He's All That- 08/30/99
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After watching and diagnosing the 49ers penultimate pre-season game, there are a few players that stand out in my mind. The back up quarterback situation is a good place to start breaking down the secondary and tertiary squads of the team. Jeff Garcia has shown that he can handle the load throughout pre-season. He has stepped up, and shown the knack of improvisation that a 49ers quarterback must instinctively have. He (baring a major change to his play) is most certainly the 49ers number two man.
Steve Stenstrom took full advantage of his extended play time versus the Raiders. He was sharp and made some good throws. Stenstrom was able to read coverages very well, and played like veteran should. He outplayed Drukenmiller, and hopefully wont be a salary cap casualty. Drukenmiller had another terrible outing. Aside from 2 or 3 good passes he was guilty of making every player on the field look bad, drilling passes at men 5 yards away. The only reason Drukenmiller may be around come opening day, is because releasing him would result in an immediate 1 million dollar hit to the salary cap.
In the offensive backfield, Charlie Garner showed just why he is "instant offence" He lead the 49ers with 30 yards rushing. Garner was able to hit the hole quickly and sweep outside. Meanwhile Lawrence Phillips had a terrible time making it past the line of scrimmage. He did have a couple runs that reminded us of his great potential, but he still has a long way to go. Terry Jackson got very little action At wide receiver Damon Griffin and Na'il Benjamin did impress. They have shown great speed and good hands all of pre-season. If the 49ers do take a 5th wide out, it should be Griffin or Benjamin, but they both should make the team. On the defensive side of the ball, the 49ers played well. They put pressure on the quarterback, and the defensive backfield seems to be coming together. R.W. McQuarters in particular has some good plays. Zack Bronson and Lance Schulters were a cause for Raider concern. Meanwhile Wasswa Serwanga continues to impress as does Pearson Prioleau. The 49ers had a productive outing against the Raiders, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. The team seems to be coming together, however the offence needs a bit more work. The roster cut to 63 men comes tomorrow, and by next week the final roster must be made. There should be a few surprises but one name you wont see cut, is punter Chad Stanley who averaged of 50 yards a kick this game. |
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