Welcome to 2014, fellow Outsiders!
We are now in the sudden death time of year. Each 49er game might be the last we see them until next August. Scary.
It’s also 0-0 time and any team can catch fire, luck, and destiny. Last year it was Joe Flacco and the Ravens. Flacco threw 22 interceptions this year, but during the playoffs last year he didn’t toss even one. Everything he heaved into space came down in the hands of his receivers.
There’s quite a few QBs in this year’s playoffs who could go on a Flacco run. Philip Rivers, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson, Colin Kaepernick, Aaron Rodgers, Cam Newton — every team in the hunt has a big time talent that could have the month of his life. Only the Bengals (Andy Dalton), Eagles (Nick Foles), and Chiefs (Alex Smith) have QBs not generally associated with superstar talent, though Foles has certainly had a superstar year (27 tds, 2 ints, 119.2 QBR) — so far.
The 49ers travel to frigid Wisconsin in round one, to face the Packers. Again. They’ll be trying to complete a symmetrical bookend double whipping. They beat the Packers in Green Bay to open the 2012 season and beat them to open the playoffs in San Francisco. This year, they beat them at home to open the season and now go there to hopefully beat them again to open the playoffs. Should they succeed, you could say the 49ers have beaten the Packers every which way you can. With Smith, with Kaepernick, with running, with passing, here, there, and everywhere!
Of course, with a defense that’s given up 755 passing yards in the previous 2 games, perhaps the Niners aren’t exactly a sure bet to win this game. Rodgers has been known to rip apart even good defenses, let alone a porous version. It might not help, either, that the forecast for Sunday’s game calls for a HIGH of 4 degrees and a low of 15 below. That’s not football weather, it’s a cryonics chamber.
Packers star OLB Clay Matthews will be sitting this game out with a broken thumb. Wimp. Most likely he didn’t want to spend a frigid day getting his butt kicked by 49ers LT Joe Staley.
Should the Niners prevail at Lambeau Field, they’ll either spend the following week at Carolina or Seattle, depending on who wins the Philly vs Saints game. If the road challenged Saints win, they go to Seattle and the 49ers go play the Panthers. An Eagles victory sends the Niners to Seattle. The 49ers will know where they go before the game begins, since the Eagles game is on Saturday.
Any way you slice it, if the 49ers go on to win the Super Bowl this year, they will truly have proven to be the best team in the league. It would take road wins in Green Bay, Seattle, Carolina or New Orleans, plus a final victory in frigid New Jersey. If they succeed against these long odds, this team would go down as one of the most heroic 49er teams ever. Heart of Champion would barely begin to describe their achievement.
It all starts this Saturday. Get your popcorn ready. The 2013 NFL playoffs have arrived.
Since we are the 5th seed and NO is the 6th seed we would play at home if that scenario came to be. Plus, we could play in Philly if we both got the NFC final.
Happy New Year!
Lovie Smith at Tampa Bay already has hired his coordinators.
Jeff Tedford is the OC and Rob Marinelli is his DC
Jay Cutler just got a 7 year contract.
Funny commercial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuuM4U5SxyU&feature=youtu.be
Looks like Jim Caldwell is this year’s Rooney Rule HC “candidate.”
Hmmm. Where have I heard this before?
http://www.ninersnation.com/2014/1/2/5263712/49ers-short-yardage-playcalling-vs-packers
Packers still have 3,000 unsold tickets. Whatsa matter Pack fans? Can’t handle the cold?
Road trip!
Great. Rogers has a hammy and now Eric Wright has one, too.
With Wrght hobbling, I expect to see Carlton Williamson in camp soon.
According to PFT, Sunday’s high in Green Bay will be -5.
Willis didn’t make 1st or 2nd team All-Pro for first time in his seven year career. Expect a monster postseason performance to indicate his disapproval.
sure hope rogers is able to play sunday !
somebody here said aldon smith wasn’t playing well lately ! well i saw him first hand in tampa and he was DESTROYING offensive linemen ! he looks bigger than l thought , and was bullrushing O -linemen back into the QB and had at least one sack ! imho don’t worry about aldon !
Got to like Watkins. Looks like he hurt his knee though.
Watkins looks and plays like a Roddy White clone. If he lasts to us I’d like to nab him.
We’d have to trade up to get him. He’s likely top 15.
Sammy Watkins can’t throw worth a shit.
And haven’t you people learned? No WRs in the 1st rd. Period.
Yeah that Rice guy sure was a bust.
I’m leaning toward taking a WR in the 1st round. I don’t like taking ma WR in the 1st round when a team is rebuilding but we need WRs as much as we need anything else and we aren’t rebuilding. Boldin is a FA, Crabtree could be gone after this year. I’d like to get another difference maker. In my book, he’ll need to fairly fast, a good leaper, catch the ball with his hands and not his body and be big. Watkins in the first round or Robinson in the 2nd. A lot of good WRs available this year.
I meant to say Crabtreee could be a FA after this NEXT year.
The wind will be crucial tomorrow blowing at 25 to 35mph and gusting to 45mph. The temps could be 60 below and exposed flesh will freeze in 5 to 10 mins. Just a miserable situation
http://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=dmx&wwa=all
Picture of Lambeau Field now. Somebody forgot to put a tarp to cover the field.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BdE0sAKCMAARU6b.jpg
If it’s that windy and gusty, you have to lean heavily on the run for this game. Which should hurt the Packers more than us. Only throw in those quarters when the wind is at your back, and sparingly then.
Sounds like Frank Time to me.
If we win the toss, make sure we have the wind behind us in the 4th quarter above all else. Makes it that much tougher for Rodgers to pull off any last minute miracles.
Playoff sleeper watch:
AJ Jenkins: 8 rec, 130 yds, 16.2 avg.
Ready for a bust out performance.
More like the viewers will bust out laughing as he and Alex aimlessly fail to connect on a pass.
Just checking to see if you were whatnascent today, Dennis.
On second thought, after a night to sober up, Titans fire Mike Munchak.
Chiefs are now the favorite by Nevada sports books. Hmmm. Do they know something we don’t?
They must think Alex is stuck in his hotel room sick with the flu and Chase Daniel will now start. That would make perfect sense.
If you said Donnie Avery you might be right, Skeebs.
Alex Smith is killing our 2nd round draft pick and moving it down at least 4 spots. I was told he couldn’t do anything without Charles. He and the Chiefs look better without Charles.
Alex and the Chiefs have hung 323 total yards offense and 31 points on the Colts – in one half.
Indy doesn’t know what to do without their strategy of keying on Jamaal Charles.
go chefs go alex ! time for KC vs SF superbowl !
Whew! That was close, our 2nd round pick should be between 21 and 24.
Don’t think so, Berg. IIRC, only the SB teams draft 31 and 32. Everyone else is by their record. Chiefs at 11-5 is a mid to late 20s pick.
Denver can’t be happy about the Colts win. Could be another one and done for Manning.
Skeebers, if Denver, or any other team for that matter is “unhappy” about the team they must face next in the playoffs, they don’t belong there in the first place. Those emotions are reserved for we fans.
Players play, fans worry.
Skeebers- I think you are wrong about that. It used to be that way. Now it goes in order of elimination for 21-32.
http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-mock-draft/2013/12/29/5254962/2014-nfl-draft-order
You’re right, Berg. I looked it up myself – after I posted it in error.
Alex Smith went the entire yr w/o throwing for 300 yds/gm and won 11 games. Today he goes for 378 and loses.
“A man’s got to know his limitations.” 😛
“Alex Smith is the first QB in NFL history with at least 4 Pass TD and 0 interceptions IN A LOSS.”
Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. And I mean that sincerely.
Alex Smith is one helluva nice guy. If I had a daughter I’d give my blessings. Quarterback my team? Hanging would be too good for him.
That was two of the best halves of quarterback play I’ve watched in a long time.
The first half by Alex, the second by Luck.
21-24 in the 2nd is 53-56 overall. I’ll take that…
I’m trying to root for the Saints, but it sure is hard.
There’s still a chance another game could be played at the ‘Stick. If that happens and Joe Montana doesn’t attend again to say farewell, I’ll punch his wife Jennifer in her goddamn vagina.
Go Niners!
Del if you had a shot at Jennifers’ vagina I’d hope you chose a different option 🙂
Alex had that game today.
Led Bowe out of bounds.
He had room to lead him inside.
Oh well…..
Better Draft Pick for us.
9ers better control the ground game tomorrow.
It’s imperative that we keep this game in hand.
Running eats clock.
Speed this game up and get the WIN.
Don’t care if it’s 9-7.
So long as we have one more point than Rodgers and GB when it’s over.
That’s 2 points, NJ, but I got ya!
Romo throws for 502 and loses, and Dennis jizzes all over himself. Alex throws for 380, 4 TDs, 0 picks, and loses, and Dennis jizzes all over himself.
If I ever meet you, Dennis, remind me not to shake your hand.
hey guys… got a question… if(when)we beat green bay…we play Carolina…if (when) we bear Carolina and if Saints beat Seahags…don’t we get game with Saints here at the stick?
Chuck I’m happy with any score that puts us into the next Rd.
Hard to know what to expect from temperatures as ridiculous as they’re forecasting.
Have to think passing is impacted much more negatively than good old smash mouth running.
Shortens the game too.
If it’s a ground game, we should have the advantage.
Tony it would be a nice problem to face regarding the ‘Ifs’.
I can’t look beyond GB for fear of jinxing our Boys.
Tony Maiocco answered it for you.
‘The Saints’ victory also keeps alive the possibility that the 49ers could host one final playoff game at Candlestick Park. If the 49ers win their next two games, and the Saints beat the Seahawks, the NFC Championship game would take place Jan. 19 at Candlestick’.
Maiocco also suggested that Carlos won’t go.
Wright isn’t automatic either.
Let’s hope Cox won’t cost us.
When the truth is better left unsaid:
“Nature Boy Ric Flair flew into this sh-t hole to show us some love,” Anthony Davis said Saturday night on Twitter, from the team’s hotel in Appleton, Wisconsin.
Alex throws a perfect pass to Bowe and Bowe steps out of bounds. With a little awareness an not being afraid to hit the ground he keeps that right foot in bounds. There is no excuse for a highly paid WR to not make that play. Kap threw the same pass to Patton last week and Patton goes up instead of around to stay in bounds. KC loses, 49ers win. To say that was Alex’s fault for leading him out of bounds shows incredible impatience and hatred for the player. The fan was just calling it as he saw it through Alex hater glasses.
Yeah, the DB played his part in squeezing Bowe, but he should try a little harder to get his feet in. VD does that shit sometimes and it annoys me to no end.
It’s part of the deal about Bowe that I never liked. His lack of concern for the finer points of being a WR. His many drops as well.
I mean, look at Lynn Swann (another Serra alum) in that Super Bowl of yore. He catches a similar pass 2′ out of bounds above and behind him, yet he still manages to get both feet down.
Situational awareness. Bowe doesn’t appear to give a shit. Crabs treads in this area at times, as evidenced by his huge 15 yard unsportmanlike when he threw the ball into the stands after Kappy missed him on a bomb.
Alex Smith, you and your Chiefs just blew a 28 pt second half lead to the Colts. What are you going to do next?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEUC-2rw8xo
Smith hatred is clearly a life long brain disease.
I had brain disease long before Alex Smith ever entered my life. He just made it metastasis.
I gotta admit there was a piece of me that said I knew this would happen. Very few people ever take me full circle but Alex was one of them. However, I put that one on the D.
Marshawn Lynch fined $50k for not talking to the media.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/24399133/report-nfl-fines-marshawn-lynch-50k-for-media-silence
Winder- Alex never had a chance with the terrible coaching he had in SF. His only two good coaches were Turner, and he looked good that year and Martz, and he spent that year on IR with a bad shoulder. Kap might be held back by some overly conservative play calling but at least he has a good QB coach in Harbaugh.
49ers inactives: CB Rogers, TE Carrier, LB Moody, G Seymour, DT Dial, G Looney and WR Baldwin.
So we’re minus a Moody and a Looney. Seems like a perfect time to activate One-Eyed Willy. The first ever Goonie.
I just hope T Brown’s up to speed.
Ginger Snap!!
Dalton is going down in flames big time.
Ginger Spice has a better playoff record then Andy Dalton.
Whoeeeeee!!!
No shit, Earl.
Any score where we are on top works!
On the last play if the FG had been blocked the Niners
would’ve had another chance five yards closer. The Packer came close to blocking it because he was offside. Buck/Aikman never explained there was a penalty.
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/01/05/house-nearly-blocked-kick-but-he-was-offside/
Ed Hochuli and his crew need their eyes checked
The Packer has a choke hold on Ray McDonald and they missed it
http://i.imgur.com/XubEtDT.jpg
Beckham and Landry are entering the draft
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/nfl-draft-scout/24399635/nfl-draft-lsu-losing-odell-beckham-jarvis-landy-to-nfl
Here’s the weather for Charlotte next Sunday:
Showers. High 61F and low 46F. Winds SE at 5 mph. Air Quality:NA, UV Index:NA
Geaux Saints next Saturday!
Beckham and Landry are on my radar Bullit.
We could do well with either.
Berger it’s OK for you to criticize Roman and such, why is it I hate Alex when I have an opinion that differs with yours?
I simply suggested that I didn’t see the S and perhaps there might have been a little more room to lead Bowe inside.
Granted, it’s a tough throw and catch in that situation.
Alex did enough to win that game.
It’s all about ‘what if’ the ball was a little more inside?
Once again, I don’t hate Alex.
That’s your assessment of my opinion on that specific play.
Alex got us a better Draft Pick on that play.
What’s not to like?
Was it on Andy Dalton today or, Jay Gruden for calling the plays?
Red Romo executed the plays that were called with no awareness of what the Defense did to adjust.
Dalton hasn’t caught up to the mental side of Playoff pressure.
Kaep and Alex have.
Every player, every QB, makes some sort of errors in crunch time.
Some larger, some smaller.
No one can be perfect all the time.
Good TEAMS overcome the errors that individuals make during the heat of battle.
Crabtree was $$$ today, along with Kaep’s ability to use his legs during crunch time.
Kaep missed a few throws today too, even got 1 picked.
Do I hate him too for saying so?
NJ- I admit to being a Roman hater. I will say his play calling has gotten better since the Carolina debacle. It also helps he got Crabtree back. I’d sure like to get another premier WR in the draft.
You’d have to love to come out of this coming draft stronger in both pass offense and pass defense.
WR, CB, pass rush OLB?
C, QB, S, ST later?
Berger there are plenty of good WR options coming our way in May.
Some of the Draft pundits are going as far as to suggest that Allen Robinson from PSU is in the Bolding mold.
Not fast, nothing fancy, just makes the tough catches and wins most of his battles.
I’ve got about 6-10 guys I’d like to see more of.
Donte Moncrief from Ole Miss is another of those battle-type guys IMO.
Still hoping to steal Louis Nix with our 1st Pick but, a DB or WR wouldn’t kill me either.
We have benefit of Drafting BPA at this point regardless of position I think.
Need to think about a sturdy OLB to groom behind Ahmad too.
Defense wins in my book.
Good WRs could be had into Rd3, as well as SS options.
Check Hakeem Smith from Louisville, Antone Exum from Va Tech, even EJ Gaines from MO.
All 3 could be nice options to take over for Whitner.
Very few guys can walk into a lineup like Eric Reid did at FS.
I think Baalke looks for tacklers at the SS position regardless of speed.
We’ll see what the Draft brings in due time.
For now, BEAT CAROLINA!
Boldin mold of course – sorry for the typo.
I hsven’t paid much attention yet, but I did watch the Clemson guy the other day (Sammy Watkins?) and he’s the real deal. GOt a damn good 40 time and is big and strong. Great route runner too.
Sammy is good as gone in the Top 10-15 Picks Chuck.
Trust me, there’s excellent talent at the WR position this year.
We’ll get a good one, maybe after Rd1.
I’m working on the Scouting.
Jr GM wannabe that I am.
Gotta get younger at SS too.
Carlos is likely gone unless his Contract is reworked.
We have to pay a few young guys now.
I’ve done a 180 with Crabtree now, thanks to Kaep.
Be nice to hang onto Boldin and find an understudy for him groom too.
Draft Picks are cheaper now thanks to the Rookie Cap.
Here’s Dawson’s winning FG.
http://twitpic.com/drcrwo
Ric Flair’s Pep talk
http://www.49ers.com/video/videos/Ric-Flairs-Pregame-Speech-to-49ers-/534dff89-7d75-4d98-88f7-45760e3b7c36
Harbaugh was really pumped after the game
http://www.49ers.com/video/videos/NFLN-Locker-Room-Speech-Going-Onward/2af7029d-bdb9-480c-835a-9265d430c941
New post is up.