2013 - NFC Championship Round: Thoughts after watching the game...

My thoughts after watching the game......you have to win your division 1st and we didn't. We played like warriors this year even though we were older and probably a little more busted up physically. Aldon Smith out , Crabtree rehab, I could go on but they showed some serious balls for the situations we were in. I have a feeling Kappy is going to go full time, in other words he is going to devote himself to his position 100%. I hope that works as I thought Alex played better under Andy's Reid's tutelage than Harbaughs and I watched every game Alex played in this season. I am not talking smack about Harbaugh just a observation. I have watched Harbaughs career and he was not Joe Montana or Peyton Manning but he fought like a mother--ker I am just afraid that may not be enough as far as expanding Kappy's QB play. We need to take advantage of this years schedule as this year we were major travelers and if Seattle happens to win the Super bowl ( I will be f--king pissed ) but if they do their scheduling will be more difficult and those are advantages that you need to utilize to reach our goal. NFC WEST is going to be a Motherf--ker as far as competition goes so 2014 will not be easy either. I hope some things change all the way around the board...players and coaching as we are always a blonde c-nt hair from getting that 6th trophy. ....I know one thing....I could not handle losing to Seattle in the NFC Championship again this next season.....that would be brutal !!!!!!! Navarro

Originally posted by BrianGO:

Originally posted by T-9ers:

He choked. There was a linebacker underneath and the best corner in the league on Crabtree's hip. 50 seconds on the clock with two timeouts left, he forced a low percentage completion. There were many options, he chose the wrong one, that's a choke.

Did Jeff Garcia choke in the NFC Championship game against Tampa Bay? No. Good for him. But why didn't he choke, because we were getting MASSACRED in the game and he never had an OPPORTUNITY to choke.

Did Drew Brees choke against Seattle the week before? No. Good for him. But why not? Because his offense didn't score s**t for 3/4ths of the game, so he didn't have an OPPORTUNITY to choke.

Did Alex Smith choke against the New York Giants at HOME in the NFC championship game? No. Good for him. But why not? Because the offense did NOTHING for 6 consecutive possessions at the end and got nowhere near sniffing an opportunity to score, therefore he also did not have the OPPORTUNITY to choke.


When your quarterback is good, and always gives his team a chance to win, he will either win it (Green Bay, Carolina, Atlanta) or lose it in the end (Seattle, Baltimore). I LOVE the fact that we have a quarterback who actually gives himself a chance to either win a game, or "choke" a game at the end.

I think if we asked Coach Carroll, he'd take that situation and match up every time. It would have been a perfect pass and more times then not it would not work. So yes again, he choked. It's ok though, I don't mean that as necessarily a bad thing, it's like you choked this time, now you know not to do that.

I wish the flow of the first half continued with 9ers playing good solid football and the Seahawks bumbling around. Once the game opened up with end to end football, 9ers looked likely to get run down.

I gotta tell ya...I'm really kinda over it already.

Compared to last year with the Super Bowl loss, this is nothing. I've watched the 49ers lose more NFC Championships than I've seen them win. '90, '92, '93, '97, '11, and now '13. I saw them win in 88', '89, '94, and '12.

I can say without a doubt losing last year was far worse than any of those NFCCG losses.

I've already moved on to looking forward to the draft, looking forward to seeing Lattimore and Carradine play (it feels like we have 3 1st round picks this year to go along with 2 2nd rounders and 3 3rd rounders). I'm looking forward to Free Agency to see what value Free Agent Baalke finds (He always finds a few - Whitner, Rogers, Moss, Dorsey...and even Jacobs tho that one didn't work out).

Next year we get Kap going into his third year with another full offseason. We get Crab likely for the entire year and 100% healthy. We hopefully get Aldon all year. We may miss Bowman early, but Wilhoite looked pretty good stepping in for Willis. I like Moody too.

I'm rooting for the Broncos, but even if the Hawks win it, there is a silver lining. If they win it, all those Free Agents will be looking to cash in even bigger. :)

Originally posted by Marvin49:
I gotta tell ya...I'm really kinda over it already.

Compared to last year with the Super Bowl loss, this is nothing. I've watched the 49ers lose more NFC Championships than I've seen them win. '90, '92, '93, '97, '11, and now '13. I saw them win in 88', '89, '94, and '12.

I can say without a doubt losing last year was far worse than any of those NFCCG losses.

I've already moved on to looking forward to the draft, looking forward to seeing Lattimore and Carradine play (it feels like we have 3 1st round picks this year to go along with 2 2nd rounders and 3 3rd rounders). I'm looking forward to Free Agency to see what value Free Agent Baalke finds (He always finds a few - Whitner, Rogers, Moss, Dorsey...and even Jacobs tho that one didn't work out).

Next year we get Kap going into his third year with another full offseason. We get Crab likely for the entire year and 100% healthy. We hopefully get Aldon all year. We may miss Bowman early, but Wilhoite looked pretty good stepping in for Willis. I like Moody too.

I'm rooting for the Broncos, but even if the Hawks win it, there is a silver lining. If they win it, all those Free Agents will be looking to cash in even bigger. :)

skuta has played well enough to get into that list aswell

Originally posted by crabman82:

Originally posted by Marvin49:
I gotta tell ya...I'm really kinda over it already.

Compared to last year with the Super Bowl loss, this is nothing. I've watched the 49ers lose more NFC Championships than I've seen them win. '90, '92, '93, '97, '11, and now '13. I saw them win in 88', '89, '94, and '12.

I can say without a doubt losing last year was far worse than any of those NFCCG losses.

I've already moved on to looking forward to the draft, looking forward to seeing Lattimore and Carradine play (it feels like we have 3 1st round picks this year to go along with 2 2nd rounders and 3 3rd rounders). I'm looking forward to Free Agency to see what value Free Agent Baalke finds (He always finds a few - Whitner, Rogers, Moss, Dorsey...and even Jacobs tho that one didn't work out).

Next year we get Kap going into his third year with another full offseason. We get Crab likely for the entire year and 100% healthy. We hopefully get Aldon all year. We may miss Bowman early, but Wilhoite looked pretty good stepping in for Willis. I like Moody too.

I'm rooting for the Broncos, but even if the Hawks win it, there is a silver lining. If they win it, all those Free Agents will be looking to cash in even bigger. :)

skuta has played well enough to get into that list aswell

True.

Originally posted by Marvin49:
Just got back from Los Angeles and have had a 6 hour drive to think about the game. Haven't rewatched yet (may wait at least a few weeks).

1) Kap: OK...let me start by saying anyone who wants to replace Kap as the QB needs to stop sniffing glue. I haven't even read anything on this site yet but I KNOW you guys have probably already been out in force.

First off, Kap was the only person who did ANYTHING in the game on offense. The plays he made with his legs and arm were the only reason they were in the game at the end. Then Seahawks completely eliminated the run game. Gore could do nothing. Boldin dropped two passes. Lets also not forget that the Seahawks are the best pass D in the NFL for a REASON. Did Colin play perfectly? Of course not. Still a young player in the most hostile environment in the NFL and still was one throw away from winning his FOURTH consecutive road game and FOURTH road playoff game.

I'd like to highlight that last part in particular. No team has EVER won 4 straight games on the road. Ever. No team has won back to back Conference Championship games on the road. Anyone ready to throw the towel in on Kap need to remove their cranium from their rectum. Kap is going to be here for a long time so you had better get used to it.

Some of my favorite quotes I've seen on PFT say stuff like "Great Athlete but Niners will never win a Championship with Kaepernick". That comment makes me laugh. It shows very little understanding of 49er history. I remember another player who was tagged with the exact same line...athletic, great runner, best RB on the team, too undisciplined, they will never win a Championship with him.

His name was Steve Young.


2) Richard Sherman: Undoubtedly the biggest pr*ck in the NFL. I've been on a few sites that are actually defending him, saying Crabtree tried to "start a fight" with him, etc, etc. Ya know what? That dude isn't just an a$$hat, he's also a boldfaced liar. I don't believe a single word that comes after his mouth. I remember his "account" of how he congratulated Harbaugh after the week 2 game and how the video showed that he comp[lately made up what happened. He never game Harbaugh the chance to respond before he ran away. It pretty much puts a slant on every single thing I hear from him. Crab said earlier in the week that he didn't think Sherman was the best and that he didn't pay attention to particular players...just teams. THAT was what Dick Sherman responded to. Seriously? THAT comment is the reason you make yourself look like a moron on National TV? The sad part is that the guy is good. REALLY good. He's smart. He's dedicated to his craft. If he would shut his mouth he'd actually get the respect he claims he never gets. I might actually have rooted for the Seahawks 2 sundays from now but I can't bring myself to root for that piece of trash. What absolutely BLOWS ME AWAY is how all I read from Seahawks fans is how big a douche Harbaugh and Kaepernick are. They b***h and complain about how those two don't respect them. They see NO ISSUE with Shermans antics. Unbelievable hypocritical.

Go Broncos.


3) Bowman: Ultimate adding injury to insult. I'm bothered by the game, but I'm crushed because of that injury. I hope he can make it back, but I don't want them to rush him. I want him back as close to 100% as possible. The fact that he hung onto the ball...OMG. That's just nuts. The fact that the refs missed it...no comment.


4) Aldon: Dude is a straight pass rushing monster. Really only participated greatly in 12 games this season (missed 5 and was limted in 2 more) and still amassed 12 sacks. Even when double and triple teamed, he can't be contained forever.


5) Seattle fans: As disgusted as I am at Sherman and by the fan who threw popcorn at Bowman as he exited the field, I honestly don't think that behavior is indicative of most of that fanbase. I was on Seahawks.net last night and I was seeing a level of respect for the 49ers that I hadn't seen before and peeps upset about the popcorn incident and wishing the best for Bowman and Iupati. Just want to keep it in perspective. One idiot fan does not an entire fanbase make. If we hold them all responsible for that then we are all no better than Niner fans who stab opposing fans the Candlestick parking lot. Just sayin'.


6) Crab/Boldin/WRs: Really looking forward to getting him next year with a full offseason to recover. He has played far better than I ever could have expected, but there is no way he was 100% this year. Really hoping they can resign Boldin for a reasonable price. I think that his issue last year with Baltimore and not wanting to take a pay cut had more to do with wanting Baltimore to honor their contract than wanting the payday. We'll see because thing are going to get tight. I would expect the Niners to draft another WR and see Crab/Boldin/Patton/Draft Pick as the teams WRs next year.


7) Secondary: My guess is that both Donte Whitner, Terrell Brown, and Carlos Rogers have put on the red and gold for the last time. Rogers doesn't concern me. Cully is back. Brock will start....but they will have to select a CB fairly high and probably sign a few cheap free agents to compete. I was never a fan of Whitner...until this year. Replacing him is my biggest concern on D. I just don't see how they sign him AND keep everyone else.

The good news is that Baalke has shown an ability to go find guys who were highly ranked coming out of college and have been a "bust" with the teams that selected them and then allowing them to succeed with this coaching staff (See Whitner, Donte: Rogers, Carlos: Dorsey, Glenn). He'll need to do it again in a few positions on the team.


8) Contracts: Now stuff starts to get expensive. My guess is Kap and Aldon get redone in the offseason and Crab and Iupati play out their contracts. Given the choiceof the two, I'd say resign Crab...but I'm not sure it will be possible.


9) Championship Window: This all leads me to my biggest concern. The Niners are in danger of having their Championship window expire. Gore is not getting any younger. Neither is Justin Smith. I can't wait to see Lattimore or Carradine, but we won't know till those guys can play. The 49ers of the past were able to restock their rosters and keep that window open for an incredibly long time. We'll just have to see if Baalke can do the same now that those rookie deals are expiring. Having 6 picks in the first 3 rounds helps. Having a new stadium and a team that has been in the NFC Championship 3 years running helps attract free agents. This should be an interesting offseason.


10) Refs: The refs were bad. Niners got hosed on a few calls. Ya know what tho? I spent weeks being pissed off after the Super Bowl. I don't want to do it again. Some of the missed calls didn't make a difference anyway. Some might have made a difference, but the reality is that we'll never know and getting pissed about it won't change it. Nobody is going to remember that a drive should have been extended by a roughing the kicker call. Nobody cares and will only site some call that went against them 2 years earlier. No point to it.

OK, when's the draft? Looking forward to watching a bit of a retool this offseason.

Marvin... My man..... you have the heart of a lion and are as brave as a they come to watch that game again..... it has been deleted along with the 2011 NFCCG and last years SB....

Originally posted by Stevec9932:

Originally posted by Marvin49:
Just got back from Los Angeles and have had a 6 hour drive to think about the game. Haven't rewatched yet (may wait at least a few weeks).

1) Kap: OK...let me start by saying anyone who wants to replace Kap as the QB needs to stop sniffing glue. I haven't even read anything on this site yet but I KNOW you guys have probably already been out in force.

First off, Kap was the only person who did ANYTHING in the game on offense. The plays he made with his legs and arm were the only reason they were in the game at the end. Then Seahawks completely eliminated the run game. Gore could do nothing. Boldin dropped two passes. Lets also not forget that the Seahawks are the best pass D in the NFL for a REASON. Did Colin play perfectly? Of course not. Still a young player in the most hostile environment in the NFL and still was one throw away from winning his FOURTH consecutive road game and FOURTH road playoff game.

I'd like to highlight that last part in particular. No team has EVER won 4 straight games on the road. Ever. No team has won back to back Conference Championship games on the road. Anyone ready to throw the towel in on Kap need to remove their cranium from their rectum. Kap is going to be here for a long time so you had better get used to it.

Some of my favorite quotes I've seen on PFT say stuff like "Great Athlete but Niners will never win a Championship with Kaepernick". That comment makes me laugh. It shows very little understanding of 49er history. I remember another player who was tagged with the exact same line...athletic, great runner, best RB on the team, too undisciplined, they will never win a Championship with him.

His name was Steve Young.


2) Richard Sherman: Undoubtedly the biggest pr*ck in the NFL. I've been on a few sites that are actually defending him, saying Crabtree tried to "start a fight" with him, etc, etc. Ya know what? That dude isn't just an a$$hat, he's also a boldfaced liar. I don't believe a single word that comes after his mouth. I remember his "account" of how he congratulated Harbaugh after the week 2 game and how the video showed that he comp[lately made up what happened. He never game Harbaugh the chance to respond before he ran away. It pretty much puts a slant on every single thing I hear from him. Crab said earlier in the week that he didn't think Sherman was the best and that he didn't pay attention to particular players...just teams. THAT was what Dick Sherman responded to. Seriously? THAT comment is the reason you make yourself look like a moron on National TV? The sad part is that the guy is good. REALLY good. He's smart. He's dedicated to his craft. If he would shut his mouth he'd actually get the respect he claims he never gets. I might actually have rooted for the Seahawks 2 sundays from now but I can't bring myself to root for that piece of trash. What absolutely BLOWS ME AWAY is how all I read from Seahawks fans is how big a douche Harbaugh and Kaepernick are. They b***h and complain about how those two don't respect them. They see NO ISSUE with Shermans antics. Unbelievable hypocritical.

Go Broncos.


3) Bowman: Ultimate adding injury to insult. I'm bothered by the game, but I'm crushed because of that injury. I hope he can make it back, but I don't want them to rush him. I want him back as close to 100% as possible. The fact that he hung onto the ball...OMG. That's just nuts. The fact that the refs missed it...no comment.


4) Aldon: Dude is a straight pass rushing monster. Really only participated greatly in 12 games this season (missed 5 and was limted in 2 more) and still amassed 12 sacks. Even when double and triple teamed, he can't be contained forever.


5) Seattle fans: As disgusted as I am at Sherman and by the fan who threw popcorn at Bowman as he exited the field, I honestly don't think that behavior is indicative of most of that fanbase. I was on Seahawks.net last night and I was seeing a level of respect for the 49ers that I hadn't seen before and peeps upset about the popcorn incident and wishing the best for Bowman and Iupati. Just want to keep it in perspective. One idiot fan does not an entire fanbase make. If we hold them all responsible for that then we are all no better than Niner fans who stab opposing fans the Candlestick parking lot. Just sayin'.


6) Crab/Boldin/WRs: Really looking forward to getting him next year with a full offseason to recover. He has played far better than I ever could have expected, but there is no way he was 100% this year. Really hoping they can resign Boldin for a reasonable price. I think that his issue last year with Baltimore and not wanting to take a pay cut had more to do with wanting Baltimore to honor their contract than wanting the payday. We'll see because thing are going to get tight. I would expect the Niners to draft another WR and see Crab/Boldin/Patton/Draft Pick as the teams WRs next year.


7) Secondary: My guess is that both Donte Whitner, Terrell Brown, and Carlos Rogers have put on the red and gold for the last time. Rogers doesn't concern me. Cully is back. Brock will start....but they will have to select a CB fairly high and probably sign a few cheap free agents to compete. I was never a fan of Whitner...until this year. Replacing him is my biggest concern on D. I just don't see how they sign him AND keep everyone else.

The good news is that Baalke has shown an ability to go find guys who were highly ranked coming out of college and have been a "bust" with the teams that selected them and then allowing them to succeed with this coaching staff (See Whitner, Donte: Rogers, Carlos: Dorsey, Glenn). He'll need to do it again in a few positions on the team.


8) Contracts: Now stuff starts to get expensive. My guess is Kap and Aldon get redone in the offseason and Crab and Iupati play out their contracts. Given the choiceof the two, I'd say resign Crab...but I'm not sure it will be possible.


9) Championship Window: This all leads me to my biggest concern. The Niners are in danger of having their Championship window expire. Gore is not getting any younger. Neither is Justin Smith. I can't wait to see Lattimore or Carradine, but we won't know till those guys can play. The 49ers of the past were able to restock their rosters and keep that window open for an incredibly long time. We'll just have to see if Baalke can do the same now that those rookie deals are expiring. Having 6 picks in the first 3 rounds helps. Having a new stadium and a team that has been in the NFC Championship 3 years running helps attract free agents. This should be an interesting offseason.


10) Refs: The refs were bad. Niners got hosed on a few calls. Ya know what tho? I spent weeks being pissed off after the Super Bowl. I don't want to do it again. Some of the missed calls didn't make a difference anyway. Some might have made a difference, but the reality is that we'll never know and getting pissed about it won't change it. Nobody is going to remember that a drive should have been extended by a roughing the kicker call. Nobody cares and will only site some call that went against them 2 years earlier. No point to it.

OK, when's the draft? Looking forward to watching a bit of a retool this offseason.

Marvin... My man..... you have the heart of a lion and are as brave as a they come to watch that game again..... it has been deleted along with the 2011 NFCCG and last years SB....

To be honest, its very helpful. When you can watch the game without emotion its easier to see the positives and negatives of the game. I'm probably watched last years Super Bowl 30 times.

Originally posted by LEN-RHODE9er:
My thoughts after watching the game......you have to win your division 1st and we didn't. We played like warriors this year even though we were older and probably a little more busted up physically. Aldon Smith out , Crabtree rehab, I could go on but they showed some serious balls for the situations we were in. I have a feeling Kappy is going to go full time, in other words he is going to devote himself to his position 100%. I hope that works as I thought Alex played better under Andy's Reid's tutelage than Harbaughs and I watched every game Alex played in this season. I am not talking smack about Harbaugh just a observation. I have watched Harbaughs career and he was not Joe Montana or Peyton Manning but he fought like a mother--ker I am just afraid that may not be enough as far as expanding Kappy's QB play. We need to take advantage of this years schedule as this year we were major travelers and if Seattle happens to win the Super bowl ( I will be f--king pissed ) but if they do their scheduling will be more difficult and those are advantages that you need to utilize to reach our goal. NFC WEST is going to be a Motherf--ker as far as competition goes so 2014 will not be easy either. I hope some things change all the way around the board...players and coaching as we are always a blonde c-nt hair from getting that 6th trophy. ....I know one thing....I could not handle losing to Seattle in the NFC Championship again this next season.....that would be brutal !!!!!!! Navarro

Yes, the biggest reason why the 49ers lost the game was that it was played in Seattle. The fact that Seattle had a better seed made it a major up hill battle from the start. Even then the game was very very close. The reality is that with the Seattle secondary you cannot get behind in Seattle. You can not get into a situation where you have to pass and the secondary gets to focus only defending the pass.

If the game had been played in San Francisco the 49ers would have won easily the way they were playing.

Originally posted by rdc1:

Originally posted by LEN-RHODE9er:
My thoughts after watching the game......you have to win your division 1st and we didn't. We played like warriors this year even though we were older and probably a little more busted up physically. Aldon Smith out , Crabtree rehab, I could go on but they showed some serious balls for the situations we were in. I have a feeling Kappy is going to go full time, in other words he is going to devote himself to his position 100%. I hope that works as I thought Alex played better under Andy's Reid's tutelage than Harbaughs and I watched every game Alex played in this season. I am not talking smack about Harbaugh just a observation. I have watched Harbaughs career and he was not Joe Montana or Peyton Manning but he fought like a mother--ker I am just afraid that may not be enough as far as expanding Kappy's QB play. We need to take advantage of this years schedule as this year we were major travelers and if Seattle happens to win the Super bowl ( I will be f--king pissed ) but if they do their scheduling will be more difficult and those are advantages that you need to utilize to reach our goal. NFC WEST is going to be a Motherf--ker as far as competition goes so 2014 will not be easy either. I hope some things change all the way around the board...players and coaching as we are always a blonde c-nt hair from getting that 6th trophy. ....I know one thing....I could not handle losing to Seattle in the NFC Championship again this next season.....that would be brutal !!!!!!! Navarro

Yes, the biggest reason why the 49ers lost the game was that it was played in Seattle. The fact that Seattle had a better seed made it a major up hill battle from the start. Even then the game was very very close. The reality is that with the Seattle secondary you cannot get behind in Seattle. You can not get into a situation where you have to pass and the secondary gets to focus only defending the pass.

If the game had been played in San Francisco the 49ers would have won easily the way they were playing.

I agree.

It is unfortunate because the offense did what nobody expected them to do, and that was to jump on the Seahawks early. They got a lead and maintained ball control pretty well. It was the defense that gave up back-breaking plays that allowed Seattle to get back into the game. I said it in another thread, but Seattle's defense loves to get offenses into crunch time situations. When the offense is forced to make plays, Seattle usually forces them into mistakes. That is exactly what happened, and the defensive lapses are what allowed that to happen.

Unfortunately, the offense will get the bulk of the blame because of the 3 turnovers in the last three drives. Our safeties had a TERRIBLE outing. Our front 7 played confused after Wilson scrambled to hit Baldwin deep behind the secondary. Because nobody on the line was getting to Lynch, he got a ton of momentum and the LBs were carried for 2-3 yards after contact. Outside the first quarter, the defense was pretty bad. The offense was good for about 3 quarters.

It really was a nutshell of the entire season. When the offense was doing well, the defense was bad. When the defense was dominant, the offense was settling for field goals.

The season ended the same way last year. Kap making a poor descion and ignoring open receivers. He was terrible in the redzone this season and it cost is big time against Seattle. He needs to mature and learn to go through his progressions and throw to the open receiver. So far Kap has been a one read qb. His athleticism has allowed him to make big plays despite his disadvantage as a passer. That has to change if he's going to win a Championship.

Originally posted by T-9ers:
I think if we asked Coach Carroll, he'd take that situation and match up every time. It would have been a perfect pass and more times then not it would not work. So yes again, he choked. It's ok though, I don't mean that as necessarily a bad thing, it's like you choked this time, now you know not to do that.

Fine, he choked. I agree. It's just that I would rather have a quarterback who wins games, and chokes games, then a quarterback who doesn't give you the opportunity for either and lets the responsibility fall on someone else.

So far, Kap wins more games in tight situations than he chokes.

Hit that stunned LMJ...Refs missed one, or is this ok?

What I want to know is why is this team putting itself in this situation throughout the last 3 seasons?Why leave the game up to the last possession?Why put all the pressure on a single player to NOT make a mistake late in the game?If there is any time to make a mistake its early.They need to be aggressive early and often.If they make a mistake early and lose momentum they will have time to recapture momentum,lead etc,the defense is capable of keeping the them in the game.Cleats to the throat at the coin toss!!!Kaep probably should have made THAT throw on the first turnover,now that would have set the tone,catch my drift?