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.
San Francisco 49ers Forever 
Gore TD run?
Whaaaat?
Well, that made up for the eearlier bullshit calls.
I tell ya. Fricking Bruce Miller is unsung hero of the goddamn year.
Wow. I’m not sure about that penalty. But, whatever. Nice misdirection/draw to Gore and good block by Miller to open it up. This is some damn football tonite…
Christ. Aldon Smith and Bruce Miller (and Carlos Rogers) are all fucking world for this team.
What a draft.
Culliver and Hunter…
Al-Don and Miller
Great hit by Delanie on ST. You guys know I love that shit…
HIT SOMEBODY!!!
MISTER Delanie be growing a pair, nice
Funny thing is, the refs have missed about 4 ‘leverage’ calls on the Niners. That one was imaginary . . .
Denny, you’re probably too hammered to answer this, but where the fuck do u come up with 31 PTs for the steelers who are playing with a 1 legged qb against one of the best defenses in the NFL????
He’s only off by 1 3(1) Not bad
Flav, no. I’m not too hammered to answer your question. Where did I get 31 pts for the Steelers? I pulled that number outta my ass like I do most answers. But that’s not important now. What’s important is that you brought up the term, “! legged.”
Circa 20 years ago, I was with my roommate in Sacramento at a night club. We’ve all been turned down by a girl a time or two when we’ve asked her dance…but not with this excuse…she told Keith she couldn’t dance because she had a WOODEN LEG. Needless to say my friends and I gave Keith a hard time. How hard? I went to our local lumberyard early the next morning and bought a 2×4 and had it engraved with the name Fred Astaire. Every girl he even talked to after that I called her Ginger…
Now start sacking the gimp.
Speaking of hitting somebody, inadvertently…I stepped on Frank in my bathroom before I turned the light on. He’s OK. He gave me the evil eye for a minute. But I gave
…Frank some extra crab and tuna in his dish tonight. All is forgiven…
But I’ll never forgive Alex Smith for exhausting seven of my 49er fan hood…
This just in…the other A. Smith, Aldon, ain’t too shabby…
13 sacks this year.
Our offense contributed 12 sacks of shit to him tho
I’ll give it to Cheezberger. He’s been operating on one wheel, and doing pretty damn well…
The turnover diff is amazing but I just can’t get over how the Niners have taken care of the ball this year. Outstanding.
13 sacks for Smith (A) this year
Tebow has 14
I would love to repost all the shit Denny talked about the Aldon Smith draft pick. I just don’t wanna waste the time finding, copying and pasting his posts. But trust me, they would be quite funny if you read them today. 31 PTs? Hahahaha!!!!
Zing, good one. Hey Denny is gettin’ religion on our boys (most of them)
I sorta thought he meant 3 (+1) but maybe not…
Well the EZ sure looked nice tonight
I was underwhelmed with the Aldon Smith pick. I figured he;d be a work in progress and he could show something in a couple years.
Good, bad, or indifferent, Baalke gets a major fucking gold star for picking Smith.
Yeah like Walsh did for drafting Haley. Aldon is more normal tho
When did ESPN hire ex-jockeys to be on-field announcers? Pat Sutcliffe? WTF?
Nice all around victory. The third quarter drive won it- then Aldon took over..
The winner of our Football Score Guessing Game is the grand master Chuck with the 20-10 call.
Good call!
20-3. I gave Pitts too much credit . . .
Fuckin’ a, baby. I’m digging this win. Like I said before the game, no one gave the 49ers a chance, so it’s money . . . Worthlessberger and his amazing comeback? Playing hurt and inspiring the team? Fuck that. Eat shit, fuck-o.
Love Justin Smith giving Tomsula props. Fuck. All the way, baby. This defense is fucking lights-out. In more ways than one . . .
Hyuk.
Awesome game, relieves the bad taste in my mouth from the season Niners went 18-1 with the one loss to Pitts. Naturally that was the game I went to that year. Ticky-tacky foul on Eric Wright gave ’em a first down and winning field goal. Heard in the game today that’s not called anymore (putting your hand on the receiver but not impeding his progress).
LOL yes you gave ’em too much credit but less than the rest of us chumps gave ’em.
Defense was nails, and without Willis. Grant grew some tonite. Secondary did well, those Steelers WRs can flat burn it. If they can go up and win in Seattle, that would be just huge. It will be a tough task up there, and a short week, too…
I think these guys just might finally believe they are on to something.
Alex missed shit early and often, but he came through when it really mattered.
As long as they don’t run on 1st down in the red zone, hey, they’ll be fine.
I think we win out.
Totally agree. Fuck the 1st down handoffs in the red zone, particularly on first and goal. This defense is just getting after it. Also second the kudos to Baalke for Aldon Smith. I had no clue who the dude was. Now, he could be defensive rookie of the year. The guy can bull rush, and leverage outside, too. Give him another year to learn and get stronger, he could be better than Haley…
Aldon = 13 sacks = 49er rookie record w/ 2 games to play. Haley never did that plus he was a crazy motherfucker
Chuck, note taken: We win out IF we don’t go too conservative on offense…
(To counteract that possibility I’ve officially adopted the Minister of Dis-Information’s strategy of second guessing and dissing every fucking thought Harbaugh ever had)
Could be? This game was the lock. Everyone watched this game, and he got after it. All game.
Fucking A. That was sweet.
OL rebounded. It had to. Huge.
11-3.
Al-Don.
Drunk. Must pass out.
Be my guest barley…lol
MNF, good team, going for the bye, best game of the year. ‘Night, guys.
Take care sir…
Just got back from the game….what a great fuckin day to be a 49er fan ! Beating Pittsburg was great…no one sat down the whole game! Loud noise fucked up their offense (line calls and QB audibles) and the defense IS the best in the NFL.
It was great to see all those towels being used to wipe all the Steeler fans tears!!!!
Great report NinerDog! Gotta love those 9ers playing their hearts out!
the analysts on espn are all saying they just watched the best defense in the league …
and patrick willis wasn’t even in the game !
Did anybody notice “AllDon All the Time”?
We have some great Smiths on this team!
Musta been a blast, ‘Dog. Glad someone here made it!!
You got any pics? I’ll post ’em . . .
Best news all night was ZERO sacks.
Okay Chuck since this was a great win, you need to post the score today, not late in the week!! Aldon Smith is is going to be someone special. I wonder if Pete Carroll took notice?? be interesting to see how long before he is double teamed??
Read it and weep, Kev . . .
Prepare to pound Seattle sensless. Niners have the resolve!
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