[Mudhead]

Losing our three most prolific receivers from last year, while having Costello sidelined with injury when he needed to be working with the new ones, seems to have prevented us from developing any kind of downfield threat.  We won't win many games unless that gets corrected--if only to loosen up defenses.

Given how young and still developing the freshmen on the OL are, the biggest thing we need is a vertical WR (obviously someone like JJAW, but even some with just pure speed like Michael Rector). Perhaps Michael Wilson can be that guy, but I don't think he is there yet. OSB seems best suited to run deep crossing routes that take a lot of time that we just don't have at the OL right now.

As such, there is no vertical guy to stretch the defense and prevent the defense from bearing down on our backfield.

p

I think you’ve nailed it.... and there is no easy fix. If you can’t protect the passer against three man rushes , stunts or blitzes your QB has to release the ball very quickly. (Otherwise you will be bringing in a new QB as  the current one is dragged off the field.) I’ve never thrown a pass but I’ll bet when you have to do that, you tend to go to the receiver most easily available. You lock on. And if you are play calling, you do a lot of screen and quick routes.
Defenses aren’t dumb. They figure out what you are doing and press cover.  Until and unles we have a healthy offensive  line in which each player plays his same position for more than two consecutive quarters, we will, ever know whether Shaw, Pritchard or Bill Walsh himself can call plays. Your play calling options are very limited.

Now, the second level question that bugs we is why are we so injury prone in our offensive line?. Or were we always and just had the depth to cover it.?

I fear it begins and ends with a functioning offensive line. Once you have that, you can judge the play calling. Until you do, how can you tell.?

[Mudhead]

Losing our three most prolific receivers from last year, while having Costello sidelined with injury when he needed to be working with the new ones, seems to have prevented us from developing any kind of downfield threat.  We won't win many games unless that gets corrected--if only to loosen up defenses.

Given how young and still developing the freshmen on the OL are, the biggest thing we need is a vertical WR (obviously someone like JJAW, but even some with just pure speed like Michael Rector). Perhaps Michael Wilson can be that guy, but I don't think he is there yet. OSB seems best suited to run deep crossing routes that take a lot of time that we just don't have at the OL right now.

As such, there is no vertical guy to stretch the defense and prevent the defense from bearing down on our backfield.

p

I think you’ve nailed it.... and there is no easy fix. If you can’t protect the passer against three man rushes , stunts or blitzes your QB has to release the ball very quickly. (Otherwise you will be bringing in a new QB as  the current one is dragged off the field.) I’ve never thrown a pass but I’ll bet when you have to do that, you tend to go to the receiver most easily available. You lock on. And if you are play calling, you do a lot of screen and quick routes.
Defenses aren’t dumb. They figure out what you are doing and press cover.  Until and unles we have a healthy offensive  line in which each player plays his same position for more than two consecutive quarters, we will, ever know whether Shaw, Pritchard or Bill Walsh himself can call plays. Your play calling options are very limited.

Now, the second level question that bugs we is why are we so injury prone in our offensive line?. Or were we always and just had the depth to cover it.?

I fear it begins and ends with a functioning offensive line. Once you have that, you can judge the play calling. Until you do, how can you tell.?