San Francisco 49ers: Grade Report For The First Quarter Of The Season
The 2010 season is now 25% complete and now is the time to give the San Francisco 49ers their report card for the first quarter. The 49ers came out of the preseason with high hopes and playoff aspirations. Now, the Niners are 0-4.
I will grade out each area of the San Francisco football team. This first quarter report card will address what the 49ers have done well and also, where they are coming up short. The bottom line is, the 49ers need a tutor to improve their grades, as you will see.
Quarterback: Grade = D-
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Quarterback: Grade = D-
Alex Smith is in his sixth NFL season. There have been many excuses as to why Smith has not lived up to expectations.
First is the issue of the myriad of offensive coordinators. There is the shoulder injury that Smith suffered in 2007. Following surgery to repair the shoulder, Smith dd not play in 2008. Another frequent excuse was the lack of quality offensive weapons the 49ers had.
The time for Alex Smith to step forward is now. No more excuses. Four games into the 2010 season, Smith has one good outing and three poor ones. Alex Smith has a penchant for making huge mistakes, at key points in a game.
Alex Smith has something in common with Tim Rattay and Steve DeBerg. All three have had some good games and decent stats, but the one thing these quarterbacks all do is play just well enough to lose.
When it comes time to make a big play, it seems like all three of these players are unable to do it. The key mistake usually results in a 49er loss.
Thus far in 2010, Alex Smith has completed 93 out of 151 passes for a 61.6 average. Although this percentage is adequate, it does not tell the entire story.
Alex Smith has thrown for only 920 yards in four games, which is an average of 230 yards per game. There have also been no 300 yard passing games for Smith in 2010.
To further illustrate the inadequacy we are seeing at the quarterback position, Alex Smith has thrown seven interceptions, but only three touchdowns. His 66.1 quarterback rating is one of the lowest in the league for starting quarterbacks.
Running Backs: Grade = A-
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Running Backs: Grade = A-
This grade is really a grade for Frank Gore. He is doing everything you could ever ask of him. Gore plays almost every offensive play and is putting in a supreme effort.
Frank Gore's rushing stats are down, but that is an issue with the offensive line, not Gore. If given any room to run at all, Gore makes the most of it. His 73 carries for 270 yards is only an average of 3.7 yards per carry. This low average is the fault of the offensive line, as I mentioned, and also poor, unimaginative play calling.
What has impressed me is how well Gore has been doing in the passing game. When he came to the 49ers out of college, Gore was not a good receiver. He has learned how to catch the ball and is effective after the catch.
Frank Gore actually leads the team in receptions with 29, which is ten more than Vernon Davis. He also leads in receiving yards with 263.
The problem with this is that quarterback Alex Smith is dumping the ball off to Gore and not making plays down the field. While Gore's receiving stats are good, the Niners are not winning games.
Frank Gore gets the good grade, but the rest of the Niner offense is bringing him down.
Unfortunately, the 49er coaching staff have not utilized Brian Westbrook or Anthony Dixon hardly at all. I believe they can contribute, but are not being given the chance.
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends: Grade = D+
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Wide Receivers and Tight Ends: Grade = D+
The 49er offense has contracted to a point where defenses are stuffing the ten yard area within the line of scrimmage. Defenses are daring the 49ers to beat them deep, and they can't do it. This creates more traffic in this ten yard area, which results in more interceptions.
The added defenders also clog up the running lanes and make it hard for Frank Gore to bust loose.
The play of the 49er wide receivers and tight ends has not been effective. It all started in the preseason and is one of the most discouraging facets of this team.
Michael Crabtree sat out every preseason game, as he felt he was too good to participate. The result of this is that Crabtree had no chemistry with Alex Smith, which caused interceptions and numerous incomplete passes. The diva ego that Crabtree is bringing to the team has already caused one confrontation between he and Vernon Davis.
Wide receiver Josh Morgan has been decent, but he is more of a possession guy. Ideally, on a good team, Morgan is a third or fourth wide receiver, not a starter.
Ted Ginn has been out due to injury and was not being utilized when he was playing. The loss of Ginn has also had a negative impact on the 49er special teams.
I have liked the play of Dominique Zeigler. He is becoming more of a presence in the passing game and his block of an Atlanta punt created a touchdown for Taylor Mays.
Vernon Davis has been solid, although unspectacular. For the 49ers to play well on offense, Davis needs to return to his pro bowl play of last season. There are two reasons for Davis' quiet play. Weakness in the offensive line, means Davis often has to help out blocking. In addition, Alex Smith has been unable to connect with Davis, when he has been open.
Delanie Walker has made a few nice plays, but he also had a key fumble that cost the Niners dearly in the New Orleans game.
The fact that only Frank Gore has over twenty catches, is a major cause for concern. There have been many instances where the receivers have not worked hard enough to get open. This may be an issue of belief.
They may not believe Alex Smith will be able to get them the ball, so it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. They don't work hard enough to get free, so they're not open, so Smith dumps it off to Gore. They then think they're not going to get the ball anyway, so they don't work hard and it becomes a vicious cycle.
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Offensive Line: Grade = D
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Offensive Line: Grade = D
The San Francisco 49ers knew that they needed to bolster their offensive line. They made a bold step in this direction by drafting Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati in the first round of the most recent draft.
What we are seeing now is a work in progress. In the long run, I do believe the 49er offensive line will be a good one. What we are seeing now, however, are some tough growing pains.
An offensive lineman first needs to be able to handle his own job. We are seeing an issue with this first and most elementary phase of developing a good line.
Anthony Davis is a rookie and is making plenty of rookie mistakes. I understand that Mike Singletary wants Davis on the field to learn as quickly as possible, but it is hindering his offense. Davis should be playing in spot duty, until he can consistently show that he can pass block effectively.
Chilo Rachal, right guard, has also seemed to reach a plateau in his development. Injuries have hampered him, but he also gets beaten way too often to be a starting guard in the NFL. Rachal has seen his time go down, as the 49ers are frequently playing Adam Snyder in his stead.
The second key thing is that the offensive line needs to jell as a unit, where they trust each other and work together in sync. This is impossible when they can't even handle their own individual responsibilities.
Joe Staley is an above average left tackle and Mike Iupati is looking like he will be a stalwart on the line for years to come.
Starting the season with two rookie linemen and David Baas playing center for the first time, the Niner line is under construction.
The lack of consistent play from the line has caused Frank Gore's rushing totals to go way down and also has hindered the performance of Alex Smith. Smith is still jittery and very mistake prone when under pressure and the Niner line has not been able to consistently give Smith time to throw.
As I mentioned, I do believe this group can be a good offensive line in the long run. The problem is that the 49ers are digging themselves such a deep hole, the 2010 season is on the verge of being lost.
Defensive Line: Grade = C-
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Defensive Line: Grade = C-
The San Francisco 49ers do not have any true stars on the defensive line. What they do have are solid NFL veteran players. This is not a spectacular group, but a hard working, nose to the grindstone type.
Aubrayo Franklin, Justin Smith and Isaac Sopoaga have historically been strong against the run. Their forte' is to occupy offensive blockers, so the linebackers, led by Patrick Willis, can make the majority of the tackles.
In general, this group has done their job against the run, except for a team wide defensive meltdown in the game against the Chiefs.
The drawback of this unit has been the lack of pressure they're able to put on opposing quarterbacks. In all, including rush defensive end Ray McDonald, the Niners have just six total sacks. In addition, all of these sacks were from linebacker blitzes, none came from the core defensive line.
Linebackers: Grade = B-
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Linebackers: Grade = B-
Anytime you start with Patrick Willis, you're starting with an A+. Willis is simply one of the best linebackers in the NFL. Unfortunately, he cannot do it alone.
The rest of the linebacking corps have played well in spurts, but have also had breakdowns. Veteran Takeo Spikes, playing his 13th year in the NFL, has battled injury and seems to have lost a step or two. Spikes is being pressed hard by rookie Navorro Bowman.
Outside linebackers Manny Lawson and Parys Haralson have made some plays, but have also been inconsistent. Pass rushing specialists Travis LaBoy with two sacks and Ahmad Brooks with one, have not played up to expectations.
In fairness to LaBoy, he has not gotten as much playing time as expected. In Brooks' case, he is just rounding into shape after missing most of the preseason and also game one of the regular season, recovering from a lacerated kidney.
One of the keys to the 49er defense in 2009 was their ability to generate turnovers. Many of these turnovers were the direct result of strong play from the linebacking crew. We have not seen those same opportunistic results in 2010. In fact, after four games, the linebackers have no interceptions or fumble recoveries.
The San Francisco 49er linebackers need to play up to their billing, as one of the top defensive units in the NFC.
Defensive Secondary: Grade = C-
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Defensive Secondary: Grade = C-
The San Francisco 49er defensive backfield is undergoing a slight make over. Safety Michael Lewis, upset over losing his starting job, has quit the team. Lewis will be replaced by Taylor Mays, who played well in his first start last Sunday against the Falcons.
Mays was drafted to take over this spot, but the move happened earlier than expected. Mays is still learning and will make some rookie mistakes, but he also gives the 49ers a potential star in the defensive backfield.
Mays is a big hitter and has a world of athletic ability. As he learns the nuances of the position, we will see him make some big plays out there. The upside Mays brings over Lewis is tremendous.
The other safety Dashon Goldson is another big, fast defensive back with a lot of athleticism. The tandem of Mays and Goldson should be a fixture in the 49er secondary for years to come. Unfortunately, as young players, both are prone to the occasional mistake that can hurt you.
The corners are manned by Shawntae Spencer and Nate Clements. Both players have two interceptions this season, the only four the Niners have, in fact. Spencer has been steady, but Clements has had his ups and downs.
Nate Clements made a great play early in the Seattle game, intercepting Matt Hasselbeck and giving the 49ers great field position. Then, as the game progressed, he was repeatedly victimized by gambling for interceptions.
Clements also made a key interception against the Falcons that should have sealed a 49er win, late in the fourth quarter, Instead of catching the ball and falling down or simply running out of bounds, Clements tried to score. He was stripped of the ball by Falcon receiver Roddy White and lost it.
This gave Atlanta one final chance to move the ball with under two minutes to play. The Falcons got into field goal range and won the game. This was a gut wrenching defeat for the 49ers that again, stole defeat from the jaws of victory.
Ironically, in a similar play between these teams last season, Roddy White stripped Dre Bly of the ball, following Bly's interception.
The nickel and dime backs Tarell Brown and Reggie Smith, are nickel and dime backs for a reason. They are below average in coverage and have also given up key plays to the opposition.
The 49er secondary has not played well enough and needs to rely on a strong pass rush. With the pass rush not getting adequate pressure on opposing quarterbacks, this unit is exposed. They have not been awful, but a C- does not win many games.
Special Teams: Grade = C
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Special Teams: Grade = C
The San Francisco 49ers have one of the most reliable field goal kickers in the NFL. Unfortunately, because their offense has been so inept, we hardly get to see Joe Nedney.
Joe Nedney is perfect on field goals and extra points. The problem is he only has three field goals and five extra points. This is a man who is definitely not being over worked.
Punter Andy Lee had a poor game against the Saints, but outside of that, he has been solid. His 44.7 average ranks him as number twelve in the league.
The coverage units also had problems against the Saints, giving up two long returns. In general, however, they have been adequate.
The 49er return game seems to be improving, now that Kyle Williams is back as a return man. Williams has better than a 20 yard average on his four kick off returns thus far in the 2010 season. Williams should also bolster the punt return game for the 49ers, if he can stay healthy.
With the prior injuries to Williams and Ted Ginn Jr., Phillip Adams was called into duty. His muffed punt and subsequent recovery by the Saints, cost the 49ers a win.
One bright spot was the blocked punt by Dominique Zeigler, against the Falcons. The ball was recovered by Taylor Mays in the end zone, on a spectacular play, as Mays tip toed the end line, keeping his feet in bounds as he gained possession of the football for a touchdown. This was a highlight reel play, one of the few for the Niners thus far in 2010.
The special teams for the 49ers should continue to improve under new special teams coach Kurt Schottenheimer.
Coaching: Grade = D
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Coaching: Grade = D
The only reason I did not give the coaching staff an F is because Mike Singletary is still able to get the 49ers to play hard for him. He has not lost the team, even though they have lost four straight games.
Coach Singletary brings tremendous intangibles to the job. He is a leader and motivator. It remains to be seen, however, if he will be a good football coach.
Singletary has already had three players basically bolt the team. In the preseason, Glen Coffee, a reserve running back decided he was being called by a higher power and left to pursue those spiritual avenues.
Kentwan Balmer also forced himself out of San Francisco, with a poor attitude and work ethic. Balmer realized he was not in line to be a starter for the Niners and wanted out.
Most recently, Michael Lewis, a well respected member of the team, asked for and was granted his release. This also came after he was notified that he would lose his starting job to rookie Taylor Mays.
Mike Singletary is at risk of losing this team. With another loss or two, the players may quit listening to him. If the belief is that he does not have the technical knowledge to be a good head coach, all the motivational stuff that Singletary brings to the table is moot.
Mike Singletary is also responsible for the hiring of Jimmy Raye as offensive coordinator. Heading into the 2010 season, the buzzwords were continuity and consistency. Most people thought that Jimmy Raye's presence for a second year would work wonders for Alex Smith. Unfortunately, this did not happen.
Less than 24 hours after Singletary told the media he would keep Jimmy Raye at least until the season is over, he fired Raye and replaced him with QB coach, Mike Johnson.
With Mike Johnson running the offense, the 49ers did score on their first drive against Atlanta. They generally did look better, but they still only scored one offensive touchdown. Mike Johnson will need to open it up a bit more, if he is to be successful.
Defensive coordinator, Greg Manusky, generally has the 49er defense ready to play. The two exceptions to this are the games against Seattle and Kansas City. The Niner defense has played two strong games and two stinkers.
The 49er defense is supposed to lead this team to victory. Greg Manusky has a strong unit that has not yet lived up to their potential.
With his lack of coaching experience, Mike Singletary needs strong coordinators to handle the X's and O's of the game. I do consider Manusky a strong defensive coordinator, but the 49ers have not had good coaching on the offensive end.
Overall Grade = F
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Overall Grade = F
Anytime you have high expectations, but start out with an 0-4 record, your grade has to be an F.
Outside of Frank Gore, the 49ers have not had stellar play out of any phase of their game. When you combine the problems that all parts of the team are encountering, the combined result is failure.
This grade is just for the first quarter of the season and the 49ers have time to turn it around. A win against the Eagles this Sunday will be a huge step in the right direction. The 49ers are not out of the playoff chase, largely because the NFC West has no definitive power team.
If the San Francisco 49ers can get on the winning track, their mid season report card could be much different. The second quarter of the season is beginning. The 49ers are on academic probation right now and need to start passing their tests and winning games.
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