As I prepare to make my predictions for the NFC and AFC
Championship Games, I am doing a lot of research, most of which will show up in
my previews on Saturday. Today and tomorrow, though, I want to look back at how
these teams got to this point.
I will do a similar thing for the two Super Bowl teams next
week or the week after, but in order to avoid writing the same thing twice,
here are excerpts from, and links to, posts I have written this season, all
regarding the four remaining teams in the postseason.
Week 1, 30-22 Win at
Green Bay Packers
The prevening games saw San Francisco upset The All-Sports Crew’s predictions by
going into Lambeau Field and beating the Packers 30-22. Green Bay’s offense
looked good, but inconsistent. Their defense looked the same. But San Francisco
played fantastic defense when it counted and Alex Smith looked even better than
he did in last postseason’s scoreboard battle with the New Orleans Saints.
Week 2, 27-19 Win vs
Detroit Lions
San Francisco is a championship caliber team. There is so
much unknown around the league after two weeks, but the 49ers are very well
known. Last year they were good, but managed to fly under the radar much longer
than they should have been allowed to. This year, no such luck for them. They
came out and played a great game in Lambeau last week and then protected their
home field against another playoff team from last year.
But it isn’t just San Francisco’s defense that is playing
outstanding football. Their offense is impressive, too. Alex Smith is throwing
the ball very well. He has playmakers in his offense. Vernon Davis, as always,
showed up today. Mario Manningham had a few big receptions. And Michael
Crabtree had a nice game with not many yards but some catches in a few very key
moments, including three first down receptions on third down on a late fourth
quarter drive that sealed the game. Frank Gore, as always, impressed in the
ground attack. This is a complete team and nobody can afford to look past them.
Week 3, 13-24 Loss at
Minnesota Vikings
The shocker of the week in a Sunday full of them was the
Minnesota Vikings. Christian Ponder had a fantastic game. I think most of us
knew he’s a talented young passer, but to lead this team to a victory over the
49ers seemed too much to ask. After the 24-13 victory, apparently it wasn’t.
Nobody gave Minnesota much chance, considering they lost to Indianapolis last
week and the 49ers had already beaten two much more formidable NFC North teams
in Green Bay and Detroit.
Week 4, 34-0 Win at
New York Jets
The game I got to watch for a fair portion of the afternoon
on FOX was the 49ers/Jets matchup, and what a lopsided affair that was, so much
so that FOX switched games in the third quarter. The Jets offense was terrible
and their defense appeared lost without Darrelle Revis. San Francisco’s defense
frustrated me because they scored 38 fantasy points in my league and were
chilling on my bench (thankfully I still won my matchup or I would’ve been
furious). The Jets were the first time to get blanked in a regular season game
this year, falling 34-0.
Week 5, 45-3 Win vs
Buffalo Bills
Only San Francisco scored a larger margin of victory,
backing up a crushing defeat of the New York Jets a week earlier with a 45-3
win back in California against the Bills. For the first time in NFL history, a
team – Buffalo – gave up 300+ passing yards and
300+ rushing yards. There had been 122 games in which a team gained 300+ yards
on the ground, another 2,316 with 300+ through the air, but San Francisco was
the first with both.
Week 6, 3-26 Loss vs
New York Giants
In another game that didn’t go nearly as expected, not only
did the Giants beat San Francisco in Candlestick for the third time in two
seasons, they did convincingly. After the 49ers outscored their opponents 79-3
over the last two weeks, they lost 26-3 against the Giants on Sunday.
Week 7, 13-6 Win vs
Seattle Seahawks
Week 8, 24-3 Win at
Arizona Cardinals
Week 9, Bye
Week 10, 24-24 Tie vs
St. Louis Rams
The 49ers and Rams played to a 24-24 tie. After the game,
players expressed confusion over overtime rules; specifically, many of them
didn’t understand that the game was over and that a second overtime period
would not be played. I really don’t understand how they were so unaware. There
have been ties in the NFL, and though the most recent was four years ago,
players still should not be so confused. Though some overtime rules have
changed, the thing that has remained the same is that multiple overtimes are
only played in postseason contests.
Week 11, 32-7 Win vs
Chicago Bears
Week 12, 31-21 Win at
New Orleans Saints
We had a very exciting game down in NOLA. The Saints led the
49ers late in the second quarter, but a pick-6 by Ahmad Brooks off Drew Brees
tied the game going into halftime. San Francisco opened up the second half with
a touchdown drive and then sacked Drew Brees before returning another
interception for a score to take a 14-point lead. Brees led his Saints on
another scoring drive right after but the 49ers defense buckled down and didn’t
allow anything else from New Orleans after that. It was a rare day for Drew
Brees as only three of his touchdown passes went to teammates and the 49ers
reaffirmed, for me, their position as the top team in the NFC.
Week 13, 13-16 Loss
at St. Louis Rams
We looked to be headed to a second tie between the 49ers and
Rams. Not only would it have been unusual for being a tie between the same two
teams who tied earlier in the year, it would have been the first time since
1997, and just the third time since overtime was instituted in 1974, that there
would have been two tie games in the same season. Instead, Greg Zuerlein, who
connected on a 53-yard field goal with time expiring to send the game into
overtime, hit a 54-yarder to win the game for St. Louis with time expiring in
overtime to win the game.
Week 14, 27-13 Win vs
Miami Dolphins
The 49ers were one of the few teams who easily did what they
expected to on Sunday with a 27-13 home win over the Dolphins. Colin Kaepernick
bounced back nicely from a disappointing Week 13 performance against the Rams.
Week 15, 41-34 Win at
New England Patriots
The late game was just odd, and a second-half hissy fit by
Tom Brady really caused me to lose interest in the game. I, of course, didn’t
stop watching, but it just didn’t feel like football. Tantrums are barely okay
on the sidelines, but it’s just unprofessional and childish on the field,
especially when you’re wrong.
Anyway, a 21-point deficit entering the fourth quarter
proved to be just too much for the Patriots to overcome. They tied the game up,
but a couple more scored by the 49ers made it a successful road trip for San
Francisco. The Patriots are now at a disadvantage in their search for a first-round
bye and will likely have to play two road games to reach the Super Bowl.
Week 16, 13-42 Loss
at Seattle Seahawks
The late game was expected to be a really good game, a tight
battle between two teams vying for the NFC West crown. San Francisco likely
will still get it since they need just a win over Arizona next week, but
Seattle most certainly deserves it. They game within eight points of scoring
50+ points in three consecutive games, which I don’t think has happened in NFL
history. Colin Kaepernick will start again next week, but he was completely
ineffective in Seattle, just a week after he beat the Patriots in Foxboro.
Seattle is playoff-ready. San Francisco looks very vulnerable.
Week 17, 27-13 Win vs
Arizona Cardinals
The 49ers locked up the NFC West with a 27-13 victory over
the Cardinals. I don’t think Ken Whisenhunt will be fired, though there are
plenty of opinions on both sides around the nation, but I’m sure we’ll get a
more concrete answer on that front within a few days.
Wild-Card Playoffs,
Bye Week
Divisional Playoffs,
45-31 Win vs Green Bay Packers
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