NFL

Spread seems to surprise Jaguars

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Updated Dec 1, 2009 6:30 PM ET
     
 
SAN FRANCISCO - Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio downplayed its significance. But San Francisco's use of the spread offense Sunday played a major role in its success during a 20-3 victory over the Jaguars , raising the question of whether the defense was adequately prepared. "There wasn't anything they did that we didn't fully expect, anticipate and prepare for," Del Rio said. "Frank [Gore] is a good back, but they couldn't get him going. They tried to run [the ball], got into third-and-long, then spread it and threw it." San Francisco actually passed on the first three plays of the game. During the first of two 49ers second-quarter touchdown drives, quarterback Alex Smith completed passes for 14 and 27 yards before hitting Vernon Davis for a 3-yard touchdown that gave them a 10-0 lead. San Francisco operated from the spread in five of the last six plays during the drive capped by the TD to Davis. "We knew they had the talent to spread it out," Jaguars safety Gerald Alexander said. "They showed it on film. It wasn't necessarily a surprise to us, but we have to eliminate some of the big plays we ended up giving them." San Francisco led 17-3 at halftime, due mainly to its spread with Smith finishing the first half with a 101.1 passer rating and 169 yards passing. Davis caught five balls for 61 yards and a touchdown in the first half, and even dropped three passes. Smith finished with completions of 30, 27 and 22 yards. "We didn't expect to see that much spread," Jaguars free safety Reggie Nelson said. "But either way it goes, we've still got to execute. Regardless of whether we didn't expect them to come out in so much spread, we've still got to go out and play Football." Before Sunday's game, the 49ers had used the spread offense extensively in the second half just twice with Smith as the starter. San Francisco trailed by at least 20 points in the second half of each of the games that it broke out the spread. But Smith had strong performances in those halves, sparking debate internally about whether the 49ers should change the offense. Entering the game Sunday, 49ers coach Mike Singletary downplayed any suggestions about his team leaning toward the spread. The Jaguars , meanwhile, said they were prepared for a possible change. That didn't stop Smith from finishing with a 96.8 passer rating, while completing passes to six different receivers. Gore led the 49ers with seven receptions and Davis and Josh Morgan contributed six each. "We've got to be ready for everything," linebacker Daryl Smith said. "They'd been a team that runs the ball. Gore, he's been averaging like 4 or 5 yards a carry. We expected more [running]. You practice during the week for different tendencies and things like that. You go in expecting a few little wrinkles, a new formation or twist to something they've been doing. They had been doing [the spread] a little bit. They did it a little more this time." michael.wright@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4657
Tagged: 49ers, Eagles, Vernon Davis, Jaguars, Alex Smith, Frank Gore, Alex Smith, Daryl Smith

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