What made the Niners so good last year...

[kerouac9]

I think they have a shot at New England (but the current troubles with the Pat's O line and suspect defense might not be as bad as people think once the season starts) but I agree about Green Bay because they are not built to score a lot of points or play catch up. The Niners have to get turnovers and not turn the ball over themselves. Yes, this applies to everyone but to the Niners even more because they are not built to get in a scoring match with someone.

I actually think that the thing standing in the way of San Francisco repeating as NFCW champions is health. They were almost impossibly healthy last year on the OL, DL, linebacking corps, and secondary. They can afford some regression to the mean in their turnover margin, but I'm not sure they can afford to have Joe Staley go down along with Justin Smith.

Since I had kids I don't know every team's depth chart from 1 to 3 like I used to, but if San Francisco has an offensive lineman, linebacker, and a DB go on IR, do they suddenly look like the New York Giants?

Also: Whatever happened to Taylor Mays? Remember how that guy was supposed to be good?

 

[conraddobler]

Their coach.

 

[conraddobler]

I still say the key to their season is Harbaugh and Smith being strong minded enough to resist trying to "open it up." they got Moss, they signed Manningham and drafted a speedy WR, they have Crabtree and of course VD.

If they decide ok Alex proved himself last year, he's fixed his throwing motion, we're going to open it up a bit this year, they'll probably shoot themselves in the foot.

It's possible they might do this a game or two but I'd be shocked if their coach is dumb enough to continue making that mistake.

Harbaugh is just a very good coach, I was nauseated when they hired him I liked the last crew a lot better for us.

Guys like him are annoying to have in the division I expect he will usually out coach us.

Historically the Cardinals have on occasion given coaches like this some fits, I think it's more of a rope a dope phenom, in the past we were so bad on occasion when the stars aligned well coached teams just laid eggs against us, it's almost like our stupid gets to them, it used to be hard to motivate teams to play us because we were so bad everyone marked us down as a W in their heads and that bit some teams even good ones.

Playing down to our level, not being in the game etc.

We're good enough now this really dosen't apply now so that's largely gone but any well coached team is usually just going to press down on weak spots of a team and we have plenty of those and don't match up exceptionally well against the 49ers.

 

[Phrazbit]

I hate the 49ers but if Moss shows up than it's over for the NFL

We are talking about a guy here who gave guys like Gus Frerotte and Brad Johnson career years and is still one of the best athletes in the NFL.

Quite honestly, I actually think we should have taken a chance on him this year rather than drafting Floyd. He's like a hero to Fitz.

Well, I wouldnt hold my breath on Moss showing up. Its been a few years since a team was able to say "picking up Moss was a good move".

I hope Moss does what he did in his last two stops and takes a big turd in that locker room, he is exactly the kind of influence a couple unhinged guys like Davis and Crabtree could use.

 

[Russ Smith]

Also: Whatever happened to Taylor Mays? Remember how that guy was supposed to be good?

Supposedly the starting SS for the Bengals.

Who was that loudmouth here that kept insisting mays was good?



I knew he was not a great cover guy but I was amazed how quickly he fell out of favor in SF. So far it looks like they made the right decision though.

 

[Cardiac]

See... I don't think you can plan around +28 turnover margin. People hate to admit it, but Alex Smith was in the process of becoming a mediocre QB two years before 2012. I don't think we have that luxury.

The team that I'd prefer to emulate is the Atlanta Falcons from 2008-2010, the Early Matt Ryan Years. Their defense wasn't dominant (from 2008 until 2010 they were 24th, 21st, and 16th in yard and 11th, 14th, and 5th in points), but they didn't have to be because they just hammered teams with the run game, limiting the number of offensive possessions and controlling the clock. They had good special teams, but not dominating.

I guess that Atlanta maybe had better offensive line play than we do, but Sam Baker isn't that good of an LT; he's incredibly limited.

The Atlanta Falcons have gone 33-21 in Matt Ryan's first four seasons. Ryan's not an exceptionally accurate passer or someone who relies on the deep ball (60.9% career completions, 7.0 career YPA). And it's not like they're running a system that would be foreign to Whis and Grimm--Mike Mularkey followed Ken Whisenhunt's almost exact career path: five seasons as TE coach for the Steelers, then three seasons as Pittsburgh's OC before moving on to Buffalo. He was even an NFL TE.

Good stuff to Mulli over but:

The only problem with this is that it gets them nowhere in the playoffs. That team hasn't won a playoff game so while it works in the regular season...not so much in the post season.

That's why they went after Julio Jones. They knew they needed to improve their big play capability.

Which circles us around to the 49ers and why they tried to beef up their WR corps this off season. Moss is a big gamble. Is Harbaugh delusional, desperate and or cocky enough to think he can fix him?

Manningham was a nice pick up. Good thought going through the draft to address the issue as well.

The won't achieve the same TO ratio. They won't have the same luck injury wise. Teams have an off season to game plan against them.

It comes down to Alex Smith taking the next step.

 

[kerouac9]

Good stuff to Mulli over but:

The only problem with this is that it gets them nowhere in the playoffs. That team hasn't won a playoff game so while it works in the regular season...not so much in the post season.

That's why they went after Julio Jones. They knew they needed to improve their big play capability.

Which circles us around to the 49ers and why they tried to beef up their WR corps this off season. Moss is a big gamble. Is Harbaugh delusional, desperate and or cocky enough to think he can fix him?

Manningham was a nice pick up. Good thought going through the draft to address the issue as well.

The won't achieve the same TO ratio. They won't have the same luck injury wise. Teams have an off season to game plan against them.

It comes down to Alex Smith taking the next step.

Hasn't yet, but doesn't mean that it never will. The Tampa Bay Bucs didn't have a lot of success in the playoffs, until they did. Same with the Manning-lead Colts.

In Matt Ryan's rookie year they lost to us in Arizona by 6. In 2010 they got dismantled by a frankly superior Green Bay Packers team.

My POV remains that a lot of things can happen in the playoffs. As long as you make the tournament, you have as good a chance as anyone to win it. After you've been to the playoffs a few times, you can worry about getting over the top.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

After watching their suspect safeties in action in the pre-season, I won't be surprised if they get lit up by Green Bay.

 

[Duckjake]

Hasn't yet, but doesn't mean that it never will. The Tampa Bay Bucs didn't have a lot of success in the playoffs, until they did. Same with the Manning-lead Colts.

In Matt Ryan's rookie year they lost to us in Arizona by 6. In 2010 they got dismantled by a frankly superior Green Bay Packers team.

My POV remains that a lot of things can happen in the playoffs. As long as you make the tournament, you have as good a chance as anyone to win it. After you've been to the playoffs a few times, you can worry about getting over the top.

Atlanta has made the playoffs 3 times in the last 4 years. Each time they got knocked out by the eventual NFC representative in the Super Bowl. Almost as good as the Cardinals who lost only to the Super Bowl Champions.

How about Baltimore? Those poor guys have been stuck behind the big 3, NE, Pitt, and Peytoniana, for 10 years.

2001-Steelers
2006-Colts
2008-Steelers
2009-Colts
2010-Steelers
2011-Patriots

 

[Ronin]