| Subject: What Will It take To Beat Tampa? |
Author:
TANK
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Date Posted: 20:21:24 01/09/03 Thu
Not many gave the 49ers a chance to beat the NY Giants. Fewer are giving the 49ers a chance to defeat Jon Gruden's Buccaneers. My humble thoughts on the game:
1. If the 49ers' offensive line is dominated, they lose in a route. I doubt that sentiment surprises any of you. But, maybe it would surprise you if I said that I don't think Warren Sapp and Simeon Rice are going to control the line. Football is all about matchups, and I like our matchups in this game. Sapp will line up opposite Ron Stone most of the time, with Anthony McFarland working Eric Heitmann. It is the later match up that concerns me because I think a proven vet like Stone, with a little help from Newberry and Beasley, can effectively neutralize Sapp enogh to let Garcia do some damage. McFarland poses the biggest threat, so I hope Newberry lends a watchful eye in Heitmann's direction. He will need the help (I would even consider starting Willig, instead). I know I have voiced plenty of angst over Derrick Deese, but Simeon Rice is precisely the kind of end that he excells against. On the other side, if Scott Gragg can handle Strahan, he should be able to handle Wyms and/or Jones. If Stone or Deese are limited by their sprained ankles, this line battle will get ugly and Garcia will be carried out on a stretcher.
The matchup that concerns me the most is Derrick Brooks. Fortunately, the Bucs don't blitz alot. I think the blitz is the most disruptive scheme against Garcia and our running game. If Tampa choses to blitz, our card house will come tumbling down. If not, I don't see Hearst doing much between the tackles, and I know he won't do much trying to get outside. Watch for Barlow to be used more as a receiver.
The rest of the offense matchs up well against the Bucs. Owens matches up against anyone not named Aeneas, and Streets/Johnson will keep the chains moving. Stokes? His head isn't in it anymore. Did anyone else notice that he didn't go for the ball or move to break up passes that the Giants' DB's were in position to INT last week? Stokes has already checked out.
The 49ers defensive line versus the Bucs o-line...I don't like this matchup. We won't get dominated, but we won't control the line either. I don't Carter and Okeafor making an impact. Bryant Young and Dana Stubblefield will need to drink from Ponce De Leon's mythic fountain of youth while they are in Florida. I expect them to just hold their own. Our linebackers matchup well, so I expect them to blitz and provide that extra heat on Brad Johnson. All in all, I think the front seven will do their job.
It is the defensive backs that worry me. If Ahmed Plummer struggled with Armani Toomer, he will be eaten alive by Keyshawn Johnson. Walker/Jurevicius can easily work Rumph or an undersized Webster. Bronson and Parrish will need to be at their best.
Which reminds me, I hope Parrish beat the Bucs twice last year. I hope he shares the secret with our coaches.
The worst matchup is special teams. Man, we suck.
And, finally, I think the coaching is the most interesting matchup. Mariucci is coaching for his job...Gruden is set. Gruden is intense...Mariucci is desperate.
Gruden is conservative (look at the Raiders offense since he left). Brad Johnson is rusty. The Bucs are rested and otherwise healthy. The Niners are held together by ace bandages and kept in the game by pain killers and heart.
The 49ers need to score 24 or more points to win. Their offense has had trouble all season getting past 17 points. If they need to score any more than that, it will have to come from the defense or special teams. They had plenty of Luck last week. It is hard to imagine they can rely on that again this week. If they win, it will be because their lines matched up and weren't controlled.
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