week 13 Chicago Bears coaches film analysis

CHI starts their first drive on the 49ers 41 yard line - great field position. The defense was able to hold them to a FG which is a great result considering how bad the road defense has played this season.

49ers show a cover2 look while crowding the LoS.
I hate drawing all over this camera angle so I just noted the concepts being ran to each side of Cutler. Refer to the pinned Concepts thread at the top of NinerTalk for details.
The 49ers are in nickel (5 DBs), but have 2 DL and 4 LBs on the field. 49ers will actually run Cover3 with no blitz pressure (rush 4).


The ball was just snapped. This picture shows the fake pressure that Mangini is bringing. Lynch and Wilhoite will drop back into coverage while Bow is the 4th rusher (yellow are the rushers, reds drop into coverage).


The pass protection is confused and slides towards its right, this gives a huge lane for Bow to come unblocked.


Cutler can't throw to the Double Slants because Bow is coming right at him.


Cutler rolls right and throw the flat. Ward is the Curl/Flat defender, comes up to make the tackle.




+1 yard on 3rd & 3. FG unit.


This playcall has all the elements of a Mangini play: Disguise from safeties (show Cover2, but play Cover3), crowded LoS to confuse pass protection call, fake pressure, zone defense.

Ew, that angle really is terribad!

You'd think they would have fixed that All-22 side angle during the stadium remodel a few years back.

I've been liking Mangini's defense more lately. At least the pass defense. Early on we kept getting beat because guys were out of position all the time. Guess they just needed time to adjust to the scheme.

I'm still concerned about the run defense. Any of the guru's with the coaches film care to break down some running plays?

that's not even All-22. more like Some-22

I wasn't able to watch this game. Why did we constantly have such poor field position? Special teams or lack of offensive production? Seems to have been a theme this year.

Originally posted by Sourball:
I wasn't able to watch this game. Why did we constantly have such poor field position? Special teams or lack of offensive production? Seems to have been a theme this year.

We stopped chicago on defense but they gained enough yards to pin us deep near our own endzone most of the time

Originally posted by blm7754:
I've been liking Mangini's defense more lately. At least the pass defense. Early on we kept getting beat because guys were out of position all the time. Guess they just needed time to adjust to the scheme.

I'm still concerned about the run defense. Any of the guru's with the coaches film care to break down some running plays?

I may, not saying I will for sure, but may have some time to cover that tomorrow. From what I've seen on film, the biggest thing as far as run production, has been a few things:

1. Wilhoite is a more hesitant run stuffer. He doesn't always look to take on blocks - more out of uncertainty than fear, I think. Sometimes, it looks like he's not always trusting what he's seeing in front of him. It's highlighted more with him playing next to Bowman who, like Willis before him, shows incredible instincts and an ability to fly to the ball.
2. Our D-lineman sometimes struggle occupying their double teams. One thing that made our defense great when J. Smith was here was that he, along with whomever else they had in there, always seemed to eat up double teams really well. This year, I've seen our guys not hold their double teams as well. They'll start out getting doubled, but one of the lineman will then release to the 2nd level more frequently than years past.
3. Some of our guys just aren't as sure of tacklers as we've had or aren't tackling as surely.

Originally posted by 49AllTheTime:

Originally posted by Sourball:
I wasn't able to watch this game. Why did we constantly have such poor field position? Special teams or lack of offensive production? Seems to have been a theme this year.

We stopped chicago on defense but they gained enough yards to pin us deep near our own endzone most of the time

Makes sense. Thanks

Should breakdown that pick 6. It has everything in football. Film study, tendency, recognition, team work, and pure athleticism to pick that off.

Great work guys

Love the boxing analogies. A lot!

I'm going to back up a bit to the 49ers' first drive to see why it looked so bad on that 3 & out.

Here's the 1st down play

Split zone. The nose tackle and the RDE is shifted to the OL's right. The RDE, on Boone's outside shoulder, is playing a 3tech.


This is an inside zone blocking concept. Both Boone and Staley double team block the 3tech. As the double team block is happening, it is up to both of them to feel who has more control of the block. Whichever OLman has more control of that 3tech will sustain the block while the other moves to the second level.


Both Boone and Staley move to the second level.


The 3 tech suddenly has no one blocking him. No gain.

Opening drive, 2nd down play.

red + yellow = Curl-flat concept
orange + green = Shallow Cross
This is a 5 step rhythm throw and it's up to Gabbert to make the proper pre-snap read.
I've seen this coverage call many times when Fangio was with the 49ers. It's some sort of Cover1 pattern match. The backside CB is locked in man to man (vs Torrey, purple). The rest of the field pattern matches.


Gabbert completes his drop and looks to the Shallow Cross. Looks like a soft zone. So the Curl over the middle (orange) should find a soft spot somewhere, but notice how condensed the middle is with three defenders in the center, defending the shallow cross concept.


Gabbert hitches twice and targets the Curl of the curl-flat concept. This is the wrong read and the window has closed already.


The two hitches makes this too slow of a release to Boldin as the CB closes in and bats the ball away from Boldin. The flat was the correct read this late into the progression. The shallow cross should not have been looked at first due to how Fangio likes to pattern match over the middle. Notice how it gets thoroughly defeated. See the Concept thread for details on Pattern matching.

Opening drive, 3rd down

Red + orange = Trail concept
purple + green = Fade out concept
versus Cover 1 robber


After a shotgun snap, playaction (why), and a 3 step drop, this looks like a 7 step rhythm throw. Gabbert completes his drop and sees this. He's looking at the Trail concept and sees the CBs (blue) playing with a soft cushion, but they are man to man while also watching the QB. If Gabbert pulls the trigger to one of the In routes, there's a chance the CB breaks on the throw and picks it off. Had the CBs been in trail position with their backs turned, there's a chance this works.


Gabbert checks it down. Punt.