Originally posted by billbird2111:
I don't know. I'm still not convinced yet. I think most long-time Niner fans probably feel the same way. They like what they see -- but they're not quite ready to commit just yet.
Don't get me wrong. This isn't a bash post on Shaun Hill. I can't believe some folks are still laying wood on the guy. Hill is far better than Alex Smith will ever be. He's not the best QB to suit up for the Niners -- but he's a far cry better than anything we've put behind center since Jeff Garcia left town.
I'm not quite ready to drink that Koolaid yet for a myriad of reasons. There's no doubt in my mind that this team is better. There's no doubt in my mind that this is probably the best Niner defense I've seen since we went out and signed a bunch of over-priced free agents to win our 5th Championship. There's no doubt in my mind that the offensive line is better -- and that Gore is the real deal.
I'm just not ready to go "there" just yet.
I have this nagging worry -- say what you will -- that the Minnesota Vikings are going to bring us right back to reality next weekend. This my friends, is going to be a telling game for us. IF -- and I'm not saying they will mind you -- but IF this team jumps up and slaps the Vikings silly? Then folks -- we've got something truly special going on here. A win over the Vikings means more than just a 3-0 record. It means we will have beaten the NFC's best -- on the road no less.
I'm just not ready to annoint this team yet. I'm not quite ready to believe. Confidence is a tricky thing. It takes a long time to get it. And I lost all of it during the down years. That cocky, arrogant fan attitude that I developed during the glory years was beaten from my soul with a baseball bat of six lost seasons.
So kids -- I guess what I'm saying here is -- I want to believe. I really do. But I just can't do it yet. Next weekend is a key game for us. I mean KEY. We win that game? We're for real. All doubts in my mind will have been erased.
But, if we lose, all bets are off. Singletary or no Singletary -- this is one heck of a crucial game. It's more than just one win. It's more than just one loss. It will validate whether we've returned from our long trip in Purgatory, or we've missed the trail home yet one more time.
Where to start...
The Vikings are not the best team in the NFC, they have yet to prove anything and they have a QB with a partially torn rotator cuff who we shut down pretty good last year. AP is the only thing on that team we have to really worry about. This is an important game for sure, but not nearly as important as the two we have already played or any more of the divisional games we have yet to play. I like it as a barometer game to see how we can handle the best RB in the game, but the Vikes O line had serious trouble protecting Farve yesterday and we have shut AP down before. I think the Falcons and Colts are better indicators of how much better this team is.
Don't want to turn this into another Hill/Smith thread but Hill has looked anything but spectacular so far. He misses so many open receivers and his pocket presence leaves much to be desired. I think he is doing well considering the limited skills he possesses, but I have to think that Smith might get the ball to the receivers more often. As long as we win though, I can deal with whoever the QB is.
As a 30+ year fan of the niners I too feel reluctant to get my hopes up too high, but the defense is as good as any I can remember in my time watching the niners, right up there with the underrated one that shut down the Dolphins in the Superbowl. Just gotta take it one game at a time and see if the offense can improve on what they are doing, if so, we could have something special.
) pending on this game between friends, I don't dare tell them that I am actually worried about this game. Nevertheless, I bought a Willis jersey specifically for this game and can't wait to see Willis stuff Peterson for another -2yards on 14 carries like a few years back.
and believe me they will
