[PARAM]

We had a run game. Akers was doing just fine. Unfortunately because we didn't really give him a chance until the 3rd quarter, we didn't find that out, and then when we did McVay decided he should call passing plays, especially on short yardage. Because he's so smart you see, it'll fool everybody. Short yardage = you pass, and long yardage = you run or pass behind the line of scrimmage and hope for miracle YAC! He, he, he...so clever!! NO ONE will ever see that coming....again, and again, and again, and again.....

We had no run game until Akers went for 61 yards. The runs we had before that 61 yarders, going backwards in order were: -1, 3, 6 (Goff), 3, 2, 3 (Goff, fum), 1, 3, 5, 1, -1, Woods 8, 5, 4, -1, 2, 4, 2 (Goff), 3, -3 and 2. We had 17 runs by our backs. 4 of them were TFL, two went 1 yard, 3 went 2 yards, 4 went 3 yards. That's 13 of 17 and we gained 4, 4, 5 and 5 on the other 4. Hell Woods (8) and Goff (6) had our longest runs before Akers broke that one off. And that was with 0:32 left in the 3rd quarter. After that a 6 yard run by Akers and the 1 yd TD. Then on the next drive 4 yards, then a pass for a 1st down, then 0, then 6, then the sack on 3rd and 4. After that SF tied the game and we didn't attempt another run. We had 3:11 left when we got the ball back which is plenty of time to run when you only need a FG to win.

But until that 61 yarder, no, we had NO run game. He banged his head up against a wall running outside for most of the game and then finally ran inside and Akers broke one off. If he had gone inside much sooner, it might have been a different outcome. Then again maybe not.

Yeah Goff sucked today but with no run game and SF taking away the short passes, no adjustments were made in our playcalling. So it's on to Arizona, who lost today. Tampa lost too. We'll see what Seattle does in Philly tomorrow night but that's probably a win. If we can beat Arizona, we'll have the #5 seed well in hand with our tie breaker over Tampa. It's all in our hands. If we win we're division champs. If we don't win the division we may get that magical #5 seed.

Goff needs to find his mojo but IMHO, if McVay doesn't find his, we're doomed.

[Zen_Ronin]

My whole point was that Akers COULD and DID move the ball against SF with more success. We just found out late in the game because McVay decided to run Henderson into walls for an entire half before realizing he has more than 1 Running Back capable of running the ball. 3 RB's and McVay uses 1 to run, 1 to pass protect, and 1 to ride the bench until it's too late to do anything really useful but he finally remembers he's there so hey, why not?

[PARAM]

My whole point was that Akers COULD and DID move the ball against SF with more success. We just found out late in the game because McVay decided to run Henderson into walls for an entire half before realizing he has more than 1 Running Back capable of running the ball. 3 RB's and McVay uses 1 to run, 1 to pass protect, and 1 to ride the bench until it's too late to do anything really useful but he finally remembers he's there so hey, why not?

Maybe he learned something today?
If you can't run outside try inside?
Get Henderson AND Akers in the game early?

You have the best defense in the league......running with 3 different guys from the get go might work wonders

[Zen_Ronin]

Maybe he learned something today?
If you can't run outside try inside?
Get Henderson AND Akers in the game early?

You have the best defense in the league......running with 3 different guys from the get go might work wonders

Yeah dude, for like 3 years I've been begging McVay to scheme up some dual RB plays. I keep going back to thinking how good Ingram and Kamara were because they were used as Ingram AND Kamara and not Ingram OR Kamara.

[Haden]

McVay got severely outcoached again. Apparently, McVay is Shanny’s bitch

[ramsman34]

MCV is his own bitch. Cant fully utilize the tools in his own tool box. The shiny ones get all his attention, it seems

[/zn/]

A lot of bad things and a lot of surprising good things in that game.

But for me if you boil it down, it gets to this.

Shanahan, with a back-up qb, called plays that moved the ball late in the game against a defense that had already adjusted to what he was doing.

Given the same opportunity, McV could not dial up plays that gave them a chance.

To me the great team weakness is this. I don't think McV has the instincts or feel for game situations as a playcaller. Sometimes that bites them in the ass.

And they're still 7-4 with a good shot at the division, so this is far from a "down after a loss" style suicidal rant.

...
....

[ramsman34]

A lot of bad things and a lot of surprising good things in that game.

But for me if you boil it down, it gets to this.

Shanahan, with a back-up qb, called plays that moved the ball late in the game against a defense that had already adjusted to what he was doing.

Given the same opportunity, McV could not dial up plays that gave them a chance.

To me the great team weakness is this. I don't think McV has the instincts or feel for game situations as a playcaller. Sometimes that bites them in the ass.

And they're still 7-4 with a good shot at the division, so this is far from a "down after a loss" style suicidal rant.

...
....

Good post. McVay not only seems to have tunnel vision and inept at subtle adjustments. His team (offense) also seems unable to make the plays necessary. A conundrum for sure. The SB was a great example of not being able to change what you do and realize, then take advantage of the weaknesses of the defense presented.

I find your premise that MCV lacks the instinct necessary interesting, troubling, yet not sure I believe it. We don’t know that he doesn’t dial up the right play but the O doesn’t execute.

[HellRam]

A lot of bad things and a lot of surprising good things in that game.

But for me if you boil it down, it gets to this.

Shanahan, with a back-up qb, called plays that moved the ball late in the game against a defense that had already adjusted to what he was doing.

Given the same opportunity, McV could not dial up plays that gave them a chance.

To me the great team weakness is this. I don't think McV has the instincts or feel for game situations as a playcaller. Sometimes that bites them in the ass.

And they're still 7-4 with a good shot at the division, so this is far from a "down after a loss" style suicidal rant.

...
....

Good stuff.

McVay also seems to be completely opposed to even entertaining schematic changes to this offense. Even if it would greatly help his QB. McVay runs what he runs and that's that!

I'm afraid we've seen the best of McVay. We have a offenseive coach who struggles with offense. If not for this D we would be looking at consecutive missed playoff seasons despite a pretty talented team. I've been hoping he evolves but nothing suggest that's the case.

[PARAM]

Good stuff.

McVay also seems to be completely opposed to even entertaining schematic changes to this offense. Even if it would greatly help his QB. McVay runs what he runs and that's that!

I'm afraid we've seen the best of McVay. We have a offenseive coach who struggles with offense. If not for this D we would be looking at consecutive missed playoff seasons despite a pretty talented team. I've been hoping he evolves but nothing suggest that's the case.

I don't know if we've seen 'the best' of McVay. If he's not a great coach, maybe we have. But if he truly is a great coach, he'll figure things out.

I remember reading something unrelated to McVay about "you don't run on 2nd and long", meaning 2nd and 8 or more. Why not? I gotta believe most D's expect a pass there and if you can squeeze out 5 or 6 yards, you're facing a 3rd and 2 or 3. Hell few defenses are successful a great percentage in that situation because there are so many options (with a good offense).

Defenses have 3 and a half years of video on McVay's offense. I understand the arrogance(?) of 'we do a few different things off the same look and as long as we execute we're successful". Well what happens when we execute but the defense also does because they have everything covered? Gurley used to get 4 or 5 targets a game but we've all but abandoned the RBs in the passing game. Why? Weren't both Henderson and Akers drafted partly because they excelled in the passing game?