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One bad week does not a bad season make. Hopefully that phrase that I just made up holds true, because if last weekend's game was anything to go on, you'd think the Vikings are playoff bound and we're headed for the early stages of the draft. There really wasn't any area of the game that we didn't stink at. We had the most untimely penalties, couldn't get Minnesota off the field on third down, couldn't get any offense going, had three turnovers, and even had a field goal blocked. Kyle Williams showed some flashes of excellence in the return game and that's about the only good thing we can say.
I hope Coach Harbaugh is putting foot to butt in Ohio right now, or on the plane or wherever the team is. Most expert picks have us beating the Jets handily (didn't matter in Minnesota) while saying things like, "I'd hate to be the Jets this weekend." We've never had a two-game losing streak under the Harbaugh reign of terror and now isn't the time to start. The NFC West has been the best division in football, record-wise, and have done it against decent competition. Looks like the NFC Worst has become the NFC Best. Or the Mild, Mild West has become the Wild, Wild....OK, I have no idea where I'm going with this....
There was absolutely no other news around these parts...or was there? In case you hadn't heard, or noticed this massive article pinned to the top of the front page, Niners Nation has changed. Not just a little change, but a big one. We've read your questions, praise, and complaints and the feedback is all being processed. Heck, I've had a question or two and I'm writing here. It's a big change. I think it looks amazing and when all is said and done, it's an improvement to quality as well as aesthetics. Here's the link to the info about the new site. There are also hundreds of comments with questions answered.
Confused about the new layout? It's easy.
WEEK 3: VIKINGS 24, 49ERS 13
I've already written all I care to write about last week's game, to be honest. Between the Monday morning Nuggets, the couple of other Nuggets I do and my new gig writing for Bay Area SB Nation (I did an analysis of what went wrong on the three long TD drives we gave up....hint: tons) I've had to watch and re-watch a Friday the 13th's worth of unpleasantry. Then I have to write about it. It was rough folks. It reminded me of when we had to play Little League games at 8am and it was basically a coin flip to see who would win, as both teams dragged around the field for a few hours. Even the parents were asleep on the bleachers. Except the Vikings looked awake. We, regrettably, looked asleep at the wheel.
Here's some links for those of you who want to relive the carnage. First up is a recap...a basic one. Then we have The Booth Review. Anthony's got some good points about the game, noting that Crabtree played well again. I'm still waiting for Crabtree to break something loose. He's been a first-down machine and converted a few key third-down conversions, but his longest play is 20 yards, and it seems like nobody on the team has big play potential outside of Vernon Davis, which was a rather big problem last year. There's a post about why losing that game was not that big of a deal and lastly, for the masochists, there's the highlights.
49ers vs Vikings recap: There are no good losses, but...
The booth review: "Niners made mortal in Minnesota."
Why the 49ers' week 3 loss was a necessary evil.
Game Highlights: 49ers at Vikings.
WEEK 4: 49ERS at JETS
That was last week. What about this week? We have the Jets, after their best player, Darrelle Revis, has gone down with a (presumably) season-ending knee injury. The Jets have looked average in the little that I've seen of them, but they're a bit like the Eagles, in that if they play their best game they can beat anyone, yet rarely seem to put it all together. They're 2-1, having won at home against Buffalo and on the road at Miami, in a game they could have easily lost. Their lone defeat came on the road, at Pittsburgh, and they were beaten handily. So they've beaten two bottom feeders (though the Bills may have turned a corner) and lost to the lone 'elite' team, if the Steelers can still be considered as such. Is there anything to be afraid of? Only if we play like we did last week!
Here's some news about the Darrelle Revis injury and the Jets in general. Dylan's noted that all the stars are aligning for the 49ers' passing game to finally explode. Another article states why Shonn Greene is in for a long day at the office. Oh, and now Vic Fangio and friends get to gameplan for Tim Tebow, who is now the Jets' water boy. Ok, I'm being rude, but nobody has figured out what Tim Tebow is doing in New Jersey, least of all Timmy himself, as evidenced by this play. What will we see from him this week. Rex Ryan loves the limelight and this is a marquee matchup for them. Do I smell a trick play?
How the 49ers can pour salt on the Jets' wounds, overcome own odds.
Mismatch of the week: Niners run D against Shonn Greene.
Mark Sanchez, Tim Tebow and the Jets passing attack.
HOT TOPICS
Don't know if you heard, but the real referees have returned, and the debacle that the 2012 season had started to become is gone. It looks like both teams from the Monday Night Football fiasco, or MNF-gate as I'll call it (copyright pending, though I'm probably the thousandth to 'come up' with it) will be in the hunt for the playoffs. Quite a few people have been up in arms at the Seahawks getting a free win, implying that it may come to hurt us in the race for the division. But I'm taking the opposite view that, while unfortunate for the integrity of the game, it will help us in the long run. If we aren't a full two games better than Seattle, then our dream of Super Bowl success is nothing but a pipe dream anyway. I bet that game does, however, come in handy when deciding home field advantages in the playoffs. We were all in a bit of a panic after the loss to the Vikings and the Seahawks' gift-wrapped victory only seemed to exasperate that. It did draw us even with them, leaving us both one game behind the dreaded Cardinals.
The refs are back, the refs are back. It's like 'the British are coming', or 'Bring out yer dead.' I feel like I should be running through the streets like the town cryer of ye olde times. Except that the residents of sleepy, suburban Preston VIC Australia would look at me like I'm crazy. Here's a few articles on 'the Return' and what it means to the 49ers. Then we've got a piece from Wes about how badly we screwed up when we gave up Mike Singletary for Coach Harbaugh. What's his deal, man? And wrapping up this segment is an article noting how well both Alex Boone and Anthony Davis have been in the first three games of the season. It's nice to end on a positive.
NFL, refs reach agreement: What does it mean for 49ers?
NFL referees, the San Francisco 49ers and perspectives.
49ers offensive line: How about Anthony Davis and Alex Boone?
FANPOSTS
Which brings us to the FanPosts. Who will win this weeks coveted FanPost of the Week Award. The most rec'd FanPost is from JHill26. It's heading the list and highlights just how bad the officiating has been. Thankfully the real deal is back. Other posts I'm including are nickbradley's post talking distraught 49ers fans off of the ledge. He notes how many 3rd down conversions Minnesota converted, including some long ones, and that the odds of that happening again against our D is unlikely. And oldfoggy wraps up this weeks edition of TWiNN with his six conclusions that are actually seven. You get a bonus conclusion for simply following the link. WOW! Thanks for all the FanPosts and keep it up.
Calm down people - We lost on 3rd down and it's unlikely to happen again.
Six conclusions from season so far.
Being a Sheep
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