Skip Bayless: "The 49ers WILL win remain unbeaten for the rest of the Season"

We only won the last two because the opponent was coming off a Monday Night game is complete bull

Originally posted by HessianDud:

Originally posted by 49ersMyLife:

Originally posted by HessianDud:

Originally posted by 49ersMyLife:
Skip is an idiot...and continues to be one. Niners haven't done anything in the first 6 games to suggest they will win the last 10 - especially at Ravens during a short week. Division games are always up for grabs (ok, Rams suck balls) but at Seattle and at Arizona can go either way. Steelers are no push-overs either. But whatever, Browns are up first, and that's all Niners should worry about.

agreed. I've always hated Bayless. If he thinks nice things about this team, good for him, I still won't listen to him.

and yeah, I hope Harbs and Co. have a good strategy for keeping this team even-keeled. Hype is cool for fans but I'm not sure how this team will handle it. Also, hope the coaches are as good at handling the team with its target on its back as they are in handling the underdog role. That's going to be a huge challenge. Teams like the Browns, and especially our division rivals, are going to treat a game against us with great importance.

The way football goes, we'll probably lose a game or two that we should win, and win a game or two that we should lose. Going 5-5 or even 6-4 the rest of the way would be disappointing to me, but football is impossible to predict. It's fun and fine for us fans to do it, but like you said, the team just has to focus on the Browns and not worry about playoff seeding or 14 game winning streaks right now.

Exactly. Like the saying goes - It's easy to get to the top, tough to stay there. This is the NFL and outside of couple teams - any team can beat anyone. I too am hoping that coaches will do a good job keeping a young team from getting ahead of themselves. I like seeing people say great things about our team, but I hope players are not buying into the hype machine, and don't get complacent. Coaches and leaders in the locker room need to keep reminding everyone that 5-1 means nothing, there are no awards or parades for going 5-1.

As for the fans, I understand the excitement, but I'm not sure how many on the board are completely overlooking Redskins and Giants. Ravens and Steelers are perennial playoff teams, and know how to win ugly. Those 4 are tough games, and I'll be pretty happy with 2-2 in those games. Browns game is a tricky one. On paper it looks like an easy W, but many times - teams coming off the bye come out sluggish for a quarter or two. So, I hope, after 6 off days - first thing coaches remind the players - f**k the media - Browns game is the most important game right now.

@Seattle is going to be tough too. and, really, all of our division games are going to be tougher than we realize, because right now we have a chance to be "wire to wire division champs" and the Cards and Rams will bring their "A Games" against us. Right now, the way things are, we'll be their "Super Bowl."

The Cleveland game will be a big test, I think. A somewhat sorry team, at home, after a bye...this game is one of the biggest challenges for the coaching staff.

Yeup, Cleveland game will show me how focused these guys are. They can relax for a few days, take in all the adulation from friends and family (not to mention the family) and come back focused. Veterans teams can do that, young teams have a difficult time to switch off and then switch on instantly.

I agree with your division games assessment as well. Division games are always tough, especially on road. It's bragging rights not only for the fans, but also for the players. Also, Pete Carroll will have his guys ready to play up there.

One problem is, almost all the veterans on our team are gettin' the first taste of success, and not sure how they are handling it. Harbaugh needs to keep them grounded, and getting Braylon Edwards back will provide some boost to our passing game.

Originally posted by 49ersMyLife:
Yeup, Cleveland game will show me how focused these guys are. They can relax for a few days, take in all the adulation from friends and family (not to mention the family) and come back focused. Veterans teams can do that, young teams have a difficult time to switch off and then switch on instantly.

I agree with your division games assessment as well. Division games are always tough, especially on road. It's bragging rights not only for the fans, but also for the players. Also, Pete Carroll will have his guys ready to play up there.

One problem is, almost all the veterans on our team are gettin' the first taste of success, and not sure how they are handling it. Harbaugh needs to keep them grounded, and getting Braylon Edwards back will provide some boost to our passing game.

right now it seems like Harbaugh can do no wrong, that he has an answer for everything. Obviously coming out flat against CLE, or laying an egg, or whatever, doesn't mean he's a crappy coach all of a sudden, but if we come out fired up and focused then Jim Harbaugh tucks magic into his khakis along with his sweater.

Originally posted by HessianDud:

Originally posted by 49ersMyLife:
Yeup, Cleveland game will show me how focused these guys are. They can relax for a few days, take in all the adulation from friends and family (not to mention the family) and come back focused. Veterans teams can do that, young teams have a difficult time to switch off and then switch on instantly.

I agree with your division games assessment as well. Division games are always tough, especially on road. It's bragging rights not only for the fans, but also for the players. Also, Pete Carroll will have his guys ready to play up there.

One problem is, almost all the veterans on our team are gettin' the first taste of success, and not sure how they are handling it. Harbaugh needs to keep them grounded, and getting Braylon Edwards back will provide some boost to our passing game.

right now it seems like Harbaugh can do no wrong, that he has an answer for everything. Obviously coming out flat against CLE, or laying an egg, or whatever, doesn't mean he's a crappy coach all of a sudden, but if we come out fired up and focused then Jim Harbaugh tucks magic into his khakis along with his sweater.

I hate trap games, and Browns game is one of those games.

That would be incredible, but really implausible. I think we will win at least 10 games though.

I keep hearing that weakness of the team is the passing game and for the most part that is true. However, I do not agree that teams will expose that weakness and exploit. I've been laughing hard each time I see a post stating this BS. Are you kidding me? Teams have been exploiting that for years. Poor Gore has had to run against 8 and 9 man boxes his whole career. The passing game is starting to get better and teams are now hesitant to stack the box. This has opened up room for Gore and better line play has led to good rushing games.

So how exactly are teams going to stop the run now. Stack the box? It would be easy pickings for Smith and Company. Again.

some of you bashing Mangini regarding the Walker TD, can believe what ever you want......but the fact is, although the throw was perfect, Delanie did a GREAT job keeping his knee off the ground...if his knee did touch, which would not have been his fault...ALOT of people on this forum and the media would be bashing Alex for that decision.

and no...before Alex threw the ball, the CB had already left Crabtree to cover Delanie....heck, they even pause the video for you to be able to see it.

again be in denial about it all you want....that was a 4th down and goal play, and that was not the best decision by Alex. It worked this time, but I would hope if we ever are in that type of situation again...Alex reads the defense better, and throws it to the right man.

The fact of the matter is that we have already passed the tough part of our schedule. The Browns? Their 2 victories came against teams that are collectively 0-11. We will blow them out. The teams in our division truly suck: The Rams are winless with a defense that has just collapsed. Arizona is horrible, and Seattle will see a much better 9ers team than they saw last time. I agree with the poster who said that the 9ers are unlikely to fall for trap games; winning is too new to them. Unless their are a string of injuries to key players, this is a charmed year!

The slant is always a higher percentage play than the fade. Everyone knows that - well, I guess almost everyone knows that. If you've got a choice, the slant is your better bet because the fade is a lower percentage play. Alex Smith is a smart guy and with Harbaugh's direction, he's making better decisions this year. The coach yells "clutch" and points to Smith. But Afrikan is much smarter than Alex Smith or Coach Harbaugh. Afrikan is not satisfied and not happy about the play. This year, it's not hard to notice that your standard habitual Alex Smith basher is never really that happy when Alex Smith makes a play. If he misses the throw it's Smith's fault. If he makes the throw and Delanie puts his knee down too soon, it's Smith's fault. If he goes for the fade and barely over throws Crabtree, it's Smith's fault. If a D-lineman breaks through and sacks him to end the game it's Smith's fault. If he makes a snap decision that the slant gives him a marginally better chance at success... Afrikan complains even though the play won a hard-fought game in the final seconds.

Maybe what it is is that the more plays Alex Smith makes, the more obvious it's becoming that bashers will, at some point, have to admit they were wrong. Some people just have a hard time doing that. Some people are just not secure enough to do that. Some are not mature enough to do that. Personally, I'm hoping that Harbaugh continues to install more system as the season progresses and we begin to see some plus 300 yard, two to three touchdown performances from Smith. A very small, but significant part of why I want to see that is because it will be like a big pie in the face for the bashers.

ClassicNiner: "I agree with the poster who said that the 9ers are unlikely to fall for trap games; winning is too new to them."

I think it's pretty obvious to everyone that the difference this year is the coaching. I don't think Harbaugh lets these guys fall into a trap. He and his staff are way too into the details. When you're concentrating on the details, you have less chance of getting a big head and taking teams for granted. I expect the Niners to lose a few more games, but this does seem to be turning into a very, very special season and I can easily imagine 12-4 or even 13-3. The defense is lights out. The issue is still the progression of Alex Smith. If Harbaugh continues to work his growing magic on Smith as he has on other QB's in the past, this Niner team could go deep into the playoffs.

Originally posted by GNielsen:
The slant is always a higher percentage play than the fade. Everyone knows that - well, I guess almost everyone knows that. If you've got a choice, the slant is your better bet because the fade is a lower percentage play. Alex Smith is a smart guy and with Harbaugh's direction, he's making better decisions this year. The coach yells "clutch" and points to Smith. But Afrikan is much smarter than Alex Smith or Coach Harbaugh. Afrikan is not satisfied and not happy about the play. This year, it's not hard to notice that your standard habitual Alex Smith basher is never really that happy when Alex Smith makes a play. If he misses the throw it's Smith's fault. If he makes the throw and Delanie puts his knee down too soon, it's Smith's fault. If he goes for the fade and barely over throws Crabtree, it's Smith's fault. If a D-lineman breaks through and sacks him to end the game it's Smith's fault. If he makes a snap decision that the slant gives him a marginally better chance at success... Afrikan complains even though the play won a hard-fought game in the final seconds.

Maybe what it is is that the more plays Alex Smith makes, the more obvious it's becoming that bashers will, at some point, have to admit they were wrong. Some people just have a hard time doing that. Some people are just not secure enough to do that. Some are not mature enough to do that. Personally, I'm hoping that Harbaugh continues to install more system as the season progresses and we begin to see some plus 300 yard, two to three touchdown performances from Smith. A very small, but significant part of why I want to see that is because it will be like a big pie in the face for the bashers.

and I think someone needs to do some research and go through someone's post history before considering someone "bashing" a player based off one play.

and I guess since I'm not "smarter" than Harbaugh, that makes you smarter than Eric Mangini regarding football?

yeaaah ok buddy.

edit- and LOL at the thought of me going like this after a go ahead TD in a tough tough game on the road against an undefeated team.

Bayless is the same idiot who said Michael Irvin>Jerry Rice.

And this idiot says that we're gonna win the rest of our games?

Hey Afrikan, my recollection is that you've never been much of an Alex Smith supporter. In fact, I seem to recall a lot of Alex Smith bashing coming from your direction over the years. Maybe I'm wrong about that. If I am, you have my apologies. But, I stand my my sense that it seems to be very difficult for a lot of Niner fans who have hated Alex Smith over the years to give him credit when he does something right. Personally, I felt coming into the season that if Smith couldn't be successful with a committed QB-oriented coach like Harbaugh, I would at last admit that he is a lost cause. I've always liked Alex Smith and hoped for the best. That's part of the reason this season is turning into such a special one for me. But, I know that it's going to take more, though, for people to give him his due. He's got to take the next step. We've got to see some plus-300 yard, 2-3 touchdown performances from him. It's tough because the defense is so damn good this year that it's not clear to me that Harbaugh will ever even call a game like that. It's just hard to imagine a shoot-out at this point because of the Niner defense.

Now, on your last note, Magini's record as a coach is 33-47. If I remember correctly, he took a 10-6 Jets team and turned them into a 4-12 team the year after that. So far, Harbaugh has taken a team that was 6-10 last year and with largely the same cast, has a 5-1 record so far. That doesn't make me smarter than Magini, but it also doesn't fill me with a lot of confidence in his analysis.

Never happen. Only the 84 team could do that. We're not even close to that team.

Originally posted by niners4lyfe:
Bayless is the same idiot who said Michael Irvin>Jerry Rice.

And this idiot says that we're gonna win the rest of our games?

Bayless likes to be provocative. I would never expect a 15-1 season. I think the Niners have already faced the toughest part of this season's schedule. But, really. They've got the Giants, Ravens, Steelers, Redskins and the rest of the Western division after this Browns game, which isn't a gimme. There's got to be a loss or three somewhere in that list or this is going to be a season for the ages. And, at some point, if they go deep into the playoffs, they'll have to play the Packers who look like world-beaters to me right now. So, let's not let a media whore like Bayless get us into a lather just yet.