Game 2 of the pretty rough 5 game start to this season is coming to you (like a lot of Niner games this year) in prime time, Sunday Night. I guess this means I need to tape Breaking Bad. Anyhow, Seattle escaped from the steaming cauldron that is Carolina in September with a fugly win punctuated by the Panthers beating the Seahawks all over the field. Marshawn Lynch had an uncharacteristically quiet day. Gaining only 43 yards. The Seattle run game was shut down. Russell Wilson passed for 320, but only scored once as he fumbled on the Carolina 18 right before the close of the 1st half to kill their drive and close the half down 7-3. The killer turnover however goes to DeAngelo Williams, who had a sweet 16 yard run down to the Seahawk 8 yard line ruined by a fumble. This was with 5+ minutes left, and would have put Carolina up 14-12, and could have provided the margin of victory.
Anyhow, Seattle looked like a team tired from travel, and playing in a hostile, hot, sweaty, and humid environment. Much like the last time these two teams met. The 49ers were coming off a hugely emotional win near Rhode Island on a Monday night, one where the Niners squandered a 31-10 lead, only to regain the lead in the closing minutes for a 41-34 win. Lost in the amazing come-from-ahead victory was the fact that the defense was on the field for 65 plays in the 2nd half! The Niners offense stalled out for nearly all the 2nd half as NE closed the gap. Justin Smith also suffered a torn triceps early in the 2nd half to slow down the defense even more. So, they travel to Seattle on a short week, battered bruised, and spent. And proceed to get slaughtered like the proverbial lamb to the uh, slaughter.
I think we can throw the results from both these games out. One can easily imagine that the Seahawks overlooked Carolina in their zeal to avenge whatever Pete the cheat is spewing in his locker room to his players. Lots of bulletin board fodder during the offseason for this game as well. Pete’s team getting busted for PED use, St. Jimmy’s reaction to that. Seattle’s reaction to THAT. Talk of strangling, cheating, drinking, fighting and the usual banter. Fortunately, the game is nigh, and the talk seems to be down to barely a whisper as I’m sure both coaches put a gag order on players talking to the media. Well, the only talk recently is the bet between Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick regarding their eyebrows. As in, the loser shaves one of their eyebrows off. Weird? Sure. Kappy did say this regarding the wipeout last year: “We’re going up there to prove that’s not who we are.” So, which is it? Seattle’s run offense is suddenly kaput? The Niners run offense? Neither did much of anything their 1st games. the Niner defense didn’t give very much pressure to Aaron Rodgers, and he isn’t reminding anyone of Michael Vick. Although he does move well (pretty fly for a white guy). Wilson? He threw the ball all over the place but didn’t score near enough. Kappy merely had the best game of his life. 400+, 3 TDs, 0 picks. Things not seen since, *ahem* Joe Montana roamed the loam of the Stick.
Hard to make anything of these teams as they are so close to the preseason, and both looked inept in certain phases. You have to think, though, that both coaches have this game as a marker. Both these teams are seen as bona fide Super Bowl contenders. Both want to make the early statement. Both want to win the NFC West. The good news for the 49ers is that the early game is in Seattle, the December 8th game is in SF. My thought is these guys merely cancel each other out. Seattle wins a squeaker 21-20, and we return the favor by beating the shit out of them at home. I rarely pick agaisnt the Niners, but this time around, I think the fact that the 49ers didn’t play their starters much in the preseason comes back to haunt them with false starts, delay-of-game penalties, and a costly turnover.
Forty Niners Forever 
Dennis’ chin must be on the sawdust floor about now somewhere.
Reruns already, Nip? You said that last week.
WOOF!
Wow. 12th, here’s the line: Seattle gets 3 points. Which is the home team bump. 44.5 being the O/U.
Shit, if I was a betting man I’d bet the Niners to cover and go under. These are 2 pretty strong defenses.
What I expected Chuck. I figure it’s a toss up game and by no means a gimme for the Squawks.
If I was a betting man I would take the Niners and the over. A score or 2 on defense would not surprise me.
Mathews $15k fine.
pocket money
In his own defense Matthews declares himself an awesome player not a dirty player
League doesn’t seem to agree with him.
The punches shoulda earned him a suspension. Like someone somewhere said, if that was Brady or Manning who was clotheslined by, say Aldon Smith, he’d be facing a 2 game suspension and a $50,000 fine, if not more.
I said something like it about Brady on the last thread and it’s true. His roid rage coupled with a premeditated intent to tackle Kap hard when not throwing, in his own words, during the run up to the game should have created a suspension of a game or 2.
Sour grapes? Not really, Mathews said he would do it and he did, illegally out of bounds and threw punches at Staley in his rage. 15k was not justice.
Yeah, at the time, I was livid, for the reasons I gave when it happened. The late hit should have been an automatic 1st down. The rest should have offset. Well, Mathews should have been given 2 penalties and ejected. The fines/suspensions should have been later.
The original hit wasn’t a dead ball foul. Otherwise, EVERY QB going OB is an open target. If the late hitter causes a fight, then the penalties will offset, and you aren’t protecting anyone in that scenario. You are encouraging retaliation.
I’ll go with 27-24 Seattle. I’d like to go with Niners, but for my 10-6 prediction, I gotta go with an SF loss in this one. To win a roady in that building, everything has to go right…
So I heard that Seattle police will be wearing 49er garb so they’ll be ready to nab any potentially unruly Seahawk fans Sunday night. People in Seattle pretending to be people who they aren’t. Just like this gal I read about yesterday…
A Seattle judge sentenced Alicia Cruz to four years in prison for violating court-ordered drug treatment after being convicted of stealing the identities of more than 300 people. Cruz told the judge she would go straight, saying, “I’m a different person now.”
You can’t script that shit.
Chuck, I started Kenbrell Thompkins last night in our fantasy matchup. Not so hot. Would’ve been a bit better but they reversed his TD catch. Figures. I did have the NE D/ST. They saved me. I should know better than to start guys on Thursday night games. Not enough time to practice. They’re always ugly, slow and mistake-filled games. Just like your Army.
Where the hell are the Niner faithful here?? Niners 34 – Seahawks 17. book it!!
Might be a tad optimistic there Kevin but Niners win.
These are the games that qualify a team as elite. Niners are elite. Squawks are still the lesser team.
So both Chuck and Snarkk picked the Niners to lose. Does that mean I have to go double reverse psychology/no jinx and pick the Niners to win this week to balance things out? I’m confused. I better drink on it.
Love that voodoo that you do Dennis. It’s only weird if it doesn’t work right?
who is ‘mad mike’. if you’re thinking of me, i’m ‘michael’, certainly the sanest man at this pop joint. fyi, i won’t be posting here at nra west. 11-5 niners, win tie breaker with seattle to take west. kc goes 9-7, misses playoffs.
enjoy the season.
“nra west.” 2/1 says that was directed at Capt. Picard and his Tea Party. “Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.”
hi dennis. glad you’re ok. enjoy your alex-less season.
Eye of the beholder and all that Twin. I think Chucks blog is middle of the road/left leaning on the gun front.
Fun Seattle Fact: On November 13, 1851 Seattle was settled by the Denny Party, who had made their way from Portland, Oregon to what is now Alki Point in West Seattle.
Denny. Alki. Party. Looks like I’m moving back “Home.”
I’ll drink to that…..burp!
Niners will win this time in Seattle. Tight game though.
34-27 Niners.
Nice to see there are those who know the Niners are going to win this Sunday!! Go Niners
WOOF 2!
ARF 1!
That’s the only thing that has kept me from truly despising Tony La Russa — ARF. I can’t fully hate a man that is so kind and good to animals. But if we’re talking strictly baseball, Tony can go shove a spiked dog collar up his ass. And then I’d sic a rabid Cujo on ’em.
Niners 20-13. And, u can bet I’m gonna be all over the seattle blogs, oh yeah.
I’m leaning close to that area too Winder.
21-17 Niners.
My concerns are that Nnamdi and Eric don’t get torched over the top.
Otherwise it could get ugly.
Can’t bank on a pass rush, with Russell being as elusive as he is.
Hoping for the lower scoring Defensive battle myself.
31-20 49ers…Gore runs the crowd down then Kaepernick hits a couple long passes Boldin? McDonald? Vernon? or maybe even Patton…you pickem’.
That Niner defense is not gonna be fucked with.
Chuck’s blog is a great 49er blog for in-game commentary. Check back in tomorrow night to follow along as our #49ers kick some Puget Sound.
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