Archives
The San Francisco 49ers play the Minnesota Vikings this Sunday in the second preseason game for both teams. Preseason football can be difficult to watch because the games don’t count and as the game progresses, you are watching many players that have little or no chance of making the opening day roster.
Don’t expect to see much of Frank Gore, Vernon Davis or Michael Crabtree. Nevertheless, there are a few players to focus on, who will make watching this game much more interesting. Obviously, all eyes will be on Alex Smith–when he is in there. In addition, three players to watch closely in the upcoming game are Anthony Davis, Taylor Mays and Dominique Zeigler. These three should play a lot and their progress is very important to the 49ers.
Right tackle Anthony Davis did not fare well in the first game, against the Colts. Robert Mathis, a top pass rushing defensive end beat him consistently. Davis seemed to have particular trouble blocking his man when he was left out in space. The 49ers were forced to give Davis help by leaving a back in to help block on pass plays. Sunday’s game will be a good indicator to see if Davis has progressed.
Safety Taylor Mays is another player to watch. Mays was decent in the first game, although he seemed to be feeling his way, and a half step late on many plays. Mays has the athleticism to be an impact player and it will be interesting to see if he plays more instinctively in this game.
The 49ers envision a safety tandem of Dashon Goldson and Mays, two hard-hitting play makers. Veteran Michael Lewis may begin the season as the starter, but it’s likely just a matter of time before Mays takes over the position.
Receiver Dominique Zeigler is the other player to watch. He has been impressive in training camp and if he can carry that over into the games, he will solidify his position on the team. With Kyle Williams out due to injury and Brandon Jones released, Zeigler will get plenty of chances to make some plays. He can also show his value by impressing on punt return duty. He should get that opportunity with Williams out. A good showing by Zeigler will ensure his roster spot and get him more playing time.
The 49ers are hoping for big contributions from Davis, Mays and Zeigler. Focusing on these three players will make this preseason game against the Vikings much more interesting to watch. Their development will be a key to the Niners’ success.
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
This article was originally published by the author on his NFL website: NFLTouchdown.com
About six weeks ago, I wrote a column that posed the question of whether or not the San Francisco 49ers actually deserved to be the favorites to win the NFC West.
Undoubtedly, the 49ers are the clear favorite.
I mean even the NFL scheduling people decided to put San Francisco (an 8-8 team from last year) on Monday Night Football twice for the first time in years. Not only does San Francisco get division rival Arizona again on Monday night this season, but they also face off against the defending Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints for Week Two’s Monday Night Game.
And as most football fans know, one Monday night appearance means a team is at the very least exciting to watch. But TWO Monday night games is playoff worthy praise from the NFL schedulers.
Now with the way the NFL has been working in recent seasons, only one team coming out of the NFC West will qualify for the postseason.
Considering this trend is bound to continue in 2010, the 49ers are going to have to win the division to live up to this year’s “playoffs or bust” expectations.
These expectations shouldn’t be difficult to reach when we consider the mediocrity of the fellow teams that call the NFC West home, but after seven straight years without a single playoff appearance, do the 49ers want to back into the playoffs be default?
With the seemingly quiet offseason the 49ers have had, it seems San Francisco is comfortable returning the core squad that reached 8-8 last season.
After all, other than their 2010 rookie class, the 49ers only acquired only two semi-note worthy veteran players this offseason.
First and foremost is veteran defensive end/outside linebacker Travis Laboy.
After missing all of last season for the Cardinals with a foot injury, the former Tennessee Titan signed on with the 49ers in mid-April. By coming to San Francisco, Laboy now joins a group of inconsistent pass rushing talent on the 49er defense. Outside of the premier defensive end in Justin Smith, the 49ers have a group of pass rushers in Parys Haralson, Manny Lawson, Ahmad Brooks and Isaac Sopoaga who bring raw talent to the table, but for whatever reason none of them make half the impact on the field that teammate and defensive captain Patrick Willis makes at middle linebacker.
Secondly, the 49ers also acquire a deep threat in the speedy Ted Ginn Jr. as a return specialist/wideout but Ginn has been nothing but a disappointment since being drafted ninth overall by Miami back in 2007.
When it comes to veteran pickups this offseason, that is essentially all she wrote for San Francisco.
The 49ers have signed a couple of other non-noteworthy veterans to compete for roster spots but Laboy and Ginn are the only “significant” veteran acquisitions.
But to be fair, the 49ers did have two first round draft choices to which they used to “bolster” the offensive line. Unfortunately, rookies are rookies and both tackle Anthony Davis and guard Mike Iupati have a huge learning curve as transitioning from college to the NFL as an offensive lineman is one of the hardest transitions to make.
Whether or not these two can fix the 49ers offensive line problems in their first seasons is a big question mark.
Now not only are there big expectations for the two first round picks but the 49ers are also high on safety Taylor Mays who they took in round two. With incumbent starting safety Michael Lewis clearly in the twilight of his career, the 49ers were in definite need of adding depth at the safety position and Mays is a physical specimen.
But if Lewis falls apart, will Mays be ready to step in as a starter in his rookie season? Possibly, but all reports indicate he still has a lot to learn about the NFL game. He has the raw skills but lacks the foundation that still needs to be developed.
All this said, the point to my last article was whether or not the 49ers had done enough to truly deserve to be considered favorites this year. And looking back on the article, the word “earn” probably serves better than “deserve” in the argument I was attempting to form.
Ergo, have the 49ers really earned the title of favorites?
Between the way the key players played last season for San Francisco and the combined talent of the new acquisitions, the 49ers clearly haven’t earned the right to be favorites.
They were a .500 team last year and with only questionable veterans and rookies added to the squad, the 49ers won’t make the playoffs if the same level of performance is put forth by the returning players.
Fortunately for 49er fans, there is plenty of reason to believe that the key returning players will perform at new levels in 2010.
First and foremost is that quarterback Alex Smith will be able to go through training camp without looking over his shoulder and will be playing under the same offense for a second year in a row which should do wonders for his on-field confidence and awareness.
Combine a new found familiarity with the offense, and the knowledge that it is his make or break season, Smith’s accuracy throwing the ball should increase tremendously.
And while quarterback is the most important position on the field, the offensive line play from returning starters in Joe Staley, Eric Heitmann, and Chilo Rachal has to be better. There are no ifs ands or buts about it, even the more highly thought of 49er lineman didn’t play up to their capabilities last season.
Furthermore, star receiver Michael Crabtree will now have a training camp under his belt and his production as the top wideout must increase. Especially when it comes to putting points on the board, Crabtree needs to find the endzone at a much more frequent pace than his two in 11 games last season.
Defensively, Lawson and Haralson need to find consistency rushing the passer because last season the 49ers gave opposing quarterbacks way too much time to scan the field.
These players in particular didn’t live up to the expectations last year for various reasons, but with their spurts of impressive play from last season, combined with a weaker division, expectations for the team have sky rocketed.
Now had the 49ers spent more money on bigger names in free agency to fix some of the immediate needs, then yes, making the playoffs this year would seem much closer to a certainty.
However, even if the 49ers had spent more money in free agency over the offseason, it is the play of the returning starters that is going dictate whether or not they bring this once proud franchise back to the postseason.
It is up to the Lawson’s, the Haralson’s, the Staley’s, the Crabtree’s and the Alex Smith’s of this team to reach new levels of performance. Because if they don’t, this team won’t make the playoffs.
Even had they added, for example, a Julius Peppers defensive standout and a Logan Mankins type offensive lineman, it would still come down to the returning players to get the job done.
The NFC West is a division available for the taking and if the 49ers’ young talent comes of age in 2010, San Francisco will return to the playoffs for the first time since 2002.
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
My first real memory of the Philadelphia Eagles occurred back in 1988, when our beloved Birds traveled out to Chicago for a divisional playoff game.
I really didn’t comprehend the meaning of the game or what the heck was going on. I was only a six-year-old brat, but the game was awesome.
There was fog all over the place, nobody could see anything, and it looked like the perfect setting to play a football game.
Little did I know the setting was horrible, the game was ugly, and it ultimately cost the Eagles, as they were handled by the Bears 20-12 in what soon became known as “The Fog Bowl.”
That was the game that sparked my interest in football, and more importantly the Eagles. Even though Randall Cunningham threw for 407 yards, I soon became fascinated with the defense, and my true love affair with the Eagles took off.
I had no idea who was good or what made them good. But I routinely heard names like Reggie White, Jerome Brown, Wes Hopkins, and Andre Waters.
It was a great era for the Eagles defense, and right around the age of 10 I finally realized why I liked those players: They put the fear of God in the opposition.
I know, I know, it sounds weird for a 10-year-old to get pumped up about football players intimidating the opposition, but I just thought it was the greatest thing going.
The Eagles defense in the early ’90s simply dominated teams. But before I knew it White left to play for the Packers, Brown tragically died, and others saw their careers come to an end.
None of it mattered though. Somehow, someway, the Eagles always found a way to fill the roster with guys who, well, for lack of a better phrase, put the fear of God in the opposition.
Even during the 1998 season, when the Eagles went 3-13, there were players like Hugh Douglas, William Thomas, and Brian Dawkins who physically imposed their will against anyone that challenged them.
Eventually I saw the Eagles rise to greatness in 2004 as they went to their first Super Bowl during my tenure as a fan. Players the like of Jeremiah Trotter, Derrick Burgess, Michael Lewis, and Dawkins intimidated players throughout the season and physically beat the living hell out of anyone that came near them.
But now a funny thing has happened: No one on this defense puts any kind of fear in anyone. Actually, I take that back. The defense has put fear in our fans. We sit back nearly every game fearing if the defense will get gashed.
More importantly, who does the opposition fear now? I’m not saying we don’t have talent out there, but I am dangerously close to tossing around the “s” word, which in this case is “soft.”
Is Quintin Mikell going to make a receiver think twice before crossing the middle like Dawkins and Waters did before him?
Are Trent Cole, Juqua Parker, or Brandon Graham going to make a quarterback’s voice tremble in fear while calling an audible like White and Douglas before them?
Is Stewart Bradley going to look like a man possessed by some unworldly demons while looking into the backfield like Byron Evans and Trotter before him?
I don’t get the sense that anyone on this roster can do any of those things.
The Eagles always went through their ups and downs while I was a fan, and this season may be considered a down year. That’s fine—I can deal with that. But I can’t live with a defensive unit that is soft.
Hopefully someone will step up this season and remind me why I became an Eagles fan.
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
Continuing my positional rankings for the decade that was, safeties are up. I felt no need to break this into free and strong because most of these guys have played both at different times in their careers and if you investigate further you see the defensive scheme means a lot more than the free or strong label.
This was a tough position to break down with a lot of good candidates. Some guys who just missed out were Brock Marion, Antoine Bethea, Michael Lewis, Chris Hope, Kerry Rhodes, and the guy in the photo above, Bob Sanders. These guys either didn’t have enough time in the league or just missed the cut for other reasons. Sanders’ omission is obviously because of time missed.
Feel free to comment and let me know what you like or dislike about the list. Everyone’s input is welcome. So without further ado, here is my top 10 from the last decade.
***UPDATE*** As always I listen to the readers and someone pointed out my terrible miss on Mike Brown so he has been added to the list at number eight. I would also like to include Sean Taylor in the honorable mentions, whom unfortunately left this world just as he was entering his prime.
Who will be on the 53-man roster for the 49ers when the 2010 season begins? Some of the cast members are obvious. Others, not so much. There’s a long, hot summer left. A scorcher full of OTAs, training camp, and pre-season games to separate the best from the rest awaits.
Some restricted free agents are getting let off the leash, and as teams streamline their rosters, the tide of the waiver wire will roll in. Recall the 49ers claiming pass rush beast Kevin Greene in the mid-late 90′s.
For rabid fans, however, it’s never to early to make predictions.
Many picks are straightforward, but there’s always room for a little controversy.
Roll it!
QBs
1—Alex Smith
2—David Carr
3—Nate Davis
Taking three quarterbacks into a season is common practice. Smith and Carr are no-brainers. Davis could face a little camp competition from Jarrett Brown, but I expect him to advance much faster given the year of Jimmy Raye’s offense under his belt.
RBs
4—Frank Gore
5—Glenn Coffee
6—Anthony Dixon
Frank Gore can now take a down off every once in a while, thanks to his backup-by-committee understudies.
FB
7—Moran Norris
Norris, a work-hours blocker every week may be the most underrated back on the team, but he as as much job security as anyone.
WRs
8—Michael Crabtree
9—Josh Morgan
10—Kyle Williams
11—Ted Ginn Jr.
12—Jason Hill
Five wide receivers should be sufficient when two of them can take kicks to the house. Williams will likely be a slot guy when third-and-long situations come up. Hill and Morgan provide reasonable sized targets as well, and Ginn Jr gives them a speed threat they haven’t had in the past. Do I really have to mention what Crabtree can do? Didn’t think so.
OL
13—Joe Staley
14—Mike Iupati
15—Eric Heitmann
16—Chilo Rachal
17—Anthony Davis
18—Barry Simms
19—Davis Baas
Staley and Heitmann are locks to start. Rachal, Baas and Iupati should play musical chairs over the guard spots (with Iupati eventually locking the left side down) and Simms will tutor Davis for a few weeks before stepping aside for the rookie.
TEs
20—Vernon Davis
21—Delanie Walker
22—Nate Byham
Captain Vernon has had his spot locked—no question. Walker and Byham have very different specialties, and each have their place on the 53.
Specialists
23—Andy Lee
24—Joe Nedney
25—Brian Jennings
Someone’s got to kick it, someone’s got to punt it, and someone’s gonna have to long-snap it. Capiche?
DL
26—Justin Smith
27—Isaac Sapoaga
28—Aubrayo Franklin
29—Rick Jean Francois
30—Kentwan Balmer
31—Demitric Evans
32—Ray McDonald
This may seem like a lot of defensive linemen for a 3-4 scheme, but special teams will need some big bodies. Also, it they get stuck defending a lengthy drive, substitutions are available.
LBs
33—Patrick Willis
34—Navarro Bowman
35—Ahmad Brooks
36—Parys Haralson
37—Travis LaBoy
38—Manny Lawson
39—Takeo Spikes
Only an ignoramus would believe the 49ers lack depth at linebacker. After cutting through the fat, the corp could be the best in the league. Bowman will do some on-the-job learning; they didn’t draft him in the third just so they could cut him.
DBs
40—Dashon Goldson
41—Nate Clements
42—Michael Lewis
43—Shawntae Spencer
44—Tarell Brown
45—Taylor Mays
46—Karl Paymah
47—Will James
48—Phillip Adams
Nine defensive backs should do the trick, and the starters should be pretty obvious. The other fellas will either come in on passing situations or make plays on special teams. Intrigue surrounds Taylor Mays, as fans drool over the upside he might bring.
Misc.
With five roster spots left, the competition is going to tight, tight, tight! lets assume Singletary is going to adopt a who-wants-it-more philosophy here—maybe make them play king of the ring for a spot or two—and see who really loves to play physical football.
49—Cody Wallace
50—Brit Miller
51—Scott McKillop
52—Matt Wilhelm
53—Michael Robinson
Cody Wallace, with very limited playing time in two years, is hungry to prove himself; it dosn’t hurt to play backup center either, should the need arise. Brit Miller, who played on the practice squad last year before being activated in week 13 last season, should make the roster based on his versatility and grit, much like McKillop and Wilhelm. Michael Robinson, the jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none special teams captain, should make the final cut.
MC / PS
Some guys just won’t make the team. Hopefully they don’t get discouraged, and they stick around with the practice squad. Here are some of the guys I’d like to see hang out for a while and try to improve.
Jarrett Brown—QB
Alex Boone—OL
Adam Snyder—OL
Brian de la Puente—OL
Chris Patrick—OL
Tony Wragge—OL
Khalif Mitchell—DL
Derek Walker—DL
Jehu Caulcrick—FB
LeRoy Vann—DB
Reggie Smith—DB
Chris Maragos—DB
Taylor Curtis—DB
Keith Smith—DB
Patrick Stoudamyer—DB
Keaton Kristick—LB
Mike Balogun—LB
Diyral Briggs—LB
Martail Burnett—LB
Brandon Long—LB
Joe Jon Finley—TE
Tony Curtis—TE
Bakari Grant—WR
Brandon Jones—WR
Scott Long—WR
Scot Long—WR
Dominique Zeigler—WR
Jared Perry—WR
Shane Andrus—K
It’s so har do say good bye. “Thank god Eddie didn’t have to cut guys” Bill Walsh once said of Debartolo, “or they’d never have gotten cut.”
Synopsis
It’s early June, a good time to predict the roster in spite of (or because of) the excessive variables to come. Injuries, acquisitions, and players’ improvements will determine the final roster. The big pieces are pretty obvious. The little ones will fill in the gaps. When a player or two inevitably find themselves on the injured reserve list, there’s always an understudy somewhere on the practice squad.
But it’s a long, hot road to the 53.
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
