Rockin my red and gold tinted 49ers sunglasses

by Fooch on Apr 15, 2008 11:04 PM PDT in News

Well, with 50+ votes in, over 70% of you think the 49ers will go at least .500 this season, with a solid 40+% predicting 9+ wins, which would seem to indicate a possible playoff berth. Man it's great to be able to make mindless predictions in April. I was going to wait until after the draft to make my initial predictions, but why put off for two weeks what I can do today with even less of a sense of this team?

September 7 - vs. Arizona - I think you're talking must-win and the 49ers will take care of business - W

September 14 - @ Seattle - We get our first taste of the Julius Jones backfield. I'll be predicting the "opposite split" of this series - W

September 21 - vs. Detroit - Guess this depends in part on if Roy Williams is in town. I wonder how close Drew Stanton comes to taking Kitna's job - W

September 28 - @ New Orleans - The surprising 3-game streak comes t an end against a Saints squad welcoming back Reggie Bush - L

October 5 - vs. New England - I'm psyched to see Nate Clements take on Randy Moss, but an upset is unlikely - L

October 12 - vs. Philadelphia - We'll see what WR goes to Philly as the latest potential bust for Donovan McNabb - W

October 19 - @ New York Giants - After the schedule release I predicted a 49ers win over the Giants. Won't make that mistake twice with the defending champs - L

October 26 - vs. Seattle - Stun Seattle on the road, get handled at home - L

November 2 - BYE - I like our chances.

November 10 - @ Arizona - I smell another clean sweep of the Cardinals - W

November 16 - vs. St. Louis - The Rams could be interesting with a healthy team, but a home win doesn't seem to difficult - W

November 23 - @ Dallas - I'd love a win over the Cowgirls, but I'm not holding my breath - L

November 30 - @ Buffalo - The Bills looked quite solid as they've moved on to the Trent Edwards era - L

December 7 - vs. New York Jets - How long until Chad Pennington is benched? - W

December 14 - @ Miami - Dolphins suck, best win this one - W

December 21 - @ St. Louis - I think the 49ers can pull the sweep, although it'll be tough - W

December 28 - vs. Washington - I'd love a 10-win season, but the Skins are always tough - L

So there you have it, 9-7 and a 5-1 division record should be enough to win the division. I think the 49ers could certainly miss the playoffs, but that sure won't stop me right now. We'll wait for potential injuries and whatnot, but maybe the 49ers being the surprise playoff team will just come a year too late.

Feel free to make your predictions here!

0 recs | Comment 27 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

I bet your glasses look like this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur0yqbDYOys

You know I'm only kidding Fooch.

---

Something I have noticed, maybe others have picked up on it as well. It seems like we are the only one in our division who have made any signifcant moves this offseason. I mean, besides Julius going to Seattle and kicker Josh Brown going to the Rams(?), I can't think of any other transactions off the top of my head. Then again I don't follow those other teams that closely. Plus, Arizona has been robbed of some talent, Johnson and Pace.

I don't know maybe Seattle is content with where they are at. That may explain why they haven't made that many moves.

Also it could be that the Niners are making all these moves to appease the fans. Not likely, I grant you that. But it is a possibility. What with all this talk about moving the team, maybe they are just trying to gain the support from the fans before they pull the rug out from under us.

Alright, Braekneck, sfgfan, and marcello tell me where I screwed up in this post.

by jfainsf49 on Apr 16, 2008 6:33 AM PDT 0 recs

I just realized

that my first post was a bit off topic.

As far as predictions go, at this point, I will just say this. We would have to be extremely lucky (i.e. no bullshit penalties that kill a drive when we are just getting started, no major injuries, etc.) to even sniff .500.

by jfainsf49 on Apr 16, 2008 6:38 AM PDT up 0 recs

Why we play the games

Not to rain on the prognostication parade, but the more I think about it, the more ridiculous predicting things looks at this point. It would make sense if everyone played to their profile every week, but the factors making up that profile are so complicated that it makes me want to throw up my hands.

Take the outlook on the season we had last year at this time of the year as an example: we thought we had a sweet O-Line because Gore had rushed for 1500+ and there was talk of him going for the rushing record, etc. Then Norv busts for SD, Hostler stinks up the joint, the O-Line and offense generally completely lose confidence in the play calling and with it any cohesion, and before we know it, our dreams of being a contending team are dashed. So the domino effect of Norv leaving is a team with a radically different profile than the one we thought we had heading into the season. And that's just thinking about OUR team. The domino effect can almost as easily go the other way (think NO from 2006).

With that said, I like the additions we've made, and I like the fact that the other teams in the NFC West haven't made moves and have had guys taken away, and I like the fact that Holmgren's succession plan is in place (lame duck coach anyone?). But I'm with you (as my 110% convinced post yesterday mentions-LOL) on .500 as the goal for this season.

by grantmp on Apr 16, 2008 7:53 AM PDT up 0 recs

s@%t pie to the face

Yea, I think making predictions at this point may be strecthing it a bit. But I realize that the Foochmeister has a blog to tend to and there just ain't that much else to write about(except draft talk, of course). Heck, I think this is the second time he has made predictions on next season. Do your thing Fooch.

Oh yeah, that 110% talk was gold, I got a good chuckle out of that after sfgfan pointed it out.

As for next season, I think this will be the major difference from last season: Last year the Niners would attempt a few shots deep downfield, then pretty much give up. They were probably just trying to open it up of course, but still, the gameplan had conservative written all over it. Next season Martz is going to come out of the gate guns blazing. Like others have pointed out previously (maybe on another site(?))that Walsh used to do, come out and take the lead, preserve the lead, and go home with a win. I think that's what we can expect from Martz and crew.

Having said all that, I am still going to keep my expectations relativley low. Not because I don't have faith in the team. I am just not sure if my ticker can take it. Seriously, my shit is all out of wack when I watch them play, especially in recent times. Just when you think they are about to get it together, BOOM, a big shit pie in the face.

by jfainsf49 on Apr 16, 2008 8:31 AM PDT up 0 recs

2007 slogan

I think that should be how 2007 is referred to in the future:

"Your 2007 San Francisco 49ers: A s%#$ pie to the face!"

Niners Nation - The premier 49ers blog on the Internet!

by Fooch on Apr 16, 2008 8:45 AM PDT up 0 recs

Hmmmm...

I smell a new signature coming...

by jfainsf49 on Apr 16, 2008 11:42 AM PDT up 0 recs

And new site header

If you go to the front and look at the top left I think that is sufficient!

Niners Nation - The premier 49ers blog on the Internet!

by Fooch on Apr 16, 2008 12:48 PM PDT up 0 recs

nice!

"Your 2007 San Francisco 49ers: A s%#$ pie to the face!" --Fooch and Fain

by jfainsf49 on Apr 16, 2008 2:15 PM PDT up 0 recs

Yeah

But I think that the uselessness of predictions this early is a lot of the fun. After all, Fooch did prelude the story with, "Man it's great to be able to make mindless predictions in April." So I think he's aware of how useless it is and is just having fun while it's still early.

I keep reliving the moment when Steve Young almost fell down... over and over....

by howtheyscored on Apr 16, 2008 10:18 AM PDT up 0 recs

no worries

While this is for predictions, some basis for why you think one thing or another is always welcome in this one...also, it's not quite big enough for a diary so you might as well have somewhere to put them.

Niners Nation - The premier 49ers blog on the Internet!

by Fooch on Apr 16, 2008 8:14 AM PDT up 0 recs

I don't think that's their M.O.

I don't think that's the way the 49ers operate. If that were true, there would have been more interest in guys like Briggs or Javon Walker in free agency. There would have been more reported interest in a trade for PacMan. When you look at it, most of the 49ers free agent moves are moves you didn't generally expect going into the offseason. Who would have thought the 49ers were going to spend $60M on a cornerback last year? How about $30M on a strong safety when Keith Lewis showed that he may be a competent starter just a couple months before? This year, fans wanted the 49ers to make a splash by going after higher profile receivers and linebackers, but they came away with an aging WR who could still get it done, a former #1 pick that has been stuck as a #3 WR, and an underachieving ILB. With the glut of defensive linemen that can play DE on the current roster, who would have thought they were going to actually pursue Justin Smith that much?

I think that Seattle IS happy where they are. They really haven't made many big moves over the past few years, and yet they've won the division every year. They're doing something right. On top of that, Holmgren is leaving after this year, and I'm sure he didn't want to saddle Mora with a player he couldn't use later, as Holmgren would just be blamed for it. If you ask me, Holmgren is getting out of there at just the right time.

As for the Rams, none of their needs were really available during free agency. Offensive linemen weren't really strong, so why over pay for them when they could draft them? Similarly, defensive backs wasn't a very deep free agent spot either, so why overpay for them too?

Arizona's lack of "moves" probably has more to do with the fact that they CAN'T make any moves, rather than they're comfortable with where they are. They REALLY wanted to keep Pace, but because of the salary cap issues (I think they were actually over the cap before the offseason rolled into the new year) they weren't able to. They let Johnson go because they're supposedly going with a more run-oriented offense, and they already have a starting pair of WRs.

by sfgfan on Apr 16, 2008 9:48 AM PDT up 0 recs

good points all around

One of these days I'm gonna come up with an argument that you can't refute. I might be 75 by then but your day is coming...

by jfainsf49 on Apr 16, 2008 11:45 AM PDT up 0 recs

re: Buffalo on Nov. 30

Fooch, I'm hoping you're wrong about the November 30 game. You're right that the Bills have looked pretty solid once they jettisoned J.P. Losman (aka J-Loss--and who I would be heartbroken if the Niners acquired at any point), but I hope to be witnessing a Niners victory the first time I see them live...in the bitter NY cold. Following the Niners from Canada sucks.

by grantmp on Apr 16, 2008 8:01 AM PDT 0 recs

don't sleep on the Jets

they've made a lot of moves this offseason and could surprise some people. I think 5-1 in the division is pretty optimistic. I think we'll split with Seattle, and then sweep either ARZ or STL and split with the other one. Probably sweep STL.

Other than NE and DAL, I think we'll have a chance in every game. Those are the only two that right now look like sure losses. So we could go 14-2. But we won't. We'll probably go 7-9, 8-8, 9-7, or if we get lucky, 10-6.

Bring back the classic Uni's!

by wjackalope on Apr 16, 2008 8:10 AM PDT 0 recs

Although I agree with grantmp

9-7 with Frank Gore returning to the Pro Bowl. Alex Smith has his best year by far. V Davis is finally a Beast, and are receivers are adequate. The bad news is we lose Martz and are right back to square 1 in 09.

The 07 SPYtriots would be 13 point DOGS vs the 89 NINERS,,,and SF would still cover by 10 points!!!

by 49er BOMBERO on Apr 16, 2008 8:11 AM PDT 0 recs

If all of those things happen

If all those things happen, I think 9-7 is vaguely pessimistic with this schedule. If Gore goes 1500+, Smith turns a serious corner, Davis becomes a true red zone threat, and the receivers also improve over the last 3 years (without the defense going backward), the 49ers will be a fairly dangerous team. You make some fairly optimistic predictions, but don't translate it into your final record!

Then again, I'm probably seeing things with an unnecessary amount of positive gumption just because it's still the offseason and I can.

I keep reliving the moment when Steve Young almost fell down... over and over....

by howtheyscored on Apr 16, 2008 10:14 AM PDT up 0 recs

49ers vs. Cowboys

I wanted to ask you guys something.

I live in Texas and I have never seen a Niner game in person. Now that I don't work on Sundays, I have the option of traveling to Dallas to watch the Niners play there next season. I just looked at ticket prices and to say the least they are exorbitant, IMO. The lowest ticket price was around 150 clams. I really don't see myself paying more than a 100 clams for a ticket. Anyone have any tips on how to get a cheap ticket? I guess, I could try to finagle a ticket from a season ticket holder, that might work. Still if anyone has any ideas, hook a brother up.

by jfainsf49 on Apr 16, 2008 8:48 AM PDT 0 recs

re: ticket sources

What about craigslist.org? Alternatively, sometimes you can snag a cheap one on Ebay.

by grantmp on Apr 16, 2008 9:21 AM PDT up 0 recs

Ticket release

The other option is that sometimes after team's return their allotments for players, there might be some left that are put on sale right before the game (but doesn't affect blackout rules).

Niners Nation - The premier 49ers blog on the Internet!

by Fooch on Apr 16, 2008 9:24 AM PDT up 0 recs

Whoa Nelson!

If you haven't seen it already you guys might want to take a gander at the Seattle (Fieldgulls) link that Fooch has in the main post. There is youtube video of Groves(the second one is the really good video). I haven't seen the guy play one bit until now. Of course it is just one play but impressive nonetheless. He just pushes the lineman out of the way like he's a rag doll.

by jfainsf49 on Apr 16, 2008 11:19 AM PDT 0 recs

Seahawks?

If the Seahawks end up taking him at #25, the 49ers would be probably forced into taking an offensive tackle at #29, and the #39 pick is as wide open as it has been for a while.

by sfgfan on Apr 16, 2008 11:29 AM PDT up 0 recs

New prediction

The Niners will make the playoffs. But that is only because, for the Niners, the playoffs start Sept. 7th.

"Your 2007 San Francisco 49ers: A s%#$ pie to the face!" --Fooch and Fain

by jfainsf49 on Apr 16, 2008 2:21 PM PDT 0 recs

Dallas game

cant wait till we play dallas, cuz patrick willis destroying owens is something to see.

keep ya head up

by niner4lif3 on Apr 18, 2008 12:52 PM PDT 0 recs

If things go well

I will be at that game.

"To know clearly what pleases the world is but a brief dream." --Machivelli

by jfainsf49 on Apr 18, 2008 1:01 PM PDT up 0 recs

Alright so I duct taped my glasses back together..

...after I finished doing this. http://www.bcpl.net/~jthorsse/1946asqo/mpbucks.jpg

---

Some of yous may think that I am off the bandwagon. I am most certainly not, just a little down in the dumps.

I'm thinking about the moves we have made this offseason and have no reason but to be optimistic. So optimistic I will be.

Toward the end of the season look for the Niners to be in the playoff hunt. And not only that but look for the NFL to give us one or two (plus the one we already have) nationally televised games near the end of the season.

"To know clearly what pleases the world is but a brief dream." --Machivelli

by jfainsf49 on Apr 18, 2008 1:00 PM PDT 0 recs

My Predictions

The '08 49ers will be a below .500 team with Alex Smith under center.
The '08 49ers will be an above .500 team with Shaun Hill or JT O'Sullivan under center.

Here's to hoping Albert Hanyesworth stomps on Alex Smith's head.

by methodrampage on Apr 18, 2008 2:04 PM PDT 0 recs