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December 6, 2008, 11:20 am
100 Words: Jets (8-4) at Niners (4-8)
By John Woods
Each week, The Times asks the bloggers who cover opposing teams to break down the coming game for the Jets — in 100 words or less. (Give or take a few rants.) In this edition, we examine the Jets’ game against the Niners on Sunday (4:15 p.m. Eastern on CBS).
You have to love 49ers bloggers. (I mean, I do.) These guys are there, in the trenches, their shirts smeared with cheese puffs, blogging away, even though it’s been six long years since San Francisco has had a team that mattered. They are a thoughtful and optimistic (and prolific) lot. This is not just what’s tumbled off the bandwagon.
For the most part, our guests dwelt on the 49ers’ weaknesses. But the ones who see defeat for the Jets zeroed in on last week’s loss to the Broncos. They were quick to criticize Brett Favre’s accuracy and the Jets’ leaky pass defense. Now, to be fair, the Jets are not exactly a juggernaut, but they are fighting for ground in a playoff battle. What’s left for San Francisco?
Samuel Lam covers the San Francisco 49ers at Mining the Gold Rush, part of Most Valuable Network, a sports blog site that covers teams and sports all over the world.
How can the Niners give Brett Favre his first regular-season loss at Candlestick Park? Brett Favre has had the 49ers’ number throughout his career and even though he’s wearing a different uniform this time, it may be the same result. What has kept the Jets atop the A.F.C. this season is the dual attack for running backs Thomas Jones and Leon Washington. The 49ers have been very inconsistent in defending the run, and their secondary is prone to give up big plays. If the 49ers cannot establish their own running attack, they might have to rely on a young, inexperienced receiving core and that might not be enough for the 49ers to win. Jets, 28-17
Eric Melendez is the writer for Niner Noise, which is part of the Fan Sided Network. He is a lifelong 49ers fan and yearns for the return of the team to its glory years.
The 49ers are coming off a road win they were expected to lose, and the Jets are coming off a home loss they were expected to win. The 49ers are playing for Mike Singletary to remain as head coach, and the Jets are fighting to win the A.F.C. East. Even with the 49ers holding the Bills last week to 3 points, the defense gave up 350 yards of offense. The Jets did their own impression of the 49ers defense giving up 357 passing yards against the Broncos. A lot of yards will be given up by both sides as Shaun Hill and Brett Favre will air it out. 49ers, 27-24.
Jamie Costello, known as wjackalope, is a long-time commenter on Niners Nation and the leader of their season-long N.F.L. prediction game. He is a contributor to the sports blog The Big Picture, and has been a 49ers fan for as long as he can remember.
The word “dominant” is thrown around far too often these days, much like a tennis ball. But to say that Brett Favre, when playing the 49ers, has been anything less than dominant, would be criminal. Dominant. Maybe even magical. Yes, it’s the holiday season and that means it’s time for magic, and that’s what this game is all about. Which will prevail, the Brett Favre magical play against the 49ers, or the Mike Singletary motivational coaching magic? How do we predict the outcome? Magic, of course. Remember, Harry Potter is in Griffyndor, and they wear red and gold. Sound familiar? 49ers, 21–17.
James Brady, under the name Ninjames, manages the Golden Nuggets section at Niners Nation, a daily compilation of Niners links from around the Web. Not known for sleeping he can be found at all hours reading up on his precious Niners.
Two things from last week show me that this game is winnable: our win at Buffalo and the Jets’ loss against the Broncos. The Broncos are a team well within our talent range. We’re going down swinging in Niners fashion. And while I don’t think any of us like the term “spoilers,” we really can’t help who we beat and when. It seems Mike Singletary has boosted the talent of everyone on our roster. Backups are frothing at the mouth, demanding blood, and I have to wonder if the Jets have the power to stop a team that is out to prove they’re not bottom-10 material. I’ll take an optimistic defensive stand: 49ers, 16–6.
Peter Koski is a contributor to Niners Nation, charts games for FootballOutsiders.com and authors the Bay Area sports blog Fat Guy Coalition. He’s been tied to the 49ers since before his birth. In 1978, his parents decided to bet on who would get to name the boy. His father picked the 49ers to make the playoffs. They finished 2-14. In 1979, Peter was born and the 49ers drafted Joe Montana, coincidence? I think not.
Brett Favre is 7-0 at San Francisco in the regular season. Both teams feature power running games. Thomas Jones has 1,249 all-purpose yards this season while Frank Gore has 1,280 yards. The 49ers’ offensive line has played better than its sack rate dictates, but they’re going to have to move Kris Jenkins and break some big runs to be successful. On the other side, the Jets will have to stop Justin Smith and push the undersized 49ers’ NTs around. The home loss last week should keep the Jets focused for the long road trip. Jets, 20–13.
Jordan Derlago posts as 49er4Life on Niners Nation. He’s a die-hard 49ers fan, representing the northern fan base in Canada, needing thick skin to combat the cold weather and 49ers jokes as of late. He thanks God everyday that Al Davis is still alive, knowing the 49ers will never be the worst team in the Bay Area.
The 49ers and the Jets had equally disappointing seasons last year, finishing 5-11 and 4-12, respectively. Both teams had fairly similar needs at seasons end, so what happened? The Jets filled those needs! Enter: Favre, Faneca, Jenkins. Realistically, this is the Jets’ game to lose, so how do they prevent that from happening? Play smart and not reckless by Favre keeping the gun in the holster for the most part (not needed) and stop Gore, who will be running with a chip on his shoulder following an underachieving Week 13. As for the Niners, to have a chance they’ll NEED to win the turnover battle, spy Keller and capitalize on EVERY opportunity in the red zone! Jets, 24–20.
Josh Cootner writes under the name Josh from Hollywood at Niners Nation, where he’s a regular contributor — writing the national preview and review columns, ‘Any Given Friday’ and ‘After Further Review…’ — and also runs his own sports/entertainment blog, The Examined Life.
The Niners and the Jets provide great evidence why “consistency,” a buzzword among N.F.L. analysts, is tremendously overrated. The 4-8 Niners have been very consistent — their offense almost always sputters due to penalties, poor play-calling, and lack of execution, and their defense can always be depended upon to lack a pass rush and allow big plays in the secondary. The 8-4 Jets, on the other hand, are tremendously inconsistent — lose to the lowly Raiders, beat up on the undefeated Titans, then get stomped by the mediocre Broncos. It’s this kind of unpredictable play which gives the Niners a Hail Mary’s shot at upsetting the Jets. So I’m sayin’ there’s a chance. 49ers, 24-23.
Garrett Croker is a frequent contributor and occasional writer at Niners Nation. He writes a popular, weekly historical segment for the Web site under the screen name howtheyscored. That’s actually a misnomer, though. Garrett can’t take any credit for how they scored and, in the case of the 2008 San Francisco 49ers, he doesn’t really want to.
It’s amazing what the Jets have done this season without any well-known stars greasing the wheels of their previously stagnant offense, with some sort of veterany, gunslinging mentality. The otherwise woeful 49ers, meanwhile, have won two of their last three games, largely because of the wild and crazy play of their veteran gunslinger, Shaun Hill. These are truly two teams on opposite ends of the spectrum: the faceless Jets finding ways to win on a weekly basis against the resurgent 49ers, living and dying on Shaun Hill’s reckless cannon of an arm.* Unreasonable Homer Prediction: 49ers 19-17
* Note: Actual recklessness and strength of Shaun Hill’s arm may vary.
Benjamin Hoffman is not a guest blogger. He is a staff editor at the Times and a frequent contributor to the Fifth Down. He is typical of those who hail from the east side of California’s Bay Area in that he falls in love with San Francisco every time he is halfway across the Bay Bridge, but then is back to only liking it once he has to find parking.
When two titans of the game like Brett Favre of the Jets and Shaun Hill of the 49ers get together on the gridiron, fans from all over will be flocking to their TVs to see the fireworks. While Favre holds the edge in things like starts, wins, touchdowns, Super Bowl rings, etc., Hill leads the league in ability to make 49er fans not have to watch Alex Smith or J.T. O’Sullivan play quarterback. Advantage: Hill. They say Favre does well in harsh conditions, but let’s see how he likes 62 degrees and mostly sunny on Sunday. 49ers, 13-5.
John Woods is not a guest blogger. He is a staff editor for The Times, a regular contributor to The Fifth Down, and the guy who put this post together. He has promised to visit San Francisco, but might welch on that.
Oof. That desperate gasping sound you heard last Sunday was the end result of a sucker punch delivered to Jets fans by their favorite team. As New York and New Jersey staggers to its feet, it’s a good time for a damage report. Whatever cracks in the Jets’ foundation the Broncos exposed last week will probably not widen against the 49ers — their defense has allowed 1,538 yards in the past four games. But the Jets, who have not won in two games on the West Coast this season, might want to get a flashlight and start poking around down there, anyway. Jets, 31-17.
100 Words: Jets (8-4) at Niners (4-8)
By John Woods
Each week, The Times asks the bloggers who cover opposing teams to break down the coming game for the Jets — in 100 words or less. (Give or take a few rants.) In this edition, we examine the Jets’ game against the Niners on Sunday (4:15 p.m. Eastern on CBS).
You have to love 49ers bloggers. (I mean, I do.) These guys are there, in the trenches, their shirts smeared with cheese puffs, blogging away, even though it’s been six long years since San Francisco has had a team that mattered. They are a thoughtful and optimistic (and prolific) lot. This is not just what’s tumbled off the bandwagon.
For the most part, our guests dwelt on the 49ers’ weaknesses. But the ones who see defeat for the Jets zeroed in on last week’s loss to the Broncos. They were quick to criticize Brett Favre’s accuracy and the Jets’ leaky pass defense. Now, to be fair, the Jets are not exactly a juggernaut, but they are fighting for ground in a playoff battle. What’s left for San Francisco?
Samuel Lam covers the San Francisco 49ers at Mining the Gold Rush, part of Most Valuable Network, a sports blog site that covers teams and sports all over the world.
How can the Niners give Brett Favre his first regular-season loss at Candlestick Park? Brett Favre has had the 49ers’ number throughout his career and even though he’s wearing a different uniform this time, it may be the same result. What has kept the Jets atop the A.F.C. this season is the dual attack for running backs Thomas Jones and Leon Washington. The 49ers have been very inconsistent in defending the run, and their secondary is prone to give up big plays. If the 49ers cannot establish their own running attack, they might have to rely on a young, inexperienced receiving core and that might not be enough for the 49ers to win. Jets, 28-17
Eric Melendez is the writer for Niner Noise, which is part of the Fan Sided Network. He is a lifelong 49ers fan and yearns for the return of the team to its glory years.
The 49ers are coming off a road win they were expected to lose, and the Jets are coming off a home loss they were expected to win. The 49ers are playing for Mike Singletary to remain as head coach, and the Jets are fighting to win the A.F.C. East. Even with the 49ers holding the Bills last week to 3 points, the defense gave up 350 yards of offense. The Jets did their own impression of the 49ers defense giving up 357 passing yards against the Broncos. A lot of yards will be given up by both sides as Shaun Hill and Brett Favre will air it out. 49ers, 27-24.
Jamie Costello, known as wjackalope, is a long-time commenter on Niners Nation and the leader of their season-long N.F.L. prediction game. He is a contributor to the sports blog The Big Picture, and has been a 49ers fan for as long as he can remember.
The word “dominant” is thrown around far too often these days, much like a tennis ball. But to say that Brett Favre, when playing the 49ers, has been anything less than dominant, would be criminal. Dominant. Maybe even magical. Yes, it’s the holiday season and that means it’s time for magic, and that’s what this game is all about. Which will prevail, the Brett Favre magical play against the 49ers, or the Mike Singletary motivational coaching magic? How do we predict the outcome? Magic, of course. Remember, Harry Potter is in Griffyndor, and they wear red and gold. Sound familiar? 49ers, 21–17.
James Brady, under the name Ninjames, manages the Golden Nuggets section at Niners Nation, a daily compilation of Niners links from around the Web. Not known for sleeping he can be found at all hours reading up on his precious Niners.
Two things from last week show me that this game is winnable: our win at Buffalo and the Jets’ loss against the Broncos. The Broncos are a team well within our talent range. We’re going down swinging in Niners fashion. And while I don’t think any of us like the term “spoilers,” we really can’t help who we beat and when. It seems Mike Singletary has boosted the talent of everyone on our roster. Backups are frothing at the mouth, demanding blood, and I have to wonder if the Jets have the power to stop a team that is out to prove they’re not bottom-10 material. I’ll take an optimistic defensive stand: 49ers, 16–6.
Peter Koski is a contributor to Niners Nation, charts games for FootballOutsiders.com and authors the Bay Area sports blog Fat Guy Coalition. He’s been tied to the 49ers since before his birth. In 1978, his parents decided to bet on who would get to name the boy. His father picked the 49ers to make the playoffs. They finished 2-14. In 1979, Peter was born and the 49ers drafted Joe Montana, coincidence? I think not.
Brett Favre is 7-0 at San Francisco in the regular season. Both teams feature power running games. Thomas Jones has 1,249 all-purpose yards this season while Frank Gore has 1,280 yards. The 49ers’ offensive line has played better than its sack rate dictates, but they’re going to have to move Kris Jenkins and break some big runs to be successful. On the other side, the Jets will have to stop Justin Smith and push the undersized 49ers’ NTs around. The home loss last week should keep the Jets focused for the long road trip. Jets, 20–13.
Jordan Derlago posts as 49er4Life on Niners Nation. He’s a die-hard 49ers fan, representing the northern fan base in Canada, needing thick skin to combat the cold weather and 49ers jokes as of late. He thanks God everyday that Al Davis is still alive, knowing the 49ers will never be the worst team in the Bay Area.
The 49ers and the Jets had equally disappointing seasons last year, finishing 5-11 and 4-12, respectively. Both teams had fairly similar needs at seasons end, so what happened? The Jets filled those needs! Enter: Favre, Faneca, Jenkins. Realistically, this is the Jets’ game to lose, so how do they prevent that from happening? Play smart and not reckless by Favre keeping the gun in the holster for the most part (not needed) and stop Gore, who will be running with a chip on his shoulder following an underachieving Week 13. As for the Niners, to have a chance they’ll NEED to win the turnover battle, spy Keller and capitalize on EVERY opportunity in the red zone! Jets, 24–20.
Josh Cootner writes under the name Josh from Hollywood at Niners Nation, where he’s a regular contributor — writing the national preview and review columns, ‘Any Given Friday’ and ‘After Further Review…’ — and also runs his own sports/entertainment blog, The Examined Life.
The Niners and the Jets provide great evidence why “consistency,” a buzzword among N.F.L. analysts, is tremendously overrated. The 4-8 Niners have been very consistent — their offense almost always sputters due to penalties, poor play-calling, and lack of execution, and their defense can always be depended upon to lack a pass rush and allow big plays in the secondary. The 8-4 Jets, on the other hand, are tremendously inconsistent — lose to the lowly Raiders, beat up on the undefeated Titans, then get stomped by the mediocre Broncos. It’s this kind of unpredictable play which gives the Niners a Hail Mary’s shot at upsetting the Jets. So I’m sayin’ there’s a chance. 49ers, 24-23.
Garrett Croker is a frequent contributor and occasional writer at Niners Nation. He writes a popular, weekly historical segment for the Web site under the screen name howtheyscored. That’s actually a misnomer, though. Garrett can’t take any credit for how they scored and, in the case of the 2008 San Francisco 49ers, he doesn’t really want to.
It’s amazing what the Jets have done this season without any well-known stars greasing the wheels of their previously stagnant offense, with some sort of veterany, gunslinging mentality. The otherwise woeful 49ers, meanwhile, have won two of their last three games, largely because of the wild and crazy play of their veteran gunslinger, Shaun Hill. These are truly two teams on opposite ends of the spectrum: the faceless Jets finding ways to win on a weekly basis against the resurgent 49ers, living and dying on Shaun Hill’s reckless cannon of an arm.* Unreasonable Homer Prediction: 49ers 19-17
* Note: Actual recklessness and strength of Shaun Hill’s arm may vary.
Benjamin Hoffman is not a guest blogger. He is a staff editor at the Times and a frequent contributor to the Fifth Down. He is typical of those who hail from the east side of California’s Bay Area in that he falls in love with San Francisco every time he is halfway across the Bay Bridge, but then is back to only liking it once he has to find parking.
When two titans of the game like Brett Favre of the Jets and Shaun Hill of the 49ers get together on the gridiron, fans from all over will be flocking to their TVs to see the fireworks. While Favre holds the edge in things like starts, wins, touchdowns, Super Bowl rings, etc., Hill leads the league in ability to make 49er fans not have to watch Alex Smith or J.T. O’Sullivan play quarterback. Advantage: Hill. They say Favre does well in harsh conditions, but let’s see how he likes 62 degrees and mostly sunny on Sunday. 49ers, 13-5.
John Woods is not a guest blogger. He is a staff editor for The Times, a regular contributor to The Fifth Down, and the guy who put this post together. He has promised to visit San Francisco, but might welch on that.
Oof. That desperate gasping sound you heard last Sunday was the end result of a sucker punch delivered to Jets fans by their favorite team. As New York and New Jersey staggers to its feet, it’s a good time for a damage report. Whatever cracks in the Jets’ foundation the Broncos exposed last week will probably not widen against the 49ers — their defense has allowed 1,538 yards in the past four games. But the Jets, who have not won in two games on the West Coast this season, might want to get a flashlight and start poking around down there, anyway. Jets, 31-17.
