The bar has been raised

Originally posted by susweel:
The bar has been raised, no longer is just getting into the playoffs the major goal anymore its pretty much a given. This team needs to start thinking big picture and think about setting themselves up for a run at the super bowl and getting past green bay. Start thinking about getting Gore fully healthy as well cutting back the snaps for some of the defensive studs against the weaker teams. This team is for real and can compete for the ultimate prize.

No doubt Coach Haubargh and his staff are making plans for potential playoff opponents. Through week 10 the coaches have proven they're very good at game planning and making halftime adjustments. Maybe they should rest Gore and mix it up with the other runners, but if they don't I'm not worried about it. Gore is a grinder and he needs to keep busy. No one expected this team to be so good so fast, and now they are SB contenders... NFC Championship and beyond.... Awesome!!!

I love how it is Susweel who felt the need to start a thread about raising the bar

Super Bowl or bust baby

This team proved a lot in my opinion. Smith looking amazingly amazing and every time someone says the Niners can't do something, they do it.

The excitement that this team is giving all of us Niner fans is awesome. I never want it to end.

I disagree completely. I like how our coaching staff and players are focused on 1 game at a time. Long time to go before we need to think about Superbowl run. Right now, the goal is to be 9-1 and stay undefeated in the division. That's it. If Frank Gore is healthy - he should get his regular number of snaps.

Even if we're to think about playoffs - getting the first round bye is HUGE. We could possibly even land the no.1 seed since GB has 4 games left against Lions, Bears, and Giants. So, having a good conference/division record is very important if we're going to look ahead. ALSO, we're still an offense that is a work in progress, and we need to continue to get better every week. We are close to our peak on offense - so we need these guys to continue to gel together as much as possible before we get to the post-season.

In the end, forget about everything else. What matters is winning this week. THAT'S IT. Hopefully, there will be a week or two where we can rest our guys, and cut back their snaps - but now is not that time.

Originally posted by gravelburn:

Originally posted by DonnieDarko:
i'd have no problem losing to the packers in the nfc championship game to be honest. this team has exceeded expectations beyond belief.

Don't settle. This team can compete with anybody, and that includes the Packers. An icy game at Lambeau might just be to our advantage. As long as they keep taking one game at a time (which clearly we fans are not), we've got a legitimate shot at winning the whole damn thing. I firmly believe that there's no team in the league the Niners can't beat.

of course i want the 9ers to go all the way...but i can't be upset or disappointed if we lose in the playoffs because this season has been such a pleasant surprise

Originally posted by DonnieDarko:

Originally posted by gravelburn:

Originally posted by DonnieDarko:
i'd have no problem losing to the packers in the nfc championship game to be honest. this team has exceeded expectations beyond belief.

Don't settle. This team can compete with anybody, and that includes the Packers. An icy game at Lambeau might just be to our advantage. As long as they keep taking one game at a time (which clearly we fans are not), we've got a legitimate shot at winning the whole damn thing. I firmly believe that there's no team in the league the Niners can't beat.

of course i want the 9ers to go all the way...but i can't be upset or disappointed if we lose in the playoffs because this season has been such a pleasant surprise

Agreed, but I wouldn't be so quick to anticipate a playoff exit. Let's face it, from where we started, this season is already a huge success. I just feel good about our chances beyond a one (or even two) and done in the playoffs. So while I wouldn't be surprised if the Packers beat us in the playoffs, I don't think it's a foregone conclusion.

I know, after years of disappointment, we're conditioned to expect the worst or be satisfied with good enough. If the Niners come up short, I'll be satisfied with the success they will have had. But until that day comes, I've got my eye on the BIG prize and have confidence that this team is good enough to make it happen.

One game at a time.

Also, this threads proves the point once again how totally misguided the Alex Smith critics proved to be. Anyone with a football IQ saw what our problems really were and they weren't Alex Smith. He, like our former crappy defense, oline, dline, etc, was a symptom of the problem, but not the actual problem itself.

That's where the biggest beef was between the Anti-Alex Metro's and the Smith "supporters." The so-called "supporters" simply refused to give in to irrational emotional assesments based simply on their inability to see the big picture. This is the year of the "big picture" evaluators. We have been redeemed.

Even Maddog understood this. He was wrong on other things though, primarily in his evaluation of our front office/coaching staff's ability and the caliber of players we drafted and acquired via free agency.

Originally posted by King49er:
Here was MadDog49ers prediction in the PYMWYMI thread lol



"6-10. Greater chance to go 4-12 than 8-8. Dark clouds ahead.P.S. "Be patient, we have a plan". The great plan revealed was the loss of Franklin, Lawson, Baas, Clements, Spikes, and the acquisition of Carlos Rogers, Braylon Edwards, Donte Whitner, Madieu Williams, Jonathan Goodwin, Now, that, my friends, is greatness." [ Edited by MadDog49er on Aug 12, 2011 at 08:13:54 ]

I thought we were going to win anywhere from 7 to 10 games. I thought Alex Smith was going to be a game manager with an 85 QB rating or so. I thought our defense was going to be good, but I didn't think we'd be this good. I thought Gore was going to be good, but I didn't foresee him having 5 straight 100 yard games.

The team, so far, has vastly exceeded my expectations. There's a good chance that we can finish with 13+ wins, and it wouldn't be crazy to say they can run the table. The Ravens have underperformed lately, and the Steelers will be the last true test for us.

One game at a time though...

This appears to be a hungry team and most of these players have virtually grown up on this team constantly hearing and reading names around the stadium like Rice, Montana, Lott, Wright, Taylor, Jones, Craig, Solomon, Rathman, Tyler, Young, Hicks, Haley, Turner, Dean, Holt, Board, Waters, McDonald, Hanks, Sanders, Sapolu, Barton, Cross, and many others. This is their chance to give rebirth to this dynasty and add their name to the long list of legends. After many years of incessantly being compared to those legends, they finally have a chance to write a chapter of their own to this illustrious history. They certainly should have the motivation and now it seems they have the coaching staff as well. Winning a Super Bowl in a first playoff appearance in many years could be a tall order, but then maybe they have that hunger.

Originally posted by truekingcarlos:

One game at a time.

Also, this threads proves the point once again how totally misguided the Alex Smith critics proved to be. Anyone with a football IQ saw what our problems really were and they weren't Alex Smith. He, like our former crappy defense, oline, dline, etc, was a symptom of the problem, but not the actual problem itself.

That's where the biggest beef was between the Anti-Alex Metro's and the Smith "supporters." The so-called "supporters" simply refused to give in to irrational emotional assesments based simply on their inability to see the big picture. This is the year of the "big picture" evaluators. We have been redeemed.

Even Maddog understood this. He was wrong on other things though, primarily in his evaluation of our front office/coaching staff's ability and the caliber of players we drafted and acquired via free agency.

I just think it feels good to have the comfort that if Harbaugh and another coach were given 2 weeks to prep for a game, Harbaugh would have his team better prepared.

That's why Walsh never lost a SB. I think a 1st round BYE is like giving Harbaugh motorcycle in a bicycle race.

Originally posted by Memphis9er:

Originally posted by truekingcarlos:
One game at a time.

Also, this threads proves the point once again how totally misguided the Alex Smith critics proved to be. Anyone with a football IQ saw what our problems really were and they weren't Alex Smith. He, like our former crappy defense, oline, dline, etc, was a symptom of the problem, but not the actual problem itself.

That's where the biggest beef was between the Anti-Alex Metro's and the Smith "supporters." The so-called "supporters" simply refused to give in to irrational emotional assesments based simply on their inability to see the big picture. This is the year of the "big picture" evaluators. We have been redeemed.

Even Maddog understood this. He was wrong on other things though, primarily in his evaluation of our front office/coaching staff's ability and the caliber of players we drafted and acquired via free agency.

Funny how some posters just cant get off the Alex Smith thing. This thread had nothing to do with him but some people are just obsessed.

We'll get either the Saints or Bears at our place then whoever upsets green bay in SF. SUPERBOWLZ!!!!!!!!!!!

I would like to add, we are freaking 8 - 1. The bar has not only been raised, it has been broken and we need a new stadium built for the new bar.

This team blew away my expectations. Since that's happened, they've clearly changed. NFC Championship or bust!