Scout.com has 49ers last in NFC West

good

fly under the radar

Originally posted by DonnieDarko:

good

fly under the radar

This

We've had expectations for the past several years and it's amounted to 0 playoff appearances. Make the team earn respect.

1. Rams 9-7
2. 49ers 8-8
3. Cardinals 7-9
4 Seahawks 5-11

That's how I see it. And that's an improvement for the division as a whole

It's probably the hardest division to predict because really the only one you can say that has a slight edge at the moment is the Rams. You could make a case for every team winning it and you can make a case for every not winning it.

I have a hard time seeing Seattle with 8 wins this year and I think they'll wind up being last place. I just don't see 8 wins with that roster and I think they have bigger problems on with their O line than we do.

Kolb improves the Cardinals but he's isn't what I would call elite and he not going to block for himself nor is he going to rush the passer as an OLB. They might be able to get 7-9. There are still a lot of big problems on that team which I think will ultimately hold them back.

We're the biggest wild card in the division because we have the most question marks but the biggest boom or bust potential. You could argue this is the first time in a while that we've had first rate coaching and we won't know until the games are played how much of a difference coaching will have on the roster. I mean if Harbaugh get some decent production from Smith, the O line holds up, and Fangio gets a respectable pass rush generated than I could argue a 10 win season for us but if one or more of those things don't happen than a 5 win season is very much a reality.

It is perplexing that the Cards are not ranked to win this division. Kolb may be unproven but he has also shown what he can do for a team which is better than any other QB in this division and I'm not talking about ratings. I'm talking about willing his team to win...a leader.

I still don't think Bradford has proven he is a very good QB. In his 2nd year, with teams having more films to plan to his weaknesses as was the case the further last season progressed, he regressed.

Alex Smith is the 2nd best QB in this division but he has rarely shown to be able to will a team to a win and take over as the leader of the offense.

SEA, even though they won a playoff game, Hasselback was a huge reason late in the season for them playing stronger. They also lost their outlet QB safety player to throw to in Carlson for the year.

Originally posted by Joecool:
It is perplexing that the Cards are not ranked to win this division. Kolb may be unproven but he has also shown what he can do for a team which is better than any other QB in this division and I'm not talking about ratings. I'm talking about willing his team to win...a leader.

The Niners D will be the best in the division so that cancels out Kolb and the Cards?

Originally posted by verb1der:

Originally posted by Joecool:
It is perplexing that the Cards are not ranked to win this division. Kolb may be unproven but he has also shown what he can do for a team which is better than any other QB in this division and I'm not talking about ratings. I'm talking about willing his team to win...a leader.

The Niners D will be the best in the division so that cancels out Kolb and the Cards?

Not if we go 3 and out a lot. It is looking more and more like that will be happening. I think we are going to see some sloppy passing game.

worst of the worst you say? BRING ON LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally posted by Joecool:
It is perplexing that the Cards are not ranked to win this division. Kolb may be unproven but he has also shown what he can do for a team which is better than any other QB in this division and I'm not talking about ratings. I'm talking about willing his team to win...a leader.

I still don't think Bradford has proven he is a very good QB. In his 2nd year, with teams having more films to plan to his weaknesses as was the case the further last season progressed, he regressed.

Alex Smith is the 2nd best QB in this division but he has rarely shown to be able to will a team to a win and take over as the leader of the offense.

SEA, even though they won a playoff game, Hasselback was a huge reason late in the season for them playing stronger. They also lost their outlet QB safety player to throw to in Carlson for the year.

Kolb wills his team to win???? Huh??? He went 2-3 last year and 4 of those 5 games were against teams picking in the top-10 in the 2011 draft (Redskins, Niners, Titans, & Cowboys). How is that willing his team to win when he had a losing record despite playing almost exclusively s**tty teams? Of his 5 games, he was AWFUL in 2 of them and mediocre at BEST in another 2. He played well in ONE game last year (the Atlanta game).

And oh ya, despite his super easy schedule, he STILL finished with a significantly worse rating, TD/INT ratio, and yds/attempt than our very own Alex Smith (despite Kolb having a way better supporting cast and WAAAAAAY better offensive coaching...Reid/Mornhinweg and Shurmur for a while vs. Singletary/Raye )

Yet Kolb is better? WHY??

Lance Kendricks is going to be huge for the Rams, and will pretty much trash our defense when we play. Harvey Dahl is a great pickup for the Rams. He is nasty, tough, and a guy who fights for everything. The two Rams DE's are going to shred our OT's. Not a good matchup for us, at all.

The Cardinals will be a lot better with Kolb, just for the sake of stability on their offense. Not sure the pass rush will be anything to be desired, and losing Greg Toler to injury and DRC to the Eagles hurts as well. Adding Patrick Peterson helps to ease those losses. Still think they are better than us.

The Seahawks are limping to the start of the regular season, just like our squad. They have OL issues, a QB issue, and turnover on key players on defense.

To me, the Niners and Seahawks are scrapping for last place, and a 6 win season.

Originally posted by Joecool:
It is perplexing that the Cards are not ranked to win this division. Kolb may be unproven but he has also shown what he can do for a team which is better than any other QB in this division and I'm not talking about ratings. I'm talking about willing his team to win...a leader.

I still don't think Bradford has proven he is a very good QB. In his 2nd year, with teams having more films to plan to his weaknesses as was the case the further last season progressed, he regressed.

Alex Smith is the 2nd best QB in this division but he has rarely shown to be able to will a team to a win and take over as the leader of the offense.

SEA, even though they won a playoff game, Hasselback was a huge reason late in the season for them playing stronger. They also lost their outlet QB safety player to throw to in Carlson for the year.

Bradford proved to be a very good rookie QB. He had a 60% completion percentage throwing to nobody, threw for over 3,500 yards (700 more than Alex Smith's career high), and had a 18-15 TD to INT ratio. He is as close to a franchise QB as exists in our division and he will continue to improve for the next decade.

The NFL is a QB league. Period. Alex Smith may be the second best QB in our division as you contend (I would rank him 4th) but he's far from being a franchise QB. The division is the Rams' to win for the next decade unless: (1) another team obtains a franchise QB (Kolb?); or (2) Bradford gets injured. Statistical anomalies aside (2000 Ravens, 2002 Bucs) no team has won the SB over the past 20 years without a franchise QB.

Originally posted by Joecool:
It is perplexing that the Cards are not ranked to win this division. Kolb may be unproven but he has also shown what he can do for a team which is better than any other QB in this division and I'm not talking about ratings. I'm talking about willing his team to win...a leader.

I still don't think Bradford has proven he is a very good QB. In his 2nd year, with teams having more films to plan to his weaknesses as was the case the further last season progressed, he regressed.

Alex Smith is the 2nd best QB in this division but he has rarely shown to be able to will a team to a win and take over as the leader of the offense.

SEA, even though they won a playoff game, Hasselback was a huge reason late in the season for them playing stronger. They also lost their outlet QB safety player to throw to in Carlson for the year.

Cardinals have some serious issues outside of QB and Kolb isn't on Warner's level nor does he have the same weapons Warner did to completely carry the team on it's back like in 08 and 09.

Their isn't much for weapons outside of Fitz, their O line isn't anything close to dominant, Wells is the worst RB in the division along with all they have, They have no pass rush, their run defense doesn't figure to be any better than last season, and now a secondary that's a bit banged up.

Kolb makes them better than last season but he won't be able to cover up all the issues on the team.

I agree based on what I've seen so far. They are 3d at best.

I have them last in the NFC

Originally posted by midrdan:

Originally posted by Joecool:
It is perplexing that the Cards are not ranked to win this division. Kolb may be unproven but he has also shown what he can do for a team which is better than any other QB in this division and I'm not talking about ratings. I'm talking about willing his team to win...a leader.

I still don't think Bradford has proven he is a very good QB. In his 2nd year, with teams having more films to plan to his weaknesses as was the case the further last season progressed, he regressed.

Alex Smith is the 2nd best QB in this division but he has rarely shown to be able to will a team to a win and take over as the leader of the offense.

SEA, even though they won a playoff game, Hasselback was a huge reason late in the season for them playing stronger. They also lost their outlet QB safety player to throw to in Carlson for the year.

Bradford proved to be a very good rookie QB. He had a 60% completion percentage throwing to nobody, threw for over 3,500 yards (700 more than Alex Smith's career high), and had a 18-15 TD to INT ratio. He is as close to a franchise QB as exists in our division and he will continue to improve for the next decade.

The NFL is a QB league. Period. Alex Smith may be the second best QB in our division as you contend (I would rank him 4th) but he's far from being a franchise QB. The division is the Rams' to win for the next decade unless: (1) another team obtains a franchise QB (Kolb?); or (2) Bradford gets injured. Statistical anomalies aside (2000 Ravens, 2002 Bucs) no team has won the SB over the past 20 years without a franchise QB.

As the season progressed for Bradford, his play was awful, and that's an understatement. So far, this preseason, he still hasn't shown he's busted out of his strength which is only throwing under 6 yards. Now throw in the fact that he has a new OC in his 2nd year in the NFL.

Kolb plays like an NFL QB in terms of where he can find receivers on the field more than anyone in this division. He has still shown a higher ceiling than any QB in this division.

Alex Smith has shown a low ceiling but he has also shown he can be steady at best.

SEA QB will be throwing INT's, especially without Carlson. I won't be surprised if he is benched.