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But you must admit, this theory fits the evidence.

Okay, first theory on your theory: Rhule is fired if he loses X number of games this season to be replaced by whichever coordinator's team performs best. Defense is playing to not have McAdoo. Offense is playing to not have McAdoo. Close?

I will wait then, and form a conspiracy theory about what your conspiracy theory might be...

Colts with the most expensive Oline in the league.

The 49ers.

Well, you could be drunk, but too drunk, can't say - but nothing is too long for the internet. Any specific rifts you're thinking?

Do share, please.

I'm all for benching Mayfield, for all the people that think he is the problem. That would accelerate the inevitable return to the field. Having watched so much film of the Offense this season, I don't think any QB would have made much more of a positive difference for games 1-4. The "offense" (if we can call it that) is better suited to compensate for a QB who is prone to throwing INTs downfield, so maybe if the rest of the offense can play well, Darnold will look more comfortable throwing 6 yard passes between getting sacked by Nick Bosa until he throws up a few ducks, and Mayfield comes back in a game or two later.

I think the improvement I took away from game 2 to 4, was that on a few plays versus the Cardinals, Mayfield maybe didn't make the best read, but he still took a check down or completed a pass to a TE. Earlier games he scrambled, missed passes entirely. The drops and batted passes really detract how few really bad throws Mayfield made in game 4 versus earlier games. Our play action rate is sub 10% I believe, and that is one of Mayfield's strengths. Very odd we're acting like the offense is allergic to it. Even Rodgers says so: https://www.sportskeeda.com/nfl/news-aaron-rodgers-impressed-one-baker-mayfield-s-quarterback-skills Rodgers can't be wrong, right?

it was an offensive breakdown only, so CMC was the most blameless. Luvu played really well, for my two cents from the ALL22 viewings, but didn't get included in Duncan's breakdown.

He's also very responsive and active on Twitter, youtube, and will engage with questions, counterpoints, etc. As a former running back, I really appreciate his specific perspective as well.

49ers opponents are averaging less than 10 points against per game. Rhule loses if the opponent scores over 17. 9 to 8, Panthers, is the only way this works.

The mature response. Well played.

Don't forget about The Thing and Jacob's Ladder.

Mayfield does not give a poo about the media after Cleveland last season and the Mary Kay Cabot stuff. As for drills... Watch the film, Cardinals stopped rushing and clogging passing lanes and jumping. JJ Watt is a known elite pass deflector. Cardinals recognized the formation and plays and adjusted at half-time. All the blocks started then and continued on the same pass plays. Cleveland was doing something similar with Clowney in game 1.

Also, I really enjoy his breakdowns. I didn't know he did the Cardinals game yet, so thanks for making me aware!

I do agree that execution is really hurting, but I don't agree that scheme and playcalling (McAdoo) are not the central problem, across all four games. Having also done some independent All22 viewings, I'd agree with all of these, which is nice to see. I'll have to watch this breakdown and see the specifics: The only thing I'll add is that CMC was also hurt, and still played well when it mattered, even when they were running him up the gut.

I'm calling b-s on this thread. This is cherry-picking, straight up. One can do this exact thing to any NFL QB, to then use it to make a point. I've done 3 rewatches (condensed, All22) with repeated stopping, replay and looking at receiver routes, open receivers, DB coverage, QB progressions, receiver separation at the time of read, secondary coverage, all. I would love it if Mayfield is just bad and to blame. Finally answer the question of who he is a QB. But.... Against the Cardinals, Mayfield was 22/36 with 5 deflections and 4 drops (2 Thomas, 1 Tremble, 1 on Sunday. Not getting into who is at fault for drops or deflections, that left 5 true pass incompletions. One of the 5 is used in this clip, that was 100% not good. It's a bad throw and DJ is open prior to the throw. However, if a WR open before the progression, it doesn't matter, if by the time the ball is thrown he's open but not when the read happens, you're not open. DJ is getting open some plays. This is the same thing OBJ did and what his dad's video was full of - a bunch of plays out of context. If a receiver is open in a given photo, does that mean the QB missed them? Maybe. But also not necessarily. Especially in a short, fast passing scheme like a West Coast offense. Is Mayfield playing good? Statistically it is terrible, and much, much worse than even his crappiest play in Cleveland. But what do you see when you go play by play, game by game, series by series, does it align? It hasn't from me, and I bet I've watched more game tape this year than most, by a lot. (Hey it's great for procrastinating work). Of the QB/WR connection, Moore and Mayfield are the most off. DJ can be where Mayfield does not seem to want him, and Mayfield throws to spots that clearly is not what DJ expected. Still, they connected more than not against the Cardinals. DJ Moore had 6 receptions on 11 targets. The Moore/Mayfield connection accounted for most of the non-drop/deflection pass incompletions. What's weird is the the difference between their chemistry in set offense vs 2 min offense and scramble drill is stark. The tape from Sunday shows that DJ took Rhule's challenge to heart and worked his ass off that game. Aside from unhelpful dancing after catch, Moore played well. But... After every game I've been convinced QB has been the biggest problem, only to watch 3-4 replays and see where the problems lie - all over the place in this terrible offense. Some of this mess is on the QB, but if you all think this is entirely on the QB, you're just not watching tape. I am, way too much of it, so I'm more than confident in my reading of what's happening. I'd like to see Mayfield play good enough to transcend this mess, or be benched. I think DJ deserves a better offense. So does CMC. So does Robbie and the oline. And so does Mayfield. OBJ hated the offense in CLE, and he was a terrible fit for it. Now because of how that went down, we have threads like this forever, because OBJ never wanted to be in Cleveland and couldn't run routes in a TE/RB focused offense.

Isn't this offense averaging around 3.7 yards per play, so just do the normal thing and it should work out, right. Right?

Not that we'll see it with McAdoo, but with these hybrid players, having a fullback/TE, a WR/RB like Laviska, presnap motion to disguise or alter formations could be so fun to see deployed. Add in CMC moving from HB to slot, and you defensive mismatch magic. Tremble, to the eye test, has been the best actual TE, though Thomas' contract will likely keep him on the field. Overall, a West Coast offense needs a pure passing TE - like the 49ers had when it was pioneered.

From memory: First drive was a pass to Ian (caught) a CMC run to a 3rd and short, and then failed QB sneak, then failed CMC 4th down. Playcalling or run blocking failed that drive, in my opinion. Series two was a pass to Ian dropped. A pass to Robby for a gain, then a pass to Ian for the first down that was hit Ian in the hands, in coverage, but was not caught. I don't know if Ian was targeted again after that. I think the idea was to get some short gains and develop an offensive rhythm. The drops stopped that from happening. I think it was a good idea to do easy passes to give QB confidence and get some yards, but why throw to players with drop issues - instead of DJ or Ricci who has caught some tough passes from Mayfield already. Or, put Higgins early. Tremble had an early drop as well, on a hard throw by Mayfield (hit him in the hands, but a bullet). He recovered and caught a pass or two later that helped in the second half. 3 drops by TE in the first half though probably cost points from the offense, even if only from Eddy P. The playcalling is still too streaky - watching live I felt like I predicted the plays, and in rewatch nothing I saw made me go, "oh nice call to keep the defense honest." The failure to run in the second half after the first two plays, when the score was close still makes no sense. On the drive that ended in the fumble, the offense was moving well, involving WR and RBs. It was clicking...almost. Then they got cute on the reverse with Higgins on his first touch. I feel like the story of this season is that whenever anything positive is happening on offense, something will go wrong, by some player error or bad situational playcall.

Can he play defense for the Lions? They need help.

It really stood out on the All-22. Everything is moving faster, the field opens up, CMC is in space, DJ is catching balls farther down field, not at scrimmage. Only one untimely sack, but then the offense rebounded on the fourth down with a nice play, the drives had momentum, that is totally absent from the normal offense. Mayfield, DJ, CMC all look more comfortable in it, to my eyes.

Ebron has been mentioned...but... Ebron was famous for drops with the Lions, getting passes from hard thrower Stafford. He seems like an option, but Mayfield throws hard as well (I'd blame some drops he creates from throwing too hard). Who else is out there?

It wouldn't surprise me if there is some tell, but I'd imagine it'd have to be pre-snap, or very quickly after, as 4 of the batted balls were on quick, short passes. Watt blocks one over the middle that clearly is him reading body language or Mayfield's eyes or something.