The struggles of the San Francisco 49ers on offense have been well documented over the year. They are the worst overall offense in the league and most of this is due to an ineffective passing attack. Blaine Gabbert has been an upgrade over Colin Kaepernick (whoever said they predicted that is lying) but the offense is still anemic at best as they have gotten over 20 points once since Gabbert has taken over (their 26-20 win over the Bears last week). The offensive performance (no pun intended) against the Browns may have been the most discouraging performance yet for the 49ers. The Browns are one of the worst defenses in the league as they are T-22nd in passing yards allowed (253.8), 29th in rushing yards allowed (131.3), 26th in total yards allowed (385.2), and T-30th in points allowed per game (27.5). Yet the 49ers could only muster 221 yards of total offense and 10 points against the Browns. At least when they struggled a lot against the Packers, Rams, Seahawks twice, and Cardinals, you could give an excuse for why they would struggle (The Packers were hot on defense, the Rams are streaky, and the Seahawks and Cardinals defenses are top 5 in the league). There isn’t an excuse the 49ers can have to explain why they would struggle against Cleveland. There are a lot of reasons why the 49ers offense was horrendous against the Browns, but I want to focus on the most glaring issue. Blaine Gabbert was sacked nine times by the Browns. The 49ers pass protection has been poor all year, but the Browns are not a pass rushing powerhouse. Even after the 9 sack performance, the Browns are T-21st in sacks with 26. So how was an anemic pass rush able to get nine sacks in a game? And who is to blame for letting Gabbert get sacked so many times? Let us look at the film and find out.

Sack #1

Situation: 2nd and 10 SF 42

Description: Q1-(9:45) B. Gabbert Sacked at SF 41 for -1 Yards (D. Whitner)

I’m drawing a blank into what QB Blaine Gabbert (#2) is thinking on this play. It’s a play action bootleg flood right and OLB Paul Kruger (#99) has played his contain responsibility well. The 49ers have no one assigned to block him so Gabbert has to make Kruger miss. Gabbert does a good job getting around him but then it all goes downhill from here. He has an open receiver downfield as WR Quinton Patton (#11) has beaten CB Tramon Williams (#22) on the comeback and Gabbert is staring at him. He has to see that he is open for a first down. Instead, he keeps running and basically sacks himself for a one-yard loss. Unfortunately, we don’t keep track of self-sacks so SS Donte Whitner (#31) gets the credit for the sack even though he didn’t touch him. One yard isn’t a lot, but it’s unnecessary yards lost. If Gabbert isn’t going to throw it to Patton, then he needs to throw it away as he is out of the pocket. This is a college/rookie mistake, not something a four-year “veteran” should be doing.

Blame: 100% Gabbert

Sack #2

Situation: 2nd and 9 SF 38

Description: Q1-(4:28) B. Gabbert Sacked at SF 28 for -10 Yards (A. Bryant)

Unlike the last sack, there isn’t an individual I can point at and say it’s their fault. First off, the play calling of Geep Chryst has to be called into question. This is the fourth play-action pass called in the game at this point. The 49ers have run the ball once for one yard. The Browns are not going to bite on a play action fake. Combine that with this being a two-man route combination (Post with Dig underneath) and this play was destined to fail from the beginning. The next person to blame is WR Anquan Boldin (#81). I haven’t watched too many 49ers games so Boldin may have lost a step and I haven’t noticed it. But he looked like he throttled down on the play and was coasting once he came out of his break on the dig route. This allowed for Williams (#22) to catch up to Boldin and allows ILB Christain Kirksey (#58) to get underneath the route. If Boldin runs this route with any speed, he may get open on the dig route. Finally, FB Bruce Miller (#49) gives OLB Armonty Bryant (#95) a clear path to the QB. Miller is responsible for blocking the right edge as Rookie TE Blake Bell (#84) is down blocking on the play action fake. What Miller should do is get right on Bell’s right shoulder and set an edge that Bryant has to get around. Instead, he drifts to his right and is very passive in his block. This opens an inside lane for Bryant to rip though and Gabbert has no chance to escape.

Blame: 50 % Miller, 40% Chryst, 10% Boldin

Sack #3

Situation: 4th and 1 CLV 30

Description: Q2-(15:00) B. Gabbert Sacked at CLV 36 for -6 Yards (N. Orchard)

LT Joe Staley (#74) is a great LT and one of the few bright spots on the offensive line. But he has a major brain cramp here and cost his team big time. The 49ers run a play action pass again and most of the offensive line works as a team and steps to their left. The exception of this is Staley who comes off the ball like it’s a run play and goes after Kirksey (#58). This is a great block on Kirksey, but Kirksey isn’t who he is supposed to block. Based on Kirksey’s alignment, it is pretty clear he is playing man coverage on Bell (#84). Staley should have recognized this and looked to his outside to Rookie OLB Nate Orchard (#44). Orchard is coming on the blitz off the edge and Staley should have been the one to pick him up. But because Staley’s undisciplined play/trying to sell the run action too hard, Orchard has a clean shot on Gabbert. There is definitely a case to be made that Bell should have done a better chip block on Orchard, but Staley has to be the one picking him up. Gabbert is also at fault on this play as well. Gabbert is looking at Bell and has to see that Bell is uncovered (due to Staley blocking Kirksey). He just needs to lob this pass quickly and Bell has a touchdown. Instead, he freezes up once Orchard is on top of him and takes the sack. A word to Gabbert *turns to Gabbert*. It’s fourth down. You have to make a play if you want to be an NFL QB. Instead of making a play, you look like a deer in the headlights at the first sign of pass rush. The good QBs hangs in there tough, take the hit, and throw that pass. You got scared. If you want to be a franchise QB, you need to stare down the gun barrel and make the play *turns back to the reading audience*.

Blame: 65% Staley, 5% Bell, 30% Gabbert

Sack #4

Situation: 3rd and 3 SF 34

Description: Q2-(7:50) B. Gabbert Sacked at SF 34 for 0 Yards (J. Poyer). Penalty on SF-E. Pears, Offensive Holding, Declined

I will admit that I do not know the art of WR play very well. But even I recognize that this is uninspired route running. I want to focus on Patton (#11) on this play because he is the most cringeworthy. Patton has Rookie CB Charles Gaines (#43) on him in man coverage but Gaines playing so far off in coverage that Patton is going to be wide open on his crossing route no matter what. FS Jordan Poyer (#33) is playing underneath as a QB Spy/underneath zone coverage though so Patton should have stopped his route short and set up for a dump off option for Gabbert. Instead, he runs straight into Poyer’s zone and takes himself out of the play. Gabbert also deserves some criticism as well. He does well to sense the pressure of Kruger (#99) coming from his right on the bull rush against RT Erik Pears (#71), scramble to his left, and dodge Bryant (#95). But Gabbert isn’t Colin Kaepernick. He is a fast QB (4.61 4o yard dash) so him scrambling isn’t a bad thing. But he isn’t going to beat a FS to the edge. Gabbert needs to keep his eyes up and look downfield while he is scrambling instead of tucking and running. Patton does open up at the end of the play and Gabbert has an across the body but uncontested throw for a first down. Instead, he tries to beat Poyer and ILB Karlos Dansby (#56) to the edge and Poyer shoves him out of bounds. To be fair to Gabbert, he did what a lot of QBs with little experience would have done. But if he wants to be a franchise QB, keeping his eyes downfield when scrambling is one of the key things he has to master.

Blame: 80% Receivers, 15% Gabbert, 5% Pears

Sack #5

Situation: 2nd and 5 CLV 39

Description: Q2-(1:05) B. Gabbert Sacked at CLV 41 for -2 Yards (D. Bryant). Fumbles (D. Bryant), Recovered by SF-J. Staley at CLV 41. J. Staley to CLV 41 for No Gain (D. Bryant)

Pro Football Focus put out their first mock draft recently and said the 49ers should draft a WR (it was Josh Doctson out of TCU) with their pick. After watching some of their game films, PFF may be on to something with this idea. This is the second sack in a row that none of the receivers are open early. Bell (#84) gets a little separation on Dansby (#56) late but Gabbert isn’t looking in that direction by the time he gets open. There isn’t anything noteworthy the 49ers receivers do wrong on their routes, it’s just that no one can get open. The pass protection on this play is not bad as Gabbert has four seconds to throw the ball. Pears (#71) is the first one to give up pressure on the QB as Kruger (#99) rips underneath him. This forces Gabbert to step up in the pocket to avoid Kruger. LG Alex Boone (#75) then loses control of DE Desmond Bryant (#92) because he doesn’t see Gabbert scrambling while Bryant does. Gabbert cannot outrun Bryant and gets stripped sacked. This is a coverage sack despite the pressure given up and the receivers deserve most of the blame.

Blame: 70% Receivers, 20% Boone, 10% Pears

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