Observations of Super Bowl 47

By nebraskaniner, FansTurn.com
Published on February 4, 2013 10:04 pm in 360 News, 49ers Games, 49ers News, Uncategorized

The entire 49ers Faithful was full of angst.  This game of the conference bests was unlike anything I have ever seen. Yet, it was strikingly similar to a 2002 playoff contest between 49ers and the New York Giants.  The Niners were throttled in any and every way throughout the first half.  Each facet of the game was dominated by the opposition. Back then,  I can recall turning off the TV in a fit of rage and turning Joe Starkey on to finish listening to the game. The rest, as they say, is history.  My fury far exceeded that during the first half of the Super Bowl, but I never strayed from the TV.  This was the 49ers modus operandi.  They dug themselves a hole and clawed themselves out. Unfortunately, the 49ers didn’t finish this game like they did the Packers and Falcons games.

Observations

*The Super Bowl is the biggest stage in all of athletics and yet the 49ers still came out extremely flat.  It got progressively worse for the 49ers through each round of the playoffs.  The 28-6 deficit was just too much for even the most talented team in the NFL to overcome.

*Chris Culliver will be an excellent cornerback in the NFL.  But right now, he’s not even half as good as he thinks he is.  He looked silly in coverage against anyone he matched up against.  Jacoby Jones, Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin made him look downright pedestrian.

*Randy Moss was Randy Moss.  Did he even care this was the Super Bowl? Did he find a fly in his pregame soup?  He appeared and played disinterested during a week when he laid personal claim as the “greatest receiver of all time.”  He shyed away from his career defining moment/game.

*The vaunted 49ers defense became a massive liability.  This is a tough one to pin point too.  In the last six games (playoffs included) the defense allowed an average of 30 points per game.  Granted, injuries were undoubtedly there.  Justin Smith, Ahmad Brooks, and Aldon Smith were all documented as being injured.  Those three are the main contributors in a 49ers pass rush.  There was something more to it though.  The secondary was consistently exposed as being less than spectacular.  Even more troubling, Vic Fangio’s defensive scheme appeared figured out.  Each team in those final six games moved the ball with fluidity and occasional ease.

*Allow me to understate the obvious.  Colin Kaepernick is really, really good.  Colin is going to be great.  Phil Simms man crush aside, Kaepernick played an incredible game with both his arms and legs.  He has no equal in comparision.  I don’t wanna hear RG3, Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson, or even Randall Cunningham similarities.  This Kaepernick fella has no equal right now when it comes to pure ability and future potential.  Even more impressively, he displayed it in the biggest game of his young career.

*The combination of Joe Staley, Mike Iupati, Johnathan Goodwin, Alex Boone, and Anthony Davis need a nickname. They need one signifying power, grace and intensity.  It’s was an impressive sight to watch them work lastnight against a formidable defense.  They picked up blitzes and stonewalled defenders in almost perfect cohesion.

*The 49ers missed Mario Manningham and Kyle Williams more than most probably thought they would.  As an offense, the Niners were just one wide receiver short in the game lastnight.  Michael Crabtree became “the man” this season.  He evolved this year beautifully and his evolution didn’t tail off at all in Super Bowl 47.

*Vernon Davis took a bit of time, but he’s gelled with Kaepernick and then some.  He blocks so well too, and he proved during the game that coverage on him by a linebacker is laughable.

*I hate to do it.  It really isn’t in my nature to do, but there’s no avoiding it.  The work put forth by the referees during Super Bowl 47 was despicable.  The deck was stacked against the 49ers with missed and horrible calls. In no particular order, there was of course the most obvious and painful, which was the hold on Michael Crabtree during the 49ers last offensive play.  There was a blatant hold on Delanie Walker during Jacoby Jones 108 yard kickoff return.  The most aggravating for me was the no-call on the Baltimore defender’s bear hug to Anthony Dixon during Sam Koch’s delayed safety.  Chris Culliver was called for a ticky tack pass interference on a crucial 3rd and 9 in the 4th quarter. Torrey Smith got away with a offensive pass interference against Chris Culliver as well that most likely would have lead to an interception.  An NFL officiating crew has a goal to remain anonymous throughout every game.  Well, they failed miserably on their biggest day.

* I don’t agree at all with the scrutiny of the play calling on the 49ers last offensive drive.  Media and fans alike are chastising the play calling of Roman and Harbaugh from the 5-yard line late in the fourth quarter.  It’s unjustified.  They put the ball in the hands of their best player and asked him to win the game.  Colin Kaepernick simply didn’t get it done.  The 49ers called three consecutive pass plays from inside the 10 yard line.  We all saw that, but what didn’t happen at that position of the field was Kaepernick improvising.  Improvisation is what makes Colin so good and so entertaining to watch.  He held back on scrambling for the winning touchdown when he had the opportunity.   I truly think that’s what Harbaugh was banking on because he’d done it all game.  He thought if he put the ball in Kap’s hands with a pass play, he’d always have the option to run.

*Finally, damn….don’t ya love Jim Harbaugh?  I sure do.  Every NFL fan that isn’t a 49ers fan genuinely hates the guy.  That’s what makes him our guy.  He’s so damn good!  There’s nothing more that he wanted to do lastnight than beat the crap out of his older brother.  That tenacity, that fire is so admirable.  All he wants to do is win football games, and that’s the leader of the San Francisco 49ers.  That’s the leader that is going to get the job done and win the whole damn thing!

 

Enjoy the Ride 49ers Fans

By nebraskaniner, FansTurn.com
Published on January 27, 2013 8:36 pm in Uncategorized

Chaos is about to ensue. The over-hyped media day is mere hours away.  Hypothetically, we’ll get to learn things like the name of Danel Kilgore’s favorite movie.  Or, we’ll learn Michael Wilhoite’s preference of rocky road or mint chocolate chip ice cream.   In other words, there is going to be obscurity beyond epic proportions that won’t mean a damn thing.

It’s Super Bowl week.  This is the moment that all of the 49ers Faithful have painstakingly awaited for approximately 18 years.   It has been a journey and then some.  Don’t allow the circus to take away from the moment.  This is the moment that Joe Montana and Steve Young have created.  They owned the moment and made the words Super Bowl and 49ers more synonymous than peanut butter and jelly.  That aura has been passed onto Harbaugh, Kaepernick and crew for them to grab hold.  Our passion and support is in their hands.  In that, all Niners fans should have complete confidence.

This is a 49ers moment! So remember Faitfhul, we live in social media driven society that snaps its fingers and forgets what happened 30 seconds ago. Take the time to smell roses and enjoy the greatest franchise in NFL history as we’re on the cusp of greatness.  We don’t know how long it may take to get back to another one of these.

 

49ers NFC Title Recap

By nebraskaniner, FansTurn.com
Published on January 21, 2013 12:52 pm in 360 News, 49ers Games, 49ers News, Uncategorized

It’s unfortunate.  It really, truly is unfortunate.  It’s just too bad that my education isn’t extensive enough to describe the superlatives that surround this NFC Championship Game!  How do you describe a game where the 49ers made the biggest comeback in NFC Championship history?

I’ll start right where the 49ers did….in a 17 point hole.

A Jim Harbaugh team wasn’t going to do this were they?  They weren’t going to be in the exact same position as they were last year and come out flat and ill-prepared.  Jim Harbaugh and staff cover every base.  They are diligent and precise in their work.  They learn from past mistakes and have no desire to repeat failures. This team had played in hostile domes, on the road and went home victorious. But, snap your fingers, and the 49ers were in that 17 point hole before the scoreboard read 2nd quarter.

It was as shocking as it was maddening, but Harbaugh Co. never deviated all that far from their original game plan.  They didn’t have to either. The 49ers had three things in particular going for them.  First off, they were playing the choke artist currently known as the Atlanta Falcons Then, there’s the fact that they have one of the best coaching staffs in the NFL. And, they have Colin Kaepernick.

They have that special guy behind center that many are waiting to fold.  There are countless that are waiting to say, “see, I told you so.”  He’s not supposed to be this good this early into his career.  He’s not supposed to redefine poise under pressure with this few starts. But he is that good, and he doesn’t let pressure enter his mindset.

Experts won’t say it, but thankfully I’m not one.  Colin Kaepernick played better in the NFC Championship game than he did in the game against the Packers.  He was flawless.  Kaepernick made the right read on every option play, and he didn’t keep the ball but one time.  He fed LaMichael James and Frank Gore all game long allowing them to carve up the Falcons lackluster run defense.  Kaepernick made every throw in the book.  He threw with precision, with velocity, and with touch.  The moment never became too big for him.  The San Francisco 49ers quarterback was beyond phenomenal in throwing darts to Vernon Davis, Randy Moss, Michael Crabtree, and Delanie Walker.  He incorporated every weapon he had on offense.  This performance stands out in 49ers lore as one that says Kaepernick wants to stand by Montana and Young wearing a Super Bowl ring.

The 49ers won’t get to that ring without a defensive performance more reminiscent of the second half of the NFC title game.  As the entire viewing world saw, the 49ers defense in the opening quarters was dreadful. The vaunted 49ers defense was dissected as if they weren’t even on the field.  Matt Ryan hit anyone and everyone within the Georgia Dome that wore a Falcons jersey.  In typical Vic Fangio style, he rarely blitzes.  He relies on a solid pass rush from the 49ers front four and stout coverage from linebackers and defensive backs.  The coverage wasn’t horrible, excluding the first Julio Jones touchdown, but the pressure was not there.  Without anyone influencing Matt Ryan’s style of play, the Falcons easily hung 24 points on the 49ers in the first half alone.

Atlanta’s four possessions in the second half were a complete reversal of fortunes.  Coach Fangio and staff began to bring periodic blitzes and disguise coverages that produced consecutive series of interception, fumble, punt, and end of game. These are the types of things that make this team and staff special.  The overall talent of this team and the ability of Jim Harbaugh’s staff to make incredible adjustments, when needed, carry this team.

It carried them to a defensive shutout in the second half, and it will carry the 49ers right into Super Bowl XLVII.

Fight the Hype?

By nebraskaniner, FansTurn.com
Published on January 17, 2013 9:06 pm in 360 News, 49ers News, Uncategorized

Somewhere in that 4th quarter, I knew.  A lot of us 49ers fans knew.  The victory over the Packers was secure, and the hype was about to rain down upon the San Francisco 49ers at a fascinating rate. The offense dazzled and the defense held strong. It really is nothing new for this team during the season though.  In fact, it’s happened quite frequently.  What hasn’t happened frequently is a favorable outcome following such hype.

The Vikings told us where we could stick the hype.  The Giants did the same.  Those pesky, middle of the road Rams thought we were nothing but hype.  In round two, the Seahawks talked and talked and talked and talked some more about their superiority.  But the 49ers are there again.  They are one game away from the Super Bowl.   They are two wins away from claiming franchise superiority as the only team undefeated in the Super Bowl era with 6 rings! And get ready for it, because the hype is back.

It seems every man, woman, and child with an ounce of football knowledge (for the most part anyway) are hitching to the 49ers bandwagon and going for a ride. There are names like Marcellus Wiley, Bomani Jones, and even “Boom!” John Madden that are picking this 49ers squad to hoist the Lombardi trophy.  Those are just a select few among many that know this 49ers team is the most talented.  It is the best coached.  And without a doubt, it is the most complete!

It is a different time now.  It’s NFC Championship time.  It’s no longer time to fight the hype.   It is time to embrace the hype!  It’s time to play with the confidence in knowing that the San Francisco 49ers are the best team.  It’s time to dominate Atlanta like we are the most talented, best coached and most complete team in the National Football League.

Yes Coach Harbaugh, we can still do all of this with “humble hearts” and complete the Quest for Six!

Justin Smith Sparks Win over Green Bay

By nebraskaniner, FansTurn.com
Published on January 13, 2013 3:16 pm in 360 News, 49ers Games, 49ers News, Uncategorized

To me, it’s an irritant when it’s professed “defense wins championships.”   There’s no possible way defense solely wins championships!  It’s part of the formula that undoubtedly leads to championships though.   As always, it’s a combination of offense, defense, special teams and coaching that WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS!

I would suppose it would be even more obvious to state that no one player makes a team.  If a team as good as the 49ers is a TRUE team, than any one player should be replaceable. But, Justin Smith does everything in his power to disprove such a theory.

The talk after this 49ers vs. Packers game is going to lean heavily towards the brilliance of Colin Kaepernick.   It’s rightfully so.  He was beyond phenomenal.  He made the entire Green Bay defense look lethargic and incompetent.  His legs and play fake ability fooled the opposing defense, baffled the opposition’s fan base,  and challenged the wide angle lens of the Fox camera crew.  His passing ability, save for a few throws, was equally impressive.  On top of that, offense sells tickets.  It’s what the media loves to talk about.

But Justin Smith redefines toughness.  With an arm injury (tricep tear) that makes one cringe when thought about, Justin Smith revitalized a San Francisco defense that had become passe’.   They were thrown overboard, left for dead, and stuck by a fork.  This defense was burned by New England without Justin.  It was scorched by the Seahawks.  Even afterthought Brian Hoyer of the Arizona Cardinals put reputable numbers against a defense missing Justin Smith.

Then, Justin Smith showed up.  He slapped on that left arm brace and went to work against the high octane Packer offense.  As standard with Justin, he routinely swallowed two and three blockers. In containing those lineman, it allowed Vic Fangio to uncharacteristically run numerous blitzes that kept Aaron Rodgers completely off balance.  Green Bay never found that rhythm that makes them so dangerous offensively, and that disruption falls squarely on Justin Smith’s shoulders!

If you’ve ever read anything about Justin Smith or seen a TV piece on him, you’ll know he doesn’t want the attention.  He wants the focus to be on the team and the other individuals that make that team.  He we wants to be a cog in the machine that leads to victories.  But there’s no doubt about it 49ers fans….Justin Smith is the team MVP. His grit and toughness hold this entire team together. He’s the guy that will lead this team on it’s Quest for Six!

Personal Rally Cry for 49ers Fans

By nebraskaniner, FansTurn.com
Published on January 5, 2013 8:48 pm in 360 News, 49ers News, Uncategorized

I was born in a geographical abyss.  Creighton, Nebraska is that infrequently talked about town with no stop lights, no big chain stores, and essentially, nothing to do.  As my adolescent residence, it single handedly formed my passion for the San Francisco 49ers.

I was born a child of the early 80′s. I was surrounded by Bears, Vikings, Chiefs, and Broncos territory.   Luckily, I grew up during the decade of 49ers dominance which meant the Niners were on TV often.  To me, they were this mythical team in a far away land that played football with a perfect mixture of precision and power.  It was commonplace for me to make top 10 lists of my favorite players.  Sure, I had your obvious favorites like Rice, Montana, and Lott.  But my boredom lead to names like Mike Walters, Keith Delong, MIchael Carter, and Bubba Paris making my lists.

My proximity, or lack thereof, to my team lead to Sports Illustrated and Sporting News subscriptions as soon as I was able to read.  At that time, it was the only way to fuel my desire for 49ers information.  Naturally, my bed sheets, wall clocks, and pajamas all sported the San Francisco logo.  My personal claim to fame is that my hometown is the birthplace of former 49ers offensive lineman Tony Wragge (2006-2010).  In fact, his mother was my kindergarten teacher.  The 49ers consumed me at a very young age, and I loved to talk matchups and statistics with grownups any chance I could get.  Putting it nicely, I suppose you could have called me an oddity.

But, here is to us odd ones! Here is to those that have carried and maintained our passions from a young age, whatever age that may have been.  Here is to us San Francisco 49er fans that lived and survived the lows.  For me, the years from 1999-2010 (excluding 01-02) were especially painful.  Here is to our elder 49ers fans. Those fans that were lucky enough to see the Million Dollar Backfield, John Brodie, Leo Nomellini, or Bob St. Clair, I pay homage to you. Here’s to the die hard locals and every 49er Faithful worldwide.  This is our time of year. This is better than the holiday season and any New Year’s resolutions, because it’s full of championship possibility.  We have that possibility of grasping our 6th Lombardi trophy.  We have the opportunity of boasting towards Packers fans, Seahawks fans, etc.

The real season has begun.  It’s time to wear your lucky shirts, say your prayers of good fortune, and yes Bud Light dude, sit in your superstitious spots. It’s time to dress the kids in our team’s colors and avoid twitter bickering if at all possible!  It’s time to yell, scream and cheer our lungs out!

So, allow me if you will to end in a current, awesome 49ers cliche’ that has been a tad overdone and repeated to no end….WHO’S GOT IT BETTER THAN US?

NOBODY!

 

49ers Make Some Roster Changes

By Jennifer Hadsell, FansTurn.com
Published on January 2, 2013 9:00 am in 360 News, 49ers News, Roster Changes, Uncategorized

After a win against the Arizona Cardinals and grabbing the NFC West championship, the 49ers have made a few roster changes.  After suspending running back Brandon Jacobs for the last three regular season games, the 49ers released Jacobs.  After missing the first eleven games, Jacobs wasn’t happy about his playing time and wasn’t shy about expressing the fact.  Jacobs aired his grievances on Twitter.  While Jacobs has hit the waiver wire, he cannot play for another team until after the season is over.

The 49ers worked out kickers this week after David Akers continued his struggles against Arizona.  The 49ers have signed kicker Billy Cundiff, who will compete with Akers during practices to kick during the playoffs.  After missing 5 of 12 attempts with the Washington Redskins, Cundiff was cut back in October.  This was the second time Cundiff has worked out for the 49ers, first time back in November when coach Jim Harbaugh decided to stick it out with Akers.

In order to make room for Cundiff, the Niners released linebacker Eric Bakhtiari.  Bakhtiari has bounced off and on the 49ers roster this season.  He was signed back in May and released in August when the Niners made their final roster cuts.  In September when Clark Haggans received a three-game suspension for violating the NFL policy on substance abuse, Bakhtiari was re-signed and then released in October when Haggans was re-instated.  When Jacobs was suspended towards the end of the season and Demarcus Dobbs found himself on the injured reserves, Bakhtiari was signed once again.  Since joining the NFL in 2008, Bakhtiari has been released eleven times by six different teams.

Thanks to the Minnesota Vikings win over the Green Bay Packers, the 49ers have a bye week this week and can use the extra time to adjust to the roster changes and give Justin Smith some more time to recover from his triceps injury.  The 49ers will play the winner of the Redskins/Seahawks game at Candlestick January 12.

Momentum is Back After Cardinals Game

By nebraskaniner, FansTurn.com
Published on December 31, 2012 4:36 pm in 360 News, 49ers Games, 49ers News, Uncategorized

A spot in the playoffs had already been clinched.  The seeding had not.

Mr. Momentum took his sweet time in showing up for the 49ers on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.  But, he did show up.

He showed up mainly in the form of Michael Crabtree.  He set a new personal high in receiving yards with a 172. More impressively, he made Arizona’s Pro Bowl cornerback Patrick Peterson look pedestrian.  With precision routes and sure hands, Crabtree ( 2 TD’s) has easily become Colin Kaepernick’s security blanket.

Kaepernick seemed to find his stride once again.  Although starting the game timid and sluggish, he finished with his best statistical performance in his very young career. Kapernick passed for 276 yards and 2 TD’s while throwing no interceptions.  His progressions and evasive ability against the Cardinal defense were easily the most important factors.  If Kapernick can maintain his ability to escape pressure without being sacked and turning the ball over, this 49er team can win the whole thing.

It is going to take a WHOLE TEAM effort to win it all.  And with this team, it starts on defense.  It starts with guys like Aldon Smith, Patrick Willis, Dashon Goldson, etc.  The 49er offense feeds off of the defense.  The 49er defense set the tone in this outcome allowing only one touchdown on 262 total yards of offense by the Cardinals.  With a home playoff game looming, the defensive unit made a statement in week 17 that says they’re back!

As Greg Roman hinted at earlier last week, momentum comes and goes extremely quickly.  The key to it is maintaining it.  Granted, the Arizona Cardinals were a far inferior opponent, but in hindsight, that doesn’t matter.  What matters right now is where that momentum resides.  And currently, it resides with the San Francisco 49ers. It resides with a complete team that has a week off to regain a key player (Justin Smith).

All of these things considered, the real season begins now, and this team is very, very dangerous.

49ers-Cardinals Game Preview

By Jennifer Hadsell, FansTurn.com
Published on December 29, 2012 9:04 am in 360 News, 49ers Game Previews, 49ers Games, Roster Changes, Uncategorized

The 49ers opened the week as huge favorites against the Arizona Cardinals; the line now sitting at 17 points.  With a 49ers win, they will take the NFC West title two seasons in a row.  With a Vikings win over the Packers, the 49ers will claim the number 2 seed in the NFC, get a first round bye and will host their first playoff game at home.

Player Notes:

Justin Smith.  Smith is still out due to a partially torn triceps.  Ricky Jean-Francois will step up in his place for the second game in a row.  All eyes should be on Jean-Francois to see how the defense can make up for the loss of Smith.

With the loss of Mario Manningham due to ACL and PCL tears in the Seattle game last week, San Francisco signed Tony Jerod-Eddie off the practice squad to help the rotation at defensive end.

Vernon Davis is listed as questionable and has not yet passed the contact test.  He has, however, returned to practice in a non-contact jersey after passing two of the three tests required to be cleared to play. Should Davis not pass the final test requirement, Delanie Walker steps into the number 1 tight end spot and Garrett Celek slides into the number 2 spot.

Aldon Smith is still looking to break the single season sack record currently held by Michael Strahan.  Smith needs 3.5 sacks in Sunday’s game to break the record.

Michael Crabtree is looking to have a 1,000-yard receiving season.  He needs 67 yards to reach this mark.

The 49ers need to dominate the Cardinals in this division rivalry to gain momentum going into the playoffs.

Lessons from 49ers vs. Seahawks Game

By nebraskaniner, FansTurn.com
Published on December 24, 2012 6:52 pm in 360 News, 49ers Games, 49ers News, Uncategorized

There’s a lesson to be learned here.  If you sit and breakdown this San Francisco vs. Seattle game film down, it’s there.  Take the time and disect the film, watch the blocking schemes, the receivers routes, base defenses, blitz packages, etc.  Slow the game down and analyze the 49ers game plan.  In doing so, you would be completely wasting your time.

This NFC West matchup wasn’t about statistics.  It wasn’t about individual matchups.  It wasn’t about rain, crown noise, or even completely about the outcome.  This particular game was entirely about physicality.

In that column, the Seattle Seahawks receive an emphatic, bold checkmark!

Yes, Seattle showed up on Sunday night football looking to make a statement.  The clock ended after 4 quarters with the Seahawks slamming an exclamation in their 42-13 trouncing of the San Francisco 49ers. They took out Mario Manningham and Vernon Davis.  Russell Wilson was effective and extremely elusive.  He showed the type of swagger, poise, and finesse that 49er fans have seen more often than not  in Colin Kaepernick.  In fact, the entire Seahawks team has transformed into what Harbaugh and the 49ers created last year in 2011.

It’s a simple formula.  A stout defense, reliable special teams, and consistent offense will create victories.  It works.  That’s why this newfound way of football is being emulated.  It’ also why it’s been said that imitation is the best form of flattery.

But before I continue to toot the proverbial horn for the Seahawks, let’s keep a few important things in mind.  Pete Carroll is not Jim Harbaugh.  In the grand scheme of things, Harbaugh still owns Carroll.  He can out coach him, out scheme him, and usually outscore him.

The Seattle Seahawks are not the New York Giants.  They don’t have that track record.  Just because they’ve caught fire towards the end of the year does not mean that the 12th man should start polishing the Lombardi trophy.  The talking heads everywhere will be bumping the Seahawks towards the top of all the power rankings.  They’ll fawn all over this team claiming lightning has been caught in a bottle once again, and come playoff time, this is the team to beat.

History tells this guy otherwise.  Common sense does too.  They both tell me that after 33 meaningful games with Jim Harbaugh at the helm, we need to relax and keep the faith.  This was obviously a horrible game for the 49ers, but it is one that Harbaugh and Co. will learn from.

So, here’s one guy hoping to see Seattle and their putrid team colors just one more time this season.