SB Nation Pittsburgh Editor's Pick
Dateline SF: Steelers-49ers Preview
by Steelin on Dec 10, 2011 2:57 PM EST
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PrintAs a Bay Area resident, I have watched almost every 49ers (and Steelers) game this year. Based on this experience, I can offer my perspectives on the 49ers and how they might fare against our Steelers in the big Monday Night matchup just nine days from now.
49ers Overview
Although much improved from last year, the 49ers are not as good as their gaudy 10-2 record. Living in the languid NFC West, they have played only four teams with a winning record, beating the Lions (7-5) and Bengals (7-5) while losing to the Cowboys (7-5) and Ravens (9-3). The 49ers combine a talented and aggressive defense with a mediocre but conservative offense. Amazingly, the team leads the NFL in both most takeaways (28) and fewest giveaways (10), which obviously makes them the leader in turnover ratio. As an easy point of reference, think of this team as the 2010 Ravens without the trash talk.
49ers Offense
At least in the Bay Area, QB Alex Smith has created as much controversy as Tim Tebow: some say he is just a game manager, others think he can carry the team to the Super Bowl. At 94.9, Smith’s passer rating ranks eighth in the NFL, just behind Big Ben’s, and he sports an impressive 15-5 TD-INT ratio. He has led four fourth-quarter comebacks this year. On the downside, his decision-making is slow, and his deep passes are inconsistent at best. He lacks foot speed and is not a running threat.
The 49ers wide-receiver corps is middling. Ex-Brown Braylon Edwards is nominally the team’s #1 WR but has been hampered by injuries; after missing last Sunday’s game, he is likely to play against the Steelers. Michael Crabtree is talented but inconsistent; Ted Ginn Jr. is speedy but a poor route runner. (All three are former first-round draft picks.) The team’s best receiver is TE Vernon Davis, the fastest tight end in the NFL, who is tied with Crabtree for the team lead with 48 receptions. The 49ers run a lot of two-TE sets with TE Delanie Walker, who is serviceable as both a blocker and a receiver.
Frank Gore is an above-average RB who excels at finding the hole and bursting through it. The 49ers also rotate in rookie Kendall Hunter, a 5-foot-7 mite who is very quick. The offensive line, led by LG Mike Iupati, blocks well in the running game. The line has problems with pass blocking, however, giving up 13 sacks in the past two games and 34 for the season. The right side, with backup G Adam Snyder and second-year T Anthony Davis, is the weaker side.
The 49ers rank 29th in passing yards, but don’t let that fool you. The team has the fewest passing attempts of any non-Tebow team in the NFL. In yards per passing attempt, the 49ers rank a respectable 11th. Conversely, the team’s vaunted running game ranks only 17th in yards per attempt.
49ers Defense
By any measure, the 49ers defense is one of the elite units in the NFL, along with the Steelers, Ravens, and Texans defenses. The 49ers defense ranks first in points per game, first in fumbles recovered, first in rushing yards per attempt, fourth in total yards, and fifth in opponents passer rating. The defense’s weakest area is pass rush; it ranks only 14th in sacks.
The 49ers play a 3-4, and the strength of the team is the front seven. Ex-Bengal DE Justin Smith is a high-motor Keisel-like player, and both NT Isaac Sopoaga and DE Ray McDonald are stout against the run. Behind these three, the backups are weak.
With all due respect to Laurence Timmons, Patrick Willis is the best inside linebacker in the game. Willis pulled a hamstring last Sunday, however, and his status for the Steelers game is uncertain. The other ILB, Penn State product Navarro Bowman, is a young tackling machine. The OLBs, Ahmad Brooks and Parys Haralson, are solid tacklers and good in coverage but lack pass-rush skills. On passing downs, the 49ers bring in rookie first-round OLB Aldon Smith, who has 8.5 sacks this year.
In the only significant personnel changes from last year, the 49ers brought in Carlos Rogers (former Redskin) at CB and Donte Whitner (Buffalo) at SS. The veteran Rogers is the team’s best CB but is vulnerable to fast receivers. The nickel back is rookie third-round pick Chris Culliver, and the team has little depth beyond that.
When the 49ers Have the Ball
The 49ers game plan is to use the run to set up the pass. Like most 49ers foes, the Steelers are likely to put eight or more defenders in the box to slow down Gore and Hunter. The 49ers will counter with multiple-TE sets, extra offensive linemen, and even NT Sopoaga lining up at fullback. The Steelers must be prepared for these looks with a "big" package of their own.
If the 49ers get into third-and-long, the Steelers can unleash the pass rush and are likely to get pressures and sacks. If Woodley plays, he could have a big game against RT Davis. The Pittsburgh CBs should have little trouble keeping the 49ers WRs under control. The defense’s biggest problem is likely to be covering Vernon Davis, as the Steelers often having problems with opposing TEs. One option is to station Ryan Clark in the box and have Polamalu shadow Davis at all times, but that removes Troy’s freelance ability from the defense.
When the Steelers Have the Ball
Running on the 49ers will be extremely difficult. By using multiple-TE sets, however, the Steelers can keep 49ers pass-rush specialist Aldon Smith off the field. Even if Ben is hobbled by his ankle injury, this should keep the pressure off and allow him to find open receivers. If the 49ers double-cover both Wallace and Brown, it will open up running lanes. If either Wallace or Brown are in single coverage, Ben should take a deep shot. Alternatively, the Steelers should have success with four-WR formations, as the 49ers do not have enough competent CBs to cover Wallace, Brown, Ward, and Sanders/Cotchery.
Summary
The Steelers run defense, which is not as good as in recent years, will be tested by the persistent 49ers running game. But if the 49ers are forced into passing situations, they will find it difficult to score. Despite the 49ers strong defense, the Steelers talented passing game should be able to drive the ball and put up points. The key to a Steelers victory will be to avoid turnovers against the #1 takeaway team in the league.
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Great information and analysis!
Thanks for taking the time to do that for us. Shoud be a great game!
by LeBeau-a-Constrictor on Dec 10, 2011 3:09 PM EST reply actions
Rec'd
This alone
think of this team as the 2010 Ravens without the trash talkwould have been enough, but lots of great stuff!
"If you're not getting better, I don't care what business you're in, you're a dead man. I try to look critically at the mistakes that I make and try to learn from them, like our team does." - Mike Tomlin
by Rebecca Rollett on Dec 10, 2011 4:58 PM EST reply actions
Nice post
I wish we would have got Mike Iupati, hes a good guard. I think the Steelers should draft a guard like Iupati, a big road grading mauler, to battle it out with Ngata in the trenches. I think the main match up concern for the Steelers is Vernon Davis, as well as stopping Gore. Davis seems like a match up nightmare, with that kind of speed and size. I wonder what an elite QB would be able to do with a TE like that.
Iupati vs Pouncey?
I would take Pouncey but still wouldn’t have minded if we had been forced to take Iupati instead. Maybe we can find his equivalent in the draft this year.
anyone trying to contact me via my yahoo account should be aware it has been hacked
by Cold_Old_Steelers_Fan on Dec 12, 2011 12:09 PM EST up reply actions
Having watched them closely
Pouncey had the better rookie campaign. Iupati, while talented, is big and strong enough that he can play with lousy technique and leverage at times, and still be effective.
I’ve seen a lot of improvement in Iupati’s technique this year, but he still plays a little high, and hasn’t gotten entirely comfortable pass blocking when it comes to blitz pickup, keeping his feet shuffling, etc.
Pouncey, as you all well know, has struggled a little this year with injuries, a changing cast, and trying to do too much at times, but is still incredibly talented, though the recurring ankle sprains are worrisome.
I DO think, however, there is a good chance that both become THE standard at their position in a year or two.
"Football combines the two worst things about America: It is violence punctuated by committee meetings" -George Will
by lottwasgangsta on Dec 12, 2011 5:39 PM EST up reply actions
I didn't realize Iupati and Pouncey were in the same draft class
Definitely glad we got Pouncey instead of Iupati in that case
Good summary
I think this game comes down to us being able to block their exotic blitz schemes, as well as their down 3 guys. Justin Smith has been playing very well ever since he got there a couple years ago and the other guys aren’t too bad either. If we can keep Ben upright for the majority of the game then there will be opportunities (although limited) to make plays down the field against a average secondary. As a whole they play well, but our WRs can easily win their one-on-one matchups.
On the flip side I dont see Alex Smith being able to do much against our defense unless we totally forget to cover Vernon Davis. Even though 49ers fans will disagree, he is only a game-manager. Harbaugh might devise a good gamplan to slowly move the ball against us, but I dont think Smith will be able to execute it for an entire game. Their lack of explosiveness on offense will play into our hands.
Look for a close game, 17-10 us.
Pittsburgh Steelers fan - nuff said.
Miami Hurricanes fan - nuff said.
Georgetown Hoyas fan - nuff said.
Cleveland Cavaliers fan - um yeah, about that...
We don't blitz. Like ever.
I think this game comes down to us being able to block their exotic blitz schemes…
We only rush 3 or 4 about 80% of the time. In fact, we didn’t blitz once in our first game against the Cards.
ClaYton Kershaw, Giant Killa | KeMVP #BEASTMODE
"If the 49ers success offends you, so be it." - Jim Harbaugh
Ben kills when he has time to diagnosis coverage. If Ben plays, I could see him having a big day.
"It’s easy to lie with statistics, but it’s easier to lie without them." -Fred Mosteller
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by John Stephens on Dec 12, 2011 1:05 PM EST up reply actions
Our coverage shifts a lot
But as Mikeinsp said, we don’t send more than 4 guys terribly frequently, both because it gives us more looks in pass coverage, and cause the Smiths and Ray McDonald can get a LOT of push with 3-4 guys rushing.
The other thing to keep in mind is whether Willis plays- we are a lot better at stopping the short pass with him in, cause for a dude who weighs 240, he is insanely good in pass coverage.
"Football combines the two worst things about America: It is violence punctuated by committee meetings" -George Will
by lottwasgangsta on Dec 12, 2011 5:41 PM EST up reply actions
Ted Ginn
I don’t know his numbers this season, but Ginn has been a dangerous kick returner in the past, so we can’t give the Niners good field position.
Didn’t realize Frank Gore is now the Niners all-time rushing leader, I believe he’s overcome major surgeries to both knees dating back to his college days at Miami.
That Poor Gore
Gaudy or not, I’m glad to see Frank Gore enjoying a season like this. He has carried that team offensively, ever since he got there. When players like Vernon Davis became frustration-bombs under previous regimes, Frank just kept his shoulders forward, and plowed through it. They probably won’t see the super bowl, but he deserves this moment.
by SteelCityRoller on Dec 10, 2011 10:18 PM EST up reply actions
Solid write up.
Disagree, though, with:
Ahmad Brooks… lacks pass-rush skills.Brooks has 6 sacks this year, not great but pretty good.
Michael Crabtree is talented but inconsistent.
Last week was the first time he hadn’t been mentioned on the injury report this season. He is finally 100% healthy for the first time all year since fracturing his foot(same one he did in college) during “Camp Alex.” And he’s been pretty solid the last few weeks with 17 receptions, 270 yards, 1 TD.
[Alex Smith] lacks foot speed and is not a running threat.
We’re not gonna go all Tebow on defenses and run the read-option(though we have done this a few times). But he does have pretty good athleticism and above average speed for a QB. He’s on pace to set a career-high in rushing yards.
Just a few corrections: Kendall Hunter, not Kelly. And Cully was a 3rd-round pick.
But everything else is pretty much spot on.
ClaYton Kershaw, Giant Killa | KeMVP #BEASTMODE
"If the 49ers success offends you, so be it." - Jim Harbaugh
You make some good points
Brooks has some pass-rush ability, but he mainly gets sacks after the QB has been flushed out of the pocket. Smith and Smith do the best job of breaking down blockers and pressuring the QB. I agree Crabtree has been coming on lately; he had 7 more catches today, albeit for only 63 yards. We’ll see if he can be a true #1 receiver.
I have to hold my ground on Alex Smith’s lack of rushing ability, though. He may be at a personal career high, but he ranks 34th among NFL QBs with just 43 yards rushing this season.
He won't scramble and run much but he can
Don’t forget he ran Urban Meyer’s spread option offense at Utah. He is a good athlete and can make some plays with his legs. He’s not fast like Vick or even Rodgers but he can run if needed.
"Franz" in NoCal
SF Didn't impress me today
"I think every quarterback should believe they’re the best. Do I think there are better quarterbacks than me? Possibly. But would I take anyone else with the ball in their hands at the end of the game? I don’t think so." - Ben Roethlisberger-
Trap game
and a division rival
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill
this
People don't ever seem to realize that doing what's right is no guarantee against misfortune.
- William McFee
by stillergorillar on Dec 12, 2011 9:48 AM EST up reply actions
We shouldn't have
We played absolutely poorly.
That said, it’s not what we normally look like, and we were missing our most important player (Patrick Willis). Not an excuse, merely an explanation.
"Football combines the two worst things about America: It is violence punctuated by committee meetings" -George Will
by lottwasgangsta on Dec 12, 2011 5:42 PM EST up reply actions
My
roommate is a huge 49ers fan. This win will be even sweeter than normal. Go Steelers!
by McCutchenIsTheTruth on Dec 11, 2011 11:36 PM EST reply actions
Update after 49ers-Cardinals game
The 49ers continued to have trouble protecting Alex Smith today, giving up 5 more sacks (for a total of 18 in the past three games) and several pressures. The o-line had trouble dealing with the Cardinals’ blitz schemes which, as the announcers reminded us, are based on Pittsburgh’s. Smith took several shots down the field but failed to connect on any of them, going 0 for 5 on passes longer than 20 yards. (Vernon Davis had a 32-yard reception, but it was mostly YAC.) The 49ers offense also lacked prowess in the red zone, kicking three FGs in its only three trips inside the 20.
On defense, the 49ers again stuffed the run (17 attempts, 30 yards for Cardinal RBs) but gave up three long pass plays, two to Larry Fitzgerald and one to Early Doucet. At least one of these came out of a four-wide formation. Granted, most teams have problems covering Fitz, but he went off for 147 yards against the 49ers DBs. BTW, all of this came with some guy named John Skelton throwing the ball.
Unfortunately,
The o-line had trouble dealing with the Cardinals’ blitz schemes which, as the announcers reminded us, are based on Pittsburgh’s.
that gives them the chance to see how they feel, and a week to come up with an answer for them.
"If you're not getting better, I don't care what business you're in, you're a dead man. I try to look critically at the mistakes that I make and try to learn from them, like our team does." - Mike Tomlin
by Rebecca Rollett on Dec 12, 2011 7:22 PM EST up reply actions
not necessarily
The Cardinals practice against that D every week and still couldn’t stop the Stiller D. It is based on the Steelers style but not nearly as effective or well educated.
People don't ever seem to realize that doing what's right is no guarantee against misfortune.
- William McFee
by stillergorillar on Dec 12, 2011 9:18 PM EST up reply actions
It's an ongoing problem
The 49ers had huge problems picking up blitzes against the Ravens (another aggressive 3-4 defense). If they could have fixed the problem then, the 49ers would have done better against the Cardinals. Besides, leave it to LeBeau to come up with something new for the 49ers; despite learning from the master, Ray Horton (Cardinals defensive coordinator) is not at the same level.
It IS an ongoing problem
But it’s something the team has dealt much better with when they have offensive line continuity. With the Ravens, I don’t think the team was prepared for the short week/turnaround. Against the Cardinals, we just played TERRIBLY.
Playing against the Pittsburgh D (minus Harrison) will give all of us an idea of how well the Niners can handle it. Don’t think for a minute that Harbaugh isn’t going to put a ton of time into improving on that between now and Monday night.
"Football combines the two worst things about America: It is violence punctuated by committee meetings" -George Will
by lottwasgangsta on Dec 14, 2011 3:01 AM EST up reply actions
Does...
…a healthy John Skelton =, >, <, a hobbled Big Ben?
It may be that we’re starting to see behind the “curtain” (pun intended) of the Niners, and they may not be as formidable as their record indicates.
That said, we’re in a playoff hunt, and as such, every game counts. I would expect to see Ben out there, and certainly hope Harrison is eligible to play as well.
Any word on Troy’s hammie?
United we Stand, melded like Steel
To Roger Goodell, We'll never Yield.
they may not be as formidable as their record indicates.
I have a sneaking suspicion that they’re not. Last I heard, I believe they were first in the league in takeaways and last in giveaways, meaning they were obviously, they were thus first in turnover differential. We know from the first half of this season that sometimes turnovers just don’t go your way and there’s something of an element of luck to them. I feel like they 49ers have been getting pretty lucky with turnovers this year and that’s making them look better than they are.
Their defense is really good, yeah, but I think that true-talent-wise they’re barely a .500 team, if that.
Take all this with a grain of salt, though. My friends are all really obnoxious 49ers fans so I’m predisposed to be pessimistic about their team.
" I think that true-talent-wise they’re barely a .500 team, if that."
Definitely taken with a grain of salt. This team is pretty talented, but have underperformed the past several seasons. This season, they’ve reached a little beyond what might be expected of them, but the talent is their.
They have an elite front 7 on defense, a solid secondary, a young and improving line (does struggle with blitz pickup though), and some excellent skill positions players (Crabs, VD, other STI’s that can score points)
Who are these friends? Have they been obnoxious before this season? Based on what?
Niners are definitely an above 500 team; the question now is, are they a REAL playoff team? That question will start getting answered Monday night…
"Football combines the two worst things about America: It is violence punctuated by committee meetings" -George Will
by lottwasgangsta on Dec 14, 2011 3:05 AM EST up reply actions
…a healthy John Skelton =, >, <, a hobbled Big Ben?
Good question, I’d say a hobbled BB is better because he still seems to be able to make big plays when he needs to. But an even better question may be, does a healthy John Skelton =, <, > a healthy Charlie Batch?
Ben > Skelton
…a healthy John Skelton =, >, <, a hobbled Big Ben?
Even injured, Ben will make better choices than Skelton and is more likely to find the open receiver. Based on the second half of the Browns game, a hobbled Ben is as good or better at throwing the ball, particularly on short-to-intermediate passes. Obviously, a hobbled Ben has less mobility, which means our o-line will have to do a better job of keeping him clean.
I love Vernon Davis
He’s probably one of the top 5 guys in the NFL as far as athleticism goes. I used to see him all the time on campus at MD and the guy was an absolute freak. It looked like a black Hulk basically. He’s freakishly fast and absurdly strong. I think he’d be a lot better had he had a concrete QB/system for him. I don’t see why he isn’t the same mold of Gronkowski and Gates.
Nice write up BTW.
"It’s easy to lie with statistics, but it’s easier to lie without them." -Fred Mosteller
Follow me on Twitter
For a guy with his talent
…Vernon Davis doesn’t do as much as he should. He has only one game this season with more than 67 yards receiving. At 49 catches and 548 yards this year, his receiving stats are only slightly better than Heath Miller’s, despite the fact that Davis is essentially the 49ers’ #1 receiver. Davis dropped a TD pass against the Rams a week ago and caught only one pass against the Cardinals yesterday. In a shirtless contest, he is the anti-Cody, but that doesn’t always help him on the field. His hands are not great, he doesn’t fight through coverage, and he doesn’t get open consistently. Even with his physique, he is not a good blocker. To his credit, he seems to have gotten through the prima donna phase from earlier in his career.
I’m glad you enjoyed the writeup.
He'd be playing a lot better if we'd actually ever throw him the ball more than three times a game.
"If the 49ers success offends you, so be it." - Jim Harbaugh
If you order a "Cowboys kicker" at the bar, you get a shot of iced Bailey's.
he'd be open if he wasn't receiving more attention than a naked supermodel in a teenage boys' locker-room
Plus, the game-plan is not centering around him much this year. We aren’t completely sure why other than the aforementioned attention he gets (double-teamed, etc).
We're as good as we play each week, no better, no worse.
Follow @Tre9er
Like I said, if he had gotten drafted onto a different team I think he would have a lot better development up to this point.
"It’s easy to lie with statistics, but it’s easier to lie without them." -Fred Mosteller
Follow me on Twitter
by John Stephens on Dec 13, 2011 9:15 AM EST up reply actions
For the most part
he has BEEN really good. He’s having a bit of a down year, and part of that is that he’s doing a LOT of blocking (which he has improved significantly), but yeah, he’s neither getting the separation we’ve previously seen, nor is he catching some crucial passes here and there, which is a bit worrisome.
He is having a down year to date, but has had some excellent ones, and will likely bounce back. Perhaps he can do it at the expense of James Farrior, who has had an outstanding career, but should consider hanging it up sooner rather than later.
"Football combines the two worst things about America: It is violence punctuated by committee meetings" -George Will
by lottwasgangsta on Dec 14, 2011 3:08 AM EST up reply actions
I disagree with this
Even with his physique, he is not a good blocker.
Vernon has been recognized as one of the leagues best blocking TE’s.
Maslow's theory of higher needs does not apply to Patrick Willis. He only has two needs: tackling people and finding people to tackle.
I would also point out
that Braylon Edwards is not our #1 receiver. He is not even our #2 receiver. With all the injuries he’s had this season, I’m sure there are 49er fans out there who aren’t even sure that he plays for our team.
As to VD, he has become a much better blocker, but is having a down year, and has dropped some important balls, as well as sharing time with Delanie Walker, who has demonstrated himself as a legitimate receiving threat. VD’s problems this year seem to be mental; if he can fix that, he’s a coverage mismatch for nearly anyone in the league, as his 2009 will attest. His 2010 too, even when opponents knew we forced it to him WAY too often.
"Football combines the two worst things about America: It is violence punctuated by committee meetings" -George Will
Braylon isn't even the most talented WR on the roster.
He’s sort of back to his old tricks with drops and such. Plus he’s not on the same page as Alex.
Kyle Williams is a name to look out for. Talent-wise I think he’s the best WR we have.
We're as good as we play each week, no better, no worse.
Follow @Tre9er
though he hasn't gotten as much of a chance as I'd hope
We're as good as we play each week, no better, no worse.
Follow @Tre9er
(Williams)
yes, I talk to myself
We're as good as we play each week, no better, no worse.
Follow @Tre9er
thanks to the niners fans
for helping flesh out a great write up. Nice job, Steelin.
Niner fan here
I assume we’ll get a “Ask the Other Guys” thread going soon but I thought I’d chime in a bit. This was a good, honest write-up. Some inconsistencies but some Niner fans have cleared those up already.
The main thing missing here is a mention of our special teams. The main reason we are winning, and winning often, is that we dominate field position. Clearly our defense is the main reason for this; however, our ST unit deserves a significant amount of credit. If you go by DVOA (accessible at Football Outsiders), we come in at an impressive 8.2%, good for 2nd overall. For some reference, the Steelers ST unit comes in at a solid 2.4%, good for 9th overall, while Detroit is dead last with -6.4%.
Andy Lee may just be the best punter in the league (average net 43.7 yards!), Ted Ginn is one of the best return men (28.1 average on kick returns and 12.3 on punts), and David Akers is a rock (36/42 so far and 6/7 from 50+).
I am beyond excited for this game. I consider the Steelers to be the absolute cream of the crop when it comes to modern day NFL franchises and I can’t wait to see how Harbaugh and gang fare Monday night by the Bay. It’s going to be a good one, you can bank on that.
by InTimmyWeTrust on Dec 13, 2011 12:22 PM EST reply actions
I don't know what the deal is here but ....
You 9ers fans better start acting a whole lot more douchey and classless pretty soon! After the past couple weeks, that is all we are accustomed to and we may not know how to react to some actual intelligent football conversation!
Iron sharpeneth iron... Proverbs 27:17
+1
We’ll have to re-learn how to post things that contain words longer than four letters.
United we Stand, melded like Steel
To Roger Goodell, We'll never Yield.
LoL (Niner fan here)
We dealt with Tampa, Detroit, and Philly fans already this year. I, for one, have had more than enough douchey and classless fans. ESPECIALLY Detroit. Worst. Fans. Ever.
I said on the Ravens thread that Steeler fans were my least favorite, but that’s ONLY because of where I live (West Virginia), and the ones I know.. A lot of them are here, and they are very asshole-ish about the Steelers. You guys seem much smarter already, and you have no earthly idea it will be to talk to classy and smart Pittsburgh fans. But I do have to say, all the fans from your division have been some of the better ones. I know somebody on NinersNation didn’t seem to like them, but the Cleveland fans were the funniest and mellowest fans I’ve seen us go up against all year.
Living where I do, I have games from your division weekly, guaranteed. I get to watch the Steelers play a lot, so I may have a better understand than some on the west coast who don’t get these games all the time. I’ve always loved watching the Steelers play, especially before they passed as much as they do now. That’s the team I wanted, and we have in SF (Dominant D and run based) finally. This is going to hopefully a lot closer than some think, and it is definitely going to be really, really, physical. I honestly don’t think Willis will play, but would love to see him and Ben both play if they can. Here’s to a good game with no injuries, and good luck the rest of the season. After Monday, or course. :)
"The Harbaughcolypse is upon us. No one in the NFL is safe"
Corrrection:
“You have no earthly idea how awesome it will be for me to talk to classy and smart Pittsburgh for a change”.
Completely screwed that up above.
"The Harbaughcolypse is upon us. No one in the NFL is safe"
Detroit? Really? I’m kind of surprised by that. I have a hard time believing anyone could be worse than Browns fans, but I say that without having experienced Lion fans. Philly…no surprise there…
On the other part of your comment. I don’t think anyone here would think it’s going to be a Steeler blowout. I’m pretty sure everyone expects a close game/slugfest. The D of S.F is ridiculous, I don’t expect a lot of rushing yards from our end lol.
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Who the hell's interrupting my Kung Fu? - Black Dynamite
With two D's, for a double dose of this pimpin'
man those Lions were 5-0
and their fans thought their crap didn’t stink. They were the worst fans we’ve dealt with this year IMO, I can’t explain how great it felt for us to beat them and shut them up.
Maslow's theory of higher needs does not apply to Patrick Willis. He only has two needs: tackling people and finding people to tackle.
Like I said. I have no experience, and my roots are from the Detroit area..It was just hard for me to imagine. I’m surprised. I figured they would just appreciate the fact that their team is doing well, and be humble and respectful.
This message will self destruct
Who the hell's interrupting my Kung Fu? - Black Dynamite
With two D's, for a double dose of this pimpin'
Detroit fans in general are pretty horrible
Both Red Wings fans and Lions fans. I think they rival Philly for the worst fan city… actually, what am I saying, Philly takes it by a LONG shot. Still, Lions fans were pretty damn bad – they were super arrogant, mean, and somewhat classless. Hmm… remind anyone of anything?
I'm just a simple Giants fan trying to make my way in the universe.
by Tim Lincecum's Bong on Dec 13, 2011 11:29 PM EST up reply actions
lol. I was confused for a minute..But then you came back with “Philly takes it by a LONG shot” and I felt better. It’s Philthy…then everyone else.
I believe we have a date with Detroit in 2 seasons…so I guess I’ll find out then. (unless somehow we both end up in the Super Bowl).
This message will self destruct
Who the hell's interrupting my Kung Fu? - Black Dynamite
With two D's, for a double dose of this pimpin'
They all declared there was no way we could beat them.
They really did.
We're as good as we play each week, no better, no worse.
Follow @Tre9er
And even after we did beat them, in their minds we didn't.
"If the 49ers success offends you, so be it." - Jim Harbaugh
If you order a "Cowboys kicker" at the bar, you get a shot of iced Bailey's.
THE HANDSHAKE! THE HANDSHAKE! (there wasn't a game) THE HANDSHAKE!
We're as good as we play each week, no better, no worse.
Follow @Tre9er
Wha, wha WHAT????
Cleveland fans were the funniest and mellowest fans
DawgsByNature website, right? Not some poser website set up by some Russian mafia group looking to steal your credit card numbers…Cleveland BROWNS fans, right?…American FOOTBALL, not some soccer team’s fans in the wealthy (snicker!) part of Cleveland suburbs?
Don’t know where they came from, or where they went, but they SURE weren’t poasting with us prior to last weeks game!
United we Stand, melded like Steel
To Roger Goodell, We'll never Yield.
by PaVaSteeler on Dec 14, 2011 10:22 AM EST up reply actions
must be the division rival thing...
We're as good as we play each week, no better, no worse.
Follow @Tre9er
Not at all
Things went fine with CInci and Baltimore fans
"It’s easy to lie with statistics, but it’s easier to lie without them." -Fred Mosteller
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by John Stephens on Dec 14, 2011 12:56 PM EST up reply actions
That's really weird
They were great in our game.
I'm just a simple Giants fan trying to make my way in the universe.
by Tim Lincecum's Bong on Dec 14, 2011 5:22 PM EST up reply actions
All the ones you guys talked with were probably too busy the week of our game sending death threats to their players.
"If the 49ers success offends you, so be it." - Jim Harbaugh
If you order a "Cowboys kicker" at the bar, you get a shot of iced Bailey's.
I could see that.
It’s just that their whole relationship with Pittsburgh is defined by hatred, resentment, and jealousy, so it’s impossible to have a rational discussion with them. If we had spent our respective histories in another conference we would probably get along due to our similarities (small market, industrial based, football fanatics).
Aw, screw yinz!
"Football combines the two worst things about America: It is violence punctuated by committee meetings" -George Will
by lottwasgangsta on Dec 14, 2011 3:10 AM EST up reply actions
oh, I always thought I heard people saying "hey yoonz guys"
We're as good as we play each week, no better, no worse.
Follow @Tre9er
The vowel sound sometimes ...
Is pronounced longer or shorter (yinz, yunz, youunz) depending on where exactly you are from. When my grandmother said it, it sounded like yoontz (Noerthen dialect) but the accepted spelling has seemed to settle on yinz. They call us “Yinzer Nation”.
Iron sharpeneth iron... Proverbs 27:17
Meant to add to that...
But deleted the bottom portion. It basically implied that your team was a bunch of felons, that the refs won SB 40, and that Primanti Brothers was NOT in fact delicious.
Meant in jest.
I have to say though, for as much as I like beer, Iron City seems to be VERY much an acquired taste.
Impressed with your site, with its folks, and glad we can have good discussion leading up to what should be a phenomenal game.
"Football combines the two worst things about America: It is violence punctuated by committee meetings" -George Will
by lottwasgangsta on Dec 14, 2011 3:13 AM EST up reply actions
IC is some weird beer.
I never liked it myself. I’ll drink it, but theres no way in hell I’ll extend my pinkie finger when doing so. Also, some of the IC beer is made in… Milwaukee. (the only case I ever bought said that on the bottom…!) I’d much rather have the PBR of pale ales than that. (sierra nev, that is)
Solid write-up
I’m going to have an Ask Niners Nation FanPost in just a little bit, but wanted to acknowledge this write-up. Aside from some of the errors mentioned previously, it is a pretty solid look at the team. Some of the things I disagree with:
Alex Smith, running threat: He is not a Tebow, Vick, etc running threat, but he can be a solid scrambling QB. He ran the spread option at Utah before Urban Meyer took it to Florida and Tim Tebow. He is not fast by any stretch, but I would call him a smart runner more than anything. He’s not going to make some filthy athletic moves but he can pick his spots fairly well.
Ahmad Brooks: He doesn’t have gaudy sack numbers, but he has serious athleticism that has turned him into a solid pass rusher for the 49ers.
Wide receivers: Crabtree has been the number one guy in recent weeks and has grown a bit more consistent now that he is healthy. Kyle Williams is a guy to look out for. He has been the #2 guy fairly consistently the last couple weeks.
Opening running lanes: You mention how doubling Wallace/Brown could open running lanes. It could open things up behind the linebackers, but the 49ers defensive front seven is generally athletic enough to prevent running backs from getting to the point where secondary openings matter. It is not like that every time, but much of the time.
Alex Smith
OK, I’ll give you Brooks as a solid pass rusher and Crabtree as the defacto #1 receiver, given Edwards injuries. But I don’t get why all the Niners fans are up in arms about my comment that Smith is not a running threat. The guy may have some running skills, or at least he did eight years ago at Utah, but he rarely chooses to use them. Although his mad scramble on the last play of the Cardinals game was rather Tarkenton-esque.
because he has the skills. He actually has had some scripted runs. He's athletic, he just tries to stay in pocket more
and make plays with his arm. That’s a normal progression for most QB’s as they age.
We're as good as we play each week, no better, no worse.
Follow @Tre9er
accurate
The only thing i disagree with you is Ahmad Brooks, he is a solid pass rusher and pretty solid against the run.
And about Alex, yes he has above average speed and yes he ran the spread offense in college but he is not a threat like Ben.
Oops...this response was supposed to go here!
Wow, you too!
I guess we don’t have anything better to do ?!
Iron sharpeneth iron... Proverbs 27:17
Good write-up
Steelers have had more success than Niners (anybody) the last six years. That said, I think the football Gods owe us a win at home against a good team. Good luck fellas. Hope for no injuries and a rematch in the SB win or lose!
Looking to put San Fran*six-o* here some time soon!
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