49ers Hot Read: Hill an improvement over O'Sullivan

Shaun Hill has now attempted roughly the same number of throws as J.T. O’Sullivan, who started the 49ers’ first eight games of the season at quarterback.

Let’s take a statistical look at how the 49ers have improved since interim coach Mike Singletary made the call to bench O’Sullivan in favor of Hill.

Hill has thrown 224 passes; O’Sullivan 220. Hill has completed 63.4 percent, O’Sullivan’s 58.2 percent; O’Sullivan has averaged 7.6 yards per attempt; Hill’s average is 7.1.

Hill has thrown 10 touchdowns, compared to O’Sullivan’s eight.

Where Hill has distinguished himself is in the area of avoiding negative plays.

Hill has thrown four interceptions, lost two fumbles and been sacked 18 times. O’Sullivan lost his starting job after throwing 11 interceptions, losing six fumbles (not including another fumble that resulted in a safety) and getting sacked 32 times.

But here’s the big stat: The 49ers were 2-6 in games O’Sullivan started. They’re 3-3 with Hill under center.

Hill did not make any glaring mistakes in the 49ers’ 14-9 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. However, Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington also played errorless ball.

Pennington threw two touchdown passes, while Hill was unable to get the 49ers in the end zone despite running 79 plays and achieving 24 first downs, compared to the Dolphins’ 42 plays and 11 first downs.

With Hill at quarterback, the 49ers are vastly improved. Singletary said teams do not need a superstar quarterback to win games, as long as he does not make many mistakes and he is surrounded by a good supporting cast.

Right now, Singletary said Hill is doing the job.

“I think the quarterback is good enough,” Singletary said. “How good? I don’t know. He’s good enough for what we need right now and I think the offensive line is good enough. We are a work in progress.”

Davis not a target

A year ago, Vernon Davis appeared to be on the verge of becoming one of the most productive pass-catching tight ends in the league. He had 52 receptions on the worst passing team in the NFL.

But the No.6 overall pick of the 2006 draft has become a blocking specialist.

Davis has caught just 27 passes for 323 yards and two touchdowns. While he has dropped a handful of passes this season, his opportunities are way down. Davis has been the intended target on just 42 throws.

Wideout Isaac Bruce is the team’s leading receiver, with 52 catches through 14 games. Bruce has had 93 passes thrown his way.

Final-play confusion

Just like the final dreadful seconds of their loss to the Arizona Cardinals, the 49ers experienced more confusion at the worst possible moments against the Dolphins. Singletary said Hill was able to hear only portions of offensive coordinator Mike Martz’s play call through his helmet radio transmitter.

As a result, right tackle Barry Sims was left one-on-one against AFC sack leader Joey Porter, who recorded the fourth-down sack to end the 49ers’ hopes.

The 49ers had Josh Morgan in the slot to the right with Dominique Zeigler wide right. On the left side, Jason Hill, Bryant Johnson and Bruce were bunched tight. If the formation has been flipped, Jason Hill would’ve been able to chip Porter, preventing him from using his quickness to take that outside rush. As it was, Morgan was too far from Sims and Porter to help in any way.

“Shaun called it to the left side and should have been to the right side and it was just a communication breakdown,” Singletary said. “It’s as simple as that. It would have been great to get it set to the other side, but it didn’t happen.

“Instead of that, we got the receivers over here on air, running a route on air. Instead of receivers over here, running routes where you got a chance to get a brush on the guy and slow him down and help Sims have a chance to block the guy.”

For more on the 49ers, go to Instant 49ers at http://blog.pressdemocrat.com/49ers. You can reach Staff Writer Matt Maiocco at 521-5492 or matt.maiocco@pressdemocrat.com