So my Eagles fan friend says to me last night...

[phillycard]

This game looks and feels to easy to pick the Niners. I think you guys are gonna take it.

I hate to say I agree with him on his basic point, that it's too easy to expect the Whiners to run roughshod over us. I had been saying all week that we are going to get curb stomped, but the closer we get to game time, I just believe that we're going to play to our strengths and find a way to be in a position to win this thing late. I admittedly don't know SF's personnel very well and have only caught bits of their games this year. But the fact that its National TV, at home, we're coming off a disgusting L after enjoying the taste of winning for 3 straight games leads me to believe we pull this thing off. Most of my belief is rooted in a lack of faith in Garroppolo. He's more along for the ride than leading them to an undefeated record, and I believe if we rough his azz up, we got this. I swear I hope I'm right because I can't take a massacre leading into my weekend AND having to go to work tomorrow. Either way I'll be double fisted by the 4th quarter.

 

[BigRedRage]

I plan to see us lose. Anything else would be a nice surprise. Getting to the fourth quarter in a competitive game would be nice but I have zero expectations.

 

[Ronin]

I am not sure which way I am leaning yet.

 

[Solar7]

This is a dominant running team with a great DL... they're tailor-made to beat us. I'm going out to watch with a bunch of Niners fans and expect to get ripped on all night.

But my Fitz jersey is already on. Here's hoping.

 

[Zeem_Freeze]

funny... All week I was thinking we get stomped but I woke up this morning feeling we have a shot... Was imagining a quick lateral passing game in the shower this morning... Kirk for an 87 yard bubble screen!!! CARDS WIN!! CARDS WIN!! CARDS WIN!!!

unlikely but lets effin get after it Red Birds!!

 

[Ronin]

This is a dominant running team with a great DL... they're tailor-made to beat us. I'm going out to watch with a bunch of Niners fans and expect to get ripped on all night.

But my Fitz jersey is already on. Here's hoping.

Do you do this often? Watch the game with opposing fans?
No wonder you come back angry to this board.

 

[slanidrac16]

I will be deeply disappointed if we don’t take a couple of deep shots on a couple of first downs. Play action on first down or 2nd and short is the only way kyler will have time to throw deep.

For god sake line up Issabella on one side Kirk on the other and let them fly down the sidelines. If they’re not open throw it over their head. Maybe we can draw a penalty and loosen up their front 7.

If we wait until we HAVE to throw it’s putting Kyler in a precarious situation.

 

[Broseph]

It does feel too easy to pick the Niners, I feel this game will be close. I wouldn't be surprised either way if we won or lost, just play hard.

 

[juza76]

Do you do this often? Watch the game with opposing fans?
No wonder you come back angry to this board.

I guess he has masochist tendency

 

[juza76]

I will be deeply disappointed if we don’t take a couple of deep shots on a couple of first downs. Play action on first down or 2nd and short is the only way kyler will have time to throw deep.

For god sake line up Issabella on one side Kirk on the other and let them fly down the sidelines. If they’re not open throw it over their head. Maybe we can draw a penalty and loosen up their front 7.

If we wait until we HAVE to throw it’s putting Kyler in a precarious situation.

First they have to give Murray time to make deep throws

 

[Ronin]

I guess he has masochist tendency

It does sound painful.

 

[Zeem_Freeze]

I guess he has masochist tendency

all cardinals fans have masochist tendencies

 

[jmt]

all cardinals fans have masochist tendencies

Verdad!

 

[Seattle49er]

This game looks and feels to easy to pick the Niners. I think you guys are gonna take it.

I hate to say I agree with him on his basic point, that it's too easy to expect the Whiners to run roughshod over us. I had been saying all week that we are going to get curb stomped, but the closer we get to game time, I just believe that we're going to play to our strengths and find a way to be in a position to win this thing late. I admittedly don't know SF's personnel very well and have only caught bits of their games this year. But the fact that its National TV, at home, we're coming off a disgusting L after enjoying the taste of winning for 3 straight games leads me to believe we pull this thing off. Most of my belief is rooted in a lack of faith in Garroppolo. He's more along for the ride than leading them to an undefeated record, and I believe if we rough his azz up, we got this. I swear I hope I'm right because I can't take a massacre leading into my weekend AND having to go to work tomorrow. Either way I'll be double fisted by the 4th quarter.

Jimmy G has had basically a season's worth of starts, he coming off a torn ACL 12 months ago so still trying to find his rhythm. His stats make him out to be less than what I really think he is. He's seen many dropped passes by his receivers, TD passes called back due to penalties, picks because ball bounced of receivers hands, bad snaps. Now I not saying he's not at fault, just think stats are misleading.

As far as roughing him up, go watch the 9er game against Pittsburgh, Jimmy G looked like David Carr in that game and still threw the clutch TD for the win.

I could be wrong but I think unless the entire 49er team lays down, this will a win for S.F.

 

[ajcardfan]

I was rooting for the Niners to totally run it up on Carolina and they did. I actually think that helps us tonight.

We might not win, but we will play them a lot tougher than conventional wisdom is saying.

 

[Brak]

The Niners aren't gonna run the table. That said, tonight is not the first game they'll falter.

I've watched both teams play every week - when their games have been at the same time, I've watched both. The 49ers are crazy-good - team speed is insane, they are the second-best coached team in the league behind the Pats, they play hard EVERY SINGLE DOWN. They have a spectacular tight end in George Kittle - and we know how good TE's in well-conceived game plans destroy the Cardinals.

Watching Cowherd right now, and he sees it 27-20 Niners, not even covering the 10-point spread. He's been pretty kind to the Cards lately and seems to like K1. But he's smoking crack on this one. Niners by 30 is my call, or if they show up expecting to win and looking past the Cards, then by 20.

 

[SoCal Cardfan]

This defense is befuddled by vanilla offenses...All the pre-snap motion and window dressing the Niners employ... is going to leave the Cardinals D running into each other.

 

[Shane]

This is a dominant running team with a great DL... they're tailor-made to beat us. I'm going out to watch with a bunch of Niners fans and expect to get ripped on all night.

But my Fitz jersey is already on. Here's hoping.

wearing my Fitz

 

[PACardsFan]

This game looks and feels to easy to pick the Niners. I think you guys are gonna take it.

I hate to say I agree with him on his basic point, that it's too easy to expect the Whiners to run roughshod over us. I had been saying all week that we are going to get curb stomped, but the closer we get to game time, I just believe that we're going to play to our strengths and find a way to be in a position to win this thing late. I admittedly don't know SF's personnel very well and have only caught bits of their games this year. But the fact that its National TV, at home, we're coming off a disgusting L after enjoying the taste of winning for 3 straight games leads me to believe we pull this thing off. Most of my belief is rooted in a lack of faith in Garroppolo. He's more along for the ride than leading them to an undefeated record, and I believe if we rough his azz up, we got this. I swear I hope I'm right because I can't take a massacre leading into my weekend AND having to go to work tomorrow. Either way I'll be double fisted by the 4th quarter.

There's no doubt that SF has a dominant running game, that generally tips the time of possession heavily in their favor. But, other than the Cincy game, their easy wins have come because they have forced 3-4 turnovers.

Game 1 - @ Tampa Bay 31-17. Tampa actually outgained them 295-256 & held SF to 98 on the ground. TOP was 30-30. The turning point was that Tampa had 4 turnovers.

Game 2 - @ Cincy 41-17. Complete domination in this one. Cincy had only 1 turnover, but outgained 571-316. SF had 259 on the ground. TOP was SF 32-28.

Game 3 - vs Pitt 24-20. Game was only close because SF had 5 turnovers of their own. But, this was Big Ben's 1st full game OUT & Rudolph couldn't take advantage of the SF miscues. SF ran for 168 & outgained Pitt 436-239 and controlled the clock 36-24. With a healthy Big Ben, Pittsburgh wins this game. But Pittsburgh did have 2 turnovers, both of which resulted in SF points.

Game 4 - vs Cleveland 31-3. Niners rushed for 275 and dominated TOP 38-22. But, again, Cleveland's 4 turnovers were the reason for the lopsided score.

Game 5 - @LAR 20-7. Niners only rushed for 98, but their D stifled the Rams offense completely. No Todd Gurley in this one & Rams failed to score after having a 1st & goal on the SF 1. Rams only had 1 turnover, and this game was close.

Game 6 - @ Wash 9-0. Played in a monsoon, so hard to assess anything.

Game 7 - vs Carolina 51-13. Niners no doubt played with a chip on their shoulders in this one. Rushed for 232 yards, but only had 388 in total yardage. Even though SF ran for 232, they only had a 33-27 advantage in TOP. SF's pass rush forced 7 sacks & hurried Allen into 3 turnovers. The TO's are what turned this game ugly.

My point is that if we protect the ball, this won't be as ugly as it appears to be on paper. Murray will evade much of their pressure, but not all of it. He just has to throw it away at times & use his legs at other times. He can't get picked. It certainly doesn't appear that we'll have much success running the ball, but we have to take what we can on the ground. Our D has to keep SF under 150 on the ground & pressure Garropolo into a mistake or two. KK will need to plug his brain in & surprise the Niner D to set up scoring opportunities. I'm not stupid enough to predict a win, but if we can avoid turnovers, we can stay in this game.

 

[Cheesebeef]

tell your friend to send some of that smoke this way!

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Whatever happens...we'll be there to see it. Go Cards !!!

 

[cardpa]

I think the Niners have a minimum of 4 sacks in this game (it could be more than 4 sacks easily) and one pick (this can easily be multiple picks with the pressure they will bring) and somewhere along the way the Cardinals give away a fumble. Their defense sets up their offense for two short field scores. They run for close to 200 yds. or more. They get consistent pressure rushing just 4 so they get coverage with 7 which makes throwing for Murray difficult and you can almost forget long completions. They are only giving up 11 PPG and have only let one team reach 20 points in a single game and in that game, their offense have 5 turnovers. This is a divisional game which is important to the Niners and I doubt they forgot about being two of the three wins for a dismal Cardinal team last year. Let us not forget how well the Cardinal defense covers TEs and they have one of the best in Kittle. This all points to a blowout loss. This game only stays close if the Niners come out flat or the Cardinals get some breaks on calls and/or lucky bounces of the ball.

 

[New Mexico]

This game looks and feels to easy to pick the Niners. I think you guys are gonna take it.

I hate to say I agree with him on his basic point, that it's too easy to expect the Whiners to run roughshod over us. I had been saying all week that we are going to get curb stomped, but the closer we get to game time, I just believe that we're going to play to our strengths and find a way to be in a position to win this thing late. I admittedly don't know SF's personnel very well and have only caught bits of their games this year. But the fact that its National TV, at home, we're coming off a disgusting L after enjoying the taste of winning for 3 straight games leads me to believe we pull this thing off. Most of my belief is rooted in a lack of faith in Garroppolo. He's more along for the ride than leading them to an undefeated record, and I believe if we rough his azz up, we got this. I swear I hope I'm right because I can't take a massacre leading into my weekend AND having to go to work tomorrow. Either way I'll be double fisted by the 4th quarter.

I like your optimism. That said, we're going to get murdered tonight because Steve Keim sucks.

 

[jmt]

Maybe the Big Red should just concede this one and blame it all on Keim?

 

[blindseyed]

Being a Cards fan I don't ever really expect to win that way if we do it's a pleasant surprise! We're not a good team, showing flashes of what could be is great and seeing this could work next year is making me optimistic but right now...we aren't very good so if we win I'll be over over joyed lol