Williams: 49ers can’t stop slot receiver Cole Beasley when it matters most

Cotton

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49ers can’t stop slot receiver Cole Beasley when it matters most

BY CHAREAN WILLIAMS
cjwilliams@star-telegram.com

The 49ers made a conscious effort to take away Cole Beasley. They did for 58 minutes, 15 seconds, limiting him to two catches for 19 yards.

“I was telling Beas all game they were trying to take him out of the game plan with their defense, how they were playing. He told me he was pissed at the idea that he wasn't a receiver, and would never let that happen.” receiver Brice Butler said.

With the Cowboys holding a 7-point lead, and the 49ers down to one timeout, offensive coordinator Scott Linehan called a receiver screen to Beasley.

“When Dak [Prescott] raised up and he hit Beasley on the second down, [Jason Garrett] is playing to win,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said of his coach. “That says as much as I could possibly say about his approach to this team, and what he’s doing with this team. That was a play-to-win play.”

Beasley took it 47 yards to the San Francisco 24, icing the game. The 49ers used their final timeout, and Prescott took a knee three times to run out the clock.

“I love it, man,” Beasley said. “It shows how much trust they have in me and they have that much confidence in me, so it’s always a good feeling. You always want to be a guy they can trust the ball in your hands and you want to be a guy they feel like they can go to in crunch time and I’m just glad they gave me the opportunity, and the guys did a heck of a job blocking. [Jason Witten] made that play, if it wasn’t for Wit leading the way, it wouldn’t have even happened.”

Beasley knew what had to be done once he had the first down. Scoring a touchdown wasn’t as important as staying in bounds and holding onto the ball.

“Once I broke free, I was thinking get down,” he said. “I kind of went in cruise control to make sure I could hold onto the ball and stay in bounds. We already have the win, just about the team then.”
 

VA Cowboy

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“When Dak [Prescott] raised up and he hit Beasley on the second down, [Jason Garrett] is playing to win,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said of his coach. “That says as much as I could possibly say about his approach to this team, and what he’s doing with this team. That was a play-to-win play.”
Garrett's calling plays again?
 

Simpleton

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Still don't like the play-call, Brooks was very close to knocking it down or even worse batting it into the air for a potential interception. The Niners offense hadn't done a damn thing since the first quarter and if we had simply taken two knees and given them the ball back with a little under a minute and no timeouts left with the ball on their own 25-30, there is no way they could've gotten into the end zone.

Against an offense like Green Bay, Pittsburgh or even Cincinnati, sure, I get trying to be aggressive and not give the ball back. Against a completely ineffective team like San Francisco it's more of an unnecessary risk than being aggressive in my opinion.
 

Genghis Khan

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Still don't like the play-call, Brooks was very close to knocking it down or even worse batting it into the air for a potential interception. The Niners offense hadn't done a damn thing since the first quarter and if we had simply taken two knees and given them the ball back with a little under a minute and no timeouts left with the ball on their own 25-30, there is no way they could've gotten into the end zone.

Against an offense like Green Bay, Pittsburgh or even Cincinnati, sure, I get trying to be aggressive and not give the ball back. Against a completely ineffective team like San Francisco it's more of an unnecessary risk than being aggressive in my opinion.
It was an outstanding play call.
 

Genghis Khan

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49ers can’t stop slot receiver Cole Beasley when it matters most

BY CHAREAN WILLIAMS
cjwilliams@star-telegram.com

The 49ers made a conscious effort to take away Cole Beasley. They did for 58 minutes, 15 seconds, limiting him to two catches for 19 yards.

“I was telling Beas all game they were trying to take him out of the game plan with their defense, how they were playing. He told me he was pissed at the idea that he wasn't a receiver, and would never let that happen.” receiver Brice Butler said.

With the Cowboys holding a 7-point lead, and the 49ers down to one timeout, offensive coordinator Scott Linehan called a receiver screen to Beasley.

“When Dak [Prescott] raised up and he hit Beasley on the second down, [Jason Garrett] is playing to win,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said of his coach. “That says as much as I could possibly say about his approach to this team, and what he’s doing with this team. That was a play-to-win play.”

Beasley took it 47 yards to the San Francisco 24, icing the game. The 49ers used their final timeout, and Prescott took a knee three times to run out the clock.

“I love it, man,” Beasley said. “It shows how much trust they have in me and they have that much confidence in me, so it’s always a good feeling. You always want to be a guy they can trust the ball in your hands and you want to be a guy they feel like they can go to in crunch time and I’m just glad they gave me the opportunity, and the guys did a heck of a job blocking. [Jason Witten] made that play, if it wasn’t for Wit leading the way, it wouldn’t have even happened.”

Beasley knew what had to be done once he had the first down. Scoring a touchdown wasn’t as important as staying in bounds and holding onto the ball.

“Once I broke free, I was thinking get down,” he said. “I kind of went in cruise control to make sure I could hold onto the ball and stay in bounds. We already have the win, just about the team then.”

:lol I see what you did there.
 

Simpleton

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It was an outstanding play call.
If Brooks had his arm to his left by a foot and knocked the pass down I doubt you'd be saying that.

Sure, it worked, I get that, it's also a theoretically low risk play as it should be an easy completion. But it damn near got knocked down and would've unnecessarily left the 49ers with a timeout and a lifeline.

Being aggressive against a top offense is smart, being aggressive against a shit offense is potentially giving them an opportunity they otherwise wouldn't be able to capitalize on.
 

Rev

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You know what they say about "ifs"?
 

Jiggyfly

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Still don't like the play-call, Brooks was very close to knocking it down or even worse batting it into the air for a potential interception. The Niners offense hadn't done a damn thing since the first quarter and if we had simply taken two knees and given them the ball back with a little under a minute and no timeouts left with the ball on their own 25-30, there is no way they could've gotten into the end zone.

Against an offense like Green Bay, Pittsburgh or even Cincinnati, sure, I get trying to be aggressive and not give the ball back. Against a completely ineffective team like San Francisco it's more of an unnecessary risk than being aggressive in my opinion.
Loved the aggressiveness have no issue with that play call.
 

NoDak

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Still don't like the play-call, Brooks was very close to knocking it down or even worse batting it into the air for a potential interception. The Niners offense hadn't done a damn thing since the first quarter and if we had simply taken two knees and given them the ball back with a little under a minute and no timeouts left with the ball on their own 25-30, there is no way they could've gotten into the end zone.

Against an offense like Green Bay, Pittsburgh or even Cincinnati, sure, I get trying to be aggressive and not give the ball back. Against a completely ineffective team like San Francisco it's more of an unnecessary risk than being aggressive in my opinion.
People are constantly bitching about Garrett and Linehan being too conservative. That they play not to lose instead of to win. Now when they go for the throat, we bitch about that too?

:lol

It was a good call.
 

Genghis Khan

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If Brooks had his arm to his left by a foot and knocked the pass down I doubt you'd be saying that.

Sure, it worked, I get that, it's also a theoretically low risk play as it should be an easy completion. But it damn near got knocked down and would've unnecessarily left the 49ers with a timeout and a lifeline.

Being aggressive against a top offense is smart, being aggressive against a shit offense is potentially giving them an opportunity they otherwise wouldn't be able to capitalize on.
But he didn't knock it down. It was a high percentage play and it worked like it was supposed to.

And now, it's on film (finally) that we might actually pass the ball in that situation, which could loosen up running lanes a bit when we attempt to run out a clock in the future.
 

data

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People are constantly bitching about Garrett and Linehan being too conservative. That they play not to lose instead of to win. Now when they go for the throat, we bitch about that too?

:lol

It was a good call.
The timing made the play call -- clever doing it on 2nd down. If it were 3rd and 13, it would've been much more predictable.
 

L.T. Fan

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People are constantly bitching about Garrett and Linehan being too conservative. That they play not to lose instead of to win. Now when they go for the throat, we bitch about that too?

:lol

It was a good call.
It was a good call. Second that.

When you have your fate in your hands in a game and the offense is working well, step on their neck. Coaches are so ingrained to circumstantial game strategies the hand the ball back to the opponent.

Clock burning is one example. They will run the ball in the middle knowing they will have to turn over the possession just to burn a few seconds on the clock when a first down attempt would seal the deal. All this when they have controlled with an effective offense.

They have a similar code on defense. They will give up 10 to 15 yards a pop to avoid the long play and invariably allow the opponent to march down the field in scoring position with only 4 or 5 plays to get to paydirt. All this when they have controlled with an effective defense.

Play with your strengths.

Yes the play to get the first down was correct.
 

ravidubey

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He told me he was pissed at the idea that he wasn't a receiver, and would never let that happen.” receiver Brice Butler said.
lol

He's had two big out-of-character YAC plays in three weeks

I'm enjoying the results and expecting nothing more
 
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