Chargers
Youth Brock Coyle Jersey , head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters that the San Francisco 49ers needed to solve the problems on third down, so that they
could sustain drives. Well, mission accomplished.Starting at the end of first
quarter, the Niners went on a 21-play drive that took 10:44 off the clock — and
still only netted three points. The Chargers didn’t get the ball back until 4:59
of the second quarter. And SF converted five third downs on a single drive. Per
team PR, it was the longest 49ers drive in terms of time since 2002, when they
had a 20-play, 81 yard drive that lasted 12:07 and ended with a field goal. It
was the most plays in a drive since the Cleveland Browns had a 21-play drive in
2015.How do you even pull off such a long drive? You can’t just be slicing
through a defense; you need to mix in some penalties or sacks to make it work.
So it’s not a pure sign of greatness.With the run strength and accumulating
injuries of this squad, it might be increasingly common this season. The team
had a 16-play drive in the fourth quarter against Kansas City, too. Here’s how
this one went down:1) 1st and 10 at the SF 25 (0:43 1Q)On a typical running
down, the 49ers went play action and threw a screen to George Kittle, who picked
up eight yards. Nice start. Better tone it down there, though, guys. You’ll
score in 10 plays at that rate.2) 2nd and 2 at the SF 33 (15:00 2Q)C.J. Beathard
tripped and fumbled, but Matt Breida recovered, for a one yard loss. That’s more
like it!3) 3rd and 3, SF 32 (14:12 2Q)Goodclock burning between plays, and
Marquise Goodwin picks up 4 yards on a short pass. Perfect! Only one extra yard
gained past the minimum needed to move the chains.4) 1st and 10, SF 36 (13:34
2Q)Goodwin gets four more on an reverse, running extra time off the clock during
the play. It sure looked like he ran out of bounds but the clock keeps
ticking.5) 2nd and 6, SF 40 (12:56)Play action, pass to Kyle Juszczyk is broken
up by good pass coverage. Clock stops. BOOOOO!6) 3rd and 6, SF 40 (12:50)Kittle
catches a pass over the middle and just barely gets the first down with YAC.
Back on track! 6 plays have picked up exactly 21 yards and it’s first down
again. 7) 1st and 10, SF 46 (11:57)Alfred Morris for a three yard run. He’s the
master of this.8) 2nd and 7, SF 49 (11:19)Morris bursts through for 8 yards, and
a first down in Chargers territory. Easy now.9) 1st and 10, LA 43 (10:43)
Beathard’s pass is rejected by Derwin James like it’s a weak layup and he’s
Manute Bol. Needed a finger wag.10) 2nd and 10, LA 43 (10:40)Beathard’s soft,
low pass is deflected by one Charger, then batted in the air by another, but no
one manages to haul it in.Lucky, lucky break. I love the guy but sometimes it
seems like he’s just woken up from a nap and playing in slow motion. NFL
defenses move too fast for that.11) 3rd and 10, LA 43 (10:34) Eleven plays is
already a pretty long drive, but it looks like the party is over. Shanny goes
deep to Goodwin, who is blanketed all the way and has no chance to haul it in.
(He was the one receiver
Womens Ahkello Witherspoon Jersey , opposite trips. Did anyone not know the ball was going to him?)But wait - there’s hope! An illegal contact call here
is perfect. First down, but you only advance 5 yards! Technically this is “no
play” but I don’t care. I’m counting it.12) 1st and 10, LA 38 (10:27)11 plays
done and the Niners have picked up four first downs but only advanced 37 yards.
That is statistically almost perfect, for the slowest drive possible. A screen
to Trent Taylor is a good call. It always helps to start in the backfield.
Taylor gets 5 though and stops the clock by running out of bounds. Hmmph.13) 2nd
and 5, LA 33 (9:50)Breida run loses two. Exxxxxx-celent.14) 3rd and 7, LA 35
(9:08)Derwin James plants Beathard like a tulip bulb, but not before he passes
up the middle to Kittle. The 13-yard gain is way too much but the young QB was
under severe pressure. I can’t hold it against him. Joe Staley is injured on the
play and out for the game, which will also help slow down the drive, sadly.
Garry Gilliam is the OL equivalent of a parking brake left on as you drive.15)
1st and 10, LA 22 (8:47)Getting within range of a record setting drive here, but
Beathard’s gotta be careful or he’ll throw it all away with one touchdown pass.
Screen pass to Breida but he gets around the corner and down to the 14, for a
gain of 8. This simply will not do.But wait! Once again, salvation, this time in
the form of a holding call against Garrett Celek. Normally I’d be upset, but
this is an entirely new kind of Celek Time. Dude extended the drive, and I
respect that.16) 1st and 16, LA 28 (8:14)Beathard keeper, runs out of bounds for
no gain. Solid, but should have slid in bounds to keep the clock running.17) 2nd
and 16, LA 28 (7:48)If you have to pass, over the middle is the place to do it.
Pierre Gar?on gets 13 yards, stays short of sticks. That’s a smart, veteran
play.18) 3rd and 3, LA 15 (7:03)Kittle in the flat, 7 yards down to the 8. This
is unsustainable, guys. Dial it down.19) 1st and goal, LA 8 (6:24) Breida up the
middle for one. Well done.20) 2nd and goal, LA 7 (5:44)Gar?on gets four yards
inside. Good one.21) 3rd and goal, LA 3 (5:06)Beathard wisely throws it away
under heavy pressure. That’s better than risking a pick or a strip sack, but it
sadly brings this epic drive to an end.22) (or 21, for those that don’t count
“no plays” on penalties). 4th and goal, LA 3 (5:02)Robbie Gould kicks the field
goal, putting this drive out of its misery.This was a surprising kind of
marathon drive, actually — not that many penalties or sacks. Just one fumble and
2 negative plays for only 3 yards lost
Womens Solomon Thomas Jersey , total. Just two penalties, and only one was against SF. On the positive side, this shows the strength of the run game, and
Beathard’s abilities in the short game. The bad thing is, there aren’t many
teams with a soft-enough defense to keep drives like this going. If the four
yard gains in this drive slip to 3 or 2 yards, as they will against better
teams, these long drives will turn into 3-and-outs in a hurry.Top 5 edge rusher
prospects + favorites and sleepers in 2019 NFL Draft The San Francisco 49ers’
defense has had positive moments, but the pass rush remains a huge problem. The
team is able to get some interior pressure, but they get very little off the
edge to create problems.Of course, when the team does not address the position
during the offseason, these things are going to happen. The 49ers extended
Cassius Marsh and signed Jeremiah Attaochu (later released), while declining
Elvis Dumervil’s option after he had led the team in sacks in 2017.The team is
in a rebuilding process, and it is entirely possible they targeted the 2019
offseason as the best opportunity to add talent to the group. NFL Draft picks
are no sure thing, but the 2019 NFL Draft could feature an especially talented
group of edge rushers.The 49ers are looking at a fairly high draft pick in the
2019 NFL Draft. I decided to ask Greg Valerio, Josh Eccles, and Alex Eisen to
put together a ranking of their top five edge rushers for 2019. Additionally,
each of them wrote up their favorite edge rusher, and their favorite sleeper in
the draft.Edge rusher rankings, 10/3RkGreg ValerioJosh EcclesAlex EisenRkGreg
ValerioJosh EcclesAlex EisenJosh EcclesFavorite: Josh Allen, DE, No. 41 -
KentuckyHeight: 6’5” | Weight: 230 | 40 time: 4.692018 stats (5 games): 6 sacks,
33 tackles (17 solo), 10.5 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumblesMark Zerof-USA
TODAY SportsIf you’ve paid any attention at all to college football this season
then you know that Kentucky has been surprising folks with their undefeated
start as they near the halfway mark of the 2018 season. Many would argue that
their run can’t last much longer as matchups against the likes of Georgia (and
the rest of the SEC) loom on the horizon. One of the many impressive things
about the Wildcats thus far has been the play of pass rushing specialist Josh
Allen whom, week in and week out, has shown fans and scouts alike that he is,
indeed, the real deal.His most impressive showing was also his most recent one
against South Carolina as managed to disrupt the Gamecocks’ entire offense on
his way to tallying a total of 3 sacks. He’s strong, athletic, intelligent, has
a high motor, and would slide in perfectly to what San Francisco is trying to do
on defense. He is a little on the small side but will grow into his body as time
goes on so that should not - in any way - be a detractor from teams taking a
chance on him.Sleeper: Chase Winovich, DE, No. 15 - MichiganHeight: 6’3” |
Weight: 255 | 40 time: 4.772018 stats (5 games): 3 sacks
Womens Dante Pettis Jersey , 32 tackles (18 solo), 10.5 tackles for lossBrad Mills-USA TODAY SportsA legitimate argument could be made about the
fact that Jim Harbaugh’s stint as head coach at Michigan has been a bit of a
letdown. You know what isn’t a letdown, though? Watching Wolverine EDGE rusher
Chase Winovich play football. The dude has a high motor and always seems to find
a way to disrupt things in the backfield. 2019 will be a deep year for pass
rushers and Winovich provides good value for any team who may find themselves
unable to select one of the many talented EDGE rushers within the first three
rounds of the draft. Like I said, he has a high motor - that paired with his
good athleticism and his ability to get around the edge and into the backfield
bodes well for him to make his mark as a pro for years to come.Greg
ValerioFavorite: Nick Bosa, DE, No. 97 - Ohio StateHeight: 6’4” | Weight: 265 |
40 time: 4.752018 stats (3 games): 4 sacks, 14 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 1
forced fumble, and 1 touchdownNick BosaPhoto by Jamie Sabau/Getty ImagesAlthough
I am a huge fan of Florida State’s Brian Burns, I have to go with my favorite
prospect in the draft class in Nick Bosa. It is rare to see two brothers sharing
high-end success at the next level, but Nick Bosa is on the path to match older
brother’s “Joey” ride and success in the NFL. The junior is a tremendously
gifted athletic talent showcasing a terrific combination of size, strength,
athleticism, natural ability, power, quickness, football intelligence, and
superb technique. A man amongst boys, Bosa is an all around complete player with
excellent technique, adept in all facets of the game whether rushing the passer,
wreaking havoc in the backfield, or as a stout run stopper. NFL Bloodlines runs
thick and Bosa’s successful transition to the next level is pretty much a sure
thing, but first he needs to get healthy. Sleeper: Oshane Ximines, No. 7 - Old
DominionHeight: 6’3” | Weight: 252 | 40 time: 4.652018 stats (5 games): 6 sacks,
29 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 1 pass deflection, and 2 forced fumblesOshane
XiminesRay Carlin-USA TODAY SportsAlthough not really considered a “sleeper” per
se, Oshane Ximines is a somewhat under-the-radar prospect worth keeping an eye
on. A leader on the field, Ximines is an explosive LEO prospect with destructive
tendencies wreaking havoc in opponents’ backfields. A standout tough athlete
with an immense passion for the game, Ximines is an impressive pass rush talent
with great first-step explosion, length, fluid change-of-direction
skills
Youth Richard Sherman Jersey , quickness, agility, strength, and athleticism. He showcases good bend off the edge (nice flexibility) maintaining
balance and burst closing with speed and violence. He does a good job utilizing
his active hands and is quick to transition into his pass rush moves with
smoothness winning with speed, power, and awareness.Alex EisenFavorite: Clelin
Ferrell, No. 99, - ClemsonHeight: 6’5 | Weight: 260 | 40 Time: 4.712018 Stats:
(5 Games) 17 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble.Jerome Miron-USA TODAY SportsNick
Bosa has my vote to be the number one pass rusher off the board come April, even
with his current injury. However, my favorite pass rusher in this draft has, and
continues to be Clelin Ferrell out of Clemson. Causing disruption along the line
of scrimmage is an understatement. Ferrell’s dominance along the line not only
puts him in the spotlight, but creates plays and valuable opportunities for his
fellow defensive lineman (3 other future first round picks).Last season Ferrell
filled up the stat sheet with over sixty total tackles and 9.5 sacks. His short
area quickness and burst off the line are among the most explosive in the
nation. He gets to the quarterback often and early. Ferrell is strong against
the run, and the point of attack. Has a great frame, with strong and reliable
hands that scouts andevaluators seek at the next level. A nightmare for
offensive lineman to cover, and will often require to be double-teamed along the
line of scrimmage. The scary thought about Ferrell was that many had him as a
top 15 pick had he declared in 2018. Ferrell will continue to build his resume
as he is looking like a top 10 lock in next year’s draft. Sleeper: Carl
Granderson, No. 91 - WyomingHeight: 6’4” | Weight: 255 | 40 Time: 4.752018 Stats
(5 Games): 16 total tackles, 1 sack, 1 batted passDenny Medley-USA TODAY
SportsKeep a close eye on Carl Granderson out of Wyoming. The converted pass
rusher continues to climb up draft boards after a productive season in 2017
where he totaled 77 tackles, 9.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, and 1 forced fumble.
Does not nearly get the media attention playing in the Mountain West Conference.
However, he has received positive marks and early praise from scouts and
evaluators. Has a strong build and frame that will transition nicely at the next
level.Watching Granderson on tape, he has the ability to find the small gaps and
holes heading towards the opponents backfield. Strong, reliable hands help him
push off blockers. Has shown the ability to stop the run, and make his presence
known on passing downs. Disrupts and clogs up potential gaps against the run. On
numerous occasions Granderson is reading the passer’s eyes, and adjusting
accordingly to make an impact on the play. Has nice burst along the line, off
the snap. Since converting to defensive end, he has built a package of pass
rusher moves that he continues to polish and improve upon each season. He might
not be in the national spotlight, but he is slowly getting the scouts’ attention
while raising his draft stock in the process. At the moment Granderson is a late
day two, early day three pick with his arrow pointing up.
