denver pass rush off Colin Kaepernick. The Broncos sacked Colin Kaepernick six times and hurried and hit him on many other occasions. This is arguably the most mobile quarterback in the league, and to be sacked six times is a major problem.
With the offensive line struggling, it's time for 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman to utilize more screen and flare passes to slow down the pass rush. Roman needs to be more creative to help alleviate the pressure on Kaepernick.
It could be a simple flare pass to Frank Gore or Bruce Miller, and as a minimum, the play should gain five yards. If Gore or Miller can make a defender miss, this simple play can go for a much larger gain.
The 49ers also rarely incorporate the screen pass into their game plan. Whether it be a screen to a running back, tight end or wide receiver, this is also something that can slow down the pass rush.
The occasional draw play to Gore or Carlos Hyde is another strategy that can be very effective but is rarely used. In addition, Kaepernick on a quarterback draw can also generate good yardage and keep the pass rush off-balance.
Roman must do a better job of making in-game adjustments. The screens, flares or draws are all plays that can ease the pressure on the offensive line by slowing down a fierce pass rush.
No. 4: Vernon Davis Must Play Better
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It happens so frequently that it cannot be a coincidence. When a player misses significant time in training camp due to a holdout or injury, they typically do not have a great season. They frequently get hurt or simply do not produce up to expectations.
The 49ers have four prime examples of this in Alex Boone, Anthony Davis, Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis.
Davis was coming off a good year in 2013 when he caught 52 passes for 850 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also started 15 of the 49ers' 16 regular-season games and was selected to his second Pro Bowl.
However, with two years remaining on his contract, Davis did not participate in the 49ers' offseason minicamps or OTAs. He wanted to renegotiate his contract, which did not happen.
Although Davis did report to the 49ers' actual training camp on time, he got injured right away and has been battling injuries all season.
Davis appears to be the type of player who needs a lot of reps to play his best. That practice time has not been there for him, and he has performed very poorly with penalties and several dropped passes.
In 2014, Davis has already missed two of the 49ers' first seven games. He has only 14 receptions for just 142 yards and two touchdowns.
With 2013 second-round draft pick Vance McDonald looking more like a potential bust, or at best an underachiever, it is critical for both Davis and the 49ers that he returns to his old form immediately.
At his best, Davis creates matchup problems for a defense and is an effective red-zone target. He has the speed to get deep and make big plays down the field. Davis is also a good blocker, when healthy.
Davis will be 31 years of age in late January, and his current performance is not something that will translate into a contract extension coming from GM Trent Baalke.
Quite the opposite is happening, as Davis' poor play and lack of production is justifying the 49ers' decision not to cave in to his holdout.
Davis is slated to make slightly over $7 million in 2015, and if his play does not improve dramatically, he could be on his way out. The cap hit the 49ers would take if they released Davis before the 2015 season would be just above $2 million. That's a savings of roughly $5 million, which can be utilized elsewhere.
Stats courtesy of pro-football-reference.com.
Contract data courtesy of spotrac.com.
No. 3: Be More Diligent with the Ground Attack
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In the three games the 49ers have lost, against Chicago, Arizona and Denver, Frank Gore had only 13, six and nine carries respectively. These three games constituted the fewest attempts he's had all season. He rushed for a total of only 93 yards in those three losses.
In the 49ers' four victories, Gore has averaged 18.5 carries and 82.5 yards per game.
The San Francisco offensive line is having major problems in pass protection. As a unit, they are better run blockers, and the 49ers need to play to their strengths.
By being more diligent with the ground game, the 49ers will also keep their injury-plagued defense off the field and give them more rest.
A fierce pass rush can be neutralized by a strong ground attack. At this point in the season, better offensive balance is needed and the 49ers coaching staff needs to protect their struggling offensive line. A strong running game can help do that, as well as make play-action passes more successful.
Stats courtesy of pro-football-reference.
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No. 2: The Defensive Secondary Still Has Holes
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The 49ers defensive secondary gave us some hope in their wins against the Rams and Chiefs. Unfortunately, that did not last against Peyton Manning and the Denver offense.
Manning repeatedly found open receivers and completed 22 of his 26 pass attempts. He threw for 318 yards and four touchdowns. It actually could have been worse had Denver not replaced Manning with backup Brock Osweiler in the fourth quarter.
Including the nickel cornerback, the 49ers went into the season with only two defensive backs that started for them in 2013. That means there are three new faces in the secondary, and it takes time to build that continuity.
Injuries have decimated this unit, as Tramaine Brock, who returned against Denver, had played only one quarter of football all season. Brock probably wishes he waited until after the upcoming bye week to return, because he was victimized repeatedly by the Broncos receivers.
Brock was frequently lined up trying to defend Demaryius Thomas. This was easy pickings for Manning, as Thomas caught eight passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns. Although not all the receptions were against Brock, many were.
Perrish Cox who started the year as a backup had played well in a starting role most recently. Unfortunately, Cox would learn that the Denver offense was much more lethal than that of the Rams or Chiefs.
Eric Reid and Antoine Bethea were the only two mainstays in the secondary and their presence was not enough.
Nickel cornerback Jimmie Ward missed the game with an injury and to make matters even worse, reserve cornerback Chris Cook, who was playing in place of the injured Chris Culliver, also got hurt.
In addition to Cook, the 49ers were forced into using additional reserves Donte Johnson and Craig Dahl in the secondary. Against the high-powered Denver offense that was not going to work.
The 49ers defensive backfield must get healthy and continue to progress as a unit.
Denver vs. San Francisco game stats courtesy of scores.espn.go.com.
No. 1: The Pass Protection of the Offensive Line Must Improve
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The most glaring problem facing the San Francisco 49ers is with the offensive line and poor pass protection.
The situation got much worse this past Sunday when starting center Daniel Kilgore went down with a broken leg. He, along with left tackle Joe Staley, were the only two offensive lineman playing well on a fairly consistent basis. Unfortunately, Kilgore is lost for the season.
The remainder of the San Francisco offensive line is in shambles.
Left guard Mike Iupati suffered a broken ankle in the NFC title game last season. He returned to start the season but missed the Denver game with a concussion. Iupati should be back to face the Rams after the bye week.
Iupati is a devastating run blocker, but he can be inconsistent at times in pass protection. Nevertheless, the left side of the 49ers offensive line with Iupati and Staley is the strength of that unit.
The Kilgore injury further destabilizes a very shaky offensive line. Kilgore had been playing well, and there is a huge question mark at the center position.
Tyler Emerick of 49ers.com reports that head coach Jim Harbaugh will give rookie Marcus Martin the first opportunity to start at the center position. Martin, who has battled a leg injury has yet to play in a regular-season NFL game.
If Martin is ineffective, look for Dillon Farrell, an undrafted free agent, to step in.
In addition to the new issue at the center position, the right side of the 49ers line has been a problem all year.
Left tackle Anthony Davis missed virtually all of training camp with an assortment of injuries and has been unable to stay healthy once the season began. Davis has missed five of the 49ers' first seven games and has struggled in the games he did play.
Having missed so much practice time, Davis' footwork, techniques and conditioning are not up to par.
Davis' backup, Jonathan Martin, has played in every game and started the five games that Davis missed. He has been barely adequate and is a backup for a reason.
Reserve Joe Looney started the first two games of the season, as Alex Boone missed time due to his holdout. Looney has appeared in every game this year and, like Martin, has been adequate. Neither Looney nor Martin can be considered dominant and are mediocre, at best.
The biggest disappointment has been the play of Alex Boone. He did not attend training camp, as he wanted to renegotiate his contract. He reached a deal just before the season began, but he missed the first two games, as he tried to get into shape.
Like Iupati and Davis, Boone is a much better run blocker than he is in pass protection. He has frequently been out of position or simply whiffed on his blocking assignments against defensive line stunts or blitzes.
Boone is still not playing at the level he was in 2013, as his absence in training camp has definitely hurt him.
More than any other unit on a football team, offensive line play requires that the group is in sync and working together. In addition to being beaten far too often in one-on-one battles, the lack of cohesion along the 49ers offensive line is a major problem.
With Kilgore's injury, the inconsistent pass protection and lack of continuity of the offensive line is an issue that does not appear ready to be solved anytime soon.
What was once a core strength of the 49ers is now a weakness. If the 49ers have any hope of reaching the playoffs and making a run at the Super Bowl, the offensive line and pass protection must improve dramatically.
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