49ers 14 @ Colts 18 – Postgame Reactions
I saw the game live, so this is an eyewitness account.
- Alex Smith is still back, he just happened to hit the 6th-rated pass defense in the league. He ran the two-minute drill very effectively, zipping through the Colts defense for a late first-half touchdown to Vernon Davis. He had a few balls I’m sure he’d like to have back, most especially a high throw that Crabtree tipped to Bob Sanders. His pocket presence was fantastic, even though he took two late sacks from a really quick pass rush. He even called a couple of his own plays when things broke down with the headset.
- Mistakes killed us in this game. Crabtree running before he catches the ball. Ditto Moran Norris. Smith throwing high to Crabs and getting picked. Coffee not looking for the ball as Smith lobs it to him perfectly. Bruce dropping an easy first down that goes through both hands. Davis dropping a sure first down. Smith throwing behind Bruce as he stops on a rollout. Crabtree fumbling the ball away. Spencer biting on the HB Option. We needed perfect football to win today. The defense showed up big time, except for the TD play. The offense seemed out of sync a lot of the time.
- The 49ers played the Colts closer than anyone expected. The pass rush was outstanding, sacking Manning three times, when he’d only been sacked twice through six games. The secondary disguised their coverages extremely well, and played the pass extraordinarily well in the red zone to hold the Colts to field goals for most of the game. The 49ers now come to a stretch where taking the fight to the Colts like this gives them a boost of confidence. Yes, even the offense. The errors today are fixable, and the division is still well within reach thanks to the Panthers drubbing the Cardinals.
- The Offensive Line was admirable, especially after losing Joe Staley on the first play from scrimmage. Barry “open door” Sims was not himself today, playing extremely well on Dwight Freeney, and Adam Snyder held his own on Robert Mathis. Smith had time to make good throws, and for the most part he did.
Indiana Jim brings you insightful analysis and spirited discussion about the San Francisco 49ers, all the way from the Eastern Time Zone! That's right, I'm covering the 49ers from three hours in the FUTURE! If you're a fan, you'll have a say here.
November 1st, 2009 at 8:22 pm
I agree with pretty much everything you’re saying Jim. I, too, was surprised at how well the offensive line held up against the Colts’ pass rush tandem of Freeney and Mathis. I think a lot of this had to do with Smith moving around really well in the pocket. A couple year ago I think he would have tucked a lot of those balls away and scrambled for nominal gains, but you can see how much more mature he has become as he is now keeping his eyes down field looking to make a play. His lone interception was a tipped ball and many of his incompletions were drops. He was off the mark on a few passes but, hey, so was Peyton Manning. What concerned me the most was how the Colts’ completely shut down our offense in the second half. It seems that we were unable to make any solid adjustments on offense at halftime to get things running more efficiently. One thing I really liked seeing was Smith in that shotgun spread offense a la Tom Brady. With our depth at receiver and the pass-catching proficiency of our backs, Jimmy Raye really has a lot to work with as far as the schemes he looks to employ in upcoming games. This bodes well for the rest of the season considering the defense seems to be peaking right now and our schedule is only going to get easier. Looking forward to the podcast Jim!