More “Dream Looks” Today?
November 19th, 2023
BILL CURRIE FORD IS OPEN DAILY! Shop now online and don’t forget to request the Ira Kaufman Discount. Nationwide lifetime warranty on new vehicles.
BY IRA KAUFMAN
Dave Canales may have just stumbled onto a plan to deep-6 the 49ers.
Without much expected help from a plodding ground game, Canales is looking for plays that can rattle the NFL’s No. 1 scoring defense.
May I suggest a call that worked spectacularly against the Titans last week?
Rachaad White looks like a Bucs key to victory today, writes Ira Kaufman.
Rachaad White, one of the league’s premier targets out of the backfield, slipped into the left flat as Baker Mayfield drew the pass rushers in. Escorted downfield by Cody Mauch and Robert Hainsey, White dashed 43 yards to the end zone. It was a savvy call and the Bucs executed it to perfection.
“It was a dream look, right?,” Canales said. “Just trying to take advantage of our play actions with the play action screen game.”
Boasting one of the league’s deepest and most talented defensive fronts, the 49ers thrive on disrupting the timing of opposing quarterbacks. And while their 23 sacks rank 20th in the NFL, the 49ers are tied for third with 71 QB hits. San Francisco dropped Trevor Lawrence five times and intercepted him twice in last week’s 34-3 romp at Jacksonville, ending a 3-game losing streak.
Mayfield has been surprisingly elusive inside the pocket, but San Francisco comes at you in waves, led by 2022 Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa. Now Chase Young is part of the mix up front after a trade with the Commanders.
A well-executed screen pass can be a very effective ploy in slowing down aggressive pass rushers. And in White, the Bucs have a proven stud in the passing game.
In his career, White has caught 85 of the 95 passes sent his way, a stunning 89.5 percent success rate. He also has a knack for making defenders miss out in open space.
“Rachaad is huge,” says Tristan Wirfs. “When he gets the ball out there, we know how shifty he is. What did he have, like a 43-yard screen the other day? Being able to get him the ball and watch him do what he does is great.”
White has yet to establish himself as a force in the run game, averaging only 3.5 yards per carry for his career. In 132 rushing attempts this season, his longest run is 16 yards. You have to figure Canales and Todd Bowles have discussed tossing a few screens in White’s direction against San Francisco.
As a defensive coordinator, Bowles has had to prepare for teams that use the screen effectively. The 49ers have their own screen standout in Christian McCaffrey.
“That’s tough,” says Bowles. “If you can block it up and get out on the screen, it’s a high completion percentage. If you can get some blockers out there and get some runs, it’s tough for any defense to do.”
The right feel, explains Ira.
Mayfield credited Canales for dialing up a screen at an appropriate moment in the game.
“You want to be able to call them in the right time, and in the right places on the field, as well,” says Mayfield. “Trying to time up either a pressure or if they’re going to drop back into coverage. They pressured us on that play, so great timing by Dave to call that one.
“As I’ve mentioned the past few weeks, it’s continuing to get Rachaad more involved getting the ball in space, whether it’s perimeter runs, screens – just some empty-package stuff to be able to get the ball in his hands and make people miss. Obviously, he’s extremely talented at that, so it’s just finding ways to do that. He’s got great hands, he’s really natural with it. You can tell when the ball is in the air, he looks really natural at the catch point looking it into his hands and just being able to transition it for yards after catch.”
Known as one of the league’s better blocking wide receivers, Chris Godwin made his presence felt downfield on White’s 43-yard screen.
“Man, it’s a lot of fun,” Godwin says. “It takes more than just one guy, it’s not just like an individual effort – it’s the first level of the defense, the second level, and third level. That’s something – especially the last few handful of weeks – we as receivers really take pride in is being a down-field blocker for the running back, tight ends, and each other. Like I think we had a screen later in the game to Trey (Palmer) that was just a little screen, and he caught it, and I was the one that blocked, and we got a first down.
“I take just as much pride in that as I would if I was the one catching it.”
Although the 49ers don’t blitz much, the right screen called at the right time could give those pass rushers something to think about besides punishing Mayfield.
White has few peers as a target out of the backfield, so look for Mayfield to lure Bosa and company in before looking out for No. 1.
Sounds like a plan.
Ira Kaufman Dissects The Recent Front Office Activity, Talks Playoff Drive, Fresh Overhype, Bucs-Niners Predictions & Perceptions, And More
November 19th, 2023 at 9:02 am
Deream?
November 19th, 2023 at 9:20 am
Sounds like a plan. How about opening the play book and making Otton a fullback, too? Devon White better show up today.
November 19th, 2023 at 9:21 am
If they don’t win they at least need to play a tight game. Go Bucs!
November 19th, 2023 at 10:13 am
It could work , I hope it does , but teams have noticed ,( everybody has noticed) ,the Bucs do not have a running attack ,or not much of one anyway, what’s worse , they are beginning to ignore it as a threat , and they aren’t even worrying about any deep threat from Mayfield , his deep passes have been inaccurate for the most part and when he does hit on a deep pass it has not been consistent enough to really worry about , that leaves the short game dink and dunks to include screens as the primary threat , but the thing there is Mayfield has to get out of the pocket or roll to his left or right to find an open lane in order to throw those passes because of the tendency of his passes to be batted down , (this is a problem that a taller quarterback would have less of), if San Francisco has a steady but controlled rush with the interior linemen applying pressure but staying in Mayfield’s face blocking his passing lanes and the ends containing him, not letting him get out of the pocket to throw ,and waiting for his happy feet dance to really start rushing because they know when that happens he is no longer looking for receivers , he’s looking for someplace to go , but if our offensive line can wrap up their defensive linemen to keep their arms down ,(without getting called for holding every other play), and We can get outside the containment and hit against the flow, crossing patterns and picks we can have a chance it’s going to be tough but doable.
November 19th, 2023 at 1:07 pm
Bucs will win today then eventually will miss out on playoffs
November 19th, 2023 at 1:29 pm
AS Brooklyn Miguel would say, “Cut the BS”. It won’t work
It can’t work. It won’t work
Don’t forget these are the inept Bucs.
November 19th, 2023 at 1:34 pm
JD Still Says:
in order to throw those passes because of the tendency of his passes to be batted down , (this is a problem that a taller quarterback would have less of)
—–
On good thing about our posts is that I seldom have to read more than half of them before you show you don’t know what you are talking about and make it EASY for me to prove it
Trevor Lawrence is 6’6” presently Has more batted passes than Baker ( by a lot)
Joe borrow is 6’4′ has more batted passes than Baker
Justin Herbert also at 6’6″ has more batter passes this season
IN THE ENTIRE LEAGUE including Baker not a single Qb has more than around ONE SINGLE batted pass per game as an average (one and a fraction)
Only Nfl newbs and those who can’t IQ process chirp about batted passes. They are a non factor and through the years taller QBs have been right up there at the top of the list.
So the claim is double daft
1) anyone that watches the game can see Baker throwing from the pocket
2) The stats show your full of nonsense
try harder – another miss.
November 19th, 2023 at 2:40 pm
Lol. You forgot about the best LB in the league in Fred Warner. He will shut down White. You also have Greenlaw. I’m sure they watched tape on us and know White is a very important piece of our offense out of the backfield. They’ll be on the lookout
November 19th, 2023 at 2:48 pm
I say throw it to Evans literally 30 times, and let him have a 300-yard day. I say that’s your only chance in this game.
Also if Evans did have some incredible record setting day, that would open up White, and everyone else, to have productive days.
But, what I’m going to guess is Bowles stressed all week about how the Bucs have to establish the run to win this game, and they’ll just run it up the middle for 0.2 yards per carry, on the way to a 31-3 blowout (to be clear, the Bucs would be the ones being blown out).
November 19th, 2023 at 2:50 pm
Don’t give the gameplay away Canales!!. Steve Wilkes is the DC for the 49ers n was the Panthers interim head coach last year pending hiring a permanent coach. He did well considering what he inherited in the middle of the season. Don’t be surprised if he dropped DE’s Bosa or CYoung into coverage baiting Mayfield into dump off short passes to RWhite out of the backfield. The winner of this game will be determined by the team whose coach has the best game plan.
November 19th, 2023 at 2:50 pm
Bucs13 Says:
November 19th, 2023 at 2:40 pm
Lol. You forgot about the best LB in the league in Fred Warner.
——–
Just more proof you’re not a Bucs fan, instead just a Mayfield fanboi.
Warner is not better than David, literally everyone knows that, except for people who just watch the games because they like the commercials.
November 19th, 2023 at 3:04 pm
Bowzo will be clobbered today.