Question: Was our Offense playing Vanilla vs. Niners?

I wouldn't say vanilla, but we certainly didn't show all our cards.  SF had to open it up and try to get back in the game.  We had the game in control and didn't need to put anything extravagant on film.

I think that is how Zimmer likes it. Don't take too many chances; don't make mistakes; don't turn it over.  I think the take-no-risks style is a very risky strategy.  
Consider: we have better talent than the 49ers; their QB was making just the 8th start of his career; we were playing at home; we had 3 interceptions including a pick 6 and a fumble recovery while only turning it over once ourselves; . . . and we won by 1 score! 
Not impressive. Try that against Rodgers and see what the results are.

It's natural for good teams to install their offense slowly as the season goes on. Why show everything you have on the first game of the season if you don't need to? The more tape opponents have on you, the harder it is to disguise your play-calling.

@"NorthernCalVike" said: Im here in the Bay Area, and heard/read where when the Niners defensive players / coaches were asked about what the Vikes offense did to them on Sunday, they basically said that they thought we did nothing special, that it was a fairly vanilla offense. No trickery etc.

That being said, were we vanilla? I tend to think we were - and I think we were because of this Sundays game against the Packers. Flip did not want to show anything special on tape for the Packers to watch. 

So I expect a lot more interesting play calling this Sunday vs. the Pack.

I can't say for sure, but I thought even before the game started that we probably wouldn't put all our cards on the table, saving whatever new wrinkles Flip and Zim have been working on for the yellow team.  In fact, I would even say that we might have used some plays to set up others for this week. For example, that out and up and out that Diggs ran, might turn into an out and up this week. Packages where we showed certain formations last week, will likely have different play calls off of them. 

And maybe I'm just wishful thinking here, but I'm betting the Packers, down big at the half, had to show more than they wanted to against the Bears last week.

Maybe kind of simplistic but it makes perfect sense with the OL issues and the fact that it was the first game of the season. Things are going to slowly be revealed as the season progresses. Plus there are going to be different looks that are tweaked as the team learns from each game. 

I kept asking myself that about the defense and then saying "What the hell!?" as TEs and RBs would run down the field wide open. They need to figure out something quick with that or we are going to get gashed against better teams. It's like the LBs just let them run by.

@"Cowskull" said: I kept asking myself that about the defense and then saying "What the hell!?" as TEs and RBs would run down the field wide open. They need to figure out something quick with that or we are going to get gashed against better teams. It's like the LBs just let them run by.

The mis-direction stuff killed us on D, it played to our aggressive nature on D - we got very lucky the TE dropped that long one. 

I don't know how much throttling it back was based on game situation vs it's the start of the season with a bunch of talented players getting to know each other that kept it simple.  My opinion is they will get more impressive as they play and win together.  Ideally they are going to be systematically better at the end of the season than they are now.  SF was playing with more to prove to themselves and making some marks on a clean slate than our team.  We are tuning not rebuilding, we got precision parts, just getting it dialed in for a great season.  Kinda of falls into the collective bargaining limited off season preparation,  they will be healthy citizens when they retire, but fans wont get to see a complete prepared team at the start of the season.

I think that Flip and the players are still getting comfortable with each other and what they do well.   It's tough to expect a team with a new OC, new QB, and some moving parts along the OL to all be clicking right away.

Add in the fact that the Vikings struggled to run the ball effectively and it's no surprise this offense wasn't humming.  Remember...  Cousins is the best passer off of play-action in the NFL.  Check the stats and ask Jalen Ramsey...

I'm expecting big things for this offense, we just need to give it a few more weeks.

Once Elflein is back, that should help get the running game going...  Then watch out.  Paul Allen will be losing his voice yelling "Cousins throws deep...  He's got Diggs...  TOUCHDOOOOOOOWN!!!  WELCOME TO MINNESOTA!!!"

I'm not sure how much more dynamic or creative you can expect with the personnel we have. Cousins threw 36 times; does anyone think Zimmer wants a game plan for 45-50 passes? Thielen and Diggs were both productive, and Cook caught some dump passes. This is not a unit with three-deep WRs or a seam-splitting TE like Steve Jordan or a David Palmer gadget player. Anyone expecting an end-around by Treadwell, or David Morgan to line up wide?

We have a good QB and 2 great WRs. Other receivers are pretty bland and we're still waiting to see if our primary RB is an impact player. I don't think play-calling is going to change either of those. If Cook finds his stride and returns to the form we saw at the beginning of 2017, Thielen and Diggs will be even more productive, and that will be a very good offense. But I don't think it will be a lot more pass-happy or razzle-dazzle.
Or are people wishing Zimmer would put his foot on the gas after we get a lead, so we're up by 20? That would be nice, not sure he ever will.

Our playcalling is off today! You cant run misdirection if you arent beating them without it. Short gadgety stuff doesnt work when they are playing disciplined defense...

Cousins has sucess when he reads the field and makes a decision. Our whole offense is spinning its tires today on overly designed simple plays...