OTA's/Mini Camp/Training Camp pics Thread

[VAfy-ya]

Originally Posted by bigbluedefense

I don't know if your new targets will necessarily improve your redzone scoring. I think it will lead to more points bc you grabbed a bunch of explosive playmakers, but none of them other than maybe Moss are legitimate redzone threats in a shorter field. They're all field stretchers.

What Im saying is I believe the red-zone woes was more so a lockout/scheme issue. Not really a QB or personel issue. Our red-zone play-callling left alot to be desired. I can only hope that was due to the time constraits of the lock-out and not having the whole playbook installed.

[bigbluedefense]

Originally Posted by VAfy-ya

What Im saying is I believe the red-zone woes was more so a lockout/scheme issue. Not really a QB or personel issue. Our red-zone play-callling left alot to be desired. I can only hope that was due to the time constraits of the lock-out and not having the whole playbook installed.

It's hard being successful in the redzone when you don't have targets on the outside. To be successful in the redzone, you need 2 things:

1. ability to run in the redzone
2. big targets who can keep guys out of the box, 1 on the outside and 1 on the inside.

The 49ers are missing that guy on the outside. So the box gets packed and it's harder to run in the redzone bc they're not afraid of the outside guys getting open down the field in a shorter redzone in 1 on 1 coverage.

When you don't that, it's hard to score, regardless of what plays you call.

[49ersfan_87]

Originally Posted by VAfy-ya

Meh, Alex was a quarter away from a SB, having really only two legitmate receiving targets and a bunch of pratice squad guys on the outside. All we need is to improve in the red zone and on third downs and the rest will work itself out. I have no doubt the red zone numbers will improve because Alex over last few years has been one of the best QBs in that area up until last year so he has shown ability in that part of the field. 3rd down was as much a personel and coaching problem as it was a QB problem so hopefully we're on the right track with that.

This is all true, but things aren't going to stay the same this year. We won games last year with a stifling, turnover forcing defense, studly special teams, and ball control offense that was clutch in the end. That's not a sustainable formula (especially the +28 TO ratio). We're going to need Alex to convert more third downs, redzone opportunities, and we need more chunk yardage plays. We're going to give him more responsibility and it remains to be seen how he responds. No excuses for him not to as this is a championship caliber team otherwise.

[villagewarrior]

Originally Posted by broncosfan

Just an old guy with neck problems.

Haha, he can't even buckle his chinstrap!

[VAfy-ya]

Originally Posted by bigbluedefense

It's hard being successful in the redzone when you don't have targets on the outside. To be successful in the redzone, you need 2 things:

1. ability to run in the redzone
2. big targets who can keep guys out of the box, 1 on the outside and 1 on the inside.

The 49ers are missing that guy on the outside. So the box gets packed and it's harder to run in the redzone bc they're not afraid of the outside guys getting open down the field in a shorter redzone in 1 on 1 coverage.

When you don't that, it's hard to score, regardless of what plays you call.

I beg to differ. The red zone is a compressed area. One on one the outside rarely means much because few teams are going to man up across the board inside the 20(nor should they). IMO, the red-zone is more so about creating match-ups, scheme and excecution. We've usually been a pretty good red zone team, Alex included, before last year and we didnt have nearly as many weapons on the outside as we have now. That leads me to believe it was more scheme/timing/reps kind of a deal. Jimbaugh had to teach a totally new offense with totally new techniques and discplines. Im sure carving out time for red-zone specific plays and fine tuning those in pratice was few and far between intially. Thats a area of the field where alot reps are needed and chemsitry across the board have to be developed.

[bigbluedefense]

Originally Posted by VAfy-ya

I beg to differ. The red zone is a compressed area. One on one the outside rarely means much because few teams are going to man up across the board inside the 20(nor should they). IMO, the red-zone is more so about creating match-ups, scheme and excecution. We've usually been a pretty good red zone team, Alex included, before last year and we didnt have nearly as many weapons on the outside as we have now. That leads me to believe it was more scheme/timing/reps kind of a deal. Jimbaugh had to teach a totally new offense with totally new techniques and discplines. Im sure carving out time for red-zone specific plays and fine tuning those in pratice was few and far between intially. Thats a area of the field where alot reps are needed and chemsitry across the board have to be developed.

Teams actually play a ton more man coverage in the redzone bc they're not afraid of getting beat deep. You also see a lot more blitzing.

Players make plays man. The windows close a lot faster in the redzone, I bet if we go back and put on the tape we can find someone open on most plays in the redzone and Smith just didn't locate them.

[bigbluedefense]

That's not a knock on Smith btw, that's something that's true in general. When we go back and look at the tape, Im sure you can find someone open on literally almost every play run during a game. The qb just didn't locate them. Some locate open guys more than others, which is why some qbs are better than others.

Which is why you see Coordinators get so mad at fans and the media when we're like "why didn't they do this or that?" bc most of the time they actually did incorporate those concepts but they just didn't work, or the play they called actually was a good play call but wasn't executed properly.

Execution. It's the name of the game.

Every bad run was the result of a bad block, or a bad decision by the RB. Every bad pass play was bc of the qb not identifying the open man, or a guy ran the wrong route, or a guy didn't release properly etc.

Execution. Nobody ever designed a play that was designed to not work.

My main beef with play callers is that some refuse to adjust to their players. Thats when I have a problem.

[Ness]

Originally Posted by 49ersfan_87

This is all true, but things aren't going to stay the same this year. We won games last year with a stifling, turnover forcing defense, studly special teams, and ball control offense that was clutch in the end. That's not a sustainable formula (especially the +28 TO ratio). We're going to need Alex to convert more third downs, redzone opportunities, and we need more chunk yardage plays. We're going to give him more responsibility and it remains to be seen how he responds. No excuses for him not to as this is a championship caliber team otherwise.

Yes, we most definitely need to get more out of our quarterback position if we expect to be in the playoffs year after year. I highly doubt the defense plays like it did last year where we had an insane amount of turnovers. We have a much harder schedule coming up including the Saints, Patriots, and Packers all on the road. Alex needs to step it up.

Originally Posted by bigbluedefense

Teams actually play a ton more man coverage in the redzone bc they're not afraid of getting beat deep. You also see a lot more blitzing.

Players make plays man. The windows close a lot faster in the redzone, I bet if we go back and put on the tape we can find someone open on most plays in the redzone and Smith just didn't locate them.

To be fair, our offense line isn't the best in the world. In pass protection last year at least. And I remember our talent in the redzone just wasn't that great to begin with. Even outside the redzone, Crabtree, Williams, and Ginn were our top three receivers last season. Not exactly game breakers, and not exactly redzone threats. The only guy we had was Vernon Davis, and it wasn't until later in the season we actually went his way on designed plays instead of tossing fade routes to Williams and Ginn in the hopes that they'd make the play. I remember a play in particular against the Steelers where Alex did locate Kyle Williams in the back of the endzone, but of course he didn't complete his route and stopped short.

[VAfy-ya]

Originally Posted by bigbluedefense

That's not a knock on Smith btw, that's something that's true in general. When we go back and look at the tape, Im sure you can find someone open on literally almost every play run during a game. The qb just didn't locate them. Some locate open guys more than others, which is why some qbs are better than others.

Which is why you see Coordinators get so mad at fans and the media when we're like "why didn't they do this or that?" bc most of the time they actually did incorporate those concepts but they just didn't work, or the play they called actually was a good play call but wasn't executed properly.

Execution. It's the name of the game.

Every bad run was the result of a bad block, or a bad decision by the RB. Every bad pass play was bc of the qb not identifying the open man, or a guy ran the wrong route, or a guy didn't release properly etc.

Execution. Nobody ever designed a play that was designed to not work.

My main beef with play callers is that some refuse to adjust to their players. Thats when I have a problem.

I absolutely agree. Its one of the reasons I loathe Mike Martz to this day.

As for the Niners, I thought we were just ultra conserative in the red-zone. And that being the only part of the field Alex had been stout pretty much the last several years, it was mind-boggling really. I dont know if that was a testment to the QB or what but I would like to see more diversity in play-calling and formation, less package-spefic plays and personel. Anytime I look over on the sideline and see my #1 WR on a crticial 3rd down red-zone pass play, I have to wonder are we out-thinking ourselves just a bit.

[VAfy-ya]

Ah yes......the Ginn fade route. One of the many "wtf" moments of our red-zone play-calling.

[phlysac]

The irony of the 49ers' woes in the redzone is...

Alex Smith had the NFL's best QB rating inside the redzone in 2010.

[KCStud]

POE! Note: he doesn't look like a 346 lb man. He holds his weight very very well unlike fat slob Terrence Cody.



And my man Baldwin. This guy is gonna be a playmaker this year!

[fenikz]

QBs


Bradley


Doucet & Rashad Johnson


D-Wash


D-Wash punishing himself for a dropped INT


PP,Adams and ***


PP INT


PP vs Fitz


Fitz


Floyd


O-Scho


Housler & Dray

[Monomach]

Brandon Marshall's first time in a Bears uniform.

/splooge

[Wootylicous]

I <3 Jim Dray

[killxswitch]

Marshall looks part Asian.

[phlysac]

Brian Jennings | Andy Lee | David Akers


Nate Byham


Aldon Smith

[XxXdragonXxX]

Robert Turbin


Richard Sherman


Matt Flynn


Russell Wilson


Bruce Irvin


Jeremy Lane


Bobby Wagner


Russell Wilson


Earl Thomas


Matt Flynn


Doug Baldwin


Mike Williams and Donny Lisowski

[SolidGold]

Mike Williams looks like he put on a little weight again

[VAfy-ya]

A little? He looks like a OT with that gut.

[killxswitch]

It's been bugging me for a while but I finally figured out that Bruce Irvin looks like a blacker Danny Trejo.



What is great is that I didn't know Trejo's name, so I Googled "Mexican actor that plays bad guys" and his Wiki page was the first result.

[FUNBUNCHER]

LOL. I love Google. Greatest internet app OF ALL TIME.

Matt Flynn is gonna have a big season for Seattle. I think they make a hard push for a wildcard.

THis just in; Mike Williams still has a weight problem. I remember when he was a frosh at USC, totally sculpted. Looked like the prototype for the position.


BMW better watch out he's going to find his ass out of work.

[VernonLawson89]

Bruce Irvin looks like Jar Jar Binks

[XxXdragonXxX]

Originally Posted by SolidGold

Mike Williams looks like he put on a little weight again

He definitely did. Hopefully its just because he was injured and wasnt able to workout all offseason. But I wouldn't be shocked if he just got lazy again.

[Bills2083]