A couple of other notes:
The tackling was bad again and the DL wasn't getting off blocks. Whether that's rustiness with lack of practice tackling or preseason business decisions or a real problem, we probably won't know until opening day.
Besides the KO return, Shepherd fielded a sideline punt cleanly with coverage in his face. It's the kind of ball Davis has had a habit of staying away from, letting it hit the ground, a Davis pet peeve of mine. Returning punts is not just about the balls you run back; it is also about the ones you don't that can cost field position.
Davis keeps moving further out on the bubble. Gutekunst tried to trade him last offseason even when the prospective return replacements looked bad. Shepherd looks a whole lot better than anybody we saw last preseason. Despite a drop in this game, Shepherd looks better in the passing game than Davis ever has. Kumerow, despite his drop, along with Shepherd and Lazard (in that order) are pushing Davis further out on the bubble. Moore did not get in until late and did not see a target dimming his prospects further. St. Brown isn't showing much either.
Jenkins had two holding calls. Is that a ref with a unique interpretation or were Baltimore defenders exposing a technique issue? We'll see where that goes.
We've seen two opposing QBs now who can use their legs. Pettine will need to come up with something when we face them in money games. Right now, the defenses were generic with the starters in, so that's another matter that remains to be seen. Better tackling would sure help.
Some of us liked Justice Hill in the Amish Mafia draft contest. I had him down for the 4th. round; Baltimore took him in that round at #118, the Packer's pick acquired in the Clinton-Dix trade. The Packers traded that pick along with their #114 pick to Seattle to land Savage, with the #118 making it's way to Baltimore. It's just how things work out sometimes. I don't know if Hill was on Gutekunst's radar, or where he was on the board, but Hill looks like a player, breaking ankles and tackles.
All in all, this was a pretty dismal football game. I couldn't watch anymore by the middle of the 4th. quarter.
But you have give Harbaugh credit for going against the NFL grain. He's going to ground and pound, eat clock, play defense and when they have to throw Jackson can use his legs to extend plays or run. Billick made the observation that with defensive players getting smaller with an emphasis on athleticism and defending the pass, they expose themselves to this style of old school offense. LaFluer evidently wants to introduce more emphasis on the running game than in McCarthy's days, which wouldn't be hard compared to last season in particular. But that doesn't work without the backfield horses, penalties (holding calls in particular), or the defense not keeping the score close.
We await the return of Jones and Williams and all manner of things come opening day.
