Clap. Clap. Clap. Hell yeah!
by Ronaldinho on Jan 22, 2012 11:08 PM PST
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Yeah, I know we just lost a tough game.
You know what I say?
I don't care. This season was awesome.
We just had a regular season where we just went 13-3. We saw our QB solidly establish himself as a quality starter going forward. We saw a coaching staff take a bunch of players who were bumbling around without direction and instead turn them into winners.
Are there still problems? Can we still get better. Sure! We have real needs we need to address (particularly at WR and OL).
But let me see hands from people who thought we'd be two special teams blunders away from a super bowl six months ago? Beuller? Beuller?
I come on NN and I'm disgusted. So many people screaming bloody murder. Fire Crabtree! Fire Alex! Fire Williams! We even have one fool saying we need to fire out coaches.
The ship has been righted. We're heading strongly in the right direction. While no-nothing fans scapegoat, the team acted like men and rallied around Williams, because these guys are classy pros. They understand that errors happen, even at the highest level, and that you don't blame a backup punt returner for performing like a backup punt returner.
I am PUMPED UP about this team. The Niners matter again. We're going to be good again next year. We're going to continue to improve and we can hang with anyone, in any game. We play hard for the whole game.
So, yeah, you know, I'm disappointed with the way today's game left. But you know what? I give every single player on this team a standing ovation. Even Kyle Williams. Especially Kyle Williams. Because this is a TEAM, and it's a team that's worthy of our support.
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors.
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I'm still fine with shouting WHO'S GOT IT BETTER THAN US?!
People have some skewed expectations right now.
Did GB and New Orleans compete for a SB right at the beginning of the McCarthy/Payton eras respectively? No, it took several drafts and years of getting their systems in order.
Harbaugh and company were knocking on the door their first year. The core of the team is in place and most of it is young. Our defense may not force the same amount of turnovers next season but the underpinings (sound tackling/fundamentals/discipline) will hold up.
Another draft or two with some focus on offensive threats, a full offseason for the staff to correct the 3rd down crisis and other issues, more time for Alex and Kaep to develop, and more Aldon/Justin/Willis/Bowman, and another good FA haul/holding onto guys like Carlos and Brooks.
We’ve got as bright a future as any fanbase could hope for. No doubt in my mind that our season was better than that of 30 other fanbases (only the SB winning fanbase can claim to have had a more magic ride).
The loss tonight hurts, but I would never trade away this season, highs and lows all. The magic of the Saints game, the comeback against Philly that launched this team, the upset in Detroit, routing the West Coast killers, crushing the Steelers, humiliating the Seahawks at home, the regular season win over the Giants. All great moments in an amazing season. No regrets.
Too soon
Also these opportunities should not be taken for granted. Case in point, took the Giants four years to get back to the NFC Championship. Don’t think you understand what was lost today.
Plus those fumbles were horrible. The Giants were dead in the water without those two gifts.
by bignerd on Jan 22, 2012 11:38 PM PST reply actions 2 recs
Don’t think you understand what was lost today.
31 teams go home hungry at the end of every season. I know exactly what was lost. You need to be lucky and good to win the super bowl.
Plus those fumbles were horrible.
We had a backup punt returner who played like a backup punt returner. He’s a guy who was doing someone else’s job because of an injury the week before.
Regular punt returners get a ton of practice, because it’s hard. Williams had a week.
It sucks, but it happens.
We might not get this far next year. Our regular season schedule will be harder which will make it harder to get that first round bye. Don’t care. It’s going to be a hell of a season.
Ya well you can think that from your side of the street. I think differently from this side of the street
Personally I subscribe to Steve Young’s quote, it’s either a SB victory or a train wreck in. Today/Tonight was a train wreck, NFC Championship Game at home with so many chances to win this game they failed. The arrow doesn’t point up for everyone. I don’t think Frank Gore, Justin Smith or even Alex Smith are gonna get another crack at a championship
'Steve Young’s quote, it’s either a SB victory or a train wreck"
Apparently, Steve Young had ONLY one good season, all the rest were train wreck after train wreck after train wreck.
In many ways, yes
Steve Young and Co left way too much on the table. Steve should have led us to more than 1.
Do you feel like there were multiple years when we were the best team in the league and didn't win it?
I don’t.
There were three years in a row where the Niners and Cowboys were the best teams in the league by a mile. However, in only one of those years did I feel like we were clearly the better team. In one of the other years, you can claim it was ambiguous – if some people want to argue we were better, I understand, but that wasn’t my gut feeling at the time.
But even if it was, that means we only failed to win the SB as the best team once under Young. Since the best team is not the favorite to win the super bowl against the field, that’s about to be expected. We did fine.
Clearly better? No
But I do think the ‘92 team had more motivation and experience yet blew their shot against an immature Dallas team that was ripe to be beaten. That was a good example of not jumping your younger opponent early; they then look around and realize they’re 30 minutes from the SB and you don’t seem willing to take it so they will.
What may be hard when remembering those years is that the NFC was so damn tough. Whichever team got through was going to win the SB but it doesn’t mean we always had a better team in defeat.
I’d add that the ’95 team was better that Dallas but injuries hurt them so much.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
We dat team that beat them Saints!
I don't think I could be a sports fan if that was my attitude.
Most years, even when you have an extremely good team, you don’t win the super bowl. (I think Football outsiders ran the numbers, and came up with something like the best team only winning the super bowl something like 40% of the time).
Find joy in the game week to week, otherwise it’s just not worth it.
Nailed it.
Find joy in the game week to week, otherwise it’s just not worth it.
by Only In Fairfax on Feb 5, 2012 11:33 AM PST up reply actions
I'm late to this party...
But I’m in this camp. This was a lot of fun, and it was the first time I’ve been excited about 49ers football since the Steve Mariucci days!
I hope Kyle Williams is able to bounce back next year too. He didn’t do great with the punt returns, but it happened. That’s football.
I'm thinking but nothing's happening.
I like this.
I wasn’t mad after Texans lost to Ravens, nothing negative I can say about Texan’s season.
You are banned from Stampede Blue.
You can browse the blog, but you can't participate.
Hi CFHTim. You're trolling yet another SB Nation blog. Since you've been banned from several other SB Nation blogs, you don't get a warning. You get banned. If you want to get unbanned, email BBS and state your case for re-admission.
delete
"You know whats funny? I always thought uhm dogs lay eggs and I learned something new today" Peter Griffin
1-13 on 3rd downs
For the season we are 65-221. lie 154 failed 3rd down conversions. Redzone % is unbelievably horrible. We gave up 44 sacks. On the upside we are 28 in turnovers. W put a lot of pressure on the QBs this year.Gore had 1200 yrds rshg. while missing a few games and sharing the load with Hunter who had 473. I don’t knowif it’ just me, but since “Th Catch III” V.D. turned into T.O. 2.0. Unsportsman like penalties for 15 yards. 1 f celebrating o much, 2 for loosing his cool in the playoffs. The fact that he scored 2 TDs does not negate, norjustify the penalties. I am disappointed in him. Our offense must improve. Too many Shotguns on short yardage situations. Waaaaaaaaaaay to predictable. I don’t think double reverses are the type of ceativity we need. e just need to spread the offense out sometimes. Too much bunch formations. Give Frank some room to operate. In the end our defficiencies killed us. Weust improve in this area. Defense, special teams, and V.D. cannot always save us. Eventually we willhaveto actually become more a threat on offense.
For the season we are 65-221. lie 154 failed 3rd down conversions. Redzone % is unbelievably horrible. We gave up 44 sacks.
You know why this stuff doesn’t bother me?
Because I look at this – on a team with terrible o-line and mediocre receivers – and I say: “awesome. Lots of areas where improvement won’t be so difficult.”
I don’t think we’ll win the turnover battle by such a huge margin next year – but I bet we’re a lot better on third downs and sacks.
Disagree
You could go into every single game this season (maybe not tampa cuz they suck) and find similar flaws. However, we went 13-3 with those mistakes. Simply put, we would be in the superbowl if not for kyle williams. Its been 5 days and it still infuriates me. Same exact game, except one player decided to put the NY giants on his back instead of his own team. BTW, I hope he comes back to redeem himself, but the magnitude of his choke job is still unfathomable.
Well, I do care
I understand and respect your larger point but every season is its own entity. In a sport where injuries are so commonplace, any and everything is possible year to year (just look at how the long-term injury to Morgan and short-term to Ginn cost the team in this game). This team will now have expectations, pressure, and opponents that will spend their offseasons drafting and strategizing how to beat SF. This team could be better next season while winning one or two fewer games.
Had they gone to GB and been beaten by the defending world champs in their stadium, that would be understandable and easier to accept. Losing at home to an inferior 9-7 team, whose best chance was to have the game given to them, hurts and is quite frustrating. Without an accidental muffed punt, the Niners would be headed to the SB having shutout Eli and his receivers in the second half. The Niners’ defense deserved that glory but now it will not come.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
We dat team that beat them Saints!
Had they gone to GB and been beaten by the defending world champs in their stadium, that would be understandable and easier to accept.
You see, I don’t think the Giants are a “inferior” team. Did you watch them against Green Bay? Right now, they’re playing really really well. They have, no doubt, been worse over the course of the season but for a long stretch of the season they were without one of their key defensive linemen – think of the impact on our team of not having Justin or Aldon.
Some teams are like that. The whole season isn’t a good indication of who they are. I remember one Niner team from the 80s or early 90s that missed the playoffs because of the result of the Monday Night game to end the season (we had won to sunday, and needed someone to lose) and it was one of those weird situations where we probably would have been among the favorites to win the super bowl if we won – because everybody could see how the regular season wasn’t who we really worse.
That’s what I see the Giants as this year – and what I saw them as before the game. Everybody, all year, has been saying “if that team ever gets really clicking, they’re incredibly dangerous.” Well, they got really clicking at the right time.
We disagree on that
I’m not saying that NY is garbage, but they are inferior to the Niners. Not a by a wide margin, but SF was the better team both all season and yesterday. To lose we had to give it away and did.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
We dat team that beat them Saints!
Turnovers are part of "who's better."
Not only did we have two fumbles, but our guys missed a couple of other reasonable interceptions.
So I guess that’s part of it. Part of the reason I think Alex Smith is a lot better than some people give him credit for is because of how important interceptions are. We had a chance to make some defensive big plays to win the game … and we didn’t get it done.
So yeah, I think we were the better team all year. But I don’t think we were the better team yesterday. I think we would have been if we had Ginn, but he got hurt. Add that to our WR injuries, and we needed a big play from the defense that they couldn’t find.
Turnovers are random...
…and our high rate of takeaways makes us a prime candidate for regression next year. Just ask the Falcons.
Turnover's aren't random -
- but they’re highly variable.
So is special teams production.
You may be confusing things. Fumble recoveries are essentially random. Fumbles created and interceptions are not.
Harder schedule + some regression on special teams and turnovers are things we’ll have to overcome by continuing to improve the offense. But I look at the offense and see lots of area to improve – particularly on the line and at the receiver position so I feel cautiously optimistic going forward.
Don't think I'm confusing anything...
…as I just spent some time reading up on this subject. To clarify, a “fumble created” isn’t a turnover, so I wasn’t referring to that. I also referred to our “rate” of turnovers, which is separate from the number of fumbles forced.
Additionally, “highly variable” suggests random chance plays a large role. Perhaps I misspoke by implying it’s all luck. But even where INTs are concerned the correlation coefficient between a QB’s true skill level and his INT rate in a given season is low (.43) according to this research:
http://www.advancednflstats.com/2010/11/how-random-are-interceptions.html
Well, we don't disagree on the substance of your point.
But saying “random” implies that the team has no control over it.
Highly variable implies a wide bell curve – luck and uncontrollable situation factors figure highly into it, but there’s still a mean based on your skill level.
A great example of that is in tipped balls. Most tipped balls fall incomplete. Some are intercepted but it’s more because of the random spacing of the defenders – does a guy happen to be right there where the ball just happens to go – than it is because of the skill of anyone involved.
But more accurate QBs, and QBs who avoid dangerous throws, will have a lower rate of INTs.
A .43 correlation isn’t small, and it’s a long, long way from “random.” Fumble recoveries are closer to truly random (almost no correlation between how teams do in that area one year to the next).
Alex Smith didn’t feel hugely lucky in the INTs department this year – in fact, I remember more plays (eg Ginn’s off-the-facemask INT) where he was unlucky than lucky, although I’m sure if I thought about it I’d come up with some good examples of guys dropping INTs against us. Of course, that’s my subjective memory.
Certainly one of the big questions going into next season will be if Alex can show that his resurgence this year wasn’t a fluke, and a big part of that is controlling INTs.
I think we're saying the same thing at this point
And I actually agree there are good reasons to think Alex has genuinely turned the corner where INTs are concerned. I just don’t think we’re going to get anywhere near the same rate of INTs and fumble recoveries next year, making us prime candidates for regression, especially when you consider how timely some of those takeaways were.
PS: A correlation coefficient of .42 suggests that random chance plays a larger role than skill, no?
yah you're confusing stuff. Ronaldinho is correct. Fumbles recovered is pretty much random.
Interceptions are not the least bit random though they are variable because of caliber of competition and other fluctuating factors.
Gimme 1 round!
by ItBurnzWhenIP on Jan 23, 2012 1:34 PM PST up reply actions
Nope, don't think so
And I’ve backed up my position with analysis and data, so I’d appreciate it if you did the same before suggesting I’m “confusing stuff.”
Caliber of competition is random from the Qbs point of view. What other fluctuating factors do you have in mind?
Caliber of competition being the caliber of QB
It’s easy to rack up picks off AJ Feeley and Skelton. A little harder off guys like Rodgers, Eli, Alex
Gimme 1 round!
by ItBurnzWhenIP on Jan 23, 2012 6:46 PM PST up reply actions
That's still random...
…from the DB’s perspective. The QB doesn’t control whom he’s passing against, and the DB doesn’t control who’s passing against him.
Turnovers aren't created equal
Some INTs come from facing an awful QB. SOme are forced because a DB sets up a QB (Goldson vs Brees), some are great plays (Brown vs Brees) and others come about due to pressure on the QB (our two drops yesterday). Those are forced. Fumble recoveries are random, though some are forced (I give credit to NY for the OT strip of Williams even while admitting that KW needs to have better ball security in such a circumstance) and others are damn luck (the muff should never have happened and NY did nothing to force it).
The Niners put their team in position to force more turnovers yesterday, but some bad luck cost them two INTs and one lost fumble. Despite the former, with zero froced turnovers, they had the game in thier control. You only lose if the opponent takes it from you (didn’t happen) or you give it away.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
We dat team that beat them Saints!
Fumble recoveries are more random than INTs...
…but the data I linked suggests random chance (i.e., factors out of the QB’s control) plays a large role in INTs, too. But I certainly didn’t mean to suggest INTs are COMPLETELY random. In that regard, I misspoke.
there’s a difference between turnovers like the niners created say vs the saints (all off of hard hits, strips while being tackled, well read INTs, ect) than what the giants got last week (ball hits KW leg, a small poke on the KW return, the muffed reverse that KW recovered). Those were really just plays that resulted from one player not being ready for the big stage and it cost us a chance at a dream season.
NY has the best WR core in football one through three
They have a line that’s equivalent to ours. A QB that is a little bit better at this point and running backs who are cumulatively better than the 2 we put on the field. Our #1 TE is far better than anything they field
Their defensive secondary in pass protection is just as good if not better than ours though they aren’t nearly as good against the run. Our LBs are wayyy way better and our D-Lines are equivalent. I don’t see how you can call a team that is better at every offensive position except TE and is equivalent on the D-line and in the secondary as inferior.
Gimme 1 round!
by ItBurnzWhenIP on Jan 23, 2012 1:33 PM PST up reply actions
Wooo
Their RB grouping is not better than ours. Even NY fans would tell you that the Tip Toe Burglar alone is not better than either Gore or Hunter.
Our secondary is better than NYs by far. Their DBs have been lit up all season when their pass rush wasn’t dominating. Ours has done well even when our pass rush was not dominant. That our defense had to deal with a better passing game and managed to beat the hell out of it all second half while getting their hands on two or three near INTs should show that.
The only areas where NY is better than SF is QB & WR.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
We dat team that beat them Saints!
The only areas where NY is better than SF is QB & WR.
Their running game was better than ours, although neither was good, according to DVOA.
Run game is also about blocking. I would take Gore/Hunter over Bradshaw/Jacobs.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
We dat team that beat them Saints!
I would take Bradshaw Jacobs every day of the week and twice on Sundays
Gore wouldn’t get 20 yards against our run D
Gimme 1 round!
by ItBurnzWhenIP on Jan 23, 2012 9:16 PM PST up reply actions
With enough carries he would
And his average would be just as poor as Bradshaw’s and Jacbos’.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
We dat team that beat them Saints!
Ahmad turned several runs that should have been stuffed for negative gains into 5 and 6 yard pickups
Gore did it once or twice against the Giants in pass rush mode but I doubt it happens against our D.
Gimme 1 round!
by ItBurnzWhenIP on Jan 23, 2012 11:47 PM PST up reply actions
His still is more high risk/high reward than Gore's
Gore did much better getting yards up the middle. Both Jacobs & AB averaged less than 4 yards per carry despite our safeties playing back to protect against the pass.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
We dat team that beat them Saints!
Our secondary aside from Rodgers has been protected by our pass rush
Their secondary was injured the first 2/3rds of the season. They have Amukamara on their bench. Who is on our bench? Oh the guys that were in for 1 play and got burned for a TD.
Gimme 1 round!
by ItBurnzWhenIP on Jan 23, 2012 6:47 PM PST up reply actions
Amukamara has been burned, he should be on the bench. Who’s on ours? A vet that some teams wouldn’t mind having as their fourth CB, Spencer. As for picking on Brock, he gave up a play when safety help was late and Eli made a great throw. Now, how do you explain a NY secondary that only had one threat to worry about giving up two huge scoring plays to that threat?
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
We dat team that beat them Saints!
You want Spencer? Even our coaching staff doesn't want him. Its why a barely NFL caliber Tremaine Brock is in front of him
Spencer wouldn’t make most NFL rosters
Gimme 1 round!
by ItBurnzWhenIP on Jan 23, 2012 9:17 PM PST up reply actions
I'd bet 1000 bucks Amukamara makes our roster
Gimme 1 round!
by ItBurnzWhenIP on Jan 23, 2012 9:18 PM PST up reply actions
YOu asked who was on our bench
If Spencer couldn’t play he would’ve been cut. He was insurance in case of injuries. Brock is perfectly fine for a 4th CB. You’ll note that after the TD where Eli made a perfect throw, he didn’t give up anything.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
We dat team that beat them Saints!
Just FYI
This is a core:
This is a corps:
by InTimmyWeTrust on Jan 23, 2012 4:56 PM PST up reply actions
Marines are rangers with webbed feet and pea sized brains
The CORE of their WR CORPS is Nicks, Cruz and Manningham
I meant what I said dummy
Gimme 1 round!
by ItBurnzWhenIP on Jan 23, 2012 6:49 PM PST up reply actions
Riiiight
Which is why you made the same mistake right here.
by InTimmyWeTrust on Jan 23, 2012 10:07 PM PST up reply actions
You're right, in that one I did make it.
Here I didn’t. I meant their CORE. Because they only have 3 receivers. But the core of their receiver group is the best 1-3 in the business.
I also occasionally spell you’re without the apostrophe and don’t go back to fix it or ridiculous as rediculous when I’m not paying attention.
Gimme 1 round!
by ItBurnzWhenIP on Jan 23, 2012 11:50 PM PST up reply actions
Actually those bottom two are poor examples. Some more relevant examples
that I have in haste spelled incorrectly at one time or another include fair as fare or plane as plain or even deer as dear. In the case on the other post I spelled corps as core and I’ll probably do it again in the future. So you can continue to search through my posts to see how many other times I’ve had slips (and also find the more numerous times I’ve spelled it correctly) but you’re still incorrect when it comes to this post.
Gimme 1 round!
by ItBurnzWhenIP on Jan 24, 2012 12:01 AM PST up reply actions
OK
I posted what I thought was a funny little comparison to help with a mistake that most people commonly make. Then you decided to talk down to a stranger on the internet, and you called me a “dummy”. And I didn’t search through your posts, you made them back-to-back.
Call me a dork, but I think it’s important to promote literacy. Moving on…
by InTimmyWeTrust on Jan 24, 2012 2:13 PM PST up reply actions
Agreed , great season , can't wait to see year Two ...!!
I'm your " Huckelberry "...it's just my game ..( .AleX ) was asked , what do you think about all the game manager talk ... AleX i guess i just managed myself a VIctory ... Extend the Man ...!!
You would hope the team can build off of this season
I’m very happy getting a playoff win. I’m ok not winning the Super Bowl. However, it is very hard to swallow beating ourselves through sheer stupidity. I hope it will get better with time, but KW likely dropped a Super Bowl win. I love the Niners matchup versus the Patriots, but now we’ll never see it. Now we’re forced to watch Brady equal Montana’s 4 wins or watch the hated Giants grow their monster egos.
This team will have a tough time with next year’s schedule. Guess we’ll have to wait and see. Hope Baalke can have another good offseason and we’ll sort out the debacle of a passing game we had on display last night.
Yeah, it’s going to be really hard to handle watching the Pats play the Giants this year. Tough, tough pill to swallow.
And no matter how much was accomplished during the year, it’s always how you end that everyone remembers. We came so close…
Win or lose, at the end of the day I'm just happy to see the Niners play well... Okay, winning is good. I prefer winning.
"Yeah, I do get emotional. It fires me up. It fires me up a lot. I'm not going to apologize for that. If that offends you or anybody else, then so be it." ~ Jim Harbaugh
rec
fully agree, great season, turrible way to end it, but looking forward to the future. Go Niners!
"Cruelty, It’s not giving another person what they want. That’s our mindset on defense, to go out and play with everything we have and not give the other team anything." -Patrick Willis
Thanks for this!
The season deserves to be recognized for its accomplishments and not just for the shortcomings. Yes, it’s probably a little too early and the wounds of our loss are still fresh. It’ll take some time to mourn, but it really does help to look at the good parts. I dearly love this team and I’m looking forward to a fantastic next season.
Win or lose, at the end of the day I'm just happy to see the Niners play well... Okay, winning is good. I prefer winning.
"Yeah, I do get emotional. It fires me up. It fires me up a lot. I'm not going to apologize for that. If that offends you or anybody else, then so be it." ~ Jim Harbaugh
Hats off to you guys bigtime.Great game!Great season!
I mean Pat Willis is talked about as the best defensive player in the league and justifiably so..but he might not even be the best on your team!I mean that as a huge compliment.Justin and Aldon Smith are such beasts.Outside of JPP we don’t have anyone in the class of those 3 guys!Brooks and Bowman are no joke either..best 34 in the league,hands down IMHO.
The OLine is outstanding and sooo physical.I mean Alex Smith and the passing game,outside of VD are pretty weak but we still got the ball crammed down our throats.
Best to you guys,class organization,although hopefully Eli can avoid the misfortune of playing those beasts again!
All the way to a Super Bowl victory like a knife through butter
JPP Is hands down the best DE in the NFL right now
Can't spell Elite without ELI
Jerry Reese for President 2012..let's make that happen!
Thought it was a great season....
But still absolutely crushed that it is over. We certainly didn’t play that great and still could have won that game. I won’t be calling for anyone’s head, but I do think that the end of the game play calling was pretty poor. Passing on first down when the running game was working is not playing to our team’s strengths; and it may very well have cost us a trip to the SB.
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