ESPN 2008 Predictions and the 49ers

by Fooch on Aug 29, 2008 6:00 AM PDT in News Comment 3 comments

ESPN ran a feature yesterday with predictions for the upcoming season. Dallas is the overwhelming favorite to win the NFC, while San Diego, New England and Indianapolis are the AFC favorites. Personally, I see now way in hell the Chargers win the AFC as long as Norv Turner is in charge. I'm still amazed he won multiple playoff games last year.

However, let's look at their predictions as related to the 49ers. One of the great powers of the Internet is the fact that this information will live on for quite some time. If somebody makes a completely assinine prediction, we'll be able to mock them for the foreseeable future. Which brings us to ESPN's predictions about the 49ers upcoming season.

Analyst	Division Finish
Jeff Chadiha	4th
John Clayton	3rd
Tim Graham	4th
Jeremy Green	4th
Paul Kuharsky	3rd
Matt Mosley	4th
Mike Sando	3rd
Kevin Seifert	4th
James Walker	4th
Seth Wickersham	3rd
Bill Williamson	3rd
Matt Williamson	4th
Pat Yasinskas	3rd

One positive prediction to come out of this? Seth Wickersham predicts Patrick Willis will win Defensive Player of the Year. Not quite as big as predicting a 49ers division title, but I'll take it for now.

I realize the 49ers are not exactly high on the national media's radar. People know Martz is in town and hear about J.T. O'Sullivan and that's about it. Are the Arizona Cardinals clearly that much better than the 49ers? Maybe I'm wearing blinders, but I think they certainly have their share of holes. I'm certainly not saying the 49ers are clearly going to win the division title, but is second place all that unlikely?

One final tidbit from the ESPN preview. Scouts Inc. came up with every team's favorite play. For the 49ers, based on the Mike Martz offense, the play is the Play-Action Deep In. This play has Isaac Bruce lined up to the left running a go route, while Vernon Davis is lined up as the tight end and runs a skinny post, splitting the safeties. Arnaz Battle is lined up in the left slot and runs a go route as well, while Bryant Johnson runs a pattern over the middle of the field. A play-action with Frank Gore later and J.T. O'Sullivan finds Johnson across the middle for a nice gain. Now that Johnson is on the field again, keep an eye out for this tonight against San Diego.

So, anywyas, hopefully in a few months we'll be revisiting this and laughing so hard our sides hurt.

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Should be a different year

I’m not going to going overboard, but I know that this will not be another “3 and out” season. This fact should will be great news for the defense, which has a ton of potential. With Mike Martz running the offense and a new quarterback things are looking up. I couldn’t understand why Mike Shuman was carping about Alex Smith not getting a “fair Shot” for the starting job. In this division any of the teams can implode – so put the Niners in the hunt.

by Danny Boy on Aug 29, 2008 11:55 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

No worries, buddy

I’m always frightened when ESPN or SI picks the 49ers to do well, because it’s more or less a sign that they’ll do poorly. I’m willing to bet I could predict just as well as most of these guys, and I don’t know more than the average fan.

STEVE HOLM! refuses to be the odd man out.

by UnleashTheGore on Aug 29, 2008 12:16 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs