With 49ers' defense humming, loss not music to team's ears
By Skip Bayless
Mercury News
As a dismal drizzle fell Friday on the Bay Area, the latest bad news for a local NFL team triggered memory of a recent upbeat conversation I had with 49ers defensive coordinator Jim Mora.
His defense had just held the St. Louis Rams to 10 points at Candlestick Park by overcoming fire with fire -- speed with more speed. Mora's front seven had been quicker and more athletic than the Rams trying to block them. Rams Coach Mike Martz had known for a week what was coming, and his team could not stop it.
Finally, the 49ers could do one thing better than any NFL team.
Blitz a quarterback blind.
Blitz with NBA quickness and spring and gymnastic agility. Blitz linebackers and cornerbacks and safeties from all angles on any down or distance. Blitz so creatively and overwhelmingly that it no longer mattered how little pass rush the 49ers got from their four down linemen.
The kitchen-sink blitz had become this team's strength and the biggest reason it had a chance to make a headlong run at the playoffs.
Last season, the 49ers played defense on their heels. This year, they've kept gun-shy quarterbacks on their toes. Last season, the 49ers were the NFL's worst in stopping third-down conversions. This year, they rank sixth in defense because bad things often happen to opponents on third down.
When I mentioned this amazing turnaround to Mora, he reacted as if the reason was obvious: ``We didn't have Jamie Winborn last year.''
Mora also noted that his defense didn't have its quarterback, safety Zack Bronson, for the second half of the season. But outside linebacker Winborn -- all 5-foot-11, 228 pounds of him -- was the first name out of Mora's mouth.
I speak regularly to two NFL coaches who happen across game tape of the 49ers when preparing for other teams. They've often mentioned ``55,'' as in No. 55, Winborn.
``Julian Peterson gets the publicity,'' one said. ``But 55 is the catalyst. He's so quick and he has such a nose for the ball that it's virtually impossible to account for him and Peterson if they both come. Fifty-five creates a lot of opportunities for Peterson and Andre Carter. He makes that blitz go.''
The other said: ``Fifty-five just does so many things. He's even faster than Peterson, so he can cover backs out of the backfield or he can slither in there and screw up a running play. He's a unique little football player.''
Winborn, a second-round choice from Vanderbilt in 2001, introduced himself to America last season on the NFL's opening-night stage, a Thursday at Giants Stadium. Winborn had 16 tackles. Winborn was so ubiquitously disruptive that it seemed as if there were three of him. Always smiling, chattering to backs and receivers, enlivening a defense that needed a little loosening up.
After the 49ers beat the New York Giants 16-13, Winborn was named NFC defensive player of the week. And two weeks later, Winborn was lost to a practice-field knee injury. The team kept saying he'd be ready for the playoffs, but he wasn't.
In a preseason conversation, I debated with General Manager Terry Donahue about how he proposed to use Winborn. Donahue was encouraging coaches to play Winborn only on passing downs because Donahue was concerned he just wasn't big enough to avoid injury fighting through pulling guards to take on 240-pound backs. Winborn is listed at 242 pounds, but he told me after this season's opener that he weighs 228.
Still, I argued that this kid is so gifted he has to be on the field every snap. Surely, I said, Winborn can figure out how to avoid head-on collisions and use his athletic ability to get low on blockers and ball carriers.
I was wrong.
The announcement came Friday the way Winborn does on a blitz -- out of nowhere. Even after a bye week, a disk in Winborn's neck continued to plague him. An MRI exam revealed that the injury is serious enough to be career-threatening.
For sure doctors didn't want Winborn risking any more contact this season.
The news didn't make a ripple on the sports news Web sites, but you can bet it sent shock waves through 49ers headquarters. To preserve even long-shot playoff hopes, this team must beat 3-6 Pittsburgh on Monday night. The winner will be the team that most successfully pressures the quarterback.
Pittsburgh's Tommy Maddox is a taller, more experienced Tim Rattay, the 49ers' backup starter. Neither is quick-footed. Both rely on vision and touch more than velocity. Either can get hot if he has time to find his rhythm and receivers.
The Steelers, who have 10 sacks in their past two games, will come after Rattay. No doubt Mora was preparing to throw the kitchen sink at Maddox. But now his catalyst has gone down the drain.
Mora's defense will miss Winborn's spark and sparkle. As Winborn said a few weeks ago: ``Now this defense has an attitude.''
Maybe it still will. Maybe Saleem Rasheed will do a reasonable impression of Winborn. Or maybe this season just wasn't meant to be on either side of the bay.
Who other than maybe former owner Eddie DeBartolo imagined the 49ers and Raiders would be a combined 6-12 in Week 10? Neither team can win for losing key players to injury. The long list grew by one on a dark, wet Friday.
Jamie Winborn will be missed.
By Skip Bayless
Mercury News
As a dismal drizzle fell Friday on the Bay Area, the latest bad news for a local NFL team triggered memory of a recent upbeat conversation I had with 49ers defensive coordinator Jim Mora.
His defense had just held the St. Louis Rams to 10 points at Candlestick Park by overcoming fire with fire -- speed with more speed. Mora's front seven had been quicker and more athletic than the Rams trying to block them. Rams Coach Mike Martz had known for a week what was coming, and his team could not stop it.
Finally, the 49ers could do one thing better than any NFL team.
Blitz a quarterback blind.
Blitz with NBA quickness and spring and gymnastic agility. Blitz linebackers and cornerbacks and safeties from all angles on any down or distance. Blitz so creatively and overwhelmingly that it no longer mattered how little pass rush the 49ers got from their four down linemen.
The kitchen-sink blitz had become this team's strength and the biggest reason it had a chance to make a headlong run at the playoffs.
Last season, the 49ers played defense on their heels. This year, they've kept gun-shy quarterbacks on their toes. Last season, the 49ers were the NFL's worst in stopping third-down conversions. This year, they rank sixth in defense because bad things often happen to opponents on third down.
When I mentioned this amazing turnaround to Mora, he reacted as if the reason was obvious: ``We didn't have Jamie Winborn last year.''
Mora also noted that his defense didn't have its quarterback, safety Zack Bronson, for the second half of the season. But outside linebacker Winborn -- all 5-foot-11, 228 pounds of him -- was the first name out of Mora's mouth.
I speak regularly to two NFL coaches who happen across game tape of the 49ers when preparing for other teams. They've often mentioned ``55,'' as in No. 55, Winborn.
``Julian Peterson gets the publicity,'' one said. ``But 55 is the catalyst. He's so quick and he has such a nose for the ball that it's virtually impossible to account for him and Peterson if they both come. Fifty-five creates a lot of opportunities for Peterson and Andre Carter. He makes that blitz go.''
The other said: ``Fifty-five just does so many things. He's even faster than Peterson, so he can cover backs out of the backfield or he can slither in there and screw up a running play. He's a unique little football player.''
Winborn, a second-round choice from Vanderbilt in 2001, introduced himself to America last season on the NFL's opening-night stage, a Thursday at Giants Stadium. Winborn had 16 tackles. Winborn was so ubiquitously disruptive that it seemed as if there were three of him. Always smiling, chattering to backs and receivers, enlivening a defense that needed a little loosening up.
After the 49ers beat the New York Giants 16-13, Winborn was named NFC defensive player of the week. And two weeks later, Winborn was lost to a practice-field knee injury. The team kept saying he'd be ready for the playoffs, but he wasn't.
In a preseason conversation, I debated with General Manager Terry Donahue about how he proposed to use Winborn. Donahue was encouraging coaches to play Winborn only on passing downs because Donahue was concerned he just wasn't big enough to avoid injury fighting through pulling guards to take on 240-pound backs. Winborn is listed at 242 pounds, but he told me after this season's opener that he weighs 228.
Still, I argued that this kid is so gifted he has to be on the field every snap. Surely, I said, Winborn can figure out how to avoid head-on collisions and use his athletic ability to get low on blockers and ball carriers.
I was wrong.
The announcement came Friday the way Winborn does on a blitz -- out of nowhere. Even after a bye week, a disk in Winborn's neck continued to plague him. An MRI exam revealed that the injury is serious enough to be career-threatening.
For sure doctors didn't want Winborn risking any more contact this season.
The news didn't make a ripple on the sports news Web sites, but you can bet it sent shock waves through 49ers headquarters. To preserve even long-shot playoff hopes, this team must beat 3-6 Pittsburgh on Monday night. The winner will be the team that most successfully pressures the quarterback.
Pittsburgh's Tommy Maddox is a taller, more experienced Tim Rattay, the 49ers' backup starter. Neither is quick-footed. Both rely on vision and touch more than velocity. Either can get hot if he has time to find his rhythm and receivers.
The Steelers, who have 10 sacks in their past two games, will come after Rattay. No doubt Mora was preparing to throw the kitchen sink at Maddox. But now his catalyst has gone down the drain.
Mora's defense will miss Winborn's spark and sparkle. As Winborn said a few weeks ago: ``Now this defense has an attitude.''
Maybe it still will. Maybe Saleem Rasheed will do a reasonable impression of Winborn. Or maybe this season just wasn't meant to be on either side of the bay.
Who other than maybe former owner Eddie DeBartolo imagined the 49ers and Raiders would be a combined 6-12 in Week 10? Neither team can win for losing key players to injury. The long list grew by one on a dark, wet Friday.
Jamie Winborn will be missed.
