Um..the 49Ers Are 8-1 (Colts Related)

[cmgww]

Just a quick thought here....don't look now, but the San Francisco 49ers are 8-1. I know they play in the dreadful NFC West, but they beat a pretty good Giants team last evening with a QB formerly thought of as a bust, and now at best is being called a "game manager"

A year ago they were a dysfunctional mess under Mike Singletary. What a difference a year and a change in coaching makes.

Yes, it's the NFC West, but they still beat who they play every week but the week they lost (in OT to Dallas)....and we've all said it on here, you are what your record says you are...to quote Bill Parcells.

I don't know what Jim Harbaugh put in the water in that locker room but it's working. This is basically the same cast of characters who couldn't get anything done the past few years. Smith was a bust, Vernon Davis was a diva TE, the D couldn't stop a nosebleed.....they didn't do anything really flashy in the draft or offseason (Braylon Edwards was a signing but he really hasn't done much)

My point is this. Harbaugh came in and turned things around very quickly. I know it's early but last night's win had me thinking this team is pretty decent...and keep in mind they were a JOKE for years now since the glory days, not like the Colts who are having one down season after a decade of dominance.

Assuming Caldwell goes at the end of the year along with Coyer, which I think will happen b/c Irsay has had enough IMO, judging by some recent tweets (taking a shot at Polian for one, he and son may be gone too)

This is still a good core group of players, but they are playing terrible. The draft was very solid this year and I expect good things from it, as we've seen glimpses already.

So, if the dang 49ers can turn around and be competitive in a year after a decade of being a doormat, that must mean something, right? It's COACHING. I supported Caldwell early on in this, giving him the "Manning pass", but it's evident in recent weeks this team has given up. Even Barry Krauss, resident Colts homer on the post game show, said the Colts are missing that "oomph" this season; he put it nicely b/c he's part of the Colts' coverage team. But he's right. The fight is gone....the fight we saw against Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, KC for a half...it's gone. And that comes down to coaching.

So who do we get?? and please no "Gruden or Cowher" posts. It ain't gonna happen and doesn't need to. Think OUTSIDE THE BOX! Fisher too, he's a retread who won just enough to keep his job for 15 years, sorry.

The talent is here, despite what some may think. The leader is missing (Manning, we all know he was running the show) and the team has basically quit on Caldwell, sadly. Where do we go from here?

As the 49ers have proven, same guys under new leadership, coaching does make a difference.

[Blue Horseshoe]

[The Fish]

Coaching is a big problem, but I honestly think the biggest problem is Painter, He's lead the team to 27 points in the last month!

[KyFan18]

The NFC West really is no worse than the AFC South this year.

And, thanks but not thanks to the sweater vest.

[coltsfan84]

Well don't forget what all he accomplished with the Colts.One hail mary reception from the Super Bowl among other accomplishments.So it makes sense that he is just as successful at SF.Props to him for having success.

[CincyColtsFan]

Coaching is a big problem, but I honestly think the biggest problem is Painter, He's lead the team to 27 points in the last month!

You're giving him too much credit. 7 of those points were from Powers' pick 6 against Atlanta, so he's only put up a whopping 20 points in 4 games. After showing promise for 4 games, he came crashing back down to Earth pretty quickly.

[Xfiles]

Oh Lord No!! Dont even Joke!!

[bavanlan]

[oldunclemark]

Just a quick thought here....don't look now, but the San Francisco 49ers are 8-1. I know they play in the dreadful NFC West, but they beat a pretty good Giants team last evening with a QB formerly thought of as a bust, and now at best is being called a "game manager"

A year ago they were a dysfunctional mess under Mike Singletary. What a difference a year and a change in coaching makes.

Yes, it's the NFC West, but they still beat who they play every week but the week they lost (in OT to Dallas)....and we've all said it on here, you are what your record says you are...to quote Bill Parcells.

I don't know what Jim Harbaugh put in the water in that locker room but it's working. This is basically the same cast of characters who couldn't get anything done the past few years. Smith was a bust, Vernon Davis was a diva TE, the D couldn't stop a nosebleed.....they didn't do anything really flashy in the draft or offseason (Braylon Edwards was a signing but he really hasn't done much)

My point is this. Harbaugh came in and turned things around very quickly. I know it's early but last night's win had me thinking this team is pretty decent...and keep in mind they were a JOKE for years now since the glory days, not like the Colts who are having one down season after a decade of dominance.

Assuming Caldwell goes at the end of the year along with Coyer, which I think will happen b/c Irsay has had enough IMO, judging by some recent tweets (taking a shot at Polian for one, he and son may be gone too)

This is still a good core group of players, but they are playing terrible. The draft was very solid this year and I expect good things from it, as we've seen glimpses already.

So, if the dang 49ers can turn around and be competitive in a year after a decade of being a doormat, that must mean something, right? It's COACHING. I supported Caldwell early on in this, giving him the "Manning pass", but it's evident in recent weeks this team has given up. Even Barry Krauss, resident Colts homer on the post game show, said the Colts are missing that "oomph" this season; he put it nicely b/c he's part of the Colts' coverage team. But he's right. The fight is gone....the fight we saw against Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, KC for a half...it's gone. And that comes down to coaching.

So who do we get?? and please no "Gruden or Cowher" posts. It ain't gonna happen and doesn't need to. Think OUTSIDE THE BOX! Fisher too, he's a retread who won just enough to keep his job for 15 years, sorry.

The talent is here, despite what some may think. The leader is missing (Manning, we all know he was running the show) and the team has basically quit on Caldwell, sadly. Where do we go from here?

As the 49ers have proven, same guys under new leadership, coaching does make a difference.

I think Mr Harbaugh is being given a lot of credit for a turnaround that might have occured anyway..

Its very simplistic to say that the ONLY difference in SF is the new coach..

but a lot of what they are doing is a very weak schedule and a more positive attitude among players.

When you watch them...they struggle on offense greatly..

Just a word of caution. Buffalo and Detroit looked great a month ago, too

[chad72]

Just a word of caution. Buffalo and Detroit looked great a month ago, too

But those 2 have not sustained it while the 49ers take care of business traveling to the east coast and coming up with wins at Cincinnati, at Lions, at Philly, and at Redskins and gone 3-1 vs the NFC East. If they take care of the Steelers and Ravens, people will have to shut up about them. They are for real, they are not the streaky kind of team this year like the Bills or Lions.

[FireJimCaldwell]

San Francisco might be in the NFC West but they have only played 1 game in the NFC West so far.

They have had a decent group for the past couple of years. They had a coach in Singletary who wasn't quite ready for a HC job. He had some failures. Harbaugh has been the perfect fit for them.

Average at best quarterback in a solid system(WCO) strong running game, decent OL, strong defense. This is why, if Manning is done, the Colts can trade the #1 pick for a package of picks and create a similar structure and draft a QB other than Luck and be better off in the end. I would never suggest trying to build a team around Painter. It would be like the Ravens trying to win with Elvis Grbac, and Grbac is head and shoulders above Painter.

[WSO]

The Niners actually have been very good on the defensive side of the ball for quite some time. Its the offense that has struggled and this year they put weapons around Smith. Gore is healthy as well that is another factor. Basically as long as Smith doesn't turn over the ball they have an excellent chance of winning. No one is talking about Aldon Smith but what a great pick by the Niners. They have a very strong defensive line that can both stop the run and put pressure on the QB. Their secondary is very solid with good depth. Carlos Rodgers is playing extremely well. We all know about Patrick Willis, the best LB IMO in the NFL. That defense literally has no holes, they play excellent. Whitner had a very good game yesterday, and they have another solid corner in Williams.

On offense they have a ton of weapons, they have Morgan, Edwards, Crabtree, Gore, Hunter, Davis, Walker and very good depth. They have an extremely deep WR core and the best combo of TE's in the league.

The niners didn't invest a lot in Smith in terms of money as they re-signed him to a 1 year contract I believe which allowed them to go out and spend money on players like Edwards, and Rodgers.

The Colts on the other hand have a ton of money wrapped up in a few players (Manning, Freeney, Clark etc.) which really handicaps them. The niners are doing it both through F/A and the draft and I think the Colts should take a page out of their book. They went out and got Edwards for some firepower on offense, they got Rodgers. Even prior to this season they had players like Takeo Spikes who played really well when he was on the niners.

Another thing is the Niners have a really good offensive line, easily top 5 in the NFL right now and they consist of mostly first round picks from the past 2 or 3 years. They have Staley who was a 1st rd pick in 2007, Iupati and Davis who were first round picks in 2010.

They have done a great job and Harbaugh is the one that has brought the entire team together. He understands Alex Smith as an ex-qb unlike someone like Singletary.

[MAC]

The 49ers may have been dysfunctional, but they had a good defense and a couple of enviable weapons. I think that they've been improving for some time now.

Here's some bizarre facts for you.

The defense is actually giving up more yards per game this year than they did last year. But they are giving up a LOT less points.

The offense is actually producing less yards per game this year than last year. But they are producing a LOT more points.

My assumption without watching them or looking at these stats, was that Harbaugh has been able to work with Smith and make him more effective (play within your limits, less turnovers and stupid plays, etc) plus provide some attitude. How to explain the above statistics I have no idea. The 49ers don't appear to be a great team, they just happen to be outscoring their opponents every game.

[JoKeR]

Irsay took a shot at Polian via Twitter?

[Pombi]

I think Mr Harbaugh is being given a lot of credit for a turnaround that might have occured anyway..

Its very simplistic to say that the ONLY difference in SF is the new coach..

but a lot of what they are doing is a very weak schedule and a more positive attitude among players.

When you watch them...they struggle on offense greatly..

Just a word of caution. Buffalo and Detroit looked great a month ago, too

The way that Buffalo and Detroit looked "good" was very different then the way the 49ers are doing it. Nobody thought the Bills or the Lions had a legitimate defense, we just knew both offenses could put up enough points to win. But the 49ers are one of the better defenses in the league at the moment and are running the ball down people's throats. Nobody said that about Buffalo or Detroit.

Also you say Harbaugh gets too much credit, then in your very next sentence attribute the success to "Positive Player attitude" LOL! Who do you think is responsible for their attitude?! Trust me they didn't have that attitude before he got there.....

Also I think its more Simplistic to blame a easy schedule then attribute positive change to the head coach wouldn't you agree?

[Douzer]

It IS Jim! Jim Harbaugh is coaching exactly the same way he played. He REFUSES to lose. Hates it. Can't stand it. Won't tolerate it! He sets the standard. Harbaugh was never the reason that the Colts lost a game when he was our QB. He played bloody, hurt, tired - whatever it took he'd give it to get a W.

I married a Niner fan and have watched them with my wife, for better or for worse for, since the Montana era. For those who think it's because they're in a weak division, you should note they've only played 1 division game so far. It's not the division. They're playing good football in all three phase, period. Harbaugh has them in the right play, with the right personnel, down after down, after down. He knows what they do best and game plans accordingly. He's getting the absolute best out of his roster... that's coaching.

1) SEA 17 @ SF 33

2) DAL 27 @ SF 24 (O.T.)

3) SF 13 @ CIN 8

4) SF 24 @ PHI 23

5) TB 3 @ SF 48

6) SF 25 @ DET 19

7 Bye

8) CLE 10 @ SF 20

9) SF 19 @ WAS 11

10) NYG 20 @ SF 27

[super8todd]

I think the 49ers are doing better than they should be at. The only game they truly showed anything against was last nights game vs. the Giants. All the other games they barely got the wins, and against teams that at the time were rated higher than they should have been. It seems they have the easiest schedule in all of the NFL.. and rest of their games are against their weak division. Sure, they may go 15-1, but are going to lose their first real good team in the playoffs.

[number28]

49ers are an example of a team that dominates the NFL with a pedestrian vanilla QB. Something that the Colts can't and never will be able to do.

[MTC]

49ers are only good because of Jim Harbaugh.

[doogansquest]

Harbaugh is enjoying success as a rookie head coach, but that will stop as soon as more teams get game film on his coaching style, his playbook, etc.

It's not all him. It's also not just their schedule. Everything has come together for them thus far, while we have faced a perfect storm of the opposite kind. The NFL is fickle.

[Mrfox]

I think the 49ers are doing better than they should be at. The only game they truly showed anything against was last nights game vs. the Giants. All the other games they barely got the wins, and against teams that at the time were rated higher than they should have been. It seems they have the easiest schedule in all of the NFL.. and rest of their games are against their weak division. Sure, they may go 15-1, but are going to lose their first real good team in the playoffs.

I dont think they barely won any of those games.....

1) SEA 17 @ SF 33

2) DAL 27 @ SF 24 (O.T.)

3) SF 13 @ CIN 8

4) SF 24 @ PHI 23

5) TB 3 @ SF 48

6) SF 25 @ DET 19

7 Bye

8) CLE 10 @ SF 20

9) SF 19 @ WAS 11

10) NYG 20 @ SF 27

Actually last nights game was the only one they barely won.... that and the philly game.

[oldunclemark]

The way that Buffalo and Detroit looked "good" was very different then the way the 49ers are doing it. Nobody thought the Bills or the Lions had a legitimate defense, we just knew both offenses could put up enough points to win. But the 49ers are one of the better defenses in the league at the moment and are running the ball down people's throats. Nobody said that about Buffalo or Detroit.

Also you say Harbaugh gets too much credit, then in your very next sentence attribute the success to "Positive Player attitude" LOL! Who do you think is responsible for their attitude?! Trust me they didn't have that attitude before he got there.....

Also I think its more Simplistic to blame a easy schedule then attribute positive change to the head coach wouldn't you agree?

Pombi..when you change a losing coach..the players tend to be more positive no matter who you bring in..

Its VERY simplistic to say that Harbaugh deserves most of the credit for a cake that's not been totally baked yet....

I repeat..Buffalo and Detroit were the NEXT BIG THING a month ago...

The 49ers are cool..but doogan is right..the NFL is so fickle...

One year ago..The Colts were the model franchise in the all of pro sports, right??

[oldunclemark]

I dont think they barely won any of those games.....

1) SEA 17 @ SF 33

2) DAL 27 @ SF 24 (O.T.)

3) SF 13 @ CIN 8

4) SF 24 @ PHI 23

5) TB 3 @ SF 48

6) SF 25 @ DET 19

7 Bye

8) CLE 10 @ SF 20

9) SF 19 @ WAS 11

10) NYG 20 @ SF 27

Actually last nights game was the only one they barely won.... that and the philly game.

There's some LUCK there....

./and I'm not talking about Andrew

[oldunclemark]

13 to 8?

[smittywerb]

Harbaugh is doing a wonderful job of coming in a situation, realizing what he has, and using it the best of his abilities. Haters gon hate, but Harbaugh is doing a terrific. People just don't want to admit that we are stuck with incompetents we have. I never drunk the kool-aid, I always wanted a new flavor.