Carpenter to start @ LG on Sunday

[Pie Romania]

If we come away with the win this week, I hope we get to see Alvin Bailey get the starting nod for a game or two. Whenever he's been in, he's looked great in both pass protection & run blocking. I know he's an UDFA Rookie, but the guy is talented and I think he is much more well rounded than Carpenter. Slight dip maybe in run-blocking (negligible), but already better in pass-pro. If he's not starting next year at RG with Sweezy backing him up, then something's wrong.

I'd like to see both Bailey and Bowie get PT, but not until we've mathematically locked home-field advantage.

I agree. Once things are locked up, give the guys a game or two to gain experience. Not even full games are necessary, but I want to see them on the field, learning and getting better in preparation for next year or God forbid them being needed in the playoffs. Rest up some guys, use the first round bye as well and we can go into that first playoff game healthier than ever. Percy should get a ton of practicing in as well, but no regular season games hopefully. Anyway, Bailey is a beast and I knew he'd be a beast when I started liking him back in 2011. I wouldn't be surprised if he turned out to be a top 10 LG in the league...potentially top 5. He moves well for a guy his size, doesn't get beat, but he's going to make some rookie mistakes, so I'd like to get some of those out of the way in garbage games When he catches on entirely, he's going to be crushing guys on the 2nd level in the run game and Lynch is going to love him.

 

[ivotuk]

I love what Tom Cable said about the line rotation.

"It doesn't matter if they know we rotate certain players on the Oline for run and different players for pass. They have to be able to stop it, and we are executing, they can't."

 

[RiverDog]

Carpenter is a very good run blocker at the point of attack. But he's horrible anytime a play calls for him to block on a linebacker or to cut off pursuit. He's not quick enough.

I agree that if there was a disappointment or area we can improve on, it's our running game. It wasn't as if it was non existent as we did break off some pretty fair runs, but it wasn't what we've come to expect out of this offense. If Carpenter is starting ahead of McQ, then it's a pretty good indication that we plan on running the ball a lot. Beast has always ran well against the Niners.