Niners @ Seahawks for Divisional round

[Rat]

This year I love the Cardinals.

It's difficult to hate the Cards right now.

If the Texans win tonight, they tie the Cards in all-time playoff wins, despite being founded 104 years later.

 

[chris98251]

It's difficult to hate the Cards right now.

If the Texans win tonight, they tie the Cards in all-time playoff wins, despite being founded 104 years later.

Put them on the schedule and it will get easy again

 

[MoldyPurpleMayo]

This guy's Jan. 10 predictions are spot-on so far!

Throwing money on a parlay of his division predictions for this weekend. Why not, he's been right SO FAR.

 

[RiverDog]

Betting against the Hawks?

Don't think of it as a bet. Think of it as an insurance policy. If we lose, the $100 of winnings will help soothe my aching soul.

 

[CalgaryFan05]

I hope Sam Darnold comes out slinging the ball .

Honestly, I hope exactly the opposite. Gimmie no INT game manager Darnold all day and twice on sundays.

 

[CalgaryFan05]

With Kittle officially out, Macdonald can aggressively crowd the box and unleash the same swarm confusion that strangled Purdy for 173 yards in Week 18 without fearing the seam.

As long as Darnold checks his ego and stays in 'game manager' mode, taking smart sacks instead of forcing risky throws when necessary, defense SHOULD win this rubber match comfortably.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

I don't see comfortable, but that would be amazing.

 

[glenwo2]

Honestly, I hope exactly the opposite. Gimmie no INT game manager Darnold all day and twice on sundays.

Well you do realize what that Niners fan is implying, right?

He's saying that Darnold will throw interceptions the moment he starts throwing.

He's talking shit as always.



I mean sure...I wouldn't mind Game Manager Sammy AGAIN this Saturday.

With our running attack rolling, I can see a repeat performance.

But we do need to score more than we did the last game.

I am not under any illusions that we hold them to 3 points again.


And that would mean Kubiak needs to open things up a bit on offense.

 

[glenwo2]

With Kittle officially out, Macdonald can aggressively crowd the box and unleash the same swarm confusion that strangled Purdy for 173 yards in Week 18 without fearing the seam.

As long as Darnold checks his ego and stays in 'game manager' mode, taking smart sacks instead of forcing risky throws when necessary, defense SHOULD win this rubber match comfortably.

This is Sam Darnold we are talking about here.

He's been a team player since he came into the league.

Having to check his ego has never been an issue 'cause he doesn't have one.

His time with the Jets destroyed any possibility of having one.

 

[Cockney Seahawk]

Noice. Our good friend from across the pond is staying with us this weekend, looking to do the exact same thing. Lives in Essex? Something like that hahahaha

Essex not too far from me, but then again by American standard half of Europe isn’t far from me

 

[Hawk4lyfe]

I find it pretty funny how insanely confident that fan base is over there. Everything I've read from them has the whiners coming in and stomping the hawks. All sorts of reasons why this week will be different than week 18, how we are over rated etc etc. Interesting.

I don't think it'll be a cake walk, no divisional game ever really is. But I think we match up well and they'd have to play lights out perfect I think to take this game. Unless the hawks implode, which isnt likely. Lets just hope the team doesnt get over confident and fail to prepare properly. Keep that focus and send the whiners back home with their tail between their legs....

 

[Rat]

I find it pretty funny how insanely confident that fan base is over there. Everything I've read from them has the whiners coming in and stomping the hawks. All sorts of reasons why this week will be different than week 18, how we are over rated etc etc. Interesting.

It's the playoffs. If the roles were reversed, those of us who didn't do that exact same thing would be eviscerated for our "lack of fandom".

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Meh. F the Niners and their fans. Couldn't give two sh*** what they think. Nothing wrong with fans being confident in their team. Niners fans just do it in a more arrogant manner.

 

[Hawk4lyfe]

It's the playoffs. If the roles were reversed, those of us who didn't do that exact same thing would be eviscerated for our "lack of fandom".

I feel like only the doom and gloomers get that evisceration. I think it's perfectly acceptable to be a realist. Having hope and some confidence is great, but blindly ignoring facts, history, and physics in some cases, is just blind faith and not realistic imo.

 

[Trackhawk]

Also, to the latter point, I wouldn't be surprised either and Sam (being the stand-up, ego-less person he is) wouldn't care but instead would be thrilled that one of his teammates got the proper recognition for his performance in the biggest game.

Of course the naysayers will then move the goalposts on Sam saying that because someone else got the MVP, that means he doesn't deserve to be acknowledged as a SuperBowl-Winning QB and was just "lucky" and will turn back into a pumpkin next season. (or some nonsense). But wgaf at that point?

No one makes 7 years in the NFL if he is ego-less, and is perfectly happy with someone else getting MVP. They all strive to be the best, and at some level believe they can be the best, or they get washed out. Of course there are diva's who believe only they are worthy of MVP, and don't celebrate team-mates that get it, and Sam clearly doesn't belong in that category.

Sam's reputation wasn't built on one game, or even one season, and it won't be replaced in one game/season, much like Mahomes' bad '25 season won't replace his reputation of being one of the greatest to ever play the game. Even in the game where he "shook the reputation," he looked pretty shaky for the first three quarters. Does one quarter of phenomenal play make up for his history? Not for many of us, but it is a giant stride.

If he comes out and plays like he did the first half of the season, and goes on a tear through the playoffs, I don't see how anyone can defend the big game failure narrative. If he is carried across the line, despite weak play, by a defense that keeps him in the game, then no, even a Lombardi won't eliminate the narrative. Rightly so.

Basing one's opinion of someone on their entire body of work isn't moving the goal posts.

 

[Runscott]

It's the playoffs. If the roles were reversed, those of us who didn't do that exact same thing would be eviscerated for our "lack of fandom".

Yeah, they will need excessive confidence. I like that both teams will wear the same unis they wore at Santa Clara.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Aaah, Hawks wearing white jerseys this time, strange.

 

[FrodosFinger]

Meh. F the Niners and their fans. Couldn't give two sh*** what they think. Nothing wrong with fans being confident in their team. Niners fans just do it in a more arrogant manner.

Exactly. I mean they’re over there looking up refs for the game counting on a particular ref to have a snowball’s chance in hell at winning. Meanwhile the spread keeps increasing lol

 

[Runscott]

Aaah, Hawks wearing white jerseys this time, strange.

Because the niners are wearing their uni from that game?

 

[glenwo2]

If he comes out and plays like he did the first half of the season, and goes on a tear through the playoffs, I don't see how anyone can defend the big game failure narrative. If he is carried across the line, despite weak play, by a defense that keeps him in the game, then no, even a Lombardi won't eliminate the narrative. Rightly so.

So what you're basically saying is that Sam needs to play like he did the first half of the season for the "Big Game Failure narrative" to be over and done with. Really?

So let's say Sam game manages his way to a Lombardi and the running game is the main reason we win along with the Defense.

Are you saying that would be considered "being carried across the line"?

Basing one's opinion of someone on their entire body of work isn't moving the goal posts.

Actually it is 'cause it's an opinion due to the belief that he will fail based on his past instead of focusing on him succeeding based on what he's done recently.

If you (not you personally but people in general) are going to judge a QB based on their distant past when they struggled and use that as a reason to downplay any of the improvement that player had made over the years to the present day, then your mind has already been made up a long time ago about that QB and nothing done will change it.