I tried running with a table once. It got my heart rate up just fine, but strained some upper body and core muscles, and it was freaking awkward. I decided it was safer to just use a weight vest if I wanted extra resistance.
I think we will beat Carolina as long as we show up and play like we mean it, which I think we will. Carolina is a franchise in chaos. We should beat Arizona, as long as we don't take them for granted at home. That sets up the big battle for the division in week 17. Which team has more key players injured, and, has players to step in and step up? I don't see how our young backup talent is superior to SF's in any clear and convincing way. (But I'm willing to be convinced, anyone gonna post a player-by player analysis of the two teams?) I say the injuries and availability of key players are the important part. For example, Quandre Diggs has become a super-important part of our D. If he goes down, we're in a world of hurt. Pete hasn't shown a lot of confidence in guys like Blair and Amadi just yet. Shaquill is on the injury report, and he's been balling out. We lose him... that's a huge vulnerabiity where there used to be a strength. There's little margin for error in our linebacker corps. Bobby, KJ, Kendricks, all need to be healthy. Maybe Barton and BBK could step in and surprise, but I wouldn't count on it. Our D-Line, we do have a rotation, but will we have enough healthy guys at key times to get pressure on opposing QBs? Clowney, Reed, Ansah, QJeff, others, who will get it done?
It's going to come down to who has shit for luck in the injury department. The 49ers are pretty beat up in some position groups. Will our coaches be able to scheme to take advantage of that?
If you break down the two Super Bowls the Seahawks lost, we lost them because of major defensive secondary depth issues that cropped up at the worst possible time. SBXL, we lost SS Marquand Manuel in the 2nd quarter. His replacement was a man-off-the-street free agent Etric Pruitt. Steelers identified and targeted him and burned him on the Randle-El TD pass. In SB49, I say we win that game if Jeremy Lane doesn't go down with a blown ACL on his pick of Brady in the end zone. Then Pete puts in Tharald "Toast" Simon, who gets targeted and thoroughly abused by Brady and the Pats, targeted every play seemingly. Inexplicably, slot corner Marcus Burley is inactive for the game, healthy scratch AFAIK. If Burley goes in instead of Simon, we probably win.
So, yeah, it probably will come down to key injuries and which team has the players to step in and do the Next Man Up thing the best. What evidence besides homerism towards our own players do we have that our young guys who step in will be any better than anyone else's? And which young players will it be?
