Playoffs, Conference Championship Round: Lions @ 49ers

[CrimsonCrew]

If the guys are consistently out of position in the run game, that comes back to coaching in my view. It's the job of the coaches to make sure the guys are locked in on their responsibilities.

This KC offense is not nearly as dynamic as it was last time we met them in the SB, but one area where they are better is the running game. And if Mahomes can benefit from play action, that's a potentially lethal combination. We've got two weeks to get our act together. We need to do it.

Along those lines, I'm very curious about Clelin Ferrell's injury and why we put him on IR. Initial reports were that he would likely only miss a game or two. Based on how our contain has looked without him, it'd be great to have him back. Instead, we put him on IR to elevate Odum. Should we have cut a guy like Brayden Willis, instead? Very likely he would have ended up on the PS and remained available.

Last year, we activated Jimmy G and let Hassan Ridgeway stay on IR (after using one of our IR activation spots on Curtis Robinson earlier in the year). In the playoffs, that felt like a mistake as Jimmy wasn't healthy and we sure could have used Ridgeway as a run plugger.

[Pattersonca65]

If the guys are consistently out of position in the run game, that comes back to coaching in my view. It's the job of the coaches to make sure the guys are locked in on their responsibilities.

This KC offense is not nearly as dynamic as it was last time we met them in the SB, but one area where they are better is the running game. And if Mahomes can benefit from play action, that's a potentially lethal combination. We've got two weeks to get our act together. We need to do it.

Along those lines, I'm very curious about Clelin Ferrell's injury and why we put him on IR. Initial reports were that he would likely only miss a game or two. Based on how our contain has looked without him, it'd be great to have him back. Instead, we put him on IR to elevate Odum. Should we have cut a guy like Brayden Willis, instead? Very likely he would have ended up on the PS and remained available.

Last year, we activated Jimmy G and let Hassan Ridgeway stay on IR (after using one of our IR activation spots on Curtis Robinson earlier in the year). In the playoffs, that felt like a mistake as Jimmy wasn't healthy and we sure could have used Ridgeway as a run plugger.

The extent of Ferrell's injury was never disclosed, but after initially stating he would miss a week or so it was reported that he would miss several weeks as a result of the injury and then he was placed on IR. Sounds like the injury was worse than they originally thought.

[Pattersonca65]

If the guys are consistently out of position in the run game, that comes back to coaching in my view. It's the job of the coaches to make sure the guys are locked in on their responsibilities.

This KC offense is not nearly as dynamic as it was last time we met them in the SB, but one area where they are better is the running game. And if Mahomes can benefit from play action, that's a potentially lethal combination. We've got two weeks to get our act together. We need to do it.

Along those lines, I'm very curious about Clelin Ferrell's injury and why we put him on IR. Initial reports were that he would likely only miss a game or two. Based on how our contain has looked without him, it'd be great to have him back. Instead, we put him on IR to elevate Odum. Should we have cut a guy like Brayden Willis, instead? Very likely he would have ended up on the PS and remained available.

Last year, we activated Jimmy G and let Hassan Ridgeway stay on IR (after using one of our IR activation spots on Curtis Robinson earlier in the year). In the playoffs, that felt like a mistake as Jimmy wasn't healthy and we sure could have used Ridgeway as a run plugger.

I remember how stout this defense used to be against the run, They might have gone a season without a RB gaining 100 yards on them. And lately it has looked like Jim O'Neil coaching the running defense.

[CrimsonCrew]

If the guys are consistently out of position in the run game, that comes back to coaching in my view. It's the job of the coaches to make sure the guys are locked in on their responsibilities.

This KC offense is not nearly as dynamic as it was last time we met them in the SB, but one area where they are better is the running game. And if Mahomes can benefit from play action, that's a potentially lethal combination. We've got two weeks to get our act together. We need to do it.

Along those lines, I'm very curious about Clelin Ferrell's injury and why we put him on IR. Initial reports were that he would likely only miss a game or two. Based on how our contain has looked without him, it'd be great to have him back. Instead, we put him on IR to elevate Odum. Should we have cut a guy like Brayden Willis, instead? Very likely he would have ended up on the PS and remained available.

Last year, we activated Jimmy G and let Hassan Ridgeway stay on IR (after using one of our IR activation spots on Curtis Robinson earlier in the year). In the playoffs, that felt like a mistake as Jimmy wasn't healthy and we sure could have used Ridgeway as a run plugger.

I remember how stout this defense used to be against the run, They might have gone a season without a RB gaining 100 yards on them. And lately it has looked like Jim O'Neil coaching the running defense.

Aaron Jones was actually the first RB to go for 100+ yards against them in ages. But that's a little circumstantial. They didn't play many great running teams this year.

I thought getting Armstead and Burks back would improve the run D, but it hasn't so far. Guys have got to be more assignment sound this upcoming week or we're in trouble.

Alex Smith was talking about the game, and he seemed awfully pessimistic about the Niners' chances, in part because the D hasn't been great lately. I think that's a little short-sighted. This D has played really well in spurts, just haven't put together a great four quarters recently. Not to suggest that's an easy switch to flip, or that it will be easy against KC in particular, but they are a capable group. They need to come into the game with more urgency and a better plan, though.

[Jikkle]

If the guys are consistently out of position in the run game, that comes back to coaching in my view. It's the job of the coaches to make sure the guys are locked in on their responsibilities.

Yes and no.

These guys have been playing football for years and been in this defense long enough that you need to go and execute when it comes time to play. Filling your gap is just basic stuff and it shouldn't be a case of these guys not knowing what they are doing.

And sometimes you do have to tip your hat to the coach on the opposing team. It's their job to trick you and to get you out of position and you're going to win some and lose some time to time.

[CrimsonCrew]

If the guys are consistently out of position in the run game, that comes back to coaching in my view. It's the job of the coaches to make sure the guys are locked in on their responsibilities.

Yes and no.

These guys have been playing football for years and been in this defense long enough that you need to go and execute when it comes time to play. Filling your gap is just basic stuff and it shouldn't be a case of these guys not knowing what they are doing.

And sometimes you do have to tip your hat to the coach on the opposing team. It's their job to trick you and to get you out of position and you're going to win some and lose some time to time.

Logan Ryan, Ji'Ayir Brown, arguably Oren Burks haven't been in this defense all that long. Chase Young is relatively new to it. Beal is new to it. Joseph-Day is new to it.

Let's just say that, given our struggles with our run fits at times against Green Bay, especially on outside runs, I would have expected us to be markedly better prepared to defend the run against the Lions. Certainly I hold the players accountable, but it was so bad across the board that I think the coaches bear a significant amount of the blame, too.

[Harry Palmer]

Wilks made some brilliant adjustments vs. Lions, but I am puzzled why a guy capable of doing that seems to be completely predictable to opposing offences from the start of most games lately.