Well, here we are, after the ecstasy of the playoffs, the agony of the Super Bowl, the anticipation of the draft, the tedium of the offseason, and the intense hyperbole of the fans, poised on the start of the 2013 season. Beyond the fact that Dennis may expire due to the excitement of seeing Peyton Manning hand the ball off three times before he retires to the sidelines, this game could very well be a precursor to a game in February. I can’t stand Denver, I don’t think Manning will get that far (and beating Denver in another Super Bowl would be spectacular), but they certainly had their shot last year, if not for the epic playoff fail vs Balt.
But before we get ahead of ourselves, there are some issues to iron out in this preseason. Mainly who will step up to become the wide receivers on this team? Bouldin and ? KW is off the PUP list, but is not a bona fide #2 at this point. AJ Jenkins is still buried on the depth chart. The rest are either young, untested, or damaged goods. Manningham is still PUPped. Crabs of course is more than likely out til December.
RB is more than good to go. Gore is rested and ready. LMJ is strong as well. Kendall Hunter is hurt, as is Marcus Lattimore, but Dixon and Hampton are fine if unspectacular backups. TE is set with VD and VM. I’m curious to see how he does in his blocking assignments. The line remains pretty much intact. They even got perennial backup Adam Snyder back from AZ.
Defensively we get to see how the loss of Dashon Goldson affects the defense. Culliver is out. Eric Reid and Nnamdi Asomuaga take their spots. Rogers and Whitner are coming off fairly non-productive seasons, and Tarrell Brown is coming off a contract screwup of epic proportions. He may be the key to the future of the defensive backfield going forward (and my hope is they renegotiate a deal for him this year) as Rogers and Whitner will not return. But that’s a topic for another day.
It’ll be interesting to watch for guys like rookies Corey Lemonier and Vance McDonald. Eric Reid certainly will get a lot of playing time. I’m also interested in seeing Ice’s replacement Ian Williams up front. I’d also like to see if Dorsey can play, and if this D line can gain needed depth. That won’t be known for a while though. Preseason heroes are a dime a dozen.
ST? Well, the Niners brought in Phil (don’t call me Richard) Dawson after the debacle that the Joe Nedney season turned into.
Other than that, the Niners would be very happy to dodge the injury bug that raced through the team in practice.
San Francisco 49ers Forever 
It’s live contact play to win football finally.
Though it’s Pre Season, I’m looking forward to the guys trying to make an impact.
These games are typically boring, bland and, outright vanilla by nature however.
A kid I’ve seen a little of is CB Marcus Cooper from Rutgers.
Long shot 7th RD pick but, I love his size.
Kilgore trying to take the job from Goodwin should be interesting too.
Okoye? Major project.
Parys? Can he hold off the youngsters?
Just show some rhythm and execution.
Above all, stay healthy.
Please don’t get hurt…..etc.
Its like Gameday! only weaker. Still a big step up over which cap Kap is wearing.
Or what clothes he ain’t wearing. . .
Yeah, what a bunch of crap we’ve had to endure so far this year. Hope’s are high and all’s right with the world. Let’s play some ball.
Football is back! Well, sort of. It’s mostly the future Home Depot employee vs the future UPS driver, but they’re still hittin’ each other.
Preston Riley!
God will punish you for that. I’d go to confession if I were you.
Penitent: Bless me Father for I have sinned. It’s been one year since my last confession. I’ve used the Lord’s name in vain. Committed adultery. Forgot to keep the sabbath holy. I’ve even murdered a man. But then I went and uttered the name P****** R**** in mixed 49er company.
Fr.: I can absolve you from the first four offenses my Son. But you’re screwed with that last one.
Eric Wright was just signed by the Niners. Commence kvetching, Dennis.
Funny thing is, they got their draft choice back, and still got the guy. Although he was immediately put on the non-football injury list. Which means he’s drying out? I don’t know how much of a help he’ll be, but he takes the place of Perrish Cox as the 5th DB as Cox moves up the depth chart.
Whole lot of weirdness going on. Too many injuries and shit Got to come out of this game healthy.
Looking forward to some football.. Stay healthy please.
Hey! Good to have you back, Chico . . .
Thanks.. It’s letting me comment now..
Get some reps in, see who stands out for bench players, and nobody gets hurt. That is all you need from this pre-season BS. They should have two of these only. One about a week from now after a few weeks in camp, then a two week space until the final one. If you can’t figure out who the players are by then, the coaches aren’t trying. It’s just a money maker, and an injury maker…
That’s just it, the newbies and trying to make the team and become starters so they go all out. the vets know they are in like Flint so they just go out and play causal.
Three guys I’ll try and key on tonight…
Ian Williams at NT. Getting rave reviews in camp. Berger tells me he’s a 3-down player as he can rush the QB in the 4-3. We’ll see…LMJ at RB, and more importantly, watching him return punts. Assuming he catches ’em first. Been a fan of his since his first snap as a Duck. Eric Reid at S. Didn’t like the pick one iota. Wasn’t impressed w/ his coverage skills at LSU. But for the love of Christ, all he has to do is beat out Craig Dahl to win the starting job.
I am interested in see how our OL is after the starters exit. So far all I’ve heard is good things, if we can maintain a strong Oline I think the sky is the limit. i would really like to see the speed of the Defense with all the new DE’s and OLB’s. Should be fun.
Liking what I’m seeing from my Duck, LMJ on this first drive.
Quack. Quack.
He looks stronger to me, hits harder and not bouncing off like last year.
Gotta luv these pre-season games. Garbage time starts in the late first quarter…
Yikes. 2 fumbles in 2 series.
AJ Jenkins. At least he caught a ball, I wasn’t sure he could. Too bad he immediately fumbled it away to Denver…
Backup pass rush looks good.
Tolzein isn’t looking very good. Colt’s safe. FOr now.
And McDonald with the drop. He alligatored it.
Well, the backup QBs suck. Hope Kappy stays healthy this season.
If Kap doesn’t start a game this year (God forbid), we go 6-10 at best. And that’s being generous. And that’s the way it should be and the way I want it. Losing your starting QB to injury should be catastrophic. That tells me our starting QB is top notch and invaluable. The days of having Steve Young backup Joe Montana are long gone. What happened last year? We lost our starting QB to injury and actually improved. No further commentary needed. I would appreciate a slab of ribs from KC, however. That fucking mook.
Meh, it’s preseason but I saw some good and bad – the bad being Tolzien and McCoy. The good, solid backup D.. Jenkins looks like he has some skills but that fumble was telling. Wrap the ball up kid! Hey, at least it’s football.. btw, I’m going to be in your vicinity this weekend Chuck.. Heading up to Nevada City with some friends for some disc golf and lots of drinking. The wife was nice enough to let me out of the house for longer than 24 hours (love her to death, she rocks!)
Hey. They neeed the work. Nice little seam route there on 4th down.
I’ve moved Chico. I’m down in Aptos for the month of August.
Well, the next time I’m in the Santa Cruz area (which is every other weekend), I’ll buy you a drink or four.. Lots of friends down in the Cruz, Capitola and Aptos area as well as Monterey.. We like our waves. Niners!
Well, the 1st team o and d looked ok. For their limited time. McDonald looked ok with a couple drops. AJ? Catch then fumble? Wecome back to the doghouse. He may not make it out of camp. Moore and Osgood did better than AJ.
Next Friday is the first meeting of Alex Smith against the 49ers. Be still my heart.
I’m not concerned about yours or Alex’s heart. I’m thinking a bit north. I hope to hell we break his fucking neck. Alex has been the bane of my existence these past eight years. I Want Revenge. (by Stephen Got Even (A.P. Indy) out of the Argentine mare, Meguial)
“The quarterback (Alex) must go down, and he must go down hard.”
—Dead Al.
actually, it should be fun. we’ll see how it works out, but they’re pretty happy to have alex there. chiefs are picked by many to be a hugely improved team. he and kap both had excellent outings in the first preseason game. with alex out of the conference, no reason not to root for both.
I will be rooting for Smith when he plays the Raiduhs that’s for damn sure.
Pre-season ball what a thrill! The NFL should eradicate these expeditions at all costs. Even two is way too many. And get rid of the Pro-Bowl. Please! How about a mud fight between pigs instead.
We’ll leave the mud wrestling to you and Dennis in the back of the van . . .
You and your dog can come too.
I don’t think too much can be gleaned from that game. Lots of crap ball on both sides. Jenkins looks like a 5th rounder to me, not a first. Looks small out there. Did Baalke get names mixed up when he made the pick?…
CRAP BALL = Pre-season
Agree…
All I got was Jenkins is a bust.
So far so bad.
Although I guess the catch/fumble is progress over last year.
Yeah at least he got to fumble.
That’s one thing that sucks here. Without NFL Network, which I refuse to pay for, we only get Broncs and Cowboys games.
You guys keep me posted, and I love it.
423 Manchester. That’s the address to the Playboy mansion FYI. Don’t try going there without an invite.
Beats the hell out of the new swamp on my porch after I just got done cleaning up the last one.
More rain here in the last month then we’ve had in at least 6 years.
I’ll try to keep up, but the weather’s made it impossible. I’ll be ready for the season. I’m in training.
You can usually catch games on the internet RT. Quality is not the best but watchable usually.
Hunter is practicing again. Hope he is in one piece…he is important to the whole puzzle.
Tough injury for a RB, can’t think of an instance where a RB has resumed his career at the same level from an achilles can anyone else?
Let’s hope Hunter can.
Come to think of it I can’t name one. I strained an achilles once and it took me 18 months before that leg was pain free. Of course I didn’t have the care that a 49er does but nonetheless that is one badass tendon to injure. I just strained it, didn’t tear it. (I think)
If Hunter can make it back and perform…two things will be clear…he is a tough S.O.B. and…I should have went to a different doctor.
Makes me laugh, the Smith/Kapernick comparo is on and since Smith went 80 yds and a TD on his opening drive he was, by insinuation better than Kap, who also went 80 yds and a FG.
WTF, Kap went 4 for 4 and ran for another down, in other words he was perfect.
Glad Smith had success so far, hope it continues both for his sake and the Niners improved pick but give it a rest with the Smith is better than Kap bullshit. A) he ain’t on this team anymore and B) Kap played better than Smith in most categories.
ITS OVER.
OK so Kap went 62 yds but you get the point capisce?
I concur…Kaepernick has tools that should make him elite. Of course he will have to prove it this year, and I think he will, but each QB in the league has their own “something”. Is Kap better than Manning? Roethlesburger? In my opinion he could be.
In my mind his football sense, good health, fitness, and youth makes him “better” than anyone else…this year at least. Nothing matters more than the win/loss record though. I know some will crucify me with my own words, but I couldn’t think of anyone else I would rather have than Kaepernick. I say this while also knowing he has yet to complete a full season as the starter.
Reserve me a cross next to yours, I think Kap has a viable chance to be the best and I would keep him over all the other good young guns out there.
Pass the nails.
It will never end, 12th. Especially on skeebs blog.
Funny you should say…
Eric Reid apparently suffered a ‘mild’ back injury in practice today. No other word.
kid looked good for his first outing I thought.
Haralson looks like he is coming back strong too. That would be a big bonus for that Defense.
They kept 3 OLB last year, I think they keep 5 this year. Haralson is a heck of a backup to have. He is starting caliber.
Hampton is a bit of a disappointment so far. If reports are right his blitz pick up is sub par. That kid can run and is a load but If he can’t get up to speed with his blocking he is a gonzo. Dixon is playing good ball at the moment too.
Niners have their replacement for Soap. Ian Williams looked solid and got good push into the pocket. Don’t see Dorsey winning that battle but he should be a good rotation guy along the line.
Yeah, Williams did well. As did Reid. McDonald had a couple drops, but did pretty well. Didn’t really see much of Dorsey.
McDonald has huge potential, he needs to use the juggs machine every spare minute but even as is he looks like an even trade for Walker.
New thread is up.