User account number (aid): 19
Posted by MadRussky on 2008-10-28 07:59:10
49ers Team Report
Yahoo! Sports
7 hours, 15 minutes ago
Buzz Up Print
Inside Slant
Mike Singletaryâ€TMs first major coaching move after becoming San Francisco 49ers interim head coach was the benching of quarterback J.T. Oâ€TMSullivan.
Oâ€TMSullivan has struggled this season with 11 interceptions and six lost fumbles - not to mention another fumble that resulted in a safety.
After two turnovers in the first half, one being an interception returned for a touchdown, Oâ€TMSullivan was benched in favor of backup Shaun Hill.
ADVERTISEMENT
Hill responded with a solid showing. Hill played the entire second half. He completed 15 of 23 passes for 173 yards with one touchdown and no turnovers.
Singletary said he met with offensive coordinator Mike Martz on Monday morning. They watched the game film together and critiqued the performances of both quarterbacks. The 49ers return to action for a Monday night game on Nov. 10 against the Arizona Cardinals. Singletary said he is unsure at this point which quarterback will start the game.
â€oeWeâ€TMre going to continue to have conversations about that,” Singletary said. â€oeWe have some time to really reflect and decide how we want to look at it going forward. Weâ€TMll make the right decision. Whateverâ€TMs best for the team, thatâ€TMs what weâ€TMre going to do.”
Singletary declared he and Martz will come to a unanimous decision on which quarterback will start that game.
Oâ€TMSullivan has a 74.0 passer rating on the season. He has thrown for 1,676 yards in eight games with eight touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Notes, Quotes
• Niners interim coach Mike Singletary said Monday during his day-after game press conference that tight end Vernon Davis does not fit into the category of a player he does not want on his team.
Singletary banished Davis to the locker room early in the fourth quarter. First, Davis was called for unnecessary roughness after catching a 7-yard pass. Then, he seemingly dismissed Singletary when he wanted to talk to him about the mistake.
â€oeVernon is not a problem,” Singletary said. â€oeVernon is not a problem guy. Vernon just forgets sometimes that the team is more important. Vernon is not a guy who doesnâ€TMt come to practice. You have to tell Vernon, â€~Thatâ€TMs enough. Donâ€TMt hurt the guy. Thatâ€TMs your teammate.â€TM He works his tail off. You donâ€TMt have a problem with Vernon that way.
â€oeWhat you have a problem with is with some of the decisions he makes at crucial times. â€~Vernon, what were you thinking?â€TM You have to be able to separate the two. Heâ€TMs not the kind of guy (who) is a distraction on the team. Yesterday was somewhat of a distraction, but everybody knows Vernon. They know full well who Vernon is, and I did what I had to do so that he wouldnâ€TMt be so much of a distraction.”
• Down 13-3 late in the second quarter, Singletary decided to pass up a 47-yard field goal attempt to go for it on fourth-and-4 from the Seattle 29. He said he looked to Martz to ask if he wanted to go for it. Martz said yes.
â€oeI knew heâ€TMd say, â€~Iâ€TMd like to go for it,â€TM” Singletary said. â€oeI looked in his eyes and said, â€~Letâ€TMs go.â€TM
â€oeWhen he tells me, â€~Mike, I want to go for it,â€TM sometimes Iâ€TMm going to say, â€~Noâ€TM - probably most of the time. But that time I felt I wanted to support what he feels.”
The move backfield, however, as Oâ€TMSullivan threw the interception that was returned for a touchdown.
• The 49ers denied a report on the NFL Network that they were interested in interviewing Condoleezza Rice for a position as â€oeteam president.” But team executive Jed York said if the Secretary of State wants to call the team to talk about it, theyâ€TMll at least give her that courtesy.
• Rookie receiver Josh Morgan made the first start of his NFL career, replacing Bryant Johnson. However, Morgan lost his spot when he dropped a pass early in the game. Johnson caught three passes for 30 yards.
Strategy And Personnel
PLAYER NOTES
• RB Frank Gore ranks second in the NFL with 940 yards from scrimmage. Gore has gained 629 yards rushing, while adding 311 yards receiving. Gore has more receiving yards than any running back, except Reggie Bush (366).
• QB Shaun Hill got his first playing time of the season on Sunday, and now he is being considered as the teamâ€TMs starting quarterback for the remainder of the season. Hill completed 15 of 23 passes for 173 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. His passer rating is 102.3.
• LB Manny Lawson got his most significant playing time of the season, as the 49ers employed a 3-4 defense for most of their game Sunday against the Seahawks. Lawson recorded nine tackles, including two behind the line scrimmage. Lawson was also credited with a sack.
• WR Arnaz Battle sustained a right foot sprain in the fourth quarter of Sundayâ€TMs game and did not return to action. Battleâ€TMs availability for the 49ersâ€TM game after the bye week remains in question. Battle is the 49ersâ€TM second-leading receiver with 24 catches for 318 yards.
• TE Delanie Walker sustained a left elbow sprain, and his status after the bye week is uncertain. Walker has seven receptions for 126 yards and one touchdown on the season. He is the backup to starter Vernon Davis.
REPORT CARD VS. SEAHAWKS
Passing Offense: Dâ€"J.T. Oâ€TMSullivan again had trouble hanging onto the football. After his interception late in the first half was returned for a touchdown, he was benched. The damage had already been done. Backup Shaun Hill entered the game and did much better. Using a short-passing attack, Hill completed 15 of 23 passes for 173 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. Niners quarterbacks were sacked five times for negative-40 yards in the game.
Rushing Offense: Bâ€"The 49ers got some decent yardage on the ground, as Frank Gore gained 94 yards on 18 carries. He bounced back with a solid performance after the Giants held him to 11 yards on 11 carries the previous game. The 49ers had seven of their 21 first downs on the ground.
Pass Defense: Fâ€"The 49ers made backup quarterback Seneca Wallace look darn good. Wallace completed 15 of 25 passes for 222 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. His passer rating was 115.8. What was unusual was that the 49ers could not stop seldom-used fullback Leonard Weaver, who caught four passes for 116 yards. Wallaceâ€TMs passer rating was 115.8.
Rush Defense: B-plusâ€"The 49ers gave up a touchdown rushing and four first downs, but the play of the run defense was very, very strong. Maurice Morris was Seattleâ€TMs leading rusher with 16 yards on 11 carries. As a team, the Seahawks rushed for 39 yards on 28 carries. Manny Lawson had a strong day in his most extensive playing time on the season. Lawson had a team-high nine tackles, including two behind the line of scrimmage.
Special Teams: B-minusâ€"Joe Nedney had a season-best three touchbacks on kickoffs. He also booted field goals of 42 and 40 yards. Andy Lee had a good day punting with a 49.0 average, including a net 42.5. The 49ers did not get a whole lot accomplished in the return game, though.
Coaching: Dâ€"Interim coach Mike Singletary was in a difficult situation, and he did not get the 49ers to respond in his first game. The first big decision that he made backfired. Instead of sending out Nedney for a 47-yard field goal, which wouldâ€TMve cut the Seahawksâ€TM lead to seven points near the end of the first half, he decided to go for it. Oâ€TMSullivan threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown. Singletary later made another bold move. He benched tight end Vernon Davis after an unnecessary roughness penalty. Then, he sent Davis to the locker room for the final quarter after there was some exchange between the two men. The 49ers were already playing without their backup tight end.
BY, you signed up for another year? You think I should come back?
AOR
"If the Bucaneers are the Bucs and the Jaguars are the Jags, what are the Titans?"
- MadRussky 2008-10-28 07:59:10 (156 views)