Game Week Mood
My mood has changed so drastically during this week. I am still hopeful that we can see some good things against Rutgers, but I am not as excited also because- what if we don't? I am tired already (after only week 3) of screaming F-bombs at the tv during the game.
Besides the stupid knee-jerk "fire everyone", what do you need to see from the team from the tunnel runout to the final whistle?
September 26th, 2019 at 9:35 AM ^
There is damn near nothing that can happen in this game that will change opinions held by anyone on either side of the UNACCEPTABLE continuum. A good performance will reinforce for the optimists that something can be salvaged from the season, the pessimists will immediately respond "LOL, Rutgers".
September 26th, 2019 at 9:59 AM ^
Eh, I'm a pessimist, but if we can give them the same type of Molly whopping that Ohio State has been giving teams this last couple weeks, I think that would be a real good sign. Let's strive to beat Rutgers by at least 40 points.
September 26th, 2019 at 10:38 AM ^
You know that won't happen.
September 26th, 2019 at 12:00 PM ^
I have a small sliver of hope that we still have all the pieces to be a very good team (aside from DT I suppose). If things actually start clicking the way they should and we thrash Rutgers/Illinois and beat Iowa, the season will still be alive. If not, things could get ugly real quick.
But in terms of mood, I haven't been this apathetic in a long time. I've missed only a couple of games in the past 15 years, but if I find a halfway decent alternative, I will probably skip this one.
September 26th, 2019 at 12:27 PM ^
No, I don't know that and neither do you.
September 26th, 2019 at 11:28 AM ^
Let's strive to beat Rutgers by at least 40 points.
Escapism is never good.
September 26th, 2019 at 9:36 AM ^
People are acting like we are about to see MSU's 2018 offense this Saturday. It will be fine.
September 26th, 2019 at 9:37 AM ^
Don't turn the ball over! More tempo on offense. More WR's on the field if we can protect the QB long enough. TE blocking has not been a strength. Better tackling, more hats on the ball, better Safety play. DL improvements, younger guys need to play: Hill, Hinton, Smith, Sainristil, McGrone, Anthony etc.
September 26th, 2019 at 9:41 AM ^
The OL protection has been fine. It starts to break down when Shea holds on to the ball too long. If he’s still holding on to the ball after 3 seconds they are in trouble. The offense is supposed to be quick drop backs and throws, not dancing around forever until you fumble.
September 26th, 2019 at 9:46 AM ^
Totally agree- this has been my lobbing F-bombs at the TV- throw the F***ING BALL!!
September 26th, 2019 at 9:53 AM ^
Agreed, that's also something that drives me insane about Shea. Terrible awareness on his part.
September 26th, 2019 at 10:33 AM ^
If it’s such a Shea problem, then why is McCaffrey taking off or missing receivers so often? Why does Milton do the same? Recognize the pattern here and stop blaming the guys scrambling for their lives on Saturdays. It strikes me as 99% a coaching issue.
September 26th, 2019 at 11:09 AM ^
Passing game problems are directly related to injuries to OTs, RBs and QBs. Runyan is clearly not healthy or sharp from the layoff. Hayes isn't ready. Mayfield is only OK. Wilson is injured. Charbonnet is now limited. All the other RBs are green/poor in pass pro. QBs are now playing injured with happy feet to avoid pocket contact. Things would be totally different with Runyan, Stueber, Wilson, Charbonnet, DPJ, Patterson all at 100% full strength.
It is what it is. You coach certain guys to be starters coming out of fall camp and then they can't play and/or are limited due to injury. You have to turn to the backups (in this case third string guys at RB), but they haven't had fall camp reps with the first team and have minimal game experience. This will take time, but coaching them up should make improvements. But it is like starting fall camp over.
Unfortunately, our season could end up like Wisconsin and MSU in 2018 unless our backups can step up to the plate and play much better. Plus Shea needs to get and stay healthy.
September 26th, 2019 at 1:50 PM ^
Mayfield was our best Olineman Saturday in only his third start. He has gotten better each game this year.
We are in Harbaugh's fifth year and our depth at certain positions is alarming. Moving a 240 FB going into true junior year to DT was a desperation move. So instead of having a guy who proved last year he could play RB we have a undersized,extremely inexperienced DT who can't hold up in the run game. This move made them move BVS and Haskins back to offense. BVS played in my kids conference so I saw him play twice and don't recall him playing RB in either game. He may have been a fit as a FB, but I don't see a place for him except on special teams. Have no idea what Haskins brings as all I recall is him missing a blitz pickup his first play against MTSU leading to a sack and him not seeing the field again. I don't want to think about CB depth because if we have one injury I have no idea who would become our third CB and I am not on the Vince Gray hype train until I see him do it against a P5 team that can throw the ball.
My biggest hopes for Saturday is to see intensity from the team, a turnover free game, and some young guys play especially Dax, Hinton, and Mazi.
September 27th, 2019 at 1:14 AM ^
Get a life
September 26th, 2019 at 12:04 PM ^
How do you claim McCaffrey is taking off or missing recievers often when he doesnt even play often? He has like 50 snaps career here
September 26th, 2019 at 12:08 PM ^
My best guess is that the message of "don't fuck up -- no INTs!!" has been pushed so hard at these QBs that they're totally out-of-sorts and can't just play. Every QB we've had in the Harbaugh era has ended up like this, especially in difficult games.
Once or twice can be written off as coincidence or circumstances. Rudock was able to overcome it (somewhat, except for the highest-pressure situations), but had fringe-NFL talent. Then we saw it in Speight, Peters, O'Korn, Patterson, and McCaffrey. Too many instances of the same thing to attribute it to anything but coaching.
September 26th, 2019 at 12:26 PM ^
Exactly. It’s the same pattern with all of them. To a tee.
September 26th, 2019 at 1:43 PM ^
Been saying this for 2 years now.
QB's over-coached to death.
September 26th, 2019 at 12:30 PM ^
He can't read a defense, that's the problem.
September 26th, 2019 at 12:35 PM ^
I actually wish they had a coach, actually watch the game from the TV viewpoint... things need to be seen from all perspectives, and I don't think the pressbox does it as well sometimes.... I'm with you, I've been screaming at the TV.... am in disbelief, why they don't design protect roll out Shea like the Rams do, and throw deep, every other play, until they break... and even if an INT, I don't mind this so much, its like a punt, and a few will happen... but its systematic, of throwing deep as much as I'm saying to do.... you wipe out their DBs and exhausted, then theyll be back on heels, then watch how easy it is to run the ball on a changeup... we have the WRs to do it. Instead, Shea is trying to work inside Gattis offense, and waiting for the routes to clear, and locks onto Bell all game.
September 26th, 2019 at 9:47 AM ^
to be fair it takes more than 3 seconds to completely ignore the wide open receiver and find the covered ones. le sigh.
not that I could ever in a billion years play qb but on the scale of Threet to Henne, Shea seems to be sliding into the wrong end headfirst. Hope he gets it figured out and gets healthy.
September 26th, 2019 at 11:03 AM ^
Yup. Quick hitch/correct reads. Can't have speed in space with the ball stuck in the backfield.
September 26th, 2019 at 11:07 AM ^
And fire and killer instinct. Tearing out and devouring Rutgers' internal organs from 00:00-60:00
September 26th, 2019 at 11:19 AM ^
Shea & McCafrey have never shown this level of slow/indecision, with each season it gets worse.
They are doing exactly as coached, unfortunately.
September 26th, 2019 at 2:51 PM ^
They aren't coached to do it slowly. They need to adapt to the difference in read progression and get it out faster.
September 26th, 2019 at 11:18 AM ^
I’d say the OL has problems when the team averages 2 yards per rush versus Wisconsin.
September 26th, 2019 at 12:09 PM ^
Shea can run and extend plays. Thats when things start cooking!
September 26th, 2019 at 7:17 PM ^
Wisconsin's true freshman nose pushed a double by Ruiz and bredeson into shea's lap. That's not "fine".
September 26th, 2019 at 9:45 AM ^
Take some of the pressure off the line with quick crossing routes. OSU used this ploy against us last year when their line had been underperforming throughout the season. If a team is sending pressure, use your slots to get the ball out and make the defense be more cautious moving forward.
September 26th, 2019 at 9:49 AM ^
Also agreed- this has been a contention of mine since our O-line has been getting run over and QB's getting hurt. There needs to be some quick passes to offset the pressure. Otherwise, the D-line pins their ears back and it's free-for-all on the QB.
September 26th, 2019 at 9:57 AM ^
Right. Not only does it take the pressure off the QB but it creates the ability to get the QB in rhythm and gain some of that confidence back that he has been lacking. That created tempo opens up other avenues of running the ball, RPO, and those BOMBS down the field.
September 26th, 2019 at 10:07 AM ^
Right? and using a short passing game to open up the running game might work better than bashing straight into the line, over and over and over.
September 26th, 2019 at 10:16 AM ^
and over and over and over and then and then and then.
September 26th, 2019 at 11:24 AM ^
The idea of crossing routes is good, but I also think Patterson has problems with passes being batted down when throwing to the center of the field. I'm not sure if it's height related, but you don't generally see taller QBs have as much of an issue with it. Sometimes it feels like Shea is throwing the ball uphill on those routes.
September 26th, 2019 at 10:18 AM ^
It's hard to run quick slants and crossing routes when you're using two TE's nearly every snap. Using a TE as a slot recvr is not very efficient, versus using a slot recvr, on those routes.
I'd like to see DPJ moved into the slot, keeping Collins ad Black outside - all three of the lethal WRs on the field at the same time. Stop throwing 75% of passes to Bell and a TE!!! Jesus Fucking Christ!!!
When Ronnie Bell and Nick Eubanks have more targets (14 between them) than Collins, Black, and DPJ COMBINED, there is a problem that requires a fix.
September 26th, 2019 at 11:34 AM ^
DPJ has been moved to the slot (primarily) under Gattis. He's been injured though and Bell has been playing his snaps.
September 26th, 2019 at 11:25 AM ^
Shea gets happy feet but the receivers have been a major problem. Watch the full replay of the Wisconsin game and the announcers complained all game about UM’s receivers running poor routes.
September 26th, 2019 at 9:55 AM ^
Agreed on no turnovers and young guys on the field. Would an entire half of offensive competence that we saw on that one drive vs MTSU with the RPOs and quick scoring be too much to ask? Shit, yeah probably. Ok TWO drives like that.
September 26th, 2019 at 10:03 AM ^
Agree w/ getting Sainristil and Giles some run - use that speed on the perimeter. And for the love of God, if the corners give Nico et al. a 5+ yd cushion, throw the hitch!
September 26th, 2019 at 10:25 AM ^
More WR's on the field if we can protect the QB long enough.
There are many examples of Shea getting good protection and then fucking around in the pocket ruining the play. No QB can expect a 10 second clean pocket, and if that's what Shea requires he sucks.
September 26th, 2019 at 10:39 AM ^
Hopefully up tempo and not down tempo.
September 26th, 2019 at 11:50 AM ^
More FIRE from everyone on the field. Better gap assignments on defense. A more cohesive game from the entire OL. Maybe some better reads out of the QB. More crisp routes out of the WR/TEs. Just a more refined, and inspired game.
September 26th, 2019 at 12:27 PM ^
I don't get the "younger guys need to play" comment. The most talented guys need to play. If you mean we need to get a big lead so backups can get some snaps, I am all for it.
September 26th, 2019 at 9:37 AM ^
Just hoping to see some execution and good things happening. Hopefully a turnover free game. Right now this team just needs to see some positive outcomes to build at least a little bit of confidence before Iowa.
September 26th, 2019 at 9:55 AM ^
I feel like leadership is an issue. None on either side of the ball. Shea needs to step up and take that for the offense. On defense, someone needs to be the vocal leader out there- at least to direct guys- defense looks confused out there.
September 26th, 2019 at 10:40 AM ^
Leadership is seemingly an issue. There isn't a vocal guy like we had last year with Chase Winovich.
September 26th, 2019 at 11:59 AM ^
Not sure Shea being a vocal leader for the offense is a good thing because it doesn't seem like Shea understands the offense.
September 26th, 2019 at 10:02 AM ^
Yeah we really need a straightforward tune-up game. If this one is a slog I give up all hope for the season.
September 26th, 2019 at 9:38 AM ^
This should actually go into the FAQ section of the Board as "what not to post as an OP."