Blogs

Week 3 Game Notes

The 49ers suffered their first defeat of the 2012 season on Sunday when they fell 24-13 in Minnesota. 49ers Public Relations presents the following game notes from the Week 3 matchup.

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Morning Tailgate: Sept. 24

Greetings from Boardman, Ohio, site of the 49ers headquarters for the next five days.

We’re up early (East Coast time) to share the top headlines from the 49ers first loss of the season, a 24-13 defeat to the Minnesota Vikings. The loss was uncharacteristic for the 49ers in the Jim Harbaugh era. The team’s normal efficient, ball-control offense and hard-hitting defense did not perform for 60 minutes and it cost the team.

Bill Barnwell of Grantland.com writes that the Vikings “Out-Ninered the Niners.” As a result, All-Pro linebacker NaVorro Bowman recorded a career-high 18 tackles against a run-heavy offensive attack.

Minnesota’s commitment to the run game was key, according to Barnwell, who added, “Fortunately for the Niners, they caught a lucky break in terms of scheduling. They’re assigned to play the Jets next week, a team that will likely be without star cornerback Darrelle Revis, who appears to have suffered a serious knee injury during his team’s win over the Dolphins on Sunday.”

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Ginn Jr., Jacobs Questionable for Sunday

Ted Ginn Jr. and Brandon Jacobs will travel with the San Francisco 49ers this week, but both standout veterans will be listed as questionable for Sunday’s road matchup with the Minnesota Vikings.

Jim Harbaugh made the announcement on Friday right before his team embarks on a three-city road trip.

The 49ers coach said it’s possible Ginn Jr. will field punts before Sunday’s game against the Vikings.

Ginn Jr., a sixth-year wideout, has been limited in practice all week, while Jacobs did not participate in any session this week.

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Patrick Willis Powers up with Duracell

All-Pro linebacker Patrick Willis overcame adversity from a young age to become one of the NFL’s best players. So who is the man behind the No. 52 jersey?

Willis and Duracell teamed up to film this powerful commercial, showing the strength it took Willis to fight on his way to the top. The powerful ad debuted on the big screen at Candlestick Park during last week’s game against the Detroit Lions and was well-received by Willis, who said he was happy about the message it conveyed to fans.

“Duracell did a heck of a job and I’m appreciative that they asked me to be their guy,” Willis said. “Everything kind of fit together and that’s when you know you have something special. The way they put it together was phenomenal and it kind of took me by surprise with how well it ended up.”

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Niner Talk: 49ers-Vikings Week 3

The 49ers will hit the road this week for second time of the 2012 regular season and they’ll stay on the road for some time, too.

San Francisco will head to Minnesota to face the Vikings this Sunday, and will stay once again for another week in Ohio to prepare for a Week 4 East Coast matchup, this time with the New York Jets.

In order to get fans geared up for Sunday’s contest in Minnesota, Pro Bowl safety Dashon Goldson joined our Niner Talk podcast to discuss the team’s outlook on the second road game of the season. Goldson also shared insight on his own growth on and off the field, plus details on the relationships among the tight-knit 49ers defensive unit.

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Morning Tailgate: Sept. 21

Alex Smith has led the 49ers to a 15-3 regular season record since Jim Harbaugh took over as head coach before the 2011 campaign. Much of Smith’s success has been attributed to Harbaugh, who has helped the 49ers quarterback become one of the league’s most efficient players under center.

Chase Stuart of FootballPerspective.com analyzed advanced statistics and metrics of Smith’s season along with other NFL quarterbacks of the past and concluded that Harbaugh had similar years during his NFL playing career. Stuart specifically looks at Smith’s low interception rate among other things, noting, “Since Harbaugh came to town, Smith has a 93.6 passer rating, the 7th best mark of any quarterback over that time frame.”

Today’s Morning Tailgate also features a look back to yesterday’s show of 49ers support from the San Francisco Giants and more.

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Alex Smith Appreciates SF Giants Support

Alex Smith donned a San Francisco Giants baseball cap for most of the 2011 season.

In 2012, Smith was warned by the NFL to stop sporting his black and orange good luck charm after his postgame press conferences to avoid violating the league’s postgame attire policy.

Smith obliged, but was recently met with support from familiar faces in the Bay Area sports landscape, including none other than Giants manager Bruce Bochy.

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Offense Maintains Constant Improvement

Alex Smith has hit another gear in his second year in Greg Roman’s offense with the 49ers.

He’s been described as an “expert” and a “master” of the system by his teammates and coaches this year and for good reason. His quick decision-making has helped lead the 49ers on six touchdown drives this season while the offense still hasn’t turned the ball over.

As he watches Smith play from his spot in the coaches’ booth above the field, Roman says he notices an improved player under center.

“Yeah, there’s no question,” Roman said. “We fully expect him to be, and always have, just to continue his progress of running our offense. He’s just gotten better incrementally in everything we ask him to do. That’s what we expect from all our players, is just constant improvement. The more you do something, the better you should get at it. That’s not how it always plays out.  And that’s what makes special players special is that they’re continuing to get better as they go.”

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Morning Tailgate: Sept. 20

There’s no denying Jim Harbaugh’s Midas touch with the San Francisco 49ers.

At a 20-game benchmark, including postseason action, Harbaugh is 16-4 in his first stint as a head coach in the National Football League.

Ron Kroichick of the San Francisco Chronicle recently spoke with several of the Bay Area’s top football minds for their thoughts on Harbaugh’s impressive start to his NFL head coaching career.

“George Seifert, ever loyal to his childhood team, watches the 49ers with heightened interest these days,” Kroichick wrote. “He sees Jim Harbaugh roam the sideline, intensity splayed across his face, and Seifert cannot help but flash back to the time his 49ers played Harbaugh and the Colts in Indianapolis.”

Kroichick also relayed the thoughts of Hall of Fame coach John Madden, who called Harbaugh’s 2011 season one of the best rookie coaching jobs in NFL history.

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49ers Sign LB Bakhtriari

The San Francisco 49ers announced they have signed LB Eric Bakhtiari to a two-year contract.

Bakhtiari (6-3, 250) originally entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the San Diego Chargers in 2008. He spent the 2012 training camp with the 49ers before being released on 8/31.

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