Didn’t mean to freak anyone out

The San Francisco 49ers are a win away from returning to the Super Bowl. The team got there during the 2019 season but failed to hold onto a lead over the Kansas City Chiefs. Now, they have an opportunity to make amends for that heartbreaking defeat. Fred Warner was on that last Super Bowl team. It was the linebacker's second year in the NFL. Now, three years later, Warner and the 49ers are on the cusp of another trip to the big game. So what would winning in his second trip mean to the All-Pro defender? "It would mean everything, seriously," Warner recently told Rich Eisen. "We've been there. We've been to the NFC Championship Game three out of the last four years. I've been to the Super Bowl. And when you go so early in your career, I don't think you

Defensive back Jimmie Ward was never one to hold back. He is scheduled to become a free agent after playing nickel in the San Francisco 49ers defense this season, a move from his previous and preferred safety spot. Ward started the season on injured reserve due to a hamstring injury, missing the first four games. Then, he suffered a broken hand after returning in Week 5, missing the next game. Strong play by safeties Talanoa Hufanga and Tashaun Gipson forced the 49ers to use Ward at the nickel cornerback position. However, the defensive back has made it clear he always preferred playing safety and even requested the 49ers move him back to his natural position. That obviously did not happen. "When I told Coach Kyle, I said, 'Hey Coach

It didn't wind up making a huge difference in the end, but the decision on the 49ers' end to not challenge what was incorrectly called a catch by Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith on the first drive of Sunday's NFC Championship game could have resulted in a healthy amount of second-guessing towards 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, had the game wound up being much closer than it was. But, as Shanahan explained after the game, the 49ers didn't see the angle of the play that would have overturned the original call, and the Eagles were able to get their next play off before anyone had a chance to review the play. Smith made what originally looked like a dazzling one-handed 29-yard catch on a 4th-and-3 play of the game's opening possession, setting up the Eagles with

It wasn't supposed to end like this. But in the end, what did you expect? This is who the 49ers are. Not a bad team, no. God, no. If that's what you think after watching an NFFCG collapse, I humbly request you consider this game tomorrow. A week from now. With a bit of distance, tracing the arc of the whole season. That still doesn't change the fact that this game was ugly. It was horrific. No, it was worse - a farce. This was Kyle Shanahan trying to bluff an invading army with a tea party out in the open. There's no blame to be laid at his feet here. Maybe against another army, a team less consistently aggressive and outside of its home turf. It's just not a strategy that works against Nick Sirianni's Eagles. Playoff football is a game of