Zim’s Grades For The Game: Week 12 Edition

[13marino13]

Wow. Not the way I thought that one would go. Not by any stretch of the imagination. But…It did. The nightmare is real. Jimmy G breaks his foot in the first quarter? We should win that game 99% of the time. Not a good loss and the grades will reflect that. On to the grades:

QB’s — The Good: A great opening play to Sherfield. A long bomb to Hill. That’s it.

The Bad: Tua’s worst day as a pro IMO. 18 of 33 for 2 TD’s and 2 Picks. Not to mention the meaningless fumble for a TD. Not good enough. Period. I’m not sure what was going on, but Tua was missing throws he normally makes in his sleep. Awful today. I’m guessing the MVP talk is over for awhile. Almost forgot to add Thompson’s Int. Bad.

The Grade: F . A VERY winnable game fell into Tua’s lap…..And he was awful.

RB’s — The Good: Mostert had 7 rushes for 30 yards.

The Bad: Horribly under utilized. I’m not sure why we didn’t use these guys more. Especially if your QB is struggling. Regardless, our rushing attack was only good for 33 yards on the ground. Ingold had 15 yards receiving on 3 catches.

The Grade: F . Were they under utilized? Yes….But neither back looked great anyway. Especially in pass blocking.

TE’s: — The Good: Smythe had 2 catches for 21 yards.

The Bad: Gesicki was invisible. Dropped a 4th and 2 Pass. No real help over the middle. Nothing. I’m at the point where, as much as I think he has so much talent, I’m not going to miss Gesicki next year.

The Grade: F . Nowhere near a good enough effort.

WR’s — The Good: Hill was a beast out there. Waddle….Even when hurt scares teams. Sherfield with the 75 yd TD. Good effort by these guys.

The Bad: Not much really. They were the victims of poor QB play.

The Grade: B . They deserved better from the guy under center.

OL — Tua was NOT under pressure all game like in our losses last year. They actually played a decent game

The Bad — Joey Bosa got 3 sacks. No running lanes. While not a horrible game….It definitely wasn’t a good one.

The Grade: D + . This unit needs to be better next week or we’re in Barney. Barney Rubble!! Trouble!!! (Name that movie)

DL — The Good: Well…Christian Wilkins is a monster. Great game by him.

The Bad: We, in general, kept them bottled up for most of the game. Until it came to critical downs. Then we got pushed off the ball. I’ll say this though….There was no complimentary football from our offense today.

The Grade: C . The grade goes mostly to Christian Wilkins.

LB’s — The Good: A lot of pressure on the 7th round backup QB that beat us. However, as with the DL, not when we needed it most.

The Grade : C . What I wouldn’t give to have had a 24 year old Zach Thomas in the middle today.

DB’s — The Good: X with his first pick of the season. Some good pass break ups.

The Bad: Just like the rest of our D, This unit folded like a WalMart lawn chair when we needed a big play.

The Grade: D +. If Rowe just takes 3 steps forward, we stop them on 4th and 1. Ugh.

ST’s — The Good: Sanders didn’t miss. Morstead had 1 63 yarder.

The Bad: Morstead wasn’t great today. Our coverage teams still suck.

Coaching — The Good: The play calling was OK today. The defense had 3 sacks.

The Bad: Again, if your QB is struggling, go to the running game. Nope. Not Mike McD. Not so good. Your Defense can’t stop a 7th round backup QB with almost no NFL experience? Play bump and run?? Nope. Not Boyer. Press and bail again

The Grade: D . In a game we should have had….. Coaching wasn’t that great.

Conclusion: Next week is now a MUST WIN. You might not like that….But it’s the case. I’m not sure 11 - 6 gets you in. It might….But you definitely won’t control your destiny. So….We have to win against the Chargers or we really are in deep Barney.

I agree with just about everything with the exception of the playcalling. When the receivers are running wide-open all game, you can't stop trying to get them the ball. Even with Tua struggling, you have to hope he'll snap out of it, obviously he didn't. We weren't going to gain chunk yardage off the Niner's run D, normally you use the run to open up the passing, but the passing was already open without the running, and we didn't need the run to set it up. We just didn't get the ball to the receivers. It was there for the taking, we just fell flat.
I think the grade for the LB's was a bit high, they couldn't cover worth a ****. With a third-string QB in there, you had to know you were going to get a huge dose of running and very short passing, they knew it was coming and didn't step up when needed. Dropping Chubb and/or Phillips into coverage isn't the answer. They burned us on the dump-offs all day, and we had no answers to what we knew would be coming. I give the LB'ers a D-

 

[fansinceGWilson]

I agree with just about everything with the exception of the playcalling. When the receivers are running wide-open all game, you can't stop trying to get them the ball. Even with Tua struggling, you have to hope he'll snap out of it, obviously he didn't. We weren't going to gain chunk yardage off the Niner's run D, normally you use the run to open up the passing, but the passing was already open without the running, and we didn't need the run to set it up. We just didn't get the ball to the receivers. It was there for the taking, we just fell flat.
I think the grade for the LB's was a bit high, they couldn't cover worth a ****. With a third-string QB in there, you had to know you were going to get a huge dose of running and very short passing, they knew it was coming and didn't step up when needed. Dropping Chubb and/or Phillips into coverage isn't the answer. They burned us on the dump-offs all day, and we had no answers to what we knew would be coming. I give the LB'ers a D-

Generally those flat passes are with a LB covering the RB. THAT is where the LBs (or Boyer) failed.

 

[13marino13]

Generally those flat passes are with a LB covering the RB. THAT is where the LBs (or Boyer) failed.

Absolutely! And failed they did!

 

[CANDolphan]

We simply have Linebackers that are one dimension or mediocre. I love Duke Riley and think he adds a lot. I think Baker's a wonderful blitzer. I Just dont think these are championship caliber LBs

 

[13marino13]

Personally I would give “Coaching” an F.

Boyer lost to a third string QB that threw the ball 37 times.

McDaniel calling a game like he is playing Madden. Throwing on both 3rd/2 and 4th/2 is inexcusable.

You play to your strength, which is passing for us. Throwing a bubble screen or to the flats is the same as a run. Just get the ball into your playmaker's hands ie. Hill or Waddle. They were expecting us to run on those plays, I'm okay with throwing them short in those situations. Now had they gone for something deep down the middle, that would have been a mistake...

 

[royalshank]

Good post Zimm. Agree w just about everything. Thought the o-line was a C+ or even B- Surrendered 7 pressures on 36 dropbacks - respectable. YPC by the backs was 4.5. We just didn’t run it which you addresses in Coaching. OL played well enough to win IMO.

 

[royalshank]

It didn't really look like that was a drop by Gesicki. Ball hit the defnenders elbow or something, didn't it? Gesiciki never really had it until it was on the ground.

Yes but point is he simply never comes up w a contested or tough catch when it’s down low to the ground.

 

[ForksPhin]

Good post Zimm. Agree w just about everything. Thought the o-line was a C+ or even B- Surrendered 7 pressures on 36 dropbacks - respectable. YPC by the backs was 4.5. We just didn’t run it which you addresses in Coaching. OL played well enough to win IMO.

I’m wondering about the “pressures.” I saw PFF claimed Tua was only pressured on 10.7% of his dropbacks. Well, he threw it 33 times and was sacked 3 times. He was also hit on the first INT. And there were quite a few other instances where he moved away from pressure to throw. Just the 3 sacks and the hit on the INT are more than 10.7%. They also claimed Little didn’t give up a single pressure. I haven’t watched a replay, but I find that very hard to believe.

 

[isaacjunk]

We simply have Linebackers that are one dimension or mediocre. I love Duke Riley and think he adds a lot. I think Baker's a wonderful blitzer. I Just dont think these are championship caliber LBs

exactly, seems like we don't have thumpers who can cover RBs as well which is exactly what killed us. You have to focus on run #1 with Jimmy G out but then that leaves mccaffrey wide open all day against riley

 

[royalshank]

I’m wondering about the “pressures.” I saw PFF claimed Tua was only pressured on 10.7% of his dropbacks. Well, he threw it 33 times and was sacked 3 times. He was also hit on the first INT. And there were quite a few other instances where he moved away from pressure to throw. Just the 3 sacks and the hit on the INT are more than 10.7%. They also claimed Little didn’t give up a single pressure. I haven’t watched a replay, but I find that very hard to believe.

7 pressures makes sense I think. 3 sacks and 4 others ?

 

[StevieY1]

It didn't really look like that was a drop by Gesicki. Ball hit the defnenders elbow or something, didn't it? Gesiciki never really had it until it was on the ground.

It was 4th down with the game on the line. Guy has got to secure that catch at all costs. He must go...

 

[C l u t c H 385]

It was 4th down with the game on the line. Guy has got to secure that catch at all costs. He must go...

He can't secure it if it's knocked away by the defender before it gets to him, lol

 

[phinsforlife]

My grades. As a disclaimer if I criticize Tua or McDaniel, it does not mean I think they are structurally awful, it just means they had a bad day. However, the discussion of the defense and Josh Boyer I think is a structural issue and goes beyond having just a bad day. I will also say it is not that we lost that pisses me off (I thought we might lose), it is the how and why we lost that pisses me off. Makes me wonder if the team has what it takes to win big high pressure games against better teams. If they don't, the better record and the fun offense is just lipstick on a pig. Granted a much better product than the last 20 years, but still not good enough. I want championships!

McDaniel: F. Despite his comments that the game was not about him, McDaniel sure coached like it was. Seemed like a terribly narcissistic gameplan designed to show his old boss how smart he was with regard to all the fancy plays in the passing game. Interesting that the old run game coordinator didn't even try to commit to the run. Especially when Tua was struggling and was all sped up. Mike, this is the NFL and not a video game. Sometimes it is OK to try and control the ball and win ugly. Especially when the other team has a 7th round rookie playing. Found the playcalling terrible, the decision making terrible (going for it on 4th), and game management terrible. There is a difference between being an OC and a head coach. Great OC, but the head coach has to act like a head coach as well and manage the game, and also involve yourself with the defense.

Josh Boyer and the Defense: F minus minus. That was embarrassing. 7th round rookie with no reps. Just take away Deebo and McCaffrey, not complicated. And teach your players to tackle. McDaniel going for it on 4th down from our own 19 with a lot of time left on the clock tells you McDaniel had zero confidence in the defense to stop the 49ers. That decision was asinine. You miss the conversion, the game is over. You punt, all you have to do is stop the rookie 7th round QB, and you get the ball back. If we have this little confidence in the defense, why did we trade for Bradley Chubb (quite the contrast between him and Bosa), why does Boyer have a job, and why does McDaniel absolve himself of all responsibility for the defense and leave Boyer to scheme the whole game plan by himself as well as handle all of the adjustments? I put this on McDaniel too for ignoring that side of the ball. Again, you are now a head coach, and not just an OC. As the head coach, you need to involve yourself with the defense.

Tua: F. It is not that he was bad that bothers me. It happens. It was the why he was bad that has me concerned. He seemed scared and nervous. It was a choke in the big moment. All the high and in-accurate throws are the giveaway. High balls are what happen when you are nervous. I think he was all sped up. Armstead was out, and he probably got into his own head all week thinking he was going to be under constant duress, and psyched himself out. Had good protection, and was missing throws and making bad reads. Granted I am speculating, but it just feels that way. Tua just choked in the moment. The elite QBs do it under pressure, and under adversity. Look at Burrow for example (thanks Flores). That is what it takes to win Super Bowls. Does Tua have it or not? We will find out down the stretch, especially against Buffalo in the cold.

 

[srdnaty]

I think I’ve offered up this conspiracy theory before, but is it possible Boyer is still somewhat loyal to Flo and he hates McDaniel? I say this half in jest. I struggle to understand why the defense has fallen off so much. Yes I understand there’s no Jones and this point additional injuries have mounted, but what gives? Please someone more educated explain it to me? It felt like there were no adjustments yesterday on defense.

If Boyer is a Flo guy I could see Mike and the attention he’s getting being frustrating.

 

[isaacjunk]

Tua: F. It is not that he was bad that bothers me. It happens. It was the why he was bad that has me concerned. He seemed scared and nervous. It was a choke in the big moment. All the high and in-accurate throws are the giveaway. High balls are what happen when you are nervous. I think he was all sped up. Armstead was out, and he probably got into his own head all week thinking he was going to be under constant duress, and psyched himself out. Had good protection, and was missing throws and making bad reads. Granted I am speculating, but it just feels that way. Tua just choked in the moment. The elite QBs do it under pressure, and under adversity. Look at Burrow for example (thanks Flores). That is what it takes to win Super Bowls. Does Tua have it or not? We will find out down the stretch, especially against Buffalo in the cold.

Mcdaniel: going for it from your own 25 down 1 score with 8 minutes left...if that's not madden-esque i don't know what is. People have given him too much credit for being a Yale wunderkind but there's no way the analytics supported that one.
I actually think he borderline lucked out earlier in the season with a full calls re clock management and that added to his halo effect. But there's no way that was a sound decision

Tua: I agree he seemed panicky, almost too amped up. He seemed to settle in and become 4th quarter tua but then the receivers let him down just as he was getting rolling.