You guys try to tell me the O-Line is the issue of the 49er offensive falling short. I'm telling you this offensive line can do whatever it wants once it's QB behind them knows what he wants and can execute the play he calls them to run.
ETA: you go from Alex Smith to Kaep within a season and get to one play of winning the SB, and that's all on the offensive line
Drummer, you have to admit that the o line played a lot better in its rematch with Carolina than in the first game and it showed in the results.
Was Crabs in the first game? Davis through the whole game in the playoffs? Is the team healthier despite not having Bruce Miller? Has Miller hurt the passing game while not being there?
The o-line played on the road in frozen GB, and then to CAR. They're playing as well as any other playoff o-line still standing in the Final Four. Now that Kaep has Crabs, Boldin is coming up huge. Other skill position players need to step up. The o-line can't carry everybody like Vance McDonald.
Not sure you addressed the issue. Sure there are other factors, but the O-line was getting owned in the first meeting w carolina. I mean it's obvious that Crab has been a huge boost to the offense, but the O-line is starting to open some holes in the running game (particularly in the 2nd half against Carolina)
Why address one or two games opposed to the multiple games of 30+ points scored with hardly any weapons most of the season on offense? The defense played a few sub par games that they lost in too. Both sides of the trenches are one of the best two 1-2 punches in the game that more than compliment each other. Hell, Kendall "Minus Yardage" Hunter rushed for 358 yards this season, and the only way that happens is when the o-line blows open a hole big enough for he to run through. Does the o-line suck because Hunter can't double that? Or is Hunter just a below average backup RB, who they still can't shoehorn into the offense?
Hunter's "minus yardage" tendencies seem to be contagious and gore's had a case of it all season. Gore's YPC is 4.1 the lowest in his career (down from 4.7 last year). Hunter likewise down to 4.6 from 5.2 last year. I know you think FO is a bunch of ignorant bean counters, but their metrics had SF as the #1 rated run blocking line in 2012. This year they're ranked 29th. Last year they got stuffed 17% of the time (7th best in the league), this year 24% (29th in the league). Last year on 3rd or 4th and 2 or less to go, they converted 66% of the time (12th best) , this year 55% for (28th best). Yada, yada...
You can say that the numbers don't tell the whole story. Sure, QB rating doesn't either, but it gives you an general idea as to what's going on. Maybe Iupati's injuries have had an impact, maybe Goodwin is slowing down… regardless it's pretty obvious on the tube, and even more so on paper, that the O-line hasn't played as well as last year. Not sure why you're so hung up on that not being a factor.