Week 11: Thoughts after rewatching the game (twice)...

10) Attitude: When the Niners get upset and fired up, they are a thing to behold. I don't know why, but from time to time they just seem to come out flat. When they are flat they get beat by the Vikings, get blown out by the Giants, and tie the Rams. When they come out fired up they beat the living hell out of their opponent. Every win this year has been an a$$kicking (outside of Seattle). The Packers game shouldn't have been that close...the Pack got a free BS score to make it close. The Lions were getting throttled until the very end. The Jets? The Bills? The Cardinals? The Bears? In those 4 games they outscored their opponents 135-13. It really is a thing to behold. This is why I can't wait for the playoffs. They WON'T come out flat in January.

Great post Marvin, much appreciated. Your comment above on attitude gave me the opening I have always wanted to post on the Zone when our fans complain about losses ( not pointing at you by the way). But I will never forget a remark from Bill Walsh, almost 30 years ago, when he suggested, "A football team can only get up emotionally for 10 or 11 games a year. Talent, breaks and circumstances determine the outcome of the flat games" . I am suggesting that we have to stay emotionally even as well, knowing our boys might not be amped up on a particular day,hoping that talent and breaks can carry the day for us. Don't get me wrong, I was on fire with the way we played last night. Just cannot expect it every week, psychologically impossible to carry out.

I agree with your assessment of CK but i think its too early to declare him the next superstar. When it comes to QBs I like to use the ten game theory.

Originally posted by SnakePlissken:
Beyond Kaep, and Aldon's insane showing last night was Navorro Bowman... when I saw him run 80 yards up the field on special teams to 'truck f**k' Hester, I literally s**t all over my f**king balls. -Last player I saw saw do something similar to that was Patrick Willis (when he chased down that Cardinals WR in his week one rookie start on MNF), it's just unreal.

Um... literally? Ew.

One thing that has concerned me since training camp and still concerns me now is what John Gruden mentioned during the game, "The 49ers defense don't substitute"

We have to start rotating our d lineman to keep Mcdonald, Sop, and JSmith fresh for the playoffs.

It'll be interesting thats for sure... Im not sure Harbaugh wants to bench Smith though. We have some tough opponents on the schedule and IMO starting Smith to prove that he can beat those opponents is the thing to do, then if he loses 2 and looks bad CK can step back in for the remainder of the schedule. We may lose some seeding, but that doesnt matter much anymore in the playoffs.

But make no mistake, Baalke is building for CK. Zoners wanna hate on this last draft cause the guys arent starting... but look at the type of guys they are, small and quick. Taylor made for the rifle CK's got, not big bodied possession guys that Smith seems to prefer. I think our offense will be filled with 7 lineman sets along with jitterbug receivers that can break on a dime ready to catch a 20 yard bullet from CK and run with it.

Originally posted by susweel:
I agree with your assessment of CK but i think its too early to declare him the next superstar. When it comes to QBs I like to use the ten game theory.

Well of course. I'm just sayin' he looked that good last night.

Originally posted by Marvin49:

Originally posted by susweel:

I agree with your assessment of CK but i think its too early to declare him the next superstar. When it comes to QBs I like to use the ten game theory.

Well of course. I'm just sayin' he looked that good last night.

yes he did. I think he exceeded everyones expectations last night.

So many good things last night.

But I'd like to give some respect to the offensive line (and Gore's pass protection). IMO that is the best they played all season. CK made some great throws, but the O-Line gave him a lot of time to do it which allowed him to stay poised and confident and hit the deeper throws.

Edit: And I fully admit I was a CK doubter. I did not think he could make those throws. I am eating crow for Thanksgiving, and enjoying every bite.

Originally posted by Marvin49:

Originally posted by susweel:
I agree with your assessment of CK but i think its too early to declare him the next superstar. When it comes to QBs I like to use the ten game theory.

Well of course. I'm just sayin' he looked that good last night.

I agree with both of you, we gotta wait and see how the water flows, yet at the same time this wasn't anything close to what we saw from the past 'fill-in' scrubs who we claimed to be the 'next' coming. When a player like that does what he does, and sends the entire nation in shock over one game (leaving sportscasters confused), it usually bodes well for the future (think Aaron Rodgers, Philip Rivers)... keyword 'future'. Wearing a 'lucky'/'sacred' number goes a long way, too.

"Sometimes we play down to the level of other teams, but if we consistently play ... no team is better than us"

-Carlos Rogers

Originally posted by SnakePlissken:

Originally posted by Marvin49:

Originally posted by susweel:
I agree with your assessment of CK but i think its too early to declare him the next superstar. When it comes to QBs I like to use the ten game theory.

Well of course. I'm just sayin' he looked that good last night.

I agree with both of you, we gotta wait and see how the water flows, yet at the same time this wasn't anything close to what we saw from the past 'fill-in' scrubs who we claimed to be the 'next' coming. When a player like that does what he does, and sends the entire nation in shock over one game (leaving sportscasters confused), it usually bodes well for the future (think Aaron Rodgers, Philip Rivers)... keyword 'future'. Wearing a 'lucky'/'sacred' number goes a long way, too.

I keep thinking "its only one game." But high highlight throws keep replaying in my head, those were some of the best throws I've seen a 49er QB make in over a decade. Its hard to ignore how great he played even though its one game.

It's an interesting situation for Harbaugh because he's got a great team but a direction-signalling QB decision coming. A move to bench Smith now is risky if Kaepernick proves inconsistent. For a team with Super Bowl aspirations this is not an easy decision.

This was the best the 9ers have looked all season because of who they were doing it to. The offense opened up a lot with CK's ability to stretch the field and WR's were actually getting separation. What was amazing to me is the CK was not just displaying the arm but the head. On multiple occasions you saw CK making at-the-line adjustments as well as going through multiple progressions.

Credit needs to be given to the o-line as they were totally dominant.

Originally posted by susweel:

I agree with your assessment of CK but i think its too early to declare him the next superstar. When it comes to QBs I like to use the ten game theory.

Woooow.....at least one zoner is making sense is just one game.....he play against rams...and he did crap.....now everyone think is the new starter....cmon....I waiting for the comparison with Brady,Montana,aikman etc...I remember Matt Flynn having a monster game last year when packers rested Rodgers.so he went to Seattle as a saviour......where is he at?....Matt Casey lead the patriots for a few games....he went to chiefs as a new super star....where is he at.....right now....all you have to do is have a few wins and fans think you are the new Montana...cmon....ppl...

I loved it last night when Frank pancaked Briggs. That was awesome!

Originally posted by 49ercrusher:

Originally posted by susweel:
I agree with your assessment of CK but i think its too early to declare him the next superstar. When it comes to QBs I like to use the ten game theory.

Woooow.....at least one zoner is making sense is just one game.....he play against rams...and he did crap.....now everyone think is the new starter....cmon....I waiting for the comparison with Brady,Montana,aikman etc...I remember Matt Flynn having a monster game last year when packers rested Rodgers.so he went to Seattle as a saviour......where is he at?....Matt Casey lead the patriots for a few games....he went to chiefs as a new super star....where is he at.....right now....all you have to do is have a few wins and fans think you are the new Montana...cmon....ppl...

Uh...I'm pretty sure I said it was just one start.....and its Matt Cassel. Nobody is saying he's the new Montana.

BTW, he did alot better than "crap" against the Rams.