Week 8 GDT - Seattle Seahawks vs San Francisco 49ers

[J-ALL-DAY]

Who would have thought we would have back to back convincing victories against the Rams and Patriots after the Dolphins debacle? Completely controlled both games from start to finish, had a lot of flashbacks to last season. Definitely good to see!

Well, this week we get the league's MVP through seven weeks and the high powered Seahawks offense. This is where the lack of pass rush is really going to hurt. Lockett and Metcalf are arguably the best duo in the league or at least top 3-5, and they have been dominant thus far. You can't sleep on their TEs either and they have very solid backs, though there is a chance both Carson/Hyde miss this week's game. Fred Warner has been getting a lot of love nationally, and well deserved. But if he wants to make his mark and put his hat in the DPOY race, a big game here would do wonders for him. Our DL plays hard but they are just limited without our top 3 edge rushers. Saleh is doing a pretty amazing job and our back end could cover their a$$es off, but they have their work cut out for them this week. Seahawks like to spread it out on passing downs and will even shift Olsen out in the slot. What I would like to see is Saleh using four corner looks in those formations. He used it a few times last week and it worked out well. Ward and Tartt may be back this week, but even if they are, Moore needs to get on the field some how, some way. He's just too good to not be utilized at all. Harris held up last week but Tartt is going to be badly needed as we need disciplined play on the back end against this offense. 

Offensively, the Seahawks are solid against the run and terrible against the pass. But we will be without Deebo so that changes things some. Aiyuk is going to get his fair share of targets and Bourne will replace Deebo in the starting line up, but I am more interested in who the third WR will be. Is this the week that Taylor finally breaks out and is heavily targeted? Does Shanahan go with James if he's healthy enough to go? I don't know, but this is a game where we HAVE to win the TOP by a solid margin. The run game has to get going to a decent point where the offense isn't one dimensional. 

I think we definitely can compete, but the lack of pass rush is really going to hurt. This is a game we needed all our top dogs on defense.

SEA 31 SF 27

[Chrissooner49er]

Yup, Bosa's injury is really frustrating but Ford is just baffling. Last year, it was a knee...now it's his neck? Time to move on and invest in someone else. I was so excited to sign him, too. Sigh.

[NcFinest9erFan]

Seattle 37 SF 28

[John232]

26 minutes ago, Chrissooner49er said:

Yup, Bosa's injury is really frustrating but Ford is just baffling. Last year, it was a knee...now it's his neck? Time to move on and invest in someone else. I was so excited to sign him, too. Sigh.

What makes it worse is he looked incredible when he played.

 

Anyways, Seattle 35 SF 28. 

[J-ALL-DAY]

2 minutes ago, John232 said:

What makes it worse is he looked incredible when he played.

Anyways, Seattle 35 SF 28. 

He legitimately made the pass rush special when he was in the game last season. That's the thing, even with Armstead/Bosa/Buckner, the pass rush was not all that great when Ford wasn't playing. Having a speed rusher is so crucial and that's something we are desperately missing right now. Ford's get off just forces QBs to move and gives other DL a chance to get pressure or get a sack. Bosa returning next year will obviously be a big boost, but he's going to need someone on the opposite end that could get to the QB as well. Hyder would be a great 3rd DE, but we may need to draft one in the early rounds. 

[J-ALL-DAY]

Weekly DVOA update:

Offense- 8th

Defense - 8th

Pretty amazing considering all the injuries this team has suffered. Offensively I still want this team to finish in the top 5. I think that is certainly possible. Defensively? After Bosa went out, I was just expecting a top 10-12 unit. They are likely to drop after the next three weeks. 

[757-NINER]

Question for you guys, not really game related...

Last off-season I was pretty much against us re-signing Ward. As good as he played last year I just didn't believe he could stay healthy and I wasn't a fan of re-signing injury-prone players to big FA deals after they ball out during a contract year. I wanted us to sign a stop-gap like vet to challenge Moore, who I needed to see build off a impressive SB performance and fix some of the flaws in his game.

Fast forward to this year and Ward has not looked great and is now injured yet again. Meanwhile it seems like Saleh and the new DB coach had completely forgot Moore was on the roster, as he hasn't gotten on the field at all, despite a ton of injuries in the secondary and all solid TC by most accounts.

Now I haven't watched the Pats game yet but I heard Moore played really well. Came up in the box and made some nice tackles as well as looked very fast and fluid as the centerfielder. Now of course, its only one game so  consistency is the key here. And I understand we lack quality depth@FS behind Moore but I definitely would be in favor of shopping Ward and seeing if there were any suitors and rolling with Moore as the starter from here on out. Even if it meant dealing him to a rival team like the Cowboys.

What are your thoughts on moving on from Ward, so quickly after re-signing him??

[J-ALL-DAY]

14 minutes ago, 757-NINER said:

Question for you guys, not really game related...

Last off-season I was pretty much against us re-signing Ward. As good as he played last year I just didn't believe he could stay healthy and I wasn't a fan of re-signing injury-prone players to big FA deals after they ball out during a contract year. I wanted us to sign a stop-gap like vet to challenge Moore, who I needed to see build off a impressive SB performance and fix some of the flaws in his game.

Fast forward to this year and Ward has not looked great and is now injured yet again. Meanwhile it seems like Saleh and the new DB coach had completely forgot Moore was on the roster, as he hasn't gotten on the field at all, despite a ton of injuries in the secondary and all solid TC by most accounts.

Now I haven't watched the Pats game yet but I heard Moore played really well. Came up in the box and made some nice tackles as well as looked very fast and fluid as the centerfielder. Now of course, its only one game so  consistency is the key here. And I understand we lack quality depth@FS behind Moore but I definitely would be in favor of shopping Ward and seeing if there were any suitors and rolling with Moore as the starter from here on out. Even if it meant dealing him to a rival team like the Cowboys.

What are your thoughts on moving on from Ward, so quickly after re-signing him??

I don't want to get rid of Ward. What I want to see is a duo of Moore and Ward going forward. Tartt is almost surely gone and will get a solid deal elsewhere. Harris looks like a decent backup but no reason why we can't go with Ward and Moore next season. 

[JIllg]

13 minutes ago, 757-NINER said:

Question for you guys, not really game related...

Last off-season I was pretty much against us re-signing Ward. As good as he played last year I just didn't believe he could stay healthy and I wasn't a fan of re-signing injury-prone players to big FA deals after they ball out during a contract year. I wanted us to sign a stop-gap like vet to challenge Moore, who I needed to see build off a impressive SB performance and fix some of the flaws in his game.

Fast forward to this year and Ward has not looked great and is now injured yet again. Meanwhile it seems like Saleh and the new DB coach had completely forgot Moore was on the roster, as he hasn't gotten on the field at all, despite a ton of injuries in the secondary and all solid TC by most accounts.

Now I haven't watched the Pats game yet but I heard Moore played really well. Came up in the box and made some nice tackles as well as looked very fast and fluid as the centerfielder. Now of course, its only one game so  consistency is the key here. And I understand we lack quality depth@FS behind Moore but I definitely would be in favor of shopping Ward and seeing if there were any suitors and rolling with Moore as the starter from here on out. Even if it meant dealing him to a rival team like the Cowboys.

What are your thoughts on moving on from Ward, so quickly after re-signing him??

I’m all for it - I thought Moore played better than Ward has, and every penny helps. Still, every trade needs a suitor. And I’m not sure how much value a perennially injured/good for one year/struggling/starter on a reasonable contract if he plays well has. 

[Forge]

6 minutes ago, 757-NINER said:

Question for you guys, not really game related...

Last off-season I was pretty much against us re-signing Ward. As good as he played last year I just didn't believe he could stay healthy and I wasn't a fan of re-signing injury-prone players to big FA deals after they ball out during a contract year. I wanted us to sign a stop-gap like vet to challenge Moore, who I needed to see build off a impressive SB performance and fix some of the flaws in his game.

Fast forward to this year and Ward has not looked great and is now injured yet again. Meanwhile it seems like Saleh and the new DB coach had completely forgot Moore was on the roster, as he hasn't gotten on the field at all, despite a ton of injuries in the secondary and all solid TC by most accounts.

Now I haven't watched the Pats game yet but I heard Moore played really well. Came up in the box and made some nice tackles as well as looked very fast and fluid as the centerfielder. Now of course, its only one game so  consistency is the key here. And I understand we lack quality depth@FS behind Moore but I definitely would be in favor of shopping Ward and seeing if there were any suitors and rolling with Moore as the starter from here on out. Even if it meant dealing him to a rival team like the Cowboys.

What are your thoughts on moving on from Ward, so quickly after re-signing him??

I was one of those who was good with moving on from Ward even after the season he had last year. I was amenable to a two year deal; I think I said 2/16. We ended up giving him 3/28 (with a ghost 4th year...which again...will this FO please stop doing that, it's so freaking annoying and it's not a great idea to do this as often as we are) so it was a little more than I wanted to give him. 

So first things first, cutting him (unless it's as a june 1, which I don't really care for) is a bit of a non starter. He doesn't save enough money to make that worth while. Trading him is the recourse here, I would imagine, and I have no problem with that. I was ready to turn the job over to Moore this year and hope for the best, I have no problem doing it for now. Teams that could be interested would be like the Colts (Hooker out again, they aren't picking up his option, they have plenty of money). They have all their own picks, and I'd happily take on someone like Kemoko Turay, even if he's hurt.

Cleveland would be a great fit given that Woods is very familiar with Ward and got the best season of his career out of him. Baltimore is always looking to improve their team and after cutting ET, they need to find a better fit there. The problem with the Ravens is that they have already traded their third and both of their fifth round picks for this upcoming season

[757-NINER]

7 minutes ago, J-ALL-DAY said:

I don't want to get rid of Ward. What I want to see is a duo of Moore and Ward going forward. Tartt is almost surely gone and will get a solid deal elsewhere. Harris looks like a decent backup but no reason why we can't go with Ward and Moore next season. 

My thing is I don't trust Ward to ever be healthy and I feel like that cap hit could be spent elsewhere. I feel like we can secure a SS through the draft, even if that means a guy like Harris or Cyprien is a starter for a year while that pick is being groomed. 

I just don't believe Ward is worth the money tbh...even if his play was more akin to last season.

Edited October 27, 2020 by 757-NINER

[NinerNation21]

1 minute ago, 757-NINER said:

My thing is I don't trust Ward to ever be healthy and I feel like that cap hit could be spent elsewhere. I feel like we can secure a SS through the draft, even if that means a guy like Harris or Cyprien is a starter for a year while that pick is being groomed. 

I just don't believe Ward is worth the money tbh...even if he his play was more akin to last season.

Getting rid of Ward this offseason, unless it's a trade, is not going to happen. His dead cap hit would be $11 mil. Moore, Tartt, and Harris are all free agents this offseason. Harris being a RFA. I would let Tartt and Harris walk and resign Moore to a cheap deal and draft a SS this year. I think that would be the most cost-effective strategy for the safety group. 

Now, if someone offers us a premium pick for Ward, then that changes things a bit. But, I don't see that happening. 

[757-NINER]

5 minutes ago, Forge said:

I was one of those who was good with moving on from Ward even after the season he had last year. I was amenable to a two year deal; I think I said 2/16. We ended up giving him 3/28 (with a ghost 4th year...which again...will this FO please stop doing that, it's so freaking annoying and it's not a great idea to do this as often as we are) so it was a little more than I wanted to give him. 

So first things first, cutting him (unless it's as a june 1, which I don't really care for) is a bit of a non starter. He doesn't save enough money to make that worth while. Trading him is the recourse here, I would imagine, and I have no problem with that. I was ready to turn the job over to Moore this year and hope for the best, I have no problem doing it for now. Teams that could be interested would be like the Colts (Hooker out again, they aren't picking up his option, they have plenty of money). They have all their own picks, and I'd happily take on someone like Kemoko Turay, even if he's hurt.

Cleveland would be a great fit given that Woods is very familiar with Ward and got the best season of his career out of him. Baltimore is always looking to improve their team and after cutting ET, they need to find a better fit there. The problem with the Ravens is that they have already traded their third and both of their fifth round picks for this upcoming season

I'm with you. I feel like Moore kind of got shoved aside because we did ultimately resign Ward and I don't feel like we'll never truly know what we have in Moore with Ward's presence on the roster. 

[J-ALL-DAY]

4 minutes ago, 757-NINER said:

My thing is I don't trust Ward to ever be healthy and I feel like that cap hit could be spent elsewhere. I feel like we can secure a SS through the draft, even if that means a guy like Harris or Cyprien is a starter for a year while that pick is being groomed. 

I just don't believe Ward is worth the money tbh...even if his play was more akin to last season.

It's not worth getting rid of Ward. There's like a dead cap of 9.5M next season. Health concerns are real,  but if he can play 13-14 games a season, that is good enough. I just think with Ward and Moore, we would have a lot of versatility and two safeties with good range.

[757-NINER]

2 minutes ago, NinerNation21 said:

Getting rid of Ward this offseason, unless it's a trade, is not going to happen. His dead cap hit would be $11 mil. Moore, Tartt, and Harris are all free agents this offseason. Harris being a RFA. I would let Tartt and Harris walk and resign Moore to a cheap deal and draft a SS this year. I think that would be the most cost-effective strategy for the safety group. 

Now, if someone offers us a premium pick for Ward, then that changes things a bit. But, I don't see that happening. 

I know we're not cutting Ward. That's out of the question, hence why I brought up trading him. Even for let's say a 4th rounder, just to clear him off the books I would pull the trigger personally speaking.