philbert said:

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Strykur said:

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GBear4Life said:

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Strange trade for Emmanuel Sanders. Coming off achilles tear, 32 years old, FA after season. Would prefer Sanu.

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Sanders was in Atlanta when Kyle Shanahan was offensive coordinator, he knows the offense and is an immediate plug-and-play.

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Do you mean Sanu? Don't think Sanders was ever a Falcon.

However, Sanders OC this year came from the Shanahan's SF staff (QB coach), so the offense is familiar to him.

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Yeah it was Sanu but the Shanahan coaching tree was still there in Denver for Sanders, thus the familiarity.

familiarity for WRs with a coach's system is not super important.

GBear4Life said:

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familiarity for WRs with a coach's system is not super important.

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That really depends. In some systems, the WRs have options and the QB and WRs are supposed to make the same read. If they don't you have the QB "missing his WR by a mile."

sycasey said:

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49ers destroy Panthers in all phases of the game, now stand at 7-0.

Guys I think this team might be good.

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I dunno. That Bosa guy seems overrated to me

Play design matters. Probably more so than play calling. And that has always been my main gripe with Baldwin.

sycasey said:

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49ers destroy Panthers in all phases of the game, now stand at 7-0.

Guys I think this team might be good.

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Yes, they have a shot at the playoffs seeing as all 36 prior 7-0 teams since the merger made the playoffs.

Looking at the data, 10 won super bowls, 8 lost super bowls, 7 lost conf champ games and 11 failed to win a playoff game. So it would seem the niners are in pretty good company overall.

All of a sudden the Niners can run the ball at will

Shanahan's play calling is so damn good. Couple that with a defense filled with studs (Buckner, Bosa, Armstead, etc.), and these guys are legit contenders. Definitely helps take away the sting from another disappointing Cal season too!

westcoast101 said:

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Shanahan's play calling is so damn good.

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Yeah, several times a game I think, "What a great call, totally crossed up their tendencies, never saw it coming."

I almost never think that with Cal's offense.

ducky23 said:

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82gradDLSdad said:

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sycasey said:

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westcoast101 said:

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Shanahan's play calling is so damn good.

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Yeah, several times a game I think, "What a great call, totally crossed up their tendencies, never saw it coming."

I almost never think that with Cal's offense.

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I agree with ducky. The play design of the 49ers plays is amazing. Flow one way, some guys going another, fake another way, throw/run another. It's impressive. And yes, I've never said that about a Baldwin play. There is a reason the 49ers can score with two scrub OTs, their star FB out and a bunch of new WRs. It's not just talent as some of us have been saying forever.

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Yep. And then someone will say, oh well all that play action and misdirection works only because the niners have a good run game.

But one of the reasons the niners have a good run game is because of all the misdirection. Defenders can't overcommit.
That's what makes those quick hitters so destructive. The defenders hesitate for a nanosecond and boom, the running back is gone.

With cal, you have like 9 defenders crashing down on the run cause there is zero attempt at deception.

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Exactly. It all works together; scheme/play design and play-calling (selection/sequence). The Niners have talent but it is the NFL, everyone does to a large extent. As with the last time they had a resurgence, it was coaching, plus coaching finding player's Strengths and putting them in a position to succeed.

bearister said:

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I'm losing confidence in my theory that Jimmy G sucks.

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He's made some incredible throws.

NYCGOBEARS said:

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bearister said:

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I'm losing confidence in my theory that Jimmy G sucks.

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He's made some incredible throws.

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...and unlike Carr, he is not skittish about getting hit. He got lit up a few times tonight.

calumnus said:

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ducky23 said:

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82gradDLSdad said:

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sycasey said:

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westcoast101 said:

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Shanahan's play calling is so damn good.

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Yeah, several times a game I think, "What a great call, totally crossed up their tendencies, never saw it coming."

I almost never think that with Cal's offense.

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I agree with ducky. The play design of the 49ers plays is amazing. Flow one way, some guys going another, fake another way, throw/run another. It's impressive. And yes, I've never said that about a Baldwin play. There is a reason the 49ers can score with two scrub OTs, their star FB out and a bunch of new WRs. It's not just talent as some of us have been saying forever.

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Yep. And then someone will say, oh well all that play action and misdirection works only because the niners have a good run game.

But one of the reasons the niners have a good run game is because of all the misdirection. Defenders can't overcommit.
That's what makes those quick hitters so destructive. The defenders hesitate for a nanosecond and boom, the running back is gone.

With cal, you have like 9 defenders crashing down on the run cause there is zero attempt at deception.

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Exactly. It all works together; scheme/play design and play-calling (selection/sequence). The Niners have talent but it is the NFL, everyone does to a large extent. As with the last time they had a resurgence, it was coaching, plus coaching finding player's Strengths and putting them in a position to succeed.

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Yeah, remember what they looked like under Singletary and then Harbaugh? Night and day. Coaching matters.

8-0. Big games from Jimmy G and Emmanuel Sanders.

sycasey said:

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calumnus said:

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ducky23 said:

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82gradDLSdad said:

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sycasey said:

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westcoast101 said:

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Shanahan's play calling is so damn good.

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Yeah, several times a game I think, "What a great call, totally crossed up their tendencies, never saw it coming."

I almost never think that with Cal's offense.

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I agree with ducky. The play design of the 49ers plays is amazing. Flow one way, some guys going another, fake another way, throw/run another. It's impressive. And yes, I've never said that about a Baldwin play. There is a reason the 49ers can score with two scrub OTs, their star FB out and a bunch of new WRs. It's not just talent as some of us have been saying forever.

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Yep. And then someone will say, oh well all that play action and misdirection works only because the niners have a good run game.

But one of the reasons the niners have a good run game is because of all the misdirection. Defenders can't overcommit.
That's what makes those quick hitters so destructive. The defenders hesitate for a nanosecond and boom, the running back is gone.

With cal, you have like 9 defenders crashing down on the run cause there is zero attempt at deception.

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Exactly. It all works together; scheme/play design and play-calling (selection/sequence). The Niners have talent but it is the NFL, everyone does to a large extent. As with the last time they had a resurgence, it was coaching, plus coaching finding player's Strengths and putting them in a position to succeed.

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Yeah, remember what they looked like under Singletary and then Harbaugh? Night and day. Coaching matters.

8-0. Big games from Jimmy G and Emmanuel Sanders.

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And QBs who play in good schemes not only look better, they get better as they grow in confidence. We saw that with Montana, we saw that with Brady and we are seeing it with Garappolo.

Isabella made a pretty sweet catch and run in that game.

In his senior year of high school, Isabella won the state title (Ohio) in the 100 meter dash, beating fellow sprinter and future Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward in a close race. Wikipedia

I'm posting this here so that 95% of BI members can learn about the red lovers.

Jimmy G comes through with a late game-winning drive (granted, he created some of his own problems with his two picks).

We are now looking at the strong possibility that both Jimmy G and Derek Carr are in the playoffs. What would Bearister think?

Interesting to go back and read some of the opinions in this thread from early in the season, after the 49ers have gotten the #1 seed.

Is the defense that good? Maybe not, though some of that can be chalked up to injuries sapping their pass-rush strength.

Can Jimmy G come through late in games when they need him? Unquestionably yes.

Is Kyle Shanahan overrated as a playcaller? No. He leaned on the running game early and after teams keyed on that he unleashed an improved passing attack.

Will Emmanuel Sanders work out as a new receiving option? Definitely yes. The Niners have found a nice top three WR rotation in Sanders, Samuel, and Bourne, plus of course Kittle always a big threat at TE. Very different from early in the season.

Nick Bosa overrated? No.

They can't close.

sycasey said:

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Interesting to go back and read some of the opinions in this thread from early in the season, after the 49ers have gotten the #1 seed.

Is the defense that good? Maybe not, though some of that can be chalked up to injuries sapping their pass-rush strength.

Can Jimmy G come through late in games when they need him? Unquestionably yes.

Is Kyle Shanahan overrated as a playcaller? No. He leaned on the running game early and after teams keyed on that he unleashed an improved passing attack.

Will Emmanuel Sanders work out as a new receiving option? Definitely yes. The Niners have found a nice top three WR rotation in Sanders, Samuel, and Bourne, plus of course Kittle always a big threat at TE. Very different from early in the season.

Nick Bosa overrated? No.

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My favorite was the constant harping about the schedule and the notion that SF would fold in the second half. The Niners kicked ass, losing only to Baltimore and their annual egg laying contest, this time v. Atl. I have no idea whether SF will win in the playoffs but they are certainly playing at a much higher level than the last several years.....

71Bear said:

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sycasey said:

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Interesting to go back and read some of the opinions in this thread from early in the season, after the 49ers have gotten the #1 seed.

Is the defense that good? Maybe not, though some of that can be chalked up to injuries sapping their pass-rush strength.

Can Jimmy G come through late in games when they need him? Unquestionably yes.

Is Kyle Shanahan overrated as a playcaller? No. He leaned on the running game early and after teams keyed on that he unleashed an improved passing attack.

Will Emmanuel Sanders work out as a new receiving option? Definitely yes. The Niners have found a nice top three WR rotation in Sanders, Samuel, and Bourne, plus of course Kittle always a big threat at TE. Very different from early in the season.

Nick Bosa overrated? No.

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My favorite was the constant harping about the schedule and the notion that SF would fold in the second half. The Niners kicked ass, losing only to Baltimore and their annual egg laying contest, this time v. Atl. I have no idea whether SF will win in the playoffs but they are certainly playing at a much higher level than the last several years.....

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And to be fair: the early schedule WAS weak. But the way the Niners dominated it told me they'd probably be okay when facing tougher opponents, and they were.

sycasey said:

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71Bear said:

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sycasey said:

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Interesting to go back and read some of the opinions in this thread from early in the season, after the 49ers have gotten the #1 seed.

Is the defense that good? Maybe not, though some of that can be chalked up to injuries sapping their pass-rush strength.

Can Jimmy G come through late in games when they need him? Unquestionably yes.

Is Kyle Shanahan overrated as a playcaller? No. He leaned on the running game early and after teams keyed on that he unleashed an improved passing attack.

Will Emmanuel Sanders work out as a new receiving option? Definitely yes. The Niners have found a nice top three WR rotation in Sanders, Samuel, and Bourne, plus of course Kittle always a big threat at TE. Very different from early in the season.

Nick Bosa overrated? No.

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My favorite was the constant harping about the schedule and the notion that SF would fold in the second half. The Niners kicked ass, losing only to Baltimore and their annual egg laying contest, this time v. Atl. I have no idea whether SF will win in the playoffs but they are certainly playing at a much higher level than the last several years.....

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And to be fair: the early schedule WAS weak. But the way the Niners dominated it told me they'd probably be okay when facing tougher opponents, and they were.

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Exactly. It was obvious they would be a load for everyone, no matter how good the opponent.

Now we get to see if Jimmy G is a playoff QB or a choke. I'm hoping he will be clutch. The odds are he will be.

bearister said:

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Now we get to see if Jimmy G is a playoff QB or a choke. I'm hoping he will be clutch. The odds are he will be.

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Given the game v. Seattle was tantamount to a playoff game, I suspect he will do very well. The issue is whether the D can make the stops necessary to win.

71Bear said:

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bearister said:

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Now we get to see if Jimmy G is a playoff QB or a choke. I'm hoping he will be clutch. The odds are he will be.

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Given the game v. Seattle was tantamount to a playoff game, I suspect he will do very well. The issue is whether the D can make the stops necessary to win.

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He's led drives to put his team ahead in the final two minutes four times this season (Pit, Ari, NO, LA). And also led a potential winning drive in the first Seattle game, but the backup kicker missed the FG. It doesn't seem like nerves are an issue with Garoppolo.

sycasey said:

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71Bear said:

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bearister said:

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Now we get to see if Jimmy G is a playoff QB or a choke. I'm hoping he will be clutch. The odds are he will be.

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Given the game v. Seattle was tantamount to a playoff game, I suspect he will do very well. The issue is whether the D can make the stops necessary to win.

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He's led drives to put his team ahead in the final two minutes four times this season (Pit, Ari, NO, LA). And also led a potential winning drive in the first Seattle game, but the backup kicker missed the FG. It doesn't seem like nerves are an issue with Garoppolo.

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I agree nerves won't be an issue. I fear the opposite: he could throw 3 interceptions as a result of his Farvesque gunslinger confidence. But he has been great and I think he will play well in the playoffs.

For those of you who have access to The Athletic, there is a wonderful article linking Dan Buntz' iconic goal line tackle in the Superbowl to Greenlaw's tackle, with a nice interview of Dan, who watched the game on tv with his cancer-stricken brother. https://theathletic.com/1500811/2019/12/31/dre-greenlaws-goal-line-stand-saved-the-49ers-and-left-dan-bunz-cheering/

MSaviolives said:

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sycasey said:

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71Bear said:

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bearister said:

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Now we get to see if Jimmy G is a playoff QB or a choke. I'm hoping he will be clutch. The odds are he will be.

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Given the game v. Seattle was tantamount to a playoff game, I suspect he will do very well. The issue is whether the D can make the stops necessary to win.

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He's led drives to put his team ahead in the final two minutes four times this season (Pit, Ari, NO, LA). And also led a potential winning drive in the first Seattle game, but the backup kicker missed the FG. It doesn't seem like nerves are an issue with Garoppolo.

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I agree nerves won't be an issue. I fear the opposite: he could throw 3 interceptions as a result of his Farvesque gunslinger confidence. But he has been great and I think he will play well in the playoffs.

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The picks have been the issue with him, yes. It was good to see zero interceptions against Seattle, and none that were particularly close either.

The other issue I see is taking sacks when he could get rid of the ball. Hopefully something that improves with experience.

Pigskin Pete said:

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hanky1 said:

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Is this team for reals or have they just played a bunch of crappy teams? Damn they look good though. Like Super Bowl good.

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Considering they just matched their win total from last year, I don't think it matters. I don't think anyone is expecting them to go to the Super Bowl.

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You're probably right