Do the 49ers have to run the table to get homefield advantage and win the NFC West?

Yes, we need to basically run the table, no doubt.

Seattle has a cream-puff schedule (as it turned out):
@ Rams - Pssst
Buccaneers - Pssst
@ Falcons - Pssst given how far they have fallen; extra motivation to beat the Hawks but don't have the horses anymore to do it.
Vikings - Pssst
BYE - Extra time to prepare for the Saints AND it's at home
Saints - At home, "may" be a decent game but Hawks should win this one
@ 49ers - Only real challenge here
@ Giants - Pssst
Cardinals - Pssst
Rams - Pssst

Meanwhile, we have:
BYE
Panthers - Using their personnel well (even Ginn) and seem to be rolling right now. Very tough game esp. given their defense looks great right now.
@ Saints - We need this game for positioning in the NFC playoff race.
@ Redskins - Are starting to click and this game is going to be a tough one. Will all the travel finally catch up to us?
Rams - Psychologically, we are in their heads. Watch out for a trap game!
Seahawks - Benchmark game for us in our house.
@ Buccaneers - Thank you Gold$son for Reid; by this stage, they may be checked-out mentally.
Falcons - Looking poor and by this stage, they may be checked-out mentally.
Cardinals - We should have this one; by this stage, they may be checked-out mentally.

cc, I agree we are getting better , and a great deal of that is roman calling a better game. He still has a long way to go, in that he still refuses to use multiple targets on passing plays, instead preferring to use just one. Also his outright refusal to instruct kap to throw to #89 is just dumb. Vance is a terrific talent and not just a blocking lineman, which is obviously what roman sees. Also, if roman really wanted to improve this team he would be trying LMJ out at RB, split wide of kap and used solely as a release valve, if receivers are covered. The fact he hasn't been used this way is criminal. The fact he hasn't even been tried out this way is worse. So like cc, I agree we are getting better as a team as time passes.

My question is, when the hair gets short, does roman just go dumb again, or does he call plays like a really professional OC? How he does, playcalling wise, determines how we do. Kap got better all of a sudden because roman started giving him more than one target to throw to....much as roman hates to do that. He can win playcalling against weaker teams. Can he do that against the elite teams...or does he just turn turtle, and pull more blunders like up in SEA last two trips?

We don't need to run the table.

We didn't run the table in 1981.

We didn't run the table in 1984.

We didn't run the table in 2005.

We won Superbowls.

We were in the Superbowl last year.

I don't get the panicky syndrome.

Originally posted by 49erWay:
We don't need to run the table.

We didn't run the table in 1981.

We didn't run the table in 1984.

We didn't run the table in 2005.

We won Superbowls.

We were in the Superbowl last year.

I don't get the panicky syndrome.

we were a juggernaut in 2005 alright

Super Bowl teams are able to win on the road in any environment. Just look at the recent winners. Baltimore went to Den and NE last year to get to the dance. The Giants prior to that had to go through GB at Lambeau and through us at the Stick. It just seems that's the way it has to be to get the ultimate glory.

Like it or not the road BACK to the SB goes through SEA at the C-Link. Only an injury to R. Wilson would derail that prediction. We are tough enough to go back to Seattle if need be with a healthy roster and win. Maybe not dominate but we can win there. We have before and we can do it again.

Nobody should be sure that playing a playoff game in Seattle is a lost cause. Always remember 1987. And if you aren't old enough to remember it, check into it. The Niners were the league's #1 offense and the #1 defense. They had the top seed in the playoffs. They got their bye week. They had the wildcard Vikings coming into town and they were heavily favored. Everyone just assumed they would blow past the Vikings and go deep into the playoffs and probably play in the Super Bowl. What happened? A receiver named Anthony Carter had the best day of his career. He was out of his mind - circus catches, tipped balls, over 200 yards, TD's. Joe Montana had an uncharacteristic bad day. He ended up getting yanked from the game by Walsh who put Young in. That didn't work either. The Vikings came to town and made that Niner team one and done, Eddie Debartolo threw a tantrum and Walsh got demoted from GM and HC to just HC. It would be the height of irony if the Niners DON'T run the table and have to go up to Seattle as a Wild Card team and then go up there and not only knock out the Seahawks, but move on to the Super Bowl again. But the history of the NFL is filled with irony.

Meant 1995 not 2005 lol...

We shouldn't have to run the table...but we should try to.

Originally posted by 951NINER:
Super Bowl teams are able to win on the road in any environment. Just look at the recent winners. Baltimore went to Den and NE last year to get to the dance. The Giants prior to that had to go through GB at Lambeau and through us at the Stick. It just seems that's the way it has to be to get the ultimate glory.

Like it or not the road BACK to the SB goes through SEA at the C-Link. Only an injury to R. Wilson would derail that prediction. We are tough enough to go back to Seattle if need be with a healthy roster and win. Maybe not dominate but we can win there. We have before and we can do it again.

This is a good point. At some point you have to take your medicine and win the tough game...and really earn the championship.

Originally posted by 49erWay:
Meant 1995 not 2005 lol...

1994

A real looooong time agoooo - back in ninety-fo!

Originally posted by 49erWay:
We don't need to run the table.

We didn't run the table in 1981.

We didn't run the table in 1984.

We didn't run the table in 2005.

We won Superbowls.

We were in the Superbowl last year.

I don't get the panicky syndrome.

In 1981 Falcons were second 7-9

In 1984: Falcons were 10-6. Now we started 7-1 and then I would say went on a run finishing 15-1

In 1994: Falcon were 7-9


Now if you feel the Seahawks won't win more then 10 games then yea history does show we don't. Not panicking but having the two best teams in the conference in the same division is strange, so history does not hold true to what must happen this year for us to win the NFC west.

Originally posted by 49erWay:
We don't need to run the table.

We didn't run the table in 1981.

We didn't run the table in 1984.

We didn't run the table in 2005.

We won Superbowls.

We were in the Superbowl last year.

I don't get the panicky syndrome.

I think we faced the Bills in the Championship.

Originally posted by kray28:

Originally posted by 951NINER:
Super Bowl teams are able to win on the road in any environment. Just look at the recent winners. Baltimore went to Den and NE last year to get to the dance. The Giants prior to that had to go through GB at Lambeau and through us at the Stick. It just seems that's the way it has to be to get the ultimate glory.

Like it or not the road BACK to the SB goes through SEA at the C-Link. Only an injury to R. Wilson would derail that prediction. We are tough enough to go back to Seattle if need be with a healthy roster and win. Maybe not dominate but we can win there. We have before and we can do it again.

This is a good point. At some point you have to take your medicine and win the tough game...and really earn the championship.

Wouldn't that be so effed up if we squeaked out a win at the Clit for the NFC championship and then get totally throttled in the Super Bowl.

We need to handle our bizz, but the Seahawks double latte carmel macchiato "high" will crash hard. It's coming. First and foremost, we need to continue to win everything, even the coin toss.