Super Bowl XLIX live blog

Welcome to the live blog for Super Bowl 49. I will update this with information and analysis from my living room.

3:24 Cris Collinsworth says the key to the game is the Patriots’ offensive tackles have to play fast. Speed game.

3:25 The Seahawks win the toss and defer.

3:30 Marshawn Lynch has a pint of skittles on the sideline.

3:35 Tom Brady throws a 3-yard bouncer to Shane Vereen on third-and-6 from the Patriots’ 35-yard line.

3:38 The Seahawks shut down LeGarrette Blount on the Patriots’ first drive — two carries, four yards.

3:42 The Seahawks go three and out. Marshawn Lynch carried the ball all three plays. One stretch zone play, two read options. That’s the best Darrell Bevell could come up with?

3:53 Brady takes a shot as he throws and gets intercepted in the end zone by Jeremy Lane on third-and-6 from the Seahawks’ 10.

3:54 Did Joe Montana ever throw an interception in a Super Bowl?

3:58 The first quarter ends.he  So far, the Patriots have no pass rush and the Seahawks have no open receivers.

4:02 Wilson runs around and throws a lollipop to no one on third-and-9 from the Seahawks’ 26. The Seahawks have -2 passing yards.

4:12 Tharold Simon gives up an 11-yard touchdown catch to Brandon LaFell. Jeremy Lane injured his elbow and the Patriots are going after his replacement. 7-0.

4:20 The Seahawks go three-and-out again. Bevel is having a terrible game. He keeps calling deep routes and he can’t get anyone open. Meanwhile, McDaniels is calling clever short passes.

4:25 Now the Pats go three-and-out. Julian Edelman fell down on third-and-three and Brady threw the ball into the ground.

4:33 Wilson completes his first pass of the game to Jermaine Kearse for six yards on third-and-6. Two plays later, Wilson completes his second pass to Chris Matthews for 34 yards. Three plays later, Lynch runs the ball into the end zone. 7-7.

4:48 Rob Gronkowski beats K.J. Wright for a 23-yard touchdown pass on second-and-6 with 30 seconds left in the first half. The Seahawks are having so much trouble covering Shane Vereen, they forgot about The Big Gronkowski.

4:58 Wilson completes an 11-yard touchdown pass to Chris Matthews with two seconds left in the first half. 14-14. Chris Matthews is the Seahawks’ new secret weapon.

5:37 Chris Matthews makes a 45-yard catch over Kyle Arrington, but Marshawn Lynch can’t convert third-and-1 from the Patriots’ 8. The field goal is good. 17-14 Seahawks.

5:48 Bobby Wagner intercepts a pass intended for Gronkowski. Interception No.2 for Brady.

5:53 The Seahawks drive 50 yards in six plays for the touchdown. Wilson faked a handoff to Lynch on second-and-goal from the 3 and flicked a pass to Doug Baldwin who was wide open in the end zone. 24-14 Seahawks. Lynch has 88 rushing yards. Blount has 39.

6:03 Danny Amendola drops a pass on third-and-9 and the Patriots go three-and-out. They’ve stopped running the ball.

6:08 Kearse drops a deep pass on third-and-3 from the Patriots’ 42, and the Seahawks punt to the Pats’ 14.

6:14 Blount loses a yard on third-and-1 and the Pats go three and out.

6:17 Wilson holds the ball forever and gets sacked by Rob Ninkovich on third-and-7.

6:27 Brady completes a 4-yard TD pass to Danny Amendola. Great drive. Brady took a sack on the first play, then he converted a third-and-14 and a third-and-8. 24-21 Seahawks with 8 minutes to go.

6:35 Wilson overthrows Lynch on third-and-5, and the Seahawks go three-and-out.

6:47 Edelman beats Simon for a 3-yard TD catch on second and goal. Brady is on fire. 28-24 Patriots with a little more than 2 minutes left.

6:51 Lynch makes a 31-yard catch down the left sideline just before the 2-minute warning. First-and-10 at the Patriots’ 49.

6:57. Kearse. Catches the ball with his legs. First-and-goal at the 5.

7:00 Lynch gains four yards on first-and-goal from the 5.

7:01 Bevell calls a pass to Ricardo Lockette on second-and-goal from the 1-yard line. I kid you not. The pass is intercepted. The Patriots win the Super Bowl. All the Seahawks had to do was give it to Marshawn.

This article has 385 Comments

    1. Ha
      Sweet revenge
      N how ironic..
      Lockette a former 49er stopped the hawks from winning superbowl 49..
      Hell yeah!!!!!!!!

  1. Cris Collinsworth says the key to the game is the Patriots’ offensive tackles have to play fast. Speed game.
    ———
    you’re funny.

  2. Seattle got away again on that should have been a 15 yard penalty on the punter. They did the same at last year’s NFCCG against Lee.

  3. Patriots are definitely the better team so far. But Seattle has proven to be a very good second half team.

  4. Unbelievable that NE doesn’t put Browner on Matthews. How many times does he need to beat them before they get a clue.

  5. Pete Carroll has the formula for winning; it took him awhile but he has figured it out.

    I’m glad I have two bottles of wine open. The more I get hammered the less I care who wins.

  6. The Pats will score again with a couple minutes left to go up 28-24. With a last second TD the Chickens will score to win 31-28 just like I predicted.

    1. As I was saying. Now que the unbelievable drive to win the game from Seattle.

      The NFL is getting a bit predictable these days.

  7. Jack Hammer

    January 31, 2015 at 9:40 pm

    Patriots win on a late touchdown pass as Brady settles the “who’s better” debate.

  8. Not only do I get to “enjoy” watching my second least favorite team beat my least favorite team, but now I get to watch my least favorite team make absolute idiots of themselves on national TV at the end.

    Complete lack of sportsmanship by the Seahawks here. Or in other words, pretty much exactly the amount of class they usually show.

    1. So glad they did not repeat as they could have worn the title of GREAT. Now they can wear the title of lucky but classless chumps.

  9. Woohoo!!!!! Pats win. Back to vacation mode.

    (cue techno music)

    Boots and pants and boots and pants and boots and pants and boots and pants and boots and pants and boots and pants and boots and pants and boots and pants

  10. What a classless team Seattle is. Cheap shots galore. They get to this game on luck and breaks and when things go against them their true colors come out. Where is Sherman? In victory he is ever present, in defeat him and his classless teammates are nowhere to be seen. Win like champions lose like chumps.

  11. All the Seahawks had to do was give it to Marshawn.
    —————-
    All Russell Wilson had to do was not throw an interception. You love to blame the teacher for the kids bad grades.

      1. Just like the mistake we made in the superbowl two years ago, throwing the ball three times to Crabtree.

      2. It’s a bad call to be sure but it was still the mistake by the QB that ended their game, not the play that was called. Wilson doesn’t throw the pick you get a TD or an incomplete pass and another chance to hand off the ball.

        You also have to ask Carroll why he didn’t override in that situation if he thought it was such a bad idea to call that pass. Wilson could have audibled at the line if he thought it was the wrong call.

        The only person to blame is the QB.

        1. Execution is obviously an issue on that play CfC, and Russell Wilson should be held accountable.

          But when you have the best short yardage back in the NFL and you decide to pass the ball from the opposition 1 with the game on the line, the OC deserves to be criticised. It was a bad play call. An unnecessary risk.

          1. I think the only reason to justify the throw was that if they had run it and Lynch got stopped, then they have to burn a TO and then they have to throw on 3rd and 4th down. Throwing on 2nd down was a surprise element. If it’s incomplete, then can then run on 3rd, call a TO, and then pass or throw on 4th.

            Wilson can join Kaep on the bench of QBs who had a chance to be a hero but failed.

            There’s something to be said by the older generation QBS like Big Ben, Brady, Brees, and heck even Rodgers.

          2. I don’t disagree that it was a bad call but I wouldn’t agree that you would blame the loss on the OC. The OC had every reason to believe in his QB, the unnecessary risk was taken by the QB on the bad pass.

            I still wonder why if it was such a universally accepted bad call why Cheatin Pete didn’t override.

            1. If it is a bad play call, which I think most people can agree it was, the OC deserves a fair share of the blame. And sure, Carroll doesn’t get a pass either – he could have over ruled the play.

              Plenty of blame to go around. And of course, just like with the 49ers in 2012, the game wasn’t only decided by that one play.

          3. It was a strange call no doubt, but Wilson is the biggest culprit in it’s lack of execution. He threw the ball poorly. You can’t lead the receiver that far inside at that point on the field. He needed to put the ball on Lockette and let him force his way into the endzone.

            1. I lay the blame somewhere around 60/40 with Lockette receiving the greater share. The clip I was watching of it this morning really paints Ricardo as an alligator armed softy who made no aggressive move to catch that ball. In fact it almost looks like he resigned to not catch it and was expecting or hoping at least to receive a PI call. Willson’s pass could have been better but Boldin would have snatched that pass out of the air and knocked the DB on his arse. Ricardo forced Wilson to throw it right in his belly or otherwise it didn’t look like he was willing to commit himself to catching it.

              1. CFC,

                I didn’t see it that way. Butler got such a good jump he got there before Lockett. It was a bad throw that gave him that opportunity. If Wilson puts the ball on Lockett it’s a TD.

        2. I take that back, you should also blame the alligator armed WR that clearly didn’t make any aggressive attempt to catch that ball.

          1. On the flip side of things, what a great play it was by the DB. Great anticipation, and he really made sure it was his ball or nobodies.

            1. Looked like Lockette hesitated getting to his spot for a split second as well. Dumb play call and if Bevell doesn’t get fired, I’d look for dissent among the troops inside the locker room. Lynch might even make it a condition to resign….

              1. They didn’t set up the pick play very well either.

                End of the day, that is the risk you run when you pass over the middle in the red zone. If they wanted to pass the ball, may have been wiser to attack the edges.

              2. “They didn’t set up the pick play very well either”

                That was due in large part to Browner jamming Kearse….

              3. Yep. Browner stood Kearse up on that play, and didn’t get pushed back at all. Its what allowed Butler a free run to make a play on the ball.

          2. Coffee- There were three views. The one that gave the clearest picture was the view from the QB’s perspective. The ball was thrown at Butlers right shoulder who came up from behind Lockett knocking him out of the play. Butler had his body positioned between the ball and Lockett. Lockett had no shot at that ball. Butler beat him to the spot. If Butler didn’t have a clearer shot at the ball he would have been called for pass interference for knocking Lockett one the ground from behind. You either didn’t see the front view or you are totally biased and see only what you wish to see. It was a bad pass that should not have been thrown because Butler was in the best position to catch that ball to where it was thrown. Very bad pass. But of course since the QB wasn’t named Kaepernick you would blame it on the receiver.

            1. Part of being a receiver is learning that there are times when you switch from trying to catch the ball to being a defender. IMO Lockette should have realized that his path was blocked by Butler and then became the defender, which includes, under the circumstances, pass interference. Bevell should probably not have shared his thoughts about Lockette being at fault with the media, but any good coach would have told him privately that he blew it.

  12. Ahhahahaha! Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory…….must say, I never thought someone would top a Harbaugh+Roman+Kaepernick finish.

  13. Boy talking about brain farting. Why call that pass? Gotta love how that Hawks lost that game! Brady just shows you how you beat the Hawks with no running game — you TAKE THOSE CHECKDOWNS! He dinked and dunked, stepped up in the pocket and let his WR make plays. If The Niners had played Ellington more instead of Crabs and Boldin. Also if Kaep didn’t shrivel up and regress, but hey that’s 2014. It’s too bad we have one of the worse coaching staffs in the league now.

    Oh yeah, Baalke, if you don’t think coaching matters, you’re insane. Just look at the players that had great games: Mathew was underrated an Butler was a 6th round pick.

      1. Dude, did you watch the game? Brady threw nothing but checkdowns the whole night. EAT IT!

        1. He also went to his first look quite a bit. That’s what you have to do to counter a strong pass rush and you have no mobility. They did give him better protection on his last two drives and his receivers got separation. Vareen also made quite a difference.

          Brady also over and under threw his receivers when he was under pressure as well. He also threw two interceptions. If that was Kaep doing that you would have claimed that was evidence that he could not make reads, was inaccurate and would never be a viable starting QB. The same holds true for most of Wilsons game against GB and his last play of this Superbowl. When in actuality it wasn’t really that bad a pass. Wasn’t really a good pass but defender just made a great play.

        2. Fan77,
          I’ve seen Brady play ball since he took over for an injured Drew Bledsoe.
          I can tell you without reservation; Alex Smith ain’t no Tom Brady, and never will be mentioned in the same breath except for you.

          You can wear your “I wish I had Alex back” human billboard all you want, but that ain’t gonna happen bud even with Harbaugh gone.

          1. I didn’t say Alex Smith was Brady. At the same time Alex and the Chiefs beat the Seahawks this year.

            1. Fan77,
              You can hang your hat on that win to make a case for your boy Alex all you want but no one remembers big wins during the season bud.
              People only remember Super Bowl winners!

              But if you want to really give credit where it’s due why can’t you give any to CK when he beat NE at their stadium in about his 7th start ever.
              Looks like your memory lane excursions only run through KC these days.

            2. Fan77,
              Of course quoting a 2012 win is ludicrous to you, especially if it doesn’t involve Alex.

              C’mon dude, when are you going to become a 49er faithful and cheer for your team rather than a QB that is going on 3 years removed?

              The c-hawks just lost the SB on perhaps the worse offensive call ever and their O-cord threw the WR under the bus. There is going to be a fall-out in Seattle that is going to reverberate throughout the entire offseason and negatively impact their team next year.
              The c-hawks reign in the West may be over and their SB forays will be a thing of the past.
              In other words, it’s a good time to jump back on the 49er bandwagon bud.

              1. I do cheer for my team. I’m calling out its flaws. 2012 did involve Alex. He was 6-2 that year.

                I was the one that didn’t jump on the CK bandwagon, rightfully so. Now he has the whole off season to get better. I don’t root for him to fail, like you think. I just want him to play better.

                The Seahawks reign is over, but there are other teams that are surging. The Cards are a contender with Caron Palmer. Aaron Rodgers isn’t going anywhere and the Bears have a pretty good coaching staff in place.

                Let’s hope that 2015 is better then 2014, and the Niners play for the SB in their suck ass stadium!

              2. “I do cheer for my team. I’m calling out its flaws. 2012 did involve Alex. He was 6-2 that year.
                I was the one that didn’t jump on the CK bandwagon, rightfully so.”
                ~ Fan77

                Fan, I’m not a psychiatrist , but after reading your comment it is apparent that your unyielding loyalty for Alex Smith has become an obsession.
                Of course it is your right to cheer for any player you wish, but a least take into consideration that any opinion you have of CK is somewhat clouded because you view everything through Alex lenses.

                So if I’m reading your comment correctly, you are saying that after Alex (who was 6-2) was lifted for Kap you did not jump on the CK bandwagon even though we went to the SB for the first time in almost twenty years?
                Massive WOW!

        3. Except that fade to gronk or the 21 yard strike to edelman on 3rd and 14 or the quick 5 yard out over and over. In fact there were very few “check downs” and vereen only caught a handfull of balls and those were from the slot. So NO THEY WERE NOT CHECK DOWNS nice try though fan

          1. Bos,

            I was laughing as I was reading that take by Fan too. The guy doesn’t have a clue about football. It’s become pretty obvious. He watches the QB’s and if they win and don’t throw picks he likes them; if they don’t he doesn’t. Elementary football knowledge and that is being kind.

            The short pass offense is what the Pats have used pretty much all year and it matched up favorably with the style of defense Seattle plays because it isolated mismatches with Gronk and Vereen on LB’s that couldn’t stay with them. The Pats also use a lot of option routes which is also effective against a defense like this where quite often the LB’s are dropping into a zone while the CB’s play man outside. Edelmen burned them a number of times running them.

            1. Rocket
              Since Brady has been here every time its 3rd and 4 or less I can bet my life savings on a 5 yard out from the slot. They did it with Troy brown and kevin faulk, then with wes welker, and now with vereen and edelman. In fact the only time i remember that they failed to pick up a key conversion was the infamous 4th and 2 from their own 30 game vs the colts in 2009

            2. Rocket and BOS,
              Why don’t you look at the stats and how many times Brady threw a pass that didn’t travel more the 5 yards pass the LOS and get back to me.

              1. Fan,

                It is your lack of understanding as to what a checkdown is that we are referring to. You clearly don’t have a grasp of what constitutes a checkdown. There is a big difference between a short passing game and checkdowns.

              2. Fan
                Let me simplify it for you: When Brady throws a 5 yard out to his first read and the ball is out of his hands in less than a second it is not a “check down” despite the fact that the pass did not travel more than 5 yards. When Brady scans the field for an open receiver and then 3 seconds later throws it to his 4th or 5th read “outlet” receiver option (often a RB or a TE) that is called a “check down” sorry top spoil the “ahha” moment for you but simply throwing to a RB or within 5 yards of the LOS does not constitute a checkdown mmmkay?
                Example: Wilsons game ending pass that was picked off was NOT a checkdown despite being within 5 yards of the LOS

              3. I know what a check down is. Why don’t you watch the game again on rewind and see how many times Brady stayed in the pocket and took what the defense gave him. And while you’re at it why don’t you count the number of times he started to run or drop his eyes when the first read wasn’t there.
                And while you’re at it — why don’t you see how he was able to throw to multiple WRs with a variety of passes.

  14. Cue the Seahawks fans with their lame excuses about Sherman, Thomas and Chancellor being hurt.

  15. Joe Staley (@jstaley74)

    “That seahawks coordinator just cost every player a ring lol. U. Have. Marshawn.”

  16. Mary,

    Congradulations on your super bowl defeat. You’ve got the dumbest offensive coordinator in football. I’d love to have been sitting next to you on that game winning interception. Have you closed your mouth yet? What a choke job!!

    1. 23Jordan!
      Sweet redemption eh buddy? You know what else is dumb with that call? The Pats might have let Lynch score to get the ball back to kick a tying FG. Brady was on fire and moving the ball.

  17. Just confirmation why Darrell Bevell’s name was not seriously mentioned as a head coach candidate.

  18. It was inevitable this Superbowl that “Cheaters were gonna win”. I guess the team that signed the better contract with the Devil ended up winning it all. Seattle just like against GB got enough lucky breaks which should have allow them to make a comeback but I suppose that Brady and Co. also were favorites of Mr. Scratch as well and he had to make a choice. I think the deflate issue put them over the top on the evil meter. lol.

    1. Or it could be that the lucky breaks were being alternated and it was just the Pats turn. Pats got a break on the non call on the tripping of Locket. Seahawks on the lucky ” on the back juggling catch on the five”. So it was the pats turn on the brain freeze call for the pass and resulting interception. Now Seattle blew it because it was their turn. The neutral zone violation took the ball out of the safety danger zone. Who knows they might have recovered a fumble or gotten a safety with another shot on offense with their lucky turn for Satanic intervention. The Devil and his breaks can only help you so much. lol.

  19. Did you hear Pete Carroll in his interview. What a crybaby. All I have to say is:

    Isn’t that toooooooooo bad!

  20. I’m reading some of the comment on fieldgulls. They’re calling for Bevell to be fired. Hahahaha.

    1. cubus …

      I won’t go to the SeaChickens site cuz they have “cooties” ..
      but didja see our SeaTac area troll over there
      lickin’ her wonds ?

    2. cubus,
      Not only did the c-hawks lose, but they went out like classless punks in the process with their thug like antics a play before the end of the game.
      Nice sucker punch by Bennett on Gronk. These guys can’t even face up on someone when they throw a punch.
      Good luck trying to get back to the SB Seattle.

    1. no kiddin’ CK …

      hey …

      I really hate to be the one to mention this but …
      just a couple threads ago …

      Grant said :

      “…The Seahawks will win 20 to 17…”

      Reminds me of when he also said
      Tony “Capt. Choke” Romo would win it all …

      I guess you’d call his predictions ..
      the “kiss of death”, huh ?

      1. Lol… just daring you my friend… but you are right, that might be a dumber move than that call at the 1 yard line. Man, I feel a lot better now heading to this off-season of football.

        1. I was just thinking that NOW I feel like I can focus on the offseason. The hard part will be tomorrow when I have to meet with my clients here in Seattle. It’ll be hard not to laugh, because if last year is any indication, they’ll be pissed off about losing. I’ll have to show a requisite amount of empathy. Bwahaha.

          1. Go get their money while laughing inside. I cannot wait to hear some of your stories about those losers the next few weeks.

  21. The real winner of this superbowl was Greg Roman, as he will no longer be remembered as the dumbest OC in superbowl history.

    1. Too true, the call that the Seahawks OC made will go down in history as the worse call possible in a SB history. When you have the best RB in the league, you pass the ball? That’s cray cray.

      1. htwaits,
        I’m sure that someone will come up a name for that awful call. Here’s my weak attempt: “call of the mild”

        Ok, it’s still early, I’ll think of something else after I have my coffee : >)

        1. Actually I disagree with Kawakami. With second and one and twenty seconds to go, I think they were looking for surprise and a way to be “sure” to get two more plays where the defense couldn’t be sure what they would run. If they run and fail, then they have to call their last timeout. That would force a pass on third down, and a run/pass option on fourth down.

          Anyway, from the public’s point of view, any play that fails, especially a game winning interception, is moronic. My favorite play was the off side on the next play.

          If Seattle had gotten a safety and a field goal, the guys who celebrated the interception excessively, would have been the morons.

  22. Damn you Brady!!! That 1st quarter pick could have been a fg, this making my 31-24 prediction right.
    Jamaica……. Told you brah. NE played them like you should. They never waivered to throwing deeper when down. Kept it short kept running and relied and trusted their defense would stop the overrated overhyped an soon to be overpaid Russell Wilson.
    Seattle is DONE for a loooong time. They will be a playoff contender but nothing more.
    Wilson will break the bank
    lynch is as good as gone.
    DC is gone.
    And hopefully DS/Mary will disappear for good. But DS will pick some other made up character to still hang around.

  23. Can you imagine the pain of Seahawks fan right now? ouch!!!! But whooooo cares? Bwahahaha

    1. I was hoping for a 50 – 0 win by NE but this is a million times better. What a classless organization.

      1. They can’t win with class. Why would anyone think they would lose with class?
        Their Luck run ended on the 1 yard line. Couldn’t have called it any better unless it was a cowboy game with a bad call at the end of it. Oh wait. Lol

  24. Bevell isn’t doing himself any favours in keeping the Seahawks players on side by saying Lockette should have been stronger to the ball.

    1. He isn’t wrong although you’re right that he’s not helping his cause in Seattle by throwing the player under the bus. Wonder if he doesn’t expect to be back.

      1. Coffee- His statement was a weak excuse to make his call better. He doesn’t have the guts to put any blame on Wilson so he picks Lockett. If you watch that play Lockett has no shot at that ball at all. The only thing he could have done was run his route faster from start to finish to get to that spot quicker.

        From where he ended up it was a battle between his making a hands catch and the defender using his arms and body. The hands guy loses that every time. Besides that he was hit from behind as the defender went for the ball and was totally knocked out of the play. See him flying through the air? He does not even see the defender until he is hit from behind on his right side. The defender had a better angle on the ball to beat Lockett to the better position. Lockett is not a weak player, he was just blindsided. It’s not different than a player being taken out of the play on a blindside clip. If the defender didn’t have an almost straight shot at the ball he would have been called for pass interference. It’s very difficult going stronger to the ball when you are being knocked off your feet from behind by a defender who has a straighter shot at the ball. The ball was thrown straight at the defender and in front of Lockett. Watch the play from both angles. Lockett doesn’t break his route until the hit from behind knocks him off. He has no shot what so ever of making a catch.

        Blaming Lockett is another cheap shot. The blame is on the OC for calling the play or Wilson for throwing the ball. But since Wilson is a god in Seattle and couldn’t possibly make an error, the OC has to throw someone else under the bus.

  25. Lol blaming the OC. Imagine if it were CK throwing a pick on a slant on 2nd down. Man oh man. This board and fans would lose it.
    Sorry they had time the call wasn’t bad, it’s bad because it didn’t work, it’s bad because Wilson telegraphed it. Otherwise it’s a TD or inc with 2 more shots with lynch.
    I blame WILSON! He threw the int not the OC!

    1. “Three Things Can Happen When You Pass and Two of Them Are Bad”
      Woody Hayes may have had this situation in mind.

    2. ..you are not making any sense as usual……are you now owing “#7 dumb mistakes on the field are not Roman’s fault”

      too much crow could be taking a toll on that your waste of a life…….

      ……just nice to know that 2 of my popular trolls(ninermd + seahwks fans) are forever classless losers….

  26. How dose it feel chump Hawks take that loudmouth chump Sherman , one hit wonder and I have said all year Russell Wilson is garbage

  27. And how many of you guys were pickin’
    the SeaChickens to win ?? ..

    That’s ok .. I love all of your reactions ..

    Problem is … now Brady can claim to be as good
    as The Joe …

    (but we all know better, huh ?)

    1. MW
      Thats why this was a no win SB for me. However the fact that 30 years from now Sea fans and players will wake up in a cold sweat and mutter to themselves “we should have run Marshawn” makes it easier to stomach and the fact that they snatched their heart out makes it all the sweeter. As for Brady vs Montana i hang my hat on the 11 TD 0int in 4 games to Brady’s 12TD 4 INT in 6 games and the whole spy/deflate gates but not going to lie coming to work today was pure misery as everybody in the building knows of my hate for the pats and had something smart to say.

  28. Anybody catch Brady on NFL Network postgame ? Kept referring to 49ers as “my Niners”. Glad to see he still has a soft spot for his childhood team. Only negative is East Coast media now arguing he’s better than Montana.

          1. First round-fairly deep RB class so doubt first rnd pick:Maxx Williams is the only TE I could see as a first (and I really like him);Vic Beasley OLB ?Not a huge Trae Waynes fan at CB so not seeing CB in first either-rather leaning toward WR at 15-who do you like there?

  29. Be interesting to know the name of the person who put down the 7 figure bet on the Pats, at the last minute in Vegas. Strange ending? Maybe or maybe not! Just saying.

  30. Another good Superbowl (made sweeter by a Seattle loss),McDaniels called a great game and Brady ,even if you hate him what composure and grace in the pocket! NE’s Ol deserves kudos as well.This is what I wish for the 49ers!

  31. Bad call, bad scene at the end of the game. Pete Carroll’ “live and let live” attitude among his players was on sad national display last night.
    Way to represent your city c-hawks, class must be something that Petey doesn’t put much pride into.

  32. Seattle Times has hands-down the worst sports writers in the USA. Check out their headline this morning:

    “Trophy yanked from Hawks’ hands At the most crucial time, on this exalted stage, it all went awry”

    Really? Who writes that bloviated crap? And reading the articles below that mess, it only gets worse. What a crap town with a crap team with a crap newspaper with crap weather and crap food. Crap, crap, crap = Seattle…

    1. KIRO-TV is reporting a woman matching Mary’s description is being talked down from the Space Needle….

    2. Forty Niners Superbowl record = 5-1
      Seattle Seahawks SB record = 1-2

      Damn, I enjoyed that look on Sherman’s face at the end of the game. Priceless.

  33. Still thin Wilson is all that? 5 int’s in playoffs. If Lynch wasn’t carrying him he was average.
    on the flip side a bad OC cost Wilson and Kaepernick superbowl victories by ignoring the run.

  34. Did you guys see the Sherman post game interview? Neither did I because it never happened. That sore loser talks only after wins.

  35. Carroll explains they wanted to waste a play to take time off the clock. Firstly, that’s the wrong mindset. Your first priority in that situation is to score period. Let your number one defense have an opportunity to close it out. Secondly, how is a quick slant going to take more than a couple seconds off the clock? Dumb and dumber….

    1. I think that’s true in most cases, but not when you’re playing Tom Brady. I think you gotta take the clock into account. So I guess he’s thinking if they run it then its likely in, but yeah you’re right how does a quick inside slant kill the clock.

      1. I don’t think they stated they wanted to run clock. I think they said they made that call with and an awareness to the clock. I believe the idea was to be able to run three plays instead of two with the amount of time left. If the run the ball then they only get two plays. If the pass on second down they can still run the last two times. That way they get three shots at the end zone. To get that accomplished it was necessary for Wilson to only make a low risk throw. If he doesn’t have an open receiver he throws it away. His receiver was sort of open, but the pass was off target more to the defender rather than the receiver.

      2. Leo
        First off love the avatar. Sherm with those sideburns looks like the badazz dude (that ripped a guy in two) in Jean Claude Van Damme’s Lionheart .

        Second ur right on the clock killing, when u fire a pass that hard that close to the LOS there is a better than average chance that it gets batted up in the air and picked and at most u only burn 4 seconds. If they were dead set to throw maybe do a quick out where u throw it a a guys ankles (think CK to Crab in the rams game that we lost) where ite either the WR makes a catch or its incomplete. Or a play action since most would be thinking marshawn.

    2. I get what they were trying to do. They wanted to try and cross NE up on a play they were selling out on to stop the run. If Seattle runs the ball on that play and are stopped, they have to use their final TO and are facing 3rd down without the ability to run the ball as the clock runs out if they are stopped.

      I still would have given the ball to Lynch 3 times down there, but I see the logic in what they were thinking.

  36. You can’t make this stuff up. Stay classy Seattle:

    “Seahawks WR Doug Baldwin, after scoring a third-quarter touchdown on a 3-yard pass from Russell Wilson, made a lewd gesture, appearing as if he were pulling down his pants to, well, poop the football.

    He was hit with a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.”

    Baldwin said he directed the gesture at a Patriots player but would not single him out. “That’s between me and the guy it was directed at,’’ Baldwin said.

    1. Right after the TD I saw him beginning to pull mimic pulling down his pants and squatting, then the camera cut away. I was wondering what he did because they didn’t show it on instant replay either. The network used the time delay to edit out the crude display!

      1. Yes it is. My son who is 6 asked me who won and I told him it didn’t matter who won it’s who lost.

  37. Initially I didn’t think it was that bad a throw. ( just not a good one). But the more I watch it the more I realize it was a really bad throw. It was thrown not only to Locketts far right but to Butlers right shoulder as well. The Seattle coaches trusted Wilson a little too much to not make a mistake and make a safe throw. That was not a safe or accurate throw and should have never been made. An accurate throw results in a reception, TD or pass interference. I guess they bought into all the hype even on this site about Wilson never making mistakes, being accurate or never throwing interceptions. This doesn’t make Wilson a bad QB. No QB in history ever lived up to that sort of reputation and standard. Yet that is the standard that Kaep is constantly being compared too and evaluated against by many posters on this site.

    1. Kearse’s inability to push Browner back into Butler is one of the most under appreciated facets of why that play went wrong. That is meant to be a simple completion because the DB covering Lockette isn’t supposed to have a clear run to the ball.

  38. People just don’t understand football.

    As much as I dislike Carroll and the Seahags, and as much as I enjoyed the finish to the game, the final call was not all that stupid.

    As Carroll said, they sent in their three wide-out package to spread the Pats D intending to run. Belichick crossed them up by staying with his goal line package. Seattle had just one timeout left and if they had used the timeout and changed personnel and still got stuffed they would have to spike the ball to stop the clock on third down and then would have to throw on 4th down. If Carroll ignores the Pats goal line package and goes ahead and runs anyway on second down and Lynch gets stopped, then they would have to use the final timeout with maybe 15 seconds left. Then if they get stopped on third down they would not have time to run another play.

    Belichick set up the final sequence by not calling a timeout after Lynch’s run on first down. At the time I thought Belichick was being dumb by not calling a timeout, but as it turned out Belichick knew exactly what he was doing. The man is a true football genius.

    1. Rick: Absolutely right. It was never about running time off the clock rather trying to get as many shots at the end zone with the amount of clock left. Tactically it was not a bad call to pass on second down. It was just bad execution.

      1. Not poor execution, just a great, great play by the corner back. The defense won. Seattle, Wilson, did nothing wrong. They executed, the defense just executed a second sooner.

        1. No, the execution was indeed poor. Wilson led Lockette in a situation where he needed to put it right on him. If that ball is in Lockette’s numbers, there’s no interception. Possible that it could have been broken up or the receiver tackled short of the goal line, maybe. But without the ball being thrown into the space ahead of Lockette, Butler can’t have beat him to the spot and taken it.

          1. The poor execution was caused by Browner’s jam. On the rub plays the DB is usually a step late so you expect Wilson to lead the WR to the inside. The only reason the Butler was there is because he got a clean break due to Browner blowing up Kearse. 90% of the time a QB is coached to lead the WR away from coverage. His man was supposed to get caught up in the wash like Revis did against Tate but great execution on the Patriots part prevailed. That being said, Seattle should have ran the ball. All this BS about time management is just that because before they called the pass there was 1:06 on the clock which left plenty of time to line up two shot with Lynch while preserving that last time-out for a possible 4th down. They let the clock run down to 26 second and put themselves in that situation where they felt they needed to manage time. Worse case scenario they score early and make Brady play for a game tying FG. I AM HAPPY NEVER THE LESS!!!!!

            1. Absolutely right on every account jjj. Butler shouldn’t have had a clean shot at the play, but Browner stood Kearse up. And with over 1:00 on the clock they had enough time to run 3 running plays even with just 1 timeout remaining.

              1. My clock said 20 second before the second down snap and the interception. Was I looking at the play clock?

              2. They let the clock run down to 20 seconds though, didn’t they? Oh well it’s all a mute point! THEY LOST! HA HA HA HA

        2. FDM,

          It was a poor pass by Wilson. Yes Butler made a great break on the ball but if Wilson puts it in Lockett’s belly as he should have, there is no chance for the pick and Lockett’s momentum likely carries him into the end zone.

          1. How was it a bad throw? On a slant you throw to an area where the receiver has to extend his arms. You cannot put it on the numbers as the motion of the WR is moving forward and at an angle. It wasn’t anything Wilson did wrong. The corner made a great play and jumped it and beat Lockette to the spot.

            1. There are different types of Slants predicated on where you are on the field FDM. In this case Wilson needed to throw it earlier and hit Lockett in the chest; not lead him.

              No doubt it was a great play by Butler, but he has no chance to pick that if the ball is thrown to the receiver.

              1. Agreed rocket.
                It had to be a perfect pass to the numbers because of all the traffic in a small area. It wasn’t, end of game!

              2. I think the throw would have hit Lockette in the chest if Butler didn’t go through him to get the ball. Just my 2 cents.

      2. You can make a tactical argument for passing in that situation, but I think it’s much harder to defend calling that particular passing play.

        Why call a slant over to the middle when the middle of the field is crowded, to your #4 receiver who is not noted for his ability to catch in traffic? If they’re going to pass in that situation for the reasons given, it seems like there are much safer pass plays to call.

        Roll Wilson out and give him license to hit an open receiver, run it in if there’s room, or float it out the back of the endzone if nothing’s there and live to run on 3rd. Use the threat of Lynch and go with play action. Or run a fade, or any outside route away from the crowded middle of the field. You need a play where the only likely outcomes are incomplete or touchdown. Instead, they ran a relatively more risky play, and paid the consequences because, as noted, the execution of a bad play call was poor.

        1. Absolutely. Passing over the middle in the red zone brings a fair amount of risk. There were other pass plays they could have run that would have given little to no chance of an INT.

    2. All it takes is to think one step ahead of your opponent. If it works you are acclaimed as a genius. To think at all in that situation is probably beyond almost all coaches, and certainly beyond fans. After the fact, not so hard.

  39. The Patriots are an average team with an elite QB and they just won the SuperBowl. The past 3 seasons we’ve been an elite team with an average QB, result? No SuperBowl wins.

    1. Seahawks were an elite team with an average QB last year and won the SB. Niners were 5 yards from a SB with a QB who had started 9 games. No rhyme or reason to it. Any team can win in this league depending on the situation.

      1. Wilson is better then average.

        9 starts is more then half a season worth of play. It’s not like he came in only a game or two before while sitting on the bench all year. If you are going to point to the fact that they made it to the 5 yard line then how can you suddenly point to his lack of experience for why he didn’t seal the deal. Either he was good enough to lead his team to that point which should have been good enough to then finish it or he was an inexperienced rookie, which is it?

        1. I’m saying your point has no merit. We’ve seen teams with elite QB’s win it and we’ve seen teams with Average QB’s win it. There’s no rhyme or reason for winning the SB most of the time. It comes down to who is hottest going into the playoffs more often than not. This year Seattle wasn’t that team like they were last year. They shouldn’t have made it out of the NFCCG and their defense was chewed up pretty good by NE yesterday. Same team different year. Makes a big difference.

          Wilson is not better than average. His numbers last year were middle of the pack in pretty much every stat including Passer rating and QBR. That is the epitome of average. People see him as better than that because his team has won a SB and got back this year but when you break down Wilson the QB you quickly see he is really not an elite QB, and really benefits from a great running game and defense probably more than any other QB in the game.

          Look at yesterday as a prime example. The Pats were so focused on stopping him and Lynch in the running game that they played man coverage across the board which allowed Wilson to just throw up jump balls to make his plays. He doesn’t fit the ball into tight windows, doesn’t have hard reads and is a bigger factor with his legs than his arm. In other words he’s just like Kap only further along with his Football IQ at the position.

      2. “Seahawks were an elite team with an average QB”

        I don’t agree with this statement. I think RW is above average. His ability to escape the rush while keeping his eyes downfield are far above average. Yes there are some games where he looks average and downright mediocre, but overall the guy is a top 10 QB, and could move a lot closer to top 5 sooner rather than later. But everyone knows the heart and soul of that offense is Lynch. If they lose him it’s going to be very hard to replace that kind of production. They really need to start surrounding Wilson with better talent on the outside. Yes Kearse, Lockette, etc. have been okay, mainly due to Wilson’s ability to put the ball in the right spot, but there’s no making up for a true #1 receiver.

        Us on the otherhand, coaching aside, I’m really concerned for us offensively, and I don’t just mean b/c Chyrst is calling plays. Whoever was going to come in as OC was going to stick with the same blueprint set by Harb/Roman, run the ball. But at this point I don’t trust Hyde as our workhorse. I would feel more comfortable with Gore re-signed, but who knows how effective he’ll be, especially assuming his workload is drastically reduced. Gore needs time get warmed up in a game to become more effective. And who knows if Hunter will ever be back to his old self. I would like to see a RB taken in the 1st 3 rounds, likely a change of pace speed back. We are a running team, with big questions at RB.

        1. Leo,

          Kap can play in a system like Seattle runs with Wilson. Wilson is more elusive, but Kap can make bigger plays with his legs. Wilson has a small number of plays that he runs and I’ve noticed this the more I’ve watched Seattle play. There are few plays where he drives the ball into tight spaces because he’s not very good at it. They rarely ask him to drop back and read the field, going mostly with half field reads or misdirection. He gets a lot of time on playaction passes because of the attention given to Lynch. He benefits so much from the scheme and running game it’s ridiculous.

          As I said above, the numbers don’t support the contention that Wilson is much more than average as a QB. What he does well is make some big plays that cover the fact he is limited in the type of passing game they can run with him. His biggest plays are when he escapes the pocket and finds somebody on a scramble drill or when he can throw it up and let his receivers make a play for him which is what you saw yesterday.

          I’m not saying he’s a bad QB, I just find it ironic that so many fans are down on Kap while believing a similar player in Seattle is on the verge of being elite. If Kap had gone that final 5 yards and won the SB, I guarantee most would be looking at him the same way they are at Wilson. It’s all perception.

          1. I agree with your assessment on RW. But I would trade Kaps legs for RW’s ability to extend plays any day. I have by no means given up on Kap, but he is the polar opposite when it comes to extending plays. He doesn’t feel the rush, he rarely keeps his eyes down field, but every once in a while he’ll bust one for 30+ yds. But I agree the Hawks system works exactly to the strengths of their team. But if you take Lynch out of the formula then they’re in big trouble.

            1. Leo,

              Wilson is more elusive, no question, but the big plays he makes are ones I think Kap could make as well if more attention and practice are paid to it. For all the times Kap got sacked this year, he avoided quite a few more and made some plays off of them.

              What it comes down to for me is the ceiling of both players. I think Wilson is as good as he’s ever going to be due to his limitations, but I think Kap can get a lot better if he’s able to grasp more nuances of being a professional QB and not a running QB. I don’t know if he’ll get there, but he has the chance.

        2. Welp… Good news is we will get to see that next season while lynch isn’t a Seahak anymore. He’s an average qb, with an elite team. Sorry he’s nothing special inside that pocket.

    2. Your time line is off one year. The 49ers were not an elite team in 2014. How about three of the last four seasons? ;-}

  40. Players that will either need to take a pay cut or will be cut:

    For sure:
    Steve Johnson
    Ahmad Brooks
    Craig Dahl(probably gets cut anyway)

    Maybe:
    Patrick Willis

    1. The only way I see the 49ers cutting Stevie Johnson is if he has an insurmountable injury issue. (does he?)

      Crabs gone. Boldin a year older. Vernon a total wildcard. Who are they going to throw the ball too? Ellington could develop, but he’s a specialist.

      49ers will probably ask Stevie Johnson to take a pay cut. Stevie will say no, or offer a modest restructure deal. Either way, the 49ers will keep him.

      1. I completely agree B2W. We need Stevie a lot more than he needs us at this point. If we repeat the 2013 fiasco at WR I’m not sure what I would do, except this time VD can’t be counted on and Boldin is 2 yrs older.

        The only way I see SJ gone is if they sign another FA that is comparable or better than stevie. Either way we need to bring in a solid vet behind Boldin, and SJ, and take a WR early in the draft. I still have high hopes for Patton, maybe the new staff give him a chance to prove himself. I also would like to see Ellignton used a lot more. My dream signing is Torrey Smith, but of course its just a dream.

        1. Leo we only sign FA’s on the cheap so i do’nt expect them to replace Johnson through free agency. I believe we will draft a WR but i’m not sure how early. There are other needs out there IE OL TE DL and potentially DB

          1. Very true OC,

            That’s why Torrey is a dream. But one signing I liked was Manningham a few years back, it added a younger proven talent to the roster. But you’re right I don’t see us getting anyone better than Stevie, that’s why I said comparable. I’m not sure who will be out there yet.

            I think they’ll ask him to restructure or be cut, he hasn’t been himself the past 2 years so he may not think he could get much better on the market. It’s also a plus that he’s close to home here.

      2. What do you guys think of Devin Smith?

        Devin’s not just a deep threat, he’s a deep promise. He consistently catches long bombs, and keeps his footing after the catch.

        He’s perfect compliment to Wilson’s scramble bombs, another (small) factor in why I’d like him as a Niner. Packaging the 46th pick with a 4th rounder to secure him around 38-41 works for me.

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJoIcwZD1Po

        1. Devin Smith is getting a lot of attention at the moment. I saw one mock draft that had him going in round 1. He’s not that good. He should be a mid round pick but at the moment looks like he will go early. He should test well too, so I expect he’ll end up going in the second round at this point. Not worth drafting him that high.

          1. Kinda one-dimensional. However it’s the exact dimension the 9ers are missing. He’d be a great mid-round pick.

              1. I’d rather a WR that is more than just a deep threat, anyway. Guys like Devin Hester and Ted Ginn have their place, but they are complementary players. #3 or #4 WR types.

                One thing I really do like about him though is he gets himself into good position on the deep ball, and uses his body well. I prefer him to Sammie Coates as a receiver.

                Maybe Devin Smith develops into a more rounded player and becomes a legitimate #1 or #2, but right now he’s a one trick pony with very limited route running skills.

              2. Greetings Scooter! Looking forward to another year of being your copilot on the Dontae Johnson bandwagon. Also wanted to make sure you have reminded Grant about his pre-draft comments regarding OBJ…

                Funny how the Niner’s WR need hasn’t really changed since this time last year. Last season I posted that I wanted a “Torrey Smith clone” for the Niner’s O. Interesting that numerous commenters on various websites have mentioned the actual Torrey Smith as a FA target.

                Like any Niner fan watching the college playoffs, I took note when the announcers mentioned Devin Smith and his deep threat potential. Having now taken a look at some of the WR rankings and also gotten some insight from “fanboys”, I’m leaning towards Dorsett and Lockette (not the Seattle guy) as better options than Smith – especially since Smith does not look that big to me.

                The guy I’m getting to is Sammie Coates. All I do is read the summaries, but this guy sounds like everything the Niners need. Big fast, jumps, goes gets the ball, said to be top deep threat in draft, and run blocks. #15 seems too high for Coates, but if Baalke can work some draft wizardry, late first, early second round sounds like a nice value for the Niner’s current roster. Again, I’m going totally off summaries and can easily see him going too early, but I think it’s at least something to look at.

                Which leads me to my next point regarding one-trick ponies. If your one-trick “deep threat” pony is also an effective run blocker, now you can put him out as the WR in 22 personnel and you are not tipping deep pass. If the CB plays your one-trick pony to go deep you put your WR in an excellent position to go find a safety or LB/DE to block. Think about this: 22 personnel with Coates, a motivated Vernon, a functional SAK (Millard? MacDonald? Celek? Carrier? – don’t you have to like Sparano working with these guys?) Miller and Hyde. That’s 5 big skill guys who can all run block, with 2 deep threats, 2 midrange threats, and Hyde (who can pass block or be very effective catching short passes). You can put that personnel group in any situation and the defense is going to have to pick something to leave open. Can you imagine running no huddle with that group?

                Oh yeah, and the fact that some guy who was working a sporting goods store this fall nearly saved the Super Bowl for Seattle because he’s a 6’5″ 220 WR (and Russell throws a beautiful deep ball) doesn’t hurt either.

                Anyway, have a great offseason, definitely looking forward to free agency and the draft.

              3. I think Smith can develop into a better WR, but right now he is a big play threat that the Niners could use. He needs to add a little muscle to his frame, but his speed and catching ability or already top shelf. He’ll be gone in the second.

              4. Greetings Sacto!

                I actually prefer Devin Smith to Sammie Coates to be honest, Sacto. I think Smith tracks the ball better than Coates does, has better hands, and has more upside as a route runner with better quickness to his game.

                Coates is more of a vertical, straight line player with incredible athletic ability. He’s a sloppy route runner with suspect hands, that on occasion loses track of the ball deep, resulting in a lot of adjustments being made while tracking the ball and ultimately a lot of drops. He also doesn’t display any nous in how to set up a DB, relying solely on his speed to get the job done. These are all big no-no’s for me.

              5. Well, seems like the report I read might be a little suspect….

                But I do think the idea of a deep threat that can run block eliminates the need to be a polished route runner immediately. Just moving the free safety one step can open up the window Kap needs to hit either the seam (Vernon) or deep post route (Boldin/Johnson) on the other side of the field.

    2. Johnson is pricey at 6 mill but you aren’t going to find much better at a cheaper price. That’s the market now. I can see them trying to work out a pay cut based on incentives but if they just cut him they are really thin at WR with Crabtree not likely returning.

      They really have some easy ways to free up money. They can cut Brooks, work out an extension with Aldon Smith (which of course would have to include provisions based on him staying out of trouble) and they can give Kap more signing bonus. With those moves alone they could easily free up 15-20 mill in cap room depending on how much they want to push into the future.

      The cap won’t be an issue.

    3. No way I let Willis go. This guy has been our pro-bowl player throughout and I mean even through the dark ages.

      If Gore is the heart and soul of the team, P.Willis is the steady anchor. I like Borland a lot, but he is no Patrick Willis even on his best day. Borland had some very good success in his first few outings but seemed to lose steam after a few games.
      Willis had a bad toe for two seasons and finally had it corrected by surgery.
      Borland has had a bad shoulder and that concerns me for the long haul.

      The FO has to get very strategic with the cap and find a way to keep Willis, period!

  41. Coffee- Your an elite simpleton. Brady did not have a great game. He did not play like an elite QB. He threw two costly interceptions. He put together those last two drives because he finally got some pass protection and his receivers got separation. He was also helped by the fact that Seattle lost a lot of their DB and he was throwing against some back up D backs. For much of the game he over and under threw receivers. He also had a good scheme to work with. They adjusted in the second half and went to a shorter passing game especially using Vareen. Seattle didn’t have an answer for him. Any QB, including those considered elite, needs teammates to step up in order to win.

    Your simplistic answer to every win and loss is the QB. You and others bandy about the term elite like it answers everything. Even so called elite QB’s have bad games. They also need good team play and for some things to fall in to place to win a Superbowl. How many elite QB’s don’t even make it to the Superbowl every year?

    Right! SF had an elite team this last season. In your delusions perhaps.

      1. Coffee: Never said he wasn’t. Elite is in consideration to a body of work not just one game. In any single game a average QB can play like an elite QB and an elite QB can play like an average one. Manning is considered elite as well, yet he didn’t play like it in his last playoff game. Your statement was in respect to that an elite QB guarantee’s a Superbowl win. Where as if you are not an elite QB your team will not win.

        Lets get real. You statement was less about Brady than it was about using his elite status to slam and blame Kaep for the 49ers lack of success. Very simplistic and very biased.

        1. You’ve missed the point entirely, huge shock, and because you’ve chosen to be a complete tool about it making personal attacks for zero reason you can just go back to eating that great big polla you’re chewing on this morning. Do you drink this early in the day or do you just wake up an a hole?

        2. Wiiltalk I have to agree with you, Brady did not play like an elite QB yesterday and he did take advantage of a banged up Seattle D back field. Over his career he has to be considered elite but among the elite i rank him low. Watch how QB’s like Montana, Unitas and Graham handled strong pass rush. Brady folds under intense pressure.

          1. So did Montana. Are you forgetting what the Giants and the 85 Bears did to the 49ers. How about the three one and out seasons. There is no way to compare Graham and Unitas to what modern quarterbacks face. They were great but there is no real basis to evaluate across such a time period of football changes.

            1. Htwaits great is great. Jim Brown would be a star today, Willie Mays would be a star today and Wilt Chamberlin would be a star today. The QB’s of old called their own plays thats the biggest change in football.

              1. I was replying to the “handled strong pass rush” and “Brady folds under intense pressure.” bit, not old stars vs newer stars. I don’t try to compare outside any given generation.

                As for calling their own plays, they also played defense if you go back to Albert and his contemporaries like Graham.

                Enjoy the quiet time coming.

              2. Old Coach
                “Jim brown would be a star today” NO HE WOULD NOT JB was a star in his day because in those days (where the offensive and defensive linemen weighed 260 lbs) they put the best athletes on O and had 170lbs timmys and jimmys playing on defense. JB was 230 lbs and could move at the time there was no one like him, now every team has a guy his size and speed, (hyde, lynch, lacy etc) lets be real, bigger faster stronger. Cam newton is bigger as a QB than any player who played in the Jim Brown era.
                My Beloved Bill Russel was a beast at center as a 6’8 guy today he would be a middle sized small forward, things change

    1. Brady didn’t play elite yesterday!?! Did you watch the 4th quarter!?! He carved up one of the best defenses in history and erased the biggest SB deficit in history. No other QB in history could have done that. Joe never had to face a defense like that in his SBs. Give him his rightful due.

      1. Jimmy you have to be kidding me. “Joe never had to face a defense like this” Joe played before the salary cap Joe faced 4 or 5 great D’s every year. A team did’nt have to release great players because of cap issues. One year the 49ers had 3 all pro NT’s on the same team. Todays watered down brand of football can not hold a candle to the 70’s, 80’s and into the 90’s. In any given year Montana would face the Redskins, Giants, Steelers, Cowboys, Raiders, Bears along with some great Falcon and Saints defenses. Now the SB games were let downs because the NFC was so dominant back then but the NFC championship games were better than 70% of the SB’s.

  42. In the end the football gods were watching and Karma prevailed

    Wild Card: Detroit gets screwed Dallas benefits undeservedly
    Divisional: Dallas gets screwed Green Bay benefits undeservedly*
    NFCCG: Green Bay gets screwed** Seatle benefits undeservedly
    Super Bowl: Seattle gets screwed***New England wins undeservedly****

    * GB still had time to come back and score even if Dez ruled catch at the 1
    ** GB Screwed themselvs but by all acounts deserved to win that game
    *** Seattle screwed themselvs with bad playcall but should have won
    ****Deflate gate come home to roost permanent stain on BB and the pats

    “Its the circle of life”

    1. Bos49er: Interesting! Much like the luck that the 49ers had turned on a dime in the Superbowl and it has remained bad until now. Wonder if Seattle’s luck has turned long term as well? It seems recently that luck seems to have been more valuable in respect to wins than talent.

      1. Close competitive games make the “luck” that’s always there seem more important.

        If Seattle had won the game after their miracle catch, that would have meant that New England has lost three consecutive Superbowls to miracle catches. Amazing what luck can do.

  43. I like the defensive hires I saw over the weekend.

    But does anyone else think we’re looking pretty thin on the other side? I’m really hoping Curry isn’t the guy they’re going with at WR. This will only be his 3rd year coaching and the previous 2 were as an offensive assistant. I want to see some credibility for that position, we’ve had a lot of struggles developing talent there.

    I’m hopeful that they’re not done hiring.

      1. I was kind of thinking that also, maybe that’s their thought there, but it sure would be nice to have someone who’s built a reputation for grooming and developing young WRs.

        Thanks Ricardo. I thought it was a perfect capture of the moment.

        I saw another one that says “You Sad Bro?”

        So I might switch it out.

        1. “it sure would be nice to have someone who’s built a reputation for grooming and developing young WRs.”

          Judging by the results the last few years they definitely need an upgrade at WR coach.

  44. Best call I’ve ever seen in the Super Bowl why you ask the Chump Hawks are now losers cause of it could not of happened to a better classless team

  45. Favorites to win SB 50. Even with the new staff the Niners are 30/1

    SEAHAWKS: 6/1
    PATRIOTS: 7/1
    PACKERS: 8/1
    BRONCOS: 12/1
    COLTS: 12/1
    COWBOYS: 18/1
    EAGLES: 25/1
    SAINTS: 30/1
    49ERS: 30/1
    STEELERS: 30/1
    LIONS: 30/1
    RAVENS: 30/1
    BENGALS: 35/1
    RAMS: 40/1
    CHIEFS: 40/1
    CARDINALS: 40/1
    CHARGERS: 40/1
    GIANTS: 40/1
    PANTHERS: 45/1
    DOLPHINS: 45/1
    FALCONS: 50/1
    TEXANS: 50/1
    BEARS: 60/1
    VIKINGS: 60/1
    BILLS: 70/1
    BROWNS: 70/1
    JETS: 125/1
    REDSKINS: 140/1
    BUCS: 200/1
    TITANS: 300/1
    JAGS: 300/1
    RAIDERS: 300/1

      1. I am thinking the same. What stops me is that only12 percent of new coaches reach the SB and only 6 percent win it. However one of our own, Seifert, won in his rookie season, and I am seeing a lot of parallels between Walsh/Seifert as I am with Harbaugh/Tomsula.

      2. Reading my mind. Keep the injury situation under control, the 49ers are as dangerous as any team. Built for the post season.

        Imagine the defense with Ian Williams and Dorsey healthy, Lynch and Aldon pass rush bookends, Ward back, solid safeties, Tank, Dial, TJE rotating in. If Will miss Bowman if he’s not back 100%, but how many teams would love a Willis-Borland ILB combo?

        The offense doesn’t have to be great. Look how good the run game was when AD was back in the last game?

        1. The biggest question marks defensively for me are at DL. We still don’t know that much more about Dial and Tank than we did last off-season. Dial showed some great potential, and had more snaps than Tank, so I feel better about Dial than I do about Tank. But when you lose Smith and Rmac it won’t be an easy replacement.

          But on the other side of that, if they prove themselves do be some great defenders than we gotta heck of a front 7 for years to come.

    1. BAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
      .
      Bye Warren!
      .
      .
      .
      ~ALOHA~

  46. Saw this tourist from who knows where in alocal grocery store about 2 hours after the game and he was decked out head-to-toe in Seahawks gear and he didn’t look happy.
    .
    And he wasn’t bummed…he was PISSED–it was obvious and it was awesome.
    .
    Anyways, that wasn’t the suprising part.
    .
    What suprised me was that his head-to-toe gear was literally HEAD-TO-TOE.
    .
    Dude not only had a Seahawks hat, jersey and sweatpants…he actually had Seahawks shoes!
    .
    I didn’t even know they make Seahawks shoes.
    .
    .
    .
    ~ALOHA~
    .
    P.S. Here’s hoping Haley goes in as a Niner.

      1. gsixty i’ve heard he will go in as a 9er. After he was diagnosed bipolar the 9ers organization gave him great support. He felt the cowboys kinda threw him away.

  47. There are many things that make me questions whether people played sports or not. Like when people discuss scuffles on the field. To me, scuffles and fights are normal, in football. It is a blood sport. I use to tell my teammates all the time – “Play with controlled recklessness.” Try to take people heads off, this is the only time you can do it with very little consequences.

    1. Thanx MidWest ..

      I also hafta thank Bee-Rows for confirming
      my suspicions =>

      ” … This partly may stem from general manager Trent Baalke being in love with Trent Baalke….”

    2. I was going to post the link too. Get your 49er 2015 offensive strategy here Seahawks fans.

  48. I’m disappointed in NBC for cutting away from Doug Baldwin pretending to poop a football.

  49. Bevell did the exact same thing during a game in Arizona last year. After a nice run by Lynch put the Hawks inches from a touchdown he came back the next play with a pass. It worked that time.

    Anyone with NFL Rewind should take a look at the series of plays. As they go to the line on that next play you can clearly see Lynch letting the coaching staff know what he thought of the call by showing them half of the peace sign.

  50. “As they go to the line on that next play you can clearly see Lynch letting the coaching staff know what he thought of the call by showing them half of the peace sign.

    Jack, was this last night or last year in the AZ game?

          1. Yup. That’s sad.

            I was hope to find more bar/pub footage when everyone yelling “beast… beast… beast… then “what?”

            In all the ones I’ve seen, every fan (not matter how engaged they seemed with the game of football) said “why didn’t they run?”

          2. “I just feel bad for the kids. …”

            Well, don’t. Those little Seahawk fans will grow up to be big Seahawk fans, with all of the despicable traits that the majority of Seahawk fans exhibit.

            Nits grow into lice.

            I’m still grinning about the Seahawk loss two days later, and I greatly enjoyed those youtube videos. Now they know how it feels. BUAHaHAHAHA

        1. B2W
          Thanks for that link. Im concerned at how much i enjoyed watching that. I might have a “hating” problem, maybe I should seek out a support group or go to a meeting or something

          1. What we are watching in these youtubes is mass psychotherapy for Seattle fans hating problem.

            Out of state license plates garner no attention in California. Venture into WA with CA plates, its a whole different game.

            Somehow a city I once thought of as a cultural sister city to San Francisco, now sees us as the despised “other.” Got a face full of it 8 years ago on a road trip visiting cousins in Olympia, Seattle and Bellingham. Happened overnight, like a new manufactured product being slammed into the marketplace. Weird.

            1. Brodie I ran into the same thing in the Bellingham school system when visited on a research project over 33 years ago. It didn’t happen suddenly.

  51. From Matt Maiocco, about Kaepernick and Wilson —

    –Lockette had three catches for 59 yards. Two summers ago, he was among the first 49ers receivers released in training camp. The 49ers cut him to make room for quarterback Seneca Wallace. Chris Matthews was working at Foot Locker when the Seahawks called him up for a tryout.

    Despite his ill-advised final pass, Wilson has proved to be the kind of quarterback who makes wide receivers better. It’s a quality all the great ones have – Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees, to name a few. Wide receivers are much better with those quarterbacks.

    That’s the priority for Colin Kaepernick this offseason as he spends time working on fundamentals and the mental aspect of playing the position. In order for the 49ers to make it back to among the NFL’s elite, Kaepernick must improve his game to the point that he makes his receivers look better, too.

    1. A lot of receivers did better once they left the 49ers. Such as Ginn. The problem with Lockett and some other receivers that year was that they were never really given a shot at making the team. They assigned the starters positions to players who totally bombed out or who had spent their time on IR and were expected to come back heathy. Williams/Manningham but never did. They also spent too much time trying to prove that AJ was a receiver worthy of a first round pick. Think of all the reps they wasted on him. Lockett never got to play with the QB he spent the off season practicing with.

      The main mistake they made with Lockett was in not giving him more of a shot at special teams gunner. When he played that position for Seattle he was one of the best in the NFL. He showed his potential the few times they let him play at that position but for some reason the 49ers released him. That was one of the shortcomings of Harbaugh and his staff. They made some really stupid personal decisions that year. The WR corp they assembled was a disaster. And on special teams the put a player ( Williams ) as kick returner when it was obvious he could not muli-task. That is catch the ball while being aware of where the defenders bearing down on him were. That was one of Harbaughs failings. He had some stupid coaches on his staff.

    2. Why is Wilson’s name being thrown out there as a Qb who makes receivers better? Especially when he threw 5 ints in his final two playoff games and threw the game losing int?

      When Colin threw the game losing int guys like you were all over him. When Wilson does it you are posting articles about Wilson making receivers better…. smh

      1. Here’s the difference: RW played horrible but somehow found a way to make a play to win. CK sucked and just continued to suck.

    3. Golden Tate w Wilson as QB
      2012 45 rec 688 yards 7 td as leading WR
      2013 64 rec 898 yards 5 td as leading WR
      Golden Tate w Matt Staford as QB
      2014 99 rec 1331 yards 4 td as a 2nd WR to megatron

      looks like he was better off being a second WR in Detroit than as a leading guy in Seattle

      1. He was given more opportunities with Detroit.

        Tate’s avg yard per catch jumped from under 11 yards to 15 in his first season playing with Wilson. That settled down to 13.3 in 2013 and was basically maintained at 13.5 this season with Stafford.

    4. With all due respect to Mr. Maiocco, he’s joined the fawning over a winner crowd.

      As has been pointed out, Tate looks a lot better with another QB, not to mention the first pass Wilson completed to Matthews involved a poor pass over the wrong shoulder from Wilson that Matthews made a great play on.

      The more I watch Wilson the more it becomes obvious that he really has a small number of things he does; he just does them very well. He is not a pocket QB, doesn’t fire the football into tight spaces and doesn’t pick apart defenses with multiple reads. What he does is make plays with his elusiveness. He also has the ability to put touch on his deep passes to drop them in the bucket so to speak. That is his game and while he does it well, he can be shut down by an athletic defense that can contain him in the pocket.

      We are going to see just how good Wilson is going forward as they pay him huge money and lose talent in other areas while doing so.

    5. To me it looks like Wilson’s receivers make him look better by winning in jump ball situations.

      1. A part of that Grimey is how Wilson gives them a chance to make a play by getting air under the ball.

        1. It also gives the defender a chance to make a play. I’m not giving him credit for throwing Joe Flacco punt passes.

          1. But that’s a big reason why he gets “lucky” so often. Yes, it’s a two way street, but he’s doing his part with the throw.

            It’s something that we haven’t seen here probably since Shawn Hill. Both Smith and Kaepernick tend to throw a flat ball.

            1. Wilson and Brees understand there are more great catches than great throws. Have to give the receiver an opportunity to make a play.

              1. “Giving the receiver the opportunity to make a play” is not the same as making them better.

              2. I agree with needing to give receivers an opportunity. Case in point was Wilson’s first completion to Matthews. It was a poor throw over the wrong shoulder that Matthews made a great play on, but Wilson gave him the chance. That is something Kap needs to do more often instead of pulling it down and running.

              3. besides, the WR ‘supposedly’ knows where the route will take him…not so for the d-back…’has the advantage of knowing which shoulder it’s supposed to be coming from….gotta’ throw the pass

            2. Yeah, I’d definitely like to see Kap understand that changing his arm angle can affect the arc on the throw. A flat ball is cool for back shoulder and stick throws, but Kap can’t “drop it in the bucket” unless he develops a higher release.

              However, I’ll never consider throwing a jump ball making the receiver better.

              OT why hasn’t anybody figured out that you can’t under throw your receiver when Richard Sherman is in coverage

              1. Grimey,

                Good stuff. I actually brought this up awhile back and posted the distribution of passes for Kap and Wilson and it clearly showed the difference in their completion percentages was the passes behind the LOS. Wilson threw a significant number more than Kap did.

                As is often the case however few want to accept it, instead preferring to dump on him and say he is not good enough.

                If we can ever get this discussion to a middle ground I’ll be amazed.

    6. Yup. When lucky catches become a pattern, its not luck. Wilson’s throws a catch-able ball on those long passes.

      Its (a little) like basketball. Shots that are slightly off, but are made with good technique and plenty of arch, are more likely to bounce back into the basket. A flatter shot that hits the same spot on the rim bounces out.

      1. Accept one I defended sixty years ago. I stopped the guy at the top of the key on a breakaway. He didn’t shoot the ball, he threw it at the basket — flat as the floor. The ball hit the back rim, the buzzer sounded, the ball bounced at least twice the height of the backboard, floated down, swish — game over.

        Vivid in my mind it is as Wilson’s pass will be for him.

  52. Considering the present day situation the 49ers have put themselves in, anyone else intrigued by how Baalkes’ modus operandi might change in the upcoming draft? Perhaps he doesn’t draft any injured players this year….

    1. “Perhaps he doesn’t draft any injured players this year”

      It doesn’t look like they have a bunch of extra picks this year. Plus they’re going to lose some guys to free agency. So there’s no need to redshirt guys this year. We need contributions and available depth from this class.

    2. ive rooted for every draft pick, injured or healthy……cause once you become a niner, i got your back!
      But its always bothered me that Baalke dosent have the stones to trade up and get guys who can become “stars”!

      Is it an ego thing??? ( i guess it looks better if he lands good players in the mid rounds as opposed to trading up)??

      1. Using lots of draft capitol on one player usually hurts your team in the long run.

        Look at the Atlanta Falcons. They traded a bunch of picks to go up and get Julio Jones. And while Jones is really good, they have missed out on picks later in the draft and the following year that could have improved their defense.

        Since drafting is an inexact science, drafting quantity over perceived quality gives you more chances to get more good players.

        1. Baalke has flat out whiffed on mid round picks! im going to research right now and get back, but i cant think of 1 impact starter he’s landed mid round! back ups only!
          Combine that with the fact we’ve had a deep roster, and had to cut good players….and the fact that were also seeing the downside to “injured” draftees ( see: marcus Latimore) ……you have to wonder why were not moving up more often. This team has been a play or 2 away from winning/going to super bowls for a 3 years! if that isn’t the definition of ” being ONE player away from a championship’……then i dont know what is!!!

          The guy has been re-building a roster for 3 years instead of being in the “win now” mode he should have been in!!!

      2. He has traded up in the past. I think he just values the mid round picks it takes to move way up too much to make that big a move and he’s been proved right for the most part.

      3. Trading up for a star isn’t a lot more likely to get you that star than having a lot of picks. Walsh won trading up for Rice, and New England did it with a throw away pick for Brady.

        1. It’s okay to trade up(Eric Reid). Just don’t trade away your whole draft to do it. And don’t give the Browns a future first(Buffalo Bills).

    3. Razor,

      I think he’d draft an injured player if the value states it. For example if somebody like the Oregon CB (can’t remember how to spell his name) or Todd Gurley were to fall due to their injuries, I could see him taking them with a mid round pick.

      He doesn’t have the extra picks this year as Grimey mentioned, but he has a number of injured players from last year’s draft coming back this season so he can focus on BPA for the most part.

      1. Rocket,
        Yes, I agree. Baalke is the king of salvage title players. He will seek value from an injured player who’s stock drops because of it.

    4. I think the biggest change to his typical draft strategy will be drafting an outside CB early.

  53. The Seahawks will remember that loss for years, decades, centuries to come. I know, Roger Craig (I still love him) fumble still haunts me to this day.

      1. Razor and undercenter It was’nt just Craig, They were one player short on their punt return team which allowed the giants to audible away from the punt and run for a first down.

      2. that play traumatized my childhood!

        it’s taken almost 25 years for me to begin to forgive roger

      3. Yup, and wasn’t Craig the player who coined the phrase “three-peat”?
        That one still hurts to this day.

  54. 49ers, #Rams, #Seahawks to have new OCs in NFC West RT @AdarnSchefter: The Seahawks have fired OC Darrell Bevell.

    Sorry if already posted, didn’t see it anywhere. I wonder if that Chryst contract is finalized.

    Did Rams already pick up an OC?

    1. I was the first on here to call Bevell getting fired. I really doubt Lynch would resign if they did not make that move, not to mention the locker room dissent….

        1. Good catch Jack. I can’t believe I missed that.
          Must be an angry Seahawks fan that posted that.

    2. Anyone see Shanahan to the hawks? I mean what other options are left. Snubbed by the niners now out to seek revenge with the heated rival.

    3. And the 49ers want to run the same simplistic offense that the Seahawks ran this past season? The joy.

    4. @caminman

      13 hours ago

      Disregard last tweet about NFC West OCs. Bogus account cited #Seahawks firing Bevell

  55. Looks like steroids finally caught up with the Legion of Goons with 4 DBs possibly needing surgery.

    BTW, Byron Maxwell is a free agent. Baalke must go after him.

    1. Somebody will overpay Maxwell and then be disappointed when he looks nothing like the guy he is in Seattle. Unless his next team has the best Safety tandem in the NFL, good luck.

      I’d rather resign Culliver for less money.

      1. Yes that has to be a priority re-signing this offseason. My only concern would be his price tag and his off-field issues.

        Any word if he has a suspension coming?

        1. I’ve tried to find out what his court status is but there wasn’t anything during the season. Hopefully it will get resolved before be becomes a free agent. I can’t see them resigning someone that could be facing the new NFL policy on that kind of behavior.

      2. Culliver should be the 49ers #1 priority FA to sign. I just hope his price tag isn’t too high.

  56. where all the loudmouth crap Hawks fans now ? been to many websites and they are no where to be found , Now that your hearts are broken and you know how it feels maybe you’ll get some class and shut up

  57. If I had a dollar for every 5-11 athlete that’s listed as 6 feet. I would/could buy Niner season tickets for every blogger in here……Except Mary, she’s on her own.

    1. Nice Crap15 … but I wouldn’t waste my money lining the pockets of Jed York just yet. Let him prove to us that his decisions were worth making.

  58. “The truth is, 49ers fans will have to get accustomed to a long run of bad teams. The Niners could easily sink to the bottom of their division next season and stay there until York realizes he backed the wrong horse with Trent Baalke.” ,,, Glenn Dickey

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