For the 49ers having already clinched the division, this Monday night showdown has a ton of playoff implications. If the 49ers win, they stay ahead of NO as the #2 seed in the NFC, while a Pittsburgh win would give them a 1 game lead on Baltimore with 2 games to go. Neither are a certainty if they occur, but either team winning would be a boost for that elusive 1st round bye. The 49ers, by losing would still get 1st round home game, byut would lose the bye week. They would drop from the #2 to the #3 seed. Pittsburgh has even more to lose. If they lose tonight, they’d fall from the #2 seed (bye week + a home game) to the #5 seed (no bye + 2 roadies).
With that in mind, Pittsburgh is now saying Ben Worthlessberger will start tonight’s game at the Stick. Little Ben showed ‘enough mobility’ in Saturday’s practice to start tonight. Which means to me, the 49ers need to show some fairly different looks early in this game. They NEED to get pressure up the middle. Skelton had no problems stepping up last week as the pressure came in from the sides. Stepping up is about the only thing that Worthless can do with his bum ankle. If Soap can’t get in on the backup center (Pouncy is out), then Pittsburgh will more than likely throw quick passes and run delays up the middle to slow down our rush, and keep Worthless out of trouble. Sending Grant in on some blitzes up the middle early, and hitting little Ben, would set the tone for the game. Letting him dink and dunk to set up the big play will not work.
How this shakes out offensively is a question as well. These last 2 games (Balt and AZ) were against teams that run very similar defenses. Pittsburgh is the same deal. Zone blitzing, overloading areas, and disguising blitzes. The good news is we’ve seen it a lot. The bad news is we haven’t adjusted very well. Hopefully by now the Niners can pick up the schemes without getting Smith killed. 18 sacks in 3 games is a trend that HAS to stop. The 49ers need to open with slants and quick passes (for more than 4 yards) that give the team favorable 3rd down situations, and keep the chains moving. The red zone just needs to be re-thought completely. I hope the extra day helps them.
Last week’s game should have been a win. They can’t leave points on the field. And, looking at how the Bolts flattened the Balts, you CAN beat an aggressive defense by being aggressive yourself. The WRs HAVE to make plays tonight. Dropping shit cannot happen. I’d put Williams as the X receiver, and try to get single coverage. Hit him deep on go routes. It doesn’t have to be a slow-developing play. Just float it out there for him when the coverage dictates. I’d try it 3 or 4 times. Ginn proves over and over that he can get open, but he just has trouble catching the goddamn ball.
Forty Niners Forever 
News out of HQ is that LT Joe Staley has been cleared to play. This line needs all the help it can get. The thing is, most of the problems seem to be the right side, and up the middle.
20-17 Niners. Ben doesn’t finish game.
Roethlisberger has been sacked 35 times, Alex 39. Presumably, Ben’s mobilty will be limited so we should be able to get to him- but unlike with Skelton last week, they have to wrap him up. Skelton killed them after escaping sacks and Roethlisberger is much more dangerous.
31-21 Steelers. Alex doesn’t finish the game.
Speaking of getting rid of #11…look who’s #1 on the possible destination spots of one Peyton Manning. Manning in red and gold. Wouldn’t that be sumthin’. There’s $16M in cap space unused from this year. It’s financially doable. I just can’t wait to hear the argument in favor of keeping Alex over Manning. People call me crazy…
http://tinyurl.com/boydqjz
Provided he heals up? Sure.
Certainly worth a try. Get a couple WRs and we’re sitting pretty. There’s a lot of shit that has to happen though. And the fact that the NFL has a rookie cap in place doesn’t preclude Indy from keeping Peyton in Place and drafting Luck.
I still can’t get over that Raider joke job. 98 yds in < 2 mins. And the pièce de résistance was that they had the gun-toting Rolando McClain trying to cover the best WR in football.
So long Hue…
Why do you humor this troll, Chuck? This is the same dumb shit who had a fantasy trade of Dirty for Reyes and acted like it could happen if only we went along with his fantasy. He’s totally lost track of all reality. We’re not getting Manning and there’s no fucking reason to argue it one or the other..
God forbid we replace Saint Alex with an 11 time Pro Bowl, 5 time first-team All-Pro, 2 time MVP and Super Bowl MVP quarterback.
Go talk to the dog. Maybe Zeke will listen to your recount of how Alex Smith won the 2003 Liberty Bowl.
And regarding my “fantasy” trade of Dirrrty for Reyes. The funny thing is even the Mets called you up with that offer you wouldn’t have pulled the trigger. Who needs a trip to Fantasyland now?
Mook.
“The funny thing is even the Mets called you up with that offer you wouldn’t have pulled the trigger’ That’s the second time time you’ve repeated that lie.
Did you read the article, Twin? It’s some Indanapolis writer named Bill Barnwell.
Speculation? Sure. But weirder shit has happened. Look at Carson Palmer.
I said it wasn’t happening.
Correct me if I’m wrong but weren’t you saying that if the Colts draft Luck, Peyton will go?
He could land any number of places. Certainly there will be speculation that the Niners are interested.
No, I didn’t say that, I said he *should *.. as far as the Niners. I never said he wasn’t better than Alex. I said, AGAIN, that it wasn’t happening. That’s my fucking opinion. Do you have one?
Sure. That’s not the point, skippy. The point is, Dennis referenced an article someone else wrote that states a theory. To bust Dennis’ balls for it is asinine.
These last three games are huge for the offense, if they end up not scoring TD’s, it will be one and done in the playoffs. you can’t hide a poor offense. And no Dennis it is not all Alex’s fault. Dropped passes have been a glaring weakness. But Alex does need more practice on his touch passes in the Red Zone. Seems like he is always firing a bullet, when a little loft over the head of the receiver would do.
Scoring Predictions Niners vs Stealers
20-13 Steelers phil
31-21 Steelers Del Mar
20-10 Niners chuck
20-16 Niners snarkk
20-17 Niners twinfan1
Where’s my buddy Rob’s prediction? Maybe he’s still smarting after my fantasy team took him out to the woodshed this weekend. That was a battle for 5th place! I imagine the difference of finishing 6th rather than 5th can be very disheartening. 😀
6th looks good to me….but no sign of rob
34-17 Niners Kevin
Niners need to work on their scoring just cause they score two TD’s in the is game should not mean they settle for field goals the rest of the way. If they go up by 14 early and they go into the run to eat up the clock that would be a mistake IMO, they have not shown they can score consistantly in the RZ or any other Zone for that matter. So I think Harbaugh needs to put the foot on the Steelers throat and score!! Niners 34 -17.
So I have to revise my score, in my football pool, my numbers are 9 for the 49ers, and 5 for the steelers, so 49 to 15 sounds good. okay everyone get up off the floor from LYAO.
4 FGs and a TD to 5 FGs from Pitts.
19-15 . . .
Thanks Chuck, my brain wasn’t calculating the small scores
of course the score could end up being 15-9 steelers. but that would suck!!
Something like 20-19 sounds about right – but I fear Pittsburgh might win this one. Hopefully the home field advantage will be with us, and not with all the Steeler fans who picked up dumped Niner ‘fan’ tickets. And the offense needs to be productive tonight: we cannot keep handing the ball to RapeYourDaughter after a three-and-out and hope the defense will somehow make it okay. Even if we do not score each time, we need to get first downs on most of our drives and keep the ball away from Pittsburgh.
As for Peyton coming here, I doubt it, for a number of reasons. I would be very wary of tying up money in damaged goods. He’d have to pass the medical inspection out of Camp Guantanamo before I’d even entertain the idea. He’d also have to be okay with coming to a run-first offense like ours (it could extend his career a couple of years, but it may not be to his taste to do that). Then it comes down to Alex’s playoff performance: if he plays well and we win a game or two, I doubt the idea goes anywhere. If Alex lays a major egg and we do a one and done, that will be different. In any event, all that shit will take care of itself in the Spring: right now we just need to focus on beating the Steelers.
Grumpy, if Peyton came here, you don’t think Harbaugh would tailor the offense to him?
As they say on ESPN, C’mon man. I thought you were smarter than that.
The thing is, Dennis, everywhere Harbaugh has gone, he has run the ball. Everywhere. I have no doubt if we got Peyton and he was healthy, he’d throw some long balls, but the offense would still revolve around ball control running. For that reason, I think he’d likely think long and hard about coming here.
Grump, I guar-an-damn-tee you if Peyton came here we’d see more no huddle in the first 28 mins of each half like we’ve never seen before. Harbaugh may be stubborn in his ways, but he’s no dummy.
And if you’re correct in your assessment about Peyton’s availability banking on whether or not Alex lays an egg in the playoffs — you better be rooting for an ostrich egg. That is if you want to have a QB who could lead our team to his 6th Championship.
Get a load of this stat: the Niners have taken more sacks in their three defeats (20) than in their 10 victories (19). Ya think we might wanna try and block a little better tonight?
Man, I dunno. I just saw the clip of Big Ben “walking” into the ‘Stick. He still has a very noticeable limp.
Maybe it’s a very noticeable limp that keeps Chuck from scoring at the whorehouse.
Our ability to pass protect is still pretty suspect, and even without Harrison, I think we’re in for a tough game. Lamarr Woodley get get after the QB too.
Hopefully we can at least keep Chilo safely on the bench. That will help some.
Hey, Phil. I noticed out of all of the predictions, I was the one who predicted the most pts (21) for our Niners tonight. And I catch flak for being harsh on our squad and not having faith. Balderdash.
Uh, I have 34-17 Niners win
Each team gets a TD, each gets a pick. There are a bevy of sacks. The punters are getting cramps by the 4th quarter. Akers kicks 3 to their kicker’s 2. 16-13 Niners.
But we lose to Seattle next week. Meh.
I can’t tell how much of my prediction for tonight is based on not being able to accept that Harbaugh won’t get the OL/playcalling/QB/whatever to perform better and get some freaking TD’s. I am thrilled by the prospect of of watching us kick their towel waving asses. I am terrified at the prospect of seeing us give up 6 sacks and having Smith throw for 98 yards.
As for Manning, I’m with ya Grumpy. Extreme caution. For some reason, I have this gnawing feeling in my gut that if we DID get him, he would be a pale uber-injury prone shadow of his former self and he’d cost us a bunch that just wouldn’t be worth it.
Unitas in San Diego. Namath in LA. These alone give one pause.
If Peyton is healthy, he is awesome. But a neck thing is scary.
Three TDs, Del? Isn’t that our quota for a whole month? And no FGs? Really?
Your Ninertrolling is slipping… LOL
Grump, to be brutally honest, my opponent has Akers in our FF playoff matchup.
NO FG”s tonight! Just PAT’s. 😀