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.
Forty Niners Forever 
Beautiful call and execution there to Miller.
Miller is having a nice game
yeah he really is
Agree:
Man sez “whatever we all think of the timing of this change, it’s done, Kap is the starter.”
3 third down conversions on this drive. See ya Alex.
Grinding this shit out on them now. CK is doing his job here.
Nice inside call, ten for Gore.
need a TD cause ya know Brees is coming.
Yep.
Bad pass on that one. throw the fade in the corner, not that thing.
Moss got away with that. Why throw low with Moss in the endzone?
Throw the fade and let Moss jump for it. Not a good call, and not a good pass.
true dat, Kap blew that one.
Great play by Moss. Saved a sure pick in the endzone on a mistimed pass by Kappy.
Very frustrating not to get the TD after all that. Terrific drive, but not good play calls on 2nd and 3rd downs.
fingers crossed 10 will be enough.
I think it won’t. We may need to score one more time.
I tend to agree
2 score game, I’ll take it
better than a one score that’s for sure.
there it is … nice drive ! now one more stop on defense !
Moss got away with that OPI. It had to be done, but I’m sick of his ass. Maybe it’s time we finally activate our #1 draft pick this year. Anyone still remember his name?
A.J. Jenkins.
If Kyle is out a while – and that looks like the way it is – you may see him next week.
Unfortunately, you’ll also see Ginn some more.
kap is the man
Looked to me like Moss was running a fade and surprised because Kappy was trying to hit him short.
That’s my point, Rufus. Moss has played to infrequently, that when he comes in, he breaks up the rhythm. Not to mention I just think he’s a fucking total asshole.
Hopefully, Brees stiffened up int he last 24 mintues…
1/2 each?
Smith Bros. at it again.