THRASHARD'S ZONE : CBSSports.com Blogs

Doyle Gets It Wrong...

Sun, 09 Oct 2011 13:47:59 EDT

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/15482665/blood-spilled-at-games-because-of-alcohol-sales-must-stop

Banning alcohol is not the solution. It is the typical trap that rule makers fall into time after time...punish the guilty by punishing the innocent. Well, it's the wrong message. This topic came up on the 49ers forum (not surprisingly), and here are my comments transferred from my forum post.

So here is a recap of the supposed changes.

-No more tailgating after kickoff. This means no tailgating after the game either.

San Francisco 2011 NFL Draft Recap

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 22:52:32 EDT

The 49ers began this draft with a little bit of a surprise. I must admit, the drafting of Aldon Smith threw me off guard. However, after reviewing what Baalke did in last year's draft class I believe 2011 was more calculated in terms of finding playmakers with the first two picks. To round out the draft, Baalke specifically targeted versatile and/or role type players to help with the new schemes which will be implemented by Harbaugh and DC Vic Fangio. Baalke went with a conservative approach drafting linemen early in 2010. Only time will tell if 2011's aggressive draft will pay off.

1st rd, #7 - Aldon Smith, OLB, Missouri, 6'4", 263lbs. - The 49ers needed to add a defense playmaker in the front seven. More specifically, they needed to add a talented pass rusher. Aldon Smith is a young phenom with blessed pass rushing skills. He logged 17 sacks in two college seasons. He is coming out after his Sophomore year. This gives us an idea of how talented (but raw), Smith is. 11 of those sacks came in Smith's first year. He was injured last season (fractured leg), but came back after 3 games as a testament to his toughness. Smith can be washed out in running plays at times, but understands his angles. He has a tall, rangy build which helps in coverage. His true greatness will be getting to the QB. He also maintains pretty good discipline when double teamed or blocked without overrunning the play. At times, Smith was lined up inside. The 49ers love the versatility for Vic Fangio's 3-4 where pressure will be brought from different areas. Smith is a true boom or bust pick, but the safest one and less riskier than drafting Gabbert or Locker at this spot. Some view this pick as a reach, but only by a few spots. Smith has the upside and college production to justify this pick. This was an aggressive pick.

My 2011 NFL Mock

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 16:20:33 EDT

After many off the record revisions, here is my final mock on draft day.

1. CAR - Cam Newton

2. DEN - Marcell Dareus

3. BUF - Von Miller

IrishDawg's 2011 Collaborative Mock - 49ers

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 16:22:49 EDT

IrishDawg's 3rd Collaborative Mock Draft has just wrapped up for 2011. Special "Thanks" to Irishdawg for taking the time to put this together. Once again, I represented the 49ers. For the last 3 years, I have taken this opportunity as a role playing exercise to hypothesize who the 49ers will select in the upcoming drafts. Here was the strategy for this year's draft.

The 49ers primary needs are QB, Rush OLB, NT, CB, FB. Secondary needs were RB, G, WR, K.

QB - GM Trent Baalke already indicated that he wil lean heavily on HC Jim Harbaugh for QB guidance. It's hard to geta read on a first year HC, but there was a lot of media making its way around locally which led me to believe that Harbaugh was going to apply some Bill Walsh principles to his draft selections. This impacted my decision to pass on Blaine Gabbert in round 1.

List of Places Least Likely to Visit...

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 1:09:20 EDT

Because movies ruined them for me. Yes. As silly as this sounds, I just finished watching Southern Comfort again and it reminded of how many movies have made visiting the rest of the world somewhat undesirable. I can't believe how many are right here in the U.S. Most of these are very beautiful places. Unfortunately, odds are good that I will never visit them. Here are my top 10.

1) Lousiana (Southern Comfort) - I guess if you stay in New Orleans for Mardi gras, you might be safe. If you stray anywhere into the Bayou, watch out! Because the Cajuns will hunt you down claiming that 100+ square miles worth of swampland is there backyard and you're trespassing.

2) Brazil (Tourista) - I'm always hearing what a beautiful place this is to visit. Not if you've seen Tourista. I'm not going any place where there's a nutcase Anti-American doctor ready to carve you up for your organs. I don't care how damn beautiful those waterfalls are.

The Rest of the NFC West - 49ers Fan Perspective

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 15:57:46 EDT

I think 49ers fans, for the most part, are happy with the 49ers' draft. There are 3 potential day 1 starters in Davis, Iupati and Bowman. The others, Mays (Dime and Quarter packages), Dixon (goal line, short yardage, clean up), Byham (blocking TE), and Williams (PR, #4 or 5 WR) could contribute right away as role players. We gave up our 5th round pick for Ginn, who will be used primarily at KR.

There is also a lot of talk on how our NFC West counterparts did as well. I must say for the most part, the entire NFC West probably had the best draft as a division. Let's look at our opponents.

Arizona Cardinals

#26) Dan Williams, NT, Tennessee

2010 NFL MOCK - 1st and Final Version

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 16:07:11 EDT

1. Rams - Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma - QB's just aren't popular #1 overall picks anymore. However, the Rams need one. They really can't go wrong with Suh or Bradford. Both are franchise needs for the Rams. The Lions demonstrated last year that teams will always value QB as the key building block in building a franchise. The Rams grabbed their future LT, Jason Smith last year and will now grab their future franchise QB.

2. Lions - Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska - The Lions need help on both lines. Although, their greatest weakness last year came from the defensive side of the ball. The Lions spent their two first round picks on offense and now they will direct their attention to defense. If not for the Rams franchise need at QB, Suh would be the clear cut #1 pick. The Lions get lucky and Jim Schwartz gets his version of Albert Haynesworth to help out the Lions #25 ranked rush defense. Suh should be instrumental in collapsing the pocket on passing downs as well.

Irish Dawg's 2010 Collaborative Mock - 49ers

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 16:00:28 EDT

Hello Everyone. Here are the reults for the 49ers in Irish Dawg's 2010 Collaborative Mock Draft. The philosophy I took with the 49ers is an 8-8 team with a front office that needs to bring in impact players to help make the playoffs. This is the same front office regime since 2005, so it's do or die now. Another losing season for the 49ers may spell the end for the current front office and even HC Mike Singletary. The 49ers under Nolan/McCloughan have taken calculated risks on talent over character over the years. Vernon Davis (immaturity), to Antonio Bryant (insubordination), to Tarell Brown (minor brush ups with the law) are a few examples. I tried to take the same approach. Here are the results.

http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/13992344/14213465?tag=header;quickLinks

49ers Offseason Priorities

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:03:09 EST

Congratulations to the 49ers for finishing 8-8. It was the first time since 2003 that the 49ers didn't finish below 0.500. Boo to the 49ers for not making the playoffs since 2003. Coming into the 2009 season, I felt that the team was finally moving in the right direction. Nolan did some good things, but his progress had stagnated after 2006. 2009 marked the first season where GM Scot McCloughan had full control over the team. However, the front office wasn't the only change. Playmakers stepped up on both sides of the ball. For the first time in a long time, I can say with confidence that there is a solid core of players that the 49ers can add to. The front office went conservative for 2009. I expect them to make some more noise in free agency for 2010.

Why Crabtree Will Play This Year...

Sat, 08 Aug 2009 8:27:18 EDT

It's crazy how one comment from a relative can make things go south in a hurry. Three months ago, we were the happiest fans on the planet. We snagged potentially (and arguably) the best receiver in the draft. Now, we have a relative of Crabtree's threatening potential holdout unless Crabtree is given "fair market" value (whatever that is supposed to mean at this stage).

So now the perception is that Crabtree is going to hold out for the rest of the season. I think otherwise. Crabtree has too much at stake. So here are the reasons why I don't think Crabtree will sit out.

1) He loses a whole year's worth of salary (at least 4-5 million).

2) If he re-inserts himself into the draft, odds are that teams will shy away from drafting him in the top 10 because they don't want to go through the thought of having him hold out again. He wouldn't command top 10 $'s anymore.

49ers - Positional Battles To Watch For

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:07:44 EDT

It's that time of year where football grinds to a halt. No combine. No Draft. No free agency. And no training camps. July is vacation for most teams and with it comes much silence. We are a little over a week away from training camp. Here is a little primer to prep us for what is to come in camp and preseason. I've focused on areas that I feel the team will address. QB, backup RB, #2 WR, RT, OLB, FS & CB al figure to have significant competition. TE, OG, ILB, SS figure to see little action in camp with the current starters and there backups established.

QB - This has to be the most highly publicized battle on the team. The job is still Shaun Hill's to lose even though Coach Singletary refused to name Hill the starter after the '08 season ended. Singletary openly admitted that he would like to see Hill "take the next step". Hill can manage the game quite well however, he has never been really asked to take over a game. Although, he did perform well under pressure against the Cardinals on Monday night. GM Scot McCloughan is a firm believer in Alex Smith. It's probably one of the strongest reasons why Smith is still with the team when many others might have cut him. During June OTA's, both QB's performed equally well in practice. For Hill, it is in contrast to his practices in past seasons where he didn't look as sharp. Maybe this is a half step closer for him in "taking the next step". Singletary has set his timetable to announce the starter after the 3rd preseason game. So this battle will go beyond training camp.

NFL 2009 Power Rankings

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:42:07 EDT

NFL 2009 Power Rankings

1. New York Giants – The Giants did very well refortifying their roster in free agency and the draft. Injured starters on the D-line are back. DE Osi Umenyiora is healthy. WR Hakeem Nicks was drafted to replace Plaxico Burress. The defense will be dominant and they won’t miss Plax one bit. I firmly believe that the Giants would’ve been in the Super Bowl without the injuries and Plaxico saga. The Giants are my Super Bowl favorites for 2009.

2. Pittsburg Steelers – Last year’s Super Bowl champs are the second best team heading into the season. Not much has changed and like the Giants, they plugged their holes well. The Steelers could’ve used some help on the O-line. But this O-line got them to the Super Bowl. OL Kraig Urbik was drafted in the third round. But the defense is the highlight of the team. The Steelers have a good chance to repeat as champions.

Vick/Favre...Tell Me Something I DON'T Know...

Mon, 25 May 2009 4:18:02 EDT

As the neverending saga of Brett Favre and Michael Vick unfold, I look back at all that's happened in the months since the 2008 season ended and asking myself "so what's new"? Here are the facts...

-Brett Favre was released by the Jets.

-Brett Favre is retired.

-Michael Vick was released from jail.

49ers 2009 Offseason Review

Mon, 18 May 2009 12:52:39 EDT

When Coach Mike Nolan was hired in 2005, it was supposed to signal an end to the Donahue era and its losing ways. The hiring of Nolan also marked the second time in three years that the 49ers were tasked with rebuilding. The Nolan era was dotted with many turbulent highs and lows. Nolan used the #1 overall pick in 2005 on Utah QB Alex Smith. From Nolan’s perspective, Smith was to be the franchise QB of which to build the team around. Smith’s ride through his first four years in the NFL has been bumpy as well. Saddled with four offensive coordinators in four years mixed in with some injuries, Smith never developed into the franchise QB that the team and its fans projected him to be. But the 2005 draft did bring some good fortune. Frank Gore was plucked in the third round of what may be considered the best steal of the 2005 draft.

2009 Draft Grades

Tue, 05 May 2009 18:59:16 EDT

Here are my draft grades. There was so many different interpretations on various sports sites' and this one is probably no different. Some of my grades were consistent with others, some were not. It was no secret that this year happened to feature a weaker draft class. It was making the best of this draft class that challenges the team. There was a perception that the 20th through 32nd picks would've been second rounders in other draft classes. So the Patriots made good use of their knowledge by trading out of the first and piling up picks in the second round. Then you had the Broncos who also recognized the value of second round picks in this draft. However, they traded away there 2010 first round pick to get back in it. Not a good move on the Broncos part considering the 2010 draft should be deeper.

2009 NFL Mock Draft Version 2A

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 1:38:21 EDT

Well, here it is! This may very well be my final revision. The first mock can be found at the link below.

http://thrashard340.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/7129546/14082119

I can definitely say that this year's draft class was much more difficult to predict from last year. Last year it almost seemed like teams didn't care much if they were predictable. This year, it seems that teams are more interested in throwing up smokescreens than the actual draft itself. But I can understand why. Many of my picks remain unchanged from the first version but you will also find some surprises as well.

There are definitely some shockers here. I'm not particularly favorable to the QB's in this year's draft. I also think that many teams feel the same way I do...that Stafford and Sanchez offer more risks than upside. The most obvious thing you will notice is that neither Stafford or Sanchez will go in the top 10. I think with two picks between 10 & 20, the Broncos have the luxury of taking Sanchez and still come away with a marquee defensive player. The Jets, who could settle making out of the first round with Sanchez or Josh Freeman, would be happy to land Stafford.

2009 Mock Draft - Version 1A

Sat, 21 Mar 2009 10:51:00 EDT

Hello Everyone! This is my first mock of 2009. I generally like to wait a couple of weeks into free agency before attempting a mock. The greatest challenge is trying not to necessarily pick the fan favorites, but to step into the front office's shoes of that team and try to figure out what their thinking. Unfortunately, I do not have the greatest of resources other than what I am able to read on the internet. I spent hours scouring the net researching individual teams and also visited each teams message board on this website. There are some surprises on here so I expect both positive and negative feedback. But I do ask that if you do provide feedback, please also add insight as to what your teams' GM may do in that certain situation, not necessarily how you feel as a fan. I've always stated that a team will draft based on the philosophy of it's coaches and GM's over what the general media or fans think they should take. Thanks and enjoy!

Addition By Subtraction - T.O. vs Kurt Warner

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 12:44:16 EDT

So most of us have heard this term before.

The term "addition by subtraction", as used in sports, is often referred to cutting a player to make the team better. The most recent example is Terrell Owens. The idea is that by cutting T.O., you are ridding yourself of distractions in and out of the locker room. It's no secret that T.O. gets a lot of press coverage. Everybady wants to hear what he's going to say next. While I don't agree with most of the things that come out of T.O.'s mouth, I can comfortably say that some of his conversations have been misconstrued by the press and blown way out of proportion. Still, right or wrong, he's a distraction. So by cutting him, the Cowboys feel that they move on without the circus act distractions that go along with him. Many analysts feel that this was the wrong decision...that the Cowboys will now suffer without their star receiver. I disagree.

Vernon Davis, The 6th Lineman

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 22:02:45 EST

With the 6th pick in the 1st round of the 2006 draft, the San Francisco 49ers select...TE Vernon Davis. What?! NFL tight ends usually aren't drafted this early. So Davis better be damn good,Right? In 3 seasons, Davis has only averaged 34 catches, 377 yards and 3 TDs per year. For a guy that measures in at 6'3", 250 lbs and runs a 4.38 40 yard dash, this guy should be putting up Antonio Gates type numbers. So what gives?

For starters, Davis has been saddled by erratic play at QB. Alex Smith never turned into the franchise QB that could make all the necessary throws...including the ones that should go to his top receivers. Watching Smith play was agonizing for the most part. Outside of 2006 where Norv Turner was the offensive coordinator. Smith was mainly injured or flat out unproductive. Inconsistency at QB never allowed Davis to develop rapport with the person throwing him the ball.

49er Team Needs - 2009 Offseason

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 11:53:50 EST

We talk a lot about this on the 49ers message board. We have different posts for draft and free agents so I thought I would kind of roll them into one. Much of my insight is based on what I've been hearing locally and then try to formulate an opinion based on that. I posted this to the group board as well. Feel free to comment and most importantly, have fun with this.

The obvious needs are RT and Safety. Singletary has mentioned that pass rush will be upgraded and that there will be competition at QB. Let's break this down further. The following is based on current knowledge of pending free agents. When free agency begins and teams make their cuts, there may be other prospects as well. Given Coach Sing's current push for physicality, you can probably expect to see physical prospects at RT and RB.

Dumb And Dumber

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 0:57:35 EST

OK...let's not confuse this with Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels. I talking about Plaxico Burress. Seriously, how dumb can one be? Does making millions of dollars automatically dumb someone down? What a nice life. Pro athlete, millions of $'s, Super Bowl fame, why ruin it all now?

Dumb - Alrighty Plax. What were you doing with a gun in the first place? Is your life in danger? I'm sure your just as big of a target as all the other millionaires in New York City. I'm sure a few of them may carry a gun...just a few. What was your justification? Shouldn't you have checked the local laws first? DUMB!

Dumber - Alrighty Plax. As if carrying a concealed weapon illegally wasn't bad enough, you had to go and shoot yourself in the leg with it. didn't you have the safety on? No safety? Shouldn't you have bought a gun with one if you were going to be sneaking one around in public as to not accidentally shoot someone else? Oh...that's right. You don't think that far ahead. DUMBER!

Coaches On The Hotseat?

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 0:42:59 EST

Coaches on the hotseat. Life is short for the players in the NFL. It's even shorter for most NFL coaches. We've already witnessed 3 head coach firings this season, Scott Linehan (Rams), Lane Kiffin (Raiders), and Mike Nolan (49ers). The teams below are sinking fast and their needs to be a scapegoat. So let's take a look at the rest of the potential free agent coaches for 2009.

Norv Turner - San Diego Chargers, 4-6 - The Chargers need to go deep into the playoffs. That's why Norv was hired. How do the Chargers figure that firing Schottenheimer and hiring Turner would be an improvement? After all, Norv, as a head coach, has always struggled getting to the playoffs.

Wade Phillips - Dallas Cowboys, 5-4 - Like the Chargers, this is another team with high expectations. Phillips' head coaching career wasn't much better than Norv's before arriving to the Cowboys. Again, why do owners/GMs hire coaches with poor track records and expect them to go deep into the playoffs?

Smashmouth!? Be Careful What You Wish For...

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 13:08:06 EST

Coach Singletary, you asked for smashmouth football...and you got it.

After watching 8 games with Mike Martz at the helm of the offense, you had enough. You had the guts to bench J.T. O'Sullivan halfway through the Seattle game. Your first executive decision as a head coach. And then, you did the unthinkable Coach Sing. You told Martz that you wanted to run a more traditional smashmouth offense. An offense that settles around a power running attack and a short passing game...HUH!? Boooooring...at least from Coach Martz's perspective.

OK, I'm stretching a bit. After all, I just want the 49ers to start winning some football games. I like that you manned up and told Martz to run an offense that was a better fit for the personnel on offense. Let's see...the 49ers have an Pro Bowl caliber RB in Frank Gore. The offensive line is loaded with run blocking linemen. Your new(old) QB, Shaun Hill, is a conservative passer who won't make the big plays, but will emphasize ball security and manage the game better. Coach Sing, you've started the transformation that Nolan should've implemented at the beginning of the season. I applaude you for that, really I do! I can find excitement in the power running game. I can also find excitement in the short 5 yard pass that go for first down on a 3rd and 4. This is an offense that sustains drives to rest the defense.

Mike Martz vs Cam Cameron...What Could've Been...

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 1:46:39 EST

I write this regarding the frustrations I have with the 49ers offense this year. I look back in hindsight of all the decisions that Mike Nolan made for this once proud franchise and realize mistake after mistake, that this was a big one...a mistake that ultimately cost Nolan his job. In 3+ years with the 49ers, Nolan had a plan. That plan was to build a strong defense with a ball control offense. Over the course of the last 3 years, Nolan's failures led him to make stopgap decisions in key areas...decisions that got worse as time went on. Some of Nolan's most notable mistakes include the following...

1) Drafting of Alex Smith - Not completely Smith's fault as he had to work with a different coordinator every year. But Smith didn't show any resiliency like some other first round choices in the same position, i.e. Jason Campbell.

In Defense Of Bad Defense...Mike Nolan.

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:29:54 EDT

There's no defending it. When the defense is bad...it's bad.

I'm tired of seeing the 49ers lose due to poor defensive play. Chalk it up to bad gameplanning, in-game playcalling or poor execution. It doesn't matter. If you allow an opponent to score 30+ points, you're probably going to lose. The 49ers are suckers. We based Mike Nolan's success on his stint with the Baltimore Ravens. Nolan's defenses were 22nd, 3rd & 6th from 2002 to 2004, respectively. That's a pretty good resume...until you realize that this was an defensive system designed by Marvin Lewis. You have to credit Lewis with molding a defense that was dominant enough to help the Ravens win a Super Bowl after the 2000 season. Nolan was handed the keys and kept it a smooth running machine for the next 3 years. We cannot credit Nolan with building this defense.

How Do You Spell Desperation? B-E-N-G-A-L-S.

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 0:11:19 EDT

First Chris Henry, now Cedric Benson.

Why?! It wasn't that long ago when the Vikings and Cowboys were notorious for bringing in "troubled" players. Jerry Jones still does it to a certain degree. The Vikings are past that stage. I guess they figured it out after the "party boat" incident. They, and most every other team in the NFL, have figured out that winning is not conducive with troubled talent. At least now, the Vikings are headed in the right direction. The Cowboys have managed to control it pretty good...so far. The Cowboys benefit from good leadership. Top down starting with Jerry Jones, Wade Phillips and even Tony Romo have been the glue that keeps the team together. I must give credit to Jones, I did not think he would be able a top contender considering his past issues with salary cap and aging players. He has infused the right amount of veteran leaders with the young talent.

Chemistry Lesson For Mad Scientist Martz

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 12:04:42 EDT

Hi Coach Martz. Here's a formula to help you with your next game...and all games moving forward.

Lot's of Frank Gore running + some short pass plays mixed in with the deep ball = winning

Let's start with last Sunday's loss to the Saints. The Saints lit us up for 6 sacks. Their season total coming into the game was 4. We made a poor defense look good. Maybe the Saints D is that good. But why did it have to start with us? Let's back up 2 games to Seattle. They sacked JTO 8 times. Do you know what the Seahawks total for the season is? TEN!

What is it about the 49er offense that makes these teams look good? Is it...

1 Step Forward, 2 Steps Back; Saints 31, 49ers 17

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:15:03 EDT

It's like a dance move...

Only we're talking football here and not Dancing with the Stars. What seemed like progress for the 49ers in weeks 1-3, was virtually wiped out in one game versus the Saints. The Saints did everything they planned for. That's credit to Sean Payton's game planning and the Saints execution. The 49ers, reminded us of last year's squad...memories that us Niner fans wish would just go away. Here are some notes to the 49er coaches.

MIke Martz - What's up with the protection? The Saints were 25th in terms of sack production (4 sacks) coming into this game. They dialed up the pressure and came away with 6 sacks. OK...J.T. O'Sullivan wasn't much help. He held onto the ball too long at times. But takeaway half those sacks and JTO was still under constant pressure. JTO had been hurried 20+ times entering the 4th quarter. The Saints did the same thing to us in the 1st half. 1) Why weren't we dialing up more short pass plays to counter the blitzes? 2) Where was the 2nd half adjustments? It's not all your fault coach Martz. JTO needs to realize that the big play isn't always going to be there and needs to check down quicker. The bottom line is that every team is going to try to exploit the 49ers pass protection. The Cardinals started this trend. The Seahawks capitalized with 8 sacks. Then we shut the Lions down by allowing only 1 sack and affording JTO time to throw downfield. Pass protection set us back on offense today. NO protection and JTO loses rythm and timing.

This Is A Test, Only A Test...

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 22:48:21 EDT

...Not of the Emergency Broadcasting System, but of Aaron Rodgers.

Aaron Rodgers - EXPOSED! Alright, just what we've been waiting for...

...A defense worthy of challenging Aaron Rodgers' early season supremacy. There was a lot of hype going into the Cowboys/Packers game and not a lot of questions. It seemed most people thought this would be some kind of shootout. The Cowboys were 0-5 coming into Lambeau Field on Sunday. Both teams were 2-0 and have displayed stunning offensive fireworks in their 1st two games of the season. With the Cowboys, it was to be expected. With the Packers however, there was a serious question mark. How would Aaron Rodgers perform as Brett Favre's replacement?

2 games into the season Rodgers' stats look like this - 4 pass TD's, 1 rush TD, 0 INT's, 70% completion percentage, 506 total passing yards with an 8.4 y/a. Rodgers' stat line is looking better than Carson Palmer, Matt Hasselbeck, Mark Bulger. Those are some big name QB's. While many followers are ready to hop on board the Rodgers Express and forget about Brett Favre, I'm still skeptical. I believe Rodgers success can be traced to 2 huge factors, 1) supporting cast, 2 ) schedule. Hence, these same factors have kept the aforementioned QB's of posting similar numbers.

49ers vs Lions - The Perfect Game!

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 14:31:02 EDT

OK...not to gloat.

But the 49ers put together an effort on offense, defense and special teams. It wasn't the "Greatest Show on Turf." JTO did not throw for 300+ yards. It was a solid effort put forth by the WHOLE team. That's right! The epitomy of football. It's a team game. Let's start with the QB. J.T. O'Sullivan. He had 2 TD's and no INT's...NO fumbles. The line did a better job of protecting him this week...only 1 sack allowed. JTO spread the ball to 8 different receivers. Frank Gore rushed for 130 yards on 27 carries. So much for Martz passing more than rushing. The mix was 24 pass and 39 rush. Sounds like ball control to me. Let's move on to defense. 4 sacks, 2 INT's, 2 forced fumbles. These are stats you would expect to hear from the Pittsburg Steelers defense. Yet, the 49ers did to the Lions what a good team would be expected to do. Jon Kitna never looked comfortable. Lion studs Calvin Johnson and Roy Williams were shut down by the 49ers secondary. Nate Clements and Walt Harris were on lockdown. OK...so the special teams didn't do anything spectacular, but they didn't do anything to throw the game away. The more I see Allen Rossum play, the more I like him.