Dallas Morning News says Niners could be SB Contender

Originally posted by tjd808185:

Originally posted by 49ersalldaway126:

Originally posted by TeambyTheBay:
I'm a big 49ers fan but I had to laugh out loud @ SB contender this year...lmao

i wouldnt say no i mean the only real thing stopping us last year was an o line and a return game on paper we fixed both if they pan out i wouldnt say we cant make the superbowl

Quarterback and secondary play was well below average as well. Alex is still Alex, and our secondary still has some pretty big question marks.

I could be wrong, but I believe Clements play last year pre injury was just a slump. With all the negative press he's recieved i wouldn't doubt if he lights it up this season.
Spencer is now two years removed from an ACL injury, how much better can he be this year? He had to use his brain rather than talent last year, now if he gets his speed back, look out!

Last year was tough for our secondary, but a lot had to do with injury which lead to experiments through trial and error (Brown the Bly at corner). I think we will be much improved.

Originally posted by TeambyTheBay:

Originally posted by Oakland-Niner:
Based on all known information I think SB is unlikely. However, you guys act like in todays NFL it is uncommon to go from worst to first. There are a lot of teams that have gone from 4-12 to 12-4 in a season and become legit Superbowl contenders. This isn't the eighties.

They had HOF QBs and All Pro WRs, we have Alex Smith and only Crabtree. Not saying Smith won't get us there, but let's wait and see. I like what I saw with Smith last year though...same goes for Crabtree.

And Ginn and Davis, not to mention Gore (which the Tards didn't have).

[ Edited by Oakland-Niner on May 9, 2010 at 18:50:46 ]

Originally posted by archcity49er:
As Alex Smith goes we go...

Or in brass tax we ain't going very far. The fact the Raiders have a better QB than us now, is just straight out depressing. And of course they cut their #1 overall bus, yet ours is still starting for us. They could actually beat us this year, I mean they have a QB who is at least decent we don't. As good as we are and we are very good in virtually every other area, it doesn't make that much of a difference if you don't have a QB. I'd be ok with Nate Davis at this point, cuz at least we don't really know what Nate can do good or bad.

Originally posted by Oakland-Niner:

Originally posted by TeambyTheBay:

Originally posted by Oakland-Niner:
Based on all known information I think SB is unlikely. However, you guys act like in todays NFL it is uncommon to go from worst to first. There are a lot of teams that have gone from 4-12 to 12-4 in a season and become legit Superbowl contenders. This isn't the eighties.

They had HOF QBs and All Pro WRs, we have Alex Smith and only Crabtree. Not saying Smith won't get us there, but let's wait and see. I like what I saw with Smith last year though...same goes for Crabtree.

And Ginn and Davis, not to mention Gore (which the Tards didn't have).

They also had Whiz which was a better coach than Singletary now.

Fitz > all the WRs our team
Boldin and Breaston were just bonuses.

Not biggin' up the Cards but just telling the truth...it helps me cope better at losses.

Originally posted by TeambyTheBay:

Originally posted by Oakland-Niner:

Originally posted by TeambyTheBay:

Originally posted by Oakland-Niner:
Based on all known information I think SB is unlikely. However, you guys act like in todays NFL it is uncommon to go from worst to first. There are a lot of teams that have gone from 4-12 to 12-4 in a season and become legit Superbowl contenders. This isn't the eighties.

They had HOF QBs and All Pro WRs, we have Alex Smith and only Crabtree. Not saying Smith won't get us there, but let's wait and see. I like what I saw with Smith last year though...same goes for Crabtree.

And Ginn and Davis, not to mention Gore (which the Tards didn't have).

They also had Whiz which was a better coach than Singletary now.

Fitz > all the WRs our team
Boldin and Breaston were just bonuses.

Not biggin' up the Cards but just telling the truth...it helps me cope better at losses.

I'm just saying it's not like we dont have weapons. Davis' 13 TDs was second among all WRs I believe. I can't imagine how good Crabs will be with a full off season. And even though Ginn is a bust as a number 1 his numbers say he is a legit number 3 or 2. He changes the dynamics on the field.

Originally posted by unst4bl3:

Originally posted by KOniner:
This is from Gerry Fraley of the Morning News.

"Aside from the Saints, the Vikings and the Cowboys, which other NFC team do you see a contender for the Super Bowl?
It might be a year too soon, but San Francisco seems to be on a decided rise. The Niners won five of their final eight last year. Not earth-shattering but worth noting."

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/football/cowboys/stories/050710dnspofraleychatbreakdown2.1c5a0d3.html

Looks like the national media is beginning to take the Niners seriously this year.

same thing happened last year, then we took the field.

Originally posted by Oakland-Niner:

Originally posted by TeambyTheBay:

Originally posted by Oakland-Niner:

Originally posted by TeambyTheBay:

Originally posted by Oakland-Niner:
Based on all known information I think SB is unlikely. However, you guys act like in todays NFL it is uncommon to go from worst to first. There are a lot of teams that have gone from 4-12 to 12-4 in a season and become legit Superbowl contenders. This isn't the eighties.

They had HOF QBs and All Pro WRs, we have Alex Smith and only Crabtree. Not saying Smith won't get us there, but let's wait and see. I like what I saw with Smith last year though...same goes for Crabtree.

And Ginn and Davis, not to mention Gore (which the Tards didn't have).

They also had Whiz which was a better coach than Singletary now.

Fitz > all the WRs our team
Boldin and Breaston were just bonuses.

Not biggin' up the Cards but just telling the truth...it helps me cope better at losses.

I'm just saying it's not like we dont have weapons. Davis' 13 TDs was second among all WRs I believe. I can't imagine how good Crabs will be with a full off season. And even though Ginn is a bust as a number 1 his numbers say he is a legit number 3 or 2. He changes the dynamics on the field.

Everything you've said could happen, but for now, they're just wishing thinking.

I really think Singletary is trying to model our team after the 05/06 Bears.

Waiting4number6...i have no idea if the Raids Qb now is better than alex. But i do know this: By midseason, if our two first rounders are playing pretty close to their capabilities, we WILL get an idea if alex was worth a 1st pick in the draft or not. Despite all the criticism, negativity, general b.s. and whatever else, the fact remains he was drafted and promptly , stupidly left unprotected until we finally drafted staley a couple yrs back. But that was just one guy. We now have 3 potential guys who can play true professional OL in football. We have not had that since McKittrick, and nobody can convince me otherwise.

What we will know this yr, most likely by or before game 8 is whether alex is the man or not. Anybody who has taken a position on him prior to this yr has made a decision on alex, without the aid of an OL. Well, we now have one, altho 2 have yet to set foot on a pro football field in anger. IF they can come thru and play to what they looked like in college, THEN we will know if alex is a hotshot or not. I personally have no idea, but it is true i do want him to be the one. This organization has just invested too much time and especially $ in him for him to bust out. For a change, he will have a real OL, and my guess is that he will play way better than you are expecting. Good enough? That i don't know, but if he can't outplay the Raids new/old qB, i'll eat my shoes.

Here's my quick uninformed take: alex showed us his heart playing with a broken clavicle, (he knew it...anyone knows it who has had one broken). Then the question is can he be an accurate Qb. Well, he won't be the focus of this O, Frank and maybe one other RB will. We obviously are gonna run until the D plays back, quits showing us 8 in the box (or 10), and then alex will have his opportunity to show us what he has. Think about dilfer: he guided the O for a team built on D. All he had to do was not lose a game. I think alex is well beyond that, but we'll see.

If he isn't the one, well, then , noln fu**ed us worse than we thot. I just hope for the franchise, that alex is the one, because otherwise we just spent 6 yrs in purgatory and got nowhere. I sure hope that isn't the case. As you can see, i am not an alex fan, i am a 49er fan, and if alex doesn't cut it, that's it. Point is prior to this yr no one could reasonably assess alex because of our phantom OL (baas= snyder = heitmann= wrags) plus staley, sims. Staley and sims weren't enough to call our OL a real OL, esp with staley hurt last yr and then sims comes in and plays like a starter. Go figure. But a healthy staley, sims, AD, upoti, and a C from one of the rest of that crew is going to be one helluva lot better OL than anything alex has ever had as a pro.

Does that make us a SB contender? Whew, if so, that is a heckuva reach. IF the OL gels early( or for that matter at all), then it is a whole new ballgame, and i wouldn't mind putting some money on the 49ers as NFC contender. Four things bother me: SAints, cowboys, atlanta, maybe cards, for starters. Nonetheless, if the OL comes around, alex , TEs, RBs , WRs all will be better for it. And a better O means a better D who doesn't have to play 40 mins every game.

It is amazing how much we have riding on baalke's first two picks, which i had forecast months ago(actually OT/Iupati). I still think those two guys will hit , and if they do, the sky is the limit. Still and all, even with them, we aren't better than Saints at qb, GM, ownership, HC, OC, OL, DL. WRs, RBs, DBs, DC, maybe a tossup. LB, we got p-52, they got 3 good ones. Regardless of how alex plays, same for OL, they got to play up to saints, and that is a tall order. Not impossible, but tough.

It could happen... i just think it is one yr premature, as our Qb needs to adjust to his entirely new OL.

Its possible.

But it all hinges on how quickly Iupati and Davis can be difference makers. We fix that line so we can get the ball moving, and we will be a deadly team.

This is not meant as a knock, just opinion.

I think we could be a dark horse superbowl contender if we had a better QB.

I pray Smith proves me wrong, but I just don't see it happening with him. I barely see us getting to the playoffs with him, but it still looks likely that we can get there despite him.

Originally posted by brhokla:
I don't know. The rams went from crap to SuperBowl in like 99 and many teams have made big leaps from say 7-9 to 11 or 12 wins before. We already proved we could hang with the Vikings this last season in the Dome!

I don't think we do however make it but we are in pretty decent shape to make a strong run if we make the playoffs. We do have some good talent and soon we shall see.

I feel a better case can be made for the next season after these rookie O linemen have a year under the system. I think it all depends on what Alex Smith does as he seems to be the weakest link. If he turns lights out then we could very well do it. I'd be all for it.....

and the colts, packers, titans and seahawks besides the falcons no team really keeped us out of the game.

f the dullass morning news. trying to jinks us. f'ing mofo's!

Originally posted by waiting4number6:

Originally posted by archcity49er:
As Alex Smith goes we go...

Or in brass tax we ain't going very far. The fact the Raiders have a better QB than us now, is just straight out depressing. And of course they cut their #1 overall bus, yet ours is still starting for us. They could actually beat us this year, I mean they have a QB who is at least decent we don't. As good as we are and we are very good in virtually every other area, it doesn't make that much of a difference if you don't have a QB. I'd be ok with Nate Davis at this point, cuz at least we don't really know what Nate can do good or bad.

I would take Alex Smith over Jason Campbell any day. Campbell right out sucks. Why do you think the Redskins would pursue McNabb and just let Campbell go? Alex has done nothing but improve, this is his year to shine and I believe he would be above average this year. Nothing great, just a B+ QB.

~Dann~

Originally posted by ElDannMann:

Originally posted by waiting4number6:

Originally posted by archcity49er:
As Alex Smith goes we go...

Or in brass tax we ain't going very far. The fact the Raiders have a better QB than us now, is just straight out depressing. And of course they cut their #1 overall bus, yet ours is still starting for us. They could actually beat us this year, I mean they have a QB who is at least decent we don't. As good as we are and we are very good in virtually every other area, it doesn't make that much of a difference if you don't have a QB. I'd be ok with Nate Davis at this point, cuz at least we don't really know what Nate can do good or bad.

I would take Alex Smith over Jason Campbell any day. Campbell right out sucks. Why do you think the Redskins would pursue McNabb and just let Campbell go? Alex has done nothing but improve, this is his year to shine and I believe he would be above average this year. Nothing great, just a B+ QB.

~Dann~

Haha wow they got McNabb so they could relieve Dan Synder's big name QB fetish. For goodness sake Jason threw for more yards than McNabb did last year with no Chris Cooley for the 2nd half of the year no line and the best and really only option being Santana Moss, vs. all the f'ing talent McNabb had. And of course Alex has improved, I would hope so, shoot Jamarcus will probably improve too if he gets another shot. Alex couldn't even throw against the f'ing Cards, Tavaris Jackson torched the Cards the year they went to the SB, yet Alex is still Alex and the Raiders and most of the NFL have us beat at the most important position.

Originally posted by waiting4number6:

Originally posted by ElDannMann:

Originally posted by waiting4number6:

Originally posted by archcity49er:
As Alex Smith goes we go...

Or in brass tax we ain't going very far. The fact the Raiders have a better QB than us now, is just straight out depressing. And of course they cut their #1 overall bus, yet ours is still starting for us. They could actually beat us this year, I mean they have a QB who is at least decent we don't. As good as we are and we are very good in virtually every other area, it doesn't make that much of a difference if you don't have a QB. I'd be ok with Nate Davis at this point, cuz at least we don't really know what Nate can do good or bad.

I would take Alex Smith over Jason Campbell any day. Campbell right out sucks. Why do you think the Redskins would pursue McNabb and just let Campbell go? Alex has done nothing but improve, this is his year to shine and I believe he would be above average this year. Nothing great, just a B+ QB.

~Dann~

Haha wow they got McNabb so they could relieve Dan Synder's big name QB fetish. For goodness sake Jason threw for more yards than McNabb did last year with no Chris Cooley for the 2nd half of the year no line and the best and really only option being Santana Moss, vs. all the f'ing talent McNabb had. And of course Alex has improved, I would hope so, shoot Jamarcus will probably improve too if he gets another shot. Alex couldn't even throw against the f'ing Cards, Tavaris Jackson torched the Cards the year they went to the SB, yet Alex is still Alex and the Raiders and most of the NFL have us beat at the most important position.

well the raiders beat the steelers who won the superbowl the year before too. anything can happen in football. just because tavaris wasnt himself for one sunday doesnt mean anything. i cant wait to see all the people hating on smith eat their words when he takes us to the playoffs this year.