NFL 2012 season thread

[cardsfansince82]

damn, I thought they were going to pull it out. Some questionable calls on that goal line series (both officials and coaching).

Kapernich starts a roll out. Shovel pass to Frank Gore. Ray Lewis whiff. Ball game

Yeah that last set of downs was terrible. A nothing run up the middle whose only purpose was to get the clock rolling. A generic rollout trying to hit one of two receivers in a bunch of traffic. Then one of my major pet peeves, throwing a fade on your last down. Such a low percentage play. Kapernick was on fire...give him more of a chance to create.

[Bo Hart]

I thought the play-calling at the end of the game was absolutely abysmal. I mean, three straight passes from the 5 yard line... really!? There were so many things wrong with that:

1. Haloti Ngata was out of the game. Prime opportunity to gash it up the middle.
2. Running keeps the clock running. (Had the 49ers scored, they would've been up 35-34; naturally, they would've went for two, and either made it [37-35] or missed it [35-34]; either way, Flacco had three timeouts and a change to win/tie the game by putting his team in position for a field goal).
3. The 49ers are a good passing team, but they rely on their speed to create separation. The Ravens defense is old and slow. However, with 22 players bunched up in such a small area, this disparity is masked quite a bit.
4. The 49ers were the best running team in football; all of their offensive lineman are better run blockers than pass blockers.

I guess they thought Kaepnernik was the hot hand and wanted to keep the ball in his hands. They really did not play to their strengths though... really bad playcalling to end the game for San Francisco, in my opinion...

[Bo Hart]

Also, two enormous mistakes stemming form Kaepernik's inexperience: first, taking a timeout on first down with 10 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter down 22 points. Timeouts are far too valuable to use one in that situation. Second, forcing Harbaugh to take a timeout to avoid a delay of game on the last stand. With all three timeouts, the 49ers still could've have a big chunk of time (1:20 or so) to do something after stopping Baltimore and forcing them to punt. Instead, they had enough time for a safety punt return and zero offensive plays.

[stlouie_lipp]

Good points, Kyle.

[Jocephus]

i know its murdering two guys, i mean beating a dead horse, but there was a pregame interview with ray lewis and shannon sharpe said "what do you want to say to the victims" or some awful question like that and of course ray goes "its in gods hands" and some phony bs answer.

ah well, it was a pretty entertaining game.

[Freed Roger]

I thought the play-calling at the end of the game was absolutely abysmal. I mean, three straight passes from the 5 yard line... really!? There were so many things wrong with that:


3. The 49ers are a good passing team, but they rely on their speed to create separation. The Ravens defense is old and slow. However, with 22 players bunched up in such a small area, this disparity is masked quite a bit.

Granted, I don't know [expletive] -but I was thinking the Ravens were going to hang all over Crabtree and Davis, figuring passing interference is not going to be called at end of game. The fade pass call was awful - a finesse play wasn't going to work in there.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Also, two enormous mistakes stemming form Kaepernik's inexperience: first, taking a timeout on first down with 10 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter down 22 points. Timeouts are far too valuable to use one in that situation. Second, forcing Harbaugh to take a timeout to avoid a delay of game on the last stand. With all three timeouts, the 49ers still could've have a big chunk of time (1:20 or so) to do something after stopping Baltimore and forcing them to punt. Instead, they had enough time for a safety punt return and zero offensive plays.

Second half timeouts being wasted are my #1 football pet-peeve. I'm convinced that no coach realizes how valuable they are.

[pioneer98]

I'm no football expert but even I hated the play calling. The 49ers IMO should have spread the field there instead of calling a rollout on 3rd down and a fade on 4th. Seems like spreading the field would have left more options for passing, and may have also opened up the option for Kaepernick to run if no one was open. Granted, maybe Kaepernick isn't experienced enough for that type of play in that situation. They did run plays like that at mid-field, but that is a bit different than being on the 5.

[pioneer98]

Heckuva job, Brownie.

Funny you should mention him:
Ex-FEMA Director Mocks Super Bowl Blackout



https://twitter.com/MichaelBrownUSA/sta ... 1765958656

Someone just told me there was fighting going on in the NOLA Superdome. #shocked

And don't forget this past Fall he criticized FEMA for reacting too quickly to Hurricane Sandy.

[Radbird]

Glad the Niners came back and made it a ball game. Had they pulled it off all we would be hearing about today is "who turned out the lights?" conspiracy talk.

Granted I don't follow things that closely to know the nuances of the rules, but why wasn't that end zone play pass interference or holding? They kept saying it was because the receiver was pushing too, but then wouldn't they call offsetting penalties and replay the down?