You were supposed to get a World According to Madden preview, but aliens abducted my Xbox and threatened to kill off one of Tre9ers multiple personalities once a day for a year until at least half of them were gone if I posted it today. I'm not sure what their motives were, but they sounded legit, what with the spaceship and all of that junk. It's 9:30 a.m. right now and I've yet to leave for San Francisco, and my sister just asked me, "James, is there any chance at all that we win this game?"
I considered it carefully for a split second before replying, very convincingly, "Yes, yes there is." I wondered for awhile after that if I was just trying to be strong for everyone. As the most knowledgeable 49er fan in the present room, I had to let everyone know that Yes, I did feel that the 49ers could win tonight. But be it from sleep deprivation, dementia, or the slightly dangerous levels of caffeine I've ingested lately, I really do believe it. I think the 49ers can win this game. I really do.
Sure, there's a conflict of interest that factors into my decision. The 49ers are my team and I'll be at the game, and I don't like it when I have to deal with my team losing. I get very angry, I shout at fans of the opposing team, and I have calming fantasies about catapulting them from the cheap seats I'm currently at down onto field level. Perhaps I want them to win so bad that I've deluded myself into thinking the team can win so I feel calm during the two hour drive to Candlestick.
It wouldn't be the first time I've deluded myself into thinking something, but I feel I've a moment of clarity. When I look at it matchup-to-matchup, the only thing that honestly frightens me is Drew Brees versus our 49ers secondary. Everything has to go right for the 49ers to stop Drew Brees. We have to get a pass rush, we have to use the perfect defense on every play to effectively stop Breezie's targets. But Greg Manusky is a good defensive coordinator, a very good one, I'd say. I think we can pull that off.
On offense, what do we do? What's the key to winning? The best way for the 49ers to win is to get Alex Smith confident and actually get some blocking on the offensive line. If that o-line plays well, I think Frank Gore and Vernon Davis can keep the 49ers in the game. Davis is becoming some sort of beast and I firmly believe that is Alex Smith has the time to shred a defense, he will. To quote a well known receiver, perhaps bending its meaning a little bit: 85 is always open. No seriously, go watch the film: 85 is always open."
It's true, or at least, it can be true. Giving Davis enough time, I know he can get open, and I know Smith can get him the ball. We just need Joe Staley and Anthony Davis to hold the edge better. Maybe that Saints defensive line isn't as hungry as the Seahawks's line was? Maybe they're a little complacent, and maybe that gives our offensive line what it needs to get going? Who knows?
At this point, these are the rantings of an incomprehensible mad man (call me London Niner), so I'm going to bring this to a close. I apologize to Fooch and those of you expecting a Madden post, but instead were treated to whatever this is. But that's why I'm here, to provide a useful service (The Nuggets), in exchange for you being forced to read my other rants. You'll live, probably.
49ers win 17-13. Book it. (please don't actually book it)