49ers report: Martz praises O'Sullivan

[playmaker7]

SANTA CLARA – Mike Martz said Thursday that he thought 49ers quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan was "remarkably further along" than what he expected heading into the season.

The offensive coordinator's assessment of his wide receivers, however, wasn't as rosy. He said their play was "rusty" against Arizona, the result of several receivers missing significant time in the exhibition season. Their routes weren't as precise and disciplined as they should be, Martz said. As a result, the timing was off in the passing game.

A case in point came in the first quarter when O'Sullivan tried to hit wideout Arnaz Battle and was intercepted by safety Adrian Wilson.



"The interception, we had a broken route," Martz said. "We didn't run the right route. The ball was thrown where it needed to be thrown. So obviously that wasn't (O'Sullivan's) fault."

O'Sullivan completed only four passes to his wide receivers – three to Bryant Johnson and one to Battle.

Still, Martz said he saw plenty of positives against the Cardinals, and the statistics back up his assertion.

The offense averaged 6.61 yards per play against Arizona. Only five teams – all of them winners – had a higher average in Week 1. San Francisco also finished with 291 yards of offense.

The problem was five turnovers and the fact that the 49ers had the ball for only a little more than seven minutes in the second half.

Martz, however, said O'Sullivan, who was making his first regular-season start, didn't deserve much blame. The only turnover for which he was responsible came at the end of the game when he was sacked by Travis LaBoy and fumbled.

"So there's really one play in there where he might have been … just a little careless with the ball," Martz said. "Those other two (turnovers), we need to go elsewhere in terms of fixing."

Martz said he was especially happy that O'Sullivan didn't try to force any plays, a tendency that got him in trouble early in the exhibition season.

"That's disappeared," he said. "So those are the things that the coaches are getting excited about."

Et cetera – In contrast to Seattle, which practiced without its three top receivers Thursday, the 49ers are remarkably healthy. Center Eric Heitmann (shoulder) and cornerback Donald Strickland (knee) did not practice but are expected to be ready Sunday.

• The Seahawks are welcoming back defensive tackle Rocky Bernard, who served a one-game suspension last week. Bernard, of course, separated Alex Smith's shoulder on a sack early in the team's first meeting a year ago.

• Martz has said in the past that O'Sullivan compares favorably to the notable quarterbacks like Kurt Warner and Marc Bulger that he's coached in the past. On Thursday, however, Martz said O'Sullivan was more mobile than his former pupils.

Ok, this is ok news but this is starting to make me think he was a bit bias towards Alex Smith. Im ok with him watching for the rest of the year now that he has an injury, and hopefully they'll keep him for longer, but J.T. O'Sullivan needs to do a better job this week against the Seahawks to change my mind about him. Mike Martz can praise him all he wants, he just needs to help him get better so he can lead them to wins.

 

[jarrod2323]

it was the Cardinals they were playing, too... LOL

 

[playmaker7]

The Cards have a good offense but sorry everything else, minus secondary, so I can see how it happened. Thats a really crappy NFC West and now the Cards are leading because the other 3 lost <_<.

I just want O'Sullivan to put it together against the Seahawks and then make the Lions wish they never cut him

 

[Grandy28]

Martz saying O'Sullivan is "remarkably further along" is a joke. They been together now for 2 seasons. Martz was saying this back in the Detroit days. O'Sullivan is a decent QB, but he won't lead the Niner anywhere.

 

[playmaker7]

The 49ers aren't going anywhere unless they...

1. Get a decent or better QB
2. Get an above average OL
3. Get a decent receiving core
4. Stop changing OC's every year
5. Slap some sense into Mike Nolan

 

[Grandy28]

The 49ers aren't going anywhere unless they...

1. Get a decent or better QB
2. Get an above average OL
3. Get a decent receiving core
4. Stop changing OC's every year
5. Slap some sense into Mike Nolan

1.Agreed
2.Joe Staley is a beast
3.What's his name looks good. Remind me of his name please
4.Martz won't last long as OC
5.Fire Mike Nolan

 

[playmaker7]

1.Agreed
2.Joe Staley is a beast
3.What's his name looks good. Remind me of his name please
4.Martz won't last long as OC
5.Fire Mike Nolan

Like I've always said, you get Alex Smith an OC who can actually help him and NOT some bias old offensive genius in Mike Martz who won't even take the time to try to help him because of his man crush on his reunited lover J.T. O'Sullivan, and he'd be a good candidate for that QB job that'll lead them somewhere. I mean, he does have a winning record as a starter for that team...

2. Joe Staley better show it because they need it now more than ever with the departure of Larry Allen.
3. Vernon Davis you're probably thinking of. Thats all I could think of. He's young and progressing but can't get the ball because the OL doesn't give the QB enough time to find him. And he isn't a good blocking TE either.
4. Martz wasn't a good candidate now that I analyze the facts...and yes you can say I say that because he didn't even try to make Alex Smith a good QB
5. I like Mike Nolan but he's made some questionable decisions in the past. But its good how he told the management not to let him make decisions anymore.

 

[Grandy28]

No I'm thinking of another guy. I know Veron Davis. Josh Morgan is his name, he's "supposed" to be the next Mike Furrey. Joe Staley is in his second year so give him sometime. I don't like Martz at all since last season. Nolan doesn't seem like he is a good NFL coach.

Smith is David Carr.

 

[playmaker7]

Anyone can be David Carr when you don't have anything to work with...

Prime example, I'm saying this in all seriousness

Matt Cassel as a starting QB will be one of the best quarterbacks in the league this year

You'll see what I've been saying all along, if you're even a crappy QB and you have a good OL and receiving core, you'll look like an absolute monster

And I didn't know you meant Josh Morgan. He's decent but I haven't seen much of him because of where I live you know. I haven't kept tabs on any of the 49ers WRs because they're a lack luster bunch with no promise at all. I hope he turns out to be a gem

Was Joe Staley worth that pick though is what Im wondering...they could have got something great if they didn't make that trade with the Pats...

 

[Grandy28]

Joe Staley was a beast at Central Michigan and was touted to be really good in the NFL. I haven't seen a lot of Niner games so I don't know. I think Morgan did pretty good in the preseason. Martz has been known to make good receivers out of nowhere(ex. Furrey and McDonald).

 

[playmaker7]

Joe Staley was a beast at Central Michigan and was touted to be really good in the NFL. I haven't seen a lot of Niner games so I don't know. I think Morgan did pretty good in the preseason. Martz has been known to make good receivers out of nowhere(ex. Furrey and McDonald).

I didn't read/hear anything about Staley projected to be a beast. I just know he better be on the right track to help this team out

And I don't know how good morgan will be either but he did have a good preseason