Will the 49ers make the playoffs?

[hawknation2014]

1. Off-field distractions. From the arrests of Aldon Smith, Daniel Kilgore, and Chris Culliver to the spring break escapades of Colin Kaepernick to the failure to negotiate a new contract for Jim Harbaugh. Their best player is going to be sentenced next week for his second DUI and three felony weapons possession charges. Culliver is awaiting trial for his own felony weapons possession charge and a hit and run.

2. Aging roster. Frank Gore has crossed the 30-year-old threshold. Ray McDonald, Antoine Bethea, and Patrick Willis are 29. Anquan Boldin is 33. Justin Smith is 34.

3. Injuries. NaVorro Bowman is still recovering from ACL/MCL surgery.

4. Holdouts. Alex Boone and Vernon Davis want more money and could miss training camp.

5. No Center. Kilgore and rookie Marcus Martin both lack the aggression and killer instinct needed to succeed in the NFC West.

6. Porous secondary. They lost Donte Whitner and replaced him with an older player in Antoine Bethea who is very poor in coverage. They are also counting on "hit and run" Culliver to replace to loss of Carlos Rodgers.

What do you think?

 

[HHawk121]

I'm really torn on this... I think they have all the talent in the world to make the playoffs. I also think there are a lot of factors going against them. I'm going to say NO, only because I'm already near 50/50 on it, and I really hate the whiners... That tips the scale.

 

[Sarlacc83]

Unless the AFC West surprises...probably.

 

[The Radish]

I'm not going to believe they are fading until I see evidence on the field.

All this talk is just that talk.

:les:

 

[hawknation2014]

I'm not going to believe they are fading until I see evidence on the field.

All this talk is just shit talk.

:les:

Fixed it for you.

:th2thumbs:

 

[Smelly McUgly]

I'm saying yes because, while I wouldn't be totally shocked if they went 9-7, I would be far less shocked if they won twelve or thirteen games.

 

[hawknation2014]

Mike Garafolo said the other day that the 49ers were bracing for a six game suspension for Aldon Smith. That would extend through their Oct. 13 road matchup against the Rams. They play @ Cowboys, Bears, @ Cardinals, Eagles, Chiefs, @ Rams in those first six games. If they dropped three or four of those games (with two losses coming against Division foes), that would be a disastrous start for them.

 

[RolandDeschain]

Yes, they will make the playoffs. I don't think they win the division, though.

 

[loafoftatupu]

Could I see them missing the playoffs? Sure, but something extraordinary would have to happen for that to occur.
I think that the Niners are going to have a few early struggles, like that week 1 game against Dallas. That could resemble the week 1 of 2013 Packers game as a display of offense. Especially with the fresh look secondary playing behind a front that is missing Bowman and Smith. On the flip side the Boys' don't have a defense so the Niners could be in a shootout on the road.

But I will assume that come the end of the season that the Hawks and Niners are within a game of each other just like the last 2 seasons.

 

[IndyHawk]

I think they will make the playoffs..Going far is another story..As for that list of old guys-Antoine Bethea was one of the few Colts on defense that impressed me over the years..If the Santa Clara team is getting even 85% of what I saw of this guy..It was a great pickup...

 

[loafoftatupu]

I think it comes down to Kaeperchoke. Is he going to stay on his current path? Is he going to advance his game? Is he going to continue to force passes because that was the play called in the huddle? Is he going to keep burning balls flat or is he going to improve his touch in the red zone?

And finally, is he going to continue running that pass play to the left sideline that gets picked, almost picked or hangs his receiver out to dry? Down the middle CK is on, especially when the receiver is vertical. Get him throwing to the outside and bad things happen.

 

[Scottemojo]

Seahawk fans have a distorted view of the Niners because of recent success. The rest of the league doesn't feel that way.

That roster is still loaded, still deep, and most of all, that offense is a nightmare matchup for most defenses. The offensive line alone is plenty of reason to slot the Niners for a handful of automatic wins. In fact, I can't wait to see how that Rams D-line stacks up vs that Niners O-line, the Niners are one of the few teams to make that Rams unit look bad last year. The Niners run different splits, formations, and man blocking tactics from what looks like zone block alignments than pretty much any other team in the league.

And while he may be Kaeperchoke vs the Seahawks, he is not like that against everyone else. His non Hawk game numbers are pretty much interception free and full of big plays.

So yeah, I don't think there is much reason to think the Niners will be in such decline that we can cross them off playoff lists, barring of course the same unforseen events that would derail a Seahawks playoff appearance, like injuries, suspensions, or the Rams and Cards having a season for the ages.

 

[kearly]

1. Off-field distractions. From the arrests of Aldon Smith, Daniel Kilgore, and Chris Culliver to the spring break escapades of Colin Kaepernick to the failure to negotiate a new contract for Jim Harbaugh. Their best player is going to be sentenced next week for his second DUI and three felony weapons possession charges. Culliver is awaiting trial for his own felony weapons possession charge and a hit and run.

2. Aging roster. Frank Gore has crossed the 30-year-old threshold. Ray McDonald, Antoine Bethea, and Patrick Willis are 29. Anquan Boldin is 33. Justin Smith is 34.

3. Injuries. NaVorro Bowman is still recovering from ACL/MCL surgery.

4. Holdouts. Alex Boone and Vernon Davis want more money and could miss training camp.

5. No Center. Kilgore and rookie Marcus Martin both lack the aggression and killer instinct needed to succeed in the NFC West.

6. Porous secondary. They lost Donte Whitner and replaced him with an older player in Antoine Bethea who is very poor in coverage. They are also counting on "hit and run" Culliver to replace to loss of Carlos Rodgers.

What do you think?

1. They always have off-field distractions. It didn't impact 2012 or 2013.

2. Boldin will be their #3 WR, and Smith was still good at age 33. Rest of team is not old.

3. It was tweeted the other day by Davis Hsu that the 49ers think Aldon Smith will miss 4-6 weeks from suspension. Bowman will miss games and not be the same. This will definitely take SF's defense down a few notches early in the season. Unfortunately, Seattle doesn't face SF until Thanksgiving.

4. Really doubt this will factor unless they hold out for real games. Which even then, would be a pretty minor thing... a G and TE... unlikely to cost the team wins.

5. Martin was a stud at USC, IMO. I wanted him at #32 for Hawks.

6. Secondary is bad, but it's always been pretty bad. Great front seven has bailed them out and made their numbers look respectable.

I think there are some positive things you are not factoring. I think SF is pretty loaded at RB right now, and they currently have four above average pass receivers (Crabtree, Johnson, Boldin, Davis). Kaepernick has the physical talent to be the best QB in the NFL if he ever learns to play the position properly, I would never discount his ability to grow. When he had Crabtree last season, SF's offense was very good and the 49ers were almost unbeatable, they even gave Seattle a tough fight in Century Link.

I think the 49ers offense improves substantially, I think the defense declines some, and because historically more offense = more regular season wins, I think they get back to the 11-13 win area. Would be very surprised if they didn't make the playoffs. There are not two non-division winning NFC teams who are better. The 49ers generally curb stomp teams that are worse than them on a highly consistent basis (unlike Seattle) which to me is their biggest strength. They play a mostly easy schedule in 2014. (They went 5-1 in the NFC West during the regular season in 2013).

Barring major injury setbacks, I think their chance to make the playoffs sits around 95%. I think their chance to win the division is around 40%.

 

[hawkfan68]

Losing Navorro Bowman hurts the 49ers significantly. He's the catalyst for the front 7 of their defense. He allows to Willis to play loose. Willis is still the best player on their defense not Smith, IMO. The 49ers success is based on a top defense and it's taken a few hits going into next season. I think they are still better than the Cards or the Rams but the gap is closing.

 

[hawker84]

Yes.... They are still stacked and probably the second best team in the league. even without Bowman. Funny thing is they're still not the best team in their own division... that's just plain old bad luck.

 

[hawknation2014]

1. Off-field distractions. From the arrests of Aldon Smith, Daniel Kilgore, and Chris Culliver to the spring break escapades of Colin Kaepernick to the failure to negotiate a new contract for Jim Harbaugh. Their best player is going to be sentenced next week for his second DUI and three felony weapons possession charges. Culliver is awaiting trial for his own felony weapons possession charge and a hit and run.

1. They always have off-field distractions. It didn't impact 2012 or 2013.

I do think Aldon Smith's off-field distractions hurt them last year. They started the year very slow, including back to back blowout losses in September, and were lucky to bounce back and then close out the year as strong as they did.

Imagine if they had lost four of their first six games instead of two. The Rams could very well be nipping at their heals this year.

 

[Scottemojo]

1. Off-field distractions. From the arrests of Aldon Smith, Daniel Kilgore, and Chris Culliver to the spring break escapades of Colin Kaepernick to the failure to negotiate a new contract for Jim Harbaugh. Their best player is going to be sentenced next week for his second DUI and three felony weapons possession charges. Culliver is awaiting trial for his own felony weapons possession charge and a hit and run.

1. They always have off-field distractions. It didn't impact 2012 or 2013.

I do think Aldon Smith's off-field distractions hurt them last year. They started the year very slow, including back to back blowout losses in September, and were lucky to bounce back and then close out the year as strong as they did.

Imagine if they had lost four of their first six games instead of two. The Rams could very well be nipping at their heals this year.

They didn't lose 2 of 3 because of distractions. They lost two of three because they won the first one throwing the hell out of the ball vs that dismal GB zone, and it took them two subsequent losses to remember they are a running team. Once they did that, they were rolling.

 

[Sports Hernia]

Could I see them missing the playoffs? Sure, but something extraordinary would have to happen for that to occur.
I think that the Niners are going to have a few early struggles, like that week 1 game against Dallas. That could resemble the week 1 of 2013 Packers game as a display of offense. Especially with the fresh look secondary playing behind a front that is missing Bowman and Smith. On the flip side the Boys' don't have a defense so the Niners could be in a shootout on the road.

But I will assume that come the end of the season that the Hawks and Niners are within a game of each other just like the last 2 seasons.

Naw, the Cowpatties game will be an easy walk for the whiners in week one..... You, I, iRo, The Radish and 7 more of our friends could put up more of a fight than little D's world's worst defense..... Unless Kraepperchoke gets arrested on the way to the game it won't be close IMHO........

 

[loafoftatupu]

Could I see them missing the playoffs? Sure, but something extraordinary would have to happen for that to occur.
I think that the Niners are going to have a few early struggles, like that week 1 game against Dallas. That could resemble the week 1 of 2013 Packers game as a display of offense. Especially with the fresh look secondary playing behind a front that is missing Bowman and Smith. On the flip side the Boys' don't have a defense so the Niners could be in a shootout on the road.

But I will assume that come the end of the season that the Hawks and Niners are within a game of each other just like the last 2 seasons.

Naw, the Cowpatties game will be an easy walk for the whiners in week one..... You, I, iRo, The Radish and 7 more of our friends could put up more of a fight than little D's world's worst defense..... Unless Kraepperchoke gets arrested on the way to the game it won't be close IMHO........

I think barn burner. They can lose

 

[Sports Hernia]

Could I see them missing the playoffs? Sure, but something extraordinary would have to happen for that to occur.
I think that the Niners are going to have a few early struggles, like that week 1 game against Dallas. That could resemble the week 1 of 2013 Packers game as a display of offense. Especially with the fresh look secondary playing behind a front that is missing Bowman and Smith. On the flip side the Boys' don't have a defense so the Niners could be in a shootout on the road.

But I will assume that come the end of the season that the Hawks and Niners are within a game of each other just like the last 2 seasons.

Naw, the Cowpatties game will be an easy walk for the whiners in week one..... You, I, iRo, The Radish and 7 more of our friends could put up more of a fight than little D's world's worst defense..... Unless Kraepperchoke gets arrested on the way to the game it won't be close IMHO........

I think barn burner. They can lose

That'd be the only hope. Choker QB vs Choker QB, one that chokes last loses? One of the very rare times I'd root for Jerry's kids, whenever I do they always disappoint!