The Bengals, Eagles, Lions and Giants aren't exactly pushovers. Ok, I'll give you the Eagles. Here in merry old Maryland, we've seen how any team (not named the Colts) can beat any other team any given Sunday. Ravens have handled their business against the big bad Steelers, but have lost to Jax and Seattle. The Niners have a couple more tough games, Ravens on a short week at Baltimore and the Steelers. They are giving up the fewest points per game in the league, and they are playing with confidence and swagger for the first time in years. That being said, I'd consider the Niners to be a threat to any team, other than the Packers. You guys are a machine. A heartfelt thanks to the team from this Colts fan for giving me something not only good and fun, but great to watch this season.
The Niners are 8-1. That makes them a legit contender because who else in their division is going to step up and unseat them? They'll definitely be in the playoffs barring a historic meltdown of epic proportions. Whether they'll advance depends on a lot of things. Can Gore stay healthy? Can they keep up with power passing games like NO, ATL, or GB? Is their defense *really* tough or just average, playing against teams that make it look real good. Inquiring minds want to know.
Not anymore, that dreaded "barring major injury" just bit the Texans in the foot, literally. The AFC South is a QB mess this year, isn't it?
I think the WHOLE AFC is kind of a mess...where is the dominant team? where are all those people who claim the AFC has the best teams? sorry, but no one in the AFC is looking as strong as US (first off), the niners, or even the saints and giants.
Obviously no one in our division will. And in the rest of the NFL, only the Packers have the talent to do it. I'm doubtful of a meltdown. The Niners aren't a one-dimensional team relying on 2 or 3 playmakers to win their games for them. The Niners proved they can win without Gore. But that doesn't mean I want to see them go into the playoffs without him. Coach Harbaugh says he'll play on Sunday despite mild ankle and knee injuries. I'd much rather see him sit against the Cardinals and heal up for the Ravens game on Thanksgiving. The Niners will do what they've done all season, allow TONS of yards between the 20's but stiffen up at the red zone and usually limit teams to FG's once they get inside it. Personally, I'm a firm believer that a great running team can score in the RZ almost as easily as they can get 1st downs mid-field. A great passing team however, needs more room to execute their plays and therefore has a tougher time in the RZ as the field gets smaller. That's just my opinion based on all other things being equal. But it's football and there's more to it than that... like the quality of the defense and momentum of the offense. Niner D leads the league in take aways with 21. Niners lead the league in scoring D with an average 15.3 pts scored per game. Run D is great all over the field. FUHGET ABOUT IT. Nobody has a run game against the Niners and they certainly NEVER score while trying. Their passing D is rated 26th which isn't so great statistically but that's a yardage thing. And yards don't count. Pass D is great short range. I believe they lead the league in knockdowns, but I couldn't find the stat to prove it. The long range pass D is suspect. This is where the YPG is killing them. But it happens between the 20's so no biggie. I took some time to research some strength of schedule stats for some of the top teams so far this year. It lists the total W-L record of a team's opponents through week 10. It's not a complete list as I had to compile it myself and it took some time and could have errors. So you can take it with a grain of salt. The list goes from the toughest at the top to easiest at the bottom. Lions: 44-37 Steelers: 46-47 Saints: 42-50 Ravens: 42-42 Niners: 39-42 Packers: 34-48
Records minus the teams results. Lions: 41-31 .543 Bears: 40-32 .556 Niners: 38-34 .528 Packers: 33-39 . 458
I regard the 49ers in the same light I regard the Lions. Are they for real? For real as in a very good team, with some elite aspects to them? Yes. Are they going to contend in the playoffs? I don't think so. It's still Alex Smith. Even though he's playing MUCH better this year, he's still only capable when the running game works. If the 49ers running game is stopped, their offense is rendered moot. They have a dominant, dominant defense, maybe the best in the league, but it's not the same defense when they shift to nickel and dime. In essence, they match terribly against us. For all the good they've done so far, they haven't played an elite QB yet (don't give me no Eli. Eli still makes too many bizarre mistakes every game). That being said, looking at their record, this team won't go less than 13-3, and with a bye and a home playoff game, we might very well be seeing each other in the NFCC game, at Lambeau in the weather. But, as I've said, I'm not worried. With Rodgers' arm and so much chemistry with his receivers, it actually favors us. They know where they're going and they know the surface. We won't run the ball anyway, and our D is very stout against the run, whereas their passing game will be even worse in bad weather.
As I mentioned in the other thread. Opponents records is a flawed theory. If the Packers play a team that lost to three powerful teams, it doesn't mean that record is a reflection that the opponent is a bad team. It could be a good team who had to play other good teams. So to say that opponents record is some equitable measure across the board is seriously flawed.
I don't really disagree with you. Not entirely anyway. But what other way do we have to measure the strength of a team's schedule? Take the Eagles for example; they should be a very good team. They have lots of talent and are hard to beat. But they're 3-6. Lots of folks want to underestimate the Niners because they're not an offensive powerhouse, but they are 8-1. Maybe they're not as good as I think they are... but I'd bet they're a lot better than most people do.
The only way to measure is to put the teams both on the field. Strength of schedule gets too convoluted to mean anything, so it is basically worthless, unless you have some vegas supercomputer crunching the numbers of all the teams and their ancilliary games, etc. Then, other factors, weather, injuries, etc all have to come into play. Unless we have that kind of data all we have is conjecture until the teams meet. This is gonna be long, but let me lay it out; SF Schedule with secondary games. Seattle - SF, Pit, Az, Atl, NyG, Clev, Cin, Dal, Balt Dallas - NyJ,SF,Wash, Det, NE, StL, Phil, Sea, Buf Cincinnatti - Clev, Den, SF, Buf, Jack, Ind, Sea, Ten, Pitt Philly - StL, Atl, NyG, SF, Buf, Wash, Dal, Chic, Az Tampa - Det, Min, Atl, Ind, SF, No (2x), Chic, Hou Detroit - TB, KC, Min, Dal, Chi (2x), SF, Atl, Den Cleveland - Cin, Ind, Mia, Ten, Bal, Sea, SF, Hou, StL Washington - NyG, Az, Dal, StL, Phi, Car, Buf, SF, Mia New York G - Was, StL, Phi, Az, Sea, Buf, Mia, Ne, SF GB Schedule with secondary games New Orl - GB, Chic, Hou, Jac, Car, TB, Ind, StL, Atln Carolina - Az, GB, Jack, Chi, NO, Atl, Was, Min, Ten Chicago - Atl, NO, GB, Car, Det (x2), Min, TB, Phil Denver - Oak, Cin, Ten, GB, SD, Mia, Det, Oak, KC Atlanta - Chi, Phi, TB, Sea, GB, Car, Det, Ind, NO St. Louis - Phi, NyG, Balt, Wash, GB, Dal, No, Az, Clev Minny - SD, TB, Det, Kc, AZ, Chi, GB(2x), Car San Diego - Min, NE, KC(2x), Mia, Den, NyJ, GB, Oak Minny - SD, TB, Det, Kc, AZ, Chi, GB(2x), Car Now this is the real subjective part for this little graphic. I bolded the teams *I* think are pretty good (without bolding the main team in question). So there is little real difference between the two teams this far down the rack. But to prove my earlier point, we now have to ask what is the schedule for each of the tertiary teams, etc., and it keeps going. I know others will think some teams like TB should be included in good teams, but I haven't put them there yet.
I think the Niners are better then the Lions, to me. I think it was clear all year the Lions had glaring weaknesses and Stafford also seems to be getting beat up again now. Oh and the Lions are just so incredibly obnoxious I have to root against them. You know whats funny? The Lions have 3 losses but in the NFC they seem overrated. In the AFC nobody has less then 3 losses! The AFC is painful to me this season. I do agree though that I don't think after seeing more of the Niners that the Packers are not a good match up for them (then again I don't think the Packers are a good match up for anyone). In fact if the Niners get the Saints in the divisional round it could be one and done for them. I don't trust the Saints on the road but in a warm climate maybe...... The seedings are actually setting up well for a Rodgers/Brees NFC title game in the end if it's 1) Packers 2) 49ers 3) Saints. It sorta reminds me of the year the Colts went into Foxboro to play the Pats for their SB opener. Came close, lost. Then went back there in January and got smashed and then the Pats won it all again.
I agree. 9ers definitely better than the Lions and will be much more of a challenge come playoff time. Packers, Niners, Saints. It's those 3. In the AFC its the Patriots and Steelers, and I'll go with the Pats right now as the best team in the AFC. Ravens are just too inconsistent with Flacco at QB and the Texans just lost their QB for the season. Very bad luck for them.
49ers are playing good football, all tho I could never see Alex Smith beating AR. Our run stop is effective also, so Frank Gore shouldn't give us major issues. I think we can beat the 49ers. Here are the teams we should be scared from: New Orleans Saints - Only QB that could match up against AR in the NFC. New York Giants - You never know, when Eli & their defense will show up but if they do ... dangerous. Chicago Bear - Remember last year all the games comes down to the last minutes, hard opponent and for some reason our offense struggles against the bears. *Edit: IMO, we are underestimating the Bears.
Yep, Da Bears (still suck) have me the most worried, although the Niners are looking seriously good. And NO has the ability to outshoot the Pack, which they almost did at the beginning of the season.
If we beat them like we put the beat down on Atlanta in the playoffs last year, will that make them the 40Whiners?
9 sacks today on Alex Smith? I had the Ravens winning but was not 100% confident but they show up when they have to against good teams which probably makes Baltimore a very dangerous AFC contender this season. Niners are good but I I still don't have complete trust in that offense. Good week for the Packers. It's all lining up well for them.
I couldn't believe the 9 sacks. That was pretty impressive. Their D is freaking AWESOME. How that team loses to crappy teams and beats good ones is perplexing. It went pretty much the way I thought it would... except for losing of course. Lotsa FGs and few TDs. In this case, one. But again it was on a pass play and they had several opportunities from inside the 5 to score but could not get the rushing TD. That Niner D is STOUT in the red zone. That #2 seed is looking like a sure thing right now.
i don't think the packers need to worry about the niners... that offense cannot keep up with the packers O
SF does have a very good defense. It does not scare me as much as the Steelers/Ravens D's for some reason though. Possibly because Steelers/Ravens are more proven year after year recently with big game experience. I have seen the SF offense stumble at times even against lesser competition so it's not just a case to me that it was against the Ravens defense either.......
why worry about the steelers/ravens when they are only opponents that can be seen in the SB? Besides, i think rodgers would carve up the steelers. Don't know about the ravens though.
Tonight Alex Smith looked like the Alex Smith of the past few years. Still makes me chuckle when you remember these bozos picked him over Aaron Rodgers.
