09-13-2019, 07:47 PM
(09-13-2019, 04:06 PM)Marvin49 Wrote: Hey guys,
Niner fan here. No smack talk....just read a number of things in this thread so attempting as non-homerish a scouting report as I could muster. :)
1) Garoppolo: He seems a bit rusty coming off the ACL. People forget that the dude has only started 11 NFL games. He is 9-2 over that span, but he is an inexperienced QB. There is no question tho that he was really rusty in week 1. He was throwing high and behind on several throws (which isn't normal for him) and in his tenure as a 49er he always has ONE WTF throw (which IS normal for him) where you just have no idea what he's thinking. That was the pick 6 vs Tampa. Usually though, he makes a few "WOW" plays that make up for it. Not so much in Tampa tho. He was consistently so-so all day. Will that continue or does he break out? Dunno.
I think he's going to be really good later in the year, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least if he continues to struggle vs the Bengals as he knocks off the rust and plays through the injury mentally.
It should be noted tho that the 49ers actually had THREE TDs called back on penalty, including two TDs from Garoppolo to Kittle.
2) D-Line: The D-Line SHOULD be dominant, and I don't mean specifically in this game so its not an indictment of the Cincy O-Line. They have FIVE first round picks on the line. Dee Ford had 13 sacks last year and looked FAST in week 1. Bosa is still hampered a bit by a high ankle sprain that happened in camp, but that dude is for real. He isn't fast moving around, but he can make a tackle look foolish in a hurry. Buckner is a DT and had 12 sacks last year. Armstead has usually looked good for a few games and then always ends up injured. He's not much of a pass-rusher, but the dude can dominate with power when he's healthy. He also had a good game in Tampa.
Then there's Solomon Thomas. He is such a likable guy and he's a great athlete...but its just not working man. At this point, looks like a huge bust.
3) O-Line: 49ers have 2 exceptional Tackles in Staley and McGlinchey, but their interior line has been a problem. They could get very little movement in Tampa, but then again I saw the Panthers have the exact same problem against them last night. Vea and Suh are pretty stout and they have 2 fast LBs behind them. My guess though is that the interior of the 49ers line will be an issue all season.
4) Secondary: The Niner secondary was a problem all last year, but IMO I think it was overstated. Yes, there were issues, but they also had ZERO outside pass rush all year and it exposed their DBs. Well with Bosa and Ford, they've resolved that issue, at least for one week. Sherman looks healthier than he did all last year and Witherspoon had the best game of his career...and I'd have said that BEFORE his pick 6 at the end.
This week will be a much better test.
5) Run D: I saw someone here mention that the Bucs got some push, and they did, but its worth noting that it happened largely in the second half, in 95 degree heat, Insane humidity, and after the Niner O did the Niner D no favors in terms of time of possession. There was definitely some sucking wind going on. Also notable, Kwon Alexander was ejected in the first quarter. I heard it'll be pretty damn hot in Cincy as well, so bears watching.
6) WRs: Niners have ALOT of youth at WR and they clearly haven't figured it all out yet. Deebo Samuel looks really good, but he played like a rookie vs Tampa. Pettis hardly played at all and reportedly will play much more on Sunday. At this point though, I have no clue who will be getting the most snaps there. Its doesn't help that Garoppolos favorite WR target Trent Taylor is out and rookie Jalen Hurd hasn't played since week one of preseason with a sore back.
7) Kittle: No joke, Kittle is a superstar. It really started in the tail end of 2017, but the guy is just fantastic. He is a great athlete who was criminally underused at Iowa. He blew up a bit at the combine and can catch and block. Weirdest thing? He was second in the NFL last year in yards after the catch (McCaffery was first). Second. As a TE. In 2018, Kittle racked up 10.2 yards after the catch per reception. That was the most in the NFL by 1.2 yards (Evan Engram, 9.0).
8) RB: Tevin Coleman is out, which sucks, but reality is that there isn't a ton separating any of the Niners top 3 RBs (and I'm not even counting McKinnon whose on IR. Breida and Mostert always seem to play well when given a shot. Both are burners, Mostert being a bit more physical and Breida being more elusive.
Bottom Line, I think the Niners are better than they showed vs Tampa, particularly on O. However, if what I've heard is true than the final score in Seattle isn't indicative of the way the Bengals played. I never really know what to make of Dalton. I liked him coming out of college, but I haven't really followed him closely enough to say anything definitive. His stat line was impressive on sunday tho.
Should be fun. Looking forward to it. Good luck to you all. :)
Great information, man, thanks for sharing. I've admitted I don't know all that much about the 49ers (like us, it's not like they get a lot of national coverage these days) so this was exactly what I was looking for.
Sounds like this is really going to come down to who wins in the trenches as both of us have strong d-lines and question marks on the o-line.
