We’re only half way through the 2013 season, but the AFC playoff teams are already mostly decided. New England, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Kansas City, and Denver are practically shoo-ins. That leaves ONE wild card spot up for grabs. Wake me in mid-December.
The NFC is a bit more complicated, but not much. Seattle, San Francisco, Green Bay, and New Orleans will be playing in January. Whoever sucks least in the NFC East will get in and that leaves ONE wild card spot up for grabs. The contestants are more lively than their AFC counterparts, but it’s still just one spot available. Detroit is currently the front runner.
Jacksonville and Tampa Bay are in a dispirited battle for worst team in the league, with the Jags favored to come out on the bottom because they don’t just lose, they get creamed. But the biggest story of the first half has been the precipitous decline of the Steelers, Giants, Falcons, and Texans.
Despite the usual flurry of rumors swirling around at the trade deadline, no doubt flurried into being by the fellows who make a living flurrying rumors, no trades of any consequence occurred. Our old wild haired buddy Isaac Sopoaga went from the sinking Eagles to the playoff bound Patriots and that was all.
However, the first of several upcoming roster moves did spice up Tuesday somewhat. Tank Carradine was activated and Jermaine Cunningham was given directions to the bus depot. There should be more moves as the week progresses.
The team has recovered nicely from the offensive debacles of games two and three, and has now won five in a row. They seem poised to defy the Super Bowl Losers Curse, mentioned repeatedly by our local Prophet of Doom, that supposedly guarantees a losing season or a failure to make the playoffs for teams that lost the previous year’s SB. In reality, this isn’t much of a Curse, since more SB losing teams than not have had successful seasons the following year. There have been only two teams that lost the SB one year and then won it the next year, but that’s a Curse we’ll get to in January.
For the nonce, the immediate problem is no game next Sunday. Not a pleasant thought at all.
The fact that the Niners didn’t trade for a WR indicates the FO feels that both Manningham and Crabtree will have recovered from their injuries to contribute.
But then again it doesn’t take much to produce what the Niner #2 receiver has given this season which is often a goose egg.
In these deadline trade scenarios it is either a salary dump on an underachieving overpaid player or a desperation move to shore up a position where you would end up overpaying.
I think the Niners will be fine
with Manningham and Crabtree returning fixing that flat tire
that’s been bogging down the passing game.
Interesting ESPN read with the breaking the season into quarters concept.
http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcwest/post/_/id/110079/49ers-second-quarter-checkpoint
Anybody know what our record is after bye weeks? It seems it isn’t very good.
Harbaugh is 1-0-1, and 2-1 in the playoffs after a one week break.
Weekly analysis that I look forward to by Balls Deep Sports, this week the Niner running game.
http://www.ballsdeepsportsblog.com/?p=2366
Very innovative 2 point play.
You have to act like a monkey.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlO7oLeG0dY
QB had that guy on the right wide open and took the hard alley oop play instead.
No surprise: “The 49ers have waived WR Marlon Moore.” Looks like Manningham will be activated today.
Seahags have added a WR to replace Sidney Rice.
It’s Ricardo Lockette who was on their practice squad.
We’ve seen this movie before.
Lockette back to the Seahags was under the radar.
“Dumped by the Bears on October 21, the Seahawks brought Lockette back to the practice squad the next day. Eight days later, he’s back on the 53-man roster.”
I really liked what little I saw of Lockette.
Bullit I’d concur with Williamson regarding the ESPN link you posted.
I’d circle the Saints game as the one BIG Playoff impacting game for us in the second half.
In a perfect scenario, we even it up with the ‘Hawks in the December rematch and, with a W vs the Saints, tip the seeding in our favor.
Beating a Rob Ryan Defense shouldn’t be an impossible task.
It’s the noise factor at the Dome and keeping Brees off his game that will be most daunting.
That’s where Mario and Wright could be big factors.
Gonna need Aldon down the stretch too.
Brees, like Peyton, can’t be allowed to step up and pull the trigger.
You have to disrupt their feet in the pocket.
Planting them on their backs, an even more desirable option.
How long before Marlon Moore gets signed back to the Miami Roster?
Our D-line has not played as well as we did at this time last year. Getting Tank, Dial and Aldon back can make us the team to beat. Hopefully we get from them what we are all anticipating!
For the injuries the D line is dealing with, they are doing as well as can be expected.
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Aldon Smith left rehab and turned himself into Santa Clara authorities (and bailed hiimself out) for his Nov 12th court date.
The past, the present, and the future walked into a bar. It was tense.
Did you say Roger Craig, Frank Gore and Marcus Lattimore walked into a bar?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zXDo4dL7SU
Bergs, as I’m sure you know, we faded down the stretch last year. We are getting stronger (theoretically as of now) down the stretch. We have depth ready to provide help, A Smith will be back, more than likely fro the rest of the season, and everyone (but Ian) will be healthy and ready to go as we get closer to crunch time.
A bald man with a wooden leg gets invited to a Halloween party. He doesn’t know what costume to wear to hide his head and his leg so he writes to a costume company to explain his problem. A few days later he received a parcel with the following note:
Dear Sir,
Please find enclosed a pirate’s outfit. The spotted handkerchief will cover your bald head and, with your wooden leg, you will be just right as a pirate.
Very truly yours,
Acme Costume Co.
The man thinks this is terrible because they have emphasized his wooden leg and so he writes a letter of complaint. A week goes by and he receives another parcel and a note, which says:
Dear Sir,
Please find enclosed a monk’s costume. The long robe will cover your wooden leg and, with your bald head, you will really look the part.
Very truly yours,
Acme Costume Co.
Now the man is really upset since they have gone from emphasizing his wooden leg to emphasizing his bald head so again he writes the company another nasty letter of complaint. The next day he gets a small parcel and a note, which reads:
Dear Sir,
Please find enclosed a bottle of molasses and a bag of crushed nuts. Pour the molasses over your bald head, pat on crushed nuts, stick your wooden leg up your ass and go as a caramel apple.
Very truly yours,
Acme Costume Co.
So, Dennis, what else have you gotten in the mail lately?
I’m dressing up as Kyle Williams for Halloween tonight. http://tinyurl.com/2rdw3b
I just bought a large bag of Snickers candy bars for the trick-or-treaters. I eat only what I don’t give away. I haven’t had a trick-or-treater in 14 years. The bag of Snickers bars are already in the freezer!
“The 49ers have activated LB Aldon Smith from the NFI List.”
All Don all the time!
Until he’s doing time.
Shit, he’ll skate on the weapons charges. The cops took him shooting, for God’s sake. They’ll plead it down to misdemeanor and deal with it in the offseason. The DUI shit will be time served. As far as the NFL’s concerned anyway.
I just hope he can play this yr. I think he will be suspended for a little while next yr. Goddell(sp) will have to show his presence.
I find it interesting that it was the NFL office that forced the Niners to activate Aldon from the NFI list telling Baalke to make a decision.
This is per Schefter of ESPN.
He’s playing in 10 days, Winder.
Thanks chuck, great news. Hopefully he plays like he has something to prove.
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Hey dennis, that’s a helluva costume, so sad that Williams never panned out. O well, opens the door for someone else.
Joe Montana is pitching two projects he wants to build near Levi’s Stadium.
One of them costs more than the stadium itself at $1.5 billion.
Big bucks will be spent.
http://www.mercurynews.com/southbayfootball/ci_24423219/santa-clara-49ers-great-joe-montana-makes-appearance
Reading the article Montana’s project cost is only $400 million.
The other project is a competitors on a different piece of land but related because Montana is contending they can coexist as they will be built at the same time.
“unofficial team depth chart” released by the Niners shows a demotion and possibly the beginning of the end for KW.
http://imgur.com/QojzHSh
Aldon might skate by this time, but this is clearly the crossroads. If he screws up again, he is likely to have Everyone turn on him. I hope for his sake he takes this seriously and stays out of trouble.
Yup. I do as well. But seeing Pacman out there is food for thought, though. As in, if you can play at a high level, you can do just about anything short of murder and still get signed to a multi-year fatty contract.
New post is up.