Well, here we go. A fresh start. Y’all may have noticed some missing shit. Rather than even bother trying to wade through the bullshit, I tossed the last 2 threads. Let’s not go there again, k?
Come on, people. I’m all for lively discussions, but let’s get real here. If you served, thanks for your service. If you are going through hard times, sorry to hear that. But we’re here to nominally talk about the Niners, and football in general. This down time for the last 3 weeks really sucks, and apprently the boredom creeps in, but really.
I guess I have to patrol this place a lot harder. Or just give up the ghost. I didn’t think I’d have to be a babysitter.
Forty Niners Forever 
thanks
Whatever you feel is right, Chuck. I have business to attend to. Then I’ve got to help my friends feed the horse before winter sets in. Do what you have to do. I’ll read you, wherever.
http://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play?p=taylor+swift&tnr=21&vid=&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts3.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DU.4691866024542226%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DVuNIsY6JdUw&sigr=11a3i273n&newfp=1&tit=Taylor+Swift+-+You+Belong+With+Me&back=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%3Fei%3DUTF-8%26p%3Dtaylor%2Bswift&sigb=11msllgdb
OMG.
Good decision, Chuckles. If the, uh,animal droppings post been deleted when it should have been, there would have been no need to wipe out two threads. On to football..
Now- how ’bout that Alex Smith?
I want to be “fair and balanced” ,so since Denny isn’t here:
“Have we signed Peyton Manning yet”?
You were writing about horse droppings and cancer and Champion Trophies. I really missed those posts. I guess Chuck deleted them. You were writing?
Please don’t tell me how to run my blog, Twin.
Well, hopefully, you figured that out yourself, Chuck. You expect no reaction when two posters, including your friend Craig, are called “bunny rabbits”. I’m happy to move on, but my service and “hard times” are not what started that bullshit.
RT, while you help Ma and Pa Starrett feed the horse, I’ll be talking football again- as I’ve always tried to do…
When have you ever written about football, Jack? Show me your posts and write Chuck so he can show me. I want statements in writing from qualified experts that you have ever written on this blog about football.
Steven Jackson has been the backbone of the Rams for years, now his production is going down and his injury rate and age is going up. Apparently he was able to void the last year of his own contract and will be a free agent at the end of the year. Strange decision given the market for an older RB has been decreasing as the league has gone more to the air. Niners have drafted for the post Gore years. I am amazed Gore has been so productive, I expected Hunter to take over the starting role this year. If Gore wears down he still might but Gore’s carries are much less so it will be interesting to watch. Squawks have beast mode and the Cards have “insert name here” behind the worst O line in the league. I don’t see the Rams beating the Niners in either game, the Squawks are very capable of beating the Niners in their pit and the Cards have become a joke. Looks like 5-3 at worst to me the rest of the way. Key is beating Da Bears for seeding. Alex has never played 3 consecutive “good” games. The first half of the season has proven one thing, he and the rest of the O are wildly inconsistent. Niners need a bye and to be hot at the right time.
It’s astounding that he’s the 4th (or 7th by total QBR) rated QB ibn the league, isn’t it? I know that most of his detractors hate Dilfer because Trent has always supported Alex (and been right) but as Dilfer has correctly pointed out, Harbaugh’s offense does limit the QB to some extent- but it’s not all about the QB getting 300 yrards in this offense- it’s about what Smith is best at- smart, efficient, winning football. Alex would easily have surpassd 300 yards in several games of the past two years if that was the idea. He’s 20-6 since Harbaugh took over- as his detractors harped on when he was 19-31- THAT is the bottom line.
That’s your bottom line. I want another championship. One season of playoffs and 1-1 is my bottom line. All the in season wins get you is to the post season, then they don’t mean shit. Giants went 9-7 in season and 4-0 when it matters. They won 13 games last year, Niners won 14, who has the Lombardi?
The point was that the losing record was *all* on Smith and there are about 3,000 posts or more showing that POV- mostly on the Insider. I’m allowed, as far as I know, to talk about how Smith has been portayed by most blog commenters, wherever they post. Obviously, the “bottom bottom” line *is* winning a Super Bowl. But if that’s the only criteria, he has a lot of company.
Now, if that inconsistent bastard could return punts, he might have one.. hell, he’s still young. Maybe he’ll get 11 tries and win one. Uh, did we trade for Mr. one for eleven yet?
You will get no argument from me about bringing in Peyton Manning. I was and even in light of his amazing comeback still am against it. The Niners as a team have strength across the board, enough to be relevant for the next few years. Manning was too expensive and too risky. It would have meant going for broke this year and having overall less talent due to salary cap over the next few years. Not a good trade in my mind.
Alex is an average QB, maybe slightly better but not much. PFF has him at 14 which sounds about right to me. Being efficient is a good thing and a vast improvement, I don’t know if it will be enough against the best defenses and history says not as of now. You have an agenda that Alex was good and you knew it all along, bully for you but the “I told you so Schtick” is boring. I like the kid and am happy for him to have success, it’s good he get’s some vindication. It doesn’t make him a great QB, just an average/above average QB on a strong team ala Dilfer as you mentioned although Alex is better than Dilfer ever was. Is it enough? good question hence these debates.
Anybody else see a couple of wishbone formation runs against ARI? And Staley shifting to the outside of RT Davis. It didn’t fool anybody but it looked like fun. Good game to put it out on the field and on tape for the opponents scouting.
Too bad we didn’t get Kaep some real PT in the fourth quarter.
Makes no sense to keep Alex in in a blow out either way. Kap needs the experience.
We’re all waiting, 12th. And the NFL is littered with dozens of ‘bona fide’ QBs that haven’t won the big game, and a few who did that didn’t deserve to. Jim Kelly springs to mind. Dan Fouts and Marino as well. Throw in Rob Johnson and Trent Dildo and there you go.
The point being, the process of winning it all is not an easy one. And the Niners lost a HUGE shot last year when they couldn’t finish off the Giants. But that is last year. I have my reservations as well regarding Smith, but at this point he’s the ONLY guy that gives us a shot this year. For Smith’s couple bad games, what? Bench him? They can’t. Cappy coming in now would be disastrous. Smith may not win it all this year, but neither would Cappy. What happens next year is anyone’s guess. The Niners may stick with Alex, or they may go with Cappy if they feel he is the better alternative going forward. Neither would surprise me depending on how the rest of this season goes. The other theory is the Niners stick with Alex and trade Cappy. I doubt that one, but it could happen.
The point being, we’re playing the cards we have. What if’s and all that are great, but until it plays out on the field, we got bupkus. or this back-and-forth.
Too much being made of Alex’s QBR. In the ARI game two thirds of his passes went less than 5 yards in the air and nearly half of those were completed behind the LOS.
Now if they had a stat for handing off the ball…
That’s an absurd post-like the comparison or not, YAC by Rice, Taylor, and others sent Montana to the HOF.. Those bitching about the AZ game are the ones who bitched when the receivers didn’t get YAC because Smith didn’t lead them right. Look, get together, get your stories straight, and present just one,OK ?. . And then we had the most absurd posts of all, saying Smith dinked and dunked in the Championship game. Really, is there an alternate universe where a different game was played? Smith went deep, Manning dinked our DEFENSE apart with 58 passes.
If the Niners get a big enough lead, we’ll see Cappy. But the bring-him-in-for-a-play-here-and-there days are gone, NoFear. Harbaugh found out quickly that teams caught on real fast to that drive-killing shit.
Somewhere deep down insdide of me there’s the spark of an idea that Harbaugh wanted no part of that Giants game. The idea being to use that blowout loss for future reference whan they meet in the playoffs. The game certainly wasn’t as important to SF as it was to NY, as the Niners had 3 division games following that one, but the spots they used Cappy in were strange to say the least. Sure, it’s a risky gambit, but one that Harbaugh may have thought would be a[ppropriate. Lose the battle, win the war.
Call me crazy, who cares? At least we’re talking football.
I don’t think so. I’m sure that was one Harbaugh wanted to win badly. We just don’t have the offense when we need it. We have good games against not-so-good teams.
I never liked the idea of sticking Kaep in for a wildcat play here and there. Even when it worked the first couple of times. I suppose you have to stick it out there and run it in a game though if it’s going to be usable. But, I’m talking about playing Kaep the entire fourth quarter with a lead like we had against a team that was flat.
We may need him to come in at some point and he should be ready if possible.
Chuck, are you advocating not having these discussions???
I have said all season Alex should be the starter and I still think that. I disagree with you about Kap, I would put him in in mop up for game time experience, which we should have done twice, instead of exposing Alex to possible injury. I also disagree with you about putting Kap in for some plays each game. I think we should but with the ability to really be the QB rather than the pre-determined runner or hand off guy, ditto with the pre-determined “throw it to Moss” who was triple covered. I also think the timing of putting him in should be better thought out.
If Alex gets injured Kap has to play. I’m not convinced the Niners can win it all with either guy but am no less confident if Kap is QB.
The league history is littered with great QB’s who never made it, that’s true, but how many of those guys had a team as complete as this Niner team is?
No I’m not 12th. Sorry if you got that from something I posted. Yeah, I think mop-up duty is defintely something they should do with Cappy. And I said just that a few posts up. My problem, which NoFear alluded to as well, was the pick-and-choose spots they put Cappy in that didn’t help him OR the team. That’s my sticking point with it. The mix and match shit ainlt gonna fly. Even if it worked once against the Jets. Or Detroit. I can’t remember. I think he fumbled in the Jets game.
As far as good teams that didn’t win it all, the Vikings spring to mind,12th. They had a top-notch QB, a solid runing game, good WRs, and an overpowering defense. Yet they couldn’t win the last game. Buffalo certainly had enough talent and coaching to win it all. Getting there 4 times in a row was no fluke. One missed FG changed their fate forever.
Yeah no doubt the bounce of the irregular ball has it’s part to play. It’s caused heartbreak and Joy many a game. We will play the hand we have which was set in motion in the off season. Commenting, going to games and buying merchandise is about all we can do as fans. I appreciate the time and effort you give hosting a blog giving us blowhards a place to show our football knowledge, or lack thereof.
Buffalo beat the living shit out of the Giants in their 1st super bowl, but they just couldn’t score enough. That was the one they should have won. And that’s the reason this game is so hard to win it all. You have to have skill in a lot of positions, a smart coaching staff, and a little bit of luck.
Norcross makes the FG, Buffalo is a SB champ. The punt last year bounces a different way, the Niners are likely champs. If’s, but’s, and so what’s, but the truth remains, this is a very hard thing to do, and to simply throw the failure of not winning at Alex even now is disingenuous at best.
I don’t recall pinning everything on Alex for wins or losses???
No I don’t see that from you either.
NoFear, there are very few ‘elite’ teams. One win or one loss to them does not determine the season. Is Green Bay bemoaning their loss to SF? At home no less? No. Shit, they lost to Seattle. They’ve moved on. Fricking Minnesota is hitting the skids after a hot start. Do they trumpet their victory over us as some sort of validation to their season? No. They are fading. As is AZ. Detroit is 4-4. They may end up in the playoffs. The Giants lost to the Iggles and the goddamn Cowboys. Are they worried? No. Chicago 7-1? A bunch of smoke and mirrors. I don’t think that team is very good. Any team with Cutler is going to have problems in the end. But the point remains that the Niner record is 6-2 against the very same teams everyone else is playing. The Giants are 6-3. They have a little tougher schedule, but whatever.
The point being, no one is throwing Green Bay under the bus after their shakey start. Or the Giants. The Niners lose to NYG and you seem to think they’ll play just as bad the next time around. I don’t buy that. Look at Dallas. They’ve lost to anyone and everyone, yet they are perennial Super Bowl contenders. Just as everyone buys into their hype, you are just as ready to sell the Niners down the river when they don’t play perfectly.
Well, 12th your 10:45 response to Twin led me to think you were pinning the lack of super bowls at Alex’s feet. Alex’s playoff record IS 1-1, but that’s true of Harbaugh and the rest of the team as well.
unca chuck
That’s exactly what I read also.
I would like to know why all Forty-Niner blogs can’t just move on rather than revisit this topic every week ad nauseum.
Negative posts about Alex Smith rarely propose a reasonable alternative replacement for fear of ridicule.
If you lobby to replace our QB would like a realistic replacement
If you read what I post Tommy I am consistent in advocating for Alex to start. Why does that preclude pointing out areas where he could be better or playcalling that would better suit his skill set?
No, not the case. The counterpoint was to Twin pushing the wins v losses record as though Alex is the focal point for the teams record. It’s a position the Alex cheerleaders have taken “look at the wins record, Alex must be great”. Any criticism of his play is viewed through this “but we won” lens. Sorry but I have criticised Montana, Young, Garcia and on down the line over the years, Alex will get the same if I think there is reason. I guess it’s how pre-disposed your opinion is as to how that comment was seen. Twin stated some record facts and so did I, that’s all, nothing more.
Harbs has been with the team 1 year and we went to the NFC champ game, pretty good record. Our QB of 8 years likewise took us to the NFC champ game. The why’s and wherefore’s are what sustains all Niner blogs.
I’m not a big fan of Alex as a QB but I’m not a hater either.He is up and down at the position which is better than the down and down we used to get. People who claim they always knew he was a good QB are full of it. It just turned out that with better players and coaching and a huge dose of guts he has managed to keep the job, that’s a far cry from being Mr. Untouchable with any negative comment.
Somebody tell Grumpy a football discussion has broken out around here.
The Niners are set up to succeed yeah, maybe 5-3, 6-2 in the second half. NFL gave our players/team a break with the Looong layoff in the middle of the season even if us fans got bored shitless. Players gotta love it. Last year not so much with the cross-country flight for a Thursday game against the other Harbaugh. Just a hypin’ marketing ploy to boost attention to the league. So the thing that we seemed to resent- the long mid-season break- could be the league’s way of showing a little respect.
The point to all this? Well, we are 6-2 midway through the season.
They are doing a little better than I thought given the tough early games. No, it hasn’t been perfect, but they’ve won the games they should have for the most part, and they have a little easier schedule down the stretch here.
So, 12-4 or 13-3 isn’t out of the question. I had them at 11-5.
Hve you heard Worthlessberger talking lately, NoFear? He bemonas the fact that his offense is a more dink and dunk style offense. Thing is, though, they are winning.
QBR is what it is. Someone trying to make sense out of the myriad stats in a given game or season. Like a million have said before this, wins and losses mean more than stats. Steve DeBerg used to be up there every year statistically. As did Archie Manning. Being forced to throw 55 times in a game is rarely a good idea. Stats don’t tell the whole story. YPA? Sure. TD/Int ratio? That helps. QBR bases its rating on more than simply yards per game. FWIW.
Fun stat, the last QB who threw for the most yards in a season and won the NFL championship in the same year? Johnny Unitas in 1959.
Huge yards=no running game=lose in the playoffs, it’s an almost universal constant. Who is asking for huge yards?