Well, Super Bowl XLVIII hits the books as yet another beat-down of perennial SB whipping boys, the Denver Broncos. From the opening snap safety (50/1 odds on that happening) to the end of the 4th quarter, the Seattle Seahawks dominated the game in all phases. This game really brings to mind Super Bowl XIX where the 49ers faced off with the Miami Dolphins. For 2 weeks all we heard about was Marino Marino Marino. He would blow the doors off the Niner defense and score at will. Joe of course had a Super Bowl win under his belt already, but that didn’t matter as it was all about Dan Marino. The defense certainly take kindly to the fact that they were seen as the cannon fodder for Marino to feast on, and I certainly wasn’t shocked when we took it to them hard.
This Super Bowl build up was all pretty much Peyton’s paradise. He would singlehandedly dismantle this band of defensive no-name thugs and carry the Broncos to victory over Seattle. My first thought after the disaster that was the NFC Championship game was that Seattle would obliterate the Broncos. After trying not to listen to the Super Bowl hype machine, even I succumbed to the relentless blather regarding Manning. I figured that this game wasn’t in Seattle, therefore the noise wouldn’t be a factor, Manning gets the ball out fast, and that would thus render Seattle’s pass rush null and void, and getting Knowshon Moreno going would help things along. Stop Lynch, and there you go. Make Seattle one-dimensional and out-score them.
Sounds good, eh? Sure. Until the opening snap safety. Seattle had no problem ignoring Denver’s deep game and thus jammed everything 12 yards and under. This resulted in a lot of very short completions and no sustained drives. Denver got their first 1st down halfway through the 2nd quarter. While there were no sacks, Manning felt the pressure all day, and it caused 2 INTs and a fumble. I really thought this one was going to end up a shutout. In the end, Seattle’s defense outscored Denver’s offense 9-8. Crazy, but not that far-fetched.
Shit, now it’s the offseason.
Forty Niners Forever 
This is from Matt Barrows of the SacBee
I still believe the key for Baalke and the 49ers is finding a down-field receiver. Perhaps it will be a No. 1-type receiver like Texas A&M’s Mike Evans, whom the 49ers would have to trade up to get. Or maybe they should find a speedy slot man like Oregon State’s Brandin Cooks, who would pair nicely with tight end Vernon Davis. Maybe they do both. Either way, the key is to make the Seattle defense scoot off the line of scrimmage.
Read more here: http://blogs.sacbee.com/49ers/archives/2014/02/super-bowl-observations-with-a-49ers-twist.html#storylink=cpy
An interesting comment at the end aobut the coaching staffs ability to draft and develope WR’s
On the other hand, the Seahawks proved a team does not need high-profile, high draft picks at receiver to win a Super Bowl. They did so with the help three players that went undrafted — Doug Baldwin, Jermaine Kearse and Ricardo Lockette. Lockette, of course, was one of the many receivers who landed on San Francisco’s wide receiver scrap heap this season. The 49ers have had trouble drafting at that position, but they have had trouble developing players there as well.
Read more here: http://blogs.sacbee.com/49ers/archives/2014/02/super-bowl-observations-with-a-49ers-twist.html#storylink=cpy
Bingo. The deep threat is the one thing missing. T.Y. Hilton took it to Seattle in Indy’s victory over them.
This one’s for Steve (aka philippinefan)
Oh yeah Omaha- back to my late teens, early twenties @ Fillmore, Winterland. Here’s the rainbow glasses, now where the hell are my bell bottoms? Thanks Chuck, good stuff!
Here’s Richard Sherman’s take on the Super Bowl.
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/richard-sherman-says-49ers-not-broncos-were-nfl-191624493–nfl.html
For the umpteenth, the Niners need huge upgrades at WR. Period. Get another RB. Frank is done, and who knows about Lattimore? You need depth there, and Hunter is no great shakes. The thing that surprised me was the rush Seattle put on yesterday, with the 4 down DLmen. Broncs OL absolutely couldn’t handle them. Manning played like crap, but a ton of times he was under the rush and a pocket collapse almost immediately. I think that rush played more a factor than great individual play by the Seattle DBs. However, that pick 6 was a total brain cramp by Manning. He should have eaten that ball, taken a sack. He doesn’t want to take a sack, maybe it’s his neck thing, probably is, so if a good oppo defense puts a continual rush on him, he’s in deep doo doo. Yesterday’s game just shows how down the AFC is. The Broncs steamrolled most of their games, including the two playoff games. The Seahawks aren’t THAT good, compared to NFC top competition. NFC next season will be a bear. Panthers, GBay, an upgraded Tampa (Lovey will get that ship going), Giants will be back, Chicago defense has to get better, and the whole NFC West is BRUTAL…
Here’s who the Broncs played this season. I wouldn’t call any schedule with 2X Raiders on it and the entire NFC East representative of much. Broncs were totally overhyped from a weak AFC…
http://www.denverbroncos.com/schedule-and-events/schedule.html
Here’s Manning saying the game was “not embarrassing”, that use of that word is “insulting”. That stupid remark loses him a lot of respect, IMO. Welker gets some respect — he said it WAS “embarrassing”…
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000323278/article/broncos-peyton-manning-its-not-embarrassing-at-all
Here’s what needs to happen with the 49ers going forward now that Seattle has won the Super Bowl. Novella alert!
First off, Jim Harbaugh. He needs to continue to change. 2013 saw him begin to loosen up quite a bit, and that was great to see. He still has some work to do in this department. He needs to realize that crying about penalties doesn’t do the team any good, and in some instances his crying actually works against the team in crucial situations. Accept the call on the field, even if it’s a bad one.
Harbaugh also needs to care more about his players. I’m not saying he needs to go full tilt, Pete Carroll on the 49ers. That would seem disingenuous. But I get the feeling that while Harbaugh is a players’ coach, Harbaugh would rather do whatever it takes to lower his players’ salaries. Case in point is Trumaine Brock. Brock lucked out. Goldson didn’t get a deal. Brown didn’t get a deal. Culliver was in line for a deal. He gets hurt. Now Brock’s healthy and ready to sign a relatively big deal mid season. Brown loses 2 million for not practicing at the team facilities. Harbaugh says he wants to make it right, then Baalke gives Brown $300,000. Brown can’t feel that happy. The 49ers were 1.7 million off. Then, as an additional slap to the face, the 49ers bring in Wright and sign Brock. Brown becomes a malcontent, and rightly so. Not a priority to resign.
Regarding the new stadium…. I sincerely hope the 49ers don’t try some new 12th man approach to the new stadium. Have the courage to be unique. Continue to try and maintain the classiest team in the NFL approach, with high powered executives buying luxury boxes. Nothing wrong with that, especially if the crowd is classy. Who cares if the stadium isn’t a home field advantage. That, to me, is overrated.
The defense will be okay, but for my money we need new D linemen and new secondary players. Whitner, Rogers, Justin Smith and Glenn Dorsey are now average players because of age. The 49ers need to collapse the pocket from the middle of the line. Brooks and Aldon can get it done from the outside, but from the inside Justin and Ray looked tired and have a lot of wear and tear on their bodies. Tank will help, but the 49ers need two fat men in the middle to stuff the run and get after the qb. Maybe that’s Dial and Tank, but for my money, we need one more beast in the middle. We also need a taller safety with range who can hit to replace Whitner.
On the offensive side of the football, we need a new running back. Forget Lattimore and Gore. I love Kendal Hunter, but he needs help. James is too small to consistently hold the ball.
Kaep needs to work all offseason on his footwork, staying in the pocket, and getting through his reads. Don’t stubbornly tell us: “I’ll take that match-up all day.” To me that means Kaep still thinks he’s right going to Crabtree on both big plays the past two years. Kaep: You were wrong. The outcome clearly tells us all you were wrong. I don’t know for sure, but people are saying others were open when Kaep threw it to Crabtree and Sherman swatted it away. Winners win. Losers make excuses and justify decisions.
Greg Roman: Greg needs to go. Jim Harbaugh hasn’t felt the heat yet, but now that Seattle has won the Super Bowl, Kaep is scheduled for a bigger payday, and Kaep is in his 4th year, no excuses will work anymore. Kaep needs to be statically one of the better passers in the league: run game be damned. If Kaep’s handing off to Gore next year behind unbalanced lines, the 49ers will once again fall short of hoisting Lombardi and Harbaugh will start feeling the heat in SF. And that heat will be justified. The 49ers CAN find another coach. We’re all probably skeptical of that statement because after Mooch we went with Erickson, Nolan and Singletary, but Jed and Dr York were then babes in the woods without a qb. Now Jed will have a little more insight as to who could be a strong candidate for HC. And potential head coaches will covet the 49er job with Kaep at the helm, this defense and a decent talent evaluator in Baalke. Jed will have some leverage if someone good is available. However, there aren’t many great options out there – there never are. But Harbaugh isn’t the only answer anymore, and he certainly won’t be at the end of next year if he trots out the same sorry offense and fails in the playoffs once again. Quit telling us everything’s great with the offense. It’s not. Be realistic. Through realistic assessment of the passing game, change will happen. But Greg Roman isn’t going to get this passing attack jump-started. That much I’m sure of. Harbaugh may chain himself to an anchor thrown overboard. Greg Roman’s reputation is plummeting faster than a Peyton Manning legacy.
Forget Lattimore?
I have to see the dude first before I try to forget him…
Right Spitwad has this preconceived notion on Lattimore that is unsupported. He dont know; its a guess pure and simple. Same with Iupati = Spit dont like him so “He’s bad, get rid of him”. No reasons given. Right. Whatever.
Other points are good in the novella- GRo going yes- but he wont be- yet. Notice no ones hiring him? JH prolly giving Roman the great (running) scheme but our passing sucks as we’ve been bitching about quite accurately. How much is Harbaugh? A lot. Baalke comes in for some share of the responsibility in this too. We knew going into last season we were very short in WR dept. Without Boldin we battle the Rams for NFC West cellar. Then Crab went down and we CUT Lockette. Brilliant shit.
Kap needs to improve? Well yes and he will. But it will take time for him and the team to rehabilitate the offense. Seasons. Plural. New OC. New WRs. Time.
We’re at a kind of ceiling where our few faults are magnified because of the level of competition at this height. It will get fixed, eventually
It’s not that I don’t like Iupati, Roman and Lattimore, it’s that the philosophy behind them is all wrong. Lattimore, on a knee severely damaged twice, going up against the Seahawks in the post season? I’m not banking on that. McCloughan was right about needing durable players. That knee, our NFC West competition and 20 game durability isn’t going to happen. Resigning Iupati when the 49ers need to re-sign Aldon, Kaep and Crabtree? Someone’s gotta go. Couple those signings with Kaep’s somewhat larger payday and running the ball can’t be as much of a priority. And Roman should go just because he’s a college run game coordinator with a super star qb who can’t get going because Roman can’t orchestrate a passing attack. Again, I like Lattimore (real good kid) and think Iupati is a beast, but the philosophy behind those two players and a run game OC is all wrong heading into 2014. Trust me.
We dont know ‘how’ Lattimore will play or how he will hold up. FG did ok after similar injuries. Thats the model here. Its a gamble yes but no one can say “snake eyes” before the throw, right? Lat may very well be our beast mode. He ‘was’ in college…
“Resigning Iupati when the 49ers need to re-sign Aldon, Kaep and Crabtree? Someone’s gotta go.” Fair point if true. We again dont know that yet, so we will see. Niners FO have been good at this cap business but I get yer point.
Dump GRo, agree! Trust you? LOL
Are you kidding me? I’m the most trustworthy gentleman here. Frank Gore is not the model. Gore and Lattimore are very different runners. Micheal Strahan said, during the Niner / Giants Championship game, that Gore was THE most frustrating back he ever played against because Frank got so low and you couldn’t find him in the scrum. That’s not lattimore’s game at all. Frank gets way behind his pads. Lattimore is more of an upright runner, and I don’t think he’s a power back at all. He played in the spread in college. That’s very different than lining up in power back formations at the pro level. I honestly think the 49er need a new power back. I think they’ll waste their time next year on both Gore and Lattimore.
Just yanking yer chain Spit. Not serious
FG = model in terms of recovering from multiple knee injuries not running style.You have no faith Lat will work for usand I’m saying ‘lets see’ and we will
Very good Spit, so most if not all don’t believe that Roman can open up the play book? Even though Gore is no longer going to break one?
Yes, looks like it
Lets have some warm Spit for Roman. I’m sure he’ll respond to that.
Is Roman to blame for this? NF will appreciate:
http://www.49erswebzone.com/commentary/1255-for-kaepernick-the-honeymoons-over/
Selected quotes:
-To Montana, what mattered wasn’t so much the “perfection” of a receiver’s route. What mattered, instead, was the receiver’s position in relation to the corner. In other words, if the receiver had to choose between running the route as the coach designed it, and opening up a passing lane, the receiver should screw the route and just get open. “Because if you’re shoulder to shoulder with the cornerback,” Montana said, “I’m gonna have to come off you.”
-But the central issue was something else, much simpler and much worse.
Crabtree was covered, and Kaepernick just didn’t care. Crabtree, indeed, was “shoulder to shoulder with the cornerback.” (Actually, that’s saying it generously; Sherman was slightly ahead of Crabtree, as well as inside him.) The passing lane was impossibly small, if it even existed at all. Montana, then, would’ve come off him, looking for that open man. (And, indeed, he would’ve found one.) But Kaepernick threw it anyway, and that’s the central issue here.
-Something here is seriously wrong. Contrary to popular belief, Kaepernick isn’t a one-read QB. But when the stakes are highest, he becomes one, with disastrous results.
-After his Super Bowl heartbreak, Kaepernick was given that rarest of gifts: an honest-to-goodness second chance. The fact that he did the same thing again—that he didn’t learn from that awful pain—is almost literally unbelievable
End Quote. Without continued improvement in Kap, and coaching, were going to see this again
So with Montana’s assessment it is more on Kaep to learn and grow rather than Roman’s poor play calling, plus the Niner WR’s need to just get open and say F*ck the route, sounds good to me.
Yes and the WCO is designed to have multiple options for the QB to throw to = like the open guy. In my understanding. But if the QB Kap wants to make Crabtree a hero with the game on the line = here we go again,again. Agree with the article pretty much 100%. We’ll see if Kap is stuck on stupid soon enough. But Roman or whoever needs to develop a more varied passing attack as mentioned here 100X
For me, the throw in Seattle wasn’t about getting it to the back pylon.
I’d have attempted the throw to the back shoulder, more behind Sherman, toward the sideline.
Yes Phil, he never looked at the other options, something he’s admitted was a pre-snap decision.
Even Sherman knew it was coming his way.
This is the key point with Kaep, he’s not reading anything the Defense is willing to concede.
With timeouts in hand, the clock wasn’t much of a factor, at the point he threw the pass to Crabtree.
He forced it, game over.
Malcolm Smith had Kendall underneath and immediately saw that Kaep didn’t consider him.
Had Kaep given Patton, far left, or Vernon a look, he could have easily taken a few yards and lived to play another down.
Easy in hindsight yes, but, it’s a glaring weakness when the QB isn’t utilizing his entire Offense.
Harbaugh defended the decision, as he should but, I’d be willing to wager Harbaugh wasn’t happy that he overlooked the other options either.
As dumb is it originally sounded to me, having Mangina take over as QB Coach, it might not be such a bad idea.
Kaep NEEDS to learn the importance of seeing what a Defense is attempting to do to stop him.
Also, I’d heard an opinion,which I believe came from Kurt Warner, that Kaep throws a flat ball.
It makes perfect sense to me, having seen every throw he’s made.
He’s a dart thrower. Point A to Point B, on a line.
Works with many routes but, it isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer to the QB position.
Putting air under the throw we’re talking about in Seattle for instance, would’ve made more sense.
Kaep is a work in progress certainly.
Hopefully his arrogance is just bravado and, not an indication that he isn’t willing to recognize his shortcomings, t the expense of mastering his position.
“Mangina” lol.
Yeah he’s not superman and at the highest levels the Ds will eat those poor decisions up. See SB and NFCCG. Even Harbaugh expressed worry Kaps workouts would make him ‘too muscled’ = more fast darts, less touch? Hey Kap use yer brain muscle
With everyone commenting on Romans play calling, let’s not forget the Niners were one play from going to the SB. And let’s look at how Seatle won that game, they won it with there Defense, minimum of 21 points from their D. I bet the Niners look at DB’s and pass rushers in the draft and do not draft offensive weapons at all, maybe some O lineman. Book it now gentleman.
We should have a pigskin prognostication on “What positions will 9ers draft?”
I am old and lazy, who was the last defensive player to win MVP? I bet it has been a while.
That’s normally an honor bestowed on the SB winning QBs as a rule Irish Kevin.
But, believe it or not, the last guy to garner the award on the Defensive side of the ball was, (of all people), S Dexter Jackson from TB, vs the Raiduhs in ’03.
Quite the honor for a guy that was basically unheard of, before or after the SB.
10 years!! My point exactly
Even with the Niners great Defenses over the years, it was Montana, Rice, and Yong MVPs
Historically speaking, SB MVPs tend to be QBs and Offensive players, much moreso than Defensive players, by a large margin.
That is because the offense is the one who are supposed to be scoring for your team. Of course Russell Wilson was all relaxed in the pocket, he had no pressure to win the game for his team.
Hearing Kappy say that over and over that he would make that throw again hopefully is just that. Talk. Someone needs to get in his head and say read your progressions.
As far as the play calling is concerned I’m more concerned with the play calling at the beginning of the game. If we were scoring TDs earlier rather than FGs we wouldn’t be having to come back from behind in the first place. .I’m so fucking tired of playing close to the vest and in the end having to come back from behind to win these games. They leave no margin for error for Kappy.
100% agree
The Super Bowl was a glaring example of how bad it got.
Last years’ I meant to say.
It’s 50/50 for me Chuck.
Yes, too conservative but, often well schemed.
Kaep has to quit his myopic insistance on focusing on his primary target at the cost of other weapons.
Ending 2 seasons with the same target frustrates me.
If Roman has other options intended within the play call, it’s on Kaep to utilize them.
Comment from another blog on this:
By: World
Date: Monday, February 3, 2014 at 1:45 PM
Comment: Great article. Made me think of the second Super Bowl against the Bengals. With 34 seconds left, Montana found John Taylor in the end zone to win it, when everyone in the building and watching on TV (including myself) was expecting it to go to Jerry Rice. Rice was seemingly unstoppable that game, setting SB records and eventually winning the MVP, yet Montana was still willing to pass him up to look for the open guy.