Film Room: Spotlight on Joe Staley

This season is still young, but it’s obvious to even casual observers that the 49ers' offense has issues. In two games they have displayed a troubling lack of execution, but the team has had a few breaks fall their way. So the Niners have come away with two narrow victories thanks in no small part to Herculean efforts by the defense.

Since Sunday many people have criticized the team for running over the right side of the line when the left side has two outstanding run blockers in LT Jonas Jennings and LG Larry Allen. The right side of the line certainly doesn’t have the strongest man in the NFL, but it does have RG Justin Smiley, who is known throughout the league as an excellent player. Outside Smiley is the newcomer, rookie RT Joe Staley who beat out Kwame Harris in the preseason.

In this week’s Film Room, we’ve tracked Staley throughout the entire game to see how he’s measuring up to Jennings or even Harris.

(1st Half)

First Series

1st and 10 SF20 – Frank Gore runs outside left for 2 yards (Larry Allen pulls).

Staley sprints out to the 30 to setup for downfield blocking, but the run is stuffed so he isn’t able to do much.

2nd and 9 SF21 – Alex Smith throws sideline left to Darrell Jackson for 11 yards.

Staley completely walls off DE Leonard Little.

(Called back on facemask penalty on LT Jennings)

2nd and 20 SF10 – Gore runs over C/RG for 2 yards.

Staley blocks DT Glover back a yard, releases and then pancakes LB Chillar.

3rd and 18 SF12 – Gore takes a draw up the middle for 13 yards.

Staley lets Little get a step on him (purposefully), then pushes him out of the play.

Second Series

1st and 10 SF34 – Smith throws deep left incomplete (Jackson).

Staley completely neutralizes Little on this play.

2nd and 10 SF34 – Gore runs over LG/LT for 3 yards.

Staley blocks down left and pushes Glover back about three yards.

3rd and 7 SF37 – Smith throws short right incomplete (Gore).

Little gets a step on Staley and puts some pressure on Smith, who still manages to throw the screen.

Third Series

1st and 10 STL39 – Smith throws short right to Gore for 3 yards

Little tries to speed around the edge, but Staley gets him in time to shove him out of Smith’s face (about 2 yards away).

2nd and 7 STL36– Smith throws left to Jackson for 10 yards.

Staley helps Heitmann neutralize Carriker as Smiley pulls right on a play-action fake.

1st and 10 STL26 – Smith throws short left to Davis for 19 yards.

Staley blocks Glover out of the play on another play-action fake.

Davis blocked Little at the line for a second, then threw him aside, ran out left, and made the catch. Great play on his part.

1st and goal STL7 – Gore runs up the middle for 6 yards.

Staley pushes Glover back about 4 yards on this play. He looked like a monster on this one.

2nd and goal STL1 – Gore runs up the middle for no gain.

Staley basically dives forward and gets no push on this play.

Allen ended this play in the end zone, but Jennings was turned to his side. Still, I’m not sure how Gore didn’t score on this one, because it seemed he had plenty of space.

3rd and goal STL1 – Gore runs up over LG/LT for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.

Staley cut-blocks Glover on this play.

Fourth Series

1st and 10 STL27 – Smith throws deep right to Jackson for 34 yards.

Staley blocks Carriker for about 4 seconds on this one, then Carriker gets past and comes within maybe 2.5 yards of Smith at the time of the throw.

1st and 10 STL37 – Gore runs outside left for a loss of 3.

Staley bumps Carriker on his way past to block LB Chillar. As a result of the bump, Carriker gets pancaked by Heitmann.

Jennings was beat by DE Johnson on this play, but it didn’t matter much because Witherspoon came through the hole unblocked to make the tackle.

2nd and 13 STL40 – Smith throws short right to Battle for 9 yards.

Staley neutralizes Little on this play. Smith literally had all day.

3rd and 4 STL32 -- Smith is sacked by Bartell for -13 yards.

Staley again completely neutralizes Little. In fact, Little starts pointing at Smith after the play ends to get Staley to stop blocking.

Bartell came unblocked on a blitz from the nickel spot. This one is probably on Allen who seemed to block the wrong man.

Fifth Series

1st and 10 SF47 -- Smith throws short right to Gore for 1 yard.

Staley easily keeps Little 5 or 6 yards away from Smith, but Little disengages from the block and sprints across to the opposite side of the field to make the tackle.

2nd and 9 SF48 – Smith throws incomplete long right (Battle).

Staley blocks Glover out of the play. It’s not even close. Little went on a delayed stunt and probably got a hit on Smith because Smiley went to help Heitmann creating an open lane.

Battle did not drop this one – Bartell tipped it away. Davis looked pretty open on a post route underneath, as he had the inside angle on the safety.

3rd and 9 SF48 – Robinson bounces a draw outside for 4 yards.

Little takes an inside angle against Staley and kept Robinson from getting to the running lane. This looked like Staley’s fault to me.

(2nd Half)

First Series

1st and 10 STL44 – Gore runs over RG for 2 yards.

Staley neutralizes Little on this play.

Witherspoon shed Smiley’s block in about half a second and flew in to make the stop. Carriker was also in on the tackle, having beat Heitmann on the play, but this was more on Smiley.

2nd and 9 STL43 – Gore runs over RT for 4 yards.

Staley blocks Little back about a yard. By the time Little sheds the block, Gore has run past him and straight into Witherspoon who was unblocked.

3rd and 5 STL39 – Smith is sacked by Hall for -5 yards.

Staley seemed to block the wrong guy on this play, but Smith also held on to the ball for a good 4 seconds.

Second Series

1st and 10 SF20 – Smith throws incomplete right (Jackson).

Staley bumps Little, who then gets plowed by LG Allen and Gore who have come running over on play-action.

James Hall tipped this pass at the line.

2nd and 10 SF20 – Smith throws middle to Jackson for 17 yards.

After about two seconds, Little sheds Staley’s block, but the ball is already away.

1st and 10 SF37 – Smith throws short left to Battle for 8 yards.

Little gets nowhere against Staley on this play.

2nd and 2 SF45 – Gore runs up the middle for 1 yard.

Staley blocks Hall out of the play. Not his fault it didn't go further.

3rd and 1 SF46 – Norris runs over RT for 2 yards.

Staley pushes Glover back a good 2 yards. This first down was largely due to Staley’s effort.

1st and 10 SF48 – Jacobs runs left for -8 yards.

Staley keeps Carriker from getting anywhere near this play.

This play got blown up by CB Bartell because Heitmann pretty much ran right past instead of blocking him. Heitmann knew it too because he was sulking a little afterward.

2nd and 18 SF40 – Hicks runs over RT for 7 yards.

Staley with help from Smiley gets about a 5 yard push on Carriker. Great block.

3rd and 11 SF47 – Smith throws short middle to Hicks for 9 yards.

Staley does a good job recovering after Little gets a step on him, but Smith holds on to the ball for about 4 seconds. Little comes free and gets about a yard away as Smith throws.

4th and 1 STL43 – Gore runs up the middle for 43 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

Staley shoves Glover to the ground, goes to block LB R. Smith, and is the first player to greet Gore in the endzone.

Third Series

1st and 10 SF18 – Gore runs over C/RG for 4 yards.

Staley blocks down left and picks up LB Chillar. Chillar sheds the block and dives at Gore, but Gore sidesteps him on his way downfield.

2nd and 6 SF22 – Smith throws incomplete short left (Gore).

Staley ends up blocking SS Atogwe. Atogwe gets nowhere for about 2 seconds, then Staley turns left like he knows it’s a screen and wants to run and block downfield.

3rd and 6 SF22 – Smith throws incomplete short middle (Battle).

Staley makes a nice blitz pickup on LB R. Smith and pushes him around and behind QB Smith, out of the play.

Fourth Series

1st and 10 SF17 – Gore runs over RG/RT for -1 yard.

Staley blocks LB Chillar downfield about 7 yards and completely out of this play. This one wasn’t on him.

2nd and 11 SF16 -- Hicks takes a draw up the middle for 3 yards.

Staley neutralizes Glover on this play.

3rd and 8 SF19 – Smith throws short center for 11 yards.

Staley walls off LB R. Smith.

1st and 10 SF30 – Smith is sacked for -4 yards.

DE Adeyanju gets a step on Staley, but Staley keeps him out of the play for about 4 seconds. Smith hangs on to the ball for 5, so Adeyabju, Hall, and Glover converge on him. The replay showed Staley obviously holding Adeyabju by the jersey (not called). Hall and Glover were credited with the sack.

2nd and 14 SF26 – Gore runs over RT for 1 yard.

Staley helps Smiley push Glover completely out of the play.

Larry Allen pulled right and came rumbling through the hole but he whiffed on a block against Witherspoon, who came in to make the stop.

3rd and 13 SF27 – Smith throws short right to Davis for 5 yards.

Staley completely stonewalls Little on this play. Smith had all day. He actually could have held the ball longer.

On 4th down Lee punts the ball and Hall fumbles it (and likely the game) away. Hudson recovers.

1st and 10 STL26 – Gore runs over LT for 1 yard.

Staley blocks DE Johnson about three yards down the field.

Larry Allen pretty much pancaked Carriker on this play. Gore didn’t go anywhere because the Rams had 9 men in the box and overloaded the Niners left side.

2nd and 9 STL25 – Gore runs outside right for 3 yards.

Staley goes to block Witherspoon, but pretty much all the other Rams linebackers go unblocked and Gore goes nowhere.

The Niners were forced to take a timeout before this next play because G David Baas, playing TE, didn’t know where to line up.

3rd and 6 STL22 – Gore runs over RT for no gain.

Staley blocks Little out of the play, but LB Draft flies in and absorbs Norris’ block, allowing Witherspoon to make the tackle.

Fifth Series

Before the play, Smith takes a timeout. This was either because he didn’t like the defense or because the formation was screwed up, but it’s impossible to know which.

1st and 10 STL43 – Gore runs over RT for 8 yards.
Staley tries to block down left but actually has trouble finding anyone to block.

This play was called back on an illegal formation penalty. Vernon Davis was technically responsible for this penalty as he backed off the line, then moved back up after Smith yelled and pointed. It seemed like the formation was illegal by design though, as Hostler did not seem angry and was seen questioning the line judge after the play, then nodding and saying, “Oh”.

1st and 15, STL48 – Norris runs over C for 2 yards.

Staley blocks down left on Carriker and gets a decent push.

2nd and 13, STL46 – Gore runs up the middle for 2 yards.

Staley neutralizes Little and keeps him from getting anywhere near this play.

3rd and 11, STL44 – Gore runs left for -2 yards.

Staley and Smiley double-team Glover and drive him back about 8 yards.

Unfortunately, Staley’s block doesn’t matter much because Little blows past Baas and runs the play down in the backfield with help from LB Chillar.

Addendum

Upon second viewing, it seemed that the issues with the offense were an overall lack of execution by almost everyone involved. There were plenty of dropped passes, missed assignments, poor blocks, and one beast of a TE who didn't get many looks.

While Staley wasn't dominating, I think that tracking him through the game reveals that he wasn’t a liability either. In fact, he’s holding his own pretty well and definitely hasn’t been prone to the mental lapses of his predecessor. Staley showed impressive quickness keeping up with a man who has averaged about 11.5 sacks the past six seasons. Going up against Leonard Little in your second NFL game is not an easy task, but Little did not have a sack in this game.

Another thing immediately noticeable was on the first snap of the game, when it was obvious that Staley is going to be an asset blocking downfield. This shouldn’t be discounted, as downfield blocks are often what spring running backs for long gains, and I don’t think Harris had the footspeed to get there to help. Actually, I don’t know that many tackles in this league have that kind of footspeed. The 49ers are going to run a lot of plays to the left this year, so I imagine Staley may get the chance to do this sort of thing fairly often.

The Film Room Spotlight for week 3 is as of yet undecided. Please post your suggestions in the comments.