Recap: Giants at 49ers (NFC Championship)

Disappointed. That would be my one-word open. That’s probably the best way to describe how I feel after Sunday evening’s game. Not disappointed in the season as a whole – the 49ers definitely did better than I expected coming in to the season. Not disappointed that we lost a game we had a very good chance to win, maybe something we should have won. Disappointed that we lost the way we did. The Giants are a good team (I’m not sure if they are the better team, but on Sunday night, they were). It’s a painful way to lose…

Some of my notes for this game:

·         Justin Smith was his usual self – an unstoppable monster. In a game with two great defensive lines, Smith stood out. He had 1 sack to go with his 7 tackles and made Eli Manning uncomfortable all game. Ray McDonald was also a beast, totalling 3 sacks. The defense played great; I felt they were the better defense on the field. They definitely have the best front 7 in the league.

·         The Giants d-line was also very good, sacking Alex Smith 3 times for a total of 18 yards. This is probably the best d-line in the league with Tuck, Osi, and JPP.

·         Eli didn’t have a great game, but he was still solid. The Giants run game was shut down, as expected, making them one-dimensional. It seemed Eli never had any time, but he didn’t make the bad decisions he used to be known for. With his ability to make big throws (and the willingness), his good decision making, and his pocket presence, he showed that he was an elite QB – in the same tier as Tom Brady.

·         The 49ers were horrible on 3^rd down. They only converted 1 the whole game. That’s Tim Tebow territory. It’s easy to blame Alex Smith, but I don’t think you can place the blame solely on his shoulders. The receiving corps he played with was probably one of the worst in the league – he didn’t have the luxury of Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham and Victor Cruz. He had to depend on Vernon Davis because his receivers totaled 1 catch between them. Sure, you can make the argument that the QB makes the receivers (case in point, Deion Branch, Wes Welker), but having a Larry Fitzgerald or Andre Johnson certainly would have helped him.

·         Kyle Williams… I don’t even know what to say. It’s like nobody taught him the fundamentals of punt returning. Rule #1, if you’re not going to catch the ball, stay the hell away from the ball. Also, when the ball hit you in the knee, why did you try to play it off instead of trying to dive on the ball? Rule #2, secure the damn ball! If you were on the Giants, Tom Coughlin would have given you “the look.” The first mistake was horrible; if not for that, the 49ers could have won the game in regulation. Instead, the Giants had a short field and converted it into a score. But still, the 49ers were resilient and marched back and tied the game. The second was a dagger though… The 49ers definitely missed having Ted Ginn Jr.

·          The Ahmad Bradshaw non-fumble… I understand the ruling and this is definitely not the reason why the 49ers lost (though it may have been sealed the game for them). I think they should have given more time before calling the play dead; I didn’t even hear a whistle blowing it dead. Also, this play JUST happened in the Ravens – Patriots game, but without a fumble.

Posted 1 week ago | Comments (View)

Giants at 49ers II

Ahh… the much hoped for re-match, between two of the more surprising stories in the NFL this season. To be honest, I didn’t give either team much of a chance at the start of the season. You can’t really blame me; anyone who said that they predicted something like this is lying. The 49ers couldn’t even make it to the playoffs last season, despite being in the weakest division. They also made very little off-season acquisitions and their draft, at the time, was somewhat disappointing. The Giants, on the other hand, also did not make a splash in the off-season. They did have a quality first round pick in Prince Amukamara, but that was quickly nullified when he was injured early in the season. The injuries piled on and it seemed the Giants wouldn’t make the post-season.

Fast forward to today and the two teams have two of the better defenses in the league and strong passing attacks. Yes, I said it – the 49ers have a strong passing game. After all those 4^th quarter comebacks by Alex Smith, you can’t deny this fact.

The first meeting of these two teams was a close one. If a few bounces went the other way, the Giants could have easily won this game. But the 49ers have been extremely lucky thus far, as evidenced by their numerous fumble recoveries and interceptions. But that’s not to say the Giants should have won that game; the better team (at the time) won the game. But this time is completely different than last time. There are many questions surrounding this game.

Who has the advantage coming in to this game?

Well, the Giants are definitely the hotter team. They come into this game riding a 4-game winning streak, dismantling the Jets, Cowboys, Falcons, and then the Packers. Each of those 4 games were a must-win game and the Giants always found a way to emerge victorious. On the other hand, you could argue that the 49ers are a better rested team, allowing their players time to recover from injuries after securing a playoff spot in late November and also earning a first round bye. Both are coming off huge victories; both teams beating offensive juggernauts that were supposed to be 2 of the best teams in the league.

3 Giants Keys to Victory

·         Establish a running game. The Giants were among the bottom in the league in rushing yards in the NFL. The 49ers were among the top in the league in rushing yards allowed. Still, this stat is deceptive because the Giants have ran the ball much better towards the end of the season, with Brandon Jacobs running hard and the return of Ahmad Bradshaw. If the Giants can run the ball effectively, it will prevent the 49ers from playing nickel defense all day.

·         Secure the ball. The 49ers are great at creating turnovers. The Saints, who normally protect the ball pretty well, were forced into several fumbles. If the Giants cough the ball up as often as the Saints, they won’t be able to fight their way back.

·         Stop Frank Gore. Make Alex Smith beat you. Turn the 49ers in to a one-dimensional team and let your defensive line cause Alex Smith to make mistakes. He’s still Alex Smith after all; one playoff game does not change that.

3 49ers Keys to Victory

·         Wrap guys up. The Giants were great in Yards After the Catch. If you give up a pass, don’t over commit. Wrap them up and bring them down; don’t let them hurt you even more.

·         Pressure Eli. The one thing the Packers couldn’t do was put pressure on Eli. Eli’s great under pressure, but if you give his receivers time to get open, they will hurt you. Their offensive line has been suspect at points this season. Exploit it!

·         Pound the ball. The Giants have a great defensive line. They’re great at getting to the quarterback in a hurry. Slow down their pursuit by running the ball up the gut effectively!

Wildcard

The 49ers Special Teams has been the difference maker this season. Andy Lee has been great and David Akers has been one of the best. Their special teams coverage has also been great, forcing several turnovers against the Saints and not giving up too much field position. If the 49ers can continue this trend, it should take some pressure off the offense.

Prediction: 49ers 23 – Giants 20

Posted 2 weeks ago | Comments (View)

My Power Rankings

1)      Green Bay Packers

The way the Packers are playing, they have a shot a realistic shot at doing what the Patriots couldn’t do – go undefeated the whole season.

2)      New Orleans Saints

The Saints were one of the few teams to hang with the Packers this year. They pose the biggest threat to the Packers chance of getting to the Superbowl.

3)      New England Patriots

The only other team that seems like it has a shot of toppling the Packers. Unfortunately, the defense and running game is subpar. But the tandem of Bill Belichek and Tom Brady can never be discounted. Not even the Discount Double Check!

4)      Baltimore Ravens

A riddle wrapped in an enigma – that’s what Joe Flacco is. He shows that he has the ability to carry the team on some passes, and the next pass has you scratching your head. With their defense and Ray Rice, this team is pretty darn good.

5)      Pittsburgh Steelers

They’d be #4 if they didn’t lose to Baltimore twice. That, and Troy Polamalu might miss some games due to a concussion compounded on to the fact that Ben Roethlisberger is playing with a broken thumb…

6)      San Francisco 49ers

This team is full of holes, namely the offensive line. The Ravens showed that the 49ers still need some work before they can really contend.

7)      Dallas Cowboys

Tony Romo is at his best in November. Will he be his old self in December and January? He will need to step it up to advance past the first round.

8)      Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons are finally clicking and look like they will grab one of the wild card spots. They will be a tough out in the playoffs.

9)      Detroit Lions

The Lions are pretty good, but they couldn’t hang with the Packers in the 2^nd half. Megatron and Matt Stafford will have to replicate their first half performance to get past the first round of the playoffs.

10)   New York Jets

The Jets are built around their defense. They just have to hope Mark Sanchez can keep up.

11)   Philadelphia Eagles

The Dream Team seems like they’re still sleeping half the time. You never know if they will show up.

12)   Oakland Raiders

Contenders or pretenders? Still not sure, but they definitely have a strong vertical game with Carson Palmer at the helm. The strong running game doesn’t hurt either.

13)   New York Giants

Eli can’t do it all. He needs Ahmad Bradshaw back and quick. His receivers are dropping too many passes for them to make it to the playoffs. And Eli is getting frustrated.

14)   Cincinnati Bengals

Andy Dalton has shown a lot of promise. He’s quietly put up a Rookie of the Year performance that’s been overlooked.

15)   Houston Texans

A good team in a horrible division – it’s their division to lose, even with Matt Schaub and his backup, Matt Leinart, out for the rest of the season.

16)   Chicago Bears

Jay Cutler was finally playing well and then he got injured. Caleb Hanie doesn’t seem to be the answer, but there doesn’t seem to be another option.

17)   Miami Dolphins

If it weren’t for their horrible start, the Dolphins would be a playoff contender. Now it’s probably too late for them to come back.

18)   Tennessee Titans

I had a feeling since Week 8 that CJ2Kwould be able to at least hit 1K. Now he’s doing that. They’ll need him to win the division.

19)   Denver Broncos

Defense wins championships, but Tebowing wins games.

20)   Tampa Bay Buccaneers

A promising young team that just didn’t meet expectations… there’s also the fact that they have to compete against the Saints and the Falcons for their playoffs spot.

21)   San Diego Chargers

I think it’s safe to say that this is Norv Turner’s last season coaching the Chargers. It should be AJ Smith’s last season as the Chargers’ GM, but probably won’t be.

22)   Buffalo Bills

Lots of promise to start the season, and then they just fizzled out.

23)   Carolina Panthers

They are definitely better than last year and Cam Newton has a lot of promise. Now if only the defense could stop the opposition.

24)   Minnesota Vikings

Christian Ponder has some promise, but he needs more experience before the Vikings can reach the playoffs again. The division has too many good teams.

25)   Arizona Cardinals

After trading for Kevin Kolb, the Cardinals thought their QB woes were behind them. At least they are SLIGHTLY better.

26)   Seattle Seahawks

Surprisingly decent defense and somewhat competitive. Just not enough though.

27)   Washington Redskins

Quarterback play killed them. And maybe Mike Shanahan’s reluctance to allow Roy Helu to be the primary back after Tim Hightower went down.

28)   Cleveland Browns

They were promising, but Hillis being unable to match last season’s effectiveness was definitely tough.

29)   Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs were decimated by injuries early in the season, and then suffered another blow by losing Matt Cassel.

30)   Jacksonville Jaguars

Another team that was done in by poor quarterback play. Their defense was actually pretty good.

31)   St. Louis Rams

The Rams were definitely a shell of what they were last season.

32)   Indianapolis Colts

No Peyton Manning, no wins. Now we all understand how important he is to the team.

Posted 2 months ago | Comments (View)

Trying my Hand Against Vegas Again - Week 11

Just going to pick the games I would bet on if I were playing with real money… here we go!

PHI @ NYG (-4.5) - Lots of things are going against Philadelphia this week. They came off a very disappointing week in a game they had to win… and should have won. Any team with playoffs in mind has to beat the Cardinals. For a team with so much talent, you never know when they will finally get it together. This will not be that week. With Vince Young most likely their starter this week, I like the Giants in this one.

Pick: Giants

SEA @ STL (-2.5) - This has been an awfully disappointing year for Spag’s Rams. After a promising previous season, some expected the Rams to take the next step and win the division. Instead, their offense has been terrible and their defense has been just as bad. Things seemed to have turned around after their bashing of the Saints a couple weeks ago, but looks like that was a 1-week fluke. Seattle has been just as bad, but have won a couple games nobody expected them to (Giants, Ravens). Their defense has been pretty good and Marshawn Lynch has had 2 games where he’s rushed for over 100 yards, the last one against the 2nd best run defense (Ravens). Against one of the worst run defenses, perhaps Lynch can do it for his 3rd straight week.

Pick: Seahawks

DAL @ WAS (+7.5) - Dallas has been pretty good as of late and is only 1 game behind the division-leading Giants. If they keep giving the ball to DeMarco Murray, he should be able to carry the team to victory. He’s been a monster since earning the start and if he can keep this up, he should definitely earn Rookie of the Year honors. FEED HIM THE BALL! Washington, on the other hand, has pretty much fallen off the map. Mike Shanahan should just stick with Roy Helu as his starter since Ryan Torain has not been effective at all. Their defense has been solid, but their offense is not so good. Rob Ryan’s defense should help give the Cowboys an early lead in this one.

Pick: Cowboys

Posted 2 months ago | Comments (View)

Be Wary of the Giants, 49ers Fans!

Midway through the season, the 49ers are 7-1. They’re 30 points away from a 2:1 point differential. They’ve got a shot at winning the division in 2 more weeks… 6 weeks left in the season! They’ve been predicted to earn a first round bye. Can we just freeze this moment in time forever?

The 49ers are a 3.5 point favorite over the Giants, a team that lost to the Redskins and the Seahawks (!). These are both teams 49ers beat. Not only that, but the Giants might not have Bradshaw or Nicks this week. So the 49ers should pretty much be a lock, right? Not so fast, fellow 49ers fans! Here’s why:

What are the Giants best at? Getting to the quarterback with their front 4. The Giants are one of the best at pressuring the quarterback without blitzing. The O-line for the 49ers isn’t exactly above average either. If the Giants can get to Alex Smith on a regular basis, do you really trust him to make the best decision? The Giants corners have also been playing at a very high level. If the Giants could cause so many problems for Tom Brady, do you think Alex Smith would be much better? I’m not so sure… Defensively, the Giants worry me a little.

The 49ers will need to jam it down their throat. I think Kendall Hunter will need to step it up this game since they may need him more than ever, with Frank Gore a little nicked up. If the Giants can get a decent lead or if they can stop the run game, the 49ers will have to win through the air - and that’s not a good thing.

I have no doubt in my mind that the 49ers will shut down Brandon Jacobs. He’s no longer “the Juggernaut” and even if he were, we’d find out what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. In this case, the immovable object would win… Patrick Willis is perhaps the best ILB (no, this isn’t just my bias speaking) and Navarro Bowman isn’t too far behind him. But that’s why the Giants have gone away from their roots. Eli Manning has been having a career year and could finish the season as a top 5 QB. The 49ers are weakest in their secondary and Eli and his receiving corps have been exceptional.

I’m not saying I think the 49ers will lose. Definitely not. I’m just saying… this isn’t going to be an easy win, even at home.

Prediction: 49ers 17 - Giants 13

Posted 2 months ago | Comments (View)