Hoyer needs to be a ball hog
With offensive line not offering much protection, quarterback has to play smart
SANTA CLARA >> As the 49ers’ annual trip to Seattle approaches, they returned to the practice field Wednesday and tried moving past their season-opening loss to Carolina. Here are the top three things we learned: 1. QUARTERBACK PRESSURE >> Neither the 49ers nor Seattle Seahawks scored a touchdown in their respective, season-opening losses. Taking the brunt of the blame: Their offensive lines.
But because neither team’s line will instantly improve by Sunday when the Seahawks host the 49ers, the onus is on their quarterbacks to avoid trouble.
That’s nothing new to Seattle’s Russell Wilson, who’s parlayed magical escapes from the pocket into a 6-0 record against the 49ers at CenturyLink Field.
“For him, it’s interesting,” 49ers
“Protecting the football and not getting behind on down and distance. That’s when this (Seahawks) defense will really get you. If you get behind on these guys, they don’t have to blitz anybody. Those four pass rushers can get after you without a blitz.” – 49ers quarterback Brian Hoyer
safety Eric Reid said. “He does great passing the ball, but he really has his best plays when the play breaks down. You have a good play on defense, you think you’re about to get a sack, then he breaks the pocket and it turns into a touchdown.”
Hoyer is not the mobile, zone-read specialist as Wilson is nor Hoyer’s 49ers predecessors, Colin Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert. After Sunday’s two-turnover debut, Hoyer has wise intentions for his first career visit to Seattle’s noise-challenging venue.
“Protecting the football and not getting behind on down and distance,” Hoyer said of this week’s goals. “That’s when this (Seahawks) defense will really get you. If you get behind on these guys, they don’t have to blitz anybody. Those four pass rushers can get after you without a blitz.”
By halftime of Sunday’s 23-13 loss, the Panthers sacked Hoyer four times, producing a fumble on the first sack and converting it later into a touchdown and 7-0 lead.
Such turnovers doomed the 2012-13 49ers in Seattle during their title-contending visits. Kaepernick accounted for eight turnovers (six interceptions, two fumbles) as the 49ers lost 42-13 there in 2012, 29-3 in 2013 and 23-17 in the 2013 season’s NFC Championship game.
“You have to realize there’s going to be times — I don’t care who your team is — that you’re not going to block them, and when you don’t, what happens?” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan asked. “You can survive a sack. You prefer an incompletion. But it’s hard to survive a bunch of turnovers against this team, especially there.”
Wilson has thrown 11 touchdown passes and only three interceptions in his home wins over the 49ers, who’ve been outscored 17771 and never had closer than a 10-point loss since 2012. The Seahawks lost their opener 17-9 at Green Bay, and although Wilson got sacked three times, he had a 29-yard scramble to set up a field goal. 2. SPYING ON PETE CARROLL? >> General manager John Lynch says he was only doing his job as a Fox broadcaster when he dug for information in pregame production meetings, and that goes for the 17 Seahawks games he called since Pete Carroll became Seattle’s coach in 2010.
“He wanted to know why and what you think and all that stuff,” Carroll said. “I didn’t really put it together. I thought he was going to be doing the ‘Monday Night Football’ or something, some day.”
Carroll half-jokingly razed Lynch when they crossed paths at NFL functions this offseason. “One thing from being a broadcaster, you get invited into people’s buildings, and, like I’ve said, this wasn’t like I’m sitting in there taking notes, stealing institutional knowledge,” Lynch said upon becoming 49ers GM on Jan. 30.
Shanahan downplayed any espionage on Lynch’s part this week, sarcastically saying the only thing he’s learned is Seattle plays a “Cover Three” defense. Of course, that’s no trade secret, and Shanahan was the Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator when they eliminated the Seahawks 36-20 in last year’s divisional-round playoff game — in which, ironically, Lynch served as Fox’s analyst.
“I was kind of disappointed he went to be the GM in our division,” Carroll added Wednesday. “Because I like John a lot and he’s asked a lot of questions, more than most guys do, and he went into a lot of depth, so he does know how we think and all. Whether that’s becoming part of what they’re doing, I don’t know.” 3. NO PANIC MOVES, YET >> Wednesday’s transaction wire saw the 49ers sign linebacker Elijah Lee off the Minnesota Vikings practice squad, and, to create a roster spot, they waived second-year offensive lineman John Theus, who did not suit up Sunday.
Lee will be counted on more for special teams assistance and as an emergency linebacker, simply adding depth to a linebacker corps that is without Reuben Foster (ankle) for perhaps a month.
Ray-Ray Armstrong will start until Foster is medically cleared — he’s in a stabilizing boot — and Brock Coyle is the backup to both Armstrong and NaVorro Bowman. Monday, the 49ers waived Ben Boulware off their practice squad rather than promote him as a linebacker reinforcement.
As for two other depth-chart questions, Shanahan wasn’t declaring any changes at guard or free safety.
Jimmie Ward remains limited and Shanahan is simply hopeful Ward might have a shot to play at Seattle. Jaquiski Tartt, who started Sunday’s game at free safety, overcame a missed tackle and a personal foul to play himself onto Shanahan’s good side. “He made a hell of a play on that (second-quarter interception) and did some real good things for us,” Shanahan said.
Meanwhile, Laken Tomlinson will get more work this week to possibly unseat starting left guard Zane Beadles, but that decision will play out through Friday’s practices, Shanahan said.
• Foster (ankle) and left tackle Joe Staley did not practice, as Staley got the day to rest as a veteran. Tight end George Kittle (hamstring) was limited along with Ward (hamstring).
• Four defensive linemen worked out, according to ESPN: Ahtyba Rubin, Kendall Langford, Jaye Howard and Tony McDaniel.
• Lynch is among 108 nominees for next year’s Pro Football Hall of Fame class, and that includes other former finalists Brian Dawkins and Ty Law among the 12 defensive backs. Former 49ers on the list include Terrell Owens, John Taylor, Roger Craig, Bryant Young, Ricky Watters, Isaac Bruce and Randy Moss.