Better to lose now than in the playoffs

We got 5 games to adjust and correct the OL. Every where else we're solid. One more tough apponent in Pitt and we should finish at the worst 13-3, as the #2 seed and a bye in the playoffs. Discuss.

This game was against a team that has been one of the all time great defenses in football for many years. The 49ers played them close, despite various uncommon obstacles. No chop block penalty, more time to prepare, playing at home instead of Baltimore, no brother vs. brother scenario and many other factors could have seen the 49ers win this game. Ray Rice said that this was the best team that he had faced all year. If this loss assists to increase the pace of development for this team, it will probably be an experience that helps them in the playoffs. If they can compete uphill against the best and most experienced NFL defense on its home turf during a shortened week, then other games and teams may seem downhill.

Originally posted by mayo49:
We got 5 games to adjust and correct the OL. Every where else we're solid. One more tough apponent in Pitt and we should finish at the worst 13-3, as the #2 seed and a bye in the playoffs. Discuss.

+1

agreed 100%, 13-3 now and 3-0 in the playoff

The Niners will be playing for the NFC Title. Hopefully they will play Dallas and then Green Bay, but I think the Pack will not be there.

Originally posted by hungarian9erfan:

Originally posted by mayo49:
We got 5 games to adjust and correct the OL. Every where else we're solid. One more tough apponent in Pitt and we should finish at the worst 13-3, as the #2 seed and a bye in the playoffs. Discuss.

+1

agreed 100%, 13-3 now and 3-0 in the playoff

i think everyone would rather lose now then in the playoffs

yeah. the niners needed this loss. brings them back to earth and gets the media off of their jock.

Yeah, everybody would want to lose now than in the playoffs.

Lol when I first read this title it reminded me of those people who say they'd rather see us tank for a good draft pick rather than potentially being "one and done" in the playoffs, since this is supposedly a rebuild year for us.

But yeah I'm glad we've got some games that make the team eat some humble pie before playoffs. Much better than purely the easy games the rest of the way going in to the playoffs cocky.

On that night, we lost to a better team. When we play them again - we'll be the better team. Who knows maybe we'll play them in the Super Bowl!

At any rate losses are only good if they make you better. I think w/our coaching staff - we will be much better.

We all saw things that need to be addressed. Just think how much better we'll be by the playoffs.

AMÉN. will c packers at lambeau then harbowl #2 will take place..9ersssssssssssssss
We still #2

ESPN has an interesting stat. In its section on passing defense, it shows the average QB rating of a team's opponents, a good measure of how tough a team is against the pass.

Looking at the top half (top 16) of the league's best pass defenses (as measured by QB rating), SF has already played the 3rd (Balt), 4th (Det), 9th (NYG), 12th (Dal), 14th (Ariz), and 15th (S).

In contrast, GB has only played the 4th (Det), 10th (Chi), and 16th (Atl). When GB played Det, they had only scored 7 points in the first half. Then Suh was ejected from the game. It would appear that if GB had played as many top pass defenses as SF has played this year, GB's pass offense might not have done quite as well.

They only scored 16 points on us.

Without that idiot penalty (which didn't make a difference because Smith gets the ball out with or without it) Ginn has 6 and we are up, and at worst lose 16-13.

That said, the Oline got manhandled.

That's where we need the most work.

Everyone seems in agreement, Mayo, and there is this too. We were the "2nd best team in football". Maybe we got a bit complacent. Sure the idiotic x-country 3 time zone bizness was unfair, and worse, stupid even by NFL standards. I bet they put an end to 3 day rest cross country games after this. I also bet if they did discuss it they figured it would be a barking dog, with 9ers long ago out of the chase. As to the loss itself, here is the good in it:

OL does not know how to block cross rush nor blitz from some zany D sets. They need to a) recognize the problem and b)learn how to fix it. Our OL did neither.

RG is a lot bigger problem long term, considering injuries,etc, and chilo either gets it this yr or we desperately need to cut his azz...and replace it with a JH choice.

O game plan was in need of fixing at half, something JH has been a genius at. Not Thurs nite. We had the Ravens back on their heels with 2 minute drill, they couldn't change D packages, and we had the advantage. Also their front 4 were gassed. We moved the ball, we dominated them. 2nd half we come out and never see the no huddle again. Big mistake . Second thing was at half, JH should have already seen that anything other than a quick one stepper, slant or out was gonna fail. I knew he would change that up...but he didn't . Believe it, he will next time our OL is getting schidt canned by opponents D.

D game plan was, regrettably, noln/ BMs "bend but don't break b.s." The front 7 played their hearts out, but the DBackfield played off, way off, at times 6-10 yds, absolute gimmes for Flacco. It was obvious he had all day back there and he killed us. LIke Manning, Brees, Brady, Rodgers and half a dozen more would have done. We needed both more aggressive blitzing, esp from CB and SS, and we need tighter coverage. If we lose long, we lose long. It would have been infinitely better than dying by a thousand cuts. And we did. That was in part JH's call also, and I bet anything he will do differently if same thing happens again.

3 and outs resulted in Ravens taking field position away from us, something we have controlled for past 10 weeks.

Finally, our guys were slow off LOS, slow off receiver, slow on blitzes, slow on everything. The 1 and 1/2 day prep plus x-country 3 time zones all were contributors.

Summary: if we hadn't played this game, we would have been killed by GB in playoffs. This spanking in the woodshed was a reminder. OL needs lots of work. DBs need to cover. Coach needs to throw quick and short when DL is over running our OL . Chilo is a BIG liability and needs to be addressed. D game plan needs changing to tight coverage and lightning blitzes if they are killing us underneath. That to me seems like a mighty big amount of useful information for Coach to work with. I know he will have answers come playoffs, and we actually needed those lessons from this horrid nite. Whether he can fix all the above by Pitts game, remains to be seen. You KNOW 31 other teams saw the film on this, and we will see a lot more of it soon...unless the leaks are repaired.

Originally posted by 49erDynasty:
This game was against a team that has been one of the all time great defenses in football for many years. The 49ers played them close, despite various uncommon obstacles. No chop block penalty, more time to prepare, playing at home instead of Baltimore, no brother vs. brother scenario and many other factors could have seen the 49ers win this game. Ray Rice said that this was the best team that he had faced all year. If this loss assists to increase the pace of development for this team, it will probably be an experience that helps them in the playoffs. If they can compete uphill against the best and most experienced NFL defense on its home turf during a shortened week, then other games and teams may seem downhill.