All, I am sorry I have not been able to put together my things to watch. It's honestly been a crushing last few months at work. And when I get home, it's just as crazy. With that, there are some thoughts I have on tomorrows game. 1) Trubisky has to Produce Like a #2 Pick- No one will ever forget how much we gave up to these 49ers to move up one spot to draft Trubisky. Pace decided there and then, that his career as a GM in Chicago is all based on that move. Trubisky has shown signs of being that guy. That Franchise QB. That once in a lifetime QB that makes a team into a generational team. But he has shown more signs of just being a decent regular old QB. The 9ers are starting a back-up to a back-up to Garrapolo who was a back-up to Brady... He's got a better QB rating in his 6 starts than our QB. It's time for Trubisky to produce. Our defense will carry this team a long way, we need our QB to share the weight as well. 2) Bears in SF - We suck ass there. I was at the infamous Bears v 9ers game where Kaepernick made his debut. We were ( I think) a 6 point favorite. I think we're 1 win in our last 6 or 7 games there? And we've won 2 games in last 20 years there... We suck in Northern California. 3) Injuries - Callahan is on IR. He was last week as well and we really didn't lose a lot. This week, Eddie Jackson is gone as well. He tore up his ankle on an INT that he should have just taken a knee on in the endzone. Lynch (former 49er) is also out. He is used as a "breather" to both Floyd and Mack. Jackson and Lynch both being out will hurt. 4) Better team Syndrome- We are the better team and should win. But I said that 2 other times this year and we lost (Giants, Dolphins). So it comes down to whether the coaches have this team ready to win. When the better team loses, regardless of other factors, the coaches are to blame. 5) Stupid plays - Watching the Bears run some stupid ass offensive plays last week (fake punt, T-formation wild cat-fumble) we really need to be smarter. When I am slapping my forehead before the play, and then pissed after, you know it was dumb. I am OK with trick plays. But let's do them at the right time and against the right defensive set and at the right field position, and with the right formation. 6) Take-Aways - The Bears lead the NFL in taking the ball away. The 9ers? Not so much. Again, these teams are linked. The 9ers wanted Mack. Instead, we got him. Mack has been critical and almost +40% involved in one way or another to our NFL-leading 35 takeaways. The 49ers suck at taking the ball away and have just five takeaways. Which is likely to end up being the fewest in league history - if we don't suck this week.. 7) Ref Factor - This is really weird. We are the only team in the NFL to not only get 6 "rookie" head refs assigned to us this year, But also get 2 rookie head refs assigned to us twice in the same year. As I have said before, rookie refs don't scare me with bias. They do scare me with inexperience. This week we get Alex Kemp again. We saw him when we face the Lions (we won) and I don't think refs were a factor. The Bears re the better team. The 49ers should be looking for a draft pick and a restful off-season. We suck in San Fran, but this, like the Giants game, is ours to lose. I got Bears 34, 9ers 16
V2 said Kyle Long practiced this week so if he plays that would certainly help on the offensive side of the ball, and if nothing else he should be ready for the playoffs.
He's out this week, he'll be eligible Week 17 (next week). Glad you got these out Mongo, I agree that this is another "curse" type game, and the 49ers are better than their record. but like you say, we are the better team and this game is ours to lose. Lets take care of business.
He anticipated that Dolphins game, lets hope that recent history doesn't repeat itself, and instead begin the creation of a new history and moving forward draw from it.
I see a win, I just see a nerve-racking closer one even with SF's ineptitudes and injuries. 23-17. SF's TE, George Kittle is a match up nightmare on Deon Bush, filling in for Eddie Jackson. I don't like this at all. This kid playing QB, Nick Mullins really likes to target Kittle as a safety valve, and that doesn't take away Kittle's excellent ability to get open. I really wanted the bears to take Kittle a couple of years ago, but instead they took Shaheen. Noquan, Amos, and Bush are all at a disadvantage IMO. This is my biggest match up concern. Next important in my book is that Joe Staley is still one of the best in the game at LT. So time to find out if Leonard Floyd truly has been saving his effort until the 2nd half of next year. Or just a fun match up for football fans seeing 2 of the best at their positions if Fangio puts Khalil Mack on his side. Isaiah Irving and/or Kylie Fitts will get some playing time with Lynch out. I know some people are skeptics of PFF, but Staley is their 6th best OLinemen in football, and I agree. Just a tier under elite for both pass and run blocking, and Matt Breida's splits reflect that. Averages 5.6 yards per carry running in between Staley and the LG, average 7.7 YPC outside Staley between the sidelines. Shanahan runs Breida to the left about 1/3 of SF's run plays. My next concern is DeForest Buckner. He's their Akeim Hicks, but he's 6'7 and a monster nightmare match up. Like Aaron Donald, I expect additional help blocking him. Unlike Aaron Donald, the 49ers have no real elite pass rusher/disruptor once he's out of the play. Solomon Thomas (also a guy I wanted whom I was dead wrong on) is just a guy. If some believe in these things, the 49ers 2018 season is toast and they're playing for a top pick. They gave their biggest performance last week beating the seachickens. They very well may be in "is it time to golf yet?" mode. But the bears cannot lax. The rams are reeling, and even though they play the Cardinals, the bears still have a shot at the #2 seed. Mullens' targets are all out on injury, but rookie Dante Pettis is pretty damn elusive. Reminds me a lot of TJ Houshmenzadeh. Not speedy at all, but a damn good route runner who can get open when his match up on paper blows him out of the water. Matt Nagy needs to not be a douche or get cute when he doesn't have to. Alex Kamp is our referee. We last saw him November 11th against the Loins. Called 6 penalties a piece on both Detroit and Bears.
8: Nagy v Robert Saleh - No im not talking about a matter as trivial as the x's and o's, something far more important is gonna settle this one. This is the Duel of the Domes. The Battle of the Baldies. The Sunset Showdown of the Slapheads at Receeder Ridge. Every game Nagy has walked into this season he's had an immediate competitive advantage, he's been balder than his opponent. He literally has nothing to lose and that makes him terrifying. Well not this time. Robert Saleh is the baldest man in the NFL. He doesn't rely on gimmicks like visors, he just plays it like he's straight out of the womb. This guy is John Rambo in First Blood, out there in the woods saying come and get me. His head is so powerful it actually self oils in-game allowing him to concentrate on his plays calls. This man eats visors for breakfast! Nagy is gonna have to play a perfect game. Hopefully he sets his default visor angle a little lower than usual to cancel out the glare. If he loses focus, if his visor rides up even a few degrees, that Cali sun is gonna bounce straight of Saleh's head and blind Nagy right in the face. And then, its game over. This ones the real deal. If Nagy comes out on top then we know that he is legit forever. Edge: Saleh
My parents are both Hawkeyes, and my dad ranted endlessly about the Bears not taking Kittle too. He predicted Kittle would be great. Of course, he also predicted Chuck Long was a certain HoFer...
We will only go as far as he will take us this year. For us to get to the Super Bowl we're going to have to win at least 1 road playoff game. Trubisky has not played well on the road this season and has nothing close to resembling a defining road win. I'm not saying a win today would be that. But he needs to show higher quality play on the road starting now. This is definitely a game we're capable of losing. And after two monster wins the last two weeks, the Bears could be emotionally less invested for today. Let's hope they're invested and focused as they should be. Only we can lose it, 49ers aren't capable of winning on their own.
Wow! This is some tremendously incredible insight Ev and an angle that even Mongo never covered. Well fucking done. I would think because of this that Nagy should lose the visor and go with sunglasses, and throw it right back in his face. No doubt having that self oiling head is a distinct advantage no doubt, however Nagy does have a solar powered sun screen oiler on all his visors, it was remarkable technology. I destroyed a bunch of them already. I know I know I've been slacking in my duties, but I was fired from my dog walking gig because apparently he had a nanny cam inside a Khalil Mack bobblehead.
