 |
| This former 49er fan has more than 3x the amount of passing yards than Mr. Alex Smith. |
So how does the Niners' signal-caller stack up against the league average? At over 120 yards less per game (the 49ers are averaging 128 net passing yards per game). I think Tom Brady equaled Smith's entire output in one half of football a couple of weeks ago.
Through two weeks, the 49ers' offense is 29th in passing yards and 26th in rushing. Who would pay to watch more of the same offensive ineptitude we've seen for nearly a decade? And while the rushing defense remains exceptional (the team leads the league in averaging 54.5 yards allowed per game), the pass defense is still abysmal, ranked 25th at nearly 300 yards allowed per contest.
When your offense averages 207.5 yards each game while your defense is giving up 345.5, simple math indicates that you aren't going to win too many games. At this rate, Ted Ginn will be the team MVP.
Everybody is assuming the 49ers will handle the Bengals this week, but keep in mind that Cincinnati's offense has managed to move the ball and put points on the board while playing on the road. Their defense has been adequate, too. Sure, their opponents were Cleveland and Denver, but when comparing offenses, the 49ers rank below both of those teams.
Don't assume anything, and hope for the best. A 2-1 record heading into a clash in Philadelphia the following week would provide enough cushion in the NFC West to absorb a (likely) loss to the Eagles on the road. But a loss in Cincinnati would not only be a missed opportunity to pick up one of the 8 or 9 wins needed to claim the divisional crown, but an indicator that the Niners will play themselves back into the Andrew Luck Sweepstakes.
Update: Braylon Edwards is out "for a little while" following knee surgery. But don't worry - Michael Crabtree's back!
No comments:
Post a Comment