Behind Enemy Lines: One-on One with Niner Noise

Predominantly Orange sits down with Niner Noise to get their takes on the offseason and on this weekend’s game between the Broncos and 49ers.

Two teams that have met in the preseason quite a few times will be getting together once again as the Denver Broncos and San Francisco 49ers will do battle in the preseason.

It will be the third straight year that these two teams have faced off in the preseason. The Broncos won Super Bowl 50 at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara, which the San Francisco 49ers have called home since 2014.

In fact, the Denver Broncos played in the first football game at Levi’s Stadium, a preseason game in 2014.

The Broncos and 49ers have had a preseason rivalry for quite some time. I know one day I will be surprised if the preseason opponents come out and the 49ers are not one of the four opponents.

For the second preseason game, we will get to see Trevor Siemian start for the Denver Broncos. For the San Francisco 49ers, they are having a bit of a quarterback battle too. Colin Kaepernick will not play in the game, but should see some practice reps next week.

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This means that Blaine Gabbert will be starting for the 49ers. The team signed former Broncos and Vikings QB Christian Ponder earlier this week after Thad Lewis was lost for the year and placed on injured reserve.

For both teams, it will be interesting to see the quarterbacks in action. The Broncos are coming off of a 22-0 victory over the Chicago Bears and the 49ers are coming off a 24-13 loss to the Houston Texans.

I have sat down with Peter Panacy from Niner Noise, the San Francisco 49ers site on FanSided and got his takes on this weekend’s game.

How would you grade the San Francisco 49ers offseason? Anything that you liked about it? Anything that you would have done differently?

Well, anything would have been a step up from what happened in 2015 with all those retirements and departures. I think hiring Chip Kelly to be head coach was the right choice, and I think Kelly learned from his mistakes with the Philadelphia Eagles.

From an organizational standpoint, I think it’s good the Niners realized they would have to start from the ground up. And that’s what they did in the draft. The first pick was DE DeForest Buckner and then guard Joshua Garnett later in Round 1. I really like former Appalachian State D-lineman Ronald Blair too. San Francisco is starting from the trenches and working its way out. It’s like laying the foundation before putting the roof on a building.
The 49ers brought in Chip Kelly this offseason. Do you think he could be the guy to help reverse the fortunes of the team that is just four years removed from a Super Bowl appearance?

In time, yes. I think even Kelly knows this year will be tough. It’s going to be his job to show some improvement and get the most out of guys already on the roster.

I also know ESPN’s Field Yates and John Clayton were both big fans of the hire. They both said it was the right move for the long run. I don’t think Kelly will totally alter the roster like he did with the Eagles, and that’s a good thing.
What do you believe the team needs to do differently for this game from their first preseason game?

The passing offense was really rough in Week 1 of the preseason. Quarterback Blaine Gabbert had some wide-open reads but totally missed the target. Accuracy is a pinnacle of a Kelly-led offense. So I’d like to see Gabbert actually show something of a rapport with his receiving targets instead of the cliché, “they’re not on the same page.”
The 49ers are in Dove Valley for joint practices with the Denver Broncos. How much do you believe it will help to practice with another team prior to the game on Saturday?

I think it helps a ton for both teams. You know the tendencies and abilities of guys you go up against in practice every day. Adding another team puts a whole different element into the mix. I don’t know if it gives one team an advantage over the other, per say, but it’s good for each team individually.

What are your expectations for the San Francisco 49ers this season?
San Francisco is tied with the Atlanta Falcons for the toughest 2016 schedule, and the Niners will play three teams that were in the conference championships a year ago – the Carolina Panthers, the New England Patriots and the Arizona Cardinals twice. Tack on the Seattle Seahawks twice, and it’s going to be a tough schedule.

It’s very possible the 49ers have a worse record this year than last (5-11) but are a better overall bunch in 2016. And that’s fine.

I’ve been arguing the 2016 record shouldn’t matter that much. I’d rather see an improvement in stats, a more dynamic offense, an efficient defense and an all-around more competitive team.

Thank you Peter for taking time out to do this interview. Check out Niner Noise and see what they have been up to this week leading up to the game.