Here we sit, the 49ers 1.5 games up on Seattle, a recent pounding of the Bears in their rear-view mirror, and an apparent first round bye if they keep up the strong play. The offense is clicking along, the defense has been getting tons of pressure (Aldon Smith leads the league with 14 sacks), and the special teams (minus a couple fake punts) has been getting better. All these great feelings however have taken a back seat to a seemingly self-made quandary which has the airwaves burning, and the bloggosphere absolutely incendiary. The quandary of course is the instant QB controversy that sprung up out of the concussion to Alex Smith in the Ram game, and the subsequent dismantling of the supposedly impregnable Chicago defense by Colin Kaepernick.
The stupid thing to me is this could have been averted by Jim Harbaugh. All he had to say was Smith is getting one more day off to make sure he’s good to go down the stretch. Cappy gets the NO start, and things go back to normal. But Harbaugh seems to be the one holding the gas can at this point. He has baited the fans by calling them drooling idiots who don’t care if they win or lose, called the press liars, and left it to his starting SS Donte Whitner to say Cappy was starting. Which Harbaugh then denied. Alex Smith’s status is still unclear at this point, although it seems that he’s good to go. That his health even matters is up for debate. Cappy played a great game, but it was one game. OK, 1.6 if you include the 2.5 quarters of the Ram game. Even still, based on that, you usually don’t make a quarterback switch based on a handful of quarters.
The point being, there was a whole shitload of unneeded thrash around the team this week. Now if this was Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys, I’d certainly understand the impetus to get one’s team in the news by any means. But for all intents and purposes, this is the buttoned-down San Francisco Forty Niners. The classy team finding its way back to relevancy and the top of the football pyramid. Not a grandstanding hottdogging look-at-us kind of team. Harbaugh is really alienating everyone who is a fan of the team, and has made a chilly press relationship even more cold with his recent statements. For no other reason than apparently to leave the Saints in the dark regarding who starts.
So, I don’t get it. I also don’t expect the Saints to be pushovers as some think, due to their poorly ranked defense. They show a bunch of different looks, disguise blitzes, and have been playing better in recent weeks, and are always tough at home. Besides, the Niners are the agents of a lot of their recent problems. The Niners beat the Saints in the playoffs last year in one of the best games in NFL history, Gregg Williams was fired for his singling up on VD in crunch time in the playoffs, Williams was then suspended indefinitely for statements he made (knowingly taped) prior to that playoff game, and the whole Bounty-gate deal.
So, there’s certainly enough on NO’s plate to want to knock the Niners off. Who knows? Maybe this is Harbaugh’s way of getting the pressure off the players. Then again, what do I know. I’m a drooling idiot.
San Francisco 49ers Forever 
Great post today, sums it up perfectly.
Phil is MIA?
Don;t know. Maybe the coconut fell out of the tree. He’s on spit and baling wire out there . . .
“I’m a drooling idiot”
Jimbo thinks you (and we) are.
Uh, yeah. Hence me saying it.
Thx, 12th. Crazy shit going on. It’ll be interesting to see how the game goes. Unreal amount of bullshit this week.
Good God. How bad are the Raiders?
Same old Raiders. I thought I read Aldon has 15 sacks but maybe not.
Kap takes a step back. New Orleans is playing good. I picked the Niners to go 14-2 but haven’t picked them to lose yet this year. Today feels like a loss. New Orleans 31 SF 23.
Ok
28-27 Niners in a squeaker if our good defense shows up.
35-31 Saints. Alex still manages to throw a PK 6 while sitting on the bench.
Got it
I haven’t seen so many missed FGs this morning in my life. Their success rate is even lower than Chuck’s at the whorehouse.
If I’m not confident, I prefer to not make a pick. BTW, just wondering-before Flavor’s pick has anybody except Dennis picked against the Niners this year?
I did – last week only, because i had thought at the time Kaepernick had not practiced with the first team. Turned out he had, after all.
I did too last week.
#49ers inactives: QB Tolzien, WR Jenkins, RB James, S Robinson, DT/FB Tukuafu, G Looney, DT Williams.
There might be a Brandon Jacobs sighting today. We could use him on short yardage. Having your QB sneak the ball ultimately leads to him sitting on the bench.
Well, as Justin Tuck said, he can be tough when he’s motivated.
On 3 or 4th and 1 in 2011, Jacobs was 5 of 11 ( a 265 pound RB 5 of 11?) counting the postseason. He’s been very unhappy here, maybe he’ll get motivated after getting activated.
The Saints are down to their 3rd string RT, Bryce Harris. Could be another big day for A. Smith. You know the A. Smith to whom I am referring? The one that won’t be sitting on the bench.
Miami may beat Seattle here at the end
Just about in FG range.
Yes, Squawks lose!
Steelers have 7 TO and are losing to the Browns.
The Broncos just won their sixth straight. How the hell are they doing that with Peyton Manning on the bench? Oh wait, Peyton’s not sitting on the bench, Alex is.
And you have both your thumbs up your ass as usual. Who made that call, shitforbrains? Why even post if it’s the same fucking stupidity?
Bears bounce back with Cutler in there.
Seahawks continue their losing ways on the road.
Niners up by 2. . . . . .
and a half!
Hey, he’s now 18-9 last two seasons. And wow, with one game winning drive in the playoffs, he’s tied with Alex..Gotta wonder what the record is for playoff one ‘n outs? He might get a shot for another- he’s got 6.
Falcons barely got by the Bucs 24-23, that’s becoming a pattern for them.
Need a win today, bears are 8-3 now and in second place again.
What a joy it’s been to watch the Raider QB this year- a real mam with a big arm, not some sissy Game Manager..
“mam”, LOL, that really *was* a typo. Tell Mammy Carson I’m sorry.
Thanks for the mammaries.
I always give thanks for those, it’s a rule.
The AFC doesn’t deserve 2 wildcard teams this year. Give the 1 to the Colts, have them go to Denver and call it the Wildcard Round.
Dollars to donuts that Big Ben will be back starting for the Steelers next. Say what you will about his lack of character, but they need him bad. But they’re lucky the AFC race for the wild cards are a joke. 8-8 will get the Steelers in.
How bout Andrew Luck and his Colts going to 7-4. The kid’s a winner, plain and simple.
Didn’t think the Bears would win that one, but Minn with the 3 turnovers.
Bears might be a little better than I thought.
Cold bear and munchies at the ready, GO NINERS!
Would that be polar, black or panda bear? I prefer the little brown bear. They’re the cutest.
You finished your Raider Buds yet?
“little” brown bears grow up to be Kodiaks and Grizzlies depending on their zip code.
they grow up grumpy too.
“Kaepernick made throws in that Monday night game that Alex Smith would never attempt. Harbaugh must believe that the team will be better — and, ultimately, more capable of winning the Super Bowl — with Kaepernick at quarterback.” ~Maiocco
That sums up my sentiments exactly.
“This is a strong locker room, so it’s not going to get split. That’s not the problem. The truth is there’s only one job. As a young team trying to prove their mettle to be Super Bowl contenders, I think it’s important to have one guy go do it. That’s why this afternoon in my mind Jim needs to say ,’Alex Smith is taking us to the Super Bowl and have Colin support him.’ If he says anything less than that, it’s going to be a muddled mess and people are going to have to work through it.”
Steve Young
That sums up my sentiments exactly.
If it backfires, Harbaugh will be second-guessed til the cows come home.
Frankly, I think this is another game that the Niners won’t win after seeing what went down this week. .
3 and out!
Great start by the D though.
no pressure lol
Naww I’m here. Good stop Aldon
Manningham???
Fuck Buck, BTW.
with a splintered pick axe handle, can’t stand him.
Mario blew that.
yeah he did.
Mario has to run pass the sticks on that route. Didn’t like the play calling. Too conservative. Let it fly…
That bastard. I clearly saw Alex tell Mario he only needed 3.
If you are going to give Dennis shit for his inane posts, you’ll get yers, Twin.
Christ. Give it a rest.
D is playing well so far
Everyone was expecting a track meet, and we just might end up at a soccer game.
Defense dominating early.
Still early.
Made up for his earlier screw up, nice!
Nice run by Mario.
Nice . . . SMith couldn’t make that throw in a milion years.
That’s the fastest I’ve ever seen Mario run. Nice YAC there…
Now that’s running a route
*That was a nice throw.
TD KAPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!
Now we’re having fun.
Tunderin geezus the kid does it again
CK!
Yeah. That’s right.
Long live Cappy. Alex who?
lol
Little early still for that. Anyway, we’re one hit away from the Alex Era, Part 12.
easy Grump, I just thought it was funny.
What the HELL is up with the field at the SuperDome? Man that is fucking ugly. That’s the worst rug I’ve seen since Howard Cosell died.
Did you see the sprinklers come on in Miami today? During the game? Now that was funny.
Did you guys see the look on Alex’s face on the sideline’s? He didn’t look too happy for his team or teammate. Alex is going to need more couch time with a good therapist than yours truly. “It all started way back when I was a child, doc…”
Actually, he’s been consulting with Kap on the sidelines.
T’underin’ Jaysus! Ya got that right 12th man.
Only thing bad about this one is the announcing crew.
I hope Harbaugh doesn’t put Alex in to soothe his hurt feelings and screw up the mo.
If it’s halfway through the 4th, I’m down with that.
Now that was a fine drive- keyed by the YAC by Mario after Smith’s, uh, I mean Colin’s dink to Mario.
Nothing like the NFCCG so far
Wow, passing the ball. What a concept!!!
I know it’s not terribly important, but I’d like it if we all could agree on what and how to spell the nickname for Kaepernick.
Kaep
Kap
Kappy
Cappy
Cap
Just striving for a little uniformity.
Starter
Or, we could just call him the QB who’s not sitting on the bench.
Get your track shoes ready, Dennis.
This is looking like last years playoff game
Whoever scores last will probably win this one
yup the meet is back on
Surprised NO is trying their run game up the middle so much vs our D. Watch out for some sort of gadget play later on. Shit. TD Brees.
Run and don’t look back, Mother Fuckers… something might be gaining.
Way too easy
they said the same
What is that, 54 straight games w/ a TD pass? The HOF awaits you Mr. Brees…
shit call
Kap beating the blitz well so far.
Hell of a play by Kap to get that to Miller, leading him so that we got the first down. That is not a play that AS can make. Required too much athleticism to keep it alive.
So far I’ve seen 2 plays that Alex takes a sack on.
Great job by our QB who’s not sitting on the bench. Avoided the sack and used his legs to buy time and complete the pass down field. Most inexperienced QBs would have tucked the ball away and just ran. Colin kept looking to throw. Nice job.
wierd play by Kap
what was Boone doing?
Now that one was on Kap. Got to get the play off. Now it’s 14 to go.
disagree Grump, Boone was not set so he couldn’t
Crabs should have caught that. Tough catch, but should have had it.
LOL.
Just redound the DVR and watched it 5 times. Got to make that tough catch. Crabs had both hands on the ball.
Got to get the play off, starter. Watch the clock. Did Crabtree drop that or was it behind him?
He stretched out for it and it bounced off his hands from what I saw.
Cappy put it in a spot where Crabs was the only one with a shot to catch it. Woulda been a great catch.
Oh boy. Love to see a sack in the near future. The crowd and their defense is doing pretty well.
I’d like to see Gore up the middle instead of these outside runs.
Kap needs to regain his composure, Alex will probably calm him down beteen possessions.
A lot different than playing against Jason Campbell
This just in: Drew Brees ain’t too shabby. That was a pin-point laser to Graham.
We are going to lose without a pass rush. This is ridiculous.
No push in the middle.
I was just writing we need to blitz lol
Nice blitz call by Fangio right there. Bowman came untouched and forced the intentional grounding.
Finally blitzed a linebacker. Got to get a drive going here. Run some..
Fucking terrible officials – that was about 7 yards short of the lone of scrimmage – it was a no brainer intentional grounding.
Fucking shit. Why is Ted Ginn still here?
I’ve been wanting to lose Ginn for all this year. Fuck him.
Ginn you fucking piece of shit
Fuck you, Ted Ginn Jr. And take that goddamn Jr. off your uniform. You’re not special.
Don’t se that every day. Pressure is paramount.
That’s going to be 7 on ST Ginn Jr.
Kap had better start scoring points here. The defense is not stopping Brees enough today.
Gave away 7. Get at least 3 back before half.
3 out of 4 drives minus the short field. This one could get away real fast.
Because difference between this year and last has been our ST play. Very disappointing to say the least. One more time, Fuck you Ted Ginn. You don’t deserve the Jr.
Ginn looks to run out of bounds just about every return. Afraid of contact and that’s why he is looking at the gunner not the ball, friggin pansy.
This next drive is huge. You don’t want to spot NO a couple of scores at home.
Niners get the ball first in the 3rd. Just be patient now, and put a drive together. And hit Moss deep if he’s open lol.
Kyle Williams back to return this kick. Well, he was back there. Ginn can’t go talk to Alex on the bench.
With the game turning the Saint’s way (through no fault of Colin), a good time for a nice drive.
Can Jenkins or James return punts?
no
Did we trade Vernon Davis yet? Catch the fucking ball!
Jesus Christ, VD.Perfect pass, idiot receiver.