[lex24]

Loved Madden as a coach. The knock on John was that he couldn't win the big one. One AFC championship, one Super Bowl, while acquiring the best regular season record around. Shanahan seems to choke in pressure situations . . . .

This one isn’t on Shanahan.  If Tartt catches the ball, SF wins and that’s that….

Heck, I am still amazed they beat Dallas and Green Bay back-to-back.  Shanahan had his best year by far this year.  He is the reason the team didn’t fall apart after a miserable stretch in the first half of the season.  He deserves huzzahs not brickbats.

I look forward to seeing what he can do to turn Lance into a football wunderkind…..

1.  I don't know why anyone thinks if Tartt makes the INT, SF wins.  Why?  They did nothing in Q4 offensively.  Let's say the 'Niners get the ball at midfield (a good run back after the pick).  3 and out is most likely outcome.  The best argument for why it may have altered the result is the effect on Stafford, who would then have had 2 brutal/costly picks.  Maybe that rattles him.  Maybe.  But to say SF wins for sure with a pick there is a pretty big leap.

2.  It's easy to pile on Jimmy, and I agree he did not play like an elite QB in the playoffs.  And I certainly would get rid of him/his contract.  However, if he gets the surgery and is healthy, then I think he can be a really good QB in the NFL.  When he was fully healthy with the 'Niners, he looked great (won those 5 or so games) that led to big contract.  Then he blew his knee, and since then it has largely been one thing or another.  Of course, maybe that's Jimmy's ultimate rap - it's always some kind of injury hampering his ability to play in peak form.  We'll see.  But if Jimmy lands in a good spot, could be interesting to watch him next year.

3.  As for Shanahan, I've said all along he needs a "sanity check" voice on basic, big picture calls.  Running on third down against GB was such a time (they called timeout and evidently Shanahan switched from a passing play to a running play - had to be done); not running against Seattle in first game with them in Super Bowl year was another time; and there have been a few others over the years.  On Sunday, you have to go for it on 4th and 2 in LA territory.  (And more importantly, you have to know you're going to go for it and call plays with that mindset - though he got it to fourth and makeable, which is good).  In Atlanta Super Bowl, iirc, you can't snap the ball with 10-15 seconds left on play clock up 25 points.  Those kinds of things.  Shanahan is an excellent offensive mind and can scheme people open like few others in NFL history.  I don't know if he is a "choker" as a coach - that seems a reach - but he does need Big Picture help.  And to get that, it starts with Shanahan recognizing that he needs that help.

Apply for the job, Teejers. Shanahan helper.

---

1.  I don't know why anyone thinks if Tartt makes the INT, SF wins.  Why?  They did nothing in Q4 offensively.  Let's say the 'Niners get the ball at midfield (a good run back after the pick).  3 and out is most likely outcome.  The best argument for why it may have altered the result is the effect on Stafford, who would then have had 2 brutal/costly picks.  Maybe that rattles him.  Maybe.  But to say SF wins for sure with a pick there is a pretty big leap.

It's impossible to know what happens if Tartt catches the ball, but it's not entirely accurate to say that SF did nothing offensively in Q4. They gained 36 yards on the drive that ended with the punt on fourth-and-two. If SF had gotten the ball around midfield they only need fifteen yards for Gould to be in FG range. One first down and three plays would have taken time off the clock, puts SF up by three (assuming Gould makes it) and puts LA in the situation that found itself in: deep in their own territory with the opposing d-line selling out on rushing the passer.

Possibly SF goes three-and-out but also possibly they get three first downs and LA doesn't even get the ball back or gets it back with almost no time left. Either way the dropped interception was a major swing in win probability given the amount of time left in the game.

Having said all that, SF should have gone for it on fourth-and-two; perhaps negative emotion got the best of them after actually losing yardage on the two running plays after having second-and-one. SF's inability to run the ball was the story of the offense, not Garoppolo.

Shanahan addressed the 4th and two call today.  He was prepared to go if it was 4th and 1 but after seeing two consecutive runs go nowhere, he felt punting on 4th and 2 was the prudent call.  In essence, he indicated that LA’s ability to control the LOS was the determining factor.

As I watched the game, I said punt so I can’t say that I would have gone for it……

That's what I meant by negative emotion. After being stuffed twice Shanahan lost confidence, but in reality the upside of making a first down there is enormous, they should have figured out their best play and gone for it.

Rams had stuffed two straight runs.  And when you get right down to it, he didn’t  trust JG  to make the play.  Different story if they had success running,  But they didn’t.  Not a good situation.  JG was 3-9 for about 30 yards.  Similar numbers in SB 4th.  Plus he missed a gimme TD.  Check his playoff numbers. Dismal.  Yeah, they win NFC in ‘19.  He threw 8 passes in Title game.  Channeling Bob Griese.  

When you don’t have a QB that can make a play.  4th and 2 becomes problematic.  At best….

[lex24]

Loved Madden as a coach. The knock on John was that he couldn't win the big one. One AFC championship, one Super Bowl, while acquiring the best regular season record around. Shanahan seems to choke in pressure situations . . . .

This one isn’t on Shanahan.  If Tartt catches the ball, SF wins and that’s that….

Heck, I am still amazed they beat Dallas and Green Bay back-to-back.  Shanahan had his best year by far this year.  He is the reason the team didn’t fall apart after a miserable stretch in the first half of the season.  He deserves huzzahs not brickbats.

I look forward to seeing what he can do to turn Lance into a football wunderkind…..

1.  I don't know why anyone thinks if Tartt makes the INT, SF wins.  Why?  They did nothing in Q4 offensively.  Let's say the 'Niners get the ball at midfield (a good run back after the pick).  3 and out is most likely outcome.  The best argument for why it may have altered the result is the effect on Stafford, who would then have had 2 brutal/costly picks.  Maybe that rattles him.  Maybe.  But to say SF wins for sure with a pick there is a pretty big leap.

2.  It's easy to pile on Jimmy, and I agree he did not play like an elite QB in the playoffs.  And I certainly would get rid of him/his contract.  However, if he gets the surgery and is healthy, then I think he can be a really good QB in the NFL.  When he was fully healthy with the 'Niners, he looked great (won those 5 or so games) that led to big contract.  Then he blew his knee, and since then it has largely been one thing or another.  Of course, maybe that's Jimmy's ultimate rap - it's always some kind of injury hampering his ability to play in peak form.  We'll see.  But if Jimmy lands in a good spot, could be interesting to watch him next year.

3.  As for Shanahan, I've said all along he needs a "sanity check" voice on basic, big picture calls.  Running on third down against GB was such a time (they called timeout and evidently Shanahan switched from a passing play to a running play - had to be done); not running against Seattle in first game with them in Super Bowl year was another time; and there have been a few others over the years.  On Sunday, you have to go for it on 4th and 2 in LA territory.  (And more importantly, you have to know you're going to go for it and call plays with that mindset - though he got it to fourth and makeable, which is good).  In Atlanta Super Bowl, iirc, you can't snap the ball with 10-15 seconds left on play clock up 25 points.  Those kinds of things.  Shanahan is an excellent offensive mind and can scheme people open like few others in NFL history.  I don't know if he is a "choker" as a coach - that seems a reach - but he does need Big Picture help.  And to get that, it starts with Shanahan recognizing that he needs that help.

Apply for the job, Teejers. Shanahan helper.

---

1.  I don't know why anyone thinks if Tartt makes the INT, SF wins.  Why?  They did nothing in Q4 offensively.  Let's say the 'Niners get the ball at midfield (a good run back after the pick).  3 and out is most likely outcome.  The best argument for why it may have altered the result is the effect on Stafford, who would then have had 2 brutal/costly picks.  Maybe that rattles him.  Maybe.  But to say SF wins for sure with a pick there is a pretty big leap.

It's impossible to know what happens if Tartt catches the ball, but it's not entirely accurate to say that SF did nothing offensively in Q4. They gained 36 yards on the drive that ended with the punt on fourth-and-two. If SF had gotten the ball around midfield they only need fifteen yards for Gould to be in FG range. One first down and three plays would have taken time off the clock, puts SF up by three (assuming Gould makes it) and puts LA in the situation that found itself in: deep in their own territory with the opposing d-line selling out on rushing the passer.

Possibly SF goes three-and-out but also possibly they get three first downs and LA doesn't even get the ball back or gets it back with almost no time left. Either way the dropped interception was a major swing in win probability given the amount of time left in the game.

Having said all that, SF should have gone for it on fourth-and-two; perhaps negative emotion got the best of them after actually losing yardage on the two running plays after having second-and-one. SF's inability to run the ball was the story of the offense, not Garoppolo.

Shanahan addressed the 4th and two call today.  He was prepared to go if it was 4th and 1 but after seeing two consecutive runs go nowhere, he felt punting on 4th and 2 was the prudent call.  In essence, he indicated that LA’s ability to control the LOS was the determining factor.

As I watched the game, I said punt so I can’t say that I would have gone for it……

That's what I meant by negative emotion. After being stuffed twice Shanahan lost confidence, but in reality the upside of making a first down there is enormous, they should have figured out their best play and gone for it.

Rams had stuffed two straight runs.  And when you get right down to it, he didn’t  trust JG  to make the play.  Different story if they had success running,  But they didn’t.  Not a good situation.  JG was 3-9 for about 30 yards.  Similar numbers in SB 4th.  Plus he missed a gimme TD.  Check his playoff numbers. Dismal.  Yeah, they win NFC in ‘19.  He threw 8 passes in Title game.  Channeling Bob Griese.  

When you don’t have a QB that can make a play.  4th and 2 becomes problematic.  At best….