Halfway through the 2013 season : The good, the bad, the ugly

Marvin, re: LMJ, I said the same thing towards end of last yr. I said the same thing at the start of this yr. Wrong twice. It would be nice if it is correct this time for 2nd half

I predicted we would win 1 of first 3 games. I didn't think the win was going to be GB. I hoped we would win 2. We didn't.

I said at end of last season, JH was going to make kap less mobile, make him a pocket passer. Well, in game 1 he wasn't and we kicked gBs azz. In games 2 and 3, it looked like Coach told Kap, "DON'T move" just stay in the pocket and don't get hurt". We lost both, and kap looked ,well, like a wooden statue who Coach had told ,
"Don't move. Stay in the pocket"...Ugliest part of that was the really ugly sacks he took. Basically, I guess he did what he was told and just stood in the pocket. Then game 4 and he got permission to move around again,, and next 4 games he looked better each game. Caveat: they were all weak sisters teams. Hopefully that kap improvement holds up against Cam and Brees and SEA. We'll see.

STs look like a group from a different planet this yr. Actually look like STs 2 yrs ago, which were super. These guys are terrific. Kudos to trent, and JH for putting together an A+ ST.

D minus Aldon has been impressive. Had no thots of him being gone. That is a hard pill to swallow. Hope he gets back before next week.

D minus Aldon has been impressive! just not many sacks.

Coaching has been way off from what I had expected. I was sure we would use LMJ, Baldwin(fantastic trade making lemonade out of a lemon, AJ)., Hunter, Vance, but no, Coach H has a hard head and he plays kyle...that was really unexpected. HaRo has cut way back on what kap had to learn to do , to achieve. I pray they get around , or he gets around to being facile with multiple reads, say FOUR. Right now it is one designated receiver and I never thot that would happen...but it did.

Draft just looks better and better, in the FIRST YR.....Eric Reid, I like vaccaro, but I was wrong. Reid is phenomenal. Vance has performed very well, but Coach will not put him down as designated receiver or as a 2nd read....VERY Disappointing....and especially same for Baldwin...we get.....kyle, yuck.

Knew I wouldn't miss our all pro safety and his incredible penalties, sometimes stooped penalities. Had no idea Reid would be way better. Impossible. But true.

I had us at 6-2 but had no idea so many teams would tank bad, eg, ATL, NYG, Jags, and Texans. I had Texans down as a loss. Oh well...

Bunch of other things but seeing lemonier, reid, vance, traimaine , even Baldwin on blocking, hunter back...and Boldin...cripes, what a deal. And lastly who would have guessed alex wins first 8 games, making that conditional a 2nd? Wow. That is one helluva season...and we only played half. Oh, as noted above I too am a bit concerned if SEA didn't get under our cap. I hope that is wrong.

I have a lot more hope than I did after the Colts loss. I think the defense is starting to play well together and that getting back to the ground is working out.

Boldin? If he came at a high price I would be pretty disappointed, but he didn't so there is much less. After week 1 I was convinced he was a steal, but that has changed. Considering the receiver situation I am very happy with the first half.

There was a part of me that thought the Hags would be a game back and even more before the season started. Instead, it is we that wait patiently for Seattle to lose while we win so the game on December 8 can be the one for the division lead. Fricking Rams... the one time the Hags choke a game they STILL fricking win.

I wish there was more help at WR, that Aso was the corner he was 4 years ago and that Aldon wasn't a mess, but considering all that? We are in business. Just keep winning and it will work out.

In the event that the Niners do not get HFA, I am still confident we can get back to the Super Bowl. There is a chance that the Hags draw a tough game at home and lose. That could result in another NFCC at the Stick. Depends on NOLA too. If we can beat the Saints on the road, the Hags can beat them at home. I just get the feeling that the division is going to come down to December 8. But that is why we watch, we don't know. It would have been nice to have another WR, but we are making due in a big way without right now. I give the guys an A- for now. Only because of the Colts game as I can still hear myself saying "give the ball to Gore".

Originally posted by jacklegniner:

Good and Bad: If you look at our schedule vs Seattle, it can be viewed as good and bad.

Bad: We are trying to catch Seattle in the division and even though they looked weak against St. Louis, they only have 2 more tough games... vs the Saints and @ SF
If we beat them and run the table we will win the division but that would be both teams sporting a 14-2 record, that's hard for me to see happening. Our remaining schedule, we go through another stretch of good/great teams. Carolina has a top defense and they seem to be clicking right now, then @ Saints, and @ washington, and 2 weeks later is our rematch with Seattle. I'm not doubting the 49ers but we definately have the harder road to win the division.

Good: Depending on how you look at the strength of schedule. I feel like the recent Superbowl winners have been battle tested teams. Our strength of schedule has been crazy this year and will help our guys get ready for the post-season. As long as we avoid serious injuries, I think we will be in better shape come playoff time, with or without the bye or division crown. The media kisses Seattles butt and says they can't be beat at home but I have a hard time seeing Seattle beat 3 good teams in a row come playoff time.

I too share some concern with the stretch of games you mentioned. Not that the Niners can't win them, they should be favored against the Skins and the Panthers. I remember watching the Hags play them and how tough they were against the run. The Skins are erratic. I can see a high scoring game against them but think we will win. We have beat the Saints there before, but that was without their coach. I am optimistic that if we go 2-1 in that stretch that the Hags lose one too. If we lose to the Panthers OR Saints and the Hags beat the Saints, we can lose a tie breaker to common opponents. Dang that Colts game. I can't believe that the division is really this tight. All the hype was there, it was destined to be this way, but every time the Hags win I feel like we lost. DOH!

Good

• 6-2 despite a tough schedule and a depleted roster.
• Kaepernick is showing some progress as he fights through some early career struggles.
• Eric Reid has proven so far to be a home run of a pick from Baalke. I keep waiting for opposing teams to expose him deep but that hasn't been the case.
• Frank Gore being able to play as effectively as he has is amazing given his age. Clutch players come through when they are called upon and after the 1-2 start the 49ers have leaned heavily on Gore with great success.
• Anquan Boldin and Vernon Davis are playing so well considering the lack of options around them in the passing game.

Bad

• Passing game. When your #1 guy is really a #2 and your #3 guy is so bad you've now started sitting him in place of a FB, you have issues.
• Ineffectiveness of the Read-Option. While nobody thought the 49ers could run a read-option with as much authority as they did late last season, I must admit I'm a bit perplexed at just how ineffective it has been through the 1st half of the season. Disclaimer: Over the past couple of weeks it has re-emerged.
• Seattle. It appears the Seahawks have our number of late.

Ugly

• Kyle Williams. He's been the invisible man at wideout all season and has apparently forgotten how to do the only thing keeping him in the NFL these days.
• Aldon Smith. He has a chance to redeem himself, but has to prove it. Crashing your car, showing up late (and hungover) to practices and spending 5 weeks in rehab qualifies as ugly from a 49ers team perspective.

Good: Kevin McDermott has been solid in replacing Jennings.

Originally posted by thl408:
Good: Kevin McDermott has been solid in replacing Jennings.

Glad you added this one! That was a balsy move, no doubt!

Nice list everyone:

Good:
Injuries and team distractions. And when does a team's character shine the most? During adversity! And now look...guys such as Wilhoite, Moody, Brock, Skuta, Lemonier, TJE, etc. have all gotten big time reps and experience and a few have really shined. Health is coming back, getting deeper and now the depth has real experience.
Identity of the team is back!
Another 2nd rounder next year...thank you Alex, Cooper, Hall, etc.

Bad:
First down production and RZ offense continues to be a struggle. We still haven't found that big, reliable target.
Passing game, obviously, I have many issues with but we'll see what HaRoMan does when they feel we have a "full aresenal."

Ugly:
Another monster loss up in Seattle and another shredded knee to a key player. I feel like many here that I want a rematch with the Colts sticking to our brand of football (and sticking with it).
We still struggle against defenses that can press our annointed receivers and stack the box and stuff the run.
Roster moves...been MANY head-scratchers on this front and some real losses but we'll continue to watch this one closely.

Good: Eric Reid playing like a savvy vet right out of the gates. Vernon Davis regaining the form that he had in the 2011 playoffs. Frank Gore being Frank Gore.