I just boarded my flight to Boston, and I’m checking Sunday night’s weather forecast for Foxboro, Massachusettes.
It is supposed to be 30 degrees with a freezing wind at kickoff.
How do you think the cold weather will affect the game? Will the game be low-scoring?
This 49ers team hasn’t played in bad weather under Jim Harbaugh, but the Patriots play in bad weather all the time. Will bad weather experience be a factor?
I’m interested to read your takes.
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They don’t practice outside when it’s gets nasty so they are just as affected by the weather at game time as we are. If it’s cold for us it’s cold for them.
A lot of players come from different parts of the cold wet country. For them it should not be much of a problem. As an example, LMJ up there in Eugene, Oregon has experienced this enviroment on numerous occasions.
Hopefully the rain will slow Brady and company.
I was hoping for a snow game..
It might start out as rain/sleet but will change over to snow as the game progresses.
The upcoming Super Bowl in winter NYC will be the last time that happens.
Every week our young QB is getting huge tests, ball definitely in their court. Hope we can put on a show for the national audience.
Ball security will be key. How well the new skill position players Kaepernick, James and Jenkins hang onto the ball will be a major determination.
The loss of Bears game standouts Manningham, Williams and Hunter are already having a big impact on productivity. The new guys have to play well, and really hang onto the ball.
Wet conditions favor passing attacks with lots of underneath routes. Montana thrived in those conditions. The Pats are good at that too. If it’s windy, the swings back to the defense.
Wet+Cold = advantage Pats. Wet+Cold+Wind=advantage 49ers.
This is a hard game to figure. The teams are closely matched, but I’m guessing the team that does best in the first few series will dominate the game.
Ball security is huge. Pats dont turn it over ever, lets hope that Kaep who has a tendancy to keep the ball away from his body hangs on to it as turnovers would be killer. Pats love to throw in the rain/snow but since they play on a turf field footing wont be much of a problem. The forcast didnt call for wind but this is December in New England the forcast can change 3 times before i finish writing this post. For my own selfish purpose i hope its snow so i dont get drenched but either way as long as we win its all good.
I’m in Foxboro right now. The forecast for game time tomorrow is somewhat cold (low 30s) but no rain or snow. Should be great football weather. Especially for running teams (and running QBs ;)
Are you going to the game?
Yes! Other niner fans at the hotel too!
Way to support you team Rib! Wear those colors proud.
Wishing you a good fun time, unforunately I can forsee enough bad pre snap judgements that will cost us the game.
This team is built for cold weather games so it shouldn’t affect them in the least bit. I am however worried about Kaepernick’s tendency to put fumble the ball. Will he have a harder time holding onto the ball is a important wildcard in this game as well.
He played in Reno where it’s colder than Mass. He’ll be fine.
That may be so, but how will the freezing precipitation affect his grip on the football? That’s what I’m concerned about.
Don’t sweat it, the Kaeppers’ hands are big. Alex Smith was originally cast to play the part of the guy with the little hands in the Burger King commercial.
What I’m worried about Razor is that he has fumbled at least once in each game since playing the Bears. He’s been lucky the ball has bounced our way so far. He might have more problems with a wet ball.
It’s a valid concern, I just don’t see the weather being an excuse for it. I think Kaepernick plays lights out if the offensive line can get its sh!t together.
The jab at Alex was in jest:)
How is 30 fahrenheit cold? Right now it’s 14 fahrenheit in my backyard and I’ve spent most of the day outside to enjoy the nice weather.
But, Sean, are you outside wearing nothing but a football jersey? LOL Cold is a relative term, though. I remember arriving in Honolulu once and was surprised to see the airline employees on the tarmac wearing parkas because they were having a “cold day” of 62 degrees. It was a funny sight to see.
Yeah, it all depends on where you are as to how “cold” it really is.
In 09 the Pats crushed the Titans 59-0. It was 39 degrees and snow. If the Niners are hoping the weather will help them slow down Brady they’re in trouble.
Wind would be more of a factor. And that actually could favor Kap since he can put so much on the football. Both teams have running games. But if running becomes the focus I would think with Kap that would favor the niners. He is probably skilled with his long gait picking through tough conditions. I think this game will probably be decided by turnovers. Just like most playoff games. I really doubt that either team is going to be able to get more than a touchdown or so up on the other at anytime. Sure, there is a chance that NE gets up quick on the niners like they did with Houston but I would be very surprised. Too much at stake. There is also a possibility that the niners really open things up. Pats linebackers are not that fast and with LMJ on the field if they can get him in space they we could get some big plays… link to weather, wind probably not huge deal http://www.weather.com/weather/tomorrow/Foxboro+MA+02035:4:US
Of course, if the weather is really bad, NE can always rely on cheating with their snowplow or being gifted by the refs inappropriately invoking the Tuck Rule.
The refs concern me as much as the Patriots. Brady gets every call.
Yes, they clearly favor home teams and established stars and organizations.
Weather will not be a factor in this game. Gameplan, play calling and execution will be. No mistakes, play together like a well oiled machine and the invinsible Patriots will fall back down to earth at the hands of the 49ers.
*invincible*
Wait… the Harbaugh 49ers have never played in a bad weather game? I guess I’m not the only one trying to forget the NFC Championship Game.
Keep in mind, in ’88 they had Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Roger Craig, John Frank, John Taylor, Ronnie Lott, Eric Wright, McKyer and Griffin, Jeff Fuller, and many other great players. This 49er team does not measure up to that standard. I am pulling hard for a 49er victory but I’m a realist. Greg Roman is not up to the task.
Prime time is where the players and Roman shine. For reals.
I wasn’t referring to 88. I was referring to last year with a torrential downpour on a field that is already below sea level matched traditional cold candlestick winds.
Shoup
Id even argue that the NFCCG was worse weather because the stick is a grass field and rain brings legit footing issues. Gilette is turf so the only factor the weather plays is ball security. If it was 10* it would be another story but 37* is downright balmy for this time a year. When the sched first came out I was worried, but now im actually optimistic
And we lost.
We shine to lose. I forsee us getting blown out.
The weather does not avor one team or another. Coaching, preparedness, skill, discipline and desire are more important than the cold. No excuses. The Niners need to show something. Truly strong teams perform well on the road. We’ll get some insight to the team and skill players Sunday night. GO NINERS!
Well according to all the Networks the Niners shouldnt even show up because of the Pats greatness….Smh…Niners are gonna win this game and it will be Kap who does it not the defense.
If the offensive line plays a great game, the Kaepper will shred them.
True..seems wierd as they are the best run blockers in the league but theyre pass blocking is sketchy.
Stop being sarcastic, Grinch!
5 pm kickoff…they shouldn’t be any worse then most west coast teams in the east in winter. If it had been a 10 am west coast start in Boston? I would have called this a sure lock loss– no doubt at all. Right now? 20 % odds the niners win,I give.
20%? You’ve got to be kidding. The Jim Harbaugh led 49ers are 4-o when playing a primetime game. I submit their odds of winning this game are 50%.
Split the difference with you- 30%?
Patrick Willis has been designated as the X Factor.
A: The rain will only magnify the pain of the defenses bone jarring hits!
Exactly.
How was the flight Grant? Weather.com says it’s 26 degrees in Foxboro.
Screw New England, they are not that great and they have holes, Aldon Smith is going to make mash potato’s out of Tom Brady and his whiny biactch wife, time for a upset. (( ARE YOU READY FOR SOME Football))
How is Aldon smith going to do anything to Tom Bradys wife.. Are you advocating our players to be violent to civilians, do you want them to be lawless thugs that spend more time in jail than on the field.
Yourn kind of a putz, but you know that already.
I’ve played in cold weather. The cold is not a problem with all the new gear they can wear. The problem in when you get wet and have to sit and thaw. That’s when it gets bad. I would say cold weather favors the defense that usually is trying to be aggressive. ( did I spell that right?) lol. Our defense likes to hit hard so I see that being an advantage for us. They haven’t played the likes of our defense.
I look for a whoooooo lick out of #38 to set the tone. It hurts to get smacked in cold weather especially if it’s wet.
As far as offense is concerned, most of our key players have had cold game experience in college. Moss, Jenkins, Crabtree, Kap, LMJ, VD, DW and Manningham if healthy. Gore might be the only player not to. But he’s a beast so I don’t think it’ll matter. The lineman have so much meat on them it will not matter.
I see us beating them if our defense keep them in check and shut down the running game first. That will be the key. 3rd and long. We play our best then.
Who gives a $h1t about the weather…play ball!
Go Niners!!!
Colin Kaepernicks new name after this game will be, Fumbles, if you want a funny explanation watch the Robot chicken GI Joe fumbles skit.
Gonna be a long day waiting for kickoff. For all those who keep saying this will be the biggest test for the Niners, that also goes for the Pats who haven’t faced the best defense in football until tonight.
Statement Sunday, yes, but the big game is next week!!!
DRS
Absolutely not! Next week doesn’t matter if the Niners win this week.
Or is this lost on you?
Pats have definite weaknesses on defense. Their LB’s are slow. Their DE’s are good going straight ahead but they are slow and not very athletic. They benefit greatly from all the attention Vince Wilfork demands in the middle. The DBs are small and quick with the exception of Talib who is pretty big. The edges should be a great option for the 9ers. Screens to the edge or designed QB runs to the edge will be successful. The pistol QB option will not be successful against the Pats. Belichick will scheme the hell out of that play to take it away. Belichick is great at taking away certain parts of a teams offense. I would expect Crabtree to get alot of attention which should open up Moss or Vernon Davis. I would expect the Pats to stack the box to take away the run game but like I said the 9ers shouldn’t get away from the run. The Pats LB’s lack speed so they can’t cover sideline to sideline. They are stout in the middle but not on the edges. On pass plays those LB’s are a liability in coverage. 9ers need to expose that weakness. If VD is matched up 1 on 1 with those LB’s, CK needs to exploit it every time.
Houston
I noticed the same thing, the Pats are weak on the edges. Noticed that right away when they played Texans.
Houston
Unfortunately we dont throw to our backs often. Ur right that all of their backers are run stuffers and not coverage guys but we dont seem equiped to exploit it. I mentioned it before as well but their safeties are bad in coverage as well. Mccourty has been beter since they moved him from cb to fs but he is more of a centerfielder and if matched up one on one he is a PI waiting to happen and gregory is just another guy.
Im guessing Talib will follow Crab everywhere he goes which would leave moss and jenkins to beat on denard who is physical at the los but lacks the speed to keep up with deeper paterns.
If we can get the ball to VD and to DW(who actually catches it this time for a change) thats our best matchups unless Moss rewinds the clock back a few years
So we have LB’s who can’t cover and several weaknesses among the DB’s. Sounds like CK should have a field day. The 9ers have all the weapons to attack every part of the field. VD against any LB is a mismatch but against the Pats slow LB’s VD should have a big game. I also like Gore/LMJ on screens to be big in this game.
CK is not experienced enough to exploit a good team like the pats.
nor was he for the Bears either, so what’s your point? Any given sunday….
CK is a professional QB. He is expected to exploit the weaknesses of a defense. Perhaps he doesn’t have much experience but that doesn’t change the requirements of the position. He is expected to be able to hit the open receiver. Apparently, Jim Harbaugh thinks he is the best QB on the roster to meet those requirements or he wouldn’t have given CK the job.
pkny
Team yes, Defense not so much. They gave up 330 yards to Mark Effin Sanchez (he who got sacked by his OL’s but) im not saying Kaep will throw for 400 yds but the pats d is not the 85 bears. As long as CK avoids turnovers he should be ok
CK7 will run all over them. He’ll throw two td’s, run for one a get the victory.
Love the positive spirit Big Niner!
I said after last year’s NYG’ super bowl win over the Patriots, that had we (49ers) played the Patriots in the SB, we would have kicked their tails all over the field.
I don’t feel any different today than I felt back in February. I believe the 49ers know that they are the better team and the Patriots lobsided win over the Texans and the media hype favoring the Pats will only work to further motivate the 49ers.
A few things have changed regarding this game. The Patriots are at home, the hostile crowd and weather are much different vs a super bowl venue, but our defense is the same one that I felt would have dismantled the Pats last year. Our offense has a few new faces to add to the regular strong host of players we had last year.
Big win for the 49ers tonight!
9ers have a chance in any game they play. They need some creative calls this week not cute CREATIVE. Got to get vd and dw started early and often and lmj ,we have to make them move around there not athletic enough to keep up. Kap also has to get the ball out quick he has a tendency to hold the ball to long then try to run and get sacked Rams game. other than that we need to just punch them in the mouth and we will win easy if we play our game.
The Patriots offense has been hot. While they are naturally more familiar with the weather conditions and turf in Foxboro–the cold weather provides fertile ground to knock the Pats off their balance. Can Aldon get to Brady? Can Rogers bump Welker and stay in his face? Can Goldson drill someone so hard his helmet ends up in Boston harbor? Can the D Line stop the run? If our D capitalizes on the weather–and our O can maintain ball security, move the chains, and make a few big plays–we can control this game.
I’m a 49er fan who lives in NE, except when I went to Stanford and played for The Cardinal. I became a 49er fan when I was living in PA for 7 years.
I HATE THE &^$%*@# PATRIOTS! Our 9ers need to come out and punch the Pats right in the mouth. Here’s the key to getting to Brady. Mankins and Vollmer are both playeing hurt. Devise a scheme that takes them out and Brady will look like a deer in the head-lights.
Watch him in the 2 super bowl games against NY. He was scared shyteless!
As for the soft spot in the Pats D, you can find them. One: Double moves kill the Pats DB’s. You turn them around and it’s either a catch or interference. TWO: Another soft spot is between the DB’s and LB’s. Crossing routes that lead into the 10 yards between the LB’s and DB’s are always open against the Pats. Get there and you have 2nd-2, 2nd-3.
But whatever Harbaugh and the 9ers do, the number one thing is to RATTLE BRADY! The Pats defense backfield can be very generous.
GO 49ER’S! BEAT THE PATS!