~ NFL Thread ~

[CutMeMick]

The 9ers will still win the west imo. They have the best defense in the West by far and the division is weak. The first game is always funny, the 9ers went 2-0 last year to start off before being smacked back down to reality. Yet I'm more encouraged with our 0-1 then I am our 2-0 last year which was the product of a really good defense and the offense nnot doing anything but simply not screwing up to bad. Our offense looked very good, Gore has returned to form and will have an absolutely massive year. O'Sullivan is the real deal, keeps his composure and has tremendous improvisation ability and really didn't make all that many mistakes, the interception was a last minute read that shouldn't have been thrown but that was kind of flukey as the defender had tripped and was just trying to catch up to his guy over the middle of the field. The other 4 turnovers were fumbles off a short kick to Takeo Spikes and that was the play that cost us the game.

Still, the defense looks great with Lawson back and Haralson and Justin Smith got to the quarterback a lot against one of the better lines in the conference. 9ers will be just fine this year imo.

High five amat you keep my spirits up...

[amat]

Jim Hostler was the reason we were so shit last year, no doubt about it. He had a good thing in Gore, but then decided to stack the line every play and only pass on 3rd and long. He was the worst coordinator in the league last year. By weak 3 against Pittsburgh, teams realized that they had 0 confidence in Alex Smith and would put 9 in the box literally every play. It didn't only effect the passing game but the running game because Gore got a bunch of touches but the offense wasn't spread out enough and teams knew what they were doing everytime. It was the most predictable offense in the league, Gore, Gore, Gore. And it was rush, rush, rush. At least this year he will be involved in the pass game like 06.

I am an Alex Smith apologist, I thought he was a good quarterback and showed that in the back half of the 07 season, a guy who was elusive and could make stuff happen outside of the pocket. But he was obviously shaken and doesn't fit into the Martz offense where timing patterns are everything and I think he's lost all his confidence where O'Sullivan has moxy and he doesn't get flustered very easily, I think he'll be good for the team. I think Smith should go to San Diego and hook up again with Norv Turner as Rivers' backup as Rivers has a different injury every other day.