49ers go from No. 2 pick to No. 1 seed in 1 year

AP via Yahoo ^ | December 31st, 2019 | Unattributed

[Mariner]

Five games in a row decided in the last 10 seconds, and all against good teams.

And they won 4 of them.

Some SF Giants fans remember the World Series titles and the way their wins then were characterized: Torture

This is the 49ers version.

[entropy12]

Skittle is the player responsible most for this!

[tinyowl]

Bet they miss Kapernick.

[Bernard]

Since I don’t follow NFL anymore, how much of the 49er success depended on the schedule? As I recall a team who won 3 or 4 games this year gets more games against other teams that won 305 games as well. Was that a factor?

[Rio]

Santa Clara 49ers?

[Mariner]

They played NO in NO. Seattle in Seattle and Baltimore in Baltimore.

Won 2 of 3.

They didn’t have a light schedule.

And dealt with a lot of injuries, like everybody else.

[Conserv]

I might end up rooting for them.

I will just have to see.

[Jim W N]

I’ve been a Niners’ fan since the 50’s (Hugh Mcelhenny, Leo Nomellini, & Co.).

They’re looking good - statistically the third best team in the NFL.

I’ve got them favored to go to the Super Bowl but losing to the Ravens.

The Niners’ best chances against the Ravens and throughout the playoffs: Nick Bosa and the other defensive end MUST CONTAIN the run to the INSIDE - DON’T let Lamar Jackson’s play fakes and options draw you in so he can run outside of you and get ten yards at a crack. I see Nick Bosa do too many 180’s after the run has gone past him on the outside.

[Mariner]

Purging that poison was the best decision the 49ers ever made.

[irishjuggler]

FWIW, the Shanahan family are Republicans and Trump supporters.

“Former Redskins coach Mike Shanahan speaks at Trump rally in key swing state”
https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/washington-redskins/former-redskins-coach-mike-shanahan-speaks-donald-trump-rally-key-swing-state

[Jim W N]

That ‘s the other beef I have with the Niners: MOVE BACK TO THE CITY where you belong.

They had a chance to get prime real estate across McCovey Cove from AT&T Park, SF Giant’s baseball park. What a complex that would be. So cool. Well that real estate’s been developed but they need to get their butts back there and land there or somewhere. They are the S.F. Forty-Niners!

[Mariner]

The defensive line has been battered.

The DEs cant do it all. Part of containment is ensuring a solid middle. When the DE has to assist with that, it’s hard to get outside.

[Grampa Dave]

When did Colon kneel and leave the 49ers.

Did their recovery start a little later?

[Jim W N]

I’m not asking the DE’s to “do it all” - just contain the freaking run. If Bosa’s a better interior lineman to laser-beam rush and sack the QB then move him there. Everybody’s linemen are bruised and battered this time of year.

But if the Niners’ focus on both rushing and containing the opponents’ backfield, they’ve got the best chances IMO.

[Conserv]

Now I’m definitely rooting for them.

Rooted for the Patriots last yr, but I don’t think they’re getting very far this yr. The only person Brady has to throw to is Edelman...and even he’s been dropping some.

My Falcons stunk. I want Matt Ryan to retire.

[Mariner]

Yes, Bosa is young and still gets lured inside.

Like dangling bait in front of a big bass.

He need to focus his rush strait ahead until even with the QB. Occasionally swing to the outside, but never to the inside.

[dfwgator]

History repeats.

In 1979, they were 2-14, In 1980 they were 6-10, and they won the SB in 1981.

[Dr. Sivana]

Since I don’t follow NFL anymore, how much of the 49er success depended on the schedule? As I recall a team who won 3 or 4 games this year gets more games against other teams that won 305 games as well. Was that a factor?

I despise the 49ers, but since they are in one of the toughest divisions in football, their schedule was pretty tough. They also had to play the entire AFC North, which is half good and half weak. The current system does not give games as weak as the schedule back when there were three divisions in each conference, when cellar dwelling teams played each other a lot more.

[discostu]

The #1 schedule thing is a misnomer. Happens because when you finish #1 in your division you’ll face the other 2 teams that finished #1 in their division in your conference (plus the #1 in the division your division rotates against). But the real math of it is those just “substitute” for the 2 games your division mates play against you. In the end the cycle of 6 in division games, division in your conference, division in the other conference, plus “rank” games means that every team plays 4 games a season against teams that finished at each of the 4 division rankings last season. There is no #1 schedule.

Now thanks to the division rotations you can get soft schedules, because the divisions aren’t made equal. That was the Pats this year, with their rotations being against the NFC East, and the AFC North, and of course their division including the Phins and Jets half their schedule was against the dregs of the league. Niners had a pretty solid schedule this year.

[SamAdams76]

The Patriots will regret giving up Jimmy Garoppolo so that they could squeeze a few more years out of Brady. Garoppolo could have extended the dynasty at least another decade.

49ers are lucky to have him.