Week 17 - Hoping to close out the 2016 regular season on a positive note, something they've had very few of this year, the (2-13) San Francisco 49ers would play host to the rival (9-5-1) Seattle Seahawks. Of the 22 starters for San Francisco that played in Week 3 when these two teams last met, only 11 would be healthy enough to play in this one and it showed early on. With 49ers running back Carlos Hyde out with a knee injury, backup Shaun Draughn would get the call to start Sunday and would give Seattle a gift right out the gate. On the second play of the game, Draughn would fumble the hand-off exchange from QB Colin Kaepernick, recovered by the defense. With Seattle already in scoring range, the 49ers would comp the NFC West champion Seahawks with an early 3-point lead on Steven Hauschka's field goal.
However, Kaepernick and company would answer back quite nicely on their next possession by marching 75 yards as a trio of short passes would result in big gains which ultimately set up Draughn who redeemed himself by running it in for a 1-yard touchdown to put the Niners ahead, 7-3. After forcing a three and out on defense, San Francisco's next possession would also end in success, turning a 14-play drive into another touchdown as Draughn punched in yet another 1-yard score, this time converting on fourth down. But after taking a 14-3 lead following a hot start from Kaepernick who logged over 100 yards passing in the first quarter but threw for only another 115 the rest of the way, Seattle would storm back with 19 unanswered-points, seven of which coming off another 49er turnover as DuJuan Harris was stripped of the ball. With Seattle pinned back in their own end zone, San Francisco would manage to get two of those points back as a high snap on a punt attempt was airmailed out of bounds over the head of Seahawks punter Jon Ryan for a safety. The 49ers would inch even closer on a fourth quarter touchdown from Kaepernick to tight-end Garrett Celek to make it a 2-point game with under six minutes remaining.
But even with Seahawks backup quarterback Trevone Boykin taking over for Russell Wilson (258 yards passing, 1 touchdown) under center midway through the fourth, the 49ers were unable to get a stop on defense when they needed it most as Boykin and the Seattle offense successfully milked the clock, sealing the 25-23 victory. With Seattle's ticket to the playoffs already punched, the Seahawks improved to 10-5-1 on the year and will host the winner of the second NFC Wild Card -- Detroit Lions. As for San Francisco, the loss would drop the 49ers to 2-14 on the year, tying a franchise worse record of 14 losses in a season. It would also be their seventh consecutive loss at home, setting a new franchise record. With much speculation regarding the firing of 49ers GM Trent Baalke heading into the week, the team made the announcement official following the game and he wouldn't be shown the door alone. After inking head coach Chip Kelly to a contract last offseason, the 49ers decided to relieve Kelly of his duties just one year into his four year pact he signed last January. All this coming after someone paid to have a plane fly over Levi's Stadium before kickoff with a banner that read: Levis Stadium, The House That Harbaugh Built.
The move comes after another disappointing season by the Niners who will now be in search of a new GM as well as their fourth head coach in as many years as the state of the franchise continues to spiral out of control since 49ers CEO Jed York cut ties with Jim Harbaugh in favor of Baalke who is now without a job. Niner fans have been calling for Baalke's head since the decision and though it came much later than we would've hoped, better late than never as the team seeks a new direction. While the hiring of Kelly was looked at as being an experiment to try and help revive the luster of Colin Kaepernick's career who took the league by storm upon winning the starting role at QB, the firing comes off as unfair given what 49ers brass was asking of Kelly in such little time. Known as an offensive mastermind, the talent on offense simply wasn't there for Kelly to attempt to work his magic and the defense was equally as bad following the injury to All-Pro linebacker NaVorro Bowman, giving up the most rushing yards in a season in NFL history. And with Kaepernick most likely the next to go as he has a 2017 player option and can opt out of his contract, next year's 49ers team figures to be an entirely different crop of players as they possess the No. 2 overall pick in April's Draft.
Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest
Week 16 - With the (1-13) San Francisco 49ers on the road for the final time in the 2016 NFL season, Chip Kelly's 49ers would pay a visit to the L.A. Coliseum to face the (4-10) Rams, the one and only team San Francisco has had any luck against this season. But since their dominant 28-0 victory over the Rams to begin the season, a lot has changed for both teams. While the 49ers have yet to win a game since the Monday Night opener and entered Sunday's game suffering a 13-game losing streak, their worst losing skid in franchise history, the Rams have also had their fair share of ups and downs, including the firing of head coach Jeff Fisher less than two weeks ago which came just days after the team announced they signed him to a 2-year extension. Both teams would also have a different quarterback under center since their Week 1 meeting.
In the house that witnessed the first NFL completion of 49ers all-time great QB Joe Montana, San Francisco would face off against the number one overall pick Jared Goff who grew up a Niners fan and wears No. 16 in honor of Montana. But on Christmas Eve in front of a predominately pro-49ers crowd, Goff would want nothing more for Christmas than to earn his first career NFL victory against the team he grew up rooting for in a match-up between two struggling NFC Western Division foes. Unfortunately for the Cal Berkeley alum, the 49ers would have other plans as Colin Kaepernick and company would plan to play the role of the Grinch who stole Christmas. On Los Angeles' first drive, Goff would be greeted by 49ers cornerback Tremaine Brock who jumped out in front of Rams receiver Kenny Britt for his first interception of the season and returning it 39 yards to put San Francisco in striking distance. Just two plays later, Kaepernick would find his running back Carlos Hyde across the middle who then found the end zone for a 19-yard score. But the Rams would have no problem answering on their ensuing possession as a 51-yard kick return by Pharoh Cooper ignited Los Angeles' offense to score 21 unanswered-points, including their first seven on a 1-yard run in by Todd Gurley.
The 49ers offense would run into some problems of their own as their ensuing possession went into flames much like L.A.'s first possession as Kaepernick overthrew his intended target and was picked off by defensive back Cody Davis. The Rams would pull ahead just one play later as Tavon Austin took the hand-off to the house for a 30 yard touchdown. The run would be the longest rush of the season for the Rams and gave them their first set of back-to-back touchdown-scoring drives since Week 6. An uneventful stretch on either side of the ball from both teams in the second and third quarters would set up a roller coaster ride in the fourth. One play into San Francisco's first drive of the fourth quarter would end in disaster as Carlos Hyde caught a pass and was struck in his left knee by E.J. Gaines immediately after turning his head and planting his foot. With the ball squirting out and recovered by a Rams defender, the ruling on the field was an incomplete pass but would later be reversed to a fumble as L.A. challenged the play. While the 49ers would turn the ball over, the worst news would be that of Carlos Hyde's health as he was forced to leave the game with what was later revealed to be a serious MCL sprain that wouldn't require surgery but would put an end to Hyde's 2016 campaign.
Already in field goal range after recovering the fumble, Goff would complete his one and only touchdown on the afternoon, a 2-yard pass to rookie tight-end Tyler Higbee to make it a 21-7 game. Though the 21 points scored by the Rams would be their most points at the Coliseum this season, it wouldn't be enough. While we've seen the 49ers squander a handful of 14-point leads this season, we've never seen them come back from one. At least not until Saturday as Kaepernick worked some late game magic with his team trailing 21-7 with 10:32 remaining. After making it beyond mid-field and facing a fourth and 8, Kaepernick would keep the drive alive by finding his receiver Rod Streater along the sideline for a 10-yard gain. Following two consecutive incompletions, Kaepernick would decide to do it himself, dodging tackles and scrambling for a 13-yard touchdown to pull his team within seven. In need of a stop, the 49er defense would come through after forcing a Rams three and out to give Kaepernick and co. one last chance.
With just over three minutes to march down field and two timeouts remaining, the 49ers would make their way into enemy territory after a series of short passes. And with 36 seconds remaining, Kaepernick would find Streater streaking down the middle for the touchdown. But instead of going for the game-tying point after, Niners head coach Chip Kelly kept Kaepernick and the offense on the field to try and go for the win. And after solid coverage by the defense and with nobody to throw to, Kaepernick would take it in himself, soaring into the air and extending the ball past the pylon for the successful two-point conversion. Despite the 49ers taking a 22-21 lead with under a minute remaining, the game wouldn't be over just yet as a taunting penalty by San Francisco would give the Rams an extra 15-yards from the spot of the ensuing kick. With the ball at the 42 yard line, Goff would be picked off by Rashard Robinson, sealing the victory and stealing a win from Goff who was left still seeking his first career victory. San Francisco managed to pull off the epic comeback without their bell cow in Carlos Hyde who ran for 38 yards on the afternoon and fell just 12 yards short of his first career 1,000 yard season. The 22-21 victory was San Francisco's first over the Rams at the L.A. Coliseum since 1976.
For a team that has struggled mightily on defense this year, San Francisco managed to hold Goff to only 90 yards passing on 11 of 24 attempts and contained Todd Gurley to just 67 yards on the ground (23 carries), logging another solid performance against the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year. Meanwhile, Kaepernick tossed for 266 yards passing, 24 of which went to Hyde.
Week 17 Preview - Coming off only their second victory of the season, the (2-13) 49ers will look to closeout the 2016 season with a winning streak as they return to Levi's Stadium to face the bitter rival Seattle Seahawks who are coming off a 34-31 loss at home to the Arizona Cardinals. Having already clinched the NFC West Division at 9-5-1 and not much to play for in this one, I'm guessing Seattle will most likely rest a majority of their starters for a good portion of this game, giving the Niners somewhat of a chance to defeat Seattle for the first time since December 2013. In their first meeting earlier this year, Seattle ran away with the 37-18 blowout victory at home as running back Christine Michael scored two touchdowns on the ground and rushed for over 100 yards. But with Michael now on the Packers and the Seattle run game not quite what it used to be, it's been the passing attack that has led the offense. And with defensive studs Earl Thomas out for the season with a broken leg and Kam Chancellor nursing an ankle injury, the Seahawks defense isn't quite as stout which could be alarming heading into the playoffs. Not to mention how much better the Seahawks are at home opposed to on the road which they'll be come playoff time.
Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest
Week 12 - With a trip to Miami in store for Week 12 to take on the red-hot (6-4) Dolphins, winners of five straight, the upset-minded (1-9) 49ers would come out swinging in what would end up being a close game that came down to the wire. Having shown improvement week by week with the exception of last week's rain-filled loss to the Patriots, Niners QB Colin Kaepernick had arguably his best game of the season on Sunday against a dominant Miami defensive-line. Kaepernick would lead both teams in passing and rushing yardage on the day as he finished with 296 yards thru the air and another 113 yards on the ground to go along with 3 touchdown passes including one on San Francisco's opening-drive which put them ahead early on.
After forcing a three and out on Miami's opening possession to start the game, Kaepernick would help march the team down the field before dumping the ball off to Carlos Hyde who found the end zone to score his first receiving touchdown of the year and first touchdown overall since Week 5 vs Arizona. It would be a long time coming for the 49ers running back who started the season with six touchdowns scored in the first five weeks of the season but has since then cooled off while nursing a shoulder injury and sharing the load with fellow backs Shaun Draughn and DuJuan Harris. The early lead would be short-lived however, as San Francisco quickly found themselves trailing 14-7 heading into the half after back-to-back touchdown scoring drives by the Dolphins, the second of which set up by a Garrett Celek fumble which halted a 49ers drive inside enemy territory at the Miami 31 yard-line. It would also be San Francisco's 11th lost fumble of the season (most in the NFL). An equally disastrous start to the second half for the 49ers would put even more points on the board for the opposition as Kaepernick's pass intended for receiver Torrey Smith was intercepted on the first play of the second half which led to a Miami field goal.
Though the interception wasn't necessarily his fault as Smith should've came up with the catch, both Kaepernick and tight-end Garrett Celek who fumbled earlier would get to redeem themselves with a 4-yard touchdown, the first of Celek's career. Kaepernick wasn't the only one who had a fine performance on Sunday though, as Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill logged a solid outing with three touchdown passes of his own, including a 43-yarder late in the third quarter to receiver Kenny Stills and another from 15-yards out to Leonte Carroo to start the fourth quarter. Trailing 31 to 14 in the fourth, the 49ers would march all the way down to the 1-yard line before punching it in on a one-handed touchdown grab by Torrey Smith. In need of some help from the defense, the Niners would get just what the doctor ordered as they forced back-to-back Miami three and outs. Following a Phil Dawson field goal to bring them within a touchdown, San Francisco would be given one last chance to tie it late.
With the game clock a factor and no timeouts remaining, Kaepernick and company would march their way down to the 6-yard line with 5 seconds remaining. After an incomplete pass intended for Torrey Smith inside the end zone, the 49ers would have one final chance to score the game-tying touchdown. In a last-ditch effort and nobody open to throw to, Kaepernick scrambled and was stuffed by the collective effort of Ndamukong Suh and Kiko Alonso at the 2-yard line as time expired. San Francisco's late-game heroics would fall just short as Miami held on for the 31-24 win. With both teams going in complete opposite directions right now following Miami's first six-game win streak since 2005 and San Francisco on their worst losing-streak in their 70-year existence, the game that came down to the final play just goes to show that anything can happen on any given Sunday. While the 49ers secondary was picked apart time and time again by Tannehill, the San Francisco defense managed to stop the run quite well and held Dolphins rusher Jay Ajayi to only 45-yards on 18 carries, but one of those carries wound up being a touchdown. Having allowed a season average of 180 yards rushing which is the worst in the NFL, the 49ers D held Miami to less than a hundred yards rushing and forced their opponent to beat them thru the air which they did.
Week 13 Preview - After becoming the first player in franchise history with 3+ touchdown passes and 80+ rushing yards in the same game, QB Colin Kaepernick will now direct his attention to the (2-9) Chicago Bears as he gets set to face off against his former defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Chicago, the only other team in the NFC with fewer than four wins, will hope to avenge the walk-off loss suffered at home to the 49ers in overtime a season ago. And with the 49ers leading the league this season in points allowed off turnovers, Fangio will be dialing up all he can in hopes of throwing Kaepernick off his game as the two were unable to face each other in last year's 49ers-Bears bout as Blaine Gabbert was under center for San Francisco. As for the Bears quarterback situation, Chicago will be without Jay Cutler who was recently placed on injured-reserved and will have surgery on Saturday to repair a torn labrum, thus opening the door for QB Matt Barkley. Barkley, a former QB of Chip Kelly's while with the Eagles, threw for over 300 yards and 3 touchdowns in a six-point loss to Tennessee last week and will try duplicating those numbers against the 49ers and the head coach who drafted him out of USC.
Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest
Week 7 - Entering their Week 7 meeting with the (2-3) Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the 49ers were hoping to put an end to their five game losing streak and head into the BYE week on a positive note. But another fast start on offense would be all Chip Kelly's 49ers would have to show for as they scored 14 of their 17 points in the opening quarter and squandered a 14-point lead once again. Since the injury to Pro Bowl linebacker NaVorro Bowman three weeks ago, opposing running backs have eaten the 49ers defense alive and that trend continued on Sunday.
Before the Buccaneers outgained San Francisco in total offensive yards -- 513 to 273, the 49ers jumped out to an early lead thanks to arguably their best looking offensive possession of the season as Colin Kaepernick and company marched down the field and capitalized their six-play opening-drive with a Mike Davis touchdown. Making his first career start in place of the injured Carlos Hyde (shoulder), it would be the first touchdown of Davis' career as the second-year back rushed seven times for 21 yards before sharing rushing duties with DuJuan Harris (11 carries, 39 yards) who was promoted from the practice squad. The 49ers would get off to an equally hot start on defense as they stuffed Tampa Bay on a gutsy 4th and 1 call near midfield on the Bucs first possession, turning the ball over on downs. Two drives later they would force an interception as a Jameis Winston pass intended for Mike Evans was tipped by Tremaine Brock and picked by linebacker Gerald Hodges who returned the ball 21-yards thanks to a crucial block by Jimmie Ward on Evans. One play later the 49ers would strike for their second touchdown of the quarter as Kaepernick found Shaun Draughn in the end zone to put his team ahead, 14-0.
But as soon as the first quarter ended, so did the fun for the 49ers as Tampa Bay scored 27 unanswered-points including 17 in the second quarter on a pair of Winston touchdown passes to Evans and Russell Shepard. After adding another 110 yards on the ground from running back Jacquizz Rodgers in the first half alone, the putrid 49ers defense allowed the Bucs to tally over 300 yards of offense in the first half for only the second time in the last 25 years. In fact, Tampa Bay's first half yards (310) were more than what the 49ers would gain in the entire game. Hoping to begin the second half much better than they finished the first, San Francisco would hand the ball right back to the opposition after forcing a three and out only to fumble the ensuing punt. Having scored only 10 points in the third quarter of games this season, their third quarter woes would continue when Jeremy Kerley was ran into by his own teammate after calling for a fair catch. Unaware of his surroundings, rookie receiver Aaron Burbridge made the dubious mistake that would cause the fumble and allow the Bucs to add a field goal to their lead. Making matters worse, the 49ers would fumble on their following drive as well when Kaepernick was blindsided from behind as he was sacked and stripped of the ball. Winston's third and final touchdown pass on the afternoon would make it 27-14.
With very little hope of pulling off the comeback, San Francisco's lone scoring drive of the second half would come in the form of a Phil Dawson field goal that brought them within 10-points with just over 8 minutes remaining. But a 44-yard touchdown run by Peyton Barber would put the game well out of reach as the Bucs completed the 34-17 victory to win their second straight. As for the 49ers, the loss would be their sixth consecutive, their longest such streak since 2008. What's most frustrating is a team that was once known for their defensive run stopping ability suddenly can't stop a nosebleed as they've now allowed a 100-yard rusher for six straight games. Also, the 562 rushing yards allowed over the last two games is the most the 49ers have ever allowed in a two game span in franchise history, breaking the previous mark of 552 set in October of 1956. With the injured Bowman and the recently released Ian Williams who's been dealing with an injury of his own two key cogs in stopping the run over the past few seasons who are no longer around, the 49ers aren't going to be winning another game anytime soon if they can't stop the run.
Then again, that's just one of the many lingering issues this franchise currently faces as they've now fallen to 1-6 on the year and have put their name in the hat for most likely picking in the top 3 for next year's NFL Draft. Another is the quarterback position as Colin Kaepernick failed to wow us with another mediocre performance in which he threw for only 143 yards, ran for another 84 and completed less than half of his passes (16 for 34) while throwing one touchdown and one interception. With a deep threat in receiver Torrey Smith that is virtually wasting away in the 49ers offense, teams have already begun inquiring for the former Super Bowl champion with Chip Kelly's former team the Philadelphia Eagles among those most interested in Smith's services. Don't be surprised if he's dealt before the 49ers take the field again.
Week 9 Preview: With a BYE in Week 8, the 49ers will have plenty of time to clear their head and work out some of the kinks in preparation of their next opponent -- the New Orleans Saints (2-4) who will travel to Santa Clara. With another stellar start to the season from QB Drew Brees, the Saints defense has struggled much like that of the 49ers this year, giving up an average of 403.8 yards per game, just a few ticks under the 407.6 SF has allowed. And while they're allowing more points per game than the Niners, the Saints offense is averaging 130 yards more per game than San Francisco (421.7 vs 290.0). So unless 49ers defensive coordinator Jim O'Neil turns things around fast, the 49er defense could be in for another long week when Drew Brees and co. are in town.
Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest
Week 6 - Heading into Buffalo to take on the (3-2) Bills in Week 6, the 49ers were hoping a shake up at the Quarterback position would help them reach the win column for the first time since Week 1. And while Colin Kaepernick did provide a jolt and show flashes at times on offense, the lackluster defense would once again fail to contain the opposition as Buffalo's LeSean McCoy ran amok against his former head coach in Philadelphia. 49ers head coach Chip Kelly knows McCoy very well as their distaste for one another was well publicized while with the Eagles, but Kelly was left helpless on the sideline as he watched McCoy shred the 49ers depleted secondary to the tune of three rushing touchdowns on the afternoon to tie a career-high.
Entering the game with the worst passing offense in the league, Buffalo didn't need to do much through the air as they utilized their rushing attack that couldn't be stopped, eclipsing over 300 yards on the ground in total. To put the disastrous performance into perspective, the 312 rushing yards allowed by San Francisco would be their most since 1958. But before the Bills began their scoring frenzy in the second half, it was the 49ers who struck first and provided most of the big plays in the first half. On Buffalo's first offensive possession, we finally saw our first true highlight of former Oregon Duck teammates Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner who combined for a forced and recovered fumble as Armstead provided the hit on Bills QB Tyrod Taylor and Buckner recovered. It would be the first of three forced fumbles by the 49ers defense, two of which were recovered. But unfortunately, the offense was unable to do much with them, with only a field goal to show for as Phil Dawson gave his team an early 3-0 lead. The Bills would answer with their first of six touchdowns on the afternoon as McCoy struck paydirt to take a 7-3 lead in the first.
Making his first start of the season and throwing his first pass in a meaningful game in over a year, Colin Kaepernick showed signs of rust but was able to dust off the cobwebs at times, connecting for a 53-yard touchdown to a wide-open Torrey Smith to start off the second quarter. Though he was unable to connect with Smith in stride and slightly underthrew him, Smith stopped for the grab before breaking away for the easy score which put San Francisco back on top at 10-7. It would be the last lead of the afternoon that they would enjoy as another pair of Phil Dawson field goals was all they would show for the rest of the way. With Buffalo hanging on to a 16-13 lead at the half, both teams would struggle to get anything going early on in the third quarter before the Bills stringed together four consecutive touchdown scoring drives to blow the game open. With over 100 yards rushing in the first half alone, McCoy finished the game with 140 yards on the ground to go with his trio of touchdowns after shaking off an apparent knee injury late in the first half which sidelined him for Buffalo's following drive. He would appear to be just fine as the Bills ran away with a 45-16 victory to claim their first four game winning-streak since opening the 2008 season 4-0. As for the Niners, they would drop their fifth consecutive game, their first such streak in six years.
Kaepernick and Taylor finished with nearly identical stat lines with Kaepernick holding a slight edge with 187 yards thru the air and another 66 on the ground compared to Taylor's 179 and 68. But with Taylor completing three more passes than Kaepernick on four fewer tries, it was obvious which quarterback has been starting all season and which one has been sidelined. But with this game to build on, Kaepernick should see his comfort level and rhythm rise going forward. Another positive to take from the beating was receiver Torrey Smith getting involved in the offense once again as he was merely forgotten about with Gabbert under center. Meanwhile, the exact opposite could be said for Jeremy Kerley who only caught two passes for 12 yards on Sunday. This after having hauled in over 85-yards and a touchdown in each of his last two games with Gabbert as the QB. If Kaep can get all parties involved, we could see the Niners passing game take a huge leap forward sooner than later.
Week 7 Preview - With running back Carlos Hyde ruled out for Week 7 with a shoulder injury, the (1-5) 49ers will be shorthanded on offense when they try to put an end to their 5-game skid as they return home to host the (2-3) Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Another pair of play makers that might not join the 49ers on Sunday and were limited in practice are receiver Torrey Smith (back) and standout rookie cornerback Rashard Robinson (concussion). Needing as much help as they can get, Chip Kelly's 49ers will be facing a well rested Bucs team that is coming off a BYE and last played on Monday Night Football on October 10 as they defeated the struggling Carolina Panthers. Getting their first glimpse of last year's first overall pick and reigning NFL Rookie of the Year Jameis Winston, the 49ers will hope to bounce back from another disappointing performance on defense to head into their Week 8 BYE on a positive note with a win.
Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest
"With the seventh pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers select... DeForest Buckner, defensive-end, Oregon." Those were the words of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell when it came time for the 49ers to announce their first pick in last week's Draft. In need of a player that can apply pressure on the defensive side of the ball, San Francisco addressed the need with the 6-foot, 7-inch defensive-end that was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2015. Drawing comparisons to 2-time Pro Bowl DE Calais Campbell of the Arizona Cardinals, the 291-pound Buckner tallied 18 career sacks in his collegiate career with the Oregon Ducks and will now be reunited in San Francisco with his good friend Arik Armstead who the 49ers selected out of Oregon in the first round of last year's Draft and coach Chip Kelly who recruited him out of college to play for the Ducks. As if the familiar faces weren't enough to make him fit right at home, he also fits the Niners' system as a five-technique player.
Adding a player with the strength and measurables like that of Buckner figures to improve a 49ers defensive attack that ranked 29th a season ago. Looking to fill the void left by the tandem of Justin Smith who retired before last season and Aldon Smith who the Niners cut ties with after numerous off the field incidents, GM Trent Baalke is hoping the duo of Armstead and Buckner can evolve into an even younger version of the tag-team simply nicknamed, the "Smith brothers." One of the bigger surprises on day 1 of the Draft would come at pick 28 when Trent Baalke and company made a deal with the Kansas City Chiefs, trading back into the first round and acquiring the 28th overall pick which the Niners would use to select Stanford Guard Joshua Garnett. San Francisco would also acquire the 249th overall pick in the trade, while dealing their 37th, 105th and 187th overall picks to K.C. With offensive-line being one of if not the biggest areas of concern for San Francisco heading into next season, they went out and grabbed the best guard in the class according to some analysts who also labeled him the best interior run-blocker, with 2015 first-team all Pac-12 and 2015 first-team AP All-American honors to show for it.
The next two picks on the 49ers board would be used to take a pair of cornerbacks as San Francisco ranked 27th in pass defense a season ago. With no picks in the second round following the trade with the Chiefs, the Niners had to wait until round number three to hear their name called again as they used the 68th overall pick to take Will Redmond, CB out of Mississippi State who could've gone as early as a late first-rounder had it not been for a torn ACL he suffered in practice. He would be the first of three corners taken by the Niners with Rashard Robinson of LSU (4th round, 133rd overall) and Prince Charles Iworah of Western Kentucky (7th round, 249th overall) being the others. Robinson, who's been touted as being one of the best press corners in the draft, shined in the little playing time he received during his career at LSU due to a suspension. Without those off the field issues, scouts say he could've gone in the first two rounds. Instead, the Niners snagged him in round 4, 133rd overall as a great value pick. Another pick that was praised by NFL analysts for the value was that of Appalachian State defensive-end Ronald Blair who was named 2015 Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year in 2015 and was made a Niner with a 5th round pick, 142nd overall. ESPN had him rated on their top 100 list and as a potential third-rounder.
With QB protection being a major problem for the 49ers a season ago, Kelly and Baalke took a pair of offensive-tackles in the 5th round and were criticized by fans on social media for not addressing the need much earlier, nabbing Georgia Bulldog John Theus (145th overall) and Fahn Cooper out of Ole Miss (174th overall). Theus, who was named first-team all-conference, started three of his four years at Georgia including his freshman year as the starting right tackle which is quite the feat given he comes from an SEC school and has played against some of the toughest talent the collegiate level has to offer. With the pair of picks to join Garnett, the 49ers selected three offensive linemen in the same draft for the first time since 1998. Three of San Francisco's final four picks would be used to draft a quarterback, running back and receiver, all of which taken in the 6th round. First on the list would be Louisiana Tech QB Jeff Driskel who was taken 207th overall. A former top-rated QB coming out of high school, Driskel transferred to Lou Tech after his successful stint with the Florida Gators was cut short after suffering a broken leg and later benched. The athletic QB with dual threat ability isn't expected to compete for a starting job anytime soon, but if anybody could turn him into a serviceable signal caller for the future, it's Chip Kelly. For what it's worth, Driskel recorded the fastest time in the 40-yard dash among QB's, clocking in at 4.56 seconds.
Kelvin Taylor, son of former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Fred Taylor, would be next on the list. 6th round pick, selected 211th overall, Taylor was a former teammate of Driskel's at the University of Florida where he starred as the Gators' go-to back his junior year in 2015, rushing for 13 touchdowns and over a thousand yards while never fumbling in his 486 carries and 510 touches. With Carlos Hyde expected to bounce back this season from an injury-plagued 2015, Taylor could be Hyde's backup come Week 1 as a nice change of pace speedster to compliment the much tougher running style of Hyde. And last is wide-receiver Aaron Burbridge, selected 213th overall out of Michigan State. Named Big Ten Receiver of the Year in 2015 as well as first-team all-conference for the Spartans, Burbridge had himself a breakout season his senior year and served as Spartans QB Connor Cook's go-to target, leading the Big Ten in both catches (85) and receiving yards (1,258). With Anquan Boldin now a free-agent, Burbridge might be the one called upon to fill in for Boldin assuming the team has moved on from their top receiver of the past three seasons.
Something else this draft tells us is that coach Kelly and general manager Trent Baalke aren't exactly ready to throw in the towel on quarterback Colin Kaepernick just yet considering they didn't seem to be in a rush to draft a quarterback in the earlier rounds like many had predicted. Instead, they seem just fine with their current quarterback situation which is expected to be fought for between Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert. While there's still speculation that he could be released before the start of season, I'll put my money on him still being on the team come kickoff. Trade talks were more than talked about between the 49ers and Denver Broncos, but Kaepernick's unwillingness to take a paycut ultimately deterred Broncos vice-president John Elway and the reigning Super Bowl champions from finalizing a move as they traded up in the draft to take their quarterback of the future in Memphis' Paxton Miller instead. As for the position of need that the 49ers didn't address in the draft, Baalke elected not to select a single linebacker. We'll see if that decision comes back to haunt him.
Like every year, it's always fun keeping an eye on those players drafted heading into their first year, especially those taken in the later rounds as their journey to NFL begins or if they make the team at all. It's also a time for those struggling teams (like the 49ers) to help dig themselves out of the hole and build to help better their future. There's no denying that this was the most significant draft in years for San Francisco as the franchise is still looking to recover from a handful of unexpected retirements and an ugly fallout with one of the game's premier coaches. Now in a new regime under head coach Chip Kelly, the 49ers are in need of a spark to help the franchise's rise back to prominence and regain its rich winning history.
Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest
The search is over. Less than two weeks after the San Francisco 49ers played their last down of football during the 2015 regular season which ended in an overtime victory over the division rival Rams, the team that finished the year with an overall record of 5-11 is already expected to take on the makeup of an entirely different franchise come the start of next season. Hours after the Niners' season finale, first-year head coach Jim Tomsula was relieved of his head coaching duties after a disappointing one and done experiment which saw San Francisco finish in the cellar of arguably the league's toughest division -- the NFC West. In search of the next heir of the throne, 49ers team owner Jed York and general manager Trent Baalke searched high and low before making their new hire. With such candidates as Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, Buccaneers OC Dirk Koetter, former Giants head coach Tom Coughlin and former head coach Mike Shanahan who made his way to the final cut, it was former Eagles head coach Chip Kelly who won the job over Shanahan to become the 20th head coach in 49ers franchise history.
Kelly, who broke out onto the NFL head coaching scene after a successful career at the collegiate level with the Oregon Ducks, jump-started his NFL career with back-to-back 10-6 seasons before a disappointing 2015 campaign that was cut short as he was let go by the Philadelphia Eagles the second to last week of the regular season. After making a handful of deals and personnel changes that backfired as well as reportedly losing the locker room as the season wore on, Philadelphia went 6-9 under Kelly this season before winning their final game without him as Philly posted a second-place finish in the NFC East behind Washington. In three seasons with the Eagles, Kelly boasted an overall record of 26-21 with one playoff appearance in 2013 when he became the first head coach in franchise history and only the second coach in league history to win a division title in his first year. Viewed by many as an offensive mastermind, Kelly gets a second chance less than a month after being fired by the Eagles and will be introduced by the 49ers during a press conference expected sometime next week. Speaking of second chances, the hiring of Kelly might also spawn a second chance for one Niner that's only a few seasons removed from bursting on the scene himself.
Being looked upon as the anti-Jim Tomsula, Kelly brings with him to the Bay Area, a very innovative offensive system which 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick appears to fit perfectly. Despite a pair of disappointing seasons after taking the league by storm in his first season and a half at the helm of the Niners quarterback position, the acquisition of Kelly should breathe life back into Kaepernick's career with the team after it appeared to be a foregone conclusion that his time with the organization had come to an end. Instead, San Francisco's QB situation heading into the 2016 season should be one of the most interesting considering it wasn't long ago that rumors swirled regarding a possible trade involving Kaepernick to the Eagles while Chip was still in Philly. The two can now work together on putting their past behind them in hopes of a more successful second act. Because at this point, if anyone can groom Kaepernick into being the duel-threat quarterback he was once known as and give the San Francisco offense the shot in the arm it so desperately needs, it's Chip, right?
As for my personal opinion, I believe Kelly used the team's current quarterback situation as a major selling-point and won over the hearts of Baalke and York over in the interview room by explaining to them that they already have a diamond in the rough in QB Colin Kaepernick, and one that would fit his system to a tee. Unlike in Philly, the 54-year old Kelly won't be given the keys to the kingdom. In other words, he won't have control over personnel decisions quite like he did with the Eagles. But that will allow him to focus strictly on coaching while also putting GM Trent Baalke on the hot seat who desperately needs the Kelly hire to work out for the 49ers or his days could be numbered. Kelly also has a few things of his own that he'll need to work on in his second rodeo including the relations he has with his players and the way he conducts things in the clubhouse, both of which were hot topics and areas of concern during his often criticized tenure with the Eagles. How things shape out in Kelly's first season in the Bay Area is anyone's guess at this point, but one thing that is certain is that April's NFL Draft should be an interesting one for the 49ers who own the 7th overall pick are in need of playmakers on both sides of the ball.
Chip Kelly on landing the job in SF: "As one of the most historic franchises in the National Football League, I realize the high standards and expectations that this position demands and I embrace the challenges ahead."
Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest
If there's one thing we've learned about the Philadelphia Eagles, it's that coach Chip Kelly has an interesting way of doing things. See his busy and unpredictable offseason for example. The offensive mastermind has raised quite a few eyebrows on his way to making the Eagles the talk of the offseason after dealing 3-time Pro Bowl running back LeSean McCoy to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for former Oregon Duck -- Kiko Alonso, who missed all of last season with a torn ACL. Kelly then looked to fill the void left by McCoy with the acquisition of Frank Gore who after agreeing to terms with Philadelphia, chose to sign with the Indianapolis Colts instead. Kelly didn't panic, however, and instead countered by finding his man in the much younger DeMarco Murray who he managed to snag from the rival Cowboys with the help of a college teammate. However, the biggest head-scratcher is what Kelly has done with the Eagles' quarterback position.
Two days after re-signing Mark Sanchez who won over the Eagles' starting QB job following an injury to Nick Foles midway through the season, Philly shipped Foles to the St. Louis Rams in return for the often injured Sam Bradford. Murray and Bradford spent three seasons together at the University of Oklahoma which played a role in Murray jumping ship in Dallas to sign with the Eagles. Not to mention the 5-year, $42 Million contract offer that Philadelphia proposed to the league's top rusher in 2014 which had to have made the decision a bit easier. But just when you thought Kelly's madness had come to an end, he makes yet another questionable decision. The latest reports have the Eagles expected to sign 27-year old QB Tim Tebow to a deal just in time for the start of the team's offseason program which begins on Monday. The former Heisman Trophy winner at the University of Florida is more than two years removed from appearing in his last regular season game with the New York Jets after spending a brief and unsuccessful stint with the New England Patriots who cut him after the 2013 preseason. After being asked by coach Kelly to workout for the team in March, Tebow will now join a crowded QB roster which includes Matt Barkley as well as the aforementioned Bradford and Sanchez.
For Tebow, who is still in search of the respect of an NFL quarterback with a playoff win under his belt while a member of the Denver Broncos, teaming up with an offensive genius in Kelly could very well benefit him and help revive his career in the same way it did for his former Jets teammate Mark Sanchez a season ago. That's assuming Tebow can make the squad of course, something his deal does not guarantee. The signing of Tebow is one of low risk and high reward as Kelly hopes to groom one of college's most decorated QB's into a more well-rounded player at the professional level. But after speculation began to swirl regarding the Eagles reportedly being interested in moving up in this month's NFL Draft to land another former Duck, could Kelly's latest move be an indication that he's throwing in the towel on trying to acquire the reigning Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota whom he recruited at the University of Oregon? While it doesn't exactly shoot down the possibility, it has to at least put a dent in those chances.
The signing of Tebow would give the Eagles two Heisman Trophy winning quarterbacks and three QBs taken in the first round. Unfortunately, it would also give them three of the five worst QBs in the league over the last five years from a Quarterback Rating standpoint with a minimum of 30 games at the position. Lets see if Chip Kelly can work his magic with this new batch of Quarterbacks as the Eagles look to rebound from a disappointing season in which they failed to make the playoffs after a 7-2 start before ultimately finishing the year with a record of 10-6.
Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest
Entering Sunday's meeting between the 1-2 San Francisco 49ers and the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles (3-0), Jim Harbaugh's team was in desperate need of a win in order to stage off the critics that have begun to worry about Harbaugh's grasp on the locker room and question whether or not his team is still the serious title contender they've been in each of the last three seasons under his tutelage. It didn't look good out of the gates for the home team as the 49ers fell behind despite a valiant effort on defense. In just the small sample size we've been given this season, the Eagles and 49ers have been polar opposites on offense. While Philadelphia has been a notoriously slow starting team this year only to erupt in the second half, San Francisco on the other hand has been known to get off to a blazing start only to vanish following halftime. However, the tables would be turned and the roles would be reversed in this one as Philly jumped out in front early on.
Sporting the NFL's number one offense and the league's top ranked passer entering Sunday, it would be everything but Philadelphia's offense, however, that put points up on the board. After forcing a three and out on defense, the Eagles' special-teams unit stepped up huge by blocking and recovering an Andy Lee punt inside the end zone for a touchdown. It would be the first punt blocked for a score allowed by San Francisco since 1990. Though the 49ers would answer with a field goal and would take the lead on the first play of the second quarter, they would enter the half trailing 21-13 as QB Colin Kaepernick threw a pick-six that Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins returned 53-yards for a touchdown followed by an 82-yard punt return for a score by the speedy Darren Sproles. But unlike previous games this year, the 49ers would come alive in the second half as safety Antoine Bethea forced a fumble that was recovered by Perrish Cox on their own 23 yard line.
Several plays later, Kaepernick would pull his team within a point as he scrambled on third down, finding one of his newest targets in receiver Stevie Johnson who's fancy footwork helped him stay in bounds inside the end zone for the first time this year to make it a 21-20 ballgame. After scuffling on offense in each of their last two games, the 49ers went back to basics, running the ball and feeding Pro Bowl running back Frank Gore. And boy did it ever pan out as Gore logged his first 100-yard game on the season, finishing with 119-yards on 24 carries. But his biggest play came in the passing game when he hauled in a career-best 55-yard touchdown reception, the longest by a back this season. Though it was definitely a play worthy of the highlight reel, it's not one Kaepernick will want to teach his kids as he awkwardly threw across his body and across the field, something QB's are usually told not to do. But hey, it worked.
While both the defense and special teams did their part, Quarterback Nick Foles and the Eagles offense was held in check by a stout 49er defense that logged without a doubt its best performance of the season, forcing four takeaways including interceptions by Antoine Bethea and Perrish Cox and not allowing a single point. Running back LeSean McCoy was also shutdown for the second consecutive week, rushing for only 17 yards on 10 carries as the Niner defense held head coach Chip Kelly's high-octane offense to just 213 yards, the second fewest yard total under the second-year Eagles coach. San Francisco dominated the time of possession: 42:17 to 17:43 and ultimately took the lead on two of Niners kicker Phil Dawson's four field goals, helping them take what was being labeled a must-win game, 26-21. Kaepernick threw for 218 yards, 2 TD's and 1 interception on the afternoon while also rushing for another 58 yards on 7 carries.
Week 5 Preview: With their first win at Levi's Stadium under their belt, the 49ers will now aim for their first multi-game winning streak of the season as they get set to welcome former Niner QB Alex Smith and the Kansas City Chiefs in a battle of 2-2 teams hoping to win their third game of the season. Coming off a big win of their own, a 41-14 shellacking of the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football, the Chiefs will look to improve on their impressive performance and keep pace with the Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers in the AFC West. One player that might not play in next week's game is 49ers tight-end Vernon Davis who Alex Smith gelled with quite well during his time under center in San Francisco. Davis left Sunday's game after taking a knee to the back and has been ruled questionable for Week 5. VD was one of two Niners injured in the win vs Philly, the other being right tackle Anthony Davis who was rolled up under on a Kaepernick sack. The status of both players will be watched carefully before kickoff as both players would be missed if unable to play.
Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest
