anquan boldin – The Niner Empire

Flying High

October 21, 2015 by mtascavage

It was a great day for the 49ers as they were able to hang on for a 25-20 win against the Baltimore Ravens and snap their 4 game losing streak.

The Good

The offense moved the ball well. Overall, it was nice to see the big plays to Aquan Boldin, Torrey Smith, Quinton Patton, and yes, even Bruce Miller.
Though Carlos Hyde was slowed with a foot injury, the offensive line played well overall, with Andrew Tiller getting a positive PFF rating and logging more snaps than Jordan Devey.
Colin Kaepernick has looked much more comfortable under center and made some very good throws.
The defense did just enough to win. They did get some pressure and forced an interception.
Phil Dawson is still a great kicker

The Bad

Center Marcus Martin is still looking like a backup rather than a starter. The Niners really need Daniel Kilgore back in the lineup.
Injuries will be tough to deal with this week. A lot of the offensive line is hurt, as is Hyde and Boldin. All will likely play, but it’s unknown as to how much they’ll be affected.
Consistency. While everything worked out, if the Niners are going to win Thursday against Seattle, they need a complete game from everyone. This team, especially the defense, is not consistent and it shows every week.

Going forward

Vernon Davis and Reggie Bush look like they will be back in the lineup, which will hopefully help.
NaVorro Bowman played in all 77 snaps and looks like he’s starting to turn the corner on being all the way back
Seattle has problems all over the place on their team, but they still appear to be able to likely win on Thursday. It will be interesting to see if Carroll is losing the team or if they have just lost close games to good teams.

49ers vs Ravens Preview

October 16, 2015October 16, 2015 by mtascavage

After losing a very close and winable game this past Sunday night, the San Francisco 49ers will be looking to improve on that performance and close out the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday at Levi Stadium.

The Ravens, like the 49ers, are also 1-4. It’s hard to believe that both of these teams were in the Super Bowl just under 3 years ago, but that’s how the NFL works.

49ers vs Packers Preview

October 7, 2015October 2, 2015 by mtascavage

It’s Packers Week, but it doesn’t have the same ring to it as it had a couple of years ago.

Currently, the San Francisco 49ers are reeling and many have already thrown in the towel for the 2015 season. It is still to early for that, but there are serious concerns as to whether or not the Niners can right the ship and still be competitive.

When the Packers have the ball

The 49ers have had their share of problems on defense, but they’ll be put to an even bigger test this week as they face Aaron Rodgers.

The Packers do have injury problems. Right Tackle Bryan Bulaga is out and his replacement, Don Barclay, is average at best.

49ers vs Cardinals Preview

September 26, 2015September 25, 2015 by mtascavage

The first game against a division opponent is here. Sunday’s matchup will feature your San Francisco 49ers traveling to Arizona to take on the Cardinals

It will be a very difficult matchup first because of it being on the road. Arizona is a tough place to play, and also because Head Coach Bruce Arians is one of the best in the game.

Here are the keys to the 49ers winning the game on both sides of the ball:

49ers vs Vikings Preview

September 12, 2015September 11, 2015 by mtascavage

With the tumultuous offseason officially in the rear-view mirror, 49ers fans can finally focus on the regular season. The official 53-man roster has been named, as well as the practice squad, and the depth chart is, for the most part, known.

As far as the preseason goes, there were a few things 49ers fans can take away from it, like the emergence of Jarryd Hayne in the return game (who accumulated half as many return yards this preseason than the 49ers did ALL OF LAST YEAR!), Mike Purcell, and of course, the return of Navorro Bowman.

According to Torrey Smith, the 49ers were definitely holding back on offense with the starters in the Preseason, so there is still unrest among The Faithful because the high amount of unknowns going into the regular season.

Let’s get to the preview: