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Alex Smith managed the San Francisco 49ers to… |
The 49ers have gone beyond expectations and predictions. Who imagined, after eight consecutive losing seasons, they’d finish the regular season with the second-best record in the NFL? Who dared think they would have the top defense against the rush? A bye in the first round of the playoffs? That’s for teams like the old Niners or the new Packers, except these Niners reached that pinnacle — and it is a pinnacle as well as an advantage — while the Saints and Steelers, Super Bowl entrants the previous two years, did not. Yet, the complainers are not silenced. They don’t like the red-zone offense, the inability to score touchdowns from close in and needing to accept field goals. That gripe is legitimate. And the complainers don’t like the way Alex Smith plays quarterback. They contend he is a manager, not a winner. Oh? Is that why the Niners were 13-3? A manager? They said the same thing about Trent Dilfer, the Santa Cruz resident, who, before he became ESPN’s best analyst, played his final seasons with the Niners. Dilfer merely managed the Baltimore Ravens to victory in Super Bowl XXXV. Isn’t one of the keys to life being a good manager, understanding how to maximize one’s strengths, how to react in times of difficulty? Whether it’s someone in charge of the country, in charge of a billion-dollar business or in charge of a sports franchise, he or she better know how to manage. Dilfer knew. Alex Smith does. Alex isn’t Joe Montana. There, the ultimate criticism. Nor is he Steve Young, Terry Bradshaw or Tom Brady, either, and the success of Brady, a sixth-round draft pick makes us wonder how the personnel experts make their judgments. Even Montana was a bit of an accident, in the 1979 third round, after Bill Walsh saw him throw to James Owens, San Francisco’s choice in the second round. Alex isn’t Joe Montana. We have that straight. Alex is the efficient leader of a team that has surprised everyone, except perhaps Alex and the man who believed in him, Jim Harbaugh. After Matt Flynn broke all those passing records New Year’s Day for the Packers, when he started in place of Aaron Rodgers — merely the best current quarterback — the question appeared. Is Rodgers that good? (Answer: yes) Or is it just the system? (Answer: no). The system matters, and as you remember, the few games Montana was out and Jeff Kemp or Steve Bono would take over and the Niners would keep winning, the skeptics made the same point: Player or system? It’s both, of course. Montana was special. Still he flourished because of the way Walsh wanted his quarterback to perform, with agility, quick reads, accurate passes instead of particularly long ones. Now Smith is succeeding because of the way Harbaugh, a former quarterback himself, utilizes a system which gets the best from Smith. Yes, that’s known as managing. We are caught up with the individual, the star. But football is very much a team game, and the Niners, from place kicker David Akers to punter Andy Lee, are a winning team. They rarely fumble and almost never throw an interception. That’s managing — and playing — at the highest level, which is the whole idea. Art Spander has been covering Bay Area sports since 1965 and also writes on www.artspander.com and www.realclearsports.com. Email him at typoes@aol.com.
49ers vs. TBD WHEN: Jan. 14, 1:30 p.m. WHERE: Candlestick Park TV: Fox (KTVU, Ch. 2) RADIO: KNBR (680 AM), KSAN (107.7 FM) Leave your comments on the news below. Posted in 49ers-news | Comments Off
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San Francisco 49ers should give up the farm for… |
Watching Andrew Luck pick apart Oklahoma State’s ball-hawking pass defense in the Fiesta Bowl without star receiver Chris Owusu and tight end Coby Fleener had to secure his position as the all-but-certain No. 1 pick in April’s NFL draft. Now imagine Luck re-united with Jim Harbaugh and playing for the 49ers? Sure, it will take an enormous offer to lure Luck away from the Indianapolis Colts, who secured the top pick with an abysmal 2-14 season. But Indianapolis could be open to trading the top pick because selecting the Stanford quarterback would likely mean a parting of the ways with Peyton Manning. While Manning still awaits medical clearance to play following three neck surgeries and is due a $28 million roster bonus on March 8, the soon to be 36-year old-quarterback remains the face of the Colts’ franchise and is revered by team owner Jim Irsay. Of course, smart football decisions regularly trump sentiment (see: 49ers trading Joe Montana or Packers cutting ties with Brett Favre), but if the Colts truly believe Manning will make it back, why not fill other more pressing needs with the two first-round picks or more you could get for Luck? Which brings us back to the 49ers. While Harbaugh remains Alex Smith’s greatest supporter and openly talks about plans to re-sign his free-agent-to-be quarterback, Smith has yet to appear in a playoff game where careers are ultimately made or broken. A serviceable offense has been good enough to return the 49ers to prominence. It will take more than that to rekindle San Francisco’s football glory. If Smith struggles to match throws with the likes of Drew Brees or Aaron Rodgers, 4949 Centennial Blvd. in Santa Clara will be buzzing with contingency plans for the 2012 season, and it should start with Luck. KGO (810 AM) Sports Director Rich Walcoff can be heard weekdays from 5 to 9 a.m. on the KGO morning news. He can be reached at RichWalcoff@gmail.com. That’s all for today. Posted in 49ers-news | Comments Off
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San Francisco 49ers earn their much-needed bye |
Those last few minutes of Sunday’s game, as their fingernails turned to powder holding onto a one-touchdown lead, meant everything to the 49ers. Meant earning the No. 2 seed in the NFC for the playoffs. Meant that they don’t have to line up for a playoff game next week while eight other NFL teams do. Meant that all the 49ers players with injuries — some of whom were inactive here against the St. Louis Rams and some of whom gamely pushed through their pain to play — will now have a much-desired extra week to recuperate. Meant that coach Jim Harbaugh will no longer have to search for adjectives when asked how important the eventual 34-27 victory was. ”How bad did we need the bye week?” Harbaugh said afterward, repeating a question, sounding almost irritated that it had been posed. “I can’t quantify it. We needed it bad, needed it very bad, needed it really bad … you can plug in whatever you want.” OK, thanks for the offer. We’ll plug in the word “acutely.” How’s that sound? The 49ers needed acutely to win Sunday. ”It’s a big deal,” said 49ers tight end Justin Peelle, who filled in admirably for the ailing (jaw injury) Delanie Walker. “It doesn’t guarantee anything. But it’s a step toward where we want to go.” Most important, it was not a step backward — although for a few furious minutes in the fourth quarter, a backward fall seemed more than a remote possibility. The Rams, after falling behind by three touchdowns with 6:30 left in the game, demonstrated their professionalism by mounting a comeback almost out of nowhere — in front of the perhaps 15,000 moderately loud customers who were still left inside the Edward Jones Dome. The flurry all happened within 13 seconds, thanks in part to 49ers mental lapses — a Rams touchdown, then a recovered onside kick, then a pass-interference flag, then another Rams touchdown. Suddenly, the 49ers were ahead by only seven points. But at that point, Harbaugh’s team remembered that this was not 2009 or 2010. The players remembered to stay disciplined. This group of 49ers deserves credit for so many things. But it has often been the largely unnoticed decision or subtle play, the discipline to stay with the program laid out by Harbaugh and his staff, that has counted the most. For instance: Have you wondered why quarterback Alex Smith has thrown just five interceptions in his 16 starts, half as many interceptions as in 2010 when he started only 10 games? It is because of decisions such as the one he made with 3:53 remaining, when the 49ers faced a third-down play as they were nursing their one-touchdown lead, trying to run out the clock. In other words, Smith desperately needed a first down. But when he dropped back and saw nothing available, Smith chose to take a sack — even though it meant the 49ers would have to punt the ball away and leave the game in the defense’s hands. In previous years, Smith would have recklessly forced a pass and wound up with an interception. He would have scrambled wildly and fumbled away the ball. ”Potentially in the past, I might have tried to make something happen,” Smith conceded. “But the play wasn’t there to be made. And with our special teams and defense … I made the decision I did.” Thus, Smith allowed himself to be hauled down by the Rams, 7 yards behind the line of scrimmage. The 49ers punted, and their defense did indeed hold the Rams, stopping St. Louis on a fourth-down incomplete pass. It was broken up by defensive backs Reggie Smith and Tramaine Brock, who stayed — that’s right — disciplined in their coverage. The 49ers offense then rushed for a first down before Smith took a knee as the clock expired. ”These are long, physical seasons,” said a relieved Smith. “To get a bye is big.” And here’s one way to look at it: The 49ers received their bye exactly because of those last few minutes Sunday. The Saints and 49ers finished with identical 13-3 records. But the tiebreaker for the No. 2 seed turned out to be wins and losses within the conference — and the 49ers had one more conference victory than the Saints. Where did that crucial extra victory take place? Let’s check the records. In October, New Orleans lost to the Rams at the Edward Jones Dome. The 49ers didn’t lose here Sunday. Thirteen games in the win column is a difficult number for any team to reach in the NFL. Before we get too deep into playoff-matchup speculation, we should pause and salute the achievement. The last time that the 49ers won 13 regular-season games was in 1997. Wide receiver Michael Crabtree was in fourth grade. Team owner Jed York was in high school. Harbaugh was playing quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts. That’s a long time ago. The 49ers were not pleased with how they almost blew Sunday’s game. That’s understandable. But on a day when they were without two or their top three wideouts and one of their top two tight ends, Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman were as creative as ever with their personnel. The banged-up 49ers defense, with an obviously limited linebacker Patrick Willis (hamstring), gave up a season-high 27 points in regulation but stifled the Rams when it mattered most. And a fake field goal on special teams worked brilliantly. Who’s got it better than the 49ers? Only the Green Bay Packers, who are the No. 1 seed in the NFC bracket. But Sunday’s victory put the 49ers in the best possible position to reach the conference title game. To paraphrase their coach, the 49ers needed to be in that position — needed it bad, needed it really bad, needed it very bad. And now, they get to plug in where it all goes from here. Contact Mark Purdy at mpurdy@mercurynews.com or 408-920-5092 That’s all the news for today. Posted in 49ers-news | Comments Off
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Jim Harbaugh “Coach’s Notebook: January 2”… |
The San Francisco 49ers played a tough game against the St. Louis Rams on January 1 and came out with a 34-27 victory. The 49ers were already heading towards the playoffs but that victory locked up the two-seed in the NFC for them, handing them the luxury of a first-round bye and time to rest some players. As far as Jim Harbaugh is concerned, this probably isn’t going to be a vacation of any sorts. He and his team will watch film on teams they could possibly face and prepare themselves by facing each other during this week at practice, since they don’t know who they are playing yet. In Harbaugh’s weekly press conference, he made a few important points and answered some questions that reflected exactly how he felt about the win and the playoffs. Media: Late in the season, your team had been on a three for 20 slump in the red zone. You’re 6-8 in scoring touchdowns in the last three games. Is that encouraging going in to this playoff game? Jim Harbaugh “It is. We had hit a little bit of a slump there, three or four weeks back. But, I think it’s been improving and that’s encouraging.” The red zone offense was something that had been lacking prior to the last three games, but Harbaugh knows that teams go through slumps. It’s not something that he was going to lose sleep over, but I’m sure it is something he addressed with his team. There is never a more crucial time to remain efficient in the red zone and that time is drawing near when the 49ers head into their first playoff game in nearly a decade on January 14. Knowing that, Harbaugh will have his team ready for anything they have to face. M: Any things you guys will do the same (referring to Jim Harbaugh talking to his brother John Harbaugh)? JH: “Yeah, there will be some similar things. Basically, we’re on a similar schedule. Some things, like I said, we both have a bye this week. Compared notes, some things are the same, some are different.” As a fan, I have to admit it’s pretty cool to see that Jim is able to reach out to his older brother John despite essentially being in competition. There is a possibility that these two teams meet in the Super Bowl, especially with both teams being two-seeds in their respective leagues and having first-round byes. John has been to the playoffs before with the Ravens and Jim has to feel more confident that he can reach out to his brother for some advice in his first go as an NFL head coach. M: You always hear about playoff experience. This team kind of reminds me of the 1981 Super Bowl team: 13-3, you’ve got a bye, virtually no experience on the roster in the playoffs. Underrated or overrated, playoff experience? JH: “I think it’s good to have experience. It’s good to have been there before. I’m not overrating it or underrating it.” Continuing down the course of having experience and this being Jim Harbaugh’s first year, he knows that experience is important. Talking to his brother can only offer him so much in terms of experience. The 49ers being there and playing in the playoffs is the only way to gain experience and for this group of guys, very, very few of them have playoff experience. Not to mention Jim Harbaugh is in his first year as an NFL coach, meaning that this is new territory for many of the 49ers. Hopefully everything the 49ers have been able to do all year to win games with be amplified in the playoffs—including their bond as a team. David is co-founder of wrapupp sports blog where they post fresh content daily and present sports blogs and sports opinions – all with a West Coast bias. Growing up in the Bay Area, David is a huge supporter of all the local sports teams; the Giants, Athletics, Warriors, Sharks, 49ers, and Raiders. His one fault, admittedly, as many of his friends and family would say, is his love for the Los Angeles Lakers. Growing up, Magic Johnson was his favorite basketball player and he fell in love with the team. He chalks it up to, “Not knowing any better”. Now his love for sports has turned just as academic as it is intuitive and he follows most all sports all over the nation. You can follow David on Twitter: @officialwrapupp Sources: 49ers.com. Coach’s Notebook: Jan. 2. NFL 2011. More from David Mehrwein and the Yahoo! Contributor Network: San Francisco 49ers Vs. St. Louis Rams: Fan Preview Oakland Raiders Vs. San Diego Chargers: Fan Preview San Francisco 49ers Have Eight Players Selected to Pro Bowl: Fan Reaction Top 2012 Pro Bowl Snubs: Fan Opinion 49ers Release WR Braylon Edwards: Fan Reaction Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content. Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news. Posted in 49ers-news | Comments Off
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San Francisco 49ers 2012 Opponents Unveiled: Fan… |
Yes, the 2011 NFL regular season just ended on January 1, but that doesn’t mean it’s never too early to see what teams your favorite team will be up against in the coming season. Now that the San Francisco 49ers have clinched the two-seed in the NFC Playoff picture, their current focus will be finding out who they will play in the divisional round of the playoffs and being prepared for whomever it may be – if things shake out as I think they will, the New Orleans Saints will be making their way to San Francisco. However, it is pretty entertaining for us fans to see what challenges await us in the upcoming year despite not being completely finished with this season just yet. On January 2, the NFL released who the 49ers will play at home and on the road—the official schedule with dates and times will not be released until the spring. It looks like this: Home: Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, New York Giants, Buffalo Bills, and the Miami Dolphins. Away: Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, and the New York Jets. As far as challenges on the road, the 49ers schedule for 2012 is packed full of them. Going on the road to face the Seahawks, Packers, Saints, Patriots, and Jets will all be litmus tests for the 49ers next year. Their 2012 home opponents will all be competitive and difficult. This year’s schedule isn’t nearly as daunting as next year’s and it will prove to be the measuring stick against which many people will judge the 49ers – especially after their 13-3 year in 2011. I look forward to the challenge the 49ers face and know that with a head coach like Jim Harbaugh, who has brought this team together and made it a strong, functioning unit, any test the team faces will be met head-on. Playing in the playoffs will also be a great test for the 49ers and again will be a way of measuring how complete this team is. It will test Alex Smith and his ability to lead the team and it will test just how close of a unit Jim Harbaugh has created in San Francisco. No matter what, I know one thing is for sure; Jim Harbaugh will make sure his team will “attack the day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind”. David is co-founder of wrapupp sports blog where they post fresh content daily and present sports blogs and sports opinions – all with a West Coast bias. Growing up in the Bay Area, David is a huge supporter of all the local sports teams; the Giants, Athletics, Warriors, Sharks, 49ers, and Raiders. His one fault, admittedly, as many of his friends and family would say, is his love for the Los Angeles Lakers. Growing up, Magic Johnson was his favorite basketball player and he fell in love with the team. He chalks it up to, “Not knowing any better”. Now his love for sports has turned just as academic as it is intuitive and he follows most all sports all over the nation. You can follow David on Twitter: @officialwrapupp Sources: 49ers.com. 49ers 2012 Opponents Determined. NFL 2011. More from David Mehrwein and the Yahoo! Contributor Network: San Francisco 49ers Vs. St. Louis Rams: Fan Preview Oakland Raiders Vs. San Diego Chargers: Fan Preview San Francisco 49ers Have Eight Players Selected to Pro Bowl: Fan Reaction Top 2012 Pro Bowl Snubs: Fan Opinion 49ers Release WR Braylon Edwards: Fan Reaction Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content. Leave any suggestions in the comment box. Posted in 49ers-news | Comments Off
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