At least it is for Jim Harbaugh and Andrew Luck. The last time they were together, it was for the Jan 2011 Tostitos Bowl or something like that. Now? Indy is a little shakey from a near loss to the Raiders on opening day, and a loss to the not-so-lowly-anymore 2-0 Miami Dolphins. They got themselves in the news this week by trading next year’s 1st round pick to the Cleveland Browns for Trent Richardson, a guy they traded up in the 1st rouns to the #3 overall pick to get last year. In other words, a very cursious move as it smacks of giving up on this season for the Brownies. This after week 2. Lots of disgruntled fans by Lake Erie. The Niners got themselves into the news as well. But for much more awful reasons. Defensive standout Aldon Smith was busted trying to run over a tree at 7:00 am Friday morning. He was booked on DUI, pot possession, and possession of prescription meds of some kind. This is part of a pattern of brushes with the law, including a pleaded down DUI in Miami, being a passenger in a roll-over accident at the bewitching hour of 2:30 am, and his infamous house party where he got stabbed, and he allegedly shot at someone.
Youthful hijinks? Sure, you could say that, and there have been plenty of people who have had a few scrapes with the law only to go on and get their shit together and move on. On the other hand, life is riddled with talented individuals who can’t get out of their own way, and either hurt themselves or people around them. The 49ers meanwhile have chose the path of least resistance. Jim Harbaugh has said that Smith will suit up and play today. Curious, as when Demarcus Dobbs was busted for pot last year, the team left him at home for a road game. They suspended Brandon Jacobs for the last 4 games of the season for posting pics of himself in his Giants uni.
What’s the difference between Dobbs, Jacobs, and Smith? Well, Smith is an MVP-worthy talent. The others? Not so much. The 49ers can choose to be proactive regarding this, and leave him off the roster today. Or they can put Smith above his teammates, and start him. The point being, regardless of his status as an elite player, the front office and the coaches need to remind Aldon that playing football is a privilege. Yes, it is a privilege he has earned the right to play, but recent events tell another story. Taken separately, one of these screw-ups isn’t a major deal. But throw them together and you have a pattern of behavior that is troubling at best. Self-destructive at worst.
Yes, the 49ers desperately want to erase the taste of that Seattle beat-down. and yes, this is the NFL, where wins are a hard-fought commodity that takes a team effort to earn. But the team needs to show Aldon that there are consequences for screwing up, and he has to take a look at his actions as ones that are causing harm to himself and those close to him, andf that he isn’t bigger than the team. Otherwise, letting him start shows the rest of the team that as long as you are a great player, you don;t have to follow the rules that the rest of the guys must.
Forty Niners Forever 
I think I asked Flav the question before. Sorry, not a question, he said he’d take Kap > Luck and I chastised him. After seeing them play before your very eyes, would you like to change you mind?
I wouldn’t ever make a decision based off one game. Luck is a stud, I know that as much as anyone who’s followed his career since before you even knew who he was.
But I have faith in Kap, he’s got all the tools to be one of the best ever.
But, Flav, you had already made the decision before today’s game. You chose Kap > Luck. And now you don’t want to make a decision after today’s game. Weak sauce, man. I think #75 stands taller than that.
Q: Andrew Luck was runner-up for the Heisman two years running. Why?
A: Bo Schembelcher Jr. was his coach.
BTW, have we fired that no good POS loser yet?
Who cares, Dennis? The Niners are being out coached. Their lines have done little to nothing these last 2 weeks. luck beat our defense, not Kaepernick.
Well, I’ll allow you to answer the question, Chuck. Who would you rather have as your QB, and I hate using this term, “going forward,” Luck or Kap?
Allow me, I’ll take CK7, we obviously can’t count on luck.
Or I’ll turn it around. Since Alex was brought up, by yours truly, who would you rather have as your HC, Andy Reid or Jim Harbaugh?
tou·ché, my fellow Reagan supporter. I got your luck right here.
My luck is finding Josh Gordon in my free agent pool, and leaving him on the bench for his first game back with a new QB. Ronnie would say you make your own, money and luck.
Who was Ronnie’s favorite NASCAR driver?
Dick Trickle Down. 😛
niners are still too good to not turn it around. but why did they go away from gore? 10 carries in first half and first possession of second half. then 1 carry the rest of the way- and they were only one score down for much of the time.
I’ve asked the same question, from the Seahawks game. It was in the game plan today at least and they lost faith too early.
We could have schemed some receivers open, too.
Tony Dungy just said that Kap, and I quote, “looks like a rookie and he’s skittish.”
Damn. Not so hot. Rookie and skittish. I’d prefer some nookie and skittles myself.
Stay thirsty, Dennis.
My problem exactly. They couldn’t get a 1st down to save their lives. TOP was 28 to 2 in the 2nd half. Mainly because they went away from the run. Out coached. Harbaugh panicked. Just like Seattle.
Just so I can sleep with a good conscious, are we all in agreement that this team’s biggest problem is Jim Harbaugh? If not, I’d appreciate your dissenting point of view. Thanks.
I’d go 50/50 Roman/Harbaugh Del.
You can’t pass to guys that don’t separate.
You can’t separate with everyone on D standing within 15 yds of the LOS.
We need to stretch the field, not invite everyone into the Box.
Our Defense got worn down because the Offense couldn’t give them a rest.
We got away from the running game too early, which could have helped wear down their Defense as well.
Is that Harbaugh?
I say more Roman but, I’m not listening to the voices in the headphones either.
i’m hearing from florio on snf that gore ‘had words’ with harbaugh late in the game..
Heard the same myself, TF. Dissension amongst the troops. Time for a new general?
“All glory is fleeting.” —George S. Patton
It’s early to change generals. Who would replace JH? Naw they will give him a couple more years to try to right the ship. Can’t see it happening with Roman as OC. But part of this is injuries starting with Crabs, Manningham then Ian Williams . RJF, Walker and Soap being gone hurts too.
I would love to be wrong but I think the Rams win on Thursday
My 2 cents for the game today?
Goodwin is a weak link on the OLine.
DEs are taking our OTs wide and blowing up the middle.
The answer is, apparently, to flush Kaep laterally.
Once he moves, he’s losing focus down the field while cutting the field in half.
Saw Goodwin on at least 2 occassions today looking for someone to block, while Kaep was laid out behind him.
David Baas redux.
We need help inside on the DLine also.
They were slicing us up with a patchwork OLine of their own.
Dorsey is not a long term solution IMO.
NJ, Dorsey is not a long term solution. Christ. He’s not even a short term solution. He’s a 4-3 DT, and we have him playing the nose. Who’s fault is that? Much blame to spread around to the players, mind you. But the butter who’s doing the spreading is Jim Harbaugh, no?
Hard for me to condemn Harbaugh this early after the run he’s been on.
Granted, he’s in charge.
We’ll see what sort of mettle he can muster now that he’s facing adversity for the first time in his short tenure
Roman appears to be the guy that’s myopic.
Where’s the passing game?
Who creates the the Offensive philosophy?
We show ZERO creativity with our route combinations.
We appear to run INTO coverage instead of away from it.
Guys I could do without right now?
Goodwin, Dobbs, Dixon, Rogers.
On warning?
TBrown, Whitner and Nnamdi, Kyle and Dorsey.
If this Offense doesn’t give the Defense a blow in StL on Thurs, the wheels are gonna fall off.
So let’s see… we can’t seem to pass, can’t seem to commit to running, are giving up way too many yards rushing, and our DBs can’t cover my dead grandma. And Kendall Hunter thinks running the ball out of the end zone to begin drives on our own 11 is really cool. And KW is trying to set a record for the most fair catches inside his own ten.
Wow. What a turnaround in two weeks. As Casey said, “Can anyone here play this game?”
We had BETTER beat the Rams. 1-3 in September with Aldon staring down the barrel at a month off, and Frank pissed at Jimbo… not a good look.
I’m hoping the dissention is a wakeup call Grump.
Special Teams is another area of disappointment.
We have no threat of a KR/PR game either.
Our receivers need to know hot reads too.
Kaep is pulling the ball down and looking alot like Alex all of a sudden too.
Lots to be concerned about in the early going.
If we don’t show some progress vs the Rams on Thurs, we’re in trouble.
I’m looking for some rays of sunshine in the stats here, but…
23-14 in 1st downs
5/12 vs 3/12 in 3rd down conversions
Tot yds. 336/254
Penalties 1/10 vs 6/48
Turnovers 0/2
TOP: 36:25/23:35
Not an official stat, but Chuck Pagano > Jim Harbaugh, and it’s not even close.
And that poor guy has battled and overcome cancer.
Our team has a carcinoma, and it’s name is malignant Harbaughoma.
Time to call the surgeon and eradicate the disease.
No adjustments on O or on D after the rest of the league has us figured out. Indy comes in acting like seattle and wins? I hate to go all Dennis on you but straight up I’m reluctantly going to call for a Rams win Thursday 21-13.
I’d rather be wrong but seems we don’t have the coaching brains to change our schemes.Bo don’t change!
Hey Phil –
I’m with you.
Can’t possibly consider us to be favored after the back-to-back flops we’ve produced on Offense.
I’m beginning to wonder if Mangina brought a case of chlamydia into the OCs Box?
His expertise at improving this Offense has turned into the Itchy and Scratchy Show.
They appear to be suffering some sort of ailment up there which is not fostering an Offensively creative atmosphere.
Our Offense’s output has been, completely OFFENSIVE.
The only upside to a short week is, the long week that follows.
NJ49er, Aubrayo making a statement? LOL. RJF was crap.
NoFear49er our DLine was bitchslapped by a patchwork Indy OLine today.
Much can be attributed to their familiarity with Harbaugh from Stanford I’m sure.
It’s time for us to fish or cut bait with our personnel there.
Not sold on Dorsey.
Thought Dobbs was overmatched too.
Hope for TJ-E perhaps?
Ray looked less than 100% too.
I think we’d both agree about RJF.
No surprise he wasn’t retained, knowing what we knew of his abilities.
Human Blocking Sled.
Never bought the hype of us running over them prior to the matchup either.
I was just hoping to establish the running game and to get after Luck.
We succeeded with Frank and Kendall and put it away.
Why?
Isn’t there a belief in wearing down an opponent with a running game on our Staff?
Thought we’d fare much better vs a depleted Indy squad on Defense too.
They had answers, we looked lost.
What’s your take on Goodwin? I don’t benefit of rewind so I’m basing my observations on real time recollection.
I was unimpressed with his ability to pick up the schemes Indy brought, especially in Pass Pro.
Time for a fresh face at Center?
Indy moved RG Mike McGlynn to Center and he looked like a bulldozer.
Gave Luck room to step up all afternoon as well.
Us?
Pathetic.
Pressure in Kaeps’ face all day. Running laterally, losing focus, playing like a rookie.
We have issues. SB hangover?
Time to call out Roman and Mangini?
Harbaugh losing control?
3 runs in the 2nd half. Even Harbaugh was surprised at that low number.
In conclusion: BLEEP!
Goodwin certainly seems like a big issue. The pressure mainly comes from up the middle, forcing Kappy to move laterally. Which breaks down the plays before they get anywhere.
But again, this team was absolutely dominated in the trenches. Beyond the lousy schemes, they are getting beat at the point of attack.
Suddenly, my 10-6 is looking optimistic…
No shit. 12-4 is a pipe dream at this point.
New thread is up.