If you were an NFL general manager, which quarterback would you rather build your team around – Matt Ryan or Alex Smith?
Ryan is a year younger than Smith. Ryan probably has a better arm, too. He made a couple of perfect deep passes in the first half against the 49ers. Alex Smith struggles to complete those passes consistently.
On the other hand, Matt Ryan threw two second-half interceptions in the playoffs this year, and he fumbled a snap. Alex Smith doesn’t choke like that. Smith doesn’t make mind-numbing mistakes.
So who would you rather have – Ryan or Smith – and why?
49ers RSS feed
Loading ...
Unnecessary post, since there is not a single GM or coach that will face this conundrum, but i’ll bite.
Matt Ryan.
Really? MR hands down. Look IMO Alex smith is a system qb that drastically needs the whole team to be great for him to do well. MR has and can lead his team back from deficits Alex smith never has. His arm is waaaay bigger than smiths, his passes are more accurate, sorry but watching ck throw lazer pin point passes on deep outs or deep posts I forgot how Alex smith couldn’t consistently do that. MR has. Unless Smith goes to another team with a great defense and a good running game he will not do any better than he did last season. He’s efficient, and smart with the ball. But he can’t put a team on his back and take over a game when behind. Numbers mean nothing. And this is why Alex smith isn’t our starter anymore.
MR has and can lead his team back from deficits Alex smith never has.
It’s as if the 2011 season never happened.
And this is why Alex smith isn’t our starter anymore.
Really? I thought it was because Kaepernick is a hyper-talented, multivariate threat who could be the best QB of his generation. Are you saying he isn’t?
Of course he is. Alex doesn’t suck. It took you WAY too long to see Kaep for what he is, CB!
That said, you have to go with Matt Ryan, at least until Alex Smith shows with another team that the Harbaugh Smith is the real Smith.
It also probably depends upon what type of team I have.
@ Mr. E:
Yeah, I should apologize for not forming decisive opinions about players after only 2-3 games. If only I had your keen eye for talent, I’d be an NFL coach or scout like you.
Wheeew! Did an intruder impersonating Ninermd wizz in your cornflakes this morning Claude?
I’m comparing their last seasons played and in the playoffs. Do you really want to bring up seasons prior to last season with these two?
And as far as the CK decision I wasn’t the one questioning the coach of the years decision. NOT ONCE! So that should answer your bitter bitter question. Claude be pissed at life not me. I’m just an happy 49er fan waiting to see #6. I kinda wished you were too bud! Oh well suns shining in my world right now.
CB
No, it’s unlikely you’d be an NFL scout like me. But it is likely that you would have a little more credibility than you currently do when discussing CK.
It’s not as though CK’s talents weren’t on full display in that Bears game. And if you had done any research whatsoever on the guy from his days in Turlock, to how he immediately drove to 4949 Centennial upon being drafted, to his first couple of appearances earlier this year, you would be an NFL scout like me. You wouldn’t have clamored for the return of #11 as you did. You may have seen, and understood what you were seeing. But you were too busy Smithing.
@ ninermd:
Nice try. You’re the one whose panties got all bunched when I pointed out that you didn’t understand the meaning of a not guilty verdict.
You said that “Alex smith never has” led the 49ers back from deficits. You didn’t limit your comment to 2012. You said “never.” The fact that you are now backpedaling tells me all I need to know.
As for the playoffs, Smith led the 49ers back twice against the Saints. He also brought them from 7-10 to 14-10 and 17-14 to 17-17 against the Giants in last year’s NFCCG. Even when you backpedal, you get the facts wrong.
You should quit while you are behind.
@ Mr. E:
When did I clamor for Smith’s return?
Why are you blowing off Senior Bowl practices to post on this blog?
Lol right Claude. My 2nd post when you were posting debunke your claim. Thx again. And whaaat? Alex smith brought back the 49ers in the nfccg??? NO he gave them a lead, coming back and NOT getting a win doesn’t count dude. How does anyone in their right mind think you are smart? An once again you skip the subject without an answer and point out something someone else says and throw your hairbrained comments into the subject. Again Claude what was your point of even saying so was OJ? Get real dude. Answer a damn question for once and quit hiding behind your keyboard you nerd! Get lost I have a Superbowl to think about, not some donut eating copy and paste dork with nothing else to do but pick a fight with someone he will never see in person. No my dude you’re the joke!
@ ninermd:
Your panties are bunched up again.
Since I have been reading this blog, the only thing you have debunked is the idea that you can read at a 5th grade level.
As for “skip[ping] the subject without an answer,” most fifth graders would understand my 10:56 am comment to constitute an answer to Grant’s question. It’s interesting that you don’t/can’t.
I have neither the time nor the interest to walk you through the messages in another thread to explain to you the obvious relevance of the OJ Simpson reference. rocket didn’t seem to have any trouble following the conversation. I am pretty sure a fifth grader could follow it. But you …
You really should have quit while you were behind.
Blah blah blah!!!! It’s like arguing with a kid straight out of college who took one course of psychology and thinks he’s a shrink all of a sudden. Claude I’ve been smacking you for awhile now. Deal with it son. You CAN’T talk football!
I guess you could call that N. O. game a comeback last season but why would any good team with a good QB need to come back when their offense had been handed 5,count em,5 turnovers…and the QB couldn’t get his team a decent lead.We shouldhave blown them out and we all know that with Kap playing at the level he is playing that with 5 turnovers we would have blown them out. And we would have easily won that Giant’s game the next week too.EASILY !
Tim,
Because you aren’t going to beat Drew Brees without him turning the ball over. Go look at their losses last season. He’s such a great qb and they score so many points, you don’t beat the saints unless you force at least a few turnovers.
I like Alex, but I don’t think it is that close. Ryan is more accurate and has a better arm. He can win games in the 4th quarter on a regular basis.
Alex will be a starter, but not with the Falcons.
A more interesting question is Ryan or Kap? I think the vast majority of people on this blog will say Kap and think its not even close, but around the country it is probably a closer question.
That would be a better question. I’d still have to say MR by a smaller edge only because CK hasn’t played long enough to see any consistency with winning.
Kap has already gone further in 9 starts than Ryan has in his career. That is my point about him not being a big game QB.
Falcons aren’t a big game team. I think their problems go well past the QB.
Ryan is no comparison to Kap. Kap has a lot more to offer. I’d take Alex for the simple reason, I just can’t stand Ryan. He was put on to high of a pedestal from the get go. He was considered elite before he ever played a down. Over rated!
+1
+2
He did good for a rookie QB in 2008, but since then they talk about him like he’s accomplished something, when in fact his team has not advanced the playoffs until this year.
When the Ravens lost 3 out of their last 4 games to end the regular season,the fans in Baltimore were calling Flacco “Flucco”. They were talking about IF he should be their QB going forward.
I doubt any GM in the League would take Alex or Ryan or Flacco over Kap if they had a chance to take their pick. Out of those 4 Alex would be last.
He will have to win next Sunday to get the big contract he is looking for. I would be surprised if he resigned there long term if and when they lose to the Niners.
He has played decent this playoff but not enough to say he is elite. They played an average team in IND, got lucky against DEN and should have lost, but played pretty good against NE. In a league where the QB postion is evolving, not sure Flacco is a game changer. To me he is overrated.
It’s Matt Ryan but the gap is not as big as some have suggested above. Ryan has a tendency to fold in big moments when pressured and the past two weeks were no exception. He’s a good QB but I would not be confident that he is the guy to take me to a Championship. Just too many mistakes in big situations.
Not this season rocket…. MR had some good late game comebacks with huge throws. And he was in the championship game this year. I don’t think the difference is Joe Montana vs Ryan leaf huge. But there is no question MR is a better qb to Alex smith. He has more ints but also has a lot more td’s. game managing doesn’t win games without the other parts of the team dominating. I think we saw that in person. This 49er team is nowhere near as dominating last season on defense or ST and this kid with his superior skills has gotten us further than Smith did with a lesser team. The falcons this season weren’t as dominate as SF last season on defense, st or running the ball. MR all day.
Ryan had a good season md, but he has a tendency to play poorly at times and until the Seahawk game had been winless in the playoffs for his career. In that game he threw a terrible int which kick started Seattles comeback. He was able to recover and lead the winning FG drive, but it should never have come to that. I said he’s better than Smith, but I don’t think the gap is that big because he’s got a tendency to fold and make mistakes. Say what you will about Smith but he rarely made mistakes to cost his team a game.
I agree I don’t think the gap is that big, but it wouldn’t take me 2 seconds to make the decision either. MR has been to playoff games and hasn’t faired well but smith has been to two playoff games. One which the lead was blown like the one MR and the falcons blew against the craphawks. Which neither should have happened. But they both made drives to cement the win for their teams. Now the two games with Smith and MR the nfccg, MR played as well as he could for the first half and peppered some good throws in the second half. Alex smith was horrible except the two throws to Davis vs the giants last season. Now I’m comparing their last playoff apperences because you’re only as good as your last game. MR exercised some demons this season and had a very good year. Actually better than any of Smiths. That’s why I coundlt second guess this decision. It’s going to be interesting to see how smith plays on another team next season. I have a feeling Harbaughs decision will be even more validated even though its been since game 1 IMO.
Fair enough md. If we are going on recent history then Ryan has redeemed himself somewhat.
Alex Smith played poorly in 1/2 of his games this season. ( 4 out of 8 )
He also helped them earn 6 of their 11 regular season victories ( > 50% ). He will be fine wherever he goes. With the toughness he’s built throughout his career here, he has become a viable starter in this league.
I’d take Alex Smith for the reason you said. Alex Smith doesn’t choke. You know what you’re get, and you know he’ll deliver. Ryan has choked over and over again in the playoffs. He won’t win a Super Bowl, because this year was his best chance.
Even though AS doesn’t have a ricket arm, he has a reliable arm. That’s the reason JH had Kaep starting, he has freakish physical gifts and he has a ton if heart like Alex. So big talent + big heart = great QB. Alex I think was coming on strong, and think his best football is still in front on him.
What does choking even mean? Is it losing a big game? Did Alex choke in last years NFCCG? Does that make him a choker?
It means not making a huge mistake to cost your team a game which Ryan has done many times. Smith did not play great in the NFCCG but he did not make mistakes that cost the team and led them to enough points to win if Williams hadn’t screwed up two punt returns. That’s the difference.
No It makes Kyle Williams a choker
I don’t agree Rocket. To me playing in way that does not help your team or playing badly (not playing well) can constitute choking?
Matt made one egregious mistake (the fun ball) other than that he HELPED his team win played great even.
Alex did not make such a mistake but he did not play well.
DISCLAIMER: I don’t think either one is a choker. I think it is a stupid catch word propagated by the media.
As Jim would probably say: its a word for those that like the low hanging fruit.
@ Rocket, Smith did not play great, but he also did not play well.
Kyle Williams choked! That would be a good example!
elmag,
I agree with you on the choking statement in general. Football is a team game and many things decide the outcome of a game. However Ryan has a history of making key mistakes in big games. He did play well enough to win, but without the pick and the fumble Atlanta probably does win the game. So if you are going try and come up with an example of choking, there it is. Key mistakes that cost you a victory. Smith didn’t make them last year and while everyone knows he was not great in that game, the reality is he did enough to win without the egregious mistakes made by KW.
@El,
No last year’s NFCCG was a hard fought game by two teams (who, in my mind, either would’ve been the eventual super bowl champion). Alex didn’t play a great game but neither did Manning. You had the two phenomenal defenses shutting down two good offenses.
I think in the end, the question is about weighing how much you can put the game on Alex’s shoulder (i.e. Detroit, New Orleans, etc.) and how much he’ll make boneheaded mistakes that cost you the game (i.e. Vikes, NYG 2012 reg season) versus the how much Ryan will.
In big moments, I’d stake my chances on Alex if I had a choice between the two, but looking solely at one’s ability to win games, I’d say you’re safe with either, but giving Alex the edge.
I’m with you on using “propagated” jargon, but I think in the sports world, everybody knows a choker when they see one.
So throwing an Interception in a big game and costing your team a win is choking.
But missing an open player for a possible TD that could have won you the game is not?
This is a hypothetical.
I think that if you want to define choking then it should be defined as; not doing what is necessary for your team to win.
In either case they are either both chokers or they are not.
@ rocket
i respect your opinion, Just wanted to say that there is a difference between “he did not play great” and “he did not play well”. One can infer that he had a good game.
There is a difference. But not applicable here.
Alex did play well.
He just didn’t played great.
Almost 200yds, 2TDs, no picks. 97.6 QB rating (better than Eli’s).
If he had played great, Niners would have won.
If he had played bad, the game would not have even gone to overtime.
“Kaep > everybody else in the league”
- Damon Bruce
I’d take the Harbaugh Alex over Matt Ryan, but not the pre-Harbaugh Alex. If I believe Harbaugh Alex is the real Alex, then yes. I definitely believe Ryan is Romo-lite.
I’m not sure what post-Harbaugh Alex Smith will be like. Will he revert back to the pre-JH Alex? Nobody knows the answer to that, but if I were to guess, I’d say he’ll return to the old AS that frustrated Niners fans for years.
I think post JH Alex will look like 2011 Alex more than 2012 Alex. Decent enough stats but middle of the road effectiveness. Ultimately the team around him will determine what kind of success he will have.
I’d take Ryan over Romo any day of the week. I’d say Romo is Ryan-lite.
Hey Grant… I don’t know if you have asked this question before on here,
But with the Superbowl coming up and Frank Gore coming to the tailwind of his career and holding 49er rushing records. Is he a hall of famer? He gets NO media hype or coverage his numbers are decent enough to put him in IMO. If he wins a Superbowl should he be mentioned in the hall of game convo?
That is a good question, IMO he does but then again I am extremely biased on this. I don’t think you don’t need a super bowl to get in (Barry Sanders).
did not mean the double negative.
El,
Barry Sanders was the best that ever played. He was going to the hall of fame no matter what. Frank cant be mentioned in the same breath as Barry Sanders.
Yes he can, cause I did.
Anyway that was not my point.
MD asked:
If he wins a Superbowl should he be mentioned in the hall of game convo?
I simply said no need to win a SB, look at Barry.
I asked if he wins the Superbowl for this reason. His numbers aren’t Barry sanders like, but they are very solid. I was thinking a Superbowl win could mark up his value a bit and give him some national coverage for once. I personally believe that if he has a couple more 1000 yard seasons he should at least be on the ballot and a strong candidate. Maybe I’m a little bias also but watching him in his career carry this team like he has and become a workhorse and the face of the 49ers offense for so long I’m thinking he should be. ;-)
Barry Sanders better than Bo Jackson?
Bo had no longevity which means he can’t be discussed as one of the greatest. Pure talent and skills as an athlete. Yes! But not with the greats. IMO it’s very close in a 3 way battle.
1 Barry Sanders
2 Walter P
3 Jim Brown….
My personal all time favorite was John Riggens. And btw Gore is only about 3000 yards from his all time rushing stats. A couple more years and gore could get real close to JR and the hall of game talk could get real serious. ;-)
MD
Agree with ur list %100.
B.Sanders is one of a kind. Literally. in the thousands of players that played on any level there is NO ONE LIKE HIM.
W.Payton at his size ran like a guy 40 lbs heavier
Brown had great production but hapened to be the only guy who at 6’2” 230 could run a 4.5 40. In todays NFL he is Deuce mcalister, M,Turner, F, Taylor C.Dillon. But he was the best of his generation so he is on the list
MD
Best ever doesn’t necessarily translate to longevity. You could just as easily say that an enduring will to win is prerequisite to be in the discussion, in which case Barry’s retirement at 30 would disqualify him.
I’m talking about dominance and talent. Bo Jackson was a 6’1″ muscle that ran a 4.1 40 … he’s the guy!
I don’t think he’s going to get in md. Gore has been great for this team but his numbers don’t stack up to get into the HOF. The HOF voters seem to put a premium on that.
If it came to heart and character, Gore would be a first ballot HOFer. Unfortunately, they are number obsessed. Add to that Gore has toiled in obscurity really for so many bad, uninteresting, ignored SF teams and his chances are slim to none. I think he now has better recognition and is very much respected, especially by other players, but don’t think it will translate to a HOF election.
Bo Jackson doesn’t have numbers. Barry was better because all tbe lions had was Barry. He put up numbers no matter what. Cant say tgat abiut anyone else. Barry had zero support.
Ill never forget what Switzer said he told his Oklahoma team. ” Don’t hurt Thurman Thomas, because you dont want to see his backup. #21 Barry Sanders. To me, Sanders was the best of all time. If he hadnt retired, no player would’ve broken his all time yardage record.He was headed to 20, 000.
n
d
tve classiest in history.
The guy quit and even his opponene
Sorry,
Cant scroll down on the smart phone that is not so smart!
All you say is true, but for a single game for all the marbles, I take Bo Jackson, Tom Rathman, Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Randy Moss, and Shannon Sharpe. Barry Sanders is my Punt Returner, back up RB.
This question is dumb.
Its obviously Matt Ryan. Ryan is a franchise QB. Alex Smith is somewhere in between Game Manager and a Good QB. Yeah he doesn’t make mistake, but he also doesnt take chances in order to make mistakes.
I really like Alex and wish him great success, but come on.
I think the best team for Alex would be Jets or Cowboys, and possibly the Jags.
The only problem with the first 2 are that they are a media circus. Alex just wants to play football and not have to deal with all that.
Agree about Smith on the Cowboys, his efficient style would probably help them win some games as opposed to losing them on bad decisions by the QB.
He should be But I also think Roger Craig should be.
Ryan is more talented by far and makes all the throws Alex cannot. Other than that? Alex.
the throws to the other team in crucial game situations that Alex does not make
Is the answer A) Matt Ryan? or B) Alex Smith?
The correct answer is C) Who gives a sh$%!
Alex doesn’t make mind numbing mistakes but he also doesn’t make many explosive plays. The good & bad of Ryan far outweigh the good and bad of Smith. Ryan is a better QB. If Ryan and Smith were both FAs who would get more attention? I think it’s Ryan and I don’t think it’s close.
Houston
I think Alex has made some explosive plays like in the Saints game and Lions game last year. I think his biggest problem is he takes sacks too often.
I think he would be a good fit with the Vikings with the running game they have. Maybe the Chiefs would be a good fit also. But you are correct it isn’t a close call.
To me the fact that you can remember the games last year where Smith made explosive plays means he doesn’t make very many. Ryan makes explosive plays in nearly every game.
42,
Explosive in Detroit. I dont think so. You mean an explosive 4 yard slant to delaney walker. The only thing explosive about that play was that Walker didn’t drop it! Lol. He did make plays in that Saint game.
While on the surface this seems like a no brainer in favor for MR the question is what does the rest of ur team look like?
If its a defensive stalwart team that has a good run game good ST that plans to grind it out and just needs someone to keep the chains moving then Smith is your man.
If its a team thats loaded with Offensive talent but has no D or shaky ST and needs to rely on the QB to outscore teams (NE GB NO) then Ryan is your man.
Many on here have said “wins are all that matters” well AS has as many wins in the playoffs as MR does but in 4 less games and he got his win by being a beast not by having his kicker bail him out. So while their numbers dont look close and their regular season stats favor MR
Matt Ryan by a country mile. Its not even close. The QN that nobody wanted last year as opposed to Ryan. Thats hilarious.
Grant,
Is today “Humor Day” or some other unknown special day that flies under the radar? (lol).
Sorry for the sarcasm, couldn’t resist.
Ryan – no contest!
I thought that the Alex subject was extinct around here.
In any case, I do hope he gets a ring and lands well on his feet somewhere.
The problem with Alex Smith is that he settles too much. He settles for sacks and check downs. He takes what the defense gives him instead of attacking the D. He rarely attempted the throws that CK is making routinely.
Remember the famous Bill Walsh saying?
Don’t take what the defense gives you. Take what you want
@ Nick:
Smh. Now, you’re just trolling. Bill Walsh never said that.
I don’t remember ever seeing that as a quote from him. Can you please direct me to it?
This site does not seem to have that quote. Though it may not be all inclusive.
http://thinkexist.com/quotes/bill_walsh/
@ elMaginator:
You don’t remember it because Walsh never said it. He very much was a “take what the defense gives you” guy. His offense was based upon the concept.
Claude
Thank I know that just trying to get him to back up his claim.
@ elMaginator:
Gotcha. Sorry for not figuring that out.
I love it, more Alex Smith debates! Nothing boosts traffic more than a good ole fashion Alex debate. Smith vs Ryan? Really? Ryan, hands down. Now let’s flash forward to the year 2031 and debate who is the better Offensive Coordinator, Alex Smith or Andrew Luck?
Alex Smith as an OC? Haha, that’s funny, unless you think Greg Knapp was a good OC – conservative, non-innovative, game manager type.
Just can’t imagine how to keep in a debate for the next 20 years…
Please don’t pretend to know what type of OC Alex would be.
Why not? He pretends to know what type of QB he is.
Tuotomate,
You never know, but can a zebra change its stripes?
Claude Balls,
We’ll find out next year. Will you admit that you were wrong then? Or will you make more Alexcuses when he reverts back to pre-JH Smith of old?
@ Nick:
I’ll admit I was wrong to the same extent that you have admitted you were wrong the past two years.
Actually, I won’t particularly care because he won’t be a 49er.
Barley, that is hilarious.
@ Nick
Playing and coaching are two different animals.
Some great players HOFers even could never be good coaches and some great coaches have never payed a down.
Houston
Agreed with you on that point. But I would point out Ryan also makesmore bonehead plays; see interception in Seattle game and fumble on Sunday.
I also wonder how much it benefits Ryan to have one hall of fame receiver, one very good one and one great one.
Matty Ice hands down.
Alex Smith thrived under Harbaugh’s system and coaching. Not so sure if he can duplicate his 2011/2012 seasons under another coach. That remains to be seen. Norv Turner is in Cleveland now, so that might be a great landing spot for him.
Why? What’s the point of this? Ryan is better than Smith. Atlanta will be signing Ryan to an extension this offseason before his contract is up in another year.
The question should be comparing Smith to the various starting quarterbacks of the other teams that might be interested in him.
Aah, young Grant stirring the Alex Smith pot again? Must be time for the blog ratings sweep!
This will be his last chance to stir the pot. I wonder next year what the hot topic will be once Alex is gone.
If Akers is still here, he can be the new scapegoat.
This refresh sucks!
Okay — I am not a Smither. But if Smith was in the same system and had Roddy White and Julio Jones and Tony Gonzales, i think we would do well. He was playing with in the Niner Offense and he can run too.
And he delivered in the Saints game, twice.
They both has strengths and weaknesses but it’s not a clear-cut Matty Ice advantage.
The botched snap is the one that gets me.
I’d love to see Smith on a well coached team with true WRs and a RB. If he teams up with Norv Turner again, we’ll see what Smith is about.
Now that CK shows what he can do, there’ no way I would take Smith over CK. That’s stating the obvious.
I would say that about any QB actually, outside of Andrew Luck and Aaron Rodgers.
Is Jim Harbaugh my coach?
Wow. Twice I went to post and got “refreshed”. No energy left to recreate my post……
That happened to me too. I thought I hit a weird key combination. Seems to refresh on its own these days. New twist.
Alex Smith vs Flash Gordon. Who’s better? Flash may have defeated Ming the Merciless but has he ever led a comeback to win a playoff game?
Matt Ryan proved to be much better against us that I thought he would be. I figured he was overrated and possibly a choker, despite the nickname, based on what i’d seen and heard. But he was deadly accurate on a ton of intermediate and long patterns. He wins the throwing-talent competition by a fair margin.
But you raise an interesting point, Grant. As good as he was in the first half, he somehow did find a way to help his team score zero second half points. I think Alex is more of a gamer than Ryan. I think Alex has played games in the last 12 months which are at the high end of quarterback accomplishment. The easy answer is Ryan, but its not as close as it appears on the surface. I wish Alex well, and despite the incredibly long odds, I actually think there are non-zero probability scenarios where both a healthy Kaep and a healthy Alex are on our roster next year. Not counting on it, but it can’t be ruled out and I’d certainly welcome him on the roster. Any qb who gets exposed to the run is a risk for serious injury, and a solid backup is required. Odds are it will be Tolzein, but never say never. For his sake and ours, I hope Alex goes to Jacksonville – ie, other conference – and makes the Pro Bowl.
Matt Ryan is elite. He can make all the throws. Sees the entire field. He’s accurate. While Matt Ryan has elite receivers, he also had a very one dimensional offense. When you have that type of predictability and have no run game to support you, that puts you in the elite category.
Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco were in the same category of “elite” right below the top 5 of Brady, Manning, Manning, Rodgers and Brees, Rothlesberger.
But Matt hasn’t shown up in the playoffs and almost choked away the Seahawk game.
There’s more to being an elite QB then making the throws. Philip Rivers can make all the throws too but he’s a head case now.
Lets put it this way. If AS was Atlantas QB could he put up almost 5000 with a 29th ranked rushing attack and a 24th ranked defense?
Matt Ryan did enough to win both games. His supporting case ( running game and defense ) failed him.
We don’t know what Alex would have done. I don’t think they would have called the same type of offense.
ATL receivers are better then Niners receivers. Maybe the offense resembles what the Niners did with Joe Montana, where it was all about the YAC.
Let’s put it this way — If MR was the Niner QB this year and last year, MR would have put up better numbers then Smith.
Would MR have made the two plays that won’t the NO game?
We don’t know, but he sure didn’t do it on Sunday.
He certainly wouldn’t have run it in from the 30 yard line.
Bay
Matt Ryan is NOT elite, for the exact same reason Tony Romo is NOT elite. Give almost any QB in the league Roddy, Julio, & Tony, and he’d have 4,000 yards every season.
Another tidbit for you to chew on … Eli is ELITE, but his brother is NOT. Why? The big moments, my friend. I told my boys during the Broncos game that Peyton would throw a pick to cost his team, and lo and behold…
When you can say before it happens that a QB is going to throw a pick to cost his team, and it happens repeatedly, that QB is NOT elite. Romo, Ryan, & Peyton do that with alarming frequency.
If Alex goes to Jax 9ers will face him next year.
correction: i meant to say “it’s closer than”, not “it’s not as close”; ie, the comparison of Ryan to Alex isn’t as preposterous as I initially took the headline to be. Ryan does have essentially “elite” throwing skills, yes, but we know from Joe and others that there are other skills which make an elite thrower a great quarterback. You know a quarterback is great when they find a way to stick a dagger in your heart, just when you think you have them. Ryan may prove that next year, but i’m not quite sold after watching these playoffs pretty closely.
The year the Niners drafted Alex, there was one qb worthy of the first pick, and he fell to Green Bay. Whether Nolan drafted Alex to trade him a few picks later and then pick Rodgers, or he drafted him to get a game manager, the fact is that a game manager is what he got. Urban Meyer suggested so himself when he said, “It’s going to be interesting in San Francisco. Alex is an extremely quick learner. However, he’s a guy that, until he understands it, he is nonfunctional. He is a guy that — I keep hearing how Brett Favre kind of makes something out of nothing and is a person that runs around to make a play — Alex Smith is not that kind of player.”
Matt Ryan was worthy of a first-round pick. Game managers can be found on Day 2.
Crabtree should thank Harbaugh for the switch.
https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2013/01/18/the-complete-michael-crabtree/
Matt Ryan is a top 7 QB , and a pro-bowl player, unnecessary post as this is not realistic and Matt Ryan is going to get a big fat contract, something that. AS won’t get, at least for next season.
Damn george.. urban said that? Lol..
Here’s a link to the article:
http://www.ninersnation.com/2008/7/19/574773/urban-meyer-on-49ers-qb-al
It’s amazing that they knew that and still drafted him. But the Ravens had recently won the Super Bowl with a game manager, so I think that’s really why they did it.
Here’s more Urban Meyer from the same article:
“I’m going to be anxious to watch his development with the 49ers. Alex is so careful with the ball. His touchdown-to-interception ratio the last 2 years was phenomenal (47 touchdowns and seven interceptions). That’s because, unless he knows exactly what’s going on, he won’t throw it. He won’t just try to guess and take a shot. He has to know.”
But let’s get real. In the NFL, where every defender was a star in college, how can any qb always know what’s going on? There is mayhem in the backfield, often, especially if a running game can’t get going. A good NFL qb has to deal with mayhem, and Alex, “unless he knows exactly what’s going on, he won’t throw it.”
+1. Nice post George. Alex’s current and former coaches know better than some of the folks on this blog who continue to make excuses for the man. He is who is he – an average NFL QB at best.
George,
That is why Alex holds the ball for so long. It seems that he just can’t read the defense fast enough to trow the ball to the right location. Hence all the short passes and the checkdowns. Alex is not the elite.
Funny, how you two only read the part of the quote that you think supports your position. You conveniently left out the money quote:
Once he understood, there was no one better. He learns quickly, though. But he’s not a guy that you throw the ball out there and tell him, ‘Go play.’ He wants to know what is exactly expected of him and then he becomes a dynamite player.’
So, are you guys trolling or just not very good at reading?
“That’s because, unless he knows exactly what’s going on, he won’t throw it. He won’t just try to guess and take a shot. He has to know.””
Maybe thats exactly what the problem is- that he didn’t know what was going on a lot. So he checked down or didn’t throw.
CB
So Alex is awesome? Because even his biggest proponent said that although he is initially non-functional, once he understands an offense there is nobody better?
Here’s reality: Alex was totally non-functional until Harbaugh got here. Then he got a playbook, worked his a** off to understand it, played a very cautious brand of limited QB for a year and a half, then got a concussion … at which point, another guy came in, immediately showed the world what a talented QB could do in the very same system, and the rest is history.
I’m not digging at you CB, but I would like to know how you care to address the “reality” outlines above. Feel free to cut and paste liberally.
Lol Good luck MR E…. Claude throws blanket statements out Nd twists words the way he wants to read and will never answer a question directly. He loves his guessing games. And he loves trolling. He doesn’t love the fact that he was wrong and thought he knew more than the coach of the year. He’s a little bitter. It’s sad!
@ Mr. E:
So Alex is awesome?
I didn’t say that. I merely pointed out that George’s selective quoting of Urban Meyer was more than a little misleading.
I am not sure why you feel the need to keep writing ignorant nonsense about Smith, but it comes across like you’re trolling.
CB
What I wrote about Alex was truth, not nonsense. So you calling truth “ignorant” doesn’t make sense. And if you were trying to validate Smith by using Urban Meyer’s entire quote, then I was debunking the part of Meyer’s quote that you thought debunked George’s argument.
See? See how that works? Errrr, no! Obviously you don’t. You still don’t get it because you still have your nose stuck where the sun don’t shine. Try again. And this time try to speak to the truth about Smith that I wrote. Feel free to cut and paste.
CB
Nonfunctional dynamite is called a “dud,” by the way. If Alex isn’t a bust, he’s certainly a dud.
Here’s reality: Alex was totally non-functional until Harbaugh got here.
A serious shoulder injury contributed to that functionality just as much as playbook cramming.
Please do write more truth about Alex, instead of the usual nonsense.
Ribs
Are you Claude? Because you ALWAYS stick up for that guy. He’s more than capable of tapping his own keys.
To address your point, there is almost NO evidence that Smith was anything other than non-functional until Harbaugh arrived, whether you ascribe that to playbook or shoulder damage or whatever. That’s the truth, and there’s nothing you can point to that would convince anyone with any sense otherwise.
>>there is almost NO evidence that the 49ers were anything other than non-functional until Harbaugh arrived.
Fixed that for you, E.
Oh and stick up for claude? Absolutely no need to. He is one of the more intelligent and dexterous posters here, quite capable of destroying the illogic of many a blowhard here on his own.
Ribs
Look at their defense. Willis 4 straight ProBowls. That’s a highly functional player playing on a highly functional unit.
Just remember Ribs, there hasn’t ever been a Niners QB that Alex Smith wasn’t able to lose his job to, with the exception of Scott Tolzien.
Ribs
Why do you do it, then? You and CB are still united in your need to fight for Alex Smith. It boggles the mind.
Mr E,
Quit making up stuff again to bolster your nonsense.
Highly functional? In latter half of the 2000s the Niners D was statistically between middling and $hit.
year total defense rank
2006 26
2007 25
2008 13
2009 15
2010 13
That they had good players like Willis is besides the point – it all came down to the system and the coaching. And the team’s record reflected that.
@ Mr. E:
Smh.
For someone who claims to be so brilliant, you seem to have difficulty with context.
While its irrationality pales in comparison to your assault on Steve Young, your vendetta against Alex Smith is no less tiresome. And it’s unnecessarily divisive and poorly timed. why don’t you fix your sights on one of the Ravens and start up a campaign that we can all get behind.
Rib
Gore has always functioned well, like Willis. But not Alex.
Claude
I have no vendetta against any Niners. It’s just weird that you continue to claim that Alex was anything other than a dud, and as long as you continue to assert otherwise, I will be here to correct you.
@ Mr. E:
For you to correct me, you’d have to be correct. You haven’t been yet.
Claude
I was correct about Kaep from the beginning. You were wrong about Alex & Kaep from the beginning. Claude, please, explain how Alex was functional before Harbaugh arrived. You still haven’t responded to that. You still haven’t addressed the fact that Urban Meyer said nobody would be better than Alex once he learned, then voila, Kaep was better than Alex ever was in his FIRST game.
Address any of those items, Claude. The way you don’t ever answer anything really serves to diminish your credibility.
Come on C nuts,
Your a one trick pony, AS this, AS that. Be a big boy and say Good-bye to your hero, just let him go, he will be okay. You can visit him a couple of times a week when he finds his temporary gig.
@ Mr. E:
To insist that I address your nonsensical utterings doesn’t do much for your credibility.
To say that Smith was nonfunctional prior to Harbaugh is asinine. Either that or you don’t understand the meaning of the term. He didn’t perform at a high level, but he was functional.
Moreover, to judge his pre-Harbaugh performance without any consideration of the context isn’t particularly thoughtful. Coaching matters. Name one successful NFL QB who went through the revolving door of coordinators and schemes that Smith endured in his early years, not to mention two years of Mike Singletary and Jimmy Raye. That Smith came out the other side and produced like he did in 2011 and 2012 is fairly impressive.
Smith’s performance in 2001 and 2012 is more than enough evidence to show that you don’t know what you are talking about when it comes to Alex Smith. You simply talk out of your ass and try to get a rise out of people with provocative uninformed nonsense. (You also seem to contradict yourself a lot.) Moreover, instead of actually supporting your position with relevant facts and sound reasoning, you demand that others disprove it. That’s lazy and weak-minded.
The fact that Kaepernick is better than Alex Smith doesn’t mean that Smith isn’t good. It’s not a zero sum game.
If you don’t want to read comments from me in support of Alex Smith, don’t keep writing ignorant nonsense about him. I never raise the Alex Smith topic. Haters like you, jordan and Neal do. (In this case, Grant raised it, presumably to generate some page hits.) I simply respond when you misstate facts or ignore reality, which, unfortunately, is all too frequent.
@ Neal:
You have posted far more comments about Alex Smith than I ever have. He is pretty much the only topic you ever comment on. I suspect you will be more at a loss when he leaves than just about anyone.
Hey Claude
It doesn’t matter how many empty words you type on your keyboard. You are still a total moron. Listen, I give you plenty of credit for being able to tap your keys, but you are still incredibly stupid when it comes to the QB debate.
I argued your side plenty, but you chose to latch onto Urban Meyer. “Non-functional” is his word, not mine. And to say Alex was anything other than non-functional just doesn’t make sense. Remember, you French POS, he never kept his job; it was taken from him by every other QB who ever shared roster space with him. That fact doesn’t seem to register with you.
Harbaugh MADE Alex Smith. As you tried to point out, Urban Meyer said nobody was better than Smith once he understood an offense, and as I pointed out, that was just puffery, given the fact that it took Kaep 1 single, solitary drive during that Bears game to establish that he was light-years better than Smith in the very same system.
Claude, do yourself a favor and just admit that your pro-Alex agenda was and still is that of an ignorant jacka** who has no clue about anything related to football.
Moron, stupid, French POS, Jacka$$….
You really know how to make friends and influence people Pork. I’ve always had a theory that when someone resorts to namecalling and insults they’ve lost the argument and have no other means but to lash out.
Your argument on it’s own is incorrect but your lack of big boy words makes it collapes completely.
Alex Smith threw 18 TD’s in 11 games coming off of his second shoulder surgery playing in an offense that was straight out of the 40′s. If you consider that Nonfunctional or describe the player who did that as a dud, you are unable to understand the core elements of football, or you are just a windbag that types without thinking. Either way this exchange with Claude and many others you’ve had, does not paint you in a positive light. Take a break and grow up a little.
Rocket
Wow!!! 18 TDs in 11 games!!!!! OMG!!!
I can’t believe it’s not butter!!!!
No, Rocket, Alex was as “non-functional” as they get until Harbaugh arrived (with a tiny caveat that you probably are aware of). I’m not shocked when Claude speaks like a total ignoramus, but I am shocked that you take up arms in his defense, and in defense of Alex. Again, Rocket, the term Urban Meyer used was “totally non-functional.”
Can you address the fact that Alex NEVER was able to not lose his job? Or are you also ignoring that fact?
@ Mr. E:
Nice straw man. I didn’t “latch” onto Urban Meyer or use him to support any position I took All I did was point out that another commenter was using a partial Meyer quote in a misleading way. But don’t let the facts get in the way of your argument.
Not surprisingly, your comment is strong on name-calling and weak on facts/analysis. I’m more than comfortable with the contrast between our respective demonstrations of football knowledge.
By the way, I’d describe my “agenda” as more anti-b/s than pro-Alex. It just so happens that most of the b/s posted on this blog comes in the form of thoughtless and/or ignorant attacks on Smith.
Claude
You are either really attached to that pro-Alex agenda, or else really thick.
George used the partial Urban Meyer quote that described Alex until he understood a system, which was clearly anti-Alex. So what did you do? You said, “Oh no, George, that’s not all Meyer said, he also said Alex is the best in the world once he understands the system,” clearly reflecting your pro-Alex agenda.
You are just so attached to your old dog that you cling like crazy, like crazy, to his memory. I get it. I too had a dog. He was a good dog, dependable, loyal, but also a really top-notch dog. In fact I loved that dog, the way a man is supposed to love a dog. What’s crazy about you is that you love Alex the way a guy loves his old dog.
Alex doesn’t give a rat’s a** about you. And all he did from 2005 to 2011 was lose, all the time, in spectacular fashion. Do you not remember all his fumbles, all his running the wrong way, his interceptions, his loser-awe-shucks-of-course-we-lost hangdog expressions? He needed to go 20-5-1 in Harbaugh’s perfect system just to get around .500 for his career. If you think that a Niners QB is in any way acceptable at well under .500, then go root for the Seahawks. They’re used to that.
Harbaugh gave him the chance to be great, and Smith was really efficient, but not productive. He made a few plays in the Saints game, but against the Giants he was 1 for 13 on 3rd downs. Then, no shock at all, this year he still had last year’s game rattling around in his head, afraid to lose, so he led the Niners to a 3-pick 26-3 annihilation at the hands of the Giants.
And where was Crabtree? Was he not on the field in those two games? Is he not, only now, a top-10 WR in the NFL, with Kaep throwing to him?
Yeah, Alex had Frank Gore, VD, and Crabs, a fully healthy OLine, yet he threw 3 picks and only managed 3 points against a Giants team that didn’t even make the playoffs.
Does ANY of this register with you, Claude? Rocket? Can you explain this to Claude, Rocket, or are you also just driving a losing agenda? There’s a place for QBs with the loser’s mentality. It’s far, far away from 49erland.
Rant over.
Pork I’m arguing against selective reasoning in regards to Alex Smith. Urban Meyer is one of Alex Smith’s biggest supporters. The quote he gave was in support of his ability; not a knock against it. The nonfunctional comment was in reference to the fact Smith is a perfectionist who needed to know every aspect and intent of the offense before being confident enough to run it effectively. Singling out the nonfunctional quote without providing the complete context of the statement is disingenuous.
I’ve never read a post from Claude stating he thought Smith was the better player, Kap was not the right choice, or Harbaugh was an idiot for making the switch. What he, myself and a few others said from the time the switch was made, was simply that Smith was playing well and the team was winning. It is a gamble to make a switch of that magnitude in that situation. We also said we believed in Harbaugh and he deserved the benefit of the doubt.
You were previously a supporter of Smith and now have gone completely down the other side and are ignoring the realities of his situation. He’s never lost his job without an injury being the cause. He was the starter from half way through his rookie year until injuring his shoulder in game 4 of his 3rd season. The next time he was healthy enough to really compete for the job was two years later after recovering from his second shoulder surgery when he replaced Hill against the Texans. He proceeded to throw 18 TDs in 11 games which is anything but nonfunctional. Since then his performance has improved every season both with and without Harbaugh. Harbaugh gave him a foundation that he didn’t have before which allowed him a stronger environment to continue to improve, but the process was under way before Harbaugh was hired.
You like to argue Pork, that is obvious and you vary your opinions to do so. In this topic thread alone you’ve taken the stance that Smith is better than Matt Ryan and Tony Romo, yet he’s also a dud who was an empty uniform who couldn’t hold a job before Harbaugh arrived. You aren’t as clever or intelligent as you think you are Pork. I know a number of your posts are contradictions and hyperbole designed to stir things up with whoever is willing to argue with you on a given day. When challenged on your views you lose your composure, resort to childish mannerisms and throw the football forum equivalent of a tantrum. I like talking football Pork but I don’t like misinformation being passed off as fact and like hot headed diatribes even less. If you want to talk football then build an argument based on substance and fact instead of throwing out flawed statements followed by immature outbursts.
Rocket
I can claim I’d rather have Smith than Ryan and Romo and at the same time claim Smith was non-functional before Harbaugh. See how that works? One is about present Smith (post-Harbaugh) and the other is about past Smith (pre-Harbaugh).
You wrote a lot of garbage, very little of which was true. Smith lost his job to Smith, not because of injury. Smith lost his job to Kaepernick, again, not because of injury. If Smith was better than Kaep, his injury wouldn’t have mattered. Go back and review your precious Smith’s career, and when and how exact he lost his job, repeatedly.
“The nonfunctional comment was in reference to the fact Smith is a perfectionist who needed to know every aspect and intent of the offense before being confident enough to run it effectively.” These are your words, Rocket. Thanks for making my point. It took Smith too long to run an offense effectively, and even when he did, he wasn’t the most productive doing so.
Rocket, don’t insult my intelligence. You equate length of comment with smarts. I’m so much smarter than you it makes me sick I’m even having to explain this all to you again. Or maybe I’m not. Or maybe my IQ is 165 and yours is 164. You want to prove this, Rocket?
Pork,
Anytime Smith has lost the job it’s been due to injury. He’s always gotten the job back when healthy with the exception of this season.
He learned Raye’s offense and Harbaugh’s offense quite quickly and was effective, especially under Harbaugh who worked on things with him that previous OC’s had not.
Kap is better and nobody has said any different. You just feel the need to dredge up strawman arguments so you can amuse yourself with message board debates.
You have an agenda. You like to throw out provactive statements and then argue with whoever takes up the challenge. You are insecure and in need of attention. Sometimes I’ll play along and other times I don’t care nor have the time. Either way you really need to find a hobby.
C Balls,
I won’t miss AS but looks like you will. I am sure they will have visitation hours with his new team.
Why are we talking about two very insignificant players at this time of year?
Because Grant needed some more traffic on the site.
It worked.
I prefer it this way too. Its just too bad it still has to be about Alex.
What will happen to us all once he is gone?
Why it’s simple, we’ll make derogatory comments over his performances with his new team.
Specially if he goes to an NFC West team. Than we will all be united against him. I hope.
We’ll all go troll the local sports blog wherever he plays.
Like your idea Grimey.
I’ll be like adidas.
We’re trying to validate your assertion that Smith will get a $10-12 million a year extension. Hahahaha!
Smith will likely get decent starters money with performance escalators for good play. There will also likely be a provision in the contract that allows the team to move on if he doesn’t play as well as he did with the Niners. Either way, I wish him the best unless we are playing him.
Prime
The word I kept using when trying to get you to see the light about Kaep was “irrelevant,” not “insignificant.” Remember?
Sunday at halftime, I noticed that the only thing I expected to happen in the NFCCG that had not yet occurred was a couple of mistakes by Matt Ryan.
Boom!! Niners win!
A QB who can be expected to mess up in big games is not one I would like to build a franchise around.
Here are some interesting numbers: Adjusted Yards Per Pass:
REGULAR SEASON
Continuing on after the auto-refresh…
REGULAR SEASON
Rodgers (career) 7.3
Brady (career) 6.5
Smith (under Harbaugh): 6.6
Brees (career) 6.1
Ryan (career) 6.1
POSTSEASON
Smith (2 games): 7.3
Brees (9): 7.1
Rodgers (9): 7.0
Brady (24): 6.5
Ryan (5): 4.7
I always thpught Alex Smith was elite! DRS, this is proof tgat stats lie. Cant wait to see Smith next year. Heres a recycled excuse. Hes in another new system.
Jordan: did the Niners beat Atlanta? Yes. Did they blow the Falcons out? No. How do we know these things? By the final score of 28-24.
28-24 is a stat.
If you think stats lie, you are either using unvalidated stats or you should be following something other than sports.
I think you need to look up the difference between the meaning of the word excuse and the meaning of the word explanation.
A stat is not incorrect just because it challenges your particular opinion.
I truly feel that Baltimore will have a hell of a time stopping CK. They couldn’t handle RGIII or Vick. Both QB’s gave them fits.
I remember when we last played them Alex got sacked 9 times. Gonna love to see how CK deals with that same pressure.
I too see them (Ravens) having trouble with him (Kap).
I don’t know if it is the Cule fan in me or not but I am just incredibly pessimistic about every big game. But I have feeling this game won’t be even close, as in we will have #6.
I’ve learned over the course of the season not to doubt this team in big games. #6
I dont see the Ravens having that dominating defense like they used to. From what we have seen the past 3 weeks is that our offense can do whatever it needs to. Run, checkdown, go deep, pistol option, I mean, it really is pick your poison.
Defensively, how does Flacco beat us? Take away Rice and its either Boldin or the young kid Jones. I have not seen the ravens play a full game this year so maybe I am being a homer but really, what do they do that is so great besides play physical?
I agree FDM but one thing the Ravens have done well this playoff is be schematically ready. They have beaten some well coached teams and seem to have better game plans. Outside of good coaching, they play physical, decent special teams and have incoporated some explosive down field plays.
FDM
The X factor for the Ravens is their run game and Ray Rice. If the Niners can stop the Ravens run game with their Nickle package, this game will be a blow out.
With Chilo gone, no way they put that kind of pressure on Kap. The Ravens were all over Smith that game, I’d never seen before or after, the Ravens put that kind of pressure on a QB.
They can pick their poison this time, I think they will play similar to ATL by trying to make Kap hand off and beat them with the pass. I can’t wait to see what Roman dials up.
The Ravens also had home field advantage that game, which helps the pass rush.
And a short week, had to travel across the country and we almost won that game if not for a bad tripping/holding call on Gore.
It was a chop block which really was bad luck more than a bad call. I think there was also a very questionable pass interference call that went against the 9ers.
Both of these teams are way different now. I think that game means nothing at this point.
Sando right on cue:
http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcwest/post/_/id/89679/kaepernick-appears-ready-for-the-pressure
Well, Chilo wasn’t the only problem in that game. Ngata was a major disruption and he was coming from the other side. Our OLs cohesion may be the biggest difference from last year. Having more time to prepare can’t hurt either; short week last time.
Bray,
The problem with that game was what I mentioned tht haunted Smith all season last year. The zone overload blitz. The Ravens, Cowboys, Bengals and Saints( preseason) ran it against us. Alex didn’t know where the blitzers were coming from. He took at least 28 sacks in those 4 games alone. Ravens can’t afford to blitz us like that now. Kap will slant them to death. Or they will get gashed up the middle.
The NFC dominated the AFC this year. The 9ers should win.
Also, our O-line is so much better than last year. More time to gel, no Chilo and they have to respect our passing game now.
Who’s Alec Smithe?
he is the Alex Smith of Bizarro world. A HOFer.
Bay
I hope your right, but they will have two weeks to prepare for him.
I think the bigger key is the o line. They have had problems picking up blitzs. I think they have gotten better the last few games, but they need to focus on that. Last year the Ravens killed us with the blitz.
Now that being said I think Kap has the ability to step up or get outside the blitz and run a long way against man coverage. So blitzing could get some sacks it also could result in some big runs.
Capt. Checkdown vs Matt Ryan??? Seriously? Alex is a nice guy and commendable he isnt crying about his well deserved benching, but this is the dumbest debate of all time. Ryan. End of story. Alex throws a pretty checkdown for 5 yards on 3rd and 8…my 9 yr old would complete 70% of his passes too.
Sounds like DS gave you the idea for this topic Grant.
I’d take Alex over MR. We’ve had glimpses of Alex’s ceiling. At his best, he plays at an elite level. If he plays his best consistently, what does that make him. On the other hand, MR can make all the throws. That doesn’t make you elite, it makes you Jeff George.
What Alex needs to do on the regular to prove his greatness:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1493440-alex-smith-why-qb-wont-have-trouble-finding-a-new-home
Since this has turned into a Alex Smith blog thought I would throw this out
Got this from ESPN site:
PASSING ATT COMP YDS TD
Colin Kaepernick 218 136 1814 10
Alex Smith 218 153 1737 13
guess it wont post the way I set it up.
I saw the same stat line but I think Kaep did it in less games plus it doesn’t show the rushing yards or rushing tds by Kaep. Also I think we are becoming more balanced at quarterback. With that said I respect Alex for everything he has done alot of other quarterbacks wouldn’t be able to handle the adversity as well as Alex has all the different head coaching changes,offensive coaches and than finally gets a coach who believes in him and gets benched.
The passing stats are about the same with the same amount of time. What they’re leaving out is the run aspect.
I like what the ESPN guy said the other day: CK gives the Niners one extra play and about six extra in a game because of the dual threat. The beauty of it is: CK doesn’t have to run to make it effective. The Pistol is fascinating.
From listening to some experts and looking at the thing myself, I don’t see an easy answer for this formation for several reasons. Defenses can say they’ll enforce gap integrity but it doesn’t really work because the I-back gets to the gap so much quicker in this formation and when the backers bite on the fakes? It’s too late. Or they can stack the box but CK audibles out. Did you see how many times the backers over-shot thinking CK would burn them on the outside only to have Gore gash the A gap inside? Must have happened at least three or four times that I saw. Plus you still run everything normally out of that, play-action, etc. So the pistol is helping with some of this as well.
It would be interesting to see Alex run the Pistol, just out of curiosity since he ran a spread option in college. Makes you wonder what would happen (we’ll never know.)
The niners used the pistol some with Alex both this year and last year. Just not to the extent they’re usingit now.
I think most GMs would give Ryan the edge over Alex. Ryan’s got arm strength and Alex has poise and mobility. The implication of the question seems to be that Ryan isn’t good and that he’s failed. I happen to think that Ryan is good, he’s engineered comebacks, and his failure to make the SB does not mean he’s a failed QB.
Many in the media and among us Bloglodytes are so over-reactive. Guys like Steve Young, Ken Stabler & John Madden have been labelled as guys who “couldn’t win the Big One”; until they did. If the Niners do beat the Ravens the World will erupt with questions about Flacco (Is he as good as Troy Smith?)>
Personally, I don’t care which guy most GMs would take as long as neither one is on the 49ers next year.
The Niners success the last couple years is due to the excellent coaching staff maximizing & upgrading the talent that they inherited. Alex Smith was coached in a way to maximize his abilities, by checking down & not forcing plays. This works great if you want to stabilize a team with a great run game & defense, it doesn’t work if your truly want to contend for a championship. Smith is a mid tier Qb at best, forget the Ryan comparisons, I doubt he could beat out Chad Henne in Jacksonville.
and how is switching to the pistol offense to maximize CK’s abilities any different? nice try.
Pretty lame Grant. I know two weeks is a long time for you. How about writing on a relevant topic. At least you’re consistent though; you know how to attract internet traffic.
Is this Navid?
when will we stop with the alex smith posts
NEVER!!!! Zehahahahahahah!
MR has had a good team since day one. His WRs are arguably top 10 and add in TG, he has the good weapons at key positions. Just reviewing the numbers, winning record, etc, you’d have to give the slight edge to MR. I wouldn’t be surprised to see AS land with a team that eventually goes further in the playoffs than an MR led team. I’m still shocked by the INT MR threw against SEA when they were cruising to a win. As great as some of MRs passes were against the 9ers Sunday, the two INTs and the fumble were just bad play and ridiculous.
That’s Matt Ryan — big mistakes.
In his 5 postseason starts, Ryan has thrown 2 interceptions in 3 of those games and at least 1 interception in 4 out of 5. If that isn’t choking and making the big mistake, what is? The falcons won all year, despite Ryan making the big mistake in many of their games. It’s no surprise the turnover battle finally averaged out against him. Ryan may have one of the greatest arms in the game right now, much like stafford. However, when you consistently make the big mistake, arm strength is not relevant.
Hofer,
Ryan had 1 pick, not 2 on sunday. It was when Roddy White fell down and we intercepted it. The fumble was all Ryans fault. He actually carved us up in that game. We made great plays in the stretch to deny them. Ryan is head and shoulders above Alex. I cant wait until he gets to his new team so we can see if what he has learned from JH translates to a new offense and new team. That will be telling. It should validate what type of QB alex truly is.
Thanks for having my back Uncle Hof!
Almost pissed my pants at that one lol.
Sad. Bay, you probably sneeze and have the same problem.
Clearly he is overrated agree or not. It does make a difference having top WRs attack the ball. Many times MR throws it up and his guys make outstanding catches. Again, a good QB during the season but folds during the playoffs.
Hardly over rated. Ryan is a baller Hofer. That Atlanta team is just soft. I said it last week. We are too physical for them. We are bullies. They are a finesse team. That defense was light in the behind. Eventually, we ran over them. Ryan killed us. 271 in the 1st half. Call that underrated. I don’t think so.
He and AS have one thing in common, they have only won one playoff game, although MR will be making major bucks for the next 5 season, and AS will be hired thru a employment agency looking for temporary work, till the next QB of the future shows up.
Jordo, how can you be too physical when pushed around by the offense in the first half? The difference was the two MR turnovers. I was waiting for them in the 1st quarter when he was throwing high to JJones even though JJ was snagging everything thrown his way. It didn’t take much longer for the MR Int and fumble. When are you going to realize that passing stats don’t mean that much if turnovers lose the game!
Hofer,
What is wrong with you man? used to think you werea reasonable, sensible football person. Then when you felt like Alez Smith was about to lose his job to Manning, your true colors showed. You started posting all of this garbage about why we didn’t need one of the best QB’s in the game. Then when Kap gets the job, you complain about him and how he’s not ready and that he’s a running QB. Now you’re telling me that Matt Ryan is barely better than Alex Smith.
Can you at least admit that you were wrong about Kap not being ready, about him being only a running QB? Try that on for size before you tell me anything else. Admit that JH made the right choice when going with Kap and sticking with him.
Ryan destroyed our defense in the 1st half. Alex Smith has never looked like Ryan against a good defense, let alone a top 5 defense.
Hofer, are you really Alex Smith’s uncle? Go ahead and tell us before we dump him!
Hofer,
Atlanta didn’t push us around, they threw over the top of our secondary with that QB you claim is barely better than your nephew Alex. When it was time to get physical, they folded up. They are soft. However, their QB is a pro bowler. Something Alex Smith will never be.
Jordo, nice try. After your JJ is replacing both AS and CK comments, how can you criticize anyone here?? You know damn well I was right about growing a QB from within and that is exactly how I framed it. If AS wasn’t the guy, then I wanted CK to start. I was right! The way you twist comments is entertaining but not factual. Now on to the SB…
>>Ryan is a baller Hofer
Ryan is a “baller” in the same way that Vick is a baller. Looks good, moves the team downfield, puts up big numbers, has all the haters slobbering over his play. Then he does the thing that destroys his team’s chances for a big win (in Vick’s case, any win at all).
Also add Romo to that category. Modern day Debergs, all of them.
>>When it was time to get physical, they folded up.
When it was time to put the game away, their “pro-bowl” QB took his eyes off the snap.
Fixed that for you Jordo.
Some QB’s wilt under pressure. Romo, Ryan, Sanchez to name a few. Alex might not have a gunslinging type game, but one thing he is not is soft. Those other guys are butter.
He may not have been soft, but he never hung in the pocket long enough for plays to develop. He had no confidence or presence in the pocket. Developed too many bad habits that were not able to be fixed.
Just watch the way that Kaep climbs the pocket. Smith would bail out of that pocket to his right first sign of pressure.
Bay, I agree. AS got beat up early in his career very much like JPlunkett. AS got better, but was never as good in the pocket as he may have been if he was playing on a better team earlier in his career. Trying to compare CK to him or even DB, TB, or EM, is apples and oranges. CK is unique and not many have the combined arm and legs threat, which helps his elusiveness.
Hofer,
Ryan is NOT overrated. He’s elite. I am tired of hearing the Payton can’t win in the playoffs, that Ryan can’t win in the playoffs. DID WE ALL NOT JUST WATCH THE SAME GAMES? When other parts of the team don’t do their job it’s not the QB’s fault.
Both QB’s had their teams up late in the game only to have their defenses collapse and give the games away. As for Ryan, he had a chance to be a hero but lets be honest, he was injured.
As for Manning, he came close to his quest for a superbowl. The only thing he could have done to improve his chances of winning it was to play for the Niners instead of the Broncos.
You wanna talk about Smith vs. Kap for the 100th time okay. One had the benefit of learning under one of the best coaching staffs in the league, an established running game and offensive line. The other had to claw tooth and nail under the worst circumstances in league history. But none of that matters now. New era, Superbowl bound. The rest is static!
Bay, you can have your definition of elite and I’ll have mine. As much winning as MR has done being drafted to a good team at least offensively, he hasn’t accomplished much in the playoffs. Elite QBs win big games.
No Hofer,
You just didnt want Manning. 2 months ago, you didnt want Kap. The home grpwn guy. Hopefully, you are still able to enjoy the Super Bowl with our new running QB and Smith on the bench. Gonna be a great game!
Hof,
agreed. Smith playing on bad teams and getting abused were a big part of him developing those habits…
Manning has already won a Super Bowl
Ribic
You’re right. All those guys are still 2 rings above Smith. Im with Ryan over alex all day every day.
So Hofer,
then by your definition Montana would not have been elite had he not always had a top five defense that helped him win games?
Montana always came up big in crunchtime but he always had a top rated defense.
Case in point, the goal line stand in the 81 superbowl. My point is that it’s not always about getting the W or how many superbowls a QB wins that makes him elite or not.
Some QB’s succeed stat wise in spite of poor O-lines, poor running games, poor defenses, poor coaching.
Dalton disappointed me in the playoffs. He had a wide open Green to win the game and flat out missed him. Similar to A Smith’s big miss of Kyle Williams last year in the NFCCG.
Money QB’s make those throws. If anything, that is one of the many indicators of being elite.
Bay, MR was drafted to a team that had an established 1,000+ yd RB in MTurner and an established WR in RWhite. They didn’t have to build every key position on the offense. JMo, much like AS, was drafted to a poor team. He had a very good coach that had an outstanding plan on how to succeed. He didn’t have an established WR or RB day one. AS didn’t either. FG was drafted the same year in 2005 but wasn’t established. The WR position was a revolving door. Sometimes it just plain luck to be drafted to a very good team. BTW, I already stated that MR was better than AS. I just wouldn’t put him in the elite category but he is on the fringe much like EM was before winning his first SB.
Hofer
Roddy White reached his first ProBowl only after Matt Ryan arrived and Michael Turner never rushed for more than 520 yards before coming to the Falcons in the same season as Ryan. So your claim that Matt Ryan came to some incredibly stable, well-established team is pure hooey.
And Matt Ryan is closer to Peyton Manning than Rli Manning. Big-time regular season QB with a penchant for tossing the season-ending INT in the playoffs.
NFCCG replay on NFL net right now.
You know what, I bet Alex Smith would be pretty awesome with all the weapons that team has too. I know that Matt Ryan is the easy answer, but Alex Smith plays in a way that wins games and was only getting better.
Olives,
Would love to see Smith complete the 2nd TD to Julio Jones. Alex Smith could never make tgat throw as well as so many others that Ryan made. That day. Alex just doesnt make those type of throws. Thats why he’s on our bench now.
This guy needs to pop a couple more olives. Matt Ryan carried a team with no defense and no running game. Smith could never carry a team.
Akex Smith is a junior Joe Flacco.
23 Jor,
Alex is on the bench because CK brings so much more with the pistol, the deep throws, not because he can’t make that throw. He’s made some of those throws at times, but he’s just too inconsistent.
It’s really about style of play and coaching.
Joe Montana might not have made that throw either, but Joe won because BW knew how put him in a situation to win.
I’m curious to see what happens to AS where-ever he ends up and what he does under a new regime, especially is he plays for the Browns with Norv Turner.
Bay & 23, is Joe Flacco a game manager? If so, we win by 4 scores in 2 weeks!
Fan… Not trying to start a fight but Joe Montana has and could put that same throw where Ryan did. I’ve seen it I would think you have too.
Prime… I think Flacco was a game manager until lately. Whoever this new offensive coordinator is has got them throwing the ball better. And BTW I’m not calling it now, but we are due for another big blowout game.
MD I think this game is not close. I don’t see Baltimore intimidating us physically. If Kap stays cool, defense gets to Flacco, I’m eyeing 30-10. I know that’s early but Im not sure how they beat us?
Honestly, I don’t think Alex’s deep ball is as bad as you’re making it out to be. I can think of a number of gems he threw to VD over the years. In my opinion, his weakness stems more from more his lack of willingness to squeeze throws in to tight situations which causes him to hold onto the ball too long and get sacked.
Either way, I wasn’t trying to say that I would choose Alex over Ryan. I wouldn’t. All I’m saying is that you put him on that team and I bet you his numbers would be much better than they were with us, and the Falcons would still have probably one of the best records in the league.
olives,
I’ve seen every down that Alex Smith has played as a 49er. I can safely say that he’s never made that throw. If you think he has, show me a link to it. A TD in tight coverage to the corner end zone. No way. He would never even take that chance. In his opinion, Julio Jones was not open. Crabtree said it best. Alex Smith has to learn to give his receivers a chance to make a play.
This game will be close to the end, another game where we will need oxygen and 911 dialed in.
“Prime… I think Flacco was a game manager until lately.”
ABoldin and TSmith helped change his growth. If the trust isn’t there, it doesn’t happen. AB fights for the ball even though he seldom gets separation.
Jordan,
absolutely freaking correct. Last year Crabs said after the NFCCG that he just wanted a chance to make a play.
The smithers were all over him for making that comment. Angry with him. All you heard for three months is that Crabs couldn’t get separation and THAT was why Smith didn’t throw him or any other receiver the ball that afternoon.
Well now we finally know the truth.
My argument isn’t about whether he’s ever made that exact pass, but about his deep ball ability in general and his ability to do make deep throws. I think you’re confusing Smith’s refusal to make those throws — a serious flaw in his game — with his ability to do so. That’s why Alex always surprised everyone when we’d be down. He’d feel he had no choice but to let go of the ball and all of a sudden we’d see throws that we never thought he could make. The problem is that in the NFL you don’t have the luxury of waiting to pull the trigger, because it can often result in it being too late to come back.
The Eagles game when the boo birds came out is the first example that comes to mind. Look at the beauty of the pass at 2:37 in the video, lobbed right into Vernon’s hands, down the field and into coverage.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/09000d5d81b3c5b8/GameDay-Eagles-vs-49ers-highlights
Some other examples that come to mind are the Texans game from a few years ago, or even the Packers game from 2009. I’m sure you could find videos of those games yourself.
Jim Harbaugh and his offense really helped Alex with his growth and his play the past few seasons. However Alex,is such a perfections that he thinks too much rather than just letting it lose! And maybe because of his experience he has become timid to throw the wide receiver open! But I disagree with the opinion that he would have the same success as Matt Ryan in Atlanta! Did you see some of the throws that Matt made during the game against us!
Fan, Jim H made the move to Colin because he is in every way more superior of a QB or has the potential to become more superior! It’s not just the playing style! Just take a look at our offense before and after and the average yards per pass! I still would like to hope we can work something out with Alex so he can stay as a back up QB. In this league you will need two good Qbs to survive to the injuries!
GO NINERS
Chicago49er,
I agree that CK is a physically superior athlete, but I just feel there’s always more than just the tools. If Alex was on the Patriot team, you know Bill Belichick would figure out how to use him properly.
I think JH figured out the best use of AS with the team he had, and when CK was ready he was going to evolve the offense with the pistol.
But as physically gifted as CK is, many analysts who watch the all 22 tapes say CK is not really making a lot of progressions, and is not quite there yet to wing it 40 times a game.
It doesn’t matter — Niners are SB bound. They got there however they got there and now have a chance to win it all, no matter who is under QB.
77
Please provide links to the “analysts” you say point out that CK doesn’t quickly run through his progressions. Bleacher Reporters and SBNation bloggers don’t count.
Oh, and 40 tosses a game? You really think Harbaugh EVER wants to have his QB throw the football 40 times in a game? That’s ludicrous. To find us all a list of all the times an Harbaugh QB had 40 attempts! By all means include Andrew Luck on that list.
Grant, I like Alex, he is a true team player but if i was a GM, Matt Ryan would have been my choice.
We’ve got a real sourpuss on this site today. Claude are you mad that the team won? Went further than last season? Have a great chance to win #6? All without the guy you’ve been defending for 2 years now.
What’s your deal pal? You’re the only one on here trolling for arguments!
Talk about back peddling that’s what you’ve been doing for a couple of weeks now that ck made you eat your doubts. Face it! You were wrong! Quit hating on the happy folks.
@ ninermd:
I am very happy that the 49ers are in the Super Bowl. I have been smiling nonstop for the past two days.
I’m not trolling for arguments; I just have a low tolerance for ignorant b/s, and you have been throwing it out almost nonstop today. Speaking of which, let me know when you can provide any proof that I am backpedaling on anything. We both know you can’t.
Md,
ClaudeClown can’t help it. He’s used to cutting and pasting. He can’t find material since Kap is balling and his boyfriend is on the bench. Now the blog fact checker is out of business. Poor clown. He’s butthurt and will be until we win the Super Bowl and he disappears.
Looks that way. I thought he was coming around. But it looks like after the win his positive posts were a hoax. Betting he Didnt think CK could do what Smith couldn’t. Ouch
So, off the topic of two irrelevant players, what do you guys think about Tim Brown and Jerry Rice tossing Callahan under the bus?
Actually, tossed under the bus doesn’t really cover it. They tied him to the tracks, doused him in gasoline, lit the match and dropped it on him just as the train arrived.
I knew Tim Brown had no love for Callahan but I was surprised to hear Rice back him up.
That’s just bizarre unbelievable stuff they’re saying – and yet it’s two players, and I’ve heard a couple of other guys including Garner did not disagree with them.
Only in Al Davis Land could something so effed up transpire.
Yea but…who changes the game plan two days before the SB? To spend a week practicing a plan and then 36 hours before the game tell the team that you’re gonna do something totally different?
The timing is obviously questionable for Brown but not nearly as questionable as Callahans motives.
Rich Gannon made the excuse that the team was truly more of a passing offense and that the team had practiced all week for a running game plan so switching in theory made sense. What he never mentioned though and wasn’t asked was why would the coach of a pass based offense suddenly spend their only preparation time before the super bowl practicing a run based game plan, only to as Gannon puts it realize at the last second that it would make more sense to actually do what they’ve been doing all year?
I just don’t believe Callahan is that incompetent.
That’s also a player like Eric Davis said “drink your milk an shut up”.
I think with the center freaking out on a drug binge and going AWOL before the game and the fact that Gruden knew that team backward and forward is your reason why he changed it up before the game.
Adam
Jerry Rice and Tim Brown both affirmed that Robbins begged Callahan not to change the gameplan BEFORE he went awol. But you know everything. I mean, that IS your M.O., right?
99% of everything… Mr. Everything. ;)
Besides, the good part of this if Callahan is an evil mastermind bent on throwing games or is completely incompetent: Jerry Jones wants Callahan calling plays next year.
Guaranteed dysfunction for years to come! Yippee. Not much better in life than watching Jerry Jones foul up a football team, especially the Cowboys.
Well done, Adam! I raise my glass!
I don’t know… I can MUCH more easily believe Callaghan is completely incompetent than believe he is a genius, evil or otherwise. Extraordinary claims do require extraordinary evidence.
Tim Brown said Raidas knew they had no chance to win SB after Callahan changed plan from running to all passing.
Hey Tim, if you were as good as you think you were….
Wouldn’t you feel better about your chances of winning Super Bowl, with all those passes headed to you and Jerry???
To me, this has Al Davis written all over it. Here’s my speculation, Callahan and coaching staff set a game plan and deligently went about preparation for the game. Once Al Davis found out about the run heavy approach, he disagreed with Callahan and demanded that he make the change. Bada bing bada boom.
If that was the case then at the time and especially now the people that were involved would be throwing Davis under the bus and that hasn’t happened. Callahan at the time would have told other coaches that Davis was forcing the change and that would have dribbled down to the players as well. Callahan in his defense so far also has said nothing about the decision to change coming from someone else.
If Callahan hated Al Davis like it’s suggested he does he would have thrown Al under the bus for making the change as soon as he wasn’t a Raider any longer.
Sounds right, Nick. What a jerk AD was!
I’d take CK over both of them.
After that, it depends on the style of offense I have.
If I have a great running offense and good possession receivers, and a good defense, and my style is to not make mistakes and win the Harbaugh way, I want Smith.
If I have great WRs like the Falcons, an OK running game but a suspect defense that means I’m going to have to hit home runs to pull out games, I’ll need Matt Ryan.
But again, I don’t care, because I have CK, who can do both!
I am with you
Anyone seen this yet. Cracked me up! The Harbaugh one was great!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zce-QT7MGSE
Good stuff right there.
We keep talking about how bad Alex played against the Giants in the playoffs last year, well he sure played better then Ryan did against the Giants in last years playoffs.
Excellent point! That was bad!
He also played better in the NFCCG than Eli did.
This is interesting.
http://espn.go.com/espn/fp/flashPollResultsState?sportIndex=frontpage&pollId=3469981
No comment……
Here’s an article that really lacks an argument as to why they think that!
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1496771-super-bowl-predictions-2013-49ers-offense-will-fizzle-in-big-game
Shutting down Brady was pretty impressive, but they match up well with those guys. I was doing some searching through the Ravens schedule and found the game they played against the Redskins in week 14. I realize RL wasn’t back yet, but the Ravens struggled against the pistol formation. The Ravens were so worried about containing RG3 that Alfred Morris lit them up. RG3 had a pretty good day passing as well. I hate how some people think that if something is accomplished against the Pats, it can be done against anybody! Our offense is a completely different problem than the Pats!
This one’s more like it.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1496600-why-49ers-read-option-will-expose-ravens-defense-in-super-bowl-xlvii
Killer breakdown Montana!
The Ravens were a “hail mary” type pass from losing to Denver. How are they playing well? Denver gave that game away.
When they played the Pats, they were losing at halftime. I think the pats got exposed when they couldn’t run, and the Ravens had played them so many times.
They played the Niners last year on a short week and the game was close until the 3rd quarter, and the score was just 16-6 and Smith got sacked 9 times.
No way CK gets sacked that much. The can think about blitzing that much when they have to worrry about CK running the pistol.
Ray Lewis is going to be huffing and puffing. He better not pull a muscle when he does his goofy dance during the pre-game warm-ups.
I don’t think it’s going to be close. Niners have a better team this year. And with 2 weeks to prepare, GR will have some wrinkles in the game plan and Fangio will know how to slow down Ray Rice with the front 7.
The Ravens don’t have a dangerous slot WR or TE, which is what really gives the Niners D problems…
I agree with almost everything except they don’t have a dangerous slot receiver. Actually Bolden is more dangerous in the slot then when he’s not. Lol and it rhymes too.
49ers page on Facebook just posted the uniform with the Superbowl patch its the uniforms.
Was supposed to say the red uniforms sorry. supposed to say
Play great and the money will come. Funny rookies cannot renegotiate their contracts. But they can accept sponsor opportunities.
If you play great, you can even trademark your touchdown pose…. Kaep may only make 600K a year, but this next year guaranteed he’ll make 10X that.
http://www.ninersnation.com/2013/1/22/3905248/colin-kaepernick-trademark-applications-kaepernicking-ck7-kap7
Grant,
just like every other journalist you are going to be pressed for things to write about this week. Story lines. I for one have some questions to pass time until the big game…..
1. Grant, which player do you have the friendliest relationship with and which player do you hope to have a better relationship with next year.
2. Grant, do you miss DS?
3. Grant, where will you be to watch the superbowl?
4. Think we could do a blogger award next year? Winner gets a pre game field pass as Grants assistant?
5. My last one is not a question but instead a request. Grant I am very superstitious so I once again ask if you could refrain from predicting a Niner victory in the superbowl…. : )
Where is DS? I usually try not to post during the week anymore – noticed he’s gone. Did he lose a bet? :P
Adam,
DS went all in with Smith and lost all of her chips. Two things happened to her this year that rattled her faith. The first was Alex Smith being replaced by Kaepernick and the second was Michael Crabtree playing like a #1 receiver. She was a Smith fan, not a Niner fan.
Adam
I applied a little pressure to DS’ weak, single-minded approach to fandom and he ran off, screaming bloody murder at Grant for facilitating an arena for those of us capable of thinking two thoughts at once.
I take full credit for DS’s disappearance from this site :)
Nick,
Your check is in the mail.
Oooh, a poster writes opinions contrary to the prevailing mindset – obviously he must be banished!
Three cheers, Old Major! Hurrah, Napoleon! Well done, Snowball! Excellent, Squealer!
Say what you want, DS was free entertainment.
Ibeg your pardon guys. I think it was me who named her BS and asked for her resignation on several occasions. She finally succumbed to the intense pressure.
@Neil it was just his opinion and like i said if we all agreed around here it would be damn boring
DS is a male. Grant used he, when he went AWOL on the site.
What happened to ds???? It’s very simple it’s what I and others have stated since day 1 it was an Alex smith fan only, and when he was benched it disappeared like we said it would. Personally I think it knew it was the end of Smith and went crazy on purpose to get banned. There is no life on here for ds without Alex smith to talk about. Same goes for onelame. Another clown that’s been gone since the alex smith circus ended.
LOL, DS, is the most irrational blogger on this site. As a fan I just laughed ready his post! I promise you he was related!
To be fair oneniner has been on the blog during games and has talked about how awesome Kaep has looked. DS is the most ridiculous poster in these parts by far and I’m glad to see her horse$hit gone.
I disagreed with DS on a regular basis but if we all agreed on this blog it would’nt be a very enjoyable place to hang out. I would welcome DS back in a second then start disagreeing with him the next. The only thing i found objectionable was towards the end there were certain bloggers who were refering to DS with some pretty filthy sexual names and i am not a prude by any measure.
>>towards the end there were certain bloggers who were refering to DS with some pretty filthy sexual names
Yeah old coach, it got to be your classic case of internet bullying. Guess what, it’s not just for teenagers.
DS dished it out pretty darn well at the end, he was no saint, he went way past the boundaries and actually his true color’s came out, he was a AS fan first and not a true Niner fan. I can see it now, Kaep wins the Super Bowl and he will say AS could of done the same, well he looked like crap for 4 out of his 8 games this season.
A less caustic question (because this Alex Smith vs. The World thing is getting old) is anyone paying the $6,500 for the three-day deal in New Orleans?
Looks like loge end-zone seats and a couple days at La Quinta. :P
And a slightly more serious question: anyone paying attention to the Cesium levels in the ocean from the Japanese nuke meltdown? Saw a thing today that said radiation levels in milk and other food has spiked to a huge level. Not good. Google Earth is apparently showing a nice plume of crap out over the ocean, the thing is apparently still spilling and the half-life is 30,000 years – yay!
Godzilla is coming…..
Yeah, no kidding. Weird stuff. Hard to tell what’s real and what’s scare tactic crap. I think I might lay off the sushi though, tuna could be glowing by now. :P
Kaep has been eating a ton of Toro sashimi of late, methinks!
Adam, it’s interesting that you brought this up! I do not believe most Americans are aware of the magnitude of this issue! The media does not cover it but we are so focus on daily crime in our cities or country! Many experts and scientist are extremely concern about the radiation and the impact on the eco system as well as the long term consequence!!! Sorry for being a party pooper! GO NINERS
Chicago
That’s right. They want us to focus on things like football, sports, and other forms of entertainment instead of glowing fish caused by radiation. The sad part is that it’s working.
Matt Ryan is somewhere between the 5th and 9th best QBs in the Game. Alex Smith is about #20. Wouldn’t a more apt comparison be between Alex Smith and Josh Freeman or Ryan Fitzpatrick? Child, please.
Alex Smith on a team of average talent would produce a losing season, and that’s what we should expect if he goes to the Vikings, Jets, Chiefs, Bills or Titans. Not making mistakes is fine, but QBs are supposed to win games in the NFL.
“Alex Smith on a team of average talent would produce a losing season”
And that’s what they had with their average coaching staff, and average players at WR, until this regime came in, installed their system, and acquired the right kind of players, and they got a winning season. so what’s your point?
Before the CK Switch, you think the team magically got to 20-5-1 with no QB?
Scratch the Vikings from that list. Peterson is an all-time great. You could just snap it to him and they’d be a decent team.
Anyone catch the Senior Bowl practice today? I saw part of it at lunch. Couple of interesting O-line and D-line prospects it looks like.
Chase Thomas of Stanford is someone to watch for. We need an OLB and he’s already familiar with Fangio. I’m interesting to see how he does at the Senior Bowl.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/nfl-rapidreports/21599767/former-stanford-lb-chase-thomas-drawing-interest-from-34-43-teams
*I’m interested
Nick in the past it seems that harbaugh almost intentionally ignores stanford players in the draft.
Nice going Grant. Slow news day, so throw out a bogus question as chum. Low, even for you.
Matt Ryan is an entrenched starter in ATL and not going anywhere. So the question of some other team getting a choice to build around him is a non-starter. Better comparisons to Alex’s situation would have been QBs like Kevin Kolb, Matt Flynn who could be looking for new teams in 2013.
At least give us the illusion that you are putting some thought into your posts….
Alex has Fear of Failure disease. Plain and simple.
I’ll take any scrub who has the mental fortitude to take chances and does not worry constantly about screwing up.
Not enough fighting on the blog for you, Grant? How about we discuss the upcoming game as opposed to the backup QB and a guy whos team just got knocked out of the playoffs.
My first concern is the special teams and I’m not speaking of Akers. Jacoby Jones is a very good returner. The Niners coverage has been good as of late, but they were vulnerable at times this season.
And, the Ravens gave up 2 kick returns vs Denver.
Good point, drsgrosse. Now would be a great time for Ginn and James to break loose in the return game.
Grant wanted to get the default debate out of the way and now all of the focus can be on the game. SB # 6 is close very close…
Grant, here is a suggestion for today’s blog topic – “Alex Smith or 80 yr old grandma with bad hips and failing eyesight for school crossing guard”
I am sure that there are many here who will come up with convincing arguments for taking the grandma :-)
Nah, I think Dr. Safe, I mean Smith, would be perfect for that job.
Hey everybody! Let’s all squabble while we kick Alex in the nuts for the millionth time! Wow, big fun at Grant’s house…
I wonder, which colour jersey will 49érs play in in SB????
Red or White???
Red. Where are you writing from?
From Denmark….
It will be red.
Good, then all i can say is, that we are going to win, nice….
And the big news is that JaMarcus Russell is planning a comeback to the NFL, lol:
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000129925/article/jamarcus-russell-preps-for-nfl-comeback-at-308-lbs
Space – You beat me to the punch. Lol…..JaMarcus must be broke.
Spent all his money on cough syrup, lol
Crabs, Robert couldn’t remember the exact year he played at Ozzfest, just that it was early 2000′s, but he said SlipKnot and Godsmack were there. But if you remember a story about a band that came through the parking lot playing with all their gear on a flatbed truck before being led by security to the stages, that was his band.
Space – If Robert couldn’t remember the year he played at Ozzfest, he’s a true rocker! ;-) Thanks for getting back to me.
I’m lovin all the Niner coverage but ESPN is still heartbroken that their Patriots are done.
Go Niners!!! Quest for 6 baby!!!
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/sy-14247052/three_6_mafia_sippin_on_some_syrup_official_music_video/
He’s down to 308 lbs! Comedy Central:
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/eye-on-football/21603465/jamarcus-russell-attempting-comeback-still-quite-chunky
Probably the only QB that Harbaugh couldn’t work that guru voodoo on. But if there is ever a need to have a QB that can throw 60 yards on his knees, I’m sure he’ll be available!
Hey Jamarcus, wanna play tackle?
I looked up his pre-draft weight – it was 265. So, he only needs to lose a little more than 40 pounds, after which I am sure the Jets would take a look at him. They need a backup for Sanchez who is so inept that no one will want him to start over Sanchez.
I’ll take Ryan for the 16 regular season games and Smith for the playoffs. Ryan is a big time choke in big time games. Ryan has the advantage in physical abilities but Smith is much tougher mentally. Since i ca’nt have both i guess i would take Ryan, you have to get to the playoffs before you can start thinking about winning in the playoffs.
Glad you are no longer coaching. They made the switch at QB because it was determined that Smith didn’t give the 49ers the best chance to win against tough defensive lines. The type of defensive lines he would have faced in the playoffs.
Go re-watch the last two Giants games. Go re-watch last years Ravens game or this years Vikings game, or this years Seahawks game. Smith wilts against tough defensive lines. Won’t sit in the pocket. Matt Ryan is a tough son of a gun and will sit in the pocket and make the big throws.
First I want to thank you for your opinion on my coaching. Second i did say overall i would keep Ryan. Thirdly i Too believe Ryan is physically Tough he just makes horrible mistakes at the worst time.
Yup. And has a sterling 1-4 playoff record to show for those big throws.
He has also proven he will consistently make the big mistake that will ultimately cost the team. I admire Ryan’s ability to sit in the pocket under pressure, however until he stops throwing costly interceptions, especially in the playoffs, it’s hard to put him in that elite category.
I think a more interesting QB question is who will be the 9ers #2 qb next year? Tolzien, 2013 draft pick or FA?
coach, I think the 49ers will draft a QB in 2013 and still bring in an FA to compete with Tolzein like they did with Johnson for the #2 spot.
@Space what rd pick do you think they will use? I have a feeling they will use about 10 of their picks on defense.
coach, since we have those two picks in the 3rd, I think that’s where it could happen. After what happened to Justin, the 49ers are probably going DL with the 1st pick and a DB/S in the 2nd. A lot depends on their plans for Goldson, but Tim McDonald’s son is a FS out of USC and is a predicted 2nd rounder.
It looks like us Niner fans aren’t viewed very fondly by some. Check out this article by Gregg Doyel of CBS Sports:
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/21599196/brace-for-it-new-orleans-niners-fans-display-pattern-of-violence
The thing is that the fans he is addressing probably don’t read his articles – or anything else for that matter.
I want to know where this moron gets his facts. Two fights with a gun and knife and were all like that? As you all know I tailgate all games and have yet to see violence with a weapon. I see fights once in awhile but what stadium doesn’t have them. You put raider fans and 49ers fans who are to broke to attend a regular season game and got their pre season tickets for 50 bucks there’s going to be problems. And from what I read this 49er fan that stabbed the guy was punched first. It doesn’t give him the right to carry a knife but this is the only two insistence’ I’ve heard about for years. This guy is an idiot.
Nick – That punk-loser Gegg Doyel has been trying to make a name for himself for years. “Pleeease someone notice me…..Pleeease.”
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gregg-Doyel-is-a-douche/138436399557290
I had never heard of Gregg Doyel before today. That Facebook link is funny. He sure seems like a douche.
Good rebuttal from BASG.
http://www.bayareasportsguy.com/gregg-doyel-doesnt-need-stats-to-vilify-psychopaths-who-root-for-49ers/
Clever, Grant. The Kaep-Smith debate has been decisively settled. So let’s bring Ryan into the discussion and keep the Smith controversy and page hits coming!
Seriously, it’s pretty bad when others can see the hidden motive behind this “debate.”
hahahahahahah,,,,,this must be a joke
Matt Ryan can put up the best record in the league, ON HIS ARM ALONE
hahahahahahaha, funny
Harbaugh MADE alex look like gold
Shocking news: “According to a San Francisco law enforcement source, the woman who lodged the allegation was one of three women who joined Crabtree in a party at a room in the tony W Hotel on Third Street. The other two women have told investigators that Crabtree didn’t assault anyone, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is continuing. Police haven’t found any physical evidence of an attack, the source added.”
She waited four days to make a complaint? Sounds to me like she was waiting for a call back from Mr. Crabs.
“Hell hath no fury like a woman hoochie scorned.”
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/matier-ross/article/Crabtree-rape-allegation-not-holding-up-4215098.php
Mr. Everything was right after all
Three Women and Crabs.
A movie I never want to see.
Once again Grant is pushing to keep the AS debate going even though it’s clear that CK has taken over this team and slammed the door shut on AS’s hope of ever starting for the 49ers ever again. Sure, let’s prop up a debate comparing a good backup to a starter who just lost in the NFC championship…
If we really want to have a meaningful AS debate, how about comparisons between him and the free agent and high draft pick QB’s that will be available in the offseason. That would make much more sense.
Those were expensive socks Frank Gore.
http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2012/story/_/id/8873686/2013-nfl-playoffs-frank-gore-san-francisco-49ers-fined-105k-low-socks-source-says
The NFL is ridiculous but the players caved in collective bargaining.
After they fined Gore $10,500 for the socks not being perfect,they then fined Brady only $10,000 for trying to kick another player and injure him.
Now we know,the League is more worried about a player looking good than they are about player health !