AZ54

I'm with you on this one. We can't give up everything for one LT when we have so many needs. Signing one of the second tier FA OTs give us room to fill out the roster and still makes our Oline much better.

There is wisdom here. Years ago teams like New England switched to a 3-4 in part because it was easier to find players that fit that system. That was due to the fact that most 4-3 defenses had no use for a huge NT who could do little more than play run defense and force double teams. Same with the LBs who often were labeled as tweeners (too big and slow to be a 4-3 MLB or too small to be a DE in most schemes). The back end (DBs) of these defenses is, as far as I know, interchangeable with a 4-3 depending on what scheme that coach wants to run. Now that so many teams want to run 3-4 many have trouble finding the NT. Supply and demand. Or they struggle to find the pass rushing LB. So yes it comes back to personnel as usual. One plus for having the 3-4 is having someone able to cover TEs or rush the passer on the field at all times. Guys like Gronkowski get open anyway. Teams have countered that with looking for safeties who are better in pass coverage and less like mini-LBs. The way the NFL rules are structured now for offense I am of the mindset that the only real way to stop an offense is to get after the QB. Doesn't matter if you can't rush the passer out of a 3-4 or 4-3 you are going to struggle all day.

That would be rushing the passer and occasionally dropping back into coverage? Which is exactly what he did last year. What you really mean is that you wish SMC could rush the passer like Clay Matthews.

It will depend on who his coach is but I see no reason a WR couldn't make the occasional pass coming off a reverse or bubble screen. Walter certainly did enough passing in his career as a RB. These plays aren't a staple of the offense but are run once every few games, just enough to keep defenses alert to the possibility of it on certain plays.

Late in the season I can remember him throwing over a wide open Rodriguez with 10 to 15 yds open space in front of him to pass to a double covered Marshall or Jeffrey in the endzone, a pass that went incomplete. With just 10 yds to go for a first down in the red zone and a couple plays to get it, taking the shorter option would have been the wise thing to do. Cutler was moving out of the pocket to his left due to pressure so he had to see Rodriguez right in front of him. In the first Green Bay game how many guys were covering Marshall? Always at least two and often three. Given that, it's hard to believe we couldn't get someone else open. A big chunk of that problem goes to Tice who upon seeing that heavy focus on one player couldn't scheme to take advantage of what they were doing but Cutler shares part of that responsibility too. Regardless the Packers knew where Cutler was looking to first and second option so they just stuck with it.

That's correct whereas it seemed on each play one of our Olinemen would mess up their assignment the Packers could more often string together several good plays. They had protection issues but it wasn't consistent on every play like Cutler faced. Cutler always knew there would be a breakdown he just never knew where it was coming from. I do think some of that stabilized the last few games of the season (i.e. Scott was better than Carimi at RT) but by then it was too late.

During his initial press conference Trestman said one line that stood out among many (paraphrasing): The QB must take what is there and live for the next play. This is one of Cutler's weaknesses as we have often seen him overlook wide open options on short underneath routes only to throw into coverage 15-20 yards down the field.

No it's not better than Cutler sulking on the sideline it's the same thing but your pretty boy will get treated with kid gloves for his tears. His goatiness needs to be fined for trying to blow out the knee of that Raven's defender. That guy should have been right in his face after that cheap shot. By the way, is the goat's girlfriend making excuses for his sulking this year or is the goat stepping up and taking the blame for throwing so many passes into the dirt or his game ending INT?

It's always enjoyable watching Tom Brady sulk on the sidelines. I'm quite sure the media will be all over him for that when there were still almost 3min left in the game. Anyway, this game was where finesse met brute force and lost.

No news on the much anticipated new WR coach. I guess it's addition by subtraction with Drake being gone.

Yes, that is the only way to ignore what your eyes see. I'll take him as a H-back or TE once he comes to his senses.

No on Te'o in the 1st Rd. I'd take Ogletree and I have only seen his highlights but he certainly looks more athletic and is a better fit for defending the passing game in the NFL.

I think what everyone knows and nobody wants to talk about is that we really need Urlacher's cap space to improve our roster.

I went about two seconds before I hit the WTF button.

I really don't know the background of these guys but to be honest many coaches hire assistants who have only been assistant coaches at the college level and nobody blinks an eye most of the time. At least these guys have dealt with professional players so I'm not worried about it.

They should have been stingier.

He hasn't changed since he almost ate his way out of the first round of the draft.

I misread his line and thought he said playmakers at LB. Nonetheless I like our defense but just didn't see them dominate consistently like a great D does. I agree on Melton, Peppers, and Jennings. Turnovers were the only area I'd say we were great at. We struggled all year to get off the field on 3rd downs. To get to that next level we're going to need someone else on the Dline to step up and be a more consistent playmaker. We also need a more mobile MLB regardless of scheme. Hopefully Urlacher can return to fill that role for one more season because I don't see many options without him. I think we'll still have a good defense this coming season.

I think our situation on defense is good not great. I only saw one real playmaker at LB last year...Briggs. I'm not sure what Urlacher will bring to the table with a full offseason to actually run and work out. I hope if he's back he regains some of his mobility but if he can't then at best he's got one more year. We were still better with him on the field than off. The dine is good but not great. Two Pro Bowl CBs but one is near the end of his career and isn't really a shutdown corner until he knocks the ball out of the WR hands.

From out of nowhere. At least Jacksonville and Cleveland are as close to nowhere in the NFL as there is. Very curious to listen to his press conference.

Yes sometimes people confuse the analogy of comparing similar situations (HC failed at point A succeeded at point as being a comparison of the people themselves. Some people do learn from their mistakes some do not. I think Singletary is one of those who does learn. I'm not pulling for him to be our DC either, nor am I against it if that's what Trestman thinks is the right thing to do. I just think we'll be seeing a lot more from Singletary at some point in the future.

That tells me he's also a good salesman who studies his target, knows what he likes, and then delivers it in the way he'll be successful. He knew Emery loved detail and he went out of his way to provide it. I think the interview with Dennison was the complete opposite. Anyway, this fits what we've heard and read about Trestman: He studies his opponent and learns where his players can exploit them. Let's hope it carries onto the field.

Really? http://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Singl...win-3178967.php "The biggest thing is those guys in there (the locker room) are excited to play," Singletary said. "I love these guys. They know that. They know what the prerequisites are: work. We have a lot of work to do." When he heard the news in the locker room after the game, quarterback Shaun Hill said, "Everybody started cheering and clapping. People were genuinely happy for him." Singletary was 5-4 in his nine games as interim head coach after taking over the job from the fired Mike Nolan on Oct. 20. More important, he inspired the 49ers to win five of their last seven games to finish the season 7-9 - an overall disappointment but substantially better than the team's 2-7 record as of Nov. 10. "It's a blessing," linebacker Patrick Willis said of his former position coach's promotion. "It's not just because he was a linebacker or because he coached me. I think they've got the right man for the job. He deserved it. He earned it." Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Singl...p#ixzz2IIU1LnQ0 Everyone is so focused on his failure as a HC they forget his success as a head coach. Singletary's biggest problem is that he was a head coach well before he was ready and that stigma will stay with him for some time. Some day he'll get beyond that and I believe he'll be successful as a HC. Not saying that day is today but he might be ready to lead a defense.

Matt Scott is an interesting prospect. After watching him all year I'd say he has good talent overall but his arm strength is average and his ability to read defenses and anticipate is below average. He is very mobile but not elite in this category either. He only played one season due to injuries and due to sitting behind a guy named Nick Foles who ended up starting in Philly this year. Knowing he's only had one full year of playing time he could develop into a decent backup, his ceiling is probably an average starter.

That's a joke right? You have seen what Whisenhunt and Grimm have done here in AZ in the last few years?