SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS VS NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS GAMEDAY THREAD (Week 15)

Originally posted by smithgdwg:
Are we guaranteed a playoff spot by winning this game?

Yes. Guaranteed wild card.

Originally posted by socalfan21:

Originally posted by 49rz4Life:
Speed kills. We're gonna need a safety over the top at all times with Lloyd and Stallworth running wild. Hopefully Brown doesn't get made a fool of. We have that security over top and middle sealed we're good.

Jesus Christ, Donte Stallworth. The guy was out of the league and now we need a safety over the top. The Tom Brady effect.

We definitely don't need a safety over the top for Stallworth lol. We just need to play good, sound, fundamental football.

Everyone needs to relax. The Patriots just beat a Texans team that has looked very average against mediocre competition. The Texans just squeaked by the Lions, Jags, and Jets this year.

Yes the Pats looked very good last night, and Brady looked as great as ever, but the Texans have been exposed on Pass D lately. Go watch what Henne did to them. This isn't something that came as a shock to me. As far as the Pats D, finesse OL have trouble with Wilfork. He was a monster in this game.

The Pats have benefited from a very generous schedule. Take a look at who've they beat thus far. I see two good teams, Texans and Broncos. Other than that nothing really impresses me. The teams they have struggled with have a very sound defensive scheme and don't let up the big play. We need pressure up the middle and to force Brady out of the pocket. If we can do that, we have a great shot at beating them.

Originally posted by alwaysa49erfan:
Everyone needs to relax. The Patriots just beat a Texans team that has looked very average against mediocre competition. The Texans just squeaked by the Lions, Jags, and Jets this year.

Yes the Pats looked very good last night, and Brady looked as great as ever, but the Texans have been exposed on Pass D lately. Go watch what Henne did to them. This isn't something that came as a shock to me. As far as the Pats D, finesse OL have trouble with Wilfork. He was a monster in this game.

The Pats have benefited from a very generous schedule. Take a look at who've they beat thus far. I see two good teams, Texans and Broncos. Other than that nothing really impresses me. The teams they have struggled with have a very sound defensive scheme and don't let up the big play. We need pressure up the middle and to force Brady out of the pocket. If we can do that, we have a great shot at beating them.

Yup. I'd like to see A Gap blitzes, T-E stunts looping Aldon through the middle, or just having Aldon or Brooks occasionally line up at T. I'd hate to be the guard responsible for shifting between Cowboy and Aldon on successive plays.

Originally posted by alwaysa49erfan:
Everyone needs to relax. The Patriots just beat a Texans team that has looked very average against mediocre competition. The Texans just squeaked by the Lions, Jags, and Jets this year.

Yes the Pats looked very good last night, and Brady looked as great as ever, but the Texans have been exposed on Pass D lately. Go watch what Henne did to them. This isn't something that came as a shock to me. As far as the Pats D, finesse OL have trouble with Wilfork. He was a monster in this game.

The Pats have benefited from a very generous schedule. Take a look at who've they beat thus far. I see two good teams, Texans and Broncos. Other than that nothing really impresses me. The teams they have struggled with have a very sound defensive scheme and don't let up the big play. We need pressure up the middle and to force Brady out of the pocket. If we can do that, we have a great shot at beating them.

You bring up good points, but I still see this as 50/50 chances to win, Pats offense vs. Niners defense is the key match up. Kaep hasn't thrown a TD last couple of games, but he will be a problem for them when he takes off running for a first down or even a TD. I expect a lot of Gore up the middle and LMJ sweeps. PA passes to the middle/deep part of the field will back off the safeties and open up running lanes. I believe we have the best front 7 in the NFL on D, but as a change of pace, wouldn't be surprised if they played a lot of Nickel rush 4 drop 7 back to watch for screens and pressure Brady without much blitzing. Should be a good game, much closer and more competitive than last night's game.

The Niners are likely to try to grind it out and control the ball. CK's arm and legs will be reserved for long third downs, the real reason he is in there, the Super-Alex.

Anyone watching the game against the Texans would agree that holding onto the ball might seem like a good idea. NE looked just great.

Originally posted by mcbaes72:

Originally posted by alwaysa49erfan:

Everyone needs to relax. The Patriots just beat a Texans team that has looked very average against mediocre competition. The Texans just squeaked by the Lions, Jags, and Jets this year.

Yes the Pats looked very good last night, and Brady looked as great as ever, but the Texans have been exposed on Pass D lately. Go watch what Henne did to them. This isn't something that came as a shock to me. As far as the Pats D, finesse OL have trouble with Wilfork. He was a monster in this game.

The Pats have benefited from a very generous schedule. Take a look at who've they beat thus far. I see two good teams, Texans and Broncos. Other than that nothing really impresses me. The teams they have struggled with have a very sound defensive scheme and don't let up the big play. We need pressure up the middle and to force Brady out of the pocket. If we can do that, we have a great shot at beating them.

You bring up good points, but I still see this as 50/50 chances to win, Pats offense vs. Niners defense is the key match up. Kaep hasn't thrown a TD last couple of games, but he will be a problem for them when he takes off running for a first down or even a TD. I expect a lot of Gore up the middle and LMJ sweeps. PA passes to the middle/deep part of the field will back off the safeties and open up running lanes. I believe we have the best front 7 in the NFL on D, but as a change of pace, wouldn't be surprised if they played a lot of Nickel rush 4 drop 7 back to watch for screens and pressure Brady without much blitzing. Should be a good game, much closer and more competitive than last night's game.

....

Originally posted by carlgo:
The Niners are likely to try to grind it out and control the ball. CK's arm and legs will be reserved for long third downs, the real reason he is in there, the Super-Alex.

Anyone watching the game against the Texans would agree that holding onto the ball might seem like a good idea. NE looked just great.

This...before you all panic, realize that Houston handed them 21 before the end of the first quarter. I might be a little overly optimistic hear, but I have my doubts we turn it over 3 times in the first quarter.

Originally posted by PhillyNiner:

Originally posted by carlgo:
The Niners are likely to try to grind it out and control the ball. CK's arm and legs will be reserved for long third downs, the real reason he is in there, the Super-Alex.

Anyone watching the game against the Texans would agree that holding onto the ball might seem like a good idea. NE looked just great.

This...before you all panic, realize that Houston handed them 21 before the end of the first quarter. I might be a little overly optimistic hear, but I have my doubts we turn it over 3 times in the first quarter.

no but we will probably have six penalties in the first quarter cuz that is what we do. any drive extending penalties by our alleged elite defense is just like a turnover cuz brady will make us pay for it.

Originally posted by tankle104:
Lol I love how positive everyone is. It feels good to lot onto the zone and see everyone agreeing on smashing the pats! Lets do this boys!

It's a friggin' estrogen fest

Originally posted by ChazBoner:
Dashon needs to say hello to Mr.Welker very early in the game.

that is nice but he will either lead with his head or rip his helmet off, thus a penalty, thus an extra chance for brady, thus a touchdown for the pats, thus this game can and probably will get out of hand early

I don't understand why some are so confident about this game. Houston may not be as good as their record but they are still a good team and they just got toasted and roasted. Our biggest weakness on D is covering TEs and that is New England's biggest strength. Their offense is peaking and ours is trending down. Bill is going to confuse the sh@t out of Kaep with his defense so our only hope is for Gore to have a monster night. I'm not counting this game as an automatic loss but if the offense struggles like they have the last few weeks then the Niners will also be roasted and toasted in prime time.

My biggest worry is penalties. We're giving too many new sets of downs to teams by stupid defensive holds etc. And refs are notoriously flag-happy when golden boy Brady is playing. I worry about PIs and roughing the passer flags. Last night Houston allowed NE to extend drives through penalties when the game was still close (and then Schaub threw that awful pick). We're almost Raider-like this year when it gets to flags.

Originally posted by Willisfn4life:
New England is 8th against the run and 29th against the pass. That means that it will help tremendously to have a healthy receiving corps Sunday so hopefully we get Manningham back but most of all Vernon Davis must be a crucial part of the gameplan. Use what they do well against them. I believe that Patrick or Bowman can have some success covering Hernandez but I don't believe they have anybody ready to cover Vernon.

I hope you are correct but Bellichick is a master at designing coverages. It is where he started as a coach. The Pats did a great job taking Owen Daniels out of the game last night. Of course that doesn't mean they can cover Davis, however, as we have discussed all over this board for weeks now, Vernon Davis has been absent the passing game against some very average secondaries.

Yes, the penalty thing...refs don't cheat very often I don't think, but they do make reputation calls. This is true in every sport. NE, at home.... there will be a tendency for them to call the big hits, pass interference and hitting Brady late. Not only that, but clearly the calls and non-call against the Niners have tended to be real killers. Not claiming a conspiracy, there is none, but that has been the pattern and refs use precedent and patterns in their decision making.