Well, I’m hoping for an entertaining win for game 13. Mainly because I’m taking my son, shelling out some hard (yeah, really) earned scratch, and making the drive all the way to the house that Stoneham built. Yes, the Stick, the Stinkhole, the mudpit, nee Monster Park. Site of many many MANY football games in my life.
Last game I saw was the Seattle game on Dec 12th vs Seattle. Near the end of Aluminum Mike Singletary’s tenure. The Niners trounced Seattle 40-21. No contest. However, I’ll never forget the 1st time I went to the Stick for a football game. They had the ever-lime-green and deadly astroturf installed for the ‘coronation’ of the 49ers moving to Candlestick from Kezar in 1971, after closing the rim around the stadium, which previously was open in the outfield. They might as well have played in the parking lot for all the padding there was on that field. It was the Minnesota game the last week of the 1972 season. Steve Spurrier (the man who cursed the #11) quarterbacked the Niners to the brink of the playoffs but they needed a win to get in. All he could muster thru 3 quarters was 6 points, and the Niners were down 17-6. In stepped John Brodie, who had been hurt and had missed the previous 8 games. He calmly and coolly led 2 4th quarter scoring drives. One to Gene Washington on a 25 yard strike, and the 2nd being a post route to Dick Whitcher as time was winding down. Luckily we were sitting in the south end zone, where the 4th quarter TDs took place. The place went nuts as the Niners made the playoffs. I’ll conveniently end the good feelings here.
So, flash forward to now, and . . . ? Are we on the brink on another new age of dominant 49er football? Will the decision to start KaepernicK be forever called Harbaugh’s folly? Will it be his downfall? Will Harbaugh switch back to Smith if the Miami game doesn’t go well? Strange days indeed. And to coin a phrase from Mr. Mojo Risin, with a Miner 49er connection, weird scenes inside the gold mine. . .
Go Niners! And go Kappy!
Forty Niners Forever 
To me, the nice surprise of the day was that LMJ looks like a useful player. That’s good news. Hope Dobbs is not badly hurt…
I’m still NOT completely pleased with Jimbo’s offensive philosophy and use of the play calling. I think he puts our QB, be it Kap or Alex in a no-win situation on too many occasions. As a former NFL former QB himself, Jimbo should know better. His pride and stubbornness clouds his judgment. I hope to hell it doesn’t cost us in the playoffs.
THROW THE GODDAMN BALL!!!
Totally agree. Some of the shit today reminded me of Singletary.
As noted before, Jimbo does Singletary better than Singletary does Singletary..
Not very smooth though. 3rd down conversions sucked. No passing TDs. Penalties again a problem. Not all opponents are that forgiving of mistakes.
Yeah, we won’t win any playoff games with production like today.
agreed. This team is stalling hard at precisely the wrong time. Hopefully we turn it around starting next week. We have to.
well, we got lucky with some dumbshit play by Miami. Kap’s run saved him from a below average performance today. I’ve said they should run Kap more not less and they finally started doing it near the end of the game. It’s stupid to NOT run plays that he excels at. He’s a runner, probably the best running QB in the league besides Bobby Griffin. And if he gets hurt who cares? We have an elite QB ready to take the reigns……..
Are you calling Alex Smith an “elite QB?”
What time do you open up at the Punch Line? You’re one funny motherfucker. Alex Smith an elite quarterback? Rodney Dangerfield and Mel Brooks are shaking their heads and looking for the nearest ledge to take their best Greg Louganis dive. I’ve patterned my comedy and have had the pleasure of meeting those two comedic geniuses in my lifetime. I know my drunken ass told those stories a time or two or six or seven here on the blogs. I’ll spare everyone tonight. Think of Mark Roth picking up the 7-10 split. That was one helluva spare pickup.
yes, I’m calling him an elite quarterback if you’re talking top 7 in the league. And I’d put him ahead of everyone except Rodgers, Bobby Griffin, Luck, Brady, Both the Manning’s and Brees.
so, 8th. And yes, I would call 8th elite.
Harbaugh is just playing it as he always has. As long as Kap avoids mistakes, as he has so far, they have a good shot in the postseason.
I agree that LMJ was impressive. And loved how Dixon pounded it on his carries.
Harbaugh wants to pound it on the ground, low risk passing, tough defense. He think Kap adds explosiveness. He’s shown flashes of that but mostly it’s been the no mistake part that’s carried the day. And at 3-1 as a starter, I’m not bitching about it.
made some sort of DJLoo contact today. CHeck out The Flap if you want more info……..
Clever if false. Funny tho
I want a show of hands. Who still thinks Alex should be our QB?
after the last couple of below average QB performances, aside from his running td, I don’t support the QB change. So if you’re asking for a show of hands, you can count my middle finger directed towards you as a *yea*.
Now, if they are going to start running Kap more then I would change my vote to a *nay* because I think that’s clearly the best part of his game and if they’re gonna start utilizing that strength then I’m supportive of continuing to play him.
Otherwise, it’s time to go back to the BETTER quarterback……..
Im all in for Kappy.He makes this team more dervisifed.Crabtree stats alone with.
9 catches today proves who gets the most production out of him.They have great chemistry going right now and he is the #1go to guy and will be All-pro and play in the pro-bowl IMO…
Crabtree was Smith’s go to guy as as well. You Smaters always pick the guy with the most catches in a game and pretend they’ve been freed, It’s bullshit, of course.What happened to VD? Wasn’t he the guy? 3 catches for 19 yards in the last 3 games. I think he be back in the joint…it’s cool to be behind Kap, he’s been fine. But he hasn’t proven he gets the most out of anybody.
Shit, if we are just talking about passing, then it has been unequivocally proven that Kap has been WORSE than Alex. If you look at their last 2 games here are the passing stats:
Kap: 39 of 55 for 393 yards, no TDs no INT’s
Smith: 25 for 27 for 304 yards 4td’s no INT’s
Now, as Twin said and anyone with a brain can’t disagree with this: If you are replacing the QB who led your team to a 20-6 record, you HAVE to replace him with someone who is at least BETTER than him. Aside from the running plays that he doesn’t do enough of, it’s impossible to argue that Kap has been a better passer than Smith over these last two games……..
Although it obviously can’t be proven, I think they have the same record with either. Offensively, they aren’t scoring better than they were with Smith- 8 offensive TDs in Kap’s 4 starts.The next games will be a real test for Kap and the team.
LMJ is the real deal. If the play calling is going to stay like this they should put Alex back in, he is more efficient in this scheme.
The LMJ shit makes no sense to me. It can’t just be about his blocking, can it? I watched this cat run wild in his college career and have posted here more than once that he is the fastest running back I’ve ever seen play. Jacobs is pitching a bitch-fit on twitter and I can understand his frustration but I also get why he’s not playing–other guys are better.
And while I can dig Kendall Hunter playing in front of LMJ because of his experience and blocking abilities, it doesn’t make any sense to me why LMJ wasn’t activated last week when Hunter wasn’t playing and we could have used him v the Lambs.
I emailed Chuck my question about the open/covered receivers downfield when Kap is staring and staring. Are the open? Are the covered? Without the benefit of watching the field during the play, we don’t know.
Hopefully, he wasn’t too drunk to determine this. 🙂
We’ll have the coaches film Tuesday in either case and can analyze any and every play in question.
Somehow I think only a negative answer will satisfy though.
they make the coaches film available to the public? Huh, didn’t know that. Do they also forward the playbook to the opposing team the week before they play them?
I’d trust Chuck’s perspective on this WAY before I’d trust the double-talk-no-talk of Harbaugh…….
Colin Kaepernick has posted a QBR of 70+ in three consecutive starts, a feat that Alex Smith never accomplished in the past five seasons. Over that three-game span, Kaepernick’s +10.7 is the highest QB grade handed out by Pro Football Focus. NFL Films analyst Greg Cosell insists Kaepernick “did not play poorly by any stretch” in the loss at St. Louis. In other words, don’t listen to any of the talking heads second-guessing one of the smartest coaching staffs in the NFL.
Others disagree with Cosell, of course. And ESPN has confessed to a flaw in their rating system that doesn’t penalize a clusterfuck like Kap’s “Pitch to Nowhere”. But never mind- the decision to sit Smith was wrongo and sitting Kap would be just as wrong.Benching TWO QBs who did nothing to lose their jobs might be an unheard of “two-fer”.
You keep saying Kaep is worse than Alex but you won’t quantify it. As a way, I suppose, to keep your argument alive regardless of how it goes with Kaep starting.
Kaep is 3-1 W-L,
133,91,84,100 – QBR
98,72,82,64 – Total QBR
What’s worse about it?
You insist on belittling Kaep’s playing even while claiming you’re being complimentary and rooting for him. What’s your deal?
I already *qualified* it in an earlier post. Strictly from as passing standpoint, over the last 2 games, it’s not even close. Smith was better……
That’s cherry-picking. If you want to cherry-pick though, Alex posted a QBR of 24.8 and 35.3 in weeks 6 and 7. When Kaep stinks it up that bad for two games in a row then he’ll be on the ‘take the bench’ watch, too.
Find four consecutive games where Smith has bettered Kaep for the group. I already posted there haven’t been three and Kaep didn’t hurt his cause today.
Fear is suddenly a stat geek. But what’s hilariously and pathetically hypocritical is that by his professed standard where if QB play is criticized, one must be rooting against the QB and therefore the team, he’s been rooting against the Niners for years…
Just as the sun will come up in the AM fan1 reverts to the whining little weasel bullshit. I’ve been saying for years that Alex Smith sucks. He does. That’s not the same as rooting against the team you ignorant asshole.
And quit being such an infantile crybaby. When you’re wrong, you’re wrong. Learn to deal with not being omniscient without crying so much.
Shut your racist ass up.Kap has received totally fair critcism and totally fair praise. But the wisdom of the switch is hardly proven either way.You’re such a dumb fuck you don’t even realize his QB rating is lower than Smith’s.
And yes., by your standard as you apply it any criticism at all towards Kap, you have been rooting against your team.
Actually, I don’t think Kap has received a fair criticism at all. He’s not moving the ball (unless he’s running it) or scoring points. He hasn’t thrown a td pass in 2 straight games. How many of the Smith haters would be pleased with 0 td throws in two straight games? And yet there wasn’t a peep out of any of you about it—just a bunch of panty-wringing about *bad schemes*. Haha, what a joke…….
I didn’t say the switch was wrong, Kap has tools Smith doesn’t. I said “in this scheme”. I don’t see the point in playing inside 20yds with Kap. Smith is as good as it gets if that’s what you want from your offense. The notion that nobody is open deep is crap. They will be open if you scheme them open. Niners are not, they are scheming to keep 2 outlet guys inside of 20 yds of LOS so nobody gets open deep with a safety over the top.
Handcuffing Kap is not opening the offense.
LMJ is as electric as he was in college, criminal if is not utilized going forward.
discussing passing stats for a quarterback is cherry picking? Good to know where you’re at with that dumb ass argument and good night to you……..
Hope you had a great day today Chuck. A lot more fun taking kids to a winning game!
and what a day it was. Fantastic weather for this time of year. If you coulda guaranteed me that I could have gotten out of the parking lot in an hour I would have gone to the game, too.
But something tells me CHuck is still sitting in his car…… 🙂
Been there done that many a day! I hate leaving San Francisco, lets hope they figure the traffic shit out at least.
In the new stadium
I think the tenor of the prevailing anti-Smith argument was best displayed by Denny with his Smith sucks cock comment..
I’d love for Fear to point out one these monstrously unfair comments I made about Kap’s perfomance today. Saying he was quietly having a good game? Saying it’s was his best since Chicago? Saying Moss should have had the bomb?
Fact is, no one has been unfair about evaluating Kap. Certainly nothing will ever rival trashing Smith after the AZ game..
I agree with all of this and just posted something about it a few posts up. Kap had a great run today (as he did last week) but what is he doing as the quarterback of the team to lead them? He’s doing a lot of *staring* downfield and he’s bailing out when there’s some pressure (and then throwing the ball out of bounds).
But he really isn’t doing a lot of that weird thing a qb is supposed to do. Like, actually pass the ball and throw touchdowns.
I know, I know, *bad schemes*—they’re a conundrum, ain’t they?
I feel confident he isn’t throwing into those small windows he naturally would because of what he is told.
It’s weird that Flavor is making the most damning criticism of Kap and Fear goes postal on my ass.
Kap makes good “safe” decisions now. Except for the big run you could have changed the shirt from 7 to 11 and not skipped a beat. This co-ordinator has tamed his instincts down to the level that I don’t understand what the point of the QB change was. I am not saying wing it all day but 2 games in a row and all inside 20 yds.
3 games..I don’t have a problem with them playing the way they have with Smith- it kinda frigging works. Kap has been a fine game manager
So what was the point of the switch?
well, we’ll see about those open (or closed) passing lanes when Chuck checks in. I mean, he’s got to get out of the parking lot first.
Chuck, my two questions for you are 1) did Kap miss any open receivers when he had time to throw and 2) How many days did it take you to get out of the Candlestick parking lot?
I’ll take your answers some time next week……
What I am saying Flav is not that Kap is missing deep open receivers geneally, but that the scheme is so conservative there are little to no deep open receivers.
I would put LMJ in the slot and Gore in the backfield with Moss and Crabs. If 3 wides put AJ in.
I’d consider it pretty much a given that Brady will be throwing and Kap will have to. Easily his biggest test so far.