ESPN Predicts....

10-6....LMAO. We've got a real franchise QB starting 16 games. Best o-line/run-game. Top defense. Top coaching. Yet somehow we're a declining team. Yeah right.

Originally posted by SofaKing:

Originally posted by Kolohe:
Well week 2 will be a big test, to be honest 9ers always have a tough time beating Seattle at home. If we had Alex Smith I would be less worried about Seattle, dude just has their number....what its true.

Not really. Since Harbs took over Alex was 3-0 against Seattle, but that doesn't tell the whole story. We won those games with Alex because the defense played lights out.

Alex had trouble moving the ball each game. Averaged 150 yards passing. Only 1 TD pass in 3 games. Only scored over 20 points once in those 3 games, and that was because of 2 TD returns from Ginn.

We got killed in the last game because our defense was tired and injured. Give Kap the kind of defensive effort we're used to and he'll truly have their number.

Doesn't matter, win is a win is it not?

Alex Smith = 6 and 2 vs. Seattle

Colin Kaepernick = 0 and 1 vs. Seattle

Have you guys seen our schedule? It's absolutely brutal.

Originally posted by maltz88:

Yeah, all of a sudden things are not looking solid for Seattles front 4 to start the season.

Out:
Clemmons
Irvin
Avril
Hill
Williams

Questionable:
McDaniel
Mebane
Bennet

Healthy:
Bryant
O'Brien Schofield
Benson Mayowa
Scruggs
McDonald
Mike Morgan?
J. Howard?

Yikes! Some of the healthy guys may not even make teh final cuts. They have a lot of depth, but probably didn't think they'd be testing all of it right out of the chute!

Should be an interesting start to the year.

Scruggs is out for the year fyi

why do the seahawks get so much love? it must be cool to hate the niners again. everyone of seattles big name FAs are either hurt or they suck. niners win this division by atleast 2 games over those f**kers. seattle cant win on the road and we can. plus after a superbowl loss, guys like kaep, willis, gore, justin smith and VD are gonna be goin all out this year

The tough games are:

Seattle (both games)
@Rams
Houston
@Saints
Falcons
...assuming we beat both Packers and Redskins.

Beating Seattle once, and at least one win over Saints or Falcons will go a long way in getting home field advantage.

Originally posted by SofaKing:
EVERYONE is picking the Seahawks to win the division. I think we're too good a team for it to be a landslide like this. The Seahawks have got to be the most overrated team in football right now.

There seems to be this misconception that Wilson is more of a pocket passer than Kap. I don't see it that way. Watching clips of these guys, Wilson scrambles far more often. It's not even close. I still give Wilson credit because he scrambles to buy time and throw, but Kap throws from the pocket with more regularity and is more effective running for positive yardage.

The Seahawks O-line is not good. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Sweezy and Giacomini get beat like drums on a consistent basis, and McQuistan is a below average starter as well. This weakness is mitigated a bit because of Wilson's scrambling ability, but eventually they will be exploited. Justin and Aldon are healthy again. I'm going to have a ton of fun watching them rip this line to shreds just like Game 1 last year.

You can run on the Seahawks. They allowed 4.5 yards per carry last year, good for 23rd in the NFL. They're soft up the middle. We're #1 in the league rushing up the middle. I see a big advantage here.

Where is the pass rush going to come from? Clemons is coming off a serious injury. Avril is struggling with a bum hamstring. Irvin is suspended the first few games.

Forgive me if I'm not afraid of perpetual underachiever Golden Tate, always injured Sidney Rice, and underutilized Zach Miller.

I don't see these kind of holes with the 49ers. I'm tired of people calling the Seahawks a complete team. They're not. They are a team with a significant home field advantage that inflates their W-L record, and merely a decent team on the road. We will win the division because we're the better team. All the hype will die down when the real games start, and the 49ers will remind everyone they're still Kings of the NFC West.

Good post and right on the money with most/all of it, especially the bolded part IMO.

The Seahawks are in for a reality check this year...they've definitely got major holes that will be further exposed this year and are definitely not the most talented roster top to bottom (can't believe those in the media that say they are). From what you said above, their OL is an obvious weakness and will cause them a lot of trouble this year - Wilson does a good job to offset that with his scrambling and they've got a real good OL coach in Cable; othewise, their OL would show more poorly. Their D was very weak against the run as the season went on last year - who remembers that? Not the media, apparently...they think the Seahawks DL and LBs are so tough and up-and-coming...far from it. Bobby Wagner did very well for a rookie last year but I saw him on many occasions get exposed in the running game up the middle...can't even put him anywhere near the class of Willis and Bowman (yet I've heard some in the media say so - they're just trying to stir things up, I know). Golden Tate will get what's coming to him this year - don't get fooled by the hype over him as somehow having a "breakout" year this year. If you've watched him closely, you'd know better.

The Seahawks had a lot of breaks go their way last year just to get to 11-5 (10-6 really if you count the 'Fail Mary'), and that was with an easier schedule than what awaits them this year. If Akers could make two very makeable field goals last year vs. the Rams, we'd have been 13-3 (Dawson won't miss those this year). For this season and beyond, I hope Carroll stays with their team as he'll continue to bring them down like he's done w/ other teams he's coached in the past. Just look at his track record. I'm thankful we have Harbaugh and his staff - I hope Harbaugh wants to stick around after his five years are up. Bring on this season already!

i dont mind it, i dont like being the favorite, plus its more motivation for the team tbh

Originally posted by hondakillerzx:

why do the seahawks get so much love? it must be cool to hate the niners again. everyone of seattles big name FAs are either hurt or they suck. niners win this division by atleast 2 games over those f**kers. seattle cant win on the road and we can. plus after a superbowl loss, guys like kaep, willis, gore, justin smith and VD are gonna be goin all out this year

errryone hates the Niners. it's ok tho...

Originally posted by SofaKing:
10-6....LMAO. We've got a real franchise QB starting 16 games. Best o-line/run-game. Top defense. Top coaching. Yet somehow we're a declining team. Yeah right.

To preface this, I'm a Seattle fan, but their projections don't seem that far off base to me.

SF was 11-4-1 last year.

You will have a real franchise QB starting 16 games (assuming he stays healthy), but the guy he replaced last year was 6-2 when he replaced him. Ironically the tie game is when CK replaced him, so you can take the tie out of the equation. Do you expect CK to make up 2 games as Smith's replacement? I think if you asked any team, or any fan, you'd take 6-2 out of any 8 game stretch in the NFL.

So, I don't see CK making that much difference over a full season. Don't mistake this for me saying I think Smith and CK are on the same level, I don't think they're even close, but just looking at a wins over replacement type scenario.

Couple that with the fact that you now remove Crabtree from that team that was 11-4-1, and replace him with Boldin who is a great posession receive but is not a game breaker by any means, and the rest of the WR cast is basically unknown. Remove Sapoaga, and Goldson from the defense. Now you have a team that is still a fantastic team that doesn't appear to have gotten any better on paper at least, that plays in an improving division, and is coming off a Super Bowl appearance, so teams will again be gunning for them.....again.

Not to put anyone up in arms with this, I'm just saying the prediction doesn't seem that far off to me.

You can do the same scenario to Seattle. Tons of injuries to start the year this season, had an unknown at QB that snuck up on some people last year (won't happen again), went undefeated at home (unlikely to happen again), etc. etc.

My take is if you put either Seattle or SF in another division they're probably 12 win teams. But since they're both in the NFC West with improving St. Louis and Arizona teams, I think both teams are 10-6 teams +/- 1 win. Probably the healthier team wins the division. Which is I believe exactly what Sando said.

Originally posted by InHarbsWeTrust:
Have you guys seen our schedule? It's absolutely brutal.

i actually feel pretty good about it. 15-1

Originally posted by ModestoNiner33:
Scruggs is out for the year fyi

Argh. I forgot he was even injured. They did place him on the PUP list though. So he may return this year.

Originally posted by SofaKing:
EVERYONE is picking the Seahawks to win the division. I think we're too good a team for it to be a landslide like this. The Seahawks have got to be the most overrated team in football right now.

There seems to be this misconception that Wilson is more of a pocket passer than Kap. I don't see it that way. Watching clips of these guys, Wilson scrambles far more often. It's not even close. I still give Wilson credit because he scrambles to buy time and throw, but Kap throws from the pocket with more regularity and is more effective running for positive yardage.

The Seahawks O-line is not good. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Sweezy and Giacomini get beat like drums on a consistent basis, and McQuistan is a below average starter as well. This weakness is mitigated a bit because of Wilson's scrambling ability, but eventually they will be exploited. Justin and Aldon are healthy again. I'm going to have a ton of fun watching them rip this line to shreds just like Game 1 last year.

You can run on the Seahawks. They allowed 4.5 yards per carry last year, good for 23rd in the NFL. They're soft up the middle. We're #1 in the league rushing up the middle. I see a big advantage here.

Where is the pass rush going to come from? Clemons is coming off a serious injury. Avril is struggling with a bum hamstring. Irvin is suspended the first few games.

Forgive me if I'm not afraid of perpetual underachiever Golden Tate, always injured Sidney Rice, and underutilized Zach Miller.

I don't see these kind of holes with the 49ers. I'm tired of people calling the Seahawks a complete team. They're not. They are a team with a significant home field advantage that inflates their W-L record, and merely a decent team on the road. We will win the division because we're the better team. All the hype will die down when the real games start, and the 49ers will remind everyone they're still Kings of the NFC West.

Nice.

One of the reasons the 'world' took notice of the Hawks is when they obliterated the teams they faced during weeks 14, 15, and, 16 of the 2012 season.

58-0 over the Cards (not impressed)
50-17 over the Bills (ho hum)
42-13 over the 49ers (yeah yeah)

They were fortunate RG3 busted his knee in the playoff game. The WAS offense was carving them up until his knee went bye bye.

Originally posted by DaDivaRecieva15:
Mike Sando aka Seachicken dick rider

You guys take this stuff so personal lol

Originally posted by Imfasterthanur:
I only know how to photoshop. Does anyone know how to alter GIF files?

I want to put the faces of 49er players on this whenever ESPN gives some time of partial prognostication

i dont know ,, to me , these guys look like seattle OL