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I am a multimedia nut, journalism, photography, videography, radio broadcasting and production. I’ve done it all, but I love to write and have a lot to say. I live in the Chicagoland area now and have always had an extreme love and passion for the Chicago Bears

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Video Scouting the 49ers: QB Alex Smith
Written by Brett Solesky   
Wednesday, 11 November 2009 15:35
You almost feel sorry for the 49ers, they are a pretty solid all around team.  They stop the run well, and they run the football well, when they choose to run it.  The 49ers' rushing production is only 21st in the league as far as total yards, but they are 12th in the league in average yards per rush.  They have a good enough rushing attack with Frank Gore that it can obviously cause the Bears some problems. 

Where the 49ers lack though is at the quarterback position no matter who is starting.  The saying goes when you have two QBs starting you  have NONE and that is the best way to describe the situation in San Francisco.  The 49ers have started two QBs this season and neither one has shown any level of consistency in their game, or even an ability to make plays. 

In scouting Alex Smith I noticed that he does not make smart decisions with the football and doesn't have a strong arm.  His arm is average at best and his decision making is even worse than that.  Plus he doesn't throw the ball well under pressure leading to even more chances for the defenses to make plays. 

QB Alex SmithSmith right now THINKS he can make throws that he can't honestly make and he seems to feel desperate to make a play to help build his own confidence but also the confidence from his own coach and teammates.  Smith wants desperately to not be labeled a bust and wants desperately to solidify himself as the starting QB.  You can see this in his play in how hard he's trying. 

Given this is Smith's mentality and the Bears should do everything in their power to sell out to stop the run and make Smith beat them.  The 49ers on the other hand recognize this and then try to attack more by passing the ball, spreading teams out and trying to make plays via the passing  game.  It's a good strategy, but one that typically blows up in their face because they simply don't have the talent at QB to use the pass to set up the run. 

The 49ers have a good RB in Frank Gore, he's good enough that he can  break through eight man fronts and be successful at running the football.  This is the best way for them to have success on offense, to not out think the opposition by thinking to much and then getting away from what they do well. 

This seems to be a strange habit in the NFL these days by offensive coordinators getting away from what you do best just to surprise the opposition.  It's as if teams end up surprising themselves by finding out just how bad of a QB they do have. 


Smith can then more easily have success moving the offense if he's working out of a more favorable down and distance.  If he's in second and 10 all the time then the pressure becomes even more intense because an incomplete pass will lead to an obvious passing situation that they'll want to avoid. 

The question for the Bears however is whether or not they have enough motivation left in their defense to just man up and stop the 49ers' run game.  The 49ers should do exactly what the Bengals did, line up man for man and jam Frank Gore down our throats and then allow Smith to gain his confidence by working out of the play action fake.  Forcing the Bears to stop Frank Gore first is what is going to give the 49ers the best chance to win. 

The Bears have to slow down Frank Gore and make Alex Smith beat them with his arm.  They have to prove that they still have the ability to attack their gaps, get penetration and stop the run.  If the Bears can't stop the run then expect the 49ers to win this football game.
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