Explain this to me like I'm 5

I keep reading that we should throw more to Graham, what I don't clearly understand is, is this on Bevel or Russell, and or is it because the defense knows we'd like to throw it to Graham and plays accordingly. Here's what I think happens, I'm hoping a more knowledgeable poster can clarify.

Play comes in from Bevel, it's a pass play, primary is Graham on a seam route, ADB is second on a crossing route and Lockett is the third read on a deep route. I'm not saying this is a realistic play, just for splaining purposes. Russell in the shotgun with an empty backfield, sees the safety shift and reads Graham's route will be double covered and audibles to make ADB the primary. After the snap linebacker drops into coverage doubling ADB, Webb gets blown up and just before getting laid out, RW chucks it deep to Lockett for a 50 yard gain.

My point being that Bevel called Graham's number, but because of the way the play develops he doesn't get the ball. So who bears responsibility for that?

It don't think it is as simple as saying "who's fault is it"? We don't know the play design, especially with protections and read sequences. The QB has a few seconds to diagnose coverage, find the mismatch and make a good throw.

You can't force plays. Passing offense, especially ours, is predicated on throwing to the open man. Quickly.

We tried to force it to Harvin all the time, and we saw what happened.

If you are a defense, which receiver would you concentrate on? I would focus on Graham. He is the biggest threat, mainly because of his size and athleticism. Closely behind is Lockett, is is developing into a bona fide deep threat.

He isn't going to be wide open all day. People will pay attention to him.

In order for it to be functional, we need adequate protection. We also need to call quick developing routes so Russell doesn't have to stand back there waiting and getting pummeled.

When offenses thrive is when multiple players win their match-ups and get open, quickly. Then the QB's life becomes much easier. In that light, we need to pressurize defenses with Baldwin, Lockett and Richardson.

Also, the threat of a viable running attack significantly helps a passing attack. Right now, teams can load the box and attack the run and not worry about getting beat in one-on-one match-ups because our routes don't have time to develop with the pass protection.

When we start gashing teams with the run, you will see the passing game improve. They can't handle both. Think back to last season when Rawls was in the zone, what happened? We started finding rhythm in the passing game and it blew up.

I will give Bevell credit, we started to take shots downfield last week. Lockett had a couple and would have had another if not for that silly OPI call. P Rich was close to hauling in another long one.

They need to keep doing that. It at least gets in the defenses mind.

Back to Graham, he seems to get open a lot. He also has a big enough frame to shield defenders so Russell needs to develop more and more trust with him to have the confidence to throw it to him in tight windows.

And Bevell can probably help the process by dusting off his Minnesota play book when he had Shiancoe. The Vikings with Shiancoe used to kill people with TE completions.

I'm not assuming the 'more knowledgeable' role, but here's my take.

1st, I think your analysis is accurate, and is likely one factor among others.

Other factors, in no particular order:
* I don't really know how many plays have Graham as a primary, or even secondary
* Chemistry and trust have to be there regardless. Maybe it's still a work in progress. Graham was new, then he was hurt...
* I have seen a tendency to throw to the 'wide open' receiver. Is Graham getting 'open enough' (not saying he needs to).
* Is a throwing lane developing? The Saints mastered this when Graham was there. The seam route or TE over the middle seem like a routes that require somewhat of a throwing lane (moreso than the downfield to Lockett). I'm thinking this is still a major work in progress (or maybe not?).

My 0.02$

StoneCold":1at6f4ow said:

I keep reading that we should throw more to Graham, what I don't clearly understand is, is this on Bevel or Russell, and or is it because the defense knows we'd like to throw it to Graham and plays accordingly. Here's what I think happens, I'm hoping a more knowledgeable poster can clarify.

Play comes in from Bevel, it's a pass play, primary is Graham on a seam route, ADB is second on a crossing route and Lockett is the third read on a deep route. I'm not saying this is a realistic play, just for splaining purposes. Russell in the shotgun with an empty backfield, sees the safety shift and reads Graham's route will be double covered and audibles to make ADB the primary. After the snap linebacker drops into coverage doubling ADB, Webb gets blown up and just before getting laid out, RW chucks it deep to Lockett for a 50 yard gain.

My point being that Bevel called Graham's number, but because of the way the play develops he doesn't get the ball. So who bears responsibility for that?

Click to expand...

I think this is a potentially valid point. We don't know who's number was called.

Great thread. Awesome thread title!
Everything I was going to say or ask has been. Which I hope doesn't leave me to not be able to watch the game with my son again tomorrow.

At the time Graham went down last year he was tied with Baldwin for most catches on the team. Last game, in his first real action since, he was second on the team in catches, 3 catches in 4 targets.

That suggests he will be very, very involved moving forward - perhaps even more so once Vannett is in there for line blocking.

Lots of reasons. But the only way to come close to deciphering is to look at the all-22. And even then there is a significant amount of guesswork.

Where the most guesswork comes into play, is speculating if Graham was an intended target on plays where pressure blows the play up or when defenses either guess right or outright double team him.

Well, if you read these boards, pretty sure the assumption is that Bevell has a remote controlling Russell's arm and therefore must be slandered every time the QB throws to someone else. Progressions don't exist when your agenda is roasting the OC, rather than getting to the truth.

But no, I think you're right on. Factoring in defensive adjustments, audibles at the line, progressions, and plays simply being blown up by bad protection, the reason why one player doesn't get a target on a play is usually very complicated. I think it's great when we start getting into that level of conversation, as opposed to knee jerk reactions to the playcall.

Watch some jimmy graham highlights from new orleans. Thats how you utilize him, kind of seems like pete and bevell want to use him as a traditional TE when hes really a wide reciever.

Russell has never been overly comfortable throwing to receivers in traffic, the possession type guys like Graham. He doesn't have to force it to Graham but he can't treat him like he's Lockett, ADB, or Richardson.

Not an absolute by any means, but possibly a contributing factor. Russell is schooled in Pete's risk aversion philosophy (a good thing).

Would someone then please explain why Graham is blocking on some plays in the red zone.

hawksfansinceday1":2kwdt6fu said:

Would someone then please explain why Graham is blocking on some plays in the red zone.

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He isn't if you watch closely, he's just pretending.

But seriously, he is a big enough mismatch that D's will have to account for him and gamble what his move will be. The 49ers reporters asked Kelly yesterday what his big concerns were on D and when he named the WR threats in order he began with Graham.

CodeWarrior":k99afftp said:

Russell has never been overly comfortable throwing to receivers in traffic, the possession type guys like Graham. He doesn't have to force it to Graham but he can't treat him like he's Lockett, ADB, or Richardson.

Not an absolute by any means, but possibly a contributing factor. Russell is schooled in Pete's risk aversion philosophy (a good thing).

Click to expand...

This is a good point. Typically, Russ won't throw to a guy that's covered, in the MIDDLE of the field. Problem is, typically that's where Graham makes his living.

The best way to double a TE is to slide a LBer underneath him in zone. Now the QB has to read the safety and get the ball over the LBer, all within a few seconds. This becomes tougher when teams pay 2 high safeties.

I think we'll see Graham more this week. Russ was getting dialed in with Graham right before he got hurt, so now it's like starting over a bit.

What my question is: why aren't we making Graham the hot route on blitzes? Seriously, if there's anyone in the entire league that you want to throw a ball to with a guy on him, it's Graham. I've seen him make more contested catches than any other TE except Gronk.

We can't throw to jimmy because they won't expect a hand off to Collins. Then when he gains negative two yards, they really won't be expecting it the second time in a row.

Or if we're around the seven yard line, we have to target kearse, because he's in his life made, what, like one rec td from that area?.

Screw Graham man. There are so many things they aren't expecting we can throw at them!

Optimus25":10hlgr19 said:

We can't throw to jimmy because they won't expect a hand off to Collins. Then when he gains negative two yards, they really won't be expecting it the second time in a row.

Or if we're around the seven yard line, we have to target kearse, because he's in his life made, what, like one rec td from that area?.

Screw Graham man. There are so many things they aren't expecting we can throw at them!

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This week I fully expect to see the RO with a still hobbled Russ. They'll never see it coming!

Russell only does what he is coached. Bevell needs to coach Wilson to throw the ball to Jimmy. Bevell needs to design plays that help Jimmy get open. Not ignore him, and have him inline blocking all the time, or using him as a decoy.

The separation argument goes out the window, every time he throws it to Kearse. Jimmy Graham is a bigger version of Kearse in the passing game. Wilson has no problem throwing 50/50 balls to Kearse, but he somehow does with Jimmy? I don't think so.

This is a coaching failure, people need to stop doing mental gymnastics, to try and shift the reason somewhere else.

Cable is in charge of the running game, as the run game coordinator. Bevell is tasked with the passing game.

Use Brandon Williams, or Luke Wilson as the inline TE to be the blocker. Put Jimmy Graham in the Flex position that he was in New Orleans. Every time he gets 1 on 1 throw him the ball. Eventually they have to bracket him. Once he is bracketed, you now have a softer box to run the ball, and 1 on 1's for the other receivers. He has been misutilized his entire career with the Seahawks, and at first is was maddening, now it's just laughable.

The 49ers got torched by a Panthers TE last week, they may emphasize TE coverage more heavily this time.

Hawks46":qclx9p7z said:

CodeWarrior":qclx9p7z said:

Russell has never been overly comfortable throwing to receivers in traffic, the possession type guys like Graham. He doesn't have to force it to Graham but he can't treat him like he's Lockett, ADB, or Richardson.

Not an absolute by any means, but possibly a contributing factor. Russell is schooled in Pete's risk aversion philosophy (a good thing).

Click to expand...

This is a good point. Typically, Russ won't throw to a guy that's covered, in the MIDDLE of the field. Problem is, typically that's where Graham makes his living.

The best way to double a TE is to slide a LBer underneath him in zone. Now the QB has to read the safety and get the ball over the LBer, all within a few seconds. This becomes tougher when teams pay 2 high safeties.

I think we'll see Graham more this week. Russ was getting dialed in with Graham right before he got hurt, so now it's like starting over a bit.

What my question is: why aren't we making Graham the hot route on blitzes? Seriously, if there's anyone in the entire league that you want to throw a ball to with a guy on him, it's Graham. I've seen him make more contested catches than any other TE except Gronk.

Click to expand...

Exactly, good post and the point I was going to make. In a game like Miami and Rams too where they know your game plan is quick passes to account for an extreme pass rush, a 100% healthy Graham could have been a game changer.

There's been discussions all week about Jimmy. He was in on 50 plays last week and had 3 catches. That's a big positive for where he's been with the injury. Going forward, I see Jimmy getting more involved with the passing game. The coaches have used him correctly.

I'm not sure how it's possible but most people seem to be completely overlooking the primary factor which is that Jimmy is still coming off a particularly serious injury and didn't get much work in the off-season or preseason. He had 1 target in week 1 on a handful of snaps, 4 targets in week 2 on 70% snaps, and he'll probably get more again today with slightly more of the snaps yet again. The NFL is a long season and they very obviously want to be careful and bring him around gradually.