Coming into the regluar season this year, there were a few certainties. Alex Smith was going to be the starter in SF. Sam Bradford was going to be the starter in StL. Seattle signed Matt Flynn as the heir apparent to complement the drafting of Russell Wilson. AZ was going to let Red Skelton and Krusty Kolb fight it out for the starting spot. Then the Peyton Manning sweepstakes roared through town. Say what you will about the 49ers, they got their QB controversy over and done with in March when Jim Harbaugh and Trent Baalke went on a ‘perusing’ (or ‘pursuing’) mission to watch Peyton Manning throw. Funny thing is, they were hiding in the bushes cloaked in their hoodies like a couple of pervs at the girls swim team tryouts. Manning never came to Sf and there were no negotiations between the parties involved, but that didn’t stop the rumor mill from cranking up to hypersonic levels.
In the end, SF was denied, saying they were never serious anyway, AZ was jilted, and Seattle figured they were set with Flynn. As it is now, well, shit is muddy. Alex is still the starter in SF. The coaches are singing his praises as having a full grasp of the offense. When this shows on the field is anyone’s guess. Sept 9th? One would hope. Bradford is the starter in StL. He’s being given the Alex Smith crash course in how to relearn a new offensive system every year for the past 3, and he’s struggling. AZ? Sheesh. No matter who they put back there, they’d better get the ball out fast. Their tackles were utterly dominated in game 3 of their preseason (and every other moment of games I saw). Skelton got off a couple nice passes, a pick, and a lot of grounders amid tremendous pressure from Tennessee’s base defense. Kolb fared much the same. Hard ro evaluate your guys when they are running for their lives. Neither had any time to throw, and were pounded mercilessly. Ha ha.
Seattle? Well, they are so impressed with their $26 million man that they stated this week that a strong showing by rookie 3rd round pick Russell Wilson could very well land the starting spot if he does well. The game isn’t on TV (live anyway) but it will be shown at Saturday at midnight vs KC (taping that one). You have to wonder how this works out. Cam Newton came in and impressed. But he certainly bucked the odds of the usual struggles by rookie signal callers in the NFL. Wilson? We’ll see. Flynn isn’t doing terribly, but Wilson seems to be providing bigger plays and getting more yards. If Wilson struggles early, then they will start the QB merry-go-round that works so well in the NFL.
So, if I’m a Seattle fan, I have to be a little worried about things as of now. If I’m a Card fan, well, I’d be in a bad mood as my team can’t block for our QBs and any team with a decent D line (say most of the NFC west among the rest of their opponents) will surely shut down their passing game. If I’m a StL fan, I just have to hope that Jeff Fisher can pull off a Jim Harbaugh and install a successful system in a short amount of time. Bradford’s a goodf QB, but you have to question his supporting cast.
All in all, it looks pretty good for the men in red and gold.
San Francisco 49ers Forever 
Hopefully we pick up right where we left off in the regular season- on top.
BTW Del Mar are we set for 6pm 9/1/12 Draft? Is that right?
That’s the scheduled date and time, Phil. But I’m very flexible. If you or anyone else really want to attend the LIVE draft but can’t make that time. Let me know and I’ll make a switch. I want as many as possible to make the draft. 6 PM my time. What is that, 10 AM your time?
9am ovah heah Sunday morning works fine fer me my friend. I’ll be there and THIS yeah will not pass up on the Superbowl winning QB to take Bradford, groan!
BTW, I have one spot remaining in our Yahoo! league. You’re more than welcomed to it. This league will have the IDPs. ID# 359698 PW is “Lott”
Dunno Del. Can my fragile ego take a “double waxing” in the FF woild? Let ya know shortly…
Oh shit. Autrodraft!
Yep. My days of thinking I’m smarter than a computer (or any of you) about football are looong ovah!
So Cards have the Team the niners had a few years ago, when Alex was running for his life on every passing play. Of course that was not because the Niners did not have a good O line, it was because Nolan and Singletary ran the ball on first and second down, so it was 3rd and long every fucking series and the defenses knew what was coming.
They look like dogmeat leftovers.
What’s for dinner tonight?
Peanunt butter and jam sandwich. Times are tough.
Yes sir Kev, well said: Cards are the new Singletron Niners. After a couple QBs get killed behind that dog shit line they will beg us to Please take a 5th rounder fer JJ.
Company man Maiocco thinks we keep 4 QB and hope to trade 1 for a late round draft, he also likes Tolzein over JJ. Maiocco is stealing your stuff Chuck.
They’re going to keep 6 WRs, 6 RBs AND 4 QBs to start the year?
That “nation-wide” search for a GM is really starting to rear its head.
Other teams will cut players the Niners may covet.
Of course he is stealing Chuck’s stuff because Matt M and Chuck are the same poison, ah ‘person’. This is jest a moonlight gig for Maiocco. Right Chuck?
Kidding…
Didnt sound realistic to me either Dennis.
You guys need a drink.
Always…
FF update: Both leagues are full. ESPN has 10, and our Yahoo! is at 8. Thanks to all of you who are participating. I’ll be dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s in the next few days. I’ll send out any and all e-mails with any changes and updates. Please be sure to have your CURRENT e-mail address set-up with either ESPN and/or Yahoo! so you’ll get the info in a timely manner.
Thanks,
Del Mar
PS
Did we sign Peyton Manning yet?
I hear there is intense interest in his services from one wacky owner in the Yahoo and ESPN leagues.
Fantasy is wacky.
What’s the fascination with fantasy? What drives this?
Competition
Camaraderie
Learning a lot more about a favorite subject
The ability to gloat when beating somebody like our esteemed blogmeister
A perverse need to get up at 3:30am
A perverse need to get up at 1am
Could be just another perverse need, dunno
The game’s four hours away and Peyton Manning has already thrown two TDs against our defense.
Not to be outdone himself, Alex got a head start on the game by having a nice continental breakfast — raspberry scones and fresh squeezed OJ. We got the right guy alright.
Del Mar Dennis Calm down. Just another preseason game so I’m not sure why you’re getting so worked up about it. Still two weeks from playing for real.
History Dog, history.
Dennis, Smith did improve last year, I reckon he is right around average now, if he improves again this year who knows where we end up.
Those stats about 13-3 teams not making playoffs are as meaningful as wildcard teams odds of winning the Superbowl.
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