Are the 49ers overrated at #2 in the power rankings?

Originally posted by Shaj:

Originally posted by Niners99:

I think we have the 2nd best record in football, and have gotten 4 of our 6 wins against tough teams.

however, you kind of have to look at power rankings and say "would the 49ers beat the Saints in NO in a playoff game?" Im not sure we would. are we better than the Patriots, Steelers, or Ravens? we will find out 2 of those 3. Were probably the 2nd best NFC team. were better than any NFC East team, were obviously better than any NFC West team, were better than the Bears, Vikings, and we beat the Lions on the road to prove were better. and we beat down TB, and are better than CAR and ATL. With the way the Saints played against the Rams, I think we could take them. we almost beat them last year on MNF as a crappy team.

The Packers are clearly better, but the flaw I see with GB, is they rely so heavily on Aaron Rodgers. their D isnt scary, and their running game is weak. We kept up with them in GB last year with the same crappy team that almost beat the Saints. I dont think theyre unbeatable. itll just be hard knowing wed have to win at Lambeau to get by them.

Look at the Colts with and without Manning. There is nothing wrong with having one of the best QBs in the league carry your team on his back to win games. We have the 31st passing attack in the league. 31st!!!! That is the only reason I think we should not be rated this high. If we are behind in the 4th quarter, our ST and D has to bail us out, because Alex is a low risk/medium return game manager, not an Aaron Rodgers gunslinger that can will his team to win in any circumstances.

You missed the Eagles game, then? 13 of 17 for 201 yards in the second half. Down 20-3 at the half.

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:
LOL. I really dont think it would matter much that NE has the 32nd ranked pass defense or that GB has the 31st ranked pass defense. Both of these teams can stop the run and that is what the Niners do best. Put it this way, there is NO way I would bet on the Niners against either of these teams on a neutral field. As for the NO WAY that the Saints would beat us... ya right. That would go either way.

I think you are getting carried away just a bit. The Niners played poorly against Cincy and barely won. The Eagles would have beaten us if not for 2 missed 30 yard field goals. The crappy Browns were in the game in the 4th quarter on our home field. So, while I love the progress this team has made I think its ridiculous to say we are a top 2 team in the NFL. Top 5 .. possibly

100% Agree

Nope

top five

Originally posted by HessianDud:

Originally posted by Shaj:
Look at the Colts with and without Manning. There is nothing wrong with having one of the best QBs in the league carry your team on his back to win games. We have the 31st passing attack in the league. 31st!!!! That is the only reason I think we should not be rated this high. If we are behind in the 4th quarter, our ST and D has to bail us out, because Alex is a low risk/medium return game manager, not an Aaron Rodgers gunslinger that can will his team to win in any circumstances.

Aaron Rodgers almost never has to play from behind. That's a credit to the team, obviously, and to him, but I think you're giving him credit in areas you can't quantify because of a perception.

The problem that 99 was alluding to is "what happens if Rodgers gets hurt"? They wouldn't be as bad as the Colts because McCarthy is a much better coach than Caldwell and Flynn is better than Painter, but for a team that relies so heavily on a single player who has missed games to concussion recently, it is a troubling idea to consider.

and while there may be nothing inherently wrong with relying on great players to carry the team, there is certainly something wrong with the Colts situation. That is a failure of coaching and by the front office to not build a better team.

also, your comparison of Alex and Rodgers as "game manager" and "gunslinger" in terms of "come-back wins" is not held up by any stats, as I pointed out in another thread.

Aaron may not have a lot of comeback wins, I haven't looked that up, but there is probably not any QB in the league more capable of doing so. However, since you like stats, we are 31st in passing offense, and that just cannot bode well in the playoffs, no matter how you slice it.

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:

Originally posted by Memphis9er:

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:
I think power rankings are meaningless. I think if you look at who would be favored in games on a neutral field.. then I think the #2 rating is high. RIght now 5th seems about right to me.

These teams would be favored over the Niners (in my opinion) if they played on a neutral field:
Green Bay
New Orleans
Pittsburgh
New England

These teams would be about even:
Baltimore
Philly

No way NO is gonna beat us on a neutral feild, they have serious d problems and both their OTs suck balls. New England has the 32nd ranked defense, you don't think we'd let them have the ball too often do you? Green Bay has the 31st ranked passing d and oline injuries. We have a more balanced team than any of the teams on your lists. You do know the best team usually wins right?

LOL. I really dont think it would matter much that NE has the 32nd ranked pass defense or that GB has the 31st ranked pass defense. Both of these teams can stop the run and that is what the Niners do best. Put it this way, there is NO way I would bet on the Niners against either of these teams on a neutral field. As for the NO WAY that the Saints would beat us... ya right. That would go either way.

I think you are getting carried away just a bit. The Niners played poorly against Cincy and barely won. The Eagles would have beaten us if not for 2 missed 30 yard field goals. The crappy Browns were in the game in the 4th quarter on our home field. So, while I love the progress this team has made I think its ridiculous to say we are a top 2 team in the NFL. Top 5 .. possibly

I don't bet on football, it kind of ruins the perspective of being a fan, same with fantasy football, we are talking about real football, right? New Orleans couldn't stop the rams from sacking Brees and we have a much better front seven (and secondary)than they do. Have you noticed where the Bengals and Browns are rated defensively? They are both much better defenses than GB or NE. As for the eagles game, we missed a FG as well, that is a weak argument the woulda shoulda coulda. The only area we struggle is down the field passing, all the other teams you talked about have glaring weaknesses in pass defense and questions along the oline. We are the most balanced team across the board, offense, defense and special teams. I am not saying we are going to go undefeated the rest of the way or go to the Superbowl, but we are every bit as good a TEAM as any team out there. Everyone is just so enamored with fantasy football stats and the passing game that they forget this is a team sport. How do those teams with no pass defense stop even a rudimentary passing game coupled with a powerful running attack? How do those teams score when we have the ball most of the game?

Originally posted by Rubberneck36:
I dont care about power rankings?

This

Originally posted by Shaj:

Originally posted by HessianDud:

Originally posted by Shaj:
Look at the Colts with and without Manning. There is nothing wrong with having one of the best QBs in the league carry your team on his back to win games. We have the 31st passing attack in the league. 31st!!!! That is the only reason I think we should not be rated this high. If we are behind in the 4th quarter, our ST and D has to bail us out, because Alex is a low risk/medium return game manager, not an Aaron Rodgers gunslinger that can will his team to win in any circumstances.

Aaron Rodgers almost never has to play from behind. That's a credit to the team, obviously, and to him, but I think you're giving him credit in areas you can't quantify because of a perception.

The problem that 99 was alluding to is "what happens if Rodgers gets hurt"? They wouldn't be as bad as the Colts because McCarthy is a much better coach than Caldwell and Flynn is better than Painter, but for a team that relies so heavily on a single player who has missed games to concussion recently, it is a troubling idea to consider.

and while there may be nothing inherently wrong with relying on great players to carry the team, there is certainly something wrong with the Colts situation. That is a failure of coaching and by the front office to not build a better team.

also, your comparison of Alex and Rodgers as "game manager" and "gunslinger" in terms of "come-back wins" is not held up by any stats, as I pointed out in another thread.

Aaron may not have a lot of comeback wins, I haven't looked that up, but there is probably not any QB in the league more capable of doing so. However, since you like stats, we are 31st in passing offense, and that just cannot bode well in the playoffs, no matter how you slice it.

Alex has more comeback wins than Rodgers. So, technically, he is more capable of doing so.

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:
No. The D. is pretty awesome. The special teams is awesome. The O Line is really good. The RB's are really good. Alex is plaing very good football and we have one of the best HC's in the leauge. How is that overrated? It's functioning on all cylinders.

exactly

No because of our number one defense. Yes we are a little above average on offense because of our weak passing game but we make up with it with a great running game. We eat clock and play great defense that wins you games whether our offense gets us to the promised land will need to be seen.

1) Power rankings are fun! Yea they don't have an inFluence to what happens on the field but it makes for good debate, regarding what team is better than the other. That's why people get worked up if their team isn't ranked higher than preffered. So I, for one, do care/like power rankings. I do care or PRs

2) And our offense isn't lacking that much in passing. Yea, alex isn't the greatest qb in the league, but this has been his best season. He's not making us lose no more. And unlike before, I trust him in situations where we fall behind. He is 3 for 3 this season in games where we had to come back from behind (cincy,philly, detroit). So yea maybe he doesn't put up 300+ yard games, but I think people are wrong when they say 9ers are in trouble when they need to pass their way back into the game. We've had enough of a passing game to win thusfar. And aren't we like top 10 in scoring points?

3) I am bothered when people say we got lucky in some of our wins. Or that we got some of our victories against teams that were on a funk at the time we beat them. Bs! Cincy, buccs, philly, and lions are all good teams, at least. And browns have a good D and we still would not be contained until the 2nd half when we pumped the breaks a bit. Buccs was no challange at all. I think lions got lucky to even be in it til the end, we kept shooting ourselves in the foot with all the penalties and though it looked like a td, they were given a present with that td, due to that calvin johnson rule. We got lucky vs Philly because they missed two field goals? Umm, we missed 2 field goals also. If we played cowgirls today, I think we'd beat them now that the team has a better grasp of what they are doing, now that they've gelled. I think dallas got lucky with their miracle comeback. I think we shouldve been the other undefeated team still with the rest o the nfl hating. None of our games were a fluke.

I've been holding all that in, had to release. But in conclusion, we are not over rated. What pumps me up even more is that we haven't even reached our full potential yet. I'm excited to think that once we have a qb throwing for 300+ yards with multiple tds, we will be unstoppable! Whether it's jh's baby/project (ck), or someone else. This team is for real again. And we're here to stay baby!!

Originally posted by Godsleftsock:

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:

Originally posted by Memphis9er:

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:
I think power rankings are meaningless. I think if you look at who would be favored in games on a neutral field.. then I think the #2 rating is high. RIght now 5th seems about right to me.

These teams would be favored over the Niners (in my opinion) if they played on a neutral field:
Green Bay
New Orleans
Pittsburgh
New England

These teams would be about even:
Baltimore
Philly

No way NO is gonna beat us on a neutral feild, they have serious d problems and both their OTs suck balls. New England has the 32nd ranked defense, you don't think we'd let them have the ball too often do you? Green Bay has the 31st ranked passing d and oline injuries. We have a more balanced team than any of the teams on your lists. You do know the best team usually wins right?

LOL. I really dont think it would matter much that NE has the 32nd ranked pass defense or that GB has the 31st ranked pass defense. Both of these teams can stop the run and that is what the Niners do best. Put it this way, there is NO way I would bet on the Niners against either of these teams on a neutral field. As for the NO WAY that the Saints would beat us... ya right. That would go either way.

I think you are getting carried away just a bit. The Niners played poorly against Cincy and barely won. The Eagles would have beaten us if not for 2 missed 30 yard field goals. The crappy Browns were in the game in the 4th quarter on our home field. So, while I love the progress this team has made I think its ridiculous to say we are a top 2 team in the NFL. Top 5 .. possibly

I'm sorry, but cindy is 5-2 now, that's a prettyndamn good team we beat. We had two botched field goals in the eagles game too. And even the pack have had crappy halves against poor teams. They were shutout by the f**king RAMS for God's sake.

I am not saying the Niners arent good. I think they are a top 5-7 team in the league. I just think its ridiculous to say they are a top 2 team. Not with our QB and our passing attack. We are not balanced enough or have a strong enough passing attack in my opinion to be one of the 2 best teams in the entire NFL. If Smith starts playing better and we prove that we can consistently move the ball through the air then I will upgrade them. I just think people are getting carried away with this Top 2 stuff.

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:
I am not saying the Niners arent good. I think they are a top 5-7 team in the league. I just think its ridiculous to say they are a top 2 team. Not with our QB and our passing attack. We are not balanced enough or have a strong enough passing attack in my opinion to be one of the 2 best teams in the entire NFL. If Smith starts playing better and we prove that we can consistently move the ball through the air then I will upgrade them. I just think people are getting carried away with this Top 2 stuff.

we could easily beat the packers, every team has it's flaws though we are the more balanced team in the NFL

you're overrating the passing game IMO. when we needed to pass against philly & detroit it worked. yes smith can improve and that will come with more time

Originally posted by Shaj:
Look at the Colts with and without Manning. There is nothing wrong with having one of the best QBs in the league carry your team on his back to win games. We have the 31st passing attack in the league. 31st!!!! That is the only reason I think we should not be rated this high. If we are behind in the 4th quarter, our ST and D has to bail us out, because Alex is a low risk/medium return game manager, not an Aaron Rodgers gunslinger that can will his team to win in any circumstances.

i hope the defense is as relentless on the skins tomorrow as you are on alex

Originally posted by DonnieDarko:

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:
I am not saying the Niners arent good. I think they are a top 5-7 team in the league. I just think its ridiculous to say they are a top 2 team. Not with our QB and our passing attack. We are not balanced enough or have a strong enough passing attack in my opinion to be one of the 2 best teams in the entire NFL. If Smith starts playing better and we prove that we can consistently move the ball through the air then I will upgrade them. I just think people are getting carried away with this Top 2 stuff.

we could easily beat the packers, every team has it's flaws though we are the more balanced team in the NFL

you're overrating the passing game IMO. when we needed to pass against philly & detroit it worked. yes smith can improve and that will come with more time

Just curious. How are we the "most balanced team" when we are 24th in the league in total offense, 31st in the league in passing offense, 20th in the league in pass defense. I think the Niners are a team that runs the ball well and is awesome at stopping the run. I still think we struggle in the pass game on both sides of the ball and in my mind that keeps us from being a TOP 2 team. I hope Smith steps his game up and we can become a real balanced offense moving forward.