Hey, why the hell not? Youse guys already got it started anyway. And, I missed this by a day becuase of Wednesday night football? WTF?
Who do you think wins this all? Takes the divisions? All that fun. The cream of the NFL crop seems to be shifting some, with the grudging addition of the 49ers to the so-called elite teams. The Steelers seem to be fading into mediocrity due to age and attrition. The Jets, (pretenders anyway) are sinking into the morass of their outspoken coach, moronic owner, diminishing talent, and the unholy spector of Timmy Tebow in their not-too-distant future. The Pats were on shakey ground, but they seem to be righting themselves, even after the near-miss hail Mary pass that ended Super Bowl XLVLXLVII. Perennial doormat Deetroit is trying to force its way into national prominence, but in a situation similar to the Niners, are getting little to no love from the national media. Frankly the defending champ Giants have been off the map due to Rex Ryan shooting his mouth off at any moment, and Timmy (I love me some me) Tebow hogging the headlines. Funny, but I think NY struggles mightily. Granted, we got a good look at their matador defense yesterday (ole!) last night, so the NY press should be calling for Coughlin’s head by October.
Be that as it may, divisions like the AFC West, the AFC North, and NFC East and NFC South have no clear cut winners, and either all the teams are good, or all the teams are questionable. Even the dogmeat NFC West has 3 teams with exceptional defenses that no team really wants to come up against.
So, here’s my call:
AFC East: Pats (duh)
AFC North: Ravens
AFC South: Texans
AFC West: Raydurrrs
Wildcard: Chefs, Bengals
NFC East: Iggles
NFC North: Vikings (kidding, Packers)
NFC South: Falcons
NFC West: Niners
Wildcard: Giants, da Bearsss
The playoffs? Well, let’s predict those when we get there.
Forty Niners Forever 
Dennis, who is that QB the UFO Coyotes will feature Sunday? Hmmm. I believe his initials are the same as mine, P.M.
Darren Sproles will be playing, too.
Jason Pierre-Paul was being held and face-masked but those 7th grade geography teachers couldn’t see it to call it. Wait till the bankers come back.
I know you’re loaded for bear with Manning. And RG III is a total wild card. He could light up the tote board or lay a goose egg. I didn’t take Manning in either of our leagues. I figured I had to continue with the suffering. He didn’t sign here for real, he can’t play on my fantasy team as well.
But I still have two big bullets left to fire myself with Rodgers and Rivers. And when you add my pal Romo, that makes three R’s. It’s like grade school and the old reading, riting (sic) and rithmetic (sic).
I’m all about the three R’s…Rodgers, Romo and Rivers in Yahoo! this year. And I have Ryan and Rodgers in ESPN. That makes four R’s. Nothing but R’s this year. That should make for some great storytelling next time at Rehab.
Not a fan of Cam Del?
Fantasy-wise I think Newton makes for a pretty damn good option at QB. His running skills make him a big threat. He had a ridiculous number of rushing TDs last year (14). That won’t happen again, but he’ll continue to rush for more than most.
But as a pure starting QB in the NFL? Not my style. I prefer the Brady’s, Bree’s and Manning’s who stand in the pocket and dissect the defense like a surgeon all the while marching their teams down the turf like a general al a George Patton or a Field Marshal like Rommel. I appreciate strategy and the QBs that execute it like a chess match.
Not many pure passers left these days, the trend is towards hybrid guys it seems, like Kap and Cam and what I expect to see from RG3. There are exceptions like Luck but even he is more athletic than a manning for instance.
I expect Cam to settle down a bit his sophomore year and not rely so much on his physical gifts. He has a year under his belt and a training camp too.
Rodgers’s not a bullet, he’s a freakin’ cannon. Rivers is another choke artist, worse than Tony in the clutch. RG III is the mystery man. Will he be My Guy Nate or Cam Newton as a rook?
Defense, special teams, and ball control running game. I don’t think it will be enough against a great team like the Pack at Lambeau. But it might, if Alex can hold onto the ball . Akers was Dennis’ miracle pick last year.
The Pack doesn’t like strong pressure defenses. Keep it in the trenches and let Patrick rule.
Thanks for remembering that. I was sick and tired of Nedney and his “calcified mass.” Joe did a great job here, but his injuries made him a liability. When the Eagles drafted Alex Henery (who Berger and I watched at Neb. and wanted the Niners to draft him) I knew Akers was going to be available. I screamed from the mountain tops to sign Akers. Most laughed at me for being so adamant and vociferous about wanting to sign a kicker.
Who was our MVP last year? Thank you.
Akers gonna be the difference in our 27-24 win at Cheesehead stadium. Weather’s gonna be warmer there than at the Stick this Sunday. Perfect kicking weather. The better TEAM is gonna win but don’t tell Del Mar, he’s not listening…yet
Phil, I always listen. That’s not the problem. It’s believing were we part ways. The Packers are the better team. And it has everything to do with who’s behind center.
Better QB yes but better team?
We’ll see. It’s going to be a good game. Our DL is a lot better and if we can pressure Mr Rodgers like NY did last year we got a good chance. We need to beat them in GB and the league has given us what, 4 recent chances out there to do so. I don’t get it
Hey Crabby? Didn’t your Dad go to the Hall of Fame and announce games at Lambeau?
What do you think?
Yes on the first question.
On the second, I want to say we’ll win but I don’t think we can win based on last year’s formula.I think they’ll need to throw a lot. Could be wrong and if I am Denny will remind me often- so what the heck- 30-24 49ers..
My apologies, Crabby. I thought your Dad did football at times, in addition to his Hall of Fame baseball broadcasting career, and was lucky enough to call a little at Lambeau. What’s Lambeau like, for those of us who can only see it on TV, what’s it like?
The Packers are an excellent team, and playing at home. They *should* be favored to win. It’s one measure of the progress this 49er team has made in the last year that we can even entertain the idea of a possible upset.
My take: don’t get behind early, and need to play catch-up. That’s not our game. We need to keep it tight, hit Rodgers early and often, and score some points. Won’t be easy, but it should be an interesting game.
They are favored with the bookie and the press Grump, but screw em.
I’m not following what you are apolgizing for, I think I wasn’t clear- it’s yes to the first two questions. I was counting “What do you think” as the 2nd question. He isn’t .in the broadcaster’s wing of the baseball, HOF- he’s in that wing of the NFL HOF.We never lived in Green Bay and I was actually a Viiking fan, which almost got me tossed from the Packer sideline for cheering a Viking TD rather demonstrably. I never attended a game at Lambeau, BTW. I did work in the booth with my Dad for many games, however. http://tinyurl.com/9953ec5
Four Super Bowls (when they weren’t at first called Super Bowls) and nine (9!) title games back when Al Davis wasn’t even a phantom under Pete Rozelle’s bed at night.
Quite a legacy.
I knew you must’ve been hiding in the booth somewhere.
12th man asked “so you a military brat phil? ignore me if that presumptuous of me.”
Not at all Man. Actually my Dad was with Del Monte pineapple out of Hawaii; came out here after WWII to put the plantation and cannery back together after 4 years of
Japanese occupation and neglect. He was deferred from serving as a farm type due to armed forces needing to eat!
I’m saying 28-20 Niners. I’ve already laid out the plan of attack and it isn’t last year’s model. Take advantage of their young D and lousy corners to build a lead, and then get after Rodgers.
This game is winnable, but should they lose, I sure hope they don’t do it by playing it conservative.
Apropos of nothing except to get a free shot at Dennis I repeat: If 12th man’s prediction of a 23-21 Niner’s win- never-mind my erroneous reported 23-12 call- comes true I’m going to be able to hear Dennis’s screaming all the way over here. Right Denny? I love that sound early in the morning…
Not Tebow again! The problem with Tebow is he’s on a crappy team now, and he will make little difference to their success or failure.
Sanchez is already hearing footsteps and he hasn’t played a down this year. Whoever is behind center is playing with a cast and crew of idiots.
Yeah Jets are a mess. Worse D than the Bronks then?
Phil, it’s a book geared for high school coaches and kids who want to be a QB someday.
Not worth the money except for those lucky few like me who can read the actual quotes (not the ghost written crap) and picture Joe saying that (the guy used to party with Dwight back in my area in Los Gatos after ’81 – before Jennifer kicked his butt).
Heineken is great. Long live the Dutch!
Jim Plunkett from my home town threw 5 interceptions filling in for Dan Pastorini (Santa Clara) in his first game starting in 1980 before winning the Super Bowl MVP award in the first of his TWO Super Bowl Championship starting roles.
He was a leader. Knees and confidence ruined by the Boston Patriots and the Niners.
So was Tebow a leader last year, to a much lesser degree. So might Tebow be in the next 3-4 yrs. Maybe not, he’s no Joe Montana and New York has eaten better men than him.
Read Joe Montana’s ghost written book again, “The Art and Magic of Quarterbacking”, and read about the leadership part.
Thanks I’ll see if I can get a copy out here. Yeah, leadership. V. important
The Onion strikes again: picture + headline worth a thousand woids? Check it:
Dickhead In Sanchez Jersey Turns Out To Be Mark Sanchez
http://www.theonion.com/articles/dickhead-in-sanchez-jersey-turns-out-to-be-mark-sa,29389/
Tebow, he’s everywhere…
Our peerless pigskin prognosticators weekly scoring calls for one team = Our Niners. So far we got:
Chuck: 28-20 Niners “Take advantage of their young D and lousy corners to build a lead, and then get after Rodgers”.
Phil: 27-24 Niners “Cowboy gonna eat the OL tackle fer lunch”
Del Mar: 34-20 GB “In favor of the team with the better QB.”
12th man: 23-12 Niners “Field goals count too! 2 tds + 3 fgs”
twinfan1: 30-24 Niners “I don’t think we can win based on last year’s formula.I think they’ll need to throw a lot”.
23-21 Niners from 12th man. I swear I’m not drinking…
Ok, now I am. Red Horse Strong Beer.
Not to be confused with reddog weak shit…
NOW, yes. Red Horse Strong Beer.
Do not confuse with Red Dog weak shit…
Yeah, 7 FGs and a TD . . .
Lol. That’s soooo last yeah
Man that’s soooo last yeah….
Told ya I was drinkin’
Chuck, did I fail to forget my lawyer’s brother used to live under John Brodie’s roof?
I just thought I would mention that, because your blog and Skeebs’ were dead because of Peyton Place. Were you aware that Niners 2012 is starting???????
Niners-Packers 16-7. Defense. Special teams. Ball control.
Turnovers.
Niners-Packers 16-7. Defense. Special teams. Ball control.
Turnovers.
Got it rt
Same as Super Bowl IIl. Surprise attack. Kill ’em with defense.
This isn’t Safety Dance. It’s a song for Alex. As long as he doesn’t try to figure out the lyrics. No one can. Just like first half…………………………. second half.
Cocker sure doesn’t look like that now. Tempus fugit…..
That was 42 years ago, Nippy.
I hope the Niners D creams Rogers good.
Query: Is Dennis presently horizontal or vertical? Sober or hungover?
I haven’t decided which direction I’ll be going yet, but I’m taking Paul Lynde for the block either way. X gets the square.
Great great song, RTF. The skit on SNL with Cocker and Belushi remains one of the most amazing things from that show.
http://tinyurl.com/8m9lrv3
Or this one:
http://tinyurl.com/8f9myke
Belushi was apparently a huge Joe Cocker fan. This is a pretty damn good impersonation.
New thread is up . . .