GDT: NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME Giants @ 4_9_E_R_S!!!!!

[arsenal6106]

Man o man, we are one game away from the promise land. Please, please win. I'm not even sure if I'm going to watch the AFC game.

How is everybody approaching the AFC game? In terms of watching it or not.

 

[Arete Tzu]

I'm re-watching the last Giants game, There was a few plays that where a hair away from making it go the other way, we really eked that one out, I don't know how I'll sleep tonight.

 

[arsenal6106]

I'm re-watching the last Giants game, There was a few plays that where a hair away from making it go the other way, we really eked that one out, I don't know how I'll sleep tonight.

I remember Eli making some incredible throws in that game. He's more than capable of doing it again. I don't remember if we put enough pressure on him throughout the game.

 

[Arete Tzu]

I remember Eli making some incredible throws in that game. He's more than capable of doing it again. I don't remember if we put enough pressure on him throughout the game.

Aldon has come into his own more since then that will help.

 

[MHSL82]

You know how they say that time flies when you are happy? That's a bunch of crock. After the Saints game, it was the happiest time for me as a Niner, but time has gone so slowly.

 

[numone9er]

Fucking 49ers! Go baby go!

 

[tomikcon1971]

A few game day morning posts before I head off to work out.

Giants vs. 49ers: History of a playoff rivalry | NJ.com

 

[tomikcon1971]

All was mostly quiet on the Twitter front last night....with one major exception. Boobie Dixon was tweeting constantly until about 2:30 local time on the west coast.

 

[tomikcon1971]

One other interesting tweet last night....my hunch is this as related to Harbs message to the team. Maybe not, but this was posted by Snyder.

@ASnyds68

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers for he to-day that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother.

If you are not familiar this is from the HBO series Band of Brothers based on Easy Company and their journey from boot camp, on to the UK, to D-day, and through many other key battles on the European front. Follows them until the end of the war. Great series about incredible men. This is just the kind of thing Harbs would use.

 

[tomikcon1971]

Interesting tidbits....1997 was the last time both road teams won the AFC-NFC championship games. We lost to GB that day.

Also, the last time we met the Giants in the Champ game was the infamous Leonard Marshall game which effectively ended Montana's career in SFO.

 

[tomikcon1971]

I can't wait. I've grown tired of all the talk this week leading up to the game and I'm ready to finally see it all play out on the field again.

I started the week laughing to myself that the 49ers are really only 1 of FOUR remaining teams left. It's unfortunate but for me there is some unbelievability there because I didn't see things playing out this way. The season has played out so much differently than I thought it would when Harbaugh and company took over.

It should be an interesting game as always, especially if the weather clearly factors into it. I'm not sure if any result would surprise me at this point except for maybe a 49ers blowout where it's pretty much decided by halftime or something along those lines.

In that first game I felt Eli made a handful of throws that were as good or better than any other that I saw all year. For me with Eli it's almost always about if good Eli is going to show up or if bad Eli is going to show up. When I watch him it seems like if you're the Giants you usually get one or the other for a good stretch of the game. Any Giants fan who watches them more than myself can disagree with me but that's often the feeling I get. Maybe not so much this year compared to previous years but it's still something that's there with Eli in my opinion.

Nicks is one of the scariest players on the field to me and he comes into this game healthier than he was the last time the 49ers faced them I believe. His mannerisms on the field are closer to TO's than any receiver I've ever watched. He's a bad man and playing very well right now. Can he be slowed down any?

Cruz says he has a much better grasp of things now than the first time. He's slippery and dangerous. Manningham's skill set is another one that concerns me. He could end up getting the most consistent favorable match-up in this game.

For a long time now I've gone into games being more confident against the opponent's ground game than any other part of the team, special teams included. Bradshaw will get his chance this time as he missed the last game against the 49ers. However, Jacobs can easily be the scariest back of them all to me. I'll worry if he gets going early. That OL will need to play better in the run game. That was another area the 49ers seemed to beat them in pretty good the first time. Bradshaw I worry more so on checkdowns in the passing game than anything else.

Last time both teams missed on things in the pass game, run game, on the OL and in the defensive backfield that could have made it such a different game. Drops, missed tackles, missed blocks, etc.. Maybe it's my nature but the things the Giants missed out on executing stuck out more so for me than the things the 49ers messed up. I worry that they'll play a much cleaner game this time. I don't want to see them getting the chance to front run.

It'll be interesting to see how much and how they use Gore. I'm fascinated to see what we learn about him in the offseason after things are all said and done. How banged up is he really and how much, if at all, that's factoring into his role and what we're seeing from him? Weather permitting, I am curious to see if the 49ers are so eager to air it out early in this game like last time. How will Alex Smith handle things if it's wet?

Other thoughts in no particular order:

The return of Delanie Walker. It will be interesting to see how often he's in the game. According to every advanced number I can find on various sites he's been one heck of a blocker in the run game this year but he still scares me more than ANYBODY when the ball is thrown to him. He led the 49ers in catches and yards last time against the Giants.

Carlos Rogers. I believe I can recall two INTs for him the last time but he seemed to struggle a bit at times in this game. If the coaches were to agree with that, he seems like somebody who is going to be key in this game.

Culliver has been one of the guys I've tried focusing on alot this year. He could be very big, good or bad, in this game and may not get the credit he deserves if he plays well this time. To me he's been up-and-down this year as many or most of the rookie DBs have been.

It's a crime it took me this long to mention Justin Smith. Outside of Adrian Peterson he might be my favorite player to watch in the league. I had to watch the 4th qtr of that Giants game just because of his performance. It started way before that final drive too.

For so long David Akers for me has been like Eli Manning. Up until this year, and maybe I'm unfairly judging him because his rough stretch was just so bad, but I keep waiting for him to turn back into that bad, bad Akers that I remember watching for a while in Philly. That might be the most painful way this team could get eliminated from the playoffs for me personally just because I've been expecting him to go bad all year.

I'm sure I could list 50 more things that I have an interest in this game but I'm now realizing how long this has gotten and I should call it a night so I have enough power for the game tomorrow.

As always, solid post. Thanks Pozz.

 

[tomikcon1971]

Like Pozz, I could come up with endless comments. I've tried to boil my thoughts down in no particular order:

1) O-lines vs. D-lines. We have to stop their D-line and dominate their O-line. Simple as that.
2) Culliver- I have a feeling he'll be picked on today, especially on deep tries. This could be a defining moment (good or bad) for that young man. I hope they give him some help.
3) Football v. Mother Nature- Both teams will have to deal with it, but for some reason if one team gets up by 10 and the weather worsens, that could feel like a 20 point lead. I have to believe a slow nasty track favors us however.
4) Turnovers- We've owned this category all season. That can't change today.
5) Special Teams- Field position could be huge today and we've been dominant this year. Also the G-men had a couple of dumb penalties last go around. A long wet field for the Giants could be to our advantage. Finally, Akers may be asked to kick some long field goals again today.
6) Heavy Dose of Gore/Hunter- Run, run , run. Wear that D down.
7) Delanie- He was very involved last go around. I hope he can go today.
8) Trick play- Last time we got an onsides kick. No way that happens again but I keep waiting for the Soap/Staley pass to reappear. Might just be today.

That's my thoughts. Gotta run in a little bit. I'll be on for the duration once the AFC game begins.

BEAT THE GIANTS!

 

[tomikcon1971]

Updated weather forecast for Candlestick - NFC West Blog - ESPN

 

[tomikcon1971]

49ers’ Whitner shrugs off hurting opponents with physical play | ProFootballTalk

 

[tomikcon1971]

I wasn't going to start a thread just for this....especially since we play them today.

Eli Manning on the rise - ESPN

 

[tomikcon1971]

There are a zillion picks out there....here's a couple more.

PFT’s conference championship picks | ProFootballTalk

 

[tomikcon1971]

Looks like the Vegas line is holding at Niners -2.5. I suspect that means the bets are coming in fairly even. If a bunch of money went to one team or the other, I'm guessing the line would have moved.

 

[SRPnVA]

Giants Fans Confused About Empire State Building Colors - New York News - Runnin' Scared

Empire State building lit up in Niners Red & Gold because of Chinese New Year LOL

 

[dez]

field looks to be in good shape
Crews prepare Candlestick's field for game, weather | Sarah Gantz | Local | San Francisco Examiner

 

[Mozart'sGhost]

Man o man, we are one game away from the promise land. Please, please win. I'm not even sure if I'm going to watch the AFC game.

How is everybody approaching the AFC game? In terms of watching it or not.

Normally it would be a big deal. This year its kind of an after thought. I'll watch it but my mind will be elesewhere. I'll root for the Patriots in case the 49ers lose; that way I'll have someone to root for in the Super Bowl.