how do we stop 49ers vaunted pistol offense?

**Sirdowski** · 01-22-2013, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by The Excellector

I don't want to underestimate the 49ers and will likely be nervous Super Bowl Sunday, but I just have a hard time believing that a rested Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs, Ed Reed, Haloti Ngata and Benard Pollard, with two weeks or preparation, are going to get handled by a pistol offense.

This.

Now Jim is a smart man and will add more plays, but as is I expect the Ravens to know the 9ers play book as well as they do.

**Lee Van Cleef** · 01-22-2013, 11:01 AM

I have to be honest, this is the team in the playoffs that I feared the most. The Ravens have a tough mentality and play physical, and they can beat up on finesse teams. But San Fran are a physical team that likes to mix it up and I think their general level of physical talent is a notch above the Ravens. I'm concerned in particular about the niner run game, they've got an excellent OL and the Ravens have shown this season that they can be run on.

**Jsmoove** · 01-22-2013, 11:11 AM

san fran run game scares me we cannpt stop the run this season, if we stop the run we gotta force kap to pass, I know itsa pick your poison deal but I rather play the run. The niners and ravens are mirror images of each other both physical teams who hit hard and play solid with little mistakes, they can also over come advsersity. Tough match up here, there talent on the defensive side is above ours.

**Jeremiah W** · 01-22-2013, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by Lee Van Cleef

I have to be honest, this is the team in the playoffs that I feared the most. The Ravens have a tough mentality and play physical, and they can beat up on finesse teams. But San Fran are a physical team that likes to mix it up and I think their general level of physical talent is a notch above the Ravens. I'm concerned in particular about the niner run game, they've got an excellent OL and the Ravens have shown this season that they can be run on.

The Ravens have also shown recently that the regular season stats are irrelavent. The defense is pretty healthy, intact and stacked at every level. Cody and the NT spot may not have looked good, but Nagta, McPhee and Jones have been playing well up front. Ellerbe has been playing hurt but still been explosive. Ray Lewis is Ray Lewis. Suggs is looking healthier, Kruger is hot. Upshaw provides depth now outside. Reed is willing to hit, Pollard is hitting like Ray Lewis used to. Williams and Grahm have been very solid recently and Brown and Smith have had solid games when teams had in extra wrs. Defense has always been more about players than schemes, guys that get off blocks and make tackles can make any scheme work.

As far as the pistol or any kind of option look, the how to questions seem like highschool math and coaching schemes. It has been the blocking and bad tackling that let SF run thier way to the SB with thier QB.

If the guy who the offense turns loose attacks the QB with the ferocity of Clowney on that poor rb from Michagan, they are not going to run it again all day, I promise you. I love football now the way I do because of freshman year football practicing defense vs the option. The coaches just telling me it is my job to hit the QB as hard as can and the offense is not even going to try to block me. Are you kidding me? It seemed like the worst scheme you could draw up. The QB did not ever get right up after those collisions. The coaches told me that the only time they want me to tackle the dive man is if I take the QB with me, which I pretty much was able to do any time an opposing team was foolish enough to run options to my side and leave me unblocked. Obviously not everyone plays it that way, and the optioned guy often just stands there and does exactly what the offense wants you to do, or they take the bait and QB walks around the corner for a big gain. If you do not take advantage of the free shot they are giving you, on the starting QB, the franchise, and do not make him pay a heavy price the first time and every time he runs at an unblocked guy, and you do not take it, then you do not deserve to be in the SB or to win it.

I think the Ravens will be ready to defend the sprint option or any scheme you can dream up, because right now they are very hard to block, and they are tackling like Ray Lewis would tackle, pretty much every time recently.

SF does have an awesome offense though so this is going to be quite a challenge. I think it will be a much more conventional attack though, power run, playaction with them hoping to only have the QB run on scrambles.

**Ravenswintitle** · 01-22-2013, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by Lee Van Cleef

I have to be honest, this is the team in the playoffs that I feared the most. The Ravens have a tough mentality and play physical, and they can beat up on finesse teams. But San Fran are a physical team that likes to mix it up and I think their general level of physical talent is a notch above the Ravens. I'm concerned in particular about the niner run game, they've got an excellent OL and the Ravens have shown this season that they can be run on.

Yes that's what I was trying to state earlier, the biggest threat is the power run game, which they use to feed the zone/read. They're going to bring in unbalanced lines and play power football and if we stack the box they'll use play action. Not that the Ravens won't do similar just not as much on the power runs.

May just have to outscore them

**Greg** · 01-22-2013, 05:17 PM

how do we stop 49ers vaunted pistol offense?

553047_10101631407642809_1113152323_n.jpg

**lovefootball** · 01-22-2013, 05:31 PM

Originally Posted by Greg

553047_10101631407642809_1113152323_n.jpg

Hilarious

**Boulderraven** · 01-22-2013, 06:06 PM

Good things are Ravens have 2 weeks to prepare for it, no team has had that advantage. Ravens have seen gimmick offenses before that have not worked. Ravens also have 4 really SMART football players on defense in Reed, Pollard, Lewis and Suggs that the 49ers havent seen. Hold gaps and make CK beat you with his arm..not his legs. SF hasnt played a defense like the Ravens have now and with time to prepare.

**HoustonRaven** · 01-22-2013, 06:26 PM

It's hardly a gimmick. Read options have been around for a while, just nobody bother to use them.

**Boulderraven** · 01-22-2013, 09:26 PM

Originally Posted by HoustonRaven

It's hardly a gimmick. Read options have been around for a while, just nobody bother to use them.

It's a gimmick offense in the PRO's. Ravens faced it already vs Washington or a variation that is actually more complicated with a faster runner and a better passer with RGIII. This helps the Ravens alot. Already seen it with 2 weeks to prepare.

**pslholder96** · 01-22-2013, 09:37 PM

Originally Posted by Lee Van Cleef

I have to be honest, this is the team in the playoffs that I feared the most. The Ravens have a tough mentality and play physical, and they can beat up on finesse teams. But San Fran are a physical team that likes to mix it up and I think their general level of physical talent is a notch above the Ravens. I'm concerned in particular about the niner run game, they've got an excellent OL and the Ravens have shown this season that they can be run on.

So now your worried about the ravens level of physicality?? We've got a PHD in this field earned from having to play the steelers twice a year. The niners have barely earned their bachelor's degree

**NOLARavenFAN** · 01-22-2013, 10:01 PM

The first few times Kaepernick hands it off, Ngata clobbers him.....everytime he hands off or runs you hit him, and hit him hard. We are a physical team.....it gives us a chance to be more physical.

**kojo** · 01-22-2013, 10:26 PM

question: If you look at the teams the 49ers played after Kaep became starter and compare them to who the Ravens had to play during that time period, who do you think is more tested right now?

**iggyman555** · 01-22-2013, 10:51 PM

we need to take the lead, not bs through the first quarter running 10/12 times on first down and then going wild in the second half. we need to keep the pedal to the metal and score and force kap to throw the ball. im 100% sure our D wont fold like the falcons

**bmore finest** · 01-22-2013, 11:02 PM

Originally Posted by Greg

553047_10101631407642809_1113152323_n.jpg

Funny as hell, find that couch.
This D will be ready for the pistol. Hit hard, the Raven way, and tackle Gore.

The question is , can that pistol, out score a Flacco Cannon?

I like the cannon!!

**NOLARavenFAN** · 01-22-2013, 11:06 PM

SF had the 24th hardest schedule this year. We had the 5th.

**AirFlacco** · 01-23-2013, 01:17 AM

Originally Posted by bmore finest

Funny as hell, find that couch.
This D will be ready for the pistol. Hit hard, the Raven way, and tackle Gore.

The question is , can that pistol, out score a Flacco Cannon?

I like the cannon!!

Nope.

Ravens might be out-numbered but they are never out-gunned.

**Everything_Ravens** · 01-23-2013, 04:49 AM

just finished watching some 9ner game footage. Just at first glance i would say the obvious, play contain with the outside linebackers. But what i would add to this is bringing up the corners particularly when they come out in these two back sets. What cant be overstated is how well their o line is playing in space. their guards really get a hat on a head with down field blocking.

Lets be pro active rather than reactive to this read option crap by blitzing a nickel.
This might sound crazy but i would like to see them bring the strong safety in the box to play press, then blitz Jimmy Smith from the slot every now and again. i haven't watched nearly enough film on Kapernick but i see him making a lot of passes on crossing routes and comebacks. Routes where guys are partially or fully squared up on the ball. i want to see his receivers forced into making over the shoulder/head receptions in man coverage with one deep safety.

**kronusthebonus** · 01-23-2013, 06:05 AM

If the Ravens can jump out to an early lead and force the 9ers into obvious passing situations, it would go a long way to neutralizing the read option. Easier said than done, however.

**callahan09** · 01-24-2013, 11:04 AM

Just wanted to bring this thread back up. I feel like we should be analyzing their offense more. I think our offense just needs to do what they do against their defense, but where we really need our masterminds focusing their attention during the lead-up to this game is how do we stop that Pistol offense with their read-option. I don't think it's unstoppable, but I'm curious about more ideas for stopping it. I keep reading 49ers fans say that what the Seahawks did to stop them won't work again because the real reason their offense stalled in that game was due to fatigue from the previous week. Anybody buy that?