I'm still proud of our team......

Originally posted by socalfan21:
Aldon Smith MUST be priority number 1 in resigning. Then everyone else.

no doubt.

We got farther than i thought we would about mid-season. Niner4Lyfe.

Originally posted by dj43:

Originally posted by Harbaalke:

Its a full team loss Yea Kap took the fault but our defense played terrible we had those No Name Wrs making big plays. Carlos Rogers getting burned constantly and Whitner is likely Gone as well we need a real Corner our front 7 did NOT do a good job we got mauled a bad time to have a bad game overall imo

You bring up a good point about No Name WRs.

All season long we talked about how good the offense would be when Crabtree came back. Last night, and all this season, Seattle proved that you don't need great WRs if you have a good OC and QB.

Jerome Kearse was at the bottom of the depth chart in September. Doug Baldwin, the guy Harbaugh had at Stanford, was not good enough to even get an invite to tryout for the 49ers, yet he has played a key role in 3 49er losses in the last two years.

Why is it Seattle can get No Names to produce but the 49er cannot? Is Russell Wilson that much better than Colin Kaepernick? Is Darrell Bevell that much better than Greg Roman? Both?

Or maybe they're better at identifying talent at WR. Their receivers are also fast. Our receivers are slow. When Kap is scrambling around I don't see any of our receivers move around and try to give him an open target downfield. When Wilson scrambles it seems he always finds a wide open receiver for an explosive play. Maybe that also has to do with the play of our DBs.

Not sure if window is closing, but the core players on defense (outside of Aldon), are getting toward the back end of their career. Cowboy is on borrowed time at 35 when the season begins, Patrick is not as explosive as a few years ago and will turn 29 next week, McDonald declined from 2012 and will be 30 this year, and Brooks will be 30 in two months. Gore will be 31 this summer, an ancient age for a starting RB, and even Vernon Davis turns 30 next week and Staley 30 over the summer.

In other words, our core guys are in their 30s now, and even a slight decline for a stud player levels the playing field for younger players on other rosters.

For the Niners to keep at the top long term, they need some of the draftees from 2013 to contribute in the next couple of years, and see new rookies jump into major roles. This league flips quickly.

Originally posted by real9erfan:

Originally posted by dj43:

Originally posted by Harbaalke:
Its a full team loss Yea Kap took the fault but our defense played terrible we had those No Name Wrs making big plays. Carlos Rogers getting burned constantly and Whitner is likely Gone as well we need a real Corner our front 7 did NOT do a good job we got mauled a bad time to have a bad game overall imo

You bring up a good point about No Name WRs.

All season long we talked about how good the offense would be when Crabtree came back. Last night, and all this season, Seattle proved that you don't need great WRs if you have a good OC and QB.

Jerome Kearse was at the bottom of the depth chart in September. Doug Baldwin, the guy Harbaugh had at Stanford, was not good enough to even get an invite to tryout for the 49ers, yet he has played a key role in 3 49er losses in the last two years.

Why is it Seattle can get No Names to produce but the 49er cannot? Is Russell Wilson that much better than Colin Kaepernick? Is Darrell Bevell that much better than Greg Roman? Both?

Or maybe they're better at identifying talent at WR. Their receivers are also fast. Our receivers are slow. When Kap is scrambling around I don't see any of our receivers move around and try to give him an open target downfield. When Wilson scrambles it seems he always finds a wide open receiver for an explosive play. Maybe that also has to do with the play of our DBs.

There has definitely been a problem at WR on this team for years. We got lucky with Crabtree and Boldin was a gift. Other than that, the staff just doesn't seem to have any feel for how to draft/coach/develop WRs. To get burned by Doug Baldwin almost every time we play the Seahawks, and have our passing game so inept suggests there is a flaw here that goes beyond just the WRs on the roster.

The fact that Wilson always seems to have his eyes upfield while scrambling seems to be a coaching point that has not been stressed with Kaepernick.

One answer may be that Harbaugh seems to demand that WRs be very good blockers and pass catching is secondary on many plays. I don't get that but it is what seems to be the priority. Other teams seem to be able to get WRs to do both. smh

Originally posted by pfizz:

Originally posted by Rubberneck36:

Its amazing that people think a window has to close in 3 years. Did they miss the run the patriots, colts, etc. went on? Draft well, some key free agents, sign the right folks have great leadership and coaches and it keeps going.

Amazing it keeps coming up from a fan base who watched 16 straight years of winning 10 games or more.

Niners will be fine.

Go niners!

While I mainly agree with you those teams had elite QBs. Kap is not elite.

Neither was Young after a season and a half starting in the NFL

Not sure on the window.

IMO, we were the best team in the league in 2012 and 2013. We have absolutely jack to show for it.

Not sure how long we can keep it up.

It's riveting, to say the least.

We have 3/5 of our O-line and our linebackers locked up on team-friendly contracts for the next 2-6 years. We have a back-up in place already for Gore and Justin Smith. We have a good young safety, and two good, young CBs (Brock/Culliver). We just need to resign Kap and spend the money we've got left on WRs and D-line depth, and draft secondary and O-line.

Originally posted by socalniner:

Originally posted by socalfan21:
Aldon Smith MUST be priority number 1 in resigning. Then everyone else.

no doubt.

He is key to our D, we must keep him.

Originally posted by MadDog49er:
Not sure if window is closing, but the core players on defense (outside of Aldon), are getting toward the back end of their career. Cowboy is on borrowed time at 35 when the season begins, Patrick is not as explosive as a few years ago and will turn 29 next week, McDonald declined from 2012 and will be 30 this year, and Brooks will be 30 in two months. Gore will be 31 this summer, an ancient age for a starting RB, and even Vernon Davis turns 30 next week and Staley 30 over the summer.

In other words, our core guys are in their 30s now, and even a slight decline for a stud player levels the playing field for younger players on other rosters.

For the Niners to keep at the top long term, they need some of the draftees from 2013 to contribute in the next couple of years, and see new rookies jump into major roles. This league flips quickly.

Good point. Bill Walsh used to say that the first sign of decline was injury, not just age per se. Willis was definitely impacted this season.

The DL was certainly not as dominant this season. All the play time last season may have taken a toll. That is a rough, demanding position to play. Let's hope Dial and Carradine can be the player we all hope.

This upcoming draft will be critical. Baalke will have to be on his game like no other this time. 2012 was a bust and 2013 was all about injury recovery and future potential (apart from Reid). This draft will have to produce quality now.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/01/20/oddsmaker-49ers-seahawks-broncos-co-favorites-for-2015-super-bowl/

Originally posted by socalfan21:
Aldon Smith MUST be priority number 1 in resigning. Then everyone else.

he's definitely one.

Here are my arguments for Closing vs. Open

Closing:

1. Cowboy is getting older
2. The line doesn't improve in pass blocking
3. Kaep doesn't make steps for improvement
4. Gore getting older
5. Willis getting older
6. Unable to replace departing CB's (Brown and Rogers "will be cut")
7. Unable to sign or replace AB
8. Roman stays as OC and remains stubborn on plays selections and calls

Open:

1. Tank C. gets on the field and becomes a starter
2. Lattimore fully recovered from knee injury and catches fire
3. Keap takes a step forward (not expecting the world, but gets better at the little things)
4. Patton, becomes a solid number two option
5. Line becomes more consistent pass blockers
6. Roman leaves
7. Culliver reviews all of Seattle's game films and replicates the way their CB's attach themselves to receivers without getting called for it.
8. 49ers resign AB to a cap friendly contract.

Either way, I only see Seattle getting better next year. It's kinda like the old days with the 49ers and Rams, only, we're now the Rams (I'm talking early 80's).

Originally posted by TheRatMan13:
I think if we had an OC who could utilize the talent we will remain contenders. I've never seen a team with this many weapons be so stagnant on offense.

This. Imagine what the Pats would do with all these weapons?

Originally posted by Geeked:
Here are my arguments for Closing vs. Open

Closing:

1. Cowboy is getting older
2. The line doesn't improve in pass blocking
3. Kaep doesn't make steps for improvement
4. Gore getting older
5. Willis getting older
6. Unable to replace departing CB's (Brown and Rogers "will be cut")
7. Unable to sign or replace AB
8. Roman stays as OC and remains stubborn on plays selections and calls

Open:

1. Tank C. gets on the field and becomes a starter
2. Lattimore fully recovered from knee injury and catches fire
3. Keap takes a step forward (not expecting the world, but gets better at the little things)
4. Patton, becomes a solid number two option
5. Line becomes more consistent pass blockers
6. Roman leaves
7. Culliver reviews all of Seattle's game films and replicates the way their CB's attach themselves to receivers without getting called for it.
8. 49ers resign AB to a cap friendly contract.

Either way, I only see Seattle getting better next year. It's kinda like the old days with the 49ers and Rams, only, we're now the Rams (I'm talking early 80's).

Your reasons for why it remains open are giving me some hope in light of all the negativity that has been pervading my outlook on this team in wake of the debacle.

For me, there's just no getting over the fact that this team has been one or two steps away from the trophy for three straight years and came away empty handed in all three situations. God this sucks.