49ers vs Packers Week 1 Recap

By Kalen Patrick

The San Francisco 49ers left Lambeau Field with a BIG 30-22 win to open up the 2012 Season. In my opinion, this was the most impressive win of Jim Harbaugh's tenure as the 49ers Head Coach. To go in to Green Bay and beat Aaron Rodgers is one of the most, (if not the most) difficult thing to do in the NFL today. The 49ers beat the Packers from start to finish on both sides of the ball. Lets take a closer look at the game.

To me the game ball should go to 49ers Offensive Coordinator Greg Roman. The whole game the 49ers were able to find great mismatches and called the right plays at the right time. Of course, so much credit needs to go to the players who pulled off the plays with excellent execution and precision. The plays that stood out to me were:

1. Randy Moss' Touchdown Reception. Green Bay was weak defending the middle of the field, and especially more so when Desmond Bishop went down with injury. The 49ers motioned Delanie Walker right before the snap, confusing the coverage down the middle and left Randy Moss wide open for an easy TD Reception. 
2. 4:40 left in 2nd quarter, Alex Smith pass to Mario Manningham for 11 yard completion for 1st down. The 49ers motioned Bruce Miller out to the far right leaving Manningham in the slot. This motion caused Green Bay to put a CB on Bruce Miller, leaving a slow LB on Manningham, which resulted in an easy 1st down completion. 
3. 18 seconds left in the 1st half, bring in Kaepernick for a design run play. In a potentially pivotal moment of the game, the 49ers go with Colin Kaepernick, catches the defense off guard and picks up 17 yards and puts the 49ers in position to score at the end of the 1st half.

ALEX SMITH AND RANDY MOSS CONNECT FOR A TD

These are just some examples of how the 49ers exploited the Green Bay defense. Alex Smith finished the game with a 125.6 QB rating, going 20/26 and throwing for 211 yards with 2 TD's 0 INT's. Smith looked comfortable throughout the entire game despite taking 4 sacks. The 49ers also gashed the Packers for 186 rushing yards with 5.8 YPC. Gore did the most damage getting 112 yards on 16 carries with a TD, and seemingly always picking up big chunks of yards each and every time he had the ball. In summary, Greg Roman and the 49ers offense made Dom Capers Green Bay defense look pretty bad.

TARELL BROWN DENIES JAMES JONES

The 49ers defense did a great job on Aaron Rodgers all day long and only gave up 14 points to the Green Bay offense (Packers scored a TD on a punt return, obviously the defense isn't at fault for that). The 49ers shut down the Packers run game from the get go. The only real rushing yards the Packers got was when Rodgers had to scramble. NaVorro Bowman picked off Aaron Rodgers once and the defense had 3 sacks on Rodgers which is very difficult considering his ability to release the ball so quickly. I have to give 2 specific players shout outs:

1. NaVorro Bowman - Not only did Bowman pick off Rodgers at an extremely pivotal moment of the game, but he was also EVERYWHERE on the field. Bowman lead the 49ers with 11 tackles and had 2 more defended passes. He was sensational the entire game and in my opinion has emerged as the best Linebacker for the 49ers. Yes, you read that right. 
2. Tarrell Brown - Brown has turned in to a shut down corner, and never was this more evident than when Brown denied James Jones on a deep pass from Aaron Rodgers that would have put the Packers within the 49ers 5 yard line. In man to man coverage Brown was lock down all game long, the only times I saw him get "beat" were in zone coverage when the 49ers were only rushing 3. Chris Culliver and the rest of the 49ers secondary deserve an honorable mention too.

ALEX SMITH AND AARON RODGERS MEET IN MIDFIELD

The 49ers did what many football experts considered the impossible and took a game from Green Bay at Lambeau Field. This was a complete win in all 3 phases of the game (really harsh take up the flag when Anthony Dixon got clearly blocked from behind on the return that lead to a Packers TD). On to week 2 where the 49ers face another big challenge when they host Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football. Go Niners!


Next on the SF Sports Cave: 49ers vs Lions Preview. Buster Posey and the San Francisco Giants race to the playoffs.

Over and Out

49ers - Ready or Not (Offense Edition)

By Kalen Patrick

Exactly 1 week from right now the 49ers season will officially be underway, being an avid 49er fan I'd love nothing more than coming away from Green Bay with a 'W'. It's gonna be a great well fought game no doubt about it and despite it being week 1 I expect a very well played game (assuming the replacement refs don't stop that from happening.) The 49ers have their 53 man roster in the books so let's take a look at some of the players who are Ready and some who are Not.

Ready - Alex Smith QB - You know that the 49ers starting QB is more than ready to go when he doesn't need much playing time in preseason to look in regular season form. Of course Alex Smith is heavily scrutinized being a former #1 Overall Pick, but just let these numbers sink in and you will know Alex Smith is ready: From the 2009-2011 seasons (40 starts including playoffs) Alex Smith has 54 TD's to only 17 INT's. Alex Smith has NOT thrown an Interception in his last 7 starts and he has a total of 215 pass attempts in those games. He has never been more ready for a season in his life. And I haven't even mentioned all the weapons the 49ers have added this offseason (oh wait.....)

ALEX SMITH IS READY FOR THE 2012 SEASON - ARE YOU?

Not - Colin Kaepernick QB - I really loved the job Kaepernick did in the preseason this year and it is obvious that he is progressing and developing as an NFL QB. I still believe that Kaepernick will not be launching his attack on Alex Smith for 49ers starting QB until next year. The excellent job Colin did in the preseason bodes well for the 49ers moving forward knowing they have a good QB developing well. He has all the tools to be an excellent QB going forward, big arm, mobility and accuracy but he will need to develop further in his ability to read complex defenses, know when to use his mobility as an asset rather than liability. He is getting there, and the future looks bright for Mr. Kaepernick.

Ready - Michael Crabtree WR - This is the first time in his NFL Career that Michael Crabtree will have been able to work out extensively. Of course we all remember his rookie season holdout and last season's NFL lockout. Add in that in all his years in the NFL he has had foot issues that have kept him out of Training Camps and preseason games. Every year Crabtree has progressed in both catches and yards, 48-625 in 2009, 55-741 in 2010 and 72-874 last year. I think 2012 could be the year when Michael finally eclipses 1000 yards and I'd like to see him haul in at least 7 TD's. The situation and offense is perfect for a receiver with Crabtree's skill set and experience.

MICHAEL CRABTREE IS READY FOR THE PRIME TIME

Not - AJ Jenkins WR - While I believe that Jenkins won't have much of an impact in his rookie year, don't take that as a knock against him or against Baalke for drafting him in the 1st round. This season in the first in many that the 49ers have good-great depth at WR. Jenkins was drafted more to be a big contributor in a year or two down the line. He is definitely a raw player, will need a year of seasoning to be able to get the offense down, to be able to read defensive schemes to adjust routes accordingly and of course his route running abilities can be improved upon. I can see he and Crabtree being the 49ers 1 and 2 receivers going forward for a long time.

That was the Offense Edition for my 'Ready or Not' Column in part of my 49ers preview for the 2012 NFL Season. Check back for my Defense Edition of 'Ready or Not'.

Over and Out.

Favorite NFL Players to Watch

By Kalen
So I thought it would be fun to think about who my favorite NFL player to watch is. Now the first and only rule is you cannot choose someone on the team you root for, so for me that means no 49ers. I am going to pick an offensive and defensive player.

Offensive Player
For my offensive player I have to go with a player who should have been a 49er. Recent superbowl winner and QB of the Green Bay Packers Aaron Rodgers. Back in the 2005 NFL Draft I didn't pay particular attention to the prospects, all I knew is we needed a QB, so at the time I would have been happy with either Alex Smith or Aaron Rodgers. Obviously if I could go back in time, it would be Rodgers 100%. My inner die hard 49er part of me says I should hate Rodgers, not only because he should have been ours, but he plays for the Packers, who have thwarted my Niners way too many times in the playoffs. However, I really don't has any hatred or root against him whenever I watch him (and I try to make that as often as possible). The only time I'm ever wishing him to flat out fail is when he does play my 49ers.

AARON RODGERS 'BELT' CELEBRATION

There is just something about the guy, he is confident, a little cocky, but the best thing about him is he (like Bret Favre) just looks like he loves playing the game and is not afraid to express that. For the record I do not like Favre at all. Not only does Rodgers play in one of the most exciting offenses in the NFL, but he has charisma through the roof and you never know what's gonna happen. Whether Aaron is doing his famous championship belt celebration, or running around scrambling looking for an open player or making a seemingly impossible pass through 3 defenders hitting the receiver in stride, its all just awesome. And I feel like Aaron is a guy who uses words like 'Awesome' and 'Sick'. There is zero doubt in my mind that if he had become a 49ers (like he should have) he would be far and away my favorite player in the whole League.


In a way I'm glad that he went to Green Bay, in terms of purely watching the guy play, he would have had a much much tougher time in SF, and I don't know if he becomes the player that he is, had the 49ers taken him. Honestly, I've gotten over the fact we don't and never will have him. Rodgers is definitely a top 5 QB in the NFL along with Brady, P.Manning, Brees and Roethlisberger. As great as those other guys are, some are just too business like (Brady and Manning), one is an asshole (Big Ben) and Brees, well I don't have anything bad to say about the guy, just don't relate to him as much as I do Rodgers. I'm looking forward to seeing him play for the next 5-10 years and hope my 49ers can take him down a couple times.

Defensive Player
This one at first was a little bit tougher than the offensive player, but when the player came to mind, I wondered how I didn't think of him within a micro-second. My vote for favorite defensive player has to be Darrelle Revis of the New York Jets. You know when you have a bunch of nicknames that odds are you're a pretty good player "Revis Island" "Revis Christ" for examples. Look I get that typically the Jets are a kind of team where if you aren't a Jets fan, odds are you hate them. But not me, one of my best friends being a Jets fan, makes them my defacto AFC team. Enough about the Jets though and more about Revis. The NFL has made it so difficult for CB's to actually be shutdown players, you breathe on a Wide Receiver and you see the yellow flags being thrown. But Revis is a legit shutdown CB. The only players who I'd throw to with Revis on them would be Larry Fitzgerald, Andre Johnson and Calvin Johnson. Any other times, I'm using my #1 WR as a decoy, because there is almost no point throwing their way with Revis on them.

TEAMS OFTEN LEARN THE HARD WAY  PASSING ON DARELLE REVIS

What impressed me most was his 2009 season, no receiver had over 60 yards on him in any game. That is insane with some of the talent he was locking down (Randy Moss twice when he cared and had Brady throwing him the ball, and most other top flight AFC receivers). Then in week 17 Revis made Chad Ochocinco look useless. A week later in an AFC Wildcard game and repeat of week 17 matchup between the Jets and Bengals. OchoCinco got essentially shut out and made look a fool after Ocho did his usual talking mid week. But Revis made sure he never had a chance. Every time Carson Palmer would look his way and throw it, you saw #24 all over him....all game long. I questioned so may times why they even would throw his way? Made no sense. Even more impressive was that Revis became Ocho's shadow and had few to no penalties called against him. Now I understand Chad is not the greatest receiver in the NFL, but he was a damn good one and looked like PJ Fleck out there (49er fans would get this).

He along with Asomugha are the only 2 legit Corners, who not make but force offensive-coordinators and QB's to question themselves. I got to witness some years of Deion Sanders, Champ Bailey was a shutdown CB for some years, but Revis and Asomugha are the future at CB.

Let me know yours guys' favorite players to watch!

Kalen from the Sports Cave