Jan 31, 2013, New Orleans, LA, USA; General view of the downtown New Orleans skyline and Benson Tower and Mercedes-Benz Superdome in advance of Super Bowl XLVII between the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The match up for Super Bowl XLVII is incredibly difficult to call. Both teams have overcome adversity, and both teams have weaknesses. In fact, I don’t totally trust either quarterback, or defense. Baltimore shut out the New England Patriots in the second half of the AFC Championship game, but San Francisco runs a totally different offense. San Francisco plays physical, but their defense almost let the Atlanta Falcons run away with the game early on in the NFC Championship game.

As for the quarterbacks, Joe Flacco has won playoff games in each of his seasons in the league, but he has also lost playoff games in each of those seasons. Colin Kaepernick has great skills, but he was shut down by the Seattle Seahawks in a prime time match up earlier in the season.

Both teams also have questions on special teams. San Francisco’s place kicker, David Akers, has missed several field goal attempts. The Baltimore Ravens, on the other hand, have a better kicker in Justin Tucker, but have been known to blow coverages on kick offs and punts.

In the passing game, The Ravens have a slight edge with their deep threat of Flacco to Torrey Smith. Anquan Boldin, and Dennis Pitta are solid, but The 49ers have the better overall receiving corps with Michael Crabtree, Randy Moss, and Vernon Davis.

Jan 12, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith (82) catches a pass for a touchdown under pressure from Denver Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey (24) in the second quarter during the AFC divisional round playoff game at Sports Authority Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Both teams are solid in the run game. Baltimore’s Ray Rice is the top rusher in the playoffs this season with 247 yards. However, Frank Gore is number three with 230 yards in one less game. Right behind him is San Francisco quarterback Colin Kapernick has put up a jaw-dropping 202 yards rushing in his first NFL postseason.  183 of those yards came in one game against the Green Bay Packers.

Historically, both teams boast impressive records. San Fransisco is undefeated in five trips to the Super Bowl, and Baltimore has won one Super Bowl, and holds the best post season record of any team in history at .650. Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco also has the most wins away from home of any quarterback in history at six.

San Francisco’s last Super Bowl victory was in 1995. Baltimore’s was in 2000. Because the 49ers history is much older than the Ravens’, I don’t see that playing any part in predicting this game. While they still have the mystique of being the 49ers, they are only three years removed from being one of the most underachieving teams in football. At the same time, the Ravens have been in the thick of the hunt for the better part of the past fourteen seasons.

In the previous round, both teams beat pass-first teams to get to the game, so it’s hard to tell how either will react to each other’s run-first attacks. But, it might be fair to say that the game will go to which ever team manages to pull off the first big pass plays, and if it comes down to that, my money is on Joe Flacco.

Both teams dodged bullets to get to the super bowl. The Ravens had a miraculous comeback against the Broncos, and the 49ers mounted an impressive come back against the Falcons. That should indicate that this game will be competitive until the end, even if one team gets off to a quick start.

On the line, the edge should go to San Francisco’s defense vs. Baltimore’s offense. Running the ball will be a challenge.   So, I expect Baltimore to pass early to set up the run. Don’t be surprised if they take a shot at the endzone on first or second down of their first drive if they are not trailing.

Jan 20, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore (21) scores on a touchdown run past Atlanta Falcons strong safety William Moore (25) during the fourth quarter in the NFC Championship game at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

San Francisco, on the other hand, has to hope that their read option offense has enough spark to confuse a veteran Ravens defense led by Ray Lewis who may have lost a step in terms of speed, but still reads an offense as well as anybody in history. I expect the Ravens to minimize Kaepernick’s rushing attack forcing Frank Gore to provide the bulk of the ground yards. Meanwhile, Kaepernick will have to rely on his arm, the major factor that set him apart from his teammate Alex Smith. Expect Gore to have a big game, and expect Kaepernick to air it out.

In the end, I believe that the Ravens’ experience, will outmatch the youth of the 49ers. The Ravens have spent years deliberatley improving their offense. The plan was to balance out their great defense to have a shot to win a super bowl. Now that they have made it back to the dance, I expect them to show up with their laces tied tight, and ready to rumble.

Ravens: 24 49ers: 17

Dec 24, 2011, Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch (24) breaks a tackle by San Francisco 49ers defensive end Justin Smith (94) to rush for a touchdown during the fourth quarter at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-US PRESSWIRE

All the writers have their stories/predictions out and there seems to be a consensus.  ”It’s going to be a low scoring game with the 49ers eeking out a 4 point victory”.  Sure, why not?  I could believe that!  After all, that’s what logic would dictate, right?

We have the two best defenses in the league and two so-so offenses all in the same game.  This combination doesn’t scream “high scoring bomb-a-thon”.  And Alex Smith is hitting a rough patch in the road after dropping two recent games in fairly close proximity.  Seattle, according to the sports elite, has a rookie QB the coaching staff doesn’t trust to throw down the field.  They say look for a Gore vs Lynch grind for 4 quarters.

Well I could just join the chorus and agree with them but that’s not my style. And besides that, I don’t believe that’s how Pete Carroll is going to attempt to win this game.  I just don’t see Carroll in his office up in Kirkland saying to is coaching staff “yeah, I think I’m going to game-plan according to all the sports writers and do the VERY predictable thing and run Lynch 35 times”.  So, understanding full well that I’m 100% wrong when I try to predict what Carroll is GOING TO DO based on what I would do, but totally get what he DID after the game, Im’ going to try this week to think like Pete and make a bold statement as to how I think this game will go.

The 49ers already know about Lynch.  They’re game planning to stop him.  They also have a really good pass defense but probably aren’t all that afraid that Russell Wilson can do to them what he did to a mediocre Patriots secondary.  They will stop Lynch if they can, and dare Wilson to beat them.  Now they have last weeks game film, and they know Wilson can throw a pretty good long ball.  So if I’m San Fran, I’m ready for that too.  What does that leave?  It leaves quick passes over the middle, in the flanks, and screens to backs.  If I’m Carroll I’m also working on ways to add some sprint outs and a possible option run/pass into that mix with one of the most mobile young QB’s in the league.  If Wilson can get the SF defense to quit worrying about the deep ball by mixing lots of short passes with Lynch runs, then eventually when he does go for the long ball, it will come as a little bit of a surprise to the SF secondary.  Maybe there’s a long TD to be had if the timing and match-up is right.  That should open up the running and short passing game even more.

And what about defensively?  Alex Smith is not Tom Brady.  He’s not even Russell Wilson.  He’s…pedestrian (I learned that word hearing sports writers talk about Matt Flynn, though I don’t necessarily agree with that).  There are already calls in San Francisco to bring in Colin Kaepernick. I haven’t seen the two games the 49ers lost, but I know Smith  had some INT’s and wasn’t sharp.  Smith’s confidence of last year might be starting to wane slightly with the two losses.  With players like Smith if they’re taken out of their comfort zone they don’t do well.  So pressure is critical.  Getting him running, firing passes on the run, forcing him to make throws to his second or third receiver should help limit the damage he can do.  So, stunts, blitzes, combined with getting really physical on SF’s older receivers should help make it a long day for Smith.

San Francisco is an old team.  Still good, but getting long in the tooth by NFL standards.  The young, tough new kids on the block should be able to keep up the punishment on the 49ers for 4 quarters.  The Seahawks are overdue to get all three elements of the game going at the same time, offense, defense, and special teams.  I expect the team to be focused and inspired by the challenge of playing a great team on the road.  If that happens, this game will not be as close as everyone thinks.  The 49ers are ripe for a blow-out just like the Texans were last week.  They should not take this game lightly.

Helping out this time is Eric Melendez from Niner Noise.

Dec 19, 2011; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith (11) calls a play in the huddle against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the third quarter at Candlestick Park. San Francisco defeated Pittsburgh 20-3. Mandatory Credit: Jason O. Watson-US PRESSWIRE

Biggest Team Need Heading Into Offseason: Starting right guard

Key Free Agents Retained: QB Alex Smith

Key Player Additions: WR Mario Manningham

Key Players Leaving: Right guard Adam Snyder

Quick Thoughts on Draft: Going after WR A.J. Jenkins with the first round pick was a huge surprise as the team has no options at starting guard who have any previous experience as a starter. 

Quick Thoughts on 2012 schedule: The 49ers’ secondary will tested often this season.  The 49ers will go up against the Packers, Lions, Saints, Giants and Patriots in 2012.  All five teams finished in the top-five of passing offense last season. 

Most Interesting Roster Battle: Running back.  With Frank Gore, Kendall Hunter, Brandon Jacobs, LaMichael James and Anthony Dixon the 49ers have a crowded backfield.  It will be interesting to see who makes the team and who doesn’t, and where they fall on the depth chart.

Biggest Strength Heading Into 2012: Defense.  The 49ers were completely dominant in all games last season on defense and will only get better in 2012.

Biggest Weakness Heading Into 2012: Right guard.  If the 49ers want to continue their great rushing attack from last season and to improve their passing offense, they need a solid starter at right guard.  Right now, there are not many options to be excited about.

Biggest Question Still To Be Answered: When will safety Dashon Goldson sign his contract?  Goldson is the 49ers franchise tagged player and so far is holding out for more money than what the 49ers offered him in a multiple year contract.

2012 Prediction: 12-4, NFC West division champions.

I’m not sure where to start on my take on the 49ers. They’re a good team, but they were probably the least impressive 13-3 team I’ve ever seen. They’re bringing back all their talent from last season, but they didn’t make any upgrades and there are a number of warning signs that point to them not being able to match their 2011 success. Throw in that the 49ers were the league’s least-injured team in 2011, and that they’ll like see the other side of that coin in 2012, and they really are a tough team to preview.

Lets start with the positives. Their front 7 is scary. Justin Smith probably should have won the defensive rookie of the year award. He had an amazingly dominant year. That is especially true when you realize that move of Aldon Smith’s 14 sacks came on plays where he ran a stunt with Justin Smith, so essentially Justin Smith took out the blockers so Aldon Smith could come in clean. Justin Smith deserved an assist on almost all of those sacks. oh, and the rest of the front 7 is pretty damn good too.

On offense, the running game looks a lot like Seattle’s. Very solid blocking and a premier running back, and great depth behind him too. Combine a solid running game and a solid front 7 on defense, and you’re likely going to win the time of possession stat in almost every game.

Now for the bad. The secondary is very overrated. None of their 4 starters would start in Seattle. They also just paid a lot of money to keep a very average Rogers at CB, which is never a good idea. (Its the equivalent of the Seahawks giving Marcus Trufant a large contract this offseason. Surprisingly similar players when watching the game film.)

On offense, their WR corps is poor at best. They’re entire passing offense predicated on the fact that Randy Moss will suddenly become productive again, after 2 seasons of looking old. Crabtree is rapidly approaching getting hit with the bust label, and first round draft pick AJ Jenkins has looked so bad in practices so far that team doesn’t expect him to get on the field at all until late in the season.

And finally we come to Alex Smith. Harbaugh managed Smith in the best way possible last season. That is, they essentially removed him from the game plan. That’s the right idea what your QB was one of the worst players at his position in the league for the previous 6 seasons. I just don’t see how they can keep on a lid on this barrel of crap for another 16 games without it exploding all over the field. Especially not after the ego laced drivel that’s come out his mouth this offseason. Expect Smith to lose at least 2 winnable games for the 49ers this season.

One more thing (so I guess my comments on Smith shouldn’t have been preceded by “finally”) Much of the 49ers success was because of their record +28 turnover differential. As I’ve shown statistically on this site before, turnovers are a cruel mistress. Over the past 2 decades, teams that are the best at creating turnovers in any given season, are almost always below average at doing so the next season, even with the same players. The 49ers likely wont be able to depend on turnovers to make up for their other shortcomings again in 2012.

I still expect the 49ers to be good, and most likely win the division, but 10 to 11 wins seems like the max for the talent on their roster.

Well it’s that special time of the year everybody. NFL draft weekend, where we put our feet up, order pizza, and get drunk and opinionated. Plus not to mention spend three days trying to remember which strange 80’s porno we remember seeing Mel Kiper Jr. in (personally I think it was this sleazy one that took place in a Reno strip club). But enough of the joking, for I am drunk, or getting there at least… and it is time for me to share my dogmatic opinions.

The Seahawks are now defense first under Pete Caroll and I can’t say I mind his vision for this side of the ball. The defense he envisions is a hard-nosed ass kicking and ball hawking bunch of sons of bitches that has opposing offenses leaving the Clink saying “Wow I feel like I just went to war with a bunch of dinosaurs and woolly mammoths.” However, it is the offensive side of the ball that I am worried about. That’s not to say that I don’t like what Pete and John have done with the offense, it’s just I think we probably need to go offense in the first round.

Last season we were a top ten defense with a well-oiled run stopping machine and a defensive back field that had interception potential ticking like time bombs. Yet all football knowledge says we have to go defense in this first round… Are they crazy!? Why fix it when it ain’t broke!? Sure a pass rusher like Quentin Coples would make our front four the equivalent to a Mongol Horde (if he isn’t napping), but honestly Coples is going to be on the field less than 50% of the time unless we move him around and plug him in at defensive tackle, which I’ll admit is a possibility. However, the only way I say we go defense is if Luke Kuechly is on the board. Not just because he is a special player who will be our Pro Bowl defensive quarterback for years to come, but because our linebackers are and have been seriously lacking.

How many times did we see Alex Smith scramble for first downs in the 49ers game huh? It made me sick watching our dreadfully slow linebackers try to set the edge on freaking Alex Smith. And what now? We’re going to rely on Barrett Ruud to set the edge? He can’t even sit on the edge of the bench without injuring something. Plus not to mention all the times we watched opposing tight ends catch pass after pass because our linebackers didn’t have the speed or ability to cover them. Basically Luke Kuechly fills a major need and is a sure thing that we can take out of necessity without being punished for reaching.

If Luke Kuechly isn’t on the board at twelve then there will be offensive players of high stature. Our offense is largely a mystery right now. We have no idea what we have in Matt Flynn and we can pretty much bet on future injuries looming over Sydney Rice and Russel Okung. The surest way to guarantee a quarterback is going to work out is to get him some weapons because they can’t all be Peyton Mannings and make Pro Bowlers out of mopes.

Wouldn’t you be happy to see the Hawks take Michael Floyd at twelve? Right now we have no number two receiver and we definitely don’t have somebody that can be physical and go up and get it every time you chuck it up there (I’ve largely given up on Michael Williams). Matt Flynn needs somebody who can be his go to guy, a physical jump ball power forward like Mathew Stafford’s MegaTron where you just throw it up and trust. Or what about David DeCastro? This guy is going to be a Pro Bowler almost every season guaranteed. They say twelve is too high for a guard, but just look at Steve Hutchinson. This kid is seriously that good. Plus he is from the area and would be an instant home town hero. Not to mention upgrading our beast mode would seriously help Flynn in the passing game as well.

I know we need a consistent pass rush, I get it. But if we want Matt Flynn to succeed we have to get him some artillery. We can find defensive ends as they slip out of the first round into the second. There are plenty of good ones this year, one might even be Coples or Chandler Jones even, but I seriously doubt it. Yet we will still be able to find somebody to play across from Clemons. We don’t need a number one pass rusher, only an upgrade at number two on the left side. So I say we take Kuechly if he is there and if not then we grab Floyd or DeCastro. Let’s commit to Flynn and get him what he needs. Just look at how he played in that Packers Lions game with all the weapons on offense.

P.S. My apologies for the grumpy banter, I can be a mean drunk.

I just always assumed Alex Smith was returning to San Francisco, and why not. The Niners are coming off a 13-3 season, Smith wants to return, the 49ers want him back, why wouldn’t this happen, right? Even once free agency started, Smith wasn’t visiting other teams, and the 49ers had reportedly offered him a fairly hefty contract.

But then the strangest thing happened. Nothing. Here we are over a week later and Smith still remains unsigned. So what gives? It turns out that Smith is looking for a long term commitment from the 49ers, and that isn’t the contract that has been offered. The 49ers have apparently offered a 3 year contract, but it is apparently a 2 year contract with a tacked on 3rd year that there is no way that he actually gets to keep unless he turns into Tom Brady.

It turns out that the 49ers see Colin Kaepernick, and not Smith, as their QB of the future. They aren’t going to give Smith a long term contract when they believe that Kaepernick is going to be taking over soon. Complicating things further is the revelation that the 49ers were the “mystery team” that were vying for the services of Peyton Manning. Clearly they aren’t committed to Smith.

Enter the Seahawks, desperate for a QB, and wouldn’t be all that against screwing over their division rival if they are able to. Now we’re hearing rumors that the Seahawks are interested and have been talking to Smith’s people. Connecting the dot isn’t too tough here.

The thing is, I just don’t buy it. Smith isn’t a top QB. That’s why the 49ers aren’t willing to commit to him long term, so why would the Seahawks? While Smith is a small upgrade over Tarvaris Jackson, there’s no reason for the Seahawks to commit to him any more than the 49ers would want to.

Which is why I don’t think it will ever happen. Smith is looking for a long term deal. The Seahawks are looking for a 2 year stop-gap upgrade to give them a chance to draft and develop a long-term solution. So while it might be nice for the Seahawks to try and hurt the 49ers, this just isn’t a fit for either player or team.

Chris Berman I miss your outrageous hair... Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

I am having the worst NFL withdrawals of my life. I don’t know what to do for a fix besides listen to the same updates on Peyton Manning over and over on 710 ESPN. I feel like they are going in more circles than a Ferris wheel about him. However I feel their pain, I mean honestly what else is there to talk about? We probably won’t hear of any real offseason news until all the teams gather at the combine. Oh how I can’t wait until that circus of a rumor mill starts! This offseason is killing me and it’s only been four days since the super bowl. Last year wasn’t so bad. Despite the lockout making it easier, I also went into the season expecting a patient year of rebuilding. I even remember telling my friends that I’m looking forward to a year of possible stress free football (wow did that ever not happen!).

John Schneider and Pete Carroll really showed me something this season and just like Pete would say ‘I’m in.’ I completely buy into everything the Seahawks are doing. How fast we were able to right the ship and get things turned around nominates Carroll and Schneider for the best tandem in the league. They are really turning into football’s dynamic duo. Now if only we could get that quarterback… maybe they would get the respect they deserve. Because that is all we need! Or at least that is the one mystery in the huddle we’re waiting to catch a clue on. All the other pieces are either in place or will be solved in the draft this year. Our biggest problem right now is to decide whether we want to draft Quentin Coples or Melvin Ingram to beef up our strong side pass rush (what a problem to have right?). Furthermore we may not need to gamble on a linebacker in the draft, there are a lot of free agents who can fill that need this year. One of them that nobody is talking about is Larry Grant of the San Francisco 49’ers. For those of you who don’t remember, he single handedly ended our season by stripping the ball from Tarvaris in our final game. He could be a really good option coming at a bargain for the Seahawks. However, we did not get to see much of Larry Grant, but what we did see looked very solid. He started for an injured Patrick Willis in three games this year. Grant registered 18 tackles in those three games and made a ton of exceptional plays. Word is he is a very hard worker with a high motor.

I honestly feel this year the Seahawks will gain some stability, or rather I should say that this is the year they should find some stability. Last year we saw an influx of exciting big name free agents such as Sydney Rice, Zach Miller (who’s excitement is pending on our offensive line), and Robert Gallery be signed. However, this season I’m not expecting as much of an inflow of free agents. It’s time for the revolving door into the Seahawks locker room to stop spinning so our current players can grow as a team. What’s wrong with this equation is that we don’t have a quarterback to mature under right now. Tarvaris Jackson is hardly the answer and I don’t think anyone will argue with that. Sure he has very similar numbers to Alex Smith and could potentially have a season of improvement like Smith, but Alex is still pedestrian at best. I don’t care if he had 17 touch downs and five interceptions this season, he is still a game manager and the only improvement we can hope for with Tarvaris is game management.

Right now I really think the best options out there are Peyton Manning and Matt Flynn. These are gigantic gambles. Matt Flynn had two great games, but that’s all we’ve seen from him. Whenever I go watch the highlights I say to myself ‘Yea he looks great, but his receivers look great also, they are running wide open and getting a ton of yardage after the catch.’ Honestly I don’t see the Seahawks getting into a bidding war over Flynn. If he is available for somewhere around 7 to 9 million maybe they sign him, but he is probably going to Miami anyways. With the case of Peyton Manning a team is going to have to sign him before they know about his tricep muscle. He is likely going to be cut from the Colts in the coming weeks. The reason being that the Colts don’t want to take a 28 million dollar gamble on an arm that isn’t strong enough to keep him from getting picked off in a high school game. Furthermore any team willing to enter into the Manning sweepstakes is going to have to offer him a contract before they know if he is ready. The only plus side is that Manning will reportedly agree to an incentive laden contract receiving little to no upfront money and playing to earn his pay. However, if a team doesn’t know whether or not he is ready it means they will have to retain a plan b which never works out too well with quarterbacks.

This is why I am so anxious for the season to start. There are so many secrets waiting to be revealed by next year. The quarterback situation has me particularly restless because there is no obvious option out there. This is a horrible year for quarterbacks in the draft and I just don’t see the Seahawks signing Manning or Flynn. Pete Carroll wants his guy at quarterback. He wants someone he can groom to play the Pete Carroll way and right now we need that someone. We can afford at least one more season with no clear cut answer at quarterback, but that is it. However anxious I am I do trust Carroll and Schneider. Look at the season we had with Tarvaris Jackson at quarterback and imagine last season with a real quarterback. They know what they are doing and the building process only has a few more steps. I just can’t wait to see who we find to fill those holes.

The Starters:

Drew Brees There’s no way he’s going anywhere. He’ll re-sign with the Saints, or be given the franchise tag. He loves New Orleans, and they love him.

Matt Flynn – You’ll be reading a lot more about Flynn in the coming weeks here on the blog. He’s a very realistic option and fits well into what the Seahawks are trying to do.

Alex Smith – Smith will be returning to the niners. A long-term deal is already in the works that will pay him $8-10 mil per year. Smith just isn’t a special player, so the 49ers committing to him is a good thing for the Seahawks.  (more…)

While the thought of them cutting outright might sound silly, it remains a possibility. Manning is due a $28 million bonus in March, before any trade could take place. It is still uncertain if Manning will ever play again, and the Colts have the first pick in the draft and the ability to draft Andrew Luck to take over the franchise. Severing ties with Manning and moving on to Luck isn’t out of the realm of possibilities. I’m not trying to imply that Peyton will definitely get cut, or even that I think it’s a good idea for Indy to do so. I’m just saying that it’s possible.

And that brings be back to the conversation with Jake. If Peyton is cut, and then is cleared to play, He might be the best free agent QB since… ever. Many teams will certainly want him, and be willing to pay him top dollar for his services, so he’ll have the ability to chose from a number of teams.  (more…)

This was one of those games where 1 play could have changed the outcome. The blown 3rd and goal play when the refs didn’t call the false start where Tarvaris Jackson get pushed out of bounds at the 1 comes to mind, as does the missed sack by Leroy Hill that set up a convertible 4th and 2 instead of  4th and 7 is another example. There’s also at least 5-6 horrible and obvious holding calls that were never called that should have help stall 49er drives. Any of those play could have changed this game, but the Seahawks just couldn’t get 1-2 of them to fall their way.

Sometimes football is like that. The 49ers won, but they are not clearly the better the team. These are 2 very even teams. Don’t let their records confuse you.

On to my game notes:

• The Seahawks loss officially eliminates them from the playoffs. It’s weird to think that there’s another game next week.
• Marshawn Lynch had another monster game, but most of it was in the first half. He finished with 21 carries for 107 yards and a TD.  (more…)

12. Continuing their partisan bickering, Dino Rossi and Patty Murray struggle to jointly raise the 12^th man flag, fighting for control of the rope while their aides make statements blaming the other for its slow rise. Seahawks fans write in Chuck Knox on their ballots.

11. After watching Matt Hasselbeck throws three touchdown passes in the 1^st half, Larry Fitzgerald demands a trade to the Hawks midway through the 2^nd quarter.

10. Thanks to the new law allowing police greater powers to detain suspected illegal immigrants, local cops in Arizona interrupt the Cardinals’ game with the Seahawks to detain Arizona defensive back Hamza Abdullah.

9. You never know when Marshawn Lynch is going to unleash the beast, unfortunately for shoppers it was at a the Southcenter Mall. In the melee The Beast ran for 400 yards, injured 14, and in Macy’s alone, broke seven tackles before being brought down by security. When asked for comment, mall security said it was the most devastating combination of speed and power they’d ever seen.

8. With his public image steadily deteriorating, Brett Farve finds himself craving the adoration of fans and mistakenly does the Lambeau leap into the stands at Lambeau Field after throwing a touchdown pass to Randy Moss. It doesn’t end well.

7. Brett drops his unlimited minutes package and returns to T-Mobile’s “Family Plan.”

(more…)

The 49ers, despite an 0-2 record, looked much improved against the New Orleans Saints. And despite a defeated season through two weeks, the media is prepared to admire Mike Singletary and friends once again.

Prior to the season opener, the San Francisco 49ers were considered by many to be the class of the NFC West. That isn’t saying much, but on paper, they seemed to be primed for a breakout season in a weak division.

Everyone conveniently forgot Alex Smith is still San Francisco’s starting quarterback.

Mike Singletary, a clown not worthy of his apparent prominence, is still the head coach – and still “great” despite a 13-14 coaching record without any postseason appearances.

(more…)

12. When you have Jesus (Charlie Whitehurst) on your side anything is possible. Those footprints you see in the turf beside Justin Forsett’s? Those are Charlie’s footprints. And when you only see one set, that’s because Charlie is carrying him. You didn’t think the Seahawks were paying him millions just to hold a clipboard, did you?

11. The 49ers are game planning for Troy Polumbus, not Tyler Polumbus.

10. You know Matt Hasselbeck always puts up big numbers when he benches himself on his fantasy football team.

9. Unlike 49ers fans, the 12^th man won’t be distracted by an exceptional wine harvest in Napa Valley. While 49ers fans taste the latest chardonays, Seahawks fans will be making things miserable for San Francisco’s new offensive line. Rookie false starts make up for an unimposing defense.

8. Taylor Mays is going to be amped up to play against the college coach who didn’t draft him. Unfortunately, one of the side effects of being amped is explosive brain farts. He’s big, fast and strong, but they don’t make Beano for brain farts. The referees will have their flags poised and ready. He’s going to give up big plays, commit penalties, and leave the John Schneider looking pretty smart. This would make a great time for Golden Tate to step up.

7. Nobody in this league drops a pass with the frequency of Ted Ginn Jr. And nobody runs a bobbled pass back for a touchdown like Earl Thomas. That’s at least six points right there.

(more…)

The team will feature the best players from around the NFC West, and will ultimately square up against other divisions around the National Football League.

Instead of privately selecting the roster, however, we would like to get you involved in the process. On the surface, it would seem that the talent in the NFC West isn’t up to par with the rest of the league; I think you’ll be surprised at some of the talented individuals representing the division.

We’ll go one position at a time to make the process more simple. Feel free to voice your opinions about each position, but don’t forget to vote for the best player.

Quarterbacks

Arizona Cardinals: Matt Leinart

Leinart was once considered a top quarterback prospect in 2006 when the Cardinals selected him tenth overall in the NFL Draft. In Arizona, however, he has largely been buried by the shadow of Kurt Warner – until now. Following the retirement of Warner, Leinart is the favorite to start for the Cardinals this season. He has a lifetime quarterback rating of 70.8 and has thrown more interceptions (20) than touchdowns (14) during his four-year career.

San Francisco 49ers: Alex Smith

Like Leinart, Alex Smith was once a can’t-miss prospect at the quarterback position. Smith was the first overall selection of the 2005 NFL Draft, but has barely lived up to the hype. Although he reclaimed the starting job in San Francisco and looked good as of late, his career quarterback rating is a pedestrian 69.2. During his five-year career in the NFL, Smith has thrown for 7,029 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 43 interceptions.

Seattle Seahawks: Matt Hasselbeck

Matt Hasselbeck is the most experienced quarterback in the NFC West, but he hasn’t made a Pro Bowl appearance since 2007 and turns 35 later this year. Despite his age, however, Hasselbeck has had more success than any of the other quarterbacks in his division and could still be capable of producing if he has offensive weapons around him. Hasselbeck has a career quarterback rating of 83.8, although he only has a rating of 69.9 after his Pro Bowl season in 2007.

St. Louis Rams: Sam Bradford

Unproven yet promising, Sam Bradford enters the National Football League as the first overall pick of the 2010 NFL Draft. Bradford built a very impressive resume while playing for the University of Oklahoma, including Sporting News Freshman of the Year (2007), Heisman Trophy winner (2008), AP Player of the Year (2008), and several other awards. It may take a few years for him to develop, but the sky is the limit for Bradford in the NFL.

Shaun Dolence’s take:

I could be biased here, but I have to believe the best option is Matt Hasselbeck. Though he is approaching the end of his career, Hasselbeck is easily the best quarterback in the NFC West right now. Matt Leinart is unproven and may not be the answer to replace Kurt Warner in Arizona, Alex Smith has never lived up to the hype following his selection in the 2005 NFL Draft, and Sam Bradford is a rookie signal caller. Hasselbeck may have looked pedestrian at certain times last season, but he can still play quarterback in the National Football League. Especially if you surround him with some of the offensive weapons found within the division – Hasselbeck to Fitzgerald, anyone?

Andrew Auger’s take:

Even though Hasselbeck is past his prime his No. 1 ranking is a no brainer. The veteran has more success, experience, and savvy than any other starting quarterback in the division. Armed with an 83.3 career QBR, three pro bowls, and a trip to the big game, Hasselbeck is a clear cut above the rest of the largely untested crop of NFC West quarterbacks.

Alex Smith is a disappointment considering he was the No. 1 overall pick, but he has done something Leinart hasn’t; proven he can bounce back.

After starting out his career with a rather dismal 19:33 TD/INT ratio, he lit on fire with 2,350 yards, 18 TD’s and 12 INT’s over 11 games of the 2009 season. Throw in an eight percent increase in his career completion average (60.5), and an 81.5 QBR, and you have a resurgent quarterback on your hands.

Armed with an elite tight end, a sound offensive line, a top running back, and Michael Crabtree, we will know for sure if Alex Smith can cement himself as a capable starting quarterback in the NFL this coming season.

Matt Leinart is faced with the impossible task of filling Kurt Warners shoes after he led the Cardinals to their most successful stint in franchise history.

Nonetheless, a pass happy Cardinals offense with arguably the games best receiver in Fitzy will help mask some of Leinarts mediocrity.

Much like Smith, it’s now Leinarts turn to prove he can bounce back after not living up to his draft status at No. 10 overall.

Because Bradford is a rookie and he’s on the worst team in the division, he kind of gets put here by default.

We don’t know what he’s going to do, and after seeing the success of Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco and the struggles of Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez recently, it could go any direction.

Steven Jackson is still this offense, and considering Bradford’s best weapons are Donnie Avery and a couple rooks, we shouldn’t expect too much.

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