NFC Championship Afterword: Seahawks vs 49ers

Marshawn Lynch but the team on his back with this 40-yard
touchdown run early in the third quarter to tie the NFC title game.

Cory Puffett

It’s one thing to be excited because you’re going to the Super Bowl and you made a big play to make it happen. But Richard Sherman gave an “interview” after the game that was the definition of being classless.

I’ll give him credit for his two tackles and his clutch pass deflection that turned into an interception. But you still have another game to play. Do you really want to give your next opponent, the best team in the AFC, bulletin board material by declaring yourself the best cornerback in the NFL?

I’ll digress, though, because I’ve got a game to talk about. It was very sloppy compared to the AFC Championship game. The Broncos and Patriots combined for just six penalties and no turnovers. The 49ers exceeded those totals by themselves with three turnovers and seven penalties. Seattle added eight penalties and a lost fumble of their own.

Russell Wilson was under pressure all game. San Francisco sacked him four times and registered 10 “QB hits.” But his stat line doesn’t reflect that of a quarterback under duress. He completed 16 of 25 passes for more than 200 yards and a touchdown.

San Francisco has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 22 games. Marshawn Lynch did it in December 2012 and then did it again on Sunday with 109 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries.

Doug Baldwin, who has been inconsistent during his career in Seattle until the last few weeks, came up big once again. He caught six of his seven targets for 106 yards.

A lot of people gave the edge at quarterback for this game to Colin Kaepernick. He lived up to it for the first half or so. He ran for 130 yards in the game and had a very impressive touchdown pass to Anquan Boldin in the third quarter.

But when it came down to it, Kaepernick was unable to get it done in the clutch. Marshawn Lynch coughed up the ball on the goal line and Kaepernick turned it right back over with an ugly interception to Kam Chancellor. He threw another on his last pass of the game.

It’s a tough loss for San Francisco. It was their third straight NFC title game and after losing in the Super Bowl last year they hoped to get the franchise’s sixth Lombardi Trophy this year.

Instead, Seattle will go to their second Super Bowl, both of them in the last ten years. They lost to Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XL in Detroit. Now they will play in MetLife Stadium in Super Bowl XLVIII.

We’re still 14 days away, but the current forecast for that day is a high of 37, a low of 25 and possible rain and/or snow showers.

Final Score:

San Francisco 49ers – 17

Seattle Seahawks – 23

Saswat’s Picks, 2014 Conference Championships

Saswat Misra

New England Patriots at Denver Broncos

Another classic Manning vs Brady duel which can very well go either way. Both teams have advantages and disadvantages.

First for the Patriots, injuries are still a problem as Brady has lost some of his targets for the season and the defense is thin, too. Luckily, other younger players have stepped up in their absence.

For Denver, their defense can be an issue. No Von Miller for them and they have struggled against the pass for most of the season.

Like most experts, I believe the team that wins will run the football the best, but it will also come down to defense. Knowshon Moreno has had some big games on the ground, but Bill Belichick always has tricks up his sleeve and I think he will have his team and his offense more mentally prepared than the Denver offense as a unit. I don’t trust the Denver defense and that’s why I think the Patriots will ultimately squeak by.

Saswat’s Pick: Patriots beat Broncos, 34-30.

San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks

This is a pure rivalry game. Both fan bases hate each other and the players don’t like each other. Both teams play physical and are known for their defenses.

Even though both teams are playing with a high level of intensity right now, the Seahawks have a huge advantage in this game. The defense is lights-out. They rarely have a bad game and both times Kaepernick has gone up into Seattle he has played poorly and his team gets blown out.

Seattle is an intimidating place to play in. The defense is phenomenal and Marshawn Lynch is able to run the ball effectively. The 49ers are a good team but Seattle plays with poise, cleverness, and an unmatched physicality that I have not seen since probably the 2000 Ravens.

The only way the 49ers stand a chance is if Kaepernick uses his athleticism because it will be a no-fly zone most of the night for him.

Saswat’s Pick: Seahawks beat 49ers, 34-13.

Eric’s Picks, 2014 Conference Championships

Eric Meyer

It’s Championship Sunday and I can proudly say that I called it! My preseason prediction was that San Francisco, the 5 seed, would travel to Seattle, the 1 seed, and that New England as a 2 seed would travel to top-seeded Denver.

In the preseason, I predicted that the Patriots and 49ers would pull the upsets and meet in the Super Bowl. Now? Well, you can read and find out whether I’m sticking to those August predictions.

New England Patriots at Denver Broncos

Brady and Manning. Manning and Brady. You could go back and forth all day like a Bugs and Daffy cartoon. The NFL’s greatest quarterbacks of this generation will square off for the fifteenth time, with Brady’s team winning ten out of the previous fourteen matchups. But I’m not going to talk about who’s better, because ultimately it’ll come down to who has the better team, not the better quarterback.

The key to this game for me is New England’s rushing attack. Denver was able to shut down San Diego’s running backs last week, but Ryan Mathews was hurt and the Patriots have LeGarrette Blount, Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen all healthy and ready to go. Denver has their own reliable rushing attack, but their offense very clearly runs through Manning, and if New England can get stops on him they’ll be in the driver’s seat.

It sounds strange to say, but Denver must make Brady beat them. Brady’s passing attack this year has been slowed by countless injuries and maybe a few murders. While I wouldn’t count out Tom Brady in any game with any group of players, I also know that Denver cannot let him become a complimentary piece to the offense.

Brady is the best I’ve ever seen in the “game manager” role. He won’t make mistakes and he’ll make all the plays necessary on third downs to keep the chains moving. If the running game is working, that will be more than enough. If not, he’ll have to match Manning point for point. That would be okay if Brady had some high-quality receivers, but he doesn’t and Manning does, which means that getting into a passing show would be a dubious proposition at best.

Expect another classic, but I think New England will get the running game going and advance to their 6^th Super Bowl this century.

Eric’s Pick: Patriots beat Broncos, 34-27.

San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks

It’s the rubber match! In what is turning out to be the best rivalry in the NFL right now, the 49ers and Seahawks will meet again after splitting their two regular season matchups. Seattle blew out San Francisco in Week 2, but San Francisco got its revenge at home by edging Seattle in Week 14. Can San Francisco get over the hump and exorcise their CenturyLink Field demons?

No, they cannot. I can understand why people give the 49ers a shot in this game. They play great defense and Colin Kaepernick is showing to be a pretty good playoff performer. What I don’t understand is why the spread is only 3.5 points in favor of the Seahawks and why so many people think San Francisco will win this game.

Seattle has absolutely dominated San Francisco at home the previous two games they have played, and if you don’t think that the 12^th Man will be as raucous as ever in the most important home game in franchise history, you’re crazy.

Seattle has the formula against San Francisco. Regardless of their struggles in the passing game, Seattle can still put up points by forcing turnovers, relying on Beast Mode, and letting Russell Wilson make plays with his legs. The defense is a dominant unit and they will shut down all of the 49ers’ receiving weapons, including Vernon Davis. This is the best defense in the league without a shadow of a doubt, and they’ll show it on Sunday. I think this game ends in a romp.

Eric’s Pick: Seahawks beat 49ers, 34-10.

Puff’s Picks, 2014 Conference Championships

Cory Puffett

I went 3-1 on my picks for the divisional playoffs. It was the third straight year I’ve hit that mark for that round of the postseason. I went with my gut and picked the Colts to beat New England even though I knew it wasn’t likely to happen. Mostly I thought it was the most likely upset to occur, and I couldn’t just pick all favorites.

Last year I went 1-1 in the conference championship round, picking the Falcons to beat the 49ers incorrectly but getting the Ravens/Patriots game right. The year before that I was 2-0, getting both New England and New York correct.

I’m excited to see how I do this year, even though I’ll be rooting against both of my picks.

New England Patriots at Denver Broncos

January 19 – 3:00pm (CBS)

When the Broncos and Patriots met in the regular season, Denver took control early by forcing turnovers and crushing New England’s rushing attack. The way LeGarrette Blount and Stevan Ridley are running right now, I don’t see that happening this week.

I still love Denver’s offense, and with them at home and the weather conditions expected to be very mild for this time of year, I almost talked myself into picking the Broncos to win this game.

But Denver should have beaten San Diego by much more than they did in the divisional round and I can’t shake the feeling that Denver will once again fall short in a “Super Bowl or Bust” campaign.

New England is banged up on offense, but so is Denver on defense. And while the Patriots have their own share of defensive injuries, Bill Belichick is the best at plugging up holes on that side of the ball. I think Denver can win, and I hope they do, but my gut is telling me to take New England.

Puff’s Pick: Patriots beat Broncos, 34-31.

San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks

January 19 – 6:30pm (FOX)

Colin Kaepernick has thrown just one interception in his last 146 attempts. It’s a pretty impressive streak, almost Brady-like. But he is about to face his Achilles heel, Seattle at CenturyLink Field.

In seven starts last season Kaepernick threw three interceptions, one of which was at Seattle. That wasn’t such a big deal. But this year he threw just eight interceptions in 16 starts, but three of them were in Seattle back in Week 2.

The Seahawks’ secondary is deadly and their offense, though inconsistent at time this year, still worries me less than San Francisco’s. They have a better running back and, in my opinion at least, a better quarterback.

Let me put it this way. As far as I can tell, the Jaguars’ odds of winning Super Bowl XLIX (next year) are only slightly worse than the 49ers’ odds of winning in Seattle on Sunday.

Puff’s Pick: Seahawks beat 49ers, 31-13.

2014 NFC Championship Preview: Seahawks vs 49ers

Cory Puffett

San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks

January 19 – 6:30pm (FOX)

Last week I talked about how similar the Panthers and 49ers are. Well the Seahawks are very similar to both, but they are better in many ways.

Russell Wilson is better than Colin Kaepernick. His accuracy is more consistent and even though he may be just a step slower than Colin, he typically does a better job of keeping his eyes up field in case someone gets open before he crosses the LOS.

Marshawn Lynch is slightly better than Frank Gore. They both read their blocks similarly but Beast Mode breaks more tackles and fatigues less quickly than Gore. Lynch is also a better receiver, which is saying something since he isn’t known for catching passes out of the backfield.

The only thing Seattle has to worry about offensively is whether Percy Harvin is healthy, and honestly that isn’t a huge concern. He didn’t practice Wednesday and may not be available after suffering a concussion against New Orleans, but Seattle is used to playing without him. In some ways, having him in may just disrupt their timing on offense.

Defensively the two teams have different styles. Seattle is good against the run but their strength is of course their Legion of Boom going against the pass. Seattle tied Philadelphia for drawing the most defensive pass interference penalties with 13 of them this season. But when you’re shutting down an opposing aerial assault you can afford to be penalized occasionally.

San Francisco is definitely stronger against the run than they are against the pass, but they only give up six fewer rushing yards per game than Seattle does.

Take into consideration that Seattle gains more total yards per game than San Francisco and gives up fewer total yards per game, then add in the home field advantage of CenturyLink Field, and it doesn’t look so good for San Francisco.

This is the 49ers’ third straight NFC title game appearance. Jim Harbaugh is the first coach in NFL history to make it this far in each of his first three seasons as a head coach.

Harbaugh has plenty of history with Seattle head coach Pete Carroll. He faced Coach Carroll as a quarterback with the Indianapolis Colts, then faced him as Stanford’s head coach while Carroll was at USC. Now, since entering the NFL, Harbaugh has faced Carroll six times.

San Francisco is 4-2 in those six meetings, unbeaten at home and a narrow 19-17 victory in Seattle in December 2011.

But that was prior to the Legion of Boom, before Russell Wilson. In December 2012 the 49ers were crushed 42-13 in Seattle. Things were even worse this past September when, in Week 2, the 49ers fell 29-3 in CenturyLink on Sunday Night Football.

The defense played much better in their most recent visit to the Link, and I have reason to believe it can do the same this week. Seattle’s offense plays no better at home than they do away on average. They may get an extra possession or two, but it generally does not amount to much difference in yardage or point totals.

Seattle’s strength at home is the 12^th Man and the way it disrupts opposing offenses. The Seahawks’ secondary is already deadly, so add some extra noise and mistakes are inevitable. Seattle rarely misses an opportunity to take advantage of these mistakes.

I’m excited to see whether San Francisco can find a way to get some momentum offensively and make this an exciting game. Unfortunately I am not at all optimistic that they will – I guess that sort of gives away who I am (strongly) leaning toward ahead of tomorrow’s official prediction.

I very much wish that the NFL had scheduled the AFC title game as the second contest this Sunday. I have a feeling it will be more exciting than this one.