Media and the 49ers

espn has us at #2
http://espn.go.com/nfl/powerrankings/_/year/2011/week/9

I still think that we are a top 3 team. Some people might downgrade us for our close game/ sloppy 2nd half vs the Browns, but coming off the bye, that performance by the Niners was a good one. Teams were 3-9 coming off the bye, and we saw how ugly the Ravens played on MNF vs the Jaguars, in the game they lost.

We played relatively better than most teams coming off the bye, and a lot of our miscues on offense were very close to being big plays/TDs ( Gore runs near goal-line that were called back, overthrows by Alex). Plus, the receivers have been going in and out if this line up all season long, so I doubt that 2 weeks off for a bye is enough to build chemistry for the whole offense,

We are seeing new things each week out of this offense; what this team has done is absolutely amazing considering the situation with the lockout and lack of team gelling. Usually, young teams take years to come together. The Niners are already great in 7 weeks, and we still have a lot to improve upon.

Originally posted by Eastcoast49er:
I still think there is a lot of people who don't believe in us... still the underdog

I think there are a lot of people having trouble embracing how good we are, especially with our quick turnaround from last year and after a lockout that caused a lot of the writers to write us off.

Originally posted by niner4life21:

I still think that we are a top 3 team. Some people might downgrade us for our close game/ sloppy 2nd half vs the Browns, but coming off the bye, that performance by the Niners was a good one. Teams were 3-9 coming off the bye, and we saw how ugly the Ravens played on MNF vs the Jaguars, in the game they lost.

We played relatively better than most teams coming off the bye, and a lot of our miscues on offense were very close to being big plays/TDs ( Gore runs near goal-line that were called back, overthrows by Alex). Plus, the receivers have been going in and out if this line up all season long, so I doubt that 2 weeks off for a bye is enough to build chemistry for the whole offense,

We are seeing new things each week out of this offense; what this team has done is absolutely amazing considering the situation with the lockout and lack of team gelling. Usually, young teams take years to come together. The Niners are already great in 7 weeks, and we still have a lot to improve upon.

And the pack was held scoreless in their second half against the rams. It happens sometimes

Originally posted by Godsleftsock:
And the pack was held scoreless in their second half against the rams. It happens sometimes

I watched that game and the Packers looked downright pathetic in the second half.

Saw a power ranking that had SF listed 9th before the game, so there are still many who choose not to believe the 9ers are for real. They believe the niners will fall flat from here on out and lose the majority of their games.

Another (USA Today--Sagarin) had the 9ers in first place on a "Pure" ranking system but GB ahead based on win/loss only. The weighted opponent difficulty and schedule difficulty (three games in the east) put the 9ers in first place. The Pure system is suppose to be more accurate in predicting outcomes of future games.

This stuff is fun but I hope no one bets the house on these polls!

having a high ranking must make a lot of people happy...personally if we were undefeated we could be ranked 32 and i'd be happy

Originally posted by stepnez:
having a high ranking must make a lot of people happy...personally if we were undefeated we could be ranked 32 and i'd be happy

Originally posted by okdkid:
Of teams with two losses or less, the 49ers have had the most difficult strength of schedule to date.

They are playing championship quality football.

link?

Originally posted by VDSF:

Quote:

The 49ers are getting help from a very favorable schedule, but that is not their fault — they just line up against whoever is put in front of them. Nobody in the NFC West is capable of beating them, but this week they have to travel East again. Fortunately for them, it's to play the Redskins. The rich get richer.

How is the AFC North and the NFC East a favorable schedule? Are these guys retarded or just being haters?

Originally posted by AXEGRINDER:
How is the AFC North and the NFC East a favorable schedule? Are these guys retarded or just being haters?

it's the same schedule from '81 = winning

Originally posted by NJNiner:

Originally posted by Eastcoast49er:

I still think there is a lot of people who don't believe in us... still the underdog

Thats just fine with me. I would much rather fly under the radar.

Yeah because it's so beneficial to "fly under the radar" of talk show hosts and fans. Meanwhile, NFL teams are not, and have not been, unaware of the 49ers.

I think the reason why analysts are having a hard time considering us as #2 (and even more so being better than Green Bay) is that they are rating a team in this order:

1. Passing Offense
2. Passing Defense
3. Rushing Defense
4. Rushing Offense
5. Special Teams

We have a mediocre passing offense, so they immediately assume that teams below us must be better despite the fact that they have lost more games. What I think that ranking misses most, though, is efficiency. We don't turn the ball over, we do get take aways, we score in the red zone, and we force the opponent to kick field goals. That efficiency helps both our offense and defense, and as a result we outscore our opponents on a regular basis. Also by being decent to great in all categories, it allows one part of our team to misfire and the other parts to take up the slack. Some times it is our defense that keeps us in games. In other cases special teams finishes the game for us, or kicks multiple 50 yard field goals in a close game. And of course, our rushing offense is putting up yards and points, and in the cases where that hasn't worked, our passing game has gotten enough points to win. Combine it all, and we win where a great passing team fails.

Originally posted by fryet:
I think the reason why analysts are having a hard time considering us as #2 (and even more so being better than Green Bay) is that they are rating a team in this order:

1. Passing Offense
2. Passing Defense
3. Rushing Defense
4. Rushing Offense
5. Special Teams

We have a mediocre passing offense, so they immediately assume that teams below us must be better despite the fact that they have lost more games. What I think that ranking misses most, though, is efficiency. We don't turn the ball over, we do get take aways, we score in the red zone, and we force the opponent to kick field goals. That efficiency helps both our offense and defense, and as a result we outscore our opponents on a regular basis. Also by being decent to great in all categories, it allows one part of our team to misfire and the other parts to take up the slack. Some times it is our defense that keeps us in games. In other cases special teams finishes the game for us, or kicks multiple 50 yard field goals in a close game. And of course, our rushing offense is putting up yards and points, and in the cases where that hasn't worked, our passing game has gotten enough points to win. Combine it all, and we win where a great passing team fails.

well said my friend

Originally posted by AXEGRINDER:

Originally posted by VDSF:

Quote:
The 49ers are getting help from a very favorable schedule, but that is not their fault — they just line up against whoever is put in front of them. Nobody in the NFC West is capable of beating them, but this week they have to travel East again. Fortunately for them, it's to play the Redskins. The rich get richer.

How is the AFC North and the NFC East a favorable schedule? Are these guys retarded or just being haters?

Do these guys know we played 1 game in the NFC West?