Before Garappolo got traded by the Patriots, the 49ers were neck and neck with us for the No. 2 pick. Now, they lost a lot of close games before Garappolo came along, and of course they looked pretty good winning their last five games (especially the last three against playoff teams).
But hell, the 49ers have the seventh best odds in the NFL to win Super Bowl XLIII. They are considered to have a better chance than Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, and the 2017 AFC runner-up.
I remember the Giants winning their last six games of 1994, leading Giants fans to get excited about 1995. That excitement ended about three minutes into the 1995 season, and the Giants went 5-11.
I'm not saying the 49ers aren't going to lostr 35-0 in their season opener, nor am I suggesting 5-11 (Garappolo is still a far better QB than Dave Brown). But do you think people are going a little overboard on the 49ers prospects in 2018?
I think Brown looked decent those last 6 games of '94, but had a poor OL in '95 with not much of a supporting cast (Chris Calloway #1 WR? - yuck) combined with very predictable play calling by Reeves. Run on 1st and 2nd, pass on 3rd and long. Doomed.
I warned BBI that SF would NOT be the easy win some posters thought they would be.
Lots of team speed and played well together...and their TE was having a great year. JG would go to him often those last 5 games.
They may have played over their talent but they seem to buy into Shanahans coaching and systems.
'18 might be a ' come back to earth' year and no longer be a surprise team but they played the fundamentals well.
I'm not sure about their defense though so perhaps that will be the focal point.
any how I don't see how the Saints are behind them.. They have a pretty loaded team... Same with Atlanta.. their team is way better..
Yeah, in my recollection, big hyped up seasons for the Giants tended to be train wrecks. I was 7 going into the 1986 season, so I don't know what the hype was like.
1. In the five seasons following a Super Bowl appearance, we have made the playoffs once. I do not recall any major hype going into 2008, however.
2. Giants win last 6 games of 1994, lot of hype going into 1995. Finish 5-11.
3. After 2002 season, Wellington Mara says the season had a 1985 feel to it. Thinking that maybe we were heading into 1986 v2.0 in 2003. Go 4-12.
4. Super Bowl is in the Meadowlands. Reese has the countdown clock going. Start the season 0-6, finish 7-9.
5. Giants are back in the playoffs in 2016m, and are being called a Super Bowl contender in 2017. Go 3-13, second overall pick.
Yeah, it was quite the purge alright with the big names, but again the team was 10-12 win talent year after year.
Baalke really let the team down with his drafting 2012-2016, as the team currently is now 79% Lynch/Shanahan players. Still, you hope that drafting 1st round on the DL 3 years straight ought to get you out of 2 win status (Arik Armstead, DeForest Buckner, Solomon Thomas).
Niners through the thick and thin have been ok at safety even after the roster destruction of 2015. Eric Reid & Jarquiski Tartt (both Baalke picks) turned out to be pretty good. Whether Reid goes and Jimmy Ward takes his place, it probably won't be a big deal either way.
Cornerback, this team hasn't dominated in this category even under Harbaugh. This has mostly been a front 7 oriented defense, but solid CB play (as opposed to shut down) has been the goal mostly. Last year's rookie Akhello Witherspoon looks to be on his way to being solid. Rashard Robinson ultimately wasn't a good fit and was traded to the Jets.
At linebacker, the team was hoping to be set here after signing Malcolm Smith from the Raiders and expecting Bowman to close to his old self but Smith went on IR preseason and Bowman never made it back (and wasn't ok with not being back himself....not the team). Smith will return this year, and Bowman's obviously gone. Reuben Foster is a great LB but now there are off the field issues for another Niner LB to compete with Aldon Smith...might have to draft another MLB (damn Borland why did you have to retire at 18 years old?).
Speaking of Aldon, the team still hasn't replaced the edge rusher. Not sure if they will attack this in the draft or free agency, but without one they will be held back in the grand scheme of things. This is something most teams deal with, but the Niners sorta comprise 3-4 type guys in a 4-3 Under scheme....so the rush isn't going to come from the middle unless Solomon Thomas figures it out.
After being a defensive oriented team for about 15 years now, the offense is the strength of the team now led by Garoppolo and Shanahan. Shanahan gets largely ignored while Sean McVay, Doug Pederson get all the press because -- they have more offensive talent and won more games -- but IMO he did more with less, and Atlanta/Matt Ryan's drop this past season cements my biased opinion he's the best OC in the NFL. The game plan for the Jaguars was a masterpiece in scheming, something that the Steelers nor the Patriots could duplicate outside of big plays.
ATL will never be back to their 2016 offensive dominance without a top 3 OC, but it might be ok if it means their defense shines more.
I think in 2018 Shanahan will get his due beyond the Bay Area. I'm still blown away the 49ers got him as HC, and the Shanahan vs. McDaniels debate of last January seems absurd looking back. Got a superior coach and person. On a side note, I'm also glad the Colts get Reich over him as well...
They say that scheme usually wins on offense while talent wins on defense. I expect the Niners to still focus more of their big talent pushes on the defensive side of the ball. It's not to say they will ignore offense, but I could see them focusing more on the non sexy positions of OL than a flashy WR/TE. I think they could use an upgrade at the skill positions because it makes the QB life's easier. But overall a Shanahan offense is a balanced 11, to include the (league highest paid) FB.
We'll see what happens in FA and the draft, but the team should have a shot at competing if all of this year's NFC field were able to despite them not being playoff teams the year prior.
I think the 9ers played it right. 5 games (7 if you count his NE starts) is enough data to show if he can do it, plus they saw him in practice every day for 7 weeks. Going 5-0 with a 1-10 team says something. And there are drawbacks to tagging him, if he turns down the offer next year and dares them to tag him again (for $35 mill), what do they do then?