SN Poll: Are Niners serious contenders?

[deep9er]

best part, we're playing a schedule that fits well for our growth IMO.

WTF do I mean?
Seattle - divisional opener, a strong game to start fresh
Dallas - caught them injured/broken from defeat prior, missed that opportunity.
Cincy - played a strong defense on the road and didn't implode, played it right, safe, comeback, win on the road.
Philly - a game where we expected to lose for good reasons, both D and Alex(yes) stepped up when trailing by a few scores, showed the ability to score and stop a high scoring offense and create multiple TOs
TB - a more formidable opponent(led NFCS) at home, completely trashed them silly.
Det - a matchup of two surprises, another high scoring offense with a nasty front 4... went back n forth, didn't give up, took their best shots, stood tall and did what we needed to do. Alex came through again on the road. Beating a playoff contender on the road instilled a new level of confidence and respect.
bye
Cle - possible trap game, completely owned them in the first but back off in the 2nd while opening the playbook to some trick plays.

The upcoming Giants game, against ANOTHER division leader/playoff contender...

Then Baltimore in Baltimore against a playoff contender/playoff caliber defense....

Then a MNF vs the Steelers who are on the rise and "could" be argued for the #2 team in the league....

We are on an appropiate path to better ourselves every week accordingly and could make some real noise in the playoffs....

blah!

yeah, the Giants game MAY have tie breaker implications, so that game is more important than Baltimore and Pittsburgh. heck even Washington is more important being they're an NFC team.

the odds are low so don't want to exaggerate, but you just ne'va know?

 

[Mozart'sGhost]

I'm still very skeptical. I don't think they are. Not to be a downer but the best teams they've beaten were the Lions & the self-imploding Eagles. If they were up against an elite team my money wouldn't be on the Niners. Just being realistic.

Well, a team can only play who is on the schedule so you can't hold that against them. They'll get more in sync offensively as the year goes on. Without serious injury I think they are a lock for the #2 seed in the NFC. This gives them a great opportunity to make "a deep playoff run" with only one victory at home. Not a chance in hell they beat Green Bay up there in January though.

 

[CalamityX11]

Well, a team can only play who is on the schedule so you can't hold that against them. They'll get more in sync offensively as the year goes on. Without serious injury I think they are a lock for the #2 seed in the NFC. This gives them a great opportunity to make "a deep playoff run" with only one victory at home. Not a chance in hell they beat Green Bay up there in January though.

IDK, teams got to be able to run the ball in the cold and iffy conditions....

 

[deep9er]

IDK, teams got to be able to run the ball in the cold and iffy conditions....

yep, IF we get that far at least we have two critical things going well now.......run defense and our own running game.

 

[tallglassofwater007]

Not a chance in hell they beat Green Bay up there in January though.

I think that's the ONLY chance we have. We aren't gonna beat them in warm weather or a dome. The elements are the thing that evens it out a bit.

 

[deep9er]

I think that's the ONLY chance we have. We aren't gonna beat them in warm weather or a dome. The elements are the thing that evens it out a bit.

good point. say we do get the #1 seed, is our home field advantage REALLY an advantage?

would Alex Smith play OK in the cold?

 

[Mozart'sGhost]

IDK, teams got to be able to run the ball in the cold and iffy conditions....

An extremely tall order against a clearly superior team playing at home in conditions they are used to. I'll be thrilled if the Niners just get to that game. A playoff win at home before that game would be fantastic.

 

[Mozart'sGhost]

yep, IF we get that far at least we have two critical things going well now.......run defense and our own running game.

Run defense won't help against Green Bay. It's the passing teams that usually give the 49ers trouble and Green Bay has the premier passing attack in the league.

 

[Mozart'sGhost]

I think that's the ONLY chance we have. We aren't gonna beat them in warm weather or a dome. The elements are the thing that evens it out a bit.

Interesting thought. I hadn't considered that but I'd still give better odds of the 49ers beating GB in SF than up there. I'm not sure they've ever won a game up there; at least I don't remember it.

 

[CalamityX11]

An extremely tall order against a clearly superior team playing at home in conditions they are used to. I'll be thrilled if the Niners just get to that game. A playoff win at home before that game would be fantastic.

A tall order indeed, if we're talking about a possible SF vs GB in GB with snowy conditions(poor/iffy), the weather affects both squads despite GB being "custom" to it....

NE sees snow every year but their passing game is still affected much like any other Cold infested cities....

Best way to battle the snowy conditions is the running game...

 

[deep9er]

Run defense won't help against Green Bay. It's the passing teams that usually give the 49ers trouble and Green Bay has the premier passing attack in the league.

not arguing their passing attack, but how can a good run D "won't help"? having a good run D is better than not having one, at least we can push 'one dimensional' on them. imagine they could run OR pass?

their 'one dimensional' is good no doubt, but we're not discussing who's the better team, but what positives we DO have?

 

[Mozart'sGhost]

not arguing their passing attack, but how can a good run D "won't help"? having a good run D is better than not having one, at least we can push 'one dimensional' on them. imagine they could run OR pass?

their 'one dimensional' is good no doubt, but we're not discussing who's the better team, but what positives we DO have?

Fair enough; I just don't see run defense being much of a factor at all in a game against GB. Might as well discuss the advantage the Niners have because they have a better punter.