The San Francisco 49ers

[The JNR]

I actually wrote this article yesterday about this qb rotation: http://thefootbawlblog.com/2012/10/1...ck-experiment/

[gerryv]

GIANTS destroyed the Niners! NY is the best team in the NFC we as speak. Will they maintain? Thats your headline for today.

[Pelicans78]

I couldn't disagree more with that statement. The last 2 Giants vs Pats SBs have proved the exact opposite. The team with the record-breaking QB lost to the defensive team with the just better-than-average QB.

And Smith's shortcomings, which are obvious, would have still landed him in the SB if a) a backup returner hadn't muffed 2 punts or b) Harbaugh would have had the awareness to get Williams out of the game. Remember, just one week beforehand, the 49ers beat a former SB team with a future HOF QB. What ultimately decided the 49ers' fate in the NFC title game was inexperience both on the field and on the sidelines.

While I wouldn't have a problem with the 49ers upgrading QB (or any position), I still think the position is vastly overhyped. QB might be the most important position, but it's still a dependent one and one that can't directly effect 2 other phases of the game: defense and special teams. If Trenterception Dilfer and Rex Grossman can take teams to the Super Bowl, then obviously a great QB isn't needed for the big dance.

Your insane if you think Eli is just a better than average QB. He's an elite QB and much better than Alex Smith.

The 49ers weren't driving on the Giants in OT or in the 4th. Their offense couldn't do anything late in the game. Smith didn't get it done when it counted and he won't get it done again. Harbaugh knows that. Look how awful Smith has looked the last two weeks at home.

The only reason the 49ers beat the Saints was the Saints DC was stupid enough to blitz with 40 seconds left in the game. If he plays it straight up, the Saints win that game. Even with 5 turnovers, the Saints should have won that game.

Dilfer took the Ravens 12 years ago and Grossman won it in a very weak NFC. The NFC is much tougher now and the fact is, Alex Smith isn't good enough to lead this team to the Super Bowl. Harbaugh knows it. Its about time you did as well.

[Teal Lantern]

GIANTS destroyed the Niners! NY is the best team in the NFC we as speak. Will they maintain? Thats your headline for today.

GIANTS destroyed the Niners! NY is the best team in the NFC we as speak. Will they maintain? Thats your headline for today.

As we speak, that's a fair statement, because I'm not buying into the Falcons' hype. Yet Green Bay was the best team in the whole NFL until the last couple of weeks last year. I still believe the Niners can beat anyone if they execute.

The problem is that Harbs seems to be struggling with what he wants the O to become. The WRs aren't getting separation, but the plays are still being run for them. The TEs aren't getting the ball and Gore isn't being utilized enough. Of course, maybe Harbs is just trying to keep his aging legs fresh for the playoffs.

[Teal Lantern]

Your insane if you think Eli is just a better than average QB. He's an elite QB and much better than Alex Smith.

l.

Manning's career stats aren't awe-inspiring, nor was his first SB. The Giants' D won that SB and proved the old adage: the game is won and lost in the trenches. That doesn't make for cool video games or fantasy football points, but it's the simple truth. They pressured Brady made the golden boy look vulnerable, much in the same way the Pats' D did to then-golden boy Warner in their first SB win.

The 49ers are only going to go as far as their front 7 and the legs of Frank Gore take them. Team vision & team execution > gaudy QB plays. End of story.

[GUYMAN]

I'm new to the Forum, haven't been posting about the Hornets since have not gotten to see them yet (will be in NOLA next week, going to game #2). But living in Jersey I have seen the Giants alot (was at the game this past Sunday), and if anyone doesn't think he's an elite QB they either just wish he wasn't or they don't know football. The fact that he had a few yrs where he struggled some doesn't mean he's not at the top of the list now. He puts up great numbers - but even if his stats were lacking a little he's a winner. And that is what a QB has to be - there are plenty of guys who can throw for alot of yards and TDs - but they aren't winners, because of their temperment or whatever.

[Teal Lantern]

I'm new to the Forum, haven't been posting about the Hornets since have not gotten to see them yet (will be in NOLA next week, going to game #2). But living in Jersey I have seen the Giants alot (was at the game this past Sunday), and if anyone doesn't think he's an elite QB they either just wish he wasn't or they don't know football. The fact that he had a few yrs where he struggled some doesn't mean he's not at the top of the list now. He puts up great numbers - but even if his stats were lacking a little he's a winner. And that is what a QB has to be - there are plenty of guys who can throw for alot of yards and TDs - but they aren't winners, because of their temperment or whatever.

He's clutch, but "elite" denotes a top 5 at his position. Off the top of my head, I can think of 5 QBs who are clearly better than Eli: Brady, P. Manning, Brees, Rodgers, Rivers. I also think it's arguable that Roethlisberger is better than Eli. A player who is the 6th or 7th best at his position isn't elite.

Last Sunday vs. the Redskins was a Manning game in a nutshell: 26/40, 337 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs. Those are solid, but a long way from elite.

And all this is beside my original point about the silly, QB-centric media. In 2007, every blabbing head in the air or in print was expecting the coronation of the Patriots because the golden boy, Tom Brady, was just sooooo awesome! They didn't give the Giants a chance because the then-mediocre Manning ( 79.3 rating, 23 TDs, 20 INTS in '07) couldn't possibly lead them to victory.

But the Giants front 4 disagreed. They held the golden boy and his "unstoppable" offense to a mere 14 points. They put Brady on his back 5 times and harassed him all game long. The team with the mediocre QB--to the shock of the media--actually won.

So my point remains that great QB play isn't always necessary to win a Super Bowl. Championships are won in a variety of ways. Having a Joe Montana-like leader is only one of them.

[Teal Lantern]

6-2 to cap the first half of the season. Harbs implemented a better gameplan tonight. Smith was 18-19, Gore gashed the Cardinal D. But, as always, the D was story. They BRUTALIZED Zona.

I hope we continue to improve and lock up the NFC West.

[Teal Lantern]

Niners cap an erratic and drama-filled season with another NFC West title. I really don't know which Niners team will show up for the playoffs, but it's nice just to make the post-season again.

It's also nice to see the Dallas Demon Spawns and Eli the overrated goober get eliminated on the same day.

[BallSoHard]

Niners cap an erratic and drama-filled season with another NFC West title. I really don't know which Niners team will show up for the playoffs, but it's nice just to make the post-season again.

It's also nice to see the Dallas Demon Spawns and Eli the overrated goober get elimnated on the same day.

Haard to call anyone with 2 SBs overrated.

[Teal Lantern]

Haard to call anyone with 2 SBs overrated.

Not when that guy gets waaaaay to much credit for what those around him did. He turned in another good (but far from great) year, but he's never been good enough to carry his team on a regular basis. At least well get a break from the Goober-to-the-Hall of Fame talk, at least until he has another one of his 3 or 4 great performances per year.

[BallSoHard]

If his great performances are in the Superbowl, that's all that matters.

[Teal Lantern]

If his great performances are in the Superbowl, that's all that matters.

Not at all. Truly elite QBs elevate their team year after year. The 49ers will face one such man next week: Aaron Rodgers. He's played at an MVP level for 5 straight years now--far better than the Goober. That's what a HOF-worthy players do.

And even though I respect Rodgers as much as any player in the game, I hope the Niners hit him so hard next week that the aftershocks will be felt in Wisconsin.

[Ceedee M]

Enough mediocre-to-bad QBs have Super Bowl rings to prove that an Elway type is helpful, but not necessary. Smith wasn't the reason the Niners missed the SB last year, it was special teams. The Niners have the talent to win a Super Bowl, but Harbs is going to have to admit to himself (regardless of the WR additions) that this is still a run-first offense.

Colin

[Teal Lantern]

Colin

LOL...he better be ready in 2 weeks. He'll be looking at one inspired, nasty D on the big day.

[Joe Gerrity]

Looks good for you! Thanks for beating the birds.

[Teal Lantern]

Looks good for you! Thanks for beating the birds.

The Niners and Ravens are mirror-image teams. It will be a hard-hitting, throwback kind of game.

[Teal Lantern]

I'm still not over the game. The refs were horrendous. I only refer to 2/3/13 as the New Orleans Screwjob.

[Teal Lantern]

I'm still not over the N.O. Screwjob, but it's starting to feel like football is on the horizon.

[Pelicans78]

I'm still not over the N.O. Screwjob, but it's starting to feel like football is on the horizon.

Your team got the benefit of a ton of calls that night. Refs were bad on both sides. Plus if the power didn't go out, Ravens would have won easily. So go away.

[Teal Lantern]

Your team got the benefit of a ton of calls that night. Refs were bad on both sides. Plus if the power didn't go out, Ravens would have won easily. So go away.

Eh, NO. 2 of Baltimore's first 4 TDs came on horrendously blown calls. They had multiple dead ball fouls, including the shoving of an official, inexplicably not called. Then there was the Ed Reed no call on the 2 point conversion and 2 missed calls that decided the game on the last drive. I firmly believe that the entire crew should have been suspended for the entire season next year and Roger "No Integrity" Goodell should publically apologize to the 49ers.

This wasn't just a case of a couple of honest mistakes. The NFL let the Ravens get away with being thugs and handed them a championship.