SANTA CLARA – Jim Harbaugh was especially talkative today. His Monday press conference transcript was almost 5,000 words. I’m focusing on about 80 of them. One writer asked Harbaugh an Alex Smith question. Harbaugh responded by calling his quarterback tough. Then he went on this tangent: “These guys are my heroes. All of them. Alex was heroic in this game. So was Justin, so was Donte, so was Aldon, so…
Part of the reason the Saints lost to the Niners on Saturday is that their defensive game plan was too simple. They acted as if stopping Frank Gore would stop the entire Niners offense. They committed eight, nine, sometimes ten defenders to the box to shut down Gore and they left every single receiver in single coverage – even Vernon Davis. This was a bad strategy. You can’t single cover…
I’m not saying Alex Smith is a better quarterback than Aaron Rodgers, but which guy played better this weekend? Smith led two game-winning drives, he threw three touchdown passes and ran for one more, plus he finished with a 103.2 QB rating. Rodgers didn’t lead any game-winning drives, he threw a pick and his quarterback rating was a mere 78.5. It used to be you couldn’t mention Smith and Rodgers…
My dad wrote his column on Alex Smith. In it, he gives the quarterback his due – Smith did what almost everyone said he couldn’t. He won a shootout. He led not one but two game-winning touchdown drives. And he did all this in a playoff game. To read the column, click here.
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat just posted the sidebar I wrote for their Sunday paper. It’s on Donte Whitner’s tone-setting knockout hit on New Orleans Saints running back Pierre Thomas on the opening drive of Saturday’s 36-32 Niners win. I spoke to Whitner in a group and one-on-one afterward in the locker room and he had very interesting things to say about the play. To read my article, click here.
Here are my divisional playoff grades for the Niners, who beat the Saints 36-32 and will play in the NFC Championship game next weekend. Alex Smith: A+. Let’s get the negatives out of the way first – he didn’t play well in the middle of the game. Ok, now that we’ve established that, let’s talk about the positives. He made two plays to win the game. The first was the…
SAN FRANCISCO — This is the live blog for the Niners divisional playoff game against the New Orleans Saints. I will update this frequently from the Candlestick Park press box. 12:01 Here are the Niners inactive players: Scott Tolzien, Joe Hastings, Shawntae Spencer, Delanie Walker, Daniel Kilgore, Mike Person and Ian Williams. The Saints inactive players are Lance Moore, Leigh Torrence, Nate Bussey, Tory Humphrey, John Gilmore and Turk McBride….
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat just posted my dad’s Saturday column where he predicts the winner of the Niners-Saints game. He predicts the Niners to win 24-21. I agree with him that the Niners will win, and I agree with his reasons. But I say the game will be lower-scoring – I think the Niners will win 17-16. Either way, the Cohn Zohn objectively and unanimously picks the Niners to win….
Lawrence Dushensky of the NFL blog This Given Sunday asked me six questions about the 49ers. The theme of his line of questioning was this: Can the 49ers shock the Saints? And how could they possibly do it? I’m linking my six answers to my six questions at the bottom. To be clear, I do think the Niners can “shock” the Saints. I think the Niners will win 17-16. I’m…
For my dad’s Friday column he asked this hypothetical question: What would have happened to the Oakland Raiders this season if Jim Harbaugh, not Hue Jackson, had been the head coach? I’m linking this because it’s good and because it puts what Harbaugh has done with the Niners into perspective. Most NFL franchises would be lucky to land a coach of Harbaugh’s caliber, and the Niners are blessed in a…
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat just posted my Friday article on Michael Crabtree. It’s about the Crabtree behind the Crabtree, and for the article I interviewed Kyle Williams, Anthony Dixon, Ricky Jean Francois and Mr. Crabtree himself. To read my article, click here.
We’re doing an article on 49er fever for tomorrow’s paper. Robert Digitale is interviewing fans about what they’re doing to gear up for the big playoff game this Saturday against the New Orleans Saints. If you would like to be interviewed for this article, you can call Robert at 707-521-5285, or you can e-mail him at robert.digitale@pressdemocrat.com
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat just posted my article for Thursday’s paper on the Niners outstanding rookies. I focus on their breakout moments from this season. My idea was to ask each rookie to identify and discuss his breakout moment, but Harbaugh’s rookies didn’t feel comfortable with that type of reflection – not right now, not during the playoffs. Luckily, Ricky Jean Francois is always up for reflection and discussion….
Ralph Barbieri and Tom Tolbert interviewed Steve Young on the KNBR this afternoon, and here’s what Young said about the Niners’ upcoming matchup with the New Orleans Saints. TOLBERT: What’s Alex Smith going through this week? What was it like for you your first home playoff game as a starter? YOUNG: “Well, way different from me, Tom, because I’d been around so long. I think we had nine playoff games…
SANTA CLARA – Here’s the transcript of Greg Roman’s Wednesday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers. Opening Statement: “Good afternoon. Obviously, we’re preparing for a really good team. Defense for the Saints has been very productive this year. I think, how many games have they played now, 17? They’ve played good enough to win 14 of them. They have a very active, aggressive defense. They play fast, got a lot…
SANTA CLARA – Vernon Davis spoke in the media tent this afternoon. Here are selected quotes from his group interview. Q: We just talked to Greg Roman, and he said the past four or five weeks that he can tell you’ve become really comfortable in this offense. Would you say that time is right for you, too? VERNON DAVIS: I’d say the time is right. When I first got in…
SANTA CLARA – Justin Smith spoke at the podium in the Niners media tent today, and this is what he said. Q: The Saints have two Pro Bowl guards (Carl Nicks and Jahri Evans). Are those the toughest two guards you’ve faced this year? JUSTIN SMITH: Yeah, absolutely. Those guys are really good at what they do. They’re big guys. They move their feet – all the things you want….
The Santa Rosa Press Democratic just posted my Wednesday article on the key matchups for the Niners this Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. For the article I interviewed Ricky Jean Francois – the 49er with the broadest perspective and the most to say when it comes to dissecting and discussing football. To read the article, click here.
Drew Brees spoke to Bay Area writers on a conference call this afternoon. Here’s what he said. Q: What makes the 49ers so difficult to play against? BREES: “First of all it’s a 3-4 system, which we don’t see all that often. It’s been a little while since we’ve played a 3-4 team. They’re built differently. They’re typically a lot bigger, more physical – definitely what you see from San…
SANTA CLARA – Here’s the transcript of Alex Smith’s Tuesday group interview, courtesy of the 49ers. What are your feelings going into your first playoff game? “Excited. Obviously, this is why you play. You play to get into the postseason. Get your ticket to the dance. Excited to be hosting a home game. Looking forward to it. Can’t wait to see what the stadium is like. Obviously, we’ve got a…
