Morning Tailgate: Feb. 12
Posted by on February 12, 2013 – 11:26 AM
The closing moments of Super Bowl XLVII will sit in the hearts and minds of the 49ers Faithful throughout the offseason, but it doesn’t take away from San Francisco’s remarkable season nor does it diminish the team’s comeback effort against the Baltimore Ravens.
In examining the game tape twice, Sports Illustrated’s Peter King uncovered several intriguing aspects of the 49ers offensive performance. He also spoke with offensive coordinator Greg Roman to find out his take on the final four offensive plays of the game.
“This is what I found amazing about what the tape revealed,” King wrote. “On the first 13 offensive snaps for San Francisco, Roman dialed up 13 different alignments using 12 different combinations of running backs, wide receivers and tight ends.
“In those 13 plays, Roman had four wide receivers in the game, four running backs (two running backs, two fullbacks) and four tight ends. On the fifth play of the game, a no-back look, he spread three receivers left and two to the right, with a fullback (Bruce Miller) and running back (LaMichael James) split the furthest; (Colin) Kaepernick hit (Michael) Crabtree, running from the left slot, on a 19-yard incut.
“On the very next snap, Roman dialed up something Walter Camp invented 140 years ago, the T formation. Kaepernick lined up under center, with three backs tight together behind him — Gore to the left, fullback Walter Tukuafu in the middle, and fullback Miller to the right. None went in motion. (Frank) Gore powered ahead for no gain into the teeth of the Ravens’ D. Win some, lose some.”
King noted that the 49ers had Kaepernick in the Pistol formation 51 times and under center nine plays. King counted 13 plays in the read-option scheme and 47 snaps without Kaepernick playing option football.
Roman discussed the final four plays and the disappointing result with King.
“I’ll use it as motivation going forward,” the 49ers offensive coordinator told King. “To dwell on something that’s over is so utterly pointless. Anytime you make a call and the play doesn’t work, you think of another play that might have worked. We had a valiant effort, a great comeback, and it wasn’t enough. That’s life. It’s the game we love, the highs, the lows. But it doesn’t take away from what we did this year, and how excited I’m going to be to coach these guys next year.”
ProFootballFocus.com listed the 49ers offensive line as the No. 1 unit in football. San Francisco’s line ranked No. 20 in 2011.
Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee offered a list of the 49ers biggest draft needs starting with finding help on the defensive line.
Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com answered fan questions centering on the 49ers offseason trade options.
Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com wondered if the 49ers will fall victim to a Super Bowl hangover. Prisco noted the last team to lose a Super Bowl and make it back the next season was the Buffalo Bills in 1993.
Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com picked West Virginia wide receiver Tavon Austin as the 49ers draft choice at pick No. 31 in his recent mock draft.
Rob Rang of CBSSports.com had the 49ers selecting Jonathan Cooper, guard out of North Carolina.
Russ Lande of NationalFootballPost.com took Alabama defensive tackle Jesse Williams the 49ers choice at 31.
49ers.com shared A.J. Jenkins’ comments on exit day. Last year’s first-round pick is eager to expand his role on the 49ers offense.
TV49’S CLIP OF THE DAY
TWEET ABOUT IT
Back at home….. Vacation ain't really an option for me! Lets work instagr.am/p/Vo97kWNBGg/—
Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) February 12, 2013
Lead by example.
Tags: Colin Kaepernick, Greg Roman, LaMichael James, Michael Crabtree
Posted in Morning Tailgate | 28 Comments »
28 Responses
to “Morning Tailgate: Feb. 12”
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By Cesar on Feb 12, 2013 | Reply
Thanks for the great season!!!! In my opinion you have to strengthen the defensive backs – corners. From Latinamerica Panama Faithful!!
By Hermie on Feb 12, 2013 | Reply
How the game ended still eats me up inside…most people never saw the hold on Walker on the same play as Crabtree and the holding on the Safety was just a joke. I hate dwelling on it, but a friend stopped by and said he didn’t see those holds and I showed him “slow mo” and he couldn’t believe it either.
They talk about the Safety on the Baltimore Sports talk and say how smart it was for the kicker to take so much time off the clock and how the 9ers players didn’t even go after the punter!!! I could scream!!! Gotta get over it though!!
By Hermie on Feb 12, 2013 | Reply
So…coming year need to get a DB as everyone knows and another down defensive lineman! Another WR although I would expect Manningham to help. He was playing pretty well before going out.
Our special teams have hurt us too often, so I would expect Akers and Ginn to be gone. No reason keeping either one.
By Hermie on Feb 12, 2013 | Reply
Quote by blahblahblah…”No one complained about playcalling when Smith was quarterbacking”
Where the heck were you last year. Never heard of you last year. So what you said is totally inaccurate and untrue…now I know where you get your facts and stats from!! In the three losses in 2011, that is all I heard was people getting all over the coaches to “open it up”!!
Most 9er fans see a good thing when they see it and that is Kaepernick!!! Moron!!
By tanglung on Feb 12, 2013 | Reply
THE SAN FRANCISCO FORTY NINERS
By Scott Amundson on Feb 12, 2013 | Reply
The end is definately going to make it a long off season. it was a hard fought comeback and to go down not slugging it out on the ground,5 yard plus average during game,is tough to swallow.i will always be Niner fan 4 life,but this is one should have Won!!Coach says will use it for motivation ,you Think!!
By David Marino on Feb 12, 2013 | Reply
I was at the game in the Niner End Zone. Saw the whole thing. It still is eating me up. That was holding for sure. Since I have been home I have watched that game 5 times. Still thinking that we should have won. I did not even see the holding on Walker on the other side, interesting. Kaep was getting pressured and did not even look that way anyway. And on the Safety, did you so the holding going on there????? It is a Safety anyways but at least call it and leave some more time on the clock for one more offensive play. Bottom Line the Officiating wanted Ray to go out on top and they were to scared to put the game on their shoulders. I hate saying next year because that game was ours!!!!
By 49erdefense2012 on Feb 12, 2013 | Reply
F,U,C,K,,
By bow53 on Feb 12, 2013 | Reply
i agree david , some calls did’nt go r way…specially on the most critical time of the game, but u know what ? i’m so proud of r 49er team they fought back fr.22 points down to just 5yards in winning the super bowl, so i know in my heart, we will get it some day , NO DOUBT………..
By 49erdefense2012 on Feb 12, 2013 | Reply
we need to make our p a s s rush one to be feared. we need a stud who can get pressure on the qb without having to rely on justin smith being in the game. dont get me wrong aldon smith has done some great things,,,WHEN JUSTIN SMITH WAS ON THE FIELD,,,absent justin smith equaled absent p a s s rush from aldon
being able to generate constant pressure on the qb will make our secondary much better,,the theme for the upcoming draft has got to be,,,D-LINE,,,D-LINE,,,D-LINE,,, IN HARBAUGH WE TRUST,,
By phatalerror on Feb 12, 2013 | Reply
“ProFootballFocus.com listed the 49ers offensive line as the No. 1 unit in football. San Francisco’s line ranked No. 20 in 2011.”
And Smith went 14-4 with that twentieth-ranked line. Then he had to endure the beatings while the 2012 line gained its cohesion. Then the improved line was handed over to Kaepernick. But of course you wouldn’t know that was the case by just comparing Kaepernick’s stat line directly to Smith’s.
By tanglung on Feb 12, 2013 | Reply
D-LINE for sure. If Williams and Manningham come back from injury’s Kaepaernick will take care of the Offence. IN HARBAUGH WE TRUST.
By hmrhead1 on Feb 12, 2013 | Reply
Honestly guys, I dont know why you spend so much time debating this stupidity. Phatal is entitled to his opinion. There’s nothing you’re going to say that’s going to change his mind. This back and forth banter is just clogging up the blog with nonsense.
Personally, I dont see how you watch Kap play and not see, clear as day, how much more dangerous we are on offense with him at the helm. It’s nice to actually go into games knowing your offense is actually feared for a change. However, if Phatal doesnt see that, then I just sum it up as someone that cant see the things I see.
On another note, I agree with 49erDef all the way. We do NOT need corners. Our secondary is fine. Our lack of a pa$$ rush is what killed us. All those big plays in the Super Bowl happened when Flacco had 5-6 seconds to chuck it. He should have been on his back. It just shows us how critical a healthy Justin is to our defense and how important it is for us to find a replacement. Fast! The man only has a few years left and is at the age where injuries can occur more frequently.
Now if we are talking Revis, then HELLLLL YES! But I would prefer we target some more playmakers to surround Kap then replacing Culliver. I thought Culliver played very well this year and is a legit starting CB for the future.
By ace on Feb 12, 2013 | Reply
i think the nfl emabarred itself this year(officeating was riduclus) and still highest rated superbowl ever what the f u c k is going on ?
By sharris2552 on Feb 12, 2013 | Reply
look im a life long niner fan and to see them lose in the superbowl sucked but it over the year is over we need to get alittle bit better for next year. i have been saying we need to trade smith to the jets and a later pick or to for revis then draft the best DL man out their with are 1st pick get another WR like heartline or bowe to go with crabtree draft a C and DL/OL man. get faster on both sides of the ball get a good kicker like nugget from cinn. let ginn go and moss maybe even williams. and we still need a good RB to help gore out
By sharris2552 on Feb 12, 2013 | Reply
maybe smith to the browns for colt and their # 2 or 3 pick
By mfkram64 on Feb 13, 2013 | Reply
0 for 3
By mfkram64 on Feb 13, 2013 | Reply
i think culliver is going to have a hard time…i hope he can get his head straight..but that quote on media day hurt him…the ravens saw it and targeted him 7 times in the first half..he looked lost..i’m sure he is feeling heat and it might be hard for him
By mfkram64 on Feb 13, 2013 | Reply
i think they should cut moss and trade culliver….he is going to be a distaction all year…look at what making that quote did to the guys for 2 days…they could focus on football but had to talk about what culliver said…it was a big distraction..and the ravens saw it big time..
By mfkram64 on Feb 13, 2013 | Reply
i hear ya hmrhead…but just read his last post…it’s the same bashing of kaepernick over and over…and suck up to smith over and over….and in the end he throws a dig like we r all stupid cuz we don’t see how great alex is…alex sucked cuz of this and that and alex this and alex that..over and over see what i mean…just alittle post by him but it says it all…..we r all STUPID!
By ghost313 on Feb 13, 2013 | Reply
Well congrats for our boys in red and gold this year for a Hell of a Ride … sucked how it ended but there is always 2014
.. i think we need to def.. beef up our D-Line seemed we didnt have much of 1 when Justin smith was playing injured and it showed.. Aldon is great for a speed rusher but lacks the power against the bigger O lines.. our secondary looked confused at times but i think we are a solid unit back there.. cant give any QB 5-6 seconds to throw or you will get torched all game long … L James is a great compliment to gore as is Hunter with this triple threat healthy we could be unstoppable .. but who knows 
.. mario manningham got injured at the wrong time .. i think he will break out in 2014 .. williams has speed.. and KING CRABS has BROKE OUT!!!!! 
.. our receivers are good .. we have officially found our Franchise QB CK7 is a stud and the sky is the limit.. also we need to keep deshon in the secondary and cant let him walk franchise him if you have too.. and get some Nasty D linemen in the draft/free agency .. and i think we will be back to claim the Quest for six …. WHO COULD POSSIBLY HAVE IT BETTER THAN US!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By bow53 on Feb 13, 2013 | Reply
CK7 a combination of joe montana & steve young, thats a very, very dangerous weapon if u ask me………..
By mfkram64 on Feb 13, 2013 | Reply
i think aldon got tired in end of year coupled with justin’s injury..teams firgured him out he couldn’t rush against bigger o-linemen..i like aldon coming in like year before myself..differant situations..get a stud d/t in free agenties..and pick up a speed rusher to rotatate with aldon..maybe freeny…johnson from bengals is a beast also…
By tanglung on Feb 13, 2013 | Reply
CK7 is MIGHTY JOE YOUNG. CK7 is a BEAST.
By mfkram64 on Feb 13, 2013 | Reply
couple of guys to take a look at….d/e from bears odonije and d/t melton even umenyiora if can get cheap…as far as cb’s they r risky..remember woodson,langham and clements..big money spent no return…revis is a long shot and has been hurt lately so again it is risky to put up big cash for one…
By bow53 on Feb 13, 2013 | Reply
well said , tanglung…….
By mfkram64 on Feb 13, 2013 | Reply
if they choose to let sopoaga go they have to get a veteran d/t to me…i like melton from bears 4 year guy played on a good defensive team…like to see them keep grant and walker but goldson is going to be the big question..he wants a long contract not franchise tag…i say sign him and l/b’s and db’s r all set….draft a d/t and c/b first two rd’s
By Alanya on Feb 19, 2013 | Reply
✌✌we’re is colin kaepernick💘🎀🏈
I 💙football🏈🏈🏈🏈🏈🏈