49ers climb a Hill
After watching 49ers QB Shaun Hill go to 2-0 in his first two
starts in the NFL I have a number of questions that I’d love to
have answered. And I’m sure I’m not the only person in the Bay Area
that wants answers at this point.
In fact, I’ve wanted answers all year about this underachieving
team that, on paper, had about as much talent as the 49ers first
Super Bowl Championship team of 1981
– minus, of course, Joe Montana and Ronnie Lott.
49ers climb a Hill
After watching 49ers QB Shaun Hill go to 2-0 in his first two starts in the NFL I have a number of questions that I’d love to have answered. And I’m sure I’m not the only person in the Bay Area that wants answers at this point.
In fact, I’ve wanted answers all year about this underachieving team that, on paper, had about as much talent as the 49ers first Super Bowl Championship team of 1981 – minus, of course, Joe Montana and Ronnie Lott.
This team from day one has had skilled players in a number of key positions. And yet after next week’s trip to Cleveland, it’s sayonara and time to start planning for next year. Go figure. This year the 49ers have been about as difficult to figure out as the Rubik’s Cube that was left under your Christmas tree.
With that said, I want some answers as to why, especially now that Nolan and company have plenty of time to reflect and come up with some good creative answers.
First off, why in the heck wasn’t Shaun Hill quarterbacking this team from day one? I think that’s a pretty fair question.
Clearly, Hill has better touch, makes better decisions and the team clearly seems to rally around him and plays harder when he is on the field. That’s all you want in a quarterback – a guy who wins and a team that is excited to play for him. Just ask any Green Bay Packer fan.
Being able to rifle a pass 70 yards on your knees does not make for a great quarterback. It’s about getting wins no matter how strong or weak an arm may be.
Hill’s recent performances have really made me wonder just how much politics is involved in the NFL? It also made me wonder why this guy in a handful of NFL seasons was never given a shot?
Although Hill has seen action in only three games this year in those games he has compiled a passer rating that only New England’s Tom Brady, Pittsburgh’s Ben Rothlisberger and Jacksonville’s David Garrard have bested.
For the record, Hill’s passer rating is 101.3. To put that into perspective that’s higher right now than Brett Favre’s, Peyton Manning’s, Tony Romo’s, Donovan McNabb’s and Jeff Garcia’s – and the other 24 starters in the league.
Sure, he didn’t play the whole season but how do we know that his numbers would have dropped off? They might have gotten better…
Just look at how much better Vernon Davis, Arnaz Battle and Darrell Jackson have looked since Hill came on the scene. It really makes you wonder what has been going on behind the scenes between Nolan, Dilfer, Smith and the receiving core.
Why were these receivers dropping just about everything with the other QBs, and with Hill over center they are now catching just about everything that’s thrown their way?
I’d also like to know why wasn’t Ashley Lelie wasn’t utilized more in the offensive scheme?
Yes, I’d like to know a lot of things about the season that most of us would like to forget.
And although it’s exciting to see the Niners finish the season on a high note, it has left me with a very Grinch-like feeling because I now know that had Nolan had the brains enough to acknowledge Hill’s obvious talent and tell York that he needed to eat the $50 million that they blew on Smith, that, no doubt, this team would be making playoff plans right now instead of thinking about draft day.
On that note, I think I’ll have another brandy and eggnog.
