Thursday: Rejuvenation?

Being a former leader of the Chicago Bears 1985 Super Bowl team, 49ers coach Mike Singletary is looking to defeat his former team as the 49ers and Bears face off tonight. Coach Singletary told reporters that “the Bears will always be a team I love”. However, when preparing for tonight’s game Singletary stated that “now that I have played them a couple times, it’s just a matter of going out there and competing against a good football team and trying to do the best I can”.
The 49ers, (3-5), and the Bears, (4-4), will battle it out at 5:20 p.m., tonight at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California. The 49ers are playing off of a four game losing streak and are eager to break the chain. The 49ers are staying positive, even though they are only coming off of a three day rest. The 49ers are looking to control the ball from the opening kickoff and stop Chicago’s strong offense and special teams. Turnovers have been a big problem that the ‘9ers have faced this season and protection is needed for Alex Smith, in order for him to have time in the pocket. While Smith’s passing has been shaky at times, 49er receives need to run quick, smooth routes in order to get open in a timely fashion. This will allow Smith to have more options to work with and will hopefully tire and confuse Chicago’s defense.
The Bears are also coming off of loss, which they faced on Sunday to the Arizona Cardinals. While both teams are hoping to flush their funk, tonight’s game will be a tough one for both struggling teams.

Defense First

Do the struggling Chicago Bears bring hope to the 49ers? If you talk to the 49ers cornerback Tarell Brown or linebacker Takeo Spikes they will tell you that the 49ers have been preparing very intensely for tonight’s game. Even with the talented offense of the Chicago Bears, the ‘9ers defense has gone back the drawing boards and has been organizing numerous strategies that will help them be prepared against the Chicago pass offense. The 49ers defensive coaches have been studying numerous amounts of film with the ‘9ers defense, in order to expose them to Chicago’s offensive formations and routes. Tonight’s game will especially be a test for the 49ers defensive line. The Chicago Bears offensive line has been playing very well. They have been blocking their opponent’s defensive lineman very well, which has created time for their quarterback Jay Cutler to make plays down the field. The ‘9ers defensive line needs to get off of the ball quick and add pressure to Cutler, by penetrating into the back field and putting their hands up to try and block or tip his passes.

Some of the key play makers for the Chicago Bears offense, that the 49ers are going to need to stop and/or limit to very little yards, is running back Matt Forte, tight end Greg Olsen, wideout and special teams specialist Devin Hester, and quarterback Jay Cutler. The Bears rank as the NFL’s 11^th best passing offense. The 49ers defensive backs and linebackers are going to need to have a big game, in order to stop Chicago’s pass first offense. If this is done affectively, the ‘9ers will have a decent shot at a Thursday night victory.

Colts:True Test

The 49ers look to move on in a positive productive manner, after the 24-21 defeat they suffered last week against the Texas Texans. This Sunday the ‘9ers face off against the undefeated Indianapolis Colts. With Payton Manning leading the Colts this season to a perfect 6-0 start, the 49ers defense and offense will be tested, mentally and physically.

The key players on the 49ers to look out for this weekend will be Alex Smith, Frank Gore, Justin Smith, Michael Crabtree, Patrick Willis, Dashon Goldson and Vernon Davis. Whether making plays on offense, defense or special teams, these seven players need to come out of the gates aggressive, focused and determined. These players are key factors in the ‘9ers success as a team. They are the leaders on this 49er team and need to rise to the occasion this week.

The 49ers are going to have their work cut out for them this Sunday. The Indianapolis Colts have a very strong offense, which can run and pass effectively. There defensive line is good at pass rushing, despite their lack in size and with Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis lining up at the Defensive End positions the ‘9ers offensive line is going to have their hands full. The seven key players for the 49ers that I highlighted need to start and finish the game with smart, heads up plays. This week will be a true test to see if the 49ers can play with playoff ranking teams.

Sunday: Change in the Air

Sunday, the 25^th of October, started off early for the 49ers. The team’s ten o’clock game in Texas had ‘9er fans everywhere waking up in hopes of a victory. The 49ers where coming off of a bye week and were looking to expand their record to 4-2. The 49ers took the field, dashing out in clean white and red jerseys with the look of determination written on the players faces. A win in Texas would not only be a personal and team victory, but would also secure the 49ers place at the top of the NFC West division.

Although the 49ers looked like they would have a chance to start the game off in a positive fashion, by attacking the Texans defense with their run game, they soon found out that the day’s game was going to be tougher than expected. The whole first half of the game was in favor of the Texas Texans. They dominated the game in all aspects. The Texans were running, passing, and scoring all over the 49ers. The 49er defense had little, if no, control over the Texas offense during the first half of play. To add to this poor effort displayed by the ‘9ers defense, the 49ers offense look out of sync, frustrated and confused. The 49ers quarterback, Shaun Hill, was 6/11, with 45 yards and no touchdowns, during the first half of play, while Frank Gore ran for 32 yards on 13 attempts. At the end of the half the score read 21-0, in favor of the Texans.

The second half brought a sigh of relief when Mike Singletary decided to make a key change in the offensive lineup, benching Shaun Hill and starting backup quarterback Alex Smith. Smith came out on fire, completing 15/22 passes, as well as producing 206 yards and connecting with Vernon Davis for 3 touchdowns. Although things were turning around for the 49ers, the Texans had kicked a field goal in the fourth quarter to lead 24-21. Alex Smith and ‘9ers offense tried to drive down the field, late in the fourth quarter, to try and tie the game, but failed when the offense couldn’t produce any ground on a fourth and 10 yard conversion. This resulted in a 24-21 point defeat by the Texas Texans.

Third Sunday: Astonishing Outcome

The 49ers took the field in Minnesota, during the third week of the NFL season, looking to start their season 3-0. Although the 49ers confidence was towering high, after last week’s victory versus the Seattle Seahawks, so was Vikings.
The 49ers looked shaky during their first possessions. They didn’t complete a pass during the whole first quarter and ran the ball strait into Viking defenders. On the other hand, the Vikings completed passes, while Adrian Peterson broke free for a few successful runs. As the 49ers offense struggled to gain their composure, the 49ers defense turned up the intensity and did a great job covering receivers, putting pressure on Brett Favre and stopping Adrian Peterson on the run.
The 49ers offense finally found their grove late in the second quarter and continued to play as a team, throughout the game. The 49ers took a four point lead at the end of the fourth quarter, on a great catch by Vernon Davis, forcing the Vikings to score a touchdown in order to win.
With just 1:20 seconds left in the game, Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings went on a huge drive down the field. They completed pass after pass and reached first down after first down. As the last play of the game was set into motion, Favre connected with his receiver in the back of the end zone, for a miraculous come from behind touchdown, to win the game.
This loss was a hard one to swallow, but the 49ers are determined to put this loss behind them and start preparing for this Sundays division game, versus the St. Louis Rams.

Vikings: A True Test

With the 49er defensive line playing in top shape, challenges still seem to come one after another. After holding the last two opponents too few points, the 49ers defense will have their work cut out for them this weekend, when they face the Minnesota Vikings.
Minnesota will try and run and pass all over the 9er defense on Sunday, due to the fact that they have two of the leagues most sought after offensive players, being Adrian Peterson and Brett Favre. Peterson is known for dominating the run game and Favre is looked at one of NFL's greats, partly because of the way that he plays with heart and muscle, as well as takes risks, that can make or break him and his team.
The Forty Niners need to stop the offensive line from opening up holes for Adrian to break through and bring as much pressure onto Brett Favre as possible. By doing this it will, hopefully, force Peterson to come up with alternative ways to gain yardage and will tire the offensive line. Our Defensive Backs need to add as much pressure on the Viking receivers as they can, so that Favre will be forced to take risky moves, in order to move the ball. If the 9er defense can force bad decisions on the Vikings quarterback, hold Peterson to fewer yards that he has been gaining in previous games this season and guard the Viking receivers like Gary Payton did most NBA guards, then the 9ers have a good chance in being 3-0.
I’m not too worried about our offense, after seeing them play last Sunday. However, we do need to not turn the ball over and convert drives into points.

A Bright Sunday

Sunday morning brought more than sun ray filled sky’s to the city of San Francisco. It also brought the 49ers offensive line, which help aid Frank Gore, the 49ers starting running back, gain 207 yards on sixteen carries and two touchdowns and ultimately ending in a victory for him and his teammates.
For the first time, in the 2009 NFL season, the 49ers played their first home game. The team was coming off a victory versus the Arizona Cardinals, which took place last Sunday. The team was hoping to carry over their focus and intensity, which they brought to the field last weekend, in order to pursue a victory over the Seattle Seahawks. They did just that.
Roars filled the air, as the 49er starters were sent dashing out of a Candlestick tunnel. This was immediately followed by two Air Force jet airplanes that wisped by, above 69,732 eager fans heads.
The 49ers started the first quarter by kicking off to the Seattle Seahawks. The strong, knowledgeable 9er defense stopped the Seattle offense, resulting in a Seahawk punt. They then went on an eight minuet and seven second rant, which resulted in a 37 yard field goal. This made it a 3-0 lead by the 49ers. They then followed that up with a beautiful Frank Gore 79 yard touchdown run to end the first quarter, with the 9ers leading 10-0.
Although the 49ers would score 3 points in the second quarter, Seattle answered back. They kicked one 36 yards and scored a touchdown, on a pass, just before the clock died down to end the quarter. This sent both teams into the locker room for halftime, in which Coach Mike Singletary boosted the teams’ moral.
The third quarter started off with a kick off, from Seattle, which was booted into the end zone, resulting in a touch back. The 49ers then, wisely, called a play for their veteran tailback and team inspiration, Frank Gore. Gore then took the defense on a track race, when he busted through the 3 hole and ran in a 80 yard touchdown. The 49ers defense held down the third quarter, holding the Seahawks to 0 points, making the score at the end of the third quarter 20-10, 49ers.
The fourth quarter continued to bring smiles to 49er fans. Their Defensive Backs continued to play great, as the 9er defense didn’t allow any more Seattle points and little offensive completions. Meanwhile, the 49ers offense continued to dominate. They finished the fourth quarter with a 16 possession, 9 minute and 27 second drive down the field, resulting in a field goal. The final outcome of the game resulted in a 23-10 point victory for the 49ers, over the Seattle Seahawks.

New Team: Better Results

With the look of determination in the eyes of the 49ers, the 2009 NFL season begins. The players that make up this firm team are finally ready to embark on their 16 regular season game journey, in hopes of making the playoffs. However, the 49ers are aware of the fact that Mike Singletary stresses the importance of taking each game on, with full intensity, one a time.

This past Sunday the 49ers faced off against the Arizona Cardinals, where they were guests in the Cardinals home stadium. Being a division game, as well as a season opener for both teams, the 49ers needed to set the level of concentration and focus that they can carry out for the remainder of the season. Although he 49ers looked strong in various aspect of the game, some areas still need to be finely tuned.

The 49ers offense had many positive features to offer the team. The offense took care of the ball, throughout the game, and made it extremely hard for the Arizona defense to knock it loose. The offense, as a whole, cut their penalties to 1, which is a great turn around when compared with last season. The offense made plays when they were needed, like a 50 yard completion to Isaac Bruce in the second quarter. This play was made possible due to the numerous amounts of reps. that Shaun Hill and Isaac Bruce had taken during the preseason practices. This valuable time spent, between the quarterback and receiver, allowed Hill to have the ability to read Bruce’s routes and patterns correctly, knowing where Bruce would end up on the field, at any given time. Although the 49ers looked decent in their air attack, their running game was a different story. They gained only 21 yards on 25 carries. But, despite their lack of yards gained off the run, coach Singletary stresses that he is not concerned about their running game, when asked about next week’s division game verses the Seattle Seahawks. As well as struggling with the run verses the Cardinals, the offensive line didn’t help much either. How can a team expect to run the football if the defensive lineman are penetrating the offensive line, ready to swallow the ball whole, almost every play? Practice and changes are in need, if running the ball successfully is desired.

On defense, our defensive backs were outstanding. Their timing was on, while guarding the Cardinals receivers, making it possible for the 49ers defensive line to attack Kurt Warner and the Cardinals offense. Justin Smith played great, adding more and more pressure to the Cardinals offensive line, throughout the game.

So far, the 49ers hard work and determination has paid off, as they start the season 1-0. The 49ers face the Seattle Seahawks, in San Francisco, this Sunday at 1:05 pm, which will be broadcasted on KTVU Fox-2. If the 49ers can match their intensity that they displayed during the Cardinal game, I personally think that the 49ers have a great chance in receiving a victory over the Seattle Seahawks.

Sun Sets on the NFL Pre-Season: But Aids Light to the Future

With the start of a new NFL football season comes excitement, quickly followed by many questions and concerns, bottled up in the bodies of eager enthusiasts. Hope and dedication is always present at the beginning of a season, with optimism that one’s team can reach and become victors of the grand prize, becoming super bowl champions. However, before the special teams squad enters the field, of the season opener, and sends the ball sailing high over the heads of devoted, encouraging fans, one thing must take place. Pre-season. During this time teams must try and work out as many kinks, untie as many knots and view as many new and returning players as possible, in order to ensure success.

Mike Singletary, the 49ers head couch, knows this just as if not more than any other player, president, GM, assistant or coach that is part of the National Football League. Being a prior player of the game turned coach, adds a sense of keenness and commitment to Mikes mentality on and off the field.
This past week was the last of the NFL’s meticulous pre-season training. The 49ers faced the San Diego Chargers, in San Diego. Although the outcome resulted in a defeat, much needed information was retrieved, studied and acted upon. My main concern, and or observation as a devotee to the 49ers, was that our offensive line needs to figure out a reasonable strategy that will able them, as a group, to act and react to multiple defensive plays and formations. Our offensive line seemed to not react quickly enough to the defense, enabling them to pick up the Chargers defensive line, as well as blitzing linebackers and cornerback. This lack of recognition resulted in unneeded pressure on 49er quarterbacks and tailbacks, which then in turn resulted in loss of yardage and in some cases sacks on the quarterback(s).
It is obvious that throughout the league there is much work to be done. But, growth and knowledge doesn’t come from constant success, in most cases. One must experience wrong, in order to prevent mistakes from repeating themselves. In this case, pre-season hopefully did just that.

1. http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcwest/post/_/id/4129/take-deep-breath-before-anointing-49ers-savior
The first blog that I read was one on espn.com. The blog was about the current situation with the 49ers third string quarterback, Nate Davis. I like the fact that the blogger had a strong position on the subject, as well as raised questions regarding the quarterbacks future on the teams roster. I liked that the blogger used a question to further the discussion and let people react to the question he has raised. In that way he made the blog interactive to all readers, which was effective.

2. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/09/03/sports/s005447D29.DTL
The second blog that I read was one on sfgate.com. The blog talks about Brad Penny, the new San Francisco Giants pitcher, as well as their 4-0 victory against the Philadelphia Phillie's. I liked that the blogger added a lot of Penny's stats, in order to show validity towards his report of to nights game against the Phillie's and back up his perspective about Penny personally. I also liked how the blogger remained semi unbiased, but added his thoughts carefully, biased on the facts and stats throughout the game. He also wrote the Blog in a timely manner, not wasting any time to report on the game, minuets after it ended.

3. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/09/02/BAS919H7LN.DTL&tsp=1
The third blog that I read was also on sfgate.com. It had to do with the current situation regarding the Bay Bridge being closed, starting on Thursday. I liked how the blogger didn't just focus on the fact that it might cause commuting problems, but focused on the positive aspects of the decision. The blogger was very good at informing the readers about other ways that the city will take advantage of the bridge being closed. Some of these ways include training firemen, fixing old light bulbs, painting, trimming trees as well as other maintenance work. The blog was very informative and the writer keep the readers attention by providing new, easy to understand and read information.

Two Ideas: 49ers, Skateboarding