Posted on 12/31/2019 10:28:11 AM PST by Mariner
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers have gone from the No. 2 draft pick to the No. 1 seed in the span of a year.
After four straight losing seasons, including only 10 wins in coach Kyle Shanahan's first two seasons, the 49ers (13-3) emerged as the top team in the NFC thanks a big-play offense and a vastly improved defense.
"We knew going into the year we had a chance to be pretty good with what we had on paper and watching the guys throughout training camp," Shanahan said. "We knew that pretty well after the first five games, we could feel it. Then you go through a number of injuries and stuff and you never know how you're going to be able to fully handle that. That's what I have been impressed the most with the guys, no one has wavered."
That was especially true Sunday night in the season finale when the 49ers ended an eight-game skid in Seattle and beat the Seahawks 26-21 after making a stop inches from the goal line in the closing seconds. That was the fifth straight game for San Francisco that was decided in the final 10 seconds.
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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.
Skittle is the player responsible most for this!
Bet they miss Kapernick.
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?
Santa Clara 49ers?
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.
I might end up rooting for them.
I will just have to see.
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.
Purging that poison was the best decision the 49ers ever made.
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
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!
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.
When did Colon kneel and leave the 49ers.
Did their recovery start a little later?
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.
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.
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.
History repeats.
In 1979, they were 2-14, In 1980 they were 6-10, and they won the SB in 1981.
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.
49ers are lucky to have him.
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