Am I bitter as hell about how things ended for my Niners? Hells yes! But I'll try to be objective on this post and tell you what I think. Let's start with the first game.
Broncos vs. Pats
I got this one right and it's not that hard to figure out why. The Broncos were the better team and they played like it. It's really that simple. The Pats played well and played hard and in the end didn't have the talent to make the necessary plays to pull ahead. The Broncos were well balanced and pretty conservative throughout and their defense didn't give up the big play. If the Patriots had been healthy I think this game would have gone to them simply because the Broncos only managed a ten point margin of victory against a depleted roster. Nonetheless the Broncos were the best team in the AFC and they earned the right to go to the Super Bowl.
Seahawks vs. 49ers
I said that this game would come down to how many mistakes Kaepernick made and how well the 49ers bottled up Beast Mode. Kaep had two costly turnovers before the final interception and Lynch got loose in the second half. There's your ball game. Game management was also a big factor and for the life of me I cannot understand why Harbaugh didn't call a time out before the ill-fated pass into the end zone that ended in a pick. The 49ers had two time outs inside the 20 with 40+ seconds left. Why not call a time out, draw up two or three plays, and run your offense. They could have attacked the middle of the field and still could have stopped the clock with their last time out. I don't get it, but then again I'm not an NFL head coach, let alone one as good as Harbaugh.
Kaepernick has a ways to go with his game; primarily his pocket presence. He definitely showed signs of improvement with his accuracy on the run and touch throwing the ball, but he still struggles making multiple reads and anticipating the rush. Kaep's had an amazing playoff run, again, and the future is very bright for this young man. He came up short after his third road playoff game in the toughest place to play in the NFL against the number one defense in the league. The guy is really good and his ceiling is as high as it gets. If Kaep can make the strides that Cam Newton in his third year then we'll be seeing a lot of the Niners' QB in the post season.
Bowman's injury was about as tough as it gets. You never want to see a great player, one who consistently makes big plays in big games, go out like that late in the season. ACL injuries are nothing to scoff at, but I don't see any reason not to expect Bowman to return to pro bowl form by late season next year. It's significant set-back for the team going into next year, but they'll be in the mix in late December.
The referees were terrible and I think the NFL has a potentially serious problem with how many calls have been missed throughout the year. I normally don't like to harp on refs because they have a very tough job and despite what most people say they rarely decide the outcome of games. They came close in this game with the missed strip/recovery of Bowman at the goal line and the running into the kicker that should have been roughing, but despite that the 49ers had the ball inside the 20 with 40+ seconds and could have won the game. All that being said, refs cannot miss those type of calls in big games. The NFL needs to hire these guys full time so that they can give the job their full attention.
This is how I feel about Richard Sherman . I'm not a fan the guy, but that's mainly because he's gotten in the way of my favorite team going to the Super Bowl. Richard Sherman is the best corner in the league, period. Is he a bit of an ass when he wins? Sure, but he backs up his talk. Could he be more mature about how he reacts to his detractors? Of course, but he's 25, he's the best at what he does, and has overcome a lot to get to where he is. Do I think his words about Crabtree were over the top? Yup, but consider the circumstances. If you're honest with yourself you'll at least recognize that people aren't their most diplomatic right after an emotional victory, especially at the age of 25, full of adrenaline with 60,000+ thousand fans screaming with joy because of a thing you just did. The guy is truly a unique person and has a rare attitude towards competition. I think as time goes on Sherman will mellow a bit because that's what usually happens to people as they age, but he certainly doesn't have to and if he doesn't that's okay. The public's reaction to Sherman says more about us than it does him. He's great, he knows it, he's not shy to let you know it, and so far no one has been able to stop him.
I'll be back with a proper Super Bowl preview, but for now here are my initial thoughts on the upcoming game.
Seahawks vs. Broncos a.k.a. the Puff-puff-pass Bowl
1) If the weather is bad, meaning wind and some kind of precipitation or extreme cold, then the I don't see the Broncos winning this game.
2) Sherman against Thomas should be a great matchup. Thomas struggled against Talib when the Pats corner was healthy, so you have to give the early advantage to Sherman. I wonder if Sherman thinks Thomas is a mediocre receiver like Crabtree?
3) Don't be surprised if Peyton carves this secondary up. I've heard multiple times that the Seahawks' defense is not a complex scheme and that they rely on their exceptional route recognition and athletic ability to make plays. That will make Peyton's film study that much easier and thus he'll be that much more comfortable come game time. A comfy Peyton is bad news for the Legion of Boom.
4) Percy Harvin should scare the crap out of the Broncos. He'll be healthy and he is a nightmare for a depleted Broncos secondary. If he gets going or even gets significant attention then this mostly one dimensional offense becomes a two headed Harvin and Lynch beast mode monster. The Broncos' D can't hang with that.
5) This is the last Super Bowl Peyton Manning plays in. New England's a better team when healthy, the Colts are getting better every offseason, and the Ravens and Steelers aren't going anywhere. Enjoy this moment in NFL history, because it will be just that all too soon.
Broncos vs. Pats
I got this one right and it's not that hard to figure out why. The Broncos were the better team and they played like it. It's really that simple. The Pats played well and played hard and in the end didn't have the talent to make the necessary plays to pull ahead. The Broncos were well balanced and pretty conservative throughout and their defense didn't give up the big play. If the Patriots had been healthy I think this game would have gone to them simply because the Broncos only managed a ten point margin of victory against a depleted roster. Nonetheless the Broncos were the best team in the AFC and they earned the right to go to the Super Bowl.
Seahawks vs. 49ers
I said that this game would come down to how many mistakes Kaepernick made and how well the 49ers bottled up Beast Mode. Kaep had two costly turnovers before the final interception and Lynch got loose in the second half. There's your ball game. Game management was also a big factor and for the life of me I cannot understand why Harbaugh didn't call a time out before the ill-fated pass into the end zone that ended in a pick. The 49ers had two time outs inside the 20 with 40+ seconds left. Why not call a time out, draw up two or three plays, and run your offense. They could have attacked the middle of the field and still could have stopped the clock with their last time out. I don't get it, but then again I'm not an NFL head coach, let alone one as good as Harbaugh.
Kaepernick has a ways to go with his game; primarily his pocket presence. He definitely showed signs of improvement with his accuracy on the run and touch throwing the ball, but he still struggles making multiple reads and anticipating the rush. Kaep's had an amazing playoff run, again, and the future is very bright for this young man. He came up short after his third road playoff game in the toughest place to play in the NFL against the number one defense in the league. The guy is really good and his ceiling is as high as it gets. If Kaep can make the strides that Cam Newton in his third year then we'll be seeing a lot of the Niners' QB in the post season.
Bowman's injury was about as tough as it gets. You never want to see a great player, one who consistently makes big plays in big games, go out like that late in the season. ACL injuries are nothing to scoff at, but I don't see any reason not to expect Bowman to return to pro bowl form by late season next year. It's significant set-back for the team going into next year, but they'll be in the mix in late December.
The referees were terrible and I think the NFL has a potentially serious problem with how many calls have been missed throughout the year. I normally don't like to harp on refs because they have a very tough job and despite what most people say they rarely decide the outcome of games. They came close in this game with the missed strip/recovery of Bowman at the goal line and the running into the kicker that should have been roughing, but despite that the 49ers had the ball inside the 20 with 40+ seconds and could have won the game. All that being said, refs cannot miss those type of calls in big games. The NFL needs to hire these guys full time so that they can give the job their full attention.
This is how I feel about Richard Sherman . I'm not a fan the guy, but that's mainly because he's gotten in the way of my favorite team going to the Super Bowl. Richard Sherman is the best corner in the league, period. Is he a bit of an ass when he wins? Sure, but he backs up his talk. Could he be more mature about how he reacts to his detractors? Of course, but he's 25, he's the best at what he does, and has overcome a lot to get to where he is. Do I think his words about Crabtree were over the top? Yup, but consider the circumstances. If you're honest with yourself you'll at least recognize that people aren't their most diplomatic right after an emotional victory, especially at the age of 25, full of adrenaline with 60,000+ thousand fans screaming with joy because of a thing you just did. The guy is truly a unique person and has a rare attitude towards competition. I think as time goes on Sherman will mellow a bit because that's what usually happens to people as they age, but he certainly doesn't have to and if he doesn't that's okay. The public's reaction to Sherman says more about us than it does him. He's great, he knows it, he's not shy to let you know it, and so far no one has been able to stop him.
I'll be back with a proper Super Bowl preview, but for now here are my initial thoughts on the upcoming game.
Seahawks vs. Broncos a.k.a. the Puff-puff-pass Bowl
1) If the weather is bad, meaning wind and some kind of precipitation or extreme cold, then the I don't see the Broncos winning this game.
2) Sherman against Thomas should be a great matchup. Thomas struggled against Talib when the Pats corner was healthy, so you have to give the early advantage to Sherman. I wonder if Sherman thinks Thomas is a mediocre receiver like Crabtree?
3) Don't be surprised if Peyton carves this secondary up. I've heard multiple times that the Seahawks' defense is not a complex scheme and that they rely on their exceptional route recognition and athletic ability to make plays. That will make Peyton's film study that much easier and thus he'll be that much more comfortable come game time. A comfy Peyton is bad news for the Legion of Boom.
4) Percy Harvin should scare the crap out of the Broncos. He'll be healthy and he is a nightmare for a depleted Broncos secondary. If he gets going or even gets significant attention then this mostly one dimensional offense becomes a two headed Harvin and Lynch beast mode monster. The Broncos' D can't hang with that.
5) This is the last Super Bowl Peyton Manning plays in. New England's a better team when healthy, the Colts are getting better every offseason, and the Ravens and Steelers aren't going anywhere. Enjoy this moment in NFL history, because it will be just that all too soon.
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