From the look of it, the Green Bay Packers played this game is if it was their Super Bowl. Kinda Like NASCAR in that Daytona is the first, and the biggest, race of the year. Well, sorry Green Bay, you lost 34-28. To prepare for this matchup, their first game since the last beat-down handed to them by the 49ers, Green Bay sent their coaching staff to Texas A&M to learn how to stop the read-option, they consulted with the coach of the Hawaii Warriors, who beat Kappy at UNR in 2010, and Clay Matthews had Kappy on his mind all offseason, yapping to anyone that would listen that he would “hit Kaepernic early and hit him often.”
Well, a funny thing happened to the game plan. Green Bay did an awesome job stopping the run. Well, they gave up 90 yards on the ground. A far cry from the 323 yard rushing the Niners laid on them in the playoffs last year (181 from Kappy, 119 from Gore for a tidy 3 hundy). Unfortunately for the Packers, they negelected to stop Kaepernick and newly acquired Anquan Boldin. Kaepernick put up 412 yards through the air, and Boldin had 208 of those on 13 catches. VD also pitched in with 98 on 6 catches, and 2 TDs. There’s a lot of whining from the Packers fans that it would have been different without 2 of their DBs Casey Heyward and Morgan Burnett in there. There’s also a lot of whining about the comments Kaepernick made after the game regarding intimidation. “I’m not worried about what people are saying. If intimidation is your game plan, I hope you have a better one.” I love it. Matthews yapped all offseason about how he would hit Kaepernick. Well, he had to resort to a cheap shot to do it. When Joe Staley grabbed sister golden hair, he threw 2 punches at Staley. This resulted in (!) offsetting penalties. Which the refs later said should have led to the play standing, and as a result lead to a 4th down.
In my interpretation of the rules, the original hit by cheese-dick was not a dead-ball foul, but a continuation play. That immediately should have given the 49ers 1st and goal. The skirmish afterwards is where the offsetting aspect comes into play. If the rules are interpreted as they (wrongly) said yesterday, then it is OK to head hunt the opposition QB as long as you get a retaliation fight. Then the penalties offset, instead of protecting the QB against unwarranted cheap shots.
Anyhow, back to the game. Worrying to me was the lack of pass rush that the defense generated. The 2 sacks were pretty weak ass tumbles by Rodgers, and he had way too much time to sit back was wait for Jordy Nelson to come free. It’s hard to fault the DBs for their efforts too much because of the lack of pressure, and Eric Reid looked like a very solid safety in his debut, but the tackling by the group as a whole was terrible. Cox missed what should have been a minimal gain and let it go for a 12 yard score, and Asomugha looked overmatched at various points in the game, but did make a nice play to close it out. The run game was pretty much shut down, but then again, that was Green Bay’s prime directive. Stop the run. They did, but they couldn’t stop the pass. All in all, a good day for the home team. Even if they looked at times like they were still in preseason mode.
Forty Niners Forever 
Yeah, they need to rethink that for domes. They had problems in NO last year, but it wasn’t horrendous, but it was getting there.
I used to drink canned Shasta sodas like water when I was a kid. I think it’s still around, somewhere…
There used to be that Shasta plant right over the San Mateo bridge in Hayweird. Had the giant rotating soda can .. .
What Chip does in Philly is what he had done at Oregon.
They have sideline cards that each position looks to for specific assignments.
Again, for me, with the noise level at CenturyLink, we should script some no huddle, wrinkle-type packages just to keep them off their game.
The guys are not going to be able to hear themselves think on Sunday.
I still don’t know how a 67,000 seat outdoor stadium can be so loud without some sort of sound amplification.
Be nice if their little Guiness Book of World Records foray brings some added scrutiny.
How sweet would that be if they were found guilty of 12th Step noise improprieties.
You are right, NJ. I remember seeing that at an Oregon game a couple years ago. Harbaugh just seems to be so stubborn as to not change his routine for anyone regardless of the situation.
Chuck it’s actually a pretty simple concept too.
It basically allows the sideline to make the adjustments.
I’m hopeful Harbaugh and Roman have something new to bring to the fight this time around.
Not sure hand signals help the WRs when they can barely hear one another in the huddle or at the LOS.
Maybe they can use smoke signals instead NJ.
Oh shit Redskins tried that Monday…nevermind….They got scalped.
Alleykat we need any advantage we can get for this one.
The Skins have Haslett as their DC.
He’s average at best and doesn’t have many weapons at his disposal.
RGIII isn’t going to do it on his own.
I remember little of that Seattle game. Had to look at the playlist. Yikes. Blocked FG for a TD, a pick, a fumble, and a lot of no defense. Sea ran all over the Niners that night.
The problem with that game is it was right after the epic Monday night win over NE back east. Short week, hostile crowd, and a tired defense made for a perfect storm of a clusterfuck night.
And losing J Smith.
Agree Chuck, short week,timezone changes,Justin hurt,his brother by a different mother Aldon,ineffective and hiding his injuries (bum shoulder) etc
This time major different…Seascums played back east in humid Carolina,got the W but it took it’s toll. Their OL has issues.Their DL,Newton was toying with on that 80yard drive.Seascums are banged up..49ers keep red& gold rolling..with big in your face Petey,win as Jimbo body slams your sorry ass to the ground after the game in his “Sons of Harbaugh” attire.
Colorful analysis Alleykat, hope it’s prophetic as well.
Yeh, not one of those games you don’t want to be reminded about too often.
A real stinker.
One good thing is, it’s early in the season and weather shouldn’t be a huge factor this time around.
We need to control TOP and not allow Russell the time to pick his targets.
Should be another epic battle for the NFC West Division advantage.
Should say, want to be reminded about of course.
Thanks NJ..Yeah never to early in the week to get “Fired Up” for this game.
2 teams that hate each other.
2 Coaches that want each other “Hung on a Wooden Cross like Spartacus”
Yeah this is a big early season statement game in our division!!!
Payback’s a “Bitch” Seattle and your little midget QB Wilson will wish he was the volleyball in Castaway by the time this game is over..
Would be huge for us to steal a win there, no doubt.
Just hope we can overcome the noise and our own play calling delays.
That’s the kind of stuff that stifles rhythm and kills momentum.
Niners will beat down the Seashits good. Book it Dano!
No team is unbeatable at home regardless of home record, just ask New England. Niners are rested and ready and healthy this time. Wilson ends up with one eyebrow Sunday night.
Squawks are setting themselves up for a fall with all this record noise B.S.
The 49ers have to be pissed at what happened last year in Seattle. I expect both teams to come out ready to hit. Should be a tough, physical game. Even with the homefield advantage to the Squawks, I think we are a little better. The only thing that worries me is the little mental errors, problems getting plays in, and other effects of the starting group being rusty. We need to play a cleaner game than we did against the Pack. If we do, I think we win surprisingly comfortably, say 31-21.
The early over/under on combined unsportsmanlike penalties Sunday night? I’d say 4.
It’s gonna be a bit chippy.
Maybe. The zebras could come out taking no crap and put the Kabosh on that real quick. If they don’t, then, yeah, it could get ugly.
I’m wondering how much holding and crap the Seahag CBs will get away with this time.
Stay grumpy.
New thread is up . . .