SF 49ers making the playoff this year 2007?
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SF 49ers making the playoff this year 2007?
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- Sixth Man
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SF 49ers making the playoff this year 2007?
What do you guys think?
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- NFL Analyst
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I think it's still a year away. No question the team will be better and probably more consistent, but I think a lot of Niners fans ignore just how badly overmatched the team was against Chicago, New Orleans, San Diego, even Green Bay. The defensive front is still a big question, WR is still a question. Losing Norv is going to hurt too. Plus I think the other teams in the division trying to move up also improved quite a bit, and the Niners went 1-3 against STL and ARI last year. Could be 9-7, could be 7-9, could be 5-11 if Gore gets hurt and the pass rush doesn't develop.
What y'all should be happy about is that all the key players are locked up through at least 2008 and the Seahawks and Rams are both going to look significantly different over the next couple of seasons. Stability and cohesion breeds NFL success.
What y'all should be happy about is that all the key players are locked up through at least 2008 and the Seahawks and Rams are both going to look significantly different over the next couple of seasons. Stability and cohesion breeds NFL success.
- Shzm13
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I think you guys will fall up short this year.
You had 1 outstanding FA addition this offseason and not much else.
You drafted Staley, and he's still pretty raw. There's no doubt in my mind he'll one day be a stud, but he'll struggle next year.
Patrick Willis is also a stud, we'll just see how he fares.
You had 1 outstanding FA addition this offseason and not much else.
You drafted Staley, and he's still pretty raw. There's no doubt in my mind he'll one day be a stud, but he'll struggle next year.
Patrick Willis is also a stud, we'll just see how he fares.
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- Junior
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Weve added
Clements
M.Lewis
Franklin
Banta-Cain
Willis
D.Jackson
Lelie
Players who will Improve:
V.Davis
A.Smith
Lawson
B.Williams
Spencer
Battle
Players who weve lost
???
Eric Johnson
although not a player, only Norv Turner comes to mind which is hard
You take all those additions and improvements and add them to a 7-9 team and your probably looking at 10-6. Possible more wins but we over achived a little bit last year. You cant say were still only going to win 7 games unless injury of course. But thats like saying what happens if the Colts lost Payton, Chiefs lost Johnson, Pats lose Brady, Chargers lose Tomlinson, Bengals lose Palmer.
Clements
M.Lewis
Franklin
Banta-Cain
Willis
D.Jackson
Lelie
Players who will Improve:
V.Davis
A.Smith
Lawson
B.Williams
Spencer
Battle
Players who weve lost
???
Eric Johnson
although not a player, only Norv Turner comes to mind which is hard
You take all those additions and improvements and add them to a 7-9 team and your probably looking at 10-6. Possible more wins but we over achived a little bit last year. You cant say were still only going to win 7 games unless injury of course. But thats like saying what happens if the Colts lost Payton, Chiefs lost Johnson, Pats lose Brady, Chargers lose Tomlinson, Bengals lose Palmer.
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- General Manager
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Shzm13 wrote:I think you guys will fall up short this year.
You had 1 outstanding FA addition this offseason and not much else.
You drafted Staley, and he's still pretty raw. There's no doubt in my mind he'll one day be a stud, but he'll struggle next year.
Patrick Willis is also a stud, we'll just see how he fares.
Cardinal fans should know all about struggling.
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- Junior
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Two words Frank Gore, hes a beast, hes got Vernon Davis blocking, and he gets to run aganist crappy run D's Rams, Cardinals, and Sehawks a total of 6 times
Great Basketball site I've been working on
http://www.freewebs.com/nba208/nbaforum.htm
http://www.freewebs.com/nba208/nbaforum.htm
- UKF
- Assistant Coach
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- The_Child_Prodigy
- Analyst
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Nope
Rams will beat them and depeding on SA so will the Hawks.
Rams Offense>>>>>> your offense
we had a better d than you last year too.
Clements is good but Lewis is over rated, Banta- Cain was over hyped as he was one of the last sort of known players to be signed.
Our pass defense was 8th last year and Claude Wroten and Carriker should make our line better. They both havent played a snap yet like Willis.
Rams
Hawks
Niners
Cards
Rams will beat them and depeding on SA so will the Hawks.
Rams Offense>>>>>> your offense
we had a better d than you last year too.
Clements is good but Lewis is over rated, Banta- Cain was over hyped as he was one of the last sort of known players to be signed.
Our pass defense was 8th last year and Claude Wroten and Carriker should make our line better. They both havent played a snap yet like Willis.
Rams
Hawks
Niners
Cards
- Cruel_Ruin
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- The_Child_Prodigy
- Analyst
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Juice23 wrote:The Rams defense sucks, especially there run defense. They will be right at the bottom of the division with Arizona.
heres a funny fact: last year our total defense was ranked higher than yours and arizona and one below seattle.
8th ranked pass defense and we might have 3 new starters on the Dline this year. Leonard Little wont face as many double teams. Your defense will give up 300 passing yards and 130 rushing yards to the rams.
Thats funny. You overpayed on a corner and got a NE backup. We are better.
Your gonna be at the bottom of the division. SJax with Pace=Beast. And now Linehan has a year under his belt so watchout.
- The_Child_Prodigy
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Juice23 wrote:If Carriker and Wroten are your starting DT's, The Rams will continue to to suck stopping the run which will continue to hold them back.
A Rams fans should not be laughing at the Niners offeason pick ups when your big pickup was overrated Drew Bennet.
OK well hes our number 3 reciever so having a safety on a 6-5 reciever is a mismatch. He isnt gonna be everydown..... But its a mismatch which is all we need.
Carriker is a high motor player and Wroten looks solid. the two Halls will only help also.
- edney2polynice_
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Improved team does not ensure playoff appearance
Now that I've gone through each position on the 49ers, I want to take a step back and look at what it all means.
Because I cover the 49ers on a year-round basis, it's sometimes difficult to maintain perspective of how they compare to other teams in the league.
It seems every year around this time, there are people who jump on a team that finished with a sub-.500 record the previous season. These people want to look smart by predicting greatness for a team other than the usual suspects - the Patriots, Colts, Chargers or Bears.
In a lot of circles, that team has become the 49ers.
I'm always extremely leery about teams that become the trendy pick around the NFL. The NFL is pretty much unpredictable, so it always makes me uncomfortable when so many people find themselves on the same page about a particular "upstart" team.
* * *
Certainly, I feel partly responsible for fueling the 49ers' hype machine this offseason.
You might have been able to tell by the tone of my writing that I expect the 49ers to be a better team this season. I am not in the business of making predictions, but I feel confident they will field an improved team.
But what does that mean for a final record? It's difficult to say, because I think the 49ers could be vastly superior to last season's squad and have a record that does not necessarily reflect the improvement.
The 49ers finished just two games out of the playoffs last season with a team I did not think was anything approaching a legitimate playoff contender. I've been consistent in my belief that the 49ers were not as good as their 7-9 record indicated last season. That opinion was recently supported by an item in which the 49ers were declared the least-competitive 7-9 team in NFL history based on point differential (source: pro-football-reference.com).
Looking back at last season's surprising record is only one part of the equation. The general consensus is that the 49ers improved themselves dramatically in the offseason, especially on defense. Thus, a lot of folks expect the 49ers to surpass their win total of last season with no problem.
* * *
There is no question the 49ers are on the right track. Just look at where they were before Mike Nolan and Scot McCloughan arrived. The talent level on the team was atrocious.
After the recent draft, McCloughan said he thought the 49ers' rebuilding process was about halfway completed. He said his personal expectations for the team this season were "realistic" because he knows what kind of talent is on other teams and what the 49ers are up against.
While McCloughan has reason to downplay the team's chances, there is probably a lot of truth in his words.
If you look at last season, all the optimism is based on their two victories over the Seahawks and their season-ending victory over the Broncos. Those three victories are remembered by those predicting the 49ers to steamroll through the NFC West.
But people are conveniently forgetting about several games in which the 49ers were completely dominated.
They did not even belong on the same field as the Chiefs, Chargers and Bears. They lost to the Saints by 24 points and the Cardinals recorded two of their five victories against the 49ers. Moreover, when the 49ers needed a late-season victory at home against the Packers, they did not have the firepower to come through.
The 49ers lost four of their final six games, but their victories were on the road at Seattle and Denver - two incredibly impressive victories, to be sure.
* * *
But when I look at the 2007 49ers, I think it is more of a projection. After all, team ownership forked over a lot of money to upgrade the team. Such players as Nate Clements, Michael Lewis, Aubrayo Franklin, Tully Banta-Cain, Darrell Jackson and Ashley Lelie were brought in to shore up some weak areas.
But there are no guarantees when acquiring veteran players. What if a couple of those players don't perform up to expectations? What if some don't fit in? There are plenty more "What ifs" that I could add to the list.
The one thing working in the 49ers' favor is that Nolan and McCloughan have a pretty good success percentage when signing veterans. Granted, Antonio Bryant was a failure. This season we'll have a pretty good idea whether it was wise to award Jonas Jennings such a large deal. But Joe Nedney, Marques Douglas, Walt Harris and Larry Allen have all been solid, bargain pickups.
* * *
Is it too soon to start heaping lofty expectations on the 49ers? Probably not, because everybody in the locker room and on the coaching staff fully expects the team to be in the playoffs.
But nobody knows how all the new players will fit in - how they will mesh with each other. The 49ers still have a lot to prove after four consecutive losing seasons.
Who knows, they might just win the NFC West. Or, they might enter the NFC playoffs as a wild card. But, like McCloughan, I'm trying to be a little more reserved in projecting what I think this club will accomplish.
* * *
The 49ers have statistically the third-easiest schedule in the NFL with an opponent win percentage of .469. (The Cardinals have the easiest schedule.) But looking at the 49ers' schedule, I see some challenges.
It will be difficult to sweep any of the NFC West teams. They play tough road games against the Steelers, Giants and Panthers (and it's anybody's guess how tough of a road opponent the Falcons will turn out to be). The 49ers also host the Ravens, Saints and Bengals - three playoff teams from a year ago.
* * *
This item isn't meant to serve as a downer to 49ers fans across the world. To the contrary, fans of the team have reason to be fired up. For the first season in a while, the 49ers have a fighting chance. And the future looks promising, too. No matter how things go this season, I think the 49ers will be better in '08 and down the road.
* * *
Maybe I'm being a little conservative, but I go into this season with the thought that the 49ers have not proved anything yet. After all, they ranked 26th in the league in both offense and defense last season. It takes a rather large leap of faith to believe the apparent improvements they've made are going to vault them into the upper echelon of teams on both sides of the ball.
Right now, I see them as a .500 team with the ability to be a little better if things break their way - and a little worse if injuries or other factors work against them.
I believe they have a good chance late in the season to be in the playoff hunt in what figures to be a balanced NFC race. And if that happens, the 49ers have to respond to the challenge a heckuva lot better than they did late in '06 if they expect to be playing football in January.
Nolan said he would be disappointed if the 49ers do not make the playoffs this season. Bryant Young says, "The sky's the limit for us." Alex Smith told a San Diego reporter the 49ers' win total will reach double digits. That kind of confidence permeates the locker room.
It certainly won't be easy for this team to get into the postseason with so many new faces on the field and with three new coordinators (Hostler, Greg Manusky and Al Everest). The element of the unknown is what should make this a very interesting season.
--Matt Maiocco[/b]
Now that I've gone through each position on the 49ers, I want to take a step back and look at what it all means.
Because I cover the 49ers on a year-round basis, it's sometimes difficult to maintain perspective of how they compare to other teams in the league.
It seems every year around this time, there are people who jump on a team that finished with a sub-.500 record the previous season. These people want to look smart by predicting greatness for a team other than the usual suspects - the Patriots, Colts, Chargers or Bears.
In a lot of circles, that team has become the 49ers.
I'm always extremely leery about teams that become the trendy pick around the NFL. The NFL is pretty much unpredictable, so it always makes me uncomfortable when so many people find themselves on the same page about a particular "upstart" team.
* * *
Certainly, I feel partly responsible for fueling the 49ers' hype machine this offseason.
You might have been able to tell by the tone of my writing that I expect the 49ers to be a better team this season. I am not in the business of making predictions, but I feel confident they will field an improved team.
But what does that mean for a final record? It's difficult to say, because I think the 49ers could be vastly superior to last season's squad and have a record that does not necessarily reflect the improvement.
The 49ers finished just two games out of the playoffs last season with a team I did not think was anything approaching a legitimate playoff contender. I've been consistent in my belief that the 49ers were not as good as their 7-9 record indicated last season. That opinion was recently supported by an item in which the 49ers were declared the least-competitive 7-9 team in NFL history based on point differential (source: pro-football-reference.com).
Looking back at last season's surprising record is only one part of the equation. The general consensus is that the 49ers improved themselves dramatically in the offseason, especially on defense. Thus, a lot of folks expect the 49ers to surpass their win total of last season with no problem.
* * *
There is no question the 49ers are on the right track. Just look at where they were before Mike Nolan and Scot McCloughan arrived. The talent level on the team was atrocious.
After the recent draft, McCloughan said he thought the 49ers' rebuilding process was about halfway completed. He said his personal expectations for the team this season were "realistic" because he knows what kind of talent is on other teams and what the 49ers are up against.
While McCloughan has reason to downplay the team's chances, there is probably a lot of truth in his words.
If you look at last season, all the optimism is based on their two victories over the Seahawks and their season-ending victory over the Broncos. Those three victories are remembered by those predicting the 49ers to steamroll through the NFC West.
But people are conveniently forgetting about several games in which the 49ers were completely dominated.
They did not even belong on the same field as the Chiefs, Chargers and Bears. They lost to the Saints by 24 points and the Cardinals recorded two of their five victories against the 49ers. Moreover, when the 49ers needed a late-season victory at home against the Packers, they did not have the firepower to come through.
The 49ers lost four of their final six games, but their victories were on the road at Seattle and Denver - two incredibly impressive victories, to be sure.
* * *
But when I look at the 2007 49ers, I think it is more of a projection. After all, team ownership forked over a lot of money to upgrade the team. Such players as Nate Clements, Michael Lewis, Aubrayo Franklin, Tully Banta-Cain, Darrell Jackson and Ashley Lelie were brought in to shore up some weak areas.
But there are no guarantees when acquiring veteran players. What if a couple of those players don't perform up to expectations? What if some don't fit in? There are plenty more "What ifs" that I could add to the list.
The one thing working in the 49ers' favor is that Nolan and McCloughan have a pretty good success percentage when signing veterans. Granted, Antonio Bryant was a failure. This season we'll have a pretty good idea whether it was wise to award Jonas Jennings such a large deal. But Joe Nedney, Marques Douglas, Walt Harris and Larry Allen have all been solid, bargain pickups.
* * *
Is it too soon to start heaping lofty expectations on the 49ers? Probably not, because everybody in the locker room and on the coaching staff fully expects the team to be in the playoffs.
But nobody knows how all the new players will fit in - how they will mesh with each other. The 49ers still have a lot to prove after four consecutive losing seasons.
Who knows, they might just win the NFC West. Or, they might enter the NFC playoffs as a wild card. But, like McCloughan, I'm trying to be a little more reserved in projecting what I think this club will accomplish.
* * *
The 49ers have statistically the third-easiest schedule in the NFL with an opponent win percentage of .469. (The Cardinals have the easiest schedule.) But looking at the 49ers' schedule, I see some challenges.
It will be difficult to sweep any of the NFC West teams. They play tough road games against the Steelers, Giants and Panthers (and it's anybody's guess how tough of a road opponent the Falcons will turn out to be). The 49ers also host the Ravens, Saints and Bengals - three playoff teams from a year ago.
* * *
This item isn't meant to serve as a downer to 49ers fans across the world. To the contrary, fans of the team have reason to be fired up. For the first season in a while, the 49ers have a fighting chance. And the future looks promising, too. No matter how things go this season, I think the 49ers will be better in '08 and down the road.
* * *
Maybe I'm being a little conservative, but I go into this season with the thought that the 49ers have not proved anything yet. After all, they ranked 26th in the league in both offense and defense last season. It takes a rather large leap of faith to believe the apparent improvements they've made are going to vault them into the upper echelon of teams on both sides of the ball.
Right now, I see them as a .500 team with the ability to be a little better if things break their way - and a little worse if injuries or other factors work against them.
I believe they have a good chance late in the season to be in the playoff hunt in what figures to be a balanced NFC race. And if that happens, the 49ers have to respond to the challenge a heckuva lot better than they did late in '06 if they expect to be playing football in January.
Nolan said he would be disappointed if the 49ers do not make the playoffs this season. Bryant Young says, "The sky's the limit for us." Alex Smith told a San Diego reporter the 49ers' win total will reach double digits. That kind of confidence permeates the locker room.
It certainly won't be easy for this team to get into the postseason with so many new faces on the field and with three new coordinators (Hostler, Greg Manusky and Al Everest). The element of the unknown is what should make this a very interesting season.
--Matt Maiocco[/b]