Here we are, poised on the biggest game around these parts in 9+ years, and the comparisons to the 1981 team are a bit eerie. Beyond the fact the Niners are playing in the same dump of a stadium while some other teams have gone through 2 stadiums (hello Detroit) in that time frame is only the beginning. Starting with the owner, you have in Jed York a similar figure to you Eddie DeBartolo. Both are young upstarts who didn’t bring a hell of a lot of experience other than being the son of a very wealthy dad. Eddie got the Niners because his father was not allowed to own a hockey team and a football team at the same time. Jed got the Niners from his dad because Dr. John was an inept buffoon who charged the team for every bottle of water they drank, dismantled one of the greatest dynasties in sports, and let the stadium bond that Eddie fought so hard to get die on the vine.
The 1980 Niners posted a 6-10 record amidst guarded hope that the team was at least heading in the right direction under Bill Walsh. The 2010 Niners posted a 6-10 record amidst the crumbling regime of one Aluminum Mike Singletary. Walsh came in as an offensive wizard who made his bobnes under legendary Paul Brown. Harbaugh came in as an overachieving quarterback who willed his teams to improbable victories, and as a coach is being heralded as an offensive visionary who has done well in developing quarterbacks like Josh Johnson, Andrew Luck, and now Alex Smith. The 1981 season, very much like the 2011 season, started with a lot of questions, and a bit of hope. The 1981 draft provided the 49ers with a brand-new defensive backfield (minus Dwight Hicks). The 2011 draft provided the 49ers with a bunch of depth at important positions (RB, CB, O line), a starting FB, and a pre-eminent pass rusher. A huge key to the success of both teams.
Both teams started their seasons tentatively. The 1981 Niners lost to Detroit and Atlanta to post a 1-2 record out of the gate. At that point in the season, it was like, well, they could go 8-8. Wait til next year. This year’s Niners won a fairly pedestrian game against Seattle, and lost a close one at home to Dallas. At the time, I thought, well, we’ll be 8-8, but it might win the division. Let’s just keep seeing incrememtal improvement, and wait til next year.
The 1981 Niners then reeled off 7 straight wins. Along the way, beating powerhouses like Washington, Dallas, and Pittsburgh. The 2011 Niners did them one better and won 8 straight, beating playoff teams like Cincy, Detroit, and the NYFGs. Both teams finished strong to end the year at 13-3 and vastly exceeded the expectations of a hungry fan base. This team is playing with a highly rated defense and an underrated offense. The 1981 Niners were a highly rated offense with an underrated defense.
In 1981, the 49ers were the surprise #1 seed. This year, the surprise #2 seed. Forget Tim Tebow, tomorrow will be the next step to see if this truly is a magical season (and yes, even with a loss tomorrow, the season was an unmitigated success) for the 49ers that leads them and their fans to Super Bowl XLVI.
San Francisco 49ers Forever 
definition of obvious: huge third down play coming
Yes!!!
Huge momentum killer
Awesome catch by Tarell.Get some points out.of this Dammit
Shit, the offense is not capitalizing on the turn overs!!!
Pretty fuckin conservative play calling there.
Again too much time!!!
This is what I was afraid of, Harbaugh getting conservative. Go back to passing the ball down the field!! The receivers need to know where the 1st down marker is
Good first half, no way was new orleans gonna lay down. Niner ball to start the third.
I don’t think Brees has been harassed like this ever!
play calling needs to improve. blitz hot routes need to be there. they’re saying on tv that when gore sets up to block, they send another guy as well. well someone better be open then. harper is killing them.
Some how some way Alex needs to read the blitz quicker, and do a screen to gore or hunter
Alex needs to start stepping through this pass rush and running on a few plays. That and roll out on a play or two. The offense is sitting there playing right into these blitzes………
That was BS, the clock read 00
You guys are harping on Alex? Funny, I thought he’s played very well so far.
Brees just got dropped like a bad habit
That Gore to Smith pass was the epitome of “getting too cute.”
WTF was that play call?
Come on, supposedly the Saint are not good at defending the pass!! Those third and long passes for short yardage Is not cutting it
I am telling you, Alex needs to start running the ball a little. They need to vary and mix up these plays. Designed runs, step through the rush and run, what-fucking-ever. The Niners offense has no answer for the Saints pressure.
i like your thinking on that
Most of the pre-game reports I saw said the NO defense was practicing for one thing: stop the run.
Why are we burning a.TO there?
I know I haven’t watched a lot of games this season, but those Fox guys are so bad I thought they had Brits announcing for the broadcast here. ?
They do have two guys @ the ‘stick and they were raving about the energy of the fans around town and at the game.
Carlos Rodgers has been a godsend this year. Tebow would concur.
Jesus Christ. The Niners run the pick and roll better than the Warriors.
Not good, they are running and passing on the D! Someone on the Niners side line needs to figure out what to do against this NO D
you’d think that at half time the coaches would have changed the run game to take advantage of the NO D. Loving the secondary play o’ da niners
Nice, but at least NO takes chance with the deep passes. Scares the shit out of me. All it takes is one time to connect
Harbaugh blows a sigh of relief like all of us not giving up the TD there.
Niners Offense better get on track! Like RIGHT now!!!
Not the short pass
Run goes no where
Niners offense is stale
Defense NOT stale 🙂
Terrible play calling! 3 and out!!!
Lucky that ball wasn’t intercepted. Shoulda been caught by Kyle in the first place…
Doesnt Daryl Johnston talk like Rick Barry? Waiting for him to talk about Dr.Rosanelli hair transplant procedure.
Niners front seven is working them over. Justin Smith is one fucken stud
Our DL is starting to really dominate now. First Brooks, now Justin Smith when we only rushed three.
Man l bet a Fuckin Bull is even scared of Justin Smith.
Perfect time for video and audio to fail- too many people online in PI for the available bandwidth over here.
Following along on NFL Game Center
Now the offense needs to step up. Like I said before the game, Harbaugh going conservative and letting the d do the work
Gore yeah run the mother fucker on ’em. Score willya
that play by Smith was one of the most dominate physical displays of strength I’ve ever seen. Watch what he is doing in slow motion and think about the force he’s working against…..
Outstanding run by Gore there…..
Glad to hear D is keeping ’em in check. FG coming up?
49er’s football: torture
Giants=Niners=edge of seat
Unless you like seeing NO held to 17 points w/ 6:11 to go. It’s all about our D
Oh oh, thats a problem.
No pressure on Brees? TD natch
Fine time for Whitner to “whiff” on Sproles.
Give me short version of play by play Del, no audio, no video here
lots of time. time for alex.
Everyone knew this was coming. Our offense sucking big donkey dick, may very well do us in.
Alex throw over the defenders
Harbaugh needs to grow a pair and try one time into the EZ
roll out alex here
TD might help right about here
That was the biggest throw in Alex Smith’s career.
Explain? Oh TD yeah Del’s having nervous break down??
HOLY SHIT, ALEX SMITH IS A FUCKEN GOD
Wow
flavor – you’re the MAN
Now that was.his greatest run of his career!!!!!!!! Fuck Yeah!!!!!
Thanks guys yer really fucking helping me out here, pricks
Smith ran the ball down the sidelines for a TD. 2 point coversion try failed
Thanks, the regulars prolly drunk by now
Saints ball on thier own 22 with 2 minutes to go
I believe Alex audibled that 2 pt conversion into a run. He should know better, only one GREAT run (himself) per drive.
I was wondering where you were on that play DelMar. It may have been my imagination, but I thought when he called that I heard the NO defense echo the play call and adjust as if they knew something.
Some one needs to knock Sproules dick in the dirt.
Phil, your coconut went kaput? Your’re better off. I can’t stomach what’s going to happen these final 2 mins…
That 2 point play had no chance.Have to roll out for more options.
Denny may be on the floor close to passing out but he still got shit for Alex
These fucking announcers calling for Brees to do a Montana impression! F them
Are you fucking kidding me?
ahh, piss
Fucking Whitner again with the missed tackle.
See just throw it up there and let your receiver do the rest!!
Shoot out at the end. Low scoring?
Del Mar the coconut died. We’re down to tin cans and string
we just loss our feed. Thanks Phil
hahaha
Hell yeah we’re ripping off yer bandwidth over here
in honour of FH
WOO!! HOO!!
Holy shit im on life support right now,need paddles.Holy shit THE CATCH 3!!!!!
PLS describe we’re blind over here
Alex pass to VD over the middle, VD catches, gets creamed, holds on and falls over the goal line …. TD!!!
Sweet, thanks. Can’t wait to watch it tomorrow
HOOHOO! TD Smythe yeah!!!
THat was awesome. Smith to Davis is money today
What do you think of Alex now Death?.
Best game of Al\ex Smiths career
I DON’T BELIEVE WHAT I JUST SAW!!!
phil: smith threw a pass on the GL center of the field and Davis held on while being mauled by the defender for a TD. Davis was the happiest man on the field and the niners beat the spread.
One of the great playoff games in SF history. Wow!
How rank this one?
Phil, my dear friend, when you do see the replay of this final winning 49er TD drive, well, if you’re impressed with the efforts of this team and Alex Smith and Vernon Davis in particular more than I am, well, just bow your head and start Tebowing.
LOL, good stuff Denny. Yeah I’ll catch it tommorow when the circuits are clear.
I know yer heart is in the right place but it’s just so much fun ragging ya. YAHOOOOO!
Alex is not too shabby yeah most of us know that.
Final 36-32 real low scoring. Like Nipper n I said shoot out at the end
I called 38-31 so Phil with the busted internet wins the big prize. Uh what’s the big prize Chuck??
I’ll take a case a Tanduay given me druthers! Bring on the Giants
I had 33-31…
Ok I’ll give you a bottle of the good stuff snarkk soon as Chuck kicks down
Hats off to Alex Smith.
He earned his bones in this 4th quarter, in spades.
Holy Shit, what a 4th quarter, what a game!!!…..
Way cool snarkk, gotta love it!
So I guess we all just became the biggest Eli and G-Men fans in the world.
Bring the NFC Championship back to SF!
You mean Eli Whiteside fan Dennis? hehe
Kat, you know damn well better than that — NO Whitey!
I have finally peeled myself off the ceiling of my living room….
Alex’s designed run (which I called for all game) combined with his engineering of the final drive under 2 minutes, cements him as one of the tope 3 49er quarterbacks of all time. End of story……..
ps–don’t forget, he did ALL of this with today with zero receivers…….
How bout the decibel level? Blow out any windows?
no, I was cool. I punched my hand so hard I thought I might need to go to ER but I’m cool. Quiet celebration in the face of an epic moment is what stays with you forever….
Excellent game from the QB, TE and coaches. Fantastic
“cements (Alex) as one of the top 3 49ers quarterbacks of all time?
1. Joe
2. Steve
3. Brodie
4. Y.A.
5. Frankie Albert
Go back to your living room ceiling.
What the hell, NFL, ESPN all have NO head coach!
Good that will piss the D off even more!
Don;t know what went on, but I had a party here, and I must say, anyone dogging Smith has a fucking screw loose. That was 2 of the biggest most pressure packed drives in the past 20 years.
Good for Alex. Fucking VD had the game of the century right there.
Epic game Chuck. I’ll have to watch, listen later as the bandwidth crapped out over here.
Now about my 38-31 winning call- just ship the case of 15 year old Tanduay to the US consulate in Cebu, Philippines. I’ll make a special trip.
Cheers gentlemen!
Dennis, I’m assuming you’re nealing down now for a face-blast of the century……..
Equal time of possession, NO 72 more yards of O, but that 5 turn overs was the key
I have to say that the Alex run and then the pass to Vernon! Quite possibly the best two plays of game IMO
That game just put the shovel in the ground for the new Santa Clara stadium….
Agreed.
Yeah you tell em Vernon.It aint over yet,keep busting your asses.And by the way Who has it better then us? NOBODY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Brady is already eating Bronco burgers for dinner. This looks ugly already…
I believe Phil wins the prize for closest prediction score in his own little contest.
I just hate it when the commish or the guy running the football pool wins the damn thing. 😀
The fix was in.
Absolutely I had a chat with the Big Guy- last week? Nailed it!
Just following in yer masterful footsteps Big D,. Chuck will scream bloody murder and refuse the big prize…
there isn’t a team out there that this team can’t beat. they may not beat them, but there isn’t one they can’t beat.
walking around the house with a shit eating grin when i realize: i’m basking!
If this team had a good set of receivers, they just might not be stoppable.
The final score doesn’t indicate how well the Niner defense played. The Saints passing game is like a machine.
Fantastic effort by both teams. That was what playoffs are all about…
Alex ran the 2 minute drill as well as any QB in the league? Doomin, is Alex a pro bowl quality yet?
I’m still speechless- I’m so happy for this team that I can’t even gloat to Dennis. It does seem almost cruel, though, that after one of the clutch performances by any SF QB, Alex was still 1 yard short of that elusive 300..
I dont give a sh!t about his passing yards and neither do you. His epic run (which I called for) and his brilliant engineering of the final drive trumps any passing yard stat…
Of course DT will still tell you it’s all about romo, brees, etc. He’s a little slow to catch on but he’ll get it one day…
It was just weird. Of course I don’t give a rat’s ass about one fucking yard. I looked at the stats and it surprised me.
Just saw a replay of that Whitner unloading on the Saints back at the goal line in the first quarter.
That was a statement hit right there. Set the tone to get all the rest of those turnovers….
Yeah and Davis steamrolled Harper on the TD catch Snarkk.He is still seeing stars.
Harper is good and he caused us trouble all game so when I finally got the internet working again it was great to see him laying in the EZ useless. Vernon is a load!
Actually, it is time to point out another thing Dennis was dead wrong about: we just won a playoff gm that he said we were supposed to gave bought a ticket to. How’d we do that? Lqtm. Take dennis’s picks and go oppo— I had a guy in college who made a lot of $ for me that way…
Flav, I’ve been dead wrong my WHOLE entire life. You and others reminding and exulting in that fact is of no consequence to me. As they say, “tell me something I don’t know.”
As I said, it’s a nice arrow to follow— the other way. The thing I don’t get about you is why you’re so fucking stubborn. Why don’t you just listen to people? You just stick to your same mantra. Seems to me, you’d recognize you don’t know what the fuck you’re doing and take a different path. But whatever, keep doing what you’re doing. It isn’t working but it’s what you know, so carry on….
So are you dubbing me the “George Costanza” of the blogs? I take that as a compliment. George is one of my heroes…
I’m sorry the answer we were looking for was “Moops.”
Don’t want to jump the gun here, but IF the Packers do win tomorrow…something tells me we’ll hear just a little bit of the Smith/Rodgers draft choices back in ’05. Smith vs Rodgers in the NFC Championship Game. Good stuff, Maynard.