Week 8: Smith nearly Perfect as 49ers rollover Cardinals

Heading into Week 8's Monday Night match-up in the desert against the division-rival Arizona Cardinals, the 49ers would be given a chance to pad their lead in the NFC West standings before entering their BYE week in week 9. And with the game expected to be a close battle between two stout defenses coming in, it would instead end up being a one-sided shellacking. The story of the game, however, would be the near perfect performance from 49ers QB Alex Smith. After a career year last season in which Smith saw career-highs in just about every offensive category, 2012 has already had its fair share of ups and downs for the former number one overall pick out of Utah. 

On this night Smith would be at his best, completing 18 of 19 passes for 232 passing yards and tying a personal best with three touchdowns in the 49ers 24-3 walloping of the Cardinals. Though he didn't awe fans with his number of yards, he did with his accuracy as his 94.7 completion percentage set an NFL record with a minimum of 15 attempts. Two of Smith's three touchdown grabs were made by Michael Crabtree who racked up 5 receptions for 72 yards and proved to be a headache for Pro Bowl cornerback Patrick Peterson. Randy Moss who's seen limited action as a 49er this season saw much of the same, making only one grab but he turned it into a 47-yard touchdown, displaying cuts and juke moves that resembled the old Randy Moss. Arizona's John Skelton threw for 290 yards, but wasn't able to do much else as Aldon Smith and company kept the Cardinals QB from putting any points on the board. 

The 49ers run combination of Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter had another decent game nearly combining for 100 yards rushing, compared to Arizona's ground attack which was kept in check the entire meeting by the NFL's no. 1 ranked defense while being held to only 7 yards. Had it not been for Cardinals kicker Jay Feely who split the uprights from 28 yards out in the third quarter, the 49ers would've had their second shutout victory of the season. But as coach Harbaugh would say, a win is a win. And a win heading into the BYE week makes things that much easier and relaxing during the team's week away from competition. With a stellar defense and run game, San Francisco's air attack has been their only concern this season and has been the only thing that's kept any doubts the critics may have of the 49ers winning a sixth Super Bowl title alive. But if Smith can continue to have games similar to this one, not necessarily completing a record setting number of his passes, but playing mistake-free football and not trying to do too much with the ball, San Francisco might be on their way to their second straight NFC Championship game. 

Preview & Prediction: When the 49ers return to the playing field in Week 10, they'll host a 3-5 St. Louis Rams team that has lost three straight. And just like the 49ers, the Rams are coming off a BYE week of their own. Unfortunately for them not only will they be welcomed by another well rested team, but they'll be welcomed by arguably the best team in the league. Expect a big day from the 49ers offense which should get huge contributions from both the rushing and passing department as well as a dominant performance from the San Francisco defense that'll keep Rams QB Sam Bradford on his heels, scrambling around all game long and cause him to make numerous turnovers in a 27-6 win for the 49ers. 


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Giants tame Tigers, Take 2-0 lead to Detroit

Game 1: Pandamonium - Prior to Game 1 of the World Series, pundits gave the San Francisco Giants little chance against the reigning AL Cy Young & MVP Justin Verlander and predicted the Detroit Tigers would make quick work of game 1 starter Barry Zito. Little did they know the exact opposite would take place. Having won Zito's last 13 starts, it was thought that the Giants would have their work cut out for them if they planned to make it 14, but a guy who goes by the nickname 'Kung-Fu Panda' would prove otherwise. Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval who was left off of the postseason roster in 2010 alongside Zito when the Giants brought their first World Series title back to the city by the bay, made up for lost time with two home runs in his first two at-bats versus Tigers ace Justin Verlander who also surrendered a bases-clearing triple to Sandoval in July's All-Star Game which awarded the Giants home-field advantage in this year's Fall Classic.

Sandoval's home run in the first inning which came on an 0-2 pitch and gave the Giants an early 1-0 lead was the first homer Verlander had allowed in an 0-2 count this season. Sandoval's heroics would continue just two innings later when Angel Pagan sparked a 2-out rally in the third with a double that appeared to be on its way to the glove of Miguel Cabrera but instead bounced off the third base bag and rolled into the outfield. Marco Scutaro drove in the game's second run by lacing an RBI single up the middle, bringing Sandoval to the plate a chance to cause more damage. Two pitches later he would do just that, sending a 2-0 pitch over the left field fence for an opposite-field home run, giving the Giants a 4-0 lead and causing Verlander to mouth the words, "Wow." Verlander's rough outing would continue in the fourth as Brandon Belt led the inning off with a walk and later scored on a single off the bat of Barry Zito as the Giants became the first team in postseason history to have their pitcher drive in a run in four consecutive games.

With Verlander's night coming to an early end after being roughed up for five earned runs on six hits and a walk through four innings, his shortest outing of the season, Sandoval's dominance at the plate would continue as he greeted Tigers reliever Al Alburquerque who came in for Verlander by hitting his third home run of the ballgame. With his trio of long balls, Sandoval became only the fourth player to ever hit three home runs in a World Series game, joining the likes of Babe Ruth who accomplished the feat twice, Reggie Jackson and Albert Pujols who did it in last year's World Series. Sandoval, however, was the only player to do it in his first three plate appearances. Sandoval would finish the game 4-for-4 by adding a single in the seventh. Detroit's only runs would come in the form of an RBI single from Miguel Cabrera off Zito in the sixth and a 2-run home run from Jhonny Peralta off George Kontos in the ninth. RBI singles from Scutaro and Buster Posey in the seventh would round up the scoring for the Giants who would go on to take game 1 by a final of 8-3.

Game 2: Bumgarner outduels Fister - With the Tigers allowing more runs in game 1 of the World Series than they allowed in the entire ALCS against the Yankees (six), they'd turn to pitcher Doug Fister in game 2, hoping to calm the Giants bats and avoid heading to Detroit down 0-2. And with the Tigers going up against Madison Bumgarner who entered Thursday's game having struggled of late with an ERA north of 11.00, many expected Detroit to bounce back and even the series. Bumgarner, however, would have other plans, challenging Fister to a duel. Fister who entered the game with an ERA under 2.00 this postseason, would pitch as good as advertised, but would be outdone on this night.

Shutout only twice during the regular season, a league-low, Bumgarner would stifle the Tigers lineup by allowing only 2 hits and 2 walks while striking out 8 over seven stellar frames, proving too much for Jim Leyland's ball club. Detroit's only chance to plate a run came in the second inning when Prince Fielder was hit by a pitch and tried scoring from first on a Delmon Young double to left field. Gregor Blanco fielded the ball and luckily overthrew the cutoff man Brandon Crawford, hitting Marco Scutaro who made the catch and rifled a strike to Buster Posey who tagged the sliding Fielder just in time before touching home. Fister would overcome a scary moment in the second inning when taking a line drive off the side of his head that Blanco reached to first on for a single. Fister would prove to be fine, retiring 12 of the next 13 batters he faced.

With the game still scoreless heading to the bottom of the seventh inning, the Giants would get their first chance at a big inning after Hunter Pence, Brandon Belt and Gregor Blanco all reached base with a single, a walk and a bunt. With Brandon Crawford stepping to the plate, Tigers reliever Drew Smyly limited the damage by getting the Giants shortstop to ground into a double-play as a run came in to score. The Giants would execute a bit of small ball to plate another run in the eight inning as Angel Pagan, Pablo Sandoval and Buster Posey all drew walks, setting up Hunter Pence who hit a sacrifice fly to right field to give his team a 2-0 lead heading to the ninth inning. A shutout eight inning from Giants reliever Santiago Casilla would setup the bearded Sergio Romo who slammed the door on any chance of a Tigers rally by hurling a 1-2-3 ninth inning, sealing the 2-0 victory and giving the Giants their fifth straight postseason win, a franchise-record in which they've only allowed a total of 4-runs.

Unfortunately for the Tigers who hope a trip to Detroit will help summon their offense, 41 of the 52 teams who've taken a 2-0 lead in the World Series have gone on to win it all. But to their credit, the Tigers are yet to lose at home this postseason, where they currently boast a 4-0 record. The Giants, however, are the perfect team to put an end to that streak as they've proven during this postseason that they're even better when playing on the road. The only difference being they'll have to emulate their play under American League rules, using a designated-hitter which Giants skipper Bruce Bochy will most likely hand the reigns to backup catcher Hector Sanchez. And similar to game 2, game 3 could very well be another low-scoring affair not only because of who will be on the mound for each team, but because the weather forecast is expected to be in the low 40's. While the Giants hope to ride the arm of Ryan Vogelsong who's been arguably their best pitcher this postseason, the Tigers will look to mid-season acquisition Anibal Sanchez who in the past has been tough on the Giants during his days with the Marlins. And though I expect Detroit to have much better luck at home than they did on the road, I'm sticking with my prediction of the Giants winning it all in six games.


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Giants complete Comeback, Prepare to face off vs Tigers in Fall Classic

Two years removed from winning their first World Series title in 56 years and a year removed from failing to make it to the postseason, the San Francisco Giants are heading back to the Fall Classic after one of the more improbable playoff runs in recent memory. Last night's Game 7 victory over the defending World Champion St. Louis Cardinals only added to what the Giants have done all postseason long -- winning with their backs against the wall. After becoming the first team to ever overcome a 2 games to 0 deficit and win three straight games on the road in the new Division Series playoff format against the Cincinnati Reds, the Giants continued their postseason magic. 

Down 3 games to 1 in a pivotal game 5 at St. Louis' Busch Stadium, the unlikeliest hero Barry Zito hurled a superb 7 2/3 innings of shutout baseball to keep the Giants alive and send the series back to San Francisco for game 6. With a win the following night, the Giants set up a winner-take-all game 7 in which they had all the momentum coming in. History, however, would be on the Cardinals side. While St. Louis entered Monday's meeting winners of 11 elimination game 7's, good enough for the most all-time, the Giants on the other hand came in owning a league worst record of 0-5 all-time in game 7's. But like the saying goes, there's a first for everything. The San Francisco offense would prove just that by scoring runs in each of the first two innings before chasing Cardinals ace Kyle Lohse after only 2 frames in which he was tagged for 5 runs. By the end of the third inning the Giants were up 7 to 0 and never looked back. At San Francisco's AT&T Park, facing All-Star pitcher Matt Cain with a 7-run deficit, St. Louis had no chance to work the magic we've grown accustomed to seeing them pull off dating back to last year's World Series.

With the 9-0 victory, the Giants became only the third NL team to comeback from a 3 games to 1 deficit and go on to win the series and only the second team in MLB history to win six consecutive elimination games, tying the 1985 Kansas City Royals who won the World Series that year. Giants second baseman Marco Sctuaro would make some history of his own by being named NLCS MVP after batting .500 (14-for-28) in the series, setting an LCS record with 6 multi-hit games and becoming one of only two players to follow up a 20-game hit streak during the regular season with a 10-game hit streak during the postseason in the same year (Mike Piazza being the other in 2002 with the Mets). What's most baffling about the Giants' epic NLCS comeback is that Buster Posey was virtually a non-factor at the plate. That'll have to change, however, if the Giants plan to win their second Championship in three years as they set their sights on the Jim Leyland led Detroit Tigers who are coming off an impressive sweep of the New York Yankees and are seeking their first World Series title since 1984.

Just like they were in 2010 when they upset the Texas Rangers, the Giants will once again be the underdogs facing an offensive juggernaut this time in the form of the Detroit Tigers' lethal duo of this year's triple crown winner -- Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder. Not to be forgotten is ALCS MVP Delmon Young who always seems to come through at the plate during the postseason. Facing one of the games premiere pitchers in Cliff Lee who San Francisco beat not once, but twice in the 2010 Fall Classic, Giants hitters will face another tall order and be given the daunting task of having to go up against last year's Cy Young Award winner and reigning MVP Justin Verlander who plans to avenge his World Series defeat in 2006, entering the series a perfect 3-0 this postseason with 25 K's and an ERA of 0.74. Giants manager Bruce Bochy hopes to counter by naming Barry Zito the starter for the Giants in game 1. Equally as good as Verlander has been is Doug Fister, Anibal Sanchez and Max Scherzer who posted a combined ERA of 0.66 in the ALCS. But unlike the struggling Yankees who simply failed to show up at the plate, the Giants' scrappy bats won't make it easy on Detroit's stellar rotation.

How they match up: Though the Tigers benefit from a starting rotation that has dominated this postseason where as San Francisco has been inconsistent prior to Zito's gem in game 5 of the NLCS, their bullpen lacks the depth that the Giants possess. Giants manager Bruce Bochy owns the better team defensively, but Detroit's ability to hit the long ball takes the cake. Along with two of the best managers in the game today, these two teams facing off also means the two MVP front-runners of their respective leagues will be showcased in a series that I'm expecting will go no less than six games with the Giants prevailing. And while the previous three teams that have come off a seven-game LCS have went on to win the World Series when facing a club coming off a sweep, the Giants have to like their chances of making it four consecutive. 


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Week 7: 49ers clip Seahawks wings, Remain in First

Entering Week 7's Thursday Night meeting between the 49ers and Seahawks, both teams stood at 4-2 in a tie for first place. And with much being said about both team's defenses coming in, both of whom allowing fewer than 16 points, a low-scoring affair was to be expected. Having played all their games thus far against opponents outside of the West, San Francisco would get their first look at a division opponent this year in prime time as 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh renewed his rivalry with Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll.

49ers running back Frank Gore has feasted on the Seahawks in the past and has had some of the best games of his career against Seattle so it was only appropriate Harbaugh went with a steady diet of run plays to his Pro Bowl back. Running for 131 yards on 16 carries to go along with 51 yards on 5 receptions, Gore would once again log another stellar day at the office versus his favorite team to run against. However, his counterpart Marshawn Lynch who ended San Francisco's streak of not allowing a rushing touchdown or 100-yard rusher last season until Week 16 at Seattle, came into the game as the NFC's top rusher and would also log a decent game, compiling 103 yards on 19 carries. As for the passing game, both Alex Smith and Russell Wilson would see better days as both QB's threw for under 150 yards passing and tossed an interception.

The only touchdown in the ball game would come in the third quarter when Alex Smith connected with his tight-end Delanie Walker who displayed nice footwork, getting a foot over the goal-line and in the end zone before being pushed out of bounds. The score ended a seven quarter touchdown-less drought and proved to be the difference in a 13-6 win for the 49ers as kickers David Akers and Steven Hauschka did the rest of the work in the scoring department. The win gave San Francisco sole possession of first place in the NFC West, a position they plan to maintain into the playoffs. 

Week 8 Preview: With 11 days off until their Monday Night meeting against the 4-3 Cardinals at Arizona, the 49ers will be well rested and will get even more rest the following week with a BYE in week 9 as the team prepares for the final stretch of the season. A BYE week in which I'm predicting the 49ers will remain atop the division after a 17-10 win in Arizona which will once again see two stellar defenses face off. 


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Week 6: 49ers go M.I.A. in loss to Giants

After back-to-back blowout victories over the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills in which the 49ers outscored their opponents 79-3, the 49ers had the tables turned on them Sunday in a rematch of last season's NFC Championship. Expected to be a hard fought battle between NFC heavyweights, Sunday's 49ers-Giants game was anything but. Used to being on the giving end of shellackings, Jim Harbaugh's squad was on the receiving end as his team followed up a record-setting, 600+ yard performance against the Bills just a week ago with one of their weakest offensive outings yet, translating to the team's worst loss under the second-year head coach.

Equally as bad as San Francisco's offense which saw QB Alex Smith throw for 3-interceptions and the running back tandem of Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter combine for only 62-yards rushing, was the 49ers defense. Allowing a 100-yard rusher or a rushing touchdown has become a rarity for the 49ers defense, but on Sunday they'd allow both as Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw ran for 116 yards to go along with his rushing touchdown. The combination of New York's rushing attack and stellar defense which has been unseen prior to Sunday would be enough for the Giants who improved to 4-2 on the year despite needing little production from Eli Manning who played a turnover-free ballgame, throwing for 193 yards and a touchdown. Completing the trifecta was the 49ers poor play in the special teams department which allowed two kick returns of over 40 yards including a 66-yard run back which set up an easy Giants touchdown to begin the second half. 

An early missed field goal by the 49ers veteran kicker David Akers who's been nothing short of brilliant since putting on a 49ers uniform last season would be a sign of bad things to come. Missing wide right on a 43-yard attempt on the 49ers' opening possession, Akers would split the uprights from 42-yards out on his second try in the first quarter to give San Francisco an early 3-0 lead before later missing his second field goal on the day before halftime, a 52-yard attempt, swaying wide left. That would be the only scoring the 49ers would get as the offensive opportunities were cut short thanks to 3-interceptions, 2 of which to Giants safety Antrel Rolle as Alex Smith threw into traffic, something we haven't seen a lot from him since Harbaugh's arrival. Though we're used to seeing Eli Manning work his magic in the passing game by picking apart defenses, the 2-time Super Bowl MVP simply didn't have to as his running back Bradshaw bullied a usually stout defense in New York's 26-3 win. 

The smack talk which took place earlier in the week between Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride and 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh added hype and ended up being more entertaining than the game itself. Gilbride took shots at 49ers Pro-Bowl defensive-end Justin Smith, saying he "gets away with murder" holding linemen. Harbaugh fired back with some choice words of his own saying Gilbride's comments were "outrageous" and were made to "criticize and influence officiating." Unfortunately Harbaugh's response was better than the way his team played on Sunday.

Preview & Prediction: The 49ers will have little time to recuperate and lick their wounds as they have a Thursday night meeting versus the division-rival Seattle Seahawks in Week 7 with first place on the line. With both teams atop the NFC West standings at 4-2, the team with the number one ranked defense last season will be met by the team with the number one ranked defense so far this season. Last year it was the 49ers who quickly became known for having the most feared defense in the NFL. That label has since been handed down to their division foe as Seattle hopes to silent the naysayers with a win on the road. Coming off a comeback win over Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, rookie quarterback Russell Wilson will look to face off against the 49ers for the first time. However, I think running back Marshawn Lynch will be the one who the 49ers have close tabs on. Expect a low-scoring affair with the 49ers coming out on top in a close one, 20-17.


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Week 5: 49ers win another blowout, Bully Bills 45-3

After a dominant shutout victory on the road last week versus the New York Jets, the 49ers would duplicate their blowout performance on Sunday at home in a much cleaner fashion with a record-setting performance from the San Francisco offense. Hosting the Buffalo Bills, Alex Smith and company would string together arguably the best overall performance on offense in 49ers franchise history. Despite the 49ers' rich history, Sunday marked the first time ever that the team compiled over 600-yards of offense, finishing with a franchise-record 621 total yards, something that even all-time greats Joe Montana and Steve Young were unable to accomplish. San Francisco's offensive onslaught was also the most yards ever allowed by a Buffalo Bills team, surpassing the previous total of 598-yards which was also against the 49ers in 1992 and just so happened to be their largest amount prior to Sunday. 

Sunday's game was a game of firsts as 49ers QB Alex Smith threw for a career-high 237-yards in the first half before finishing with 303-yards on the day. Smith, Frank Gore, Kendall Hunter, Colin Kaepernick, Anthony Dixon, Bruce Miller and Kyle Williams all contributed in the run game to total 311 yards rushing, making this the first 49ers team ever with 300 yards passing and 300 yards rushing. While Frank Gore led the way with 106-yards on the ground, both Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis eclipsed the century mark through the air with over 100 yards receiving. Crabtree, Kyle Williams and Mario Manningham all caught touchdown passes from Smith, with Gore, Dixon and Kaepernick all scoring on runs, including Kaepernick's second touchdown run in as many weeks. 

The game wouldn't all be about offense, however, as the 49ers defense stepped up and did its part by forcing two turnovers including one fumble and one interception. Meanwhile, San Francisco's only blemish came on a Colin Kaepernick fumble during the first half. Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick who coming into the game led the league in touchdowns with 12, was unable to get anything going against the stingy 49ers D which held the Harvard alum to only 126 yards through the air and no touchdowns. Buffalo's run game which has also been among the league's best was also kept quiet as C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson combined for only 53-yards rushing. The rest of the game would be smooth sailing as Buffalo's lone field goal came in the second quarter which at the time tied the game at three. After striking first in the first quarter with a David Akers field goal, the 49ers never looked back, scoring 42-unanswered points before going on to win, 45-3 and improving to 4-1 on the year. 

Preview & Prediction: Week 6 will see the 49ers get set to face off against the defending Super Bowl Champion New York Giants in a rematch of last year's NFC title game. Tied for first place in the NFC East, the 3-2 Giants are coming off a 41-27 triumph at home against the Cleveland Browns. With Eli Manning under center for the G-Men and playing just as well as anybody, at first glance I'd expect this game to come down to the wire just like it did the last two times these teams met. But coach Harbaugh who is saying Alex Smith's sprained finger on his non throwing-arm is "very much a concern" can make this game a lot more interesting if he chooses to give backup QB Colin Kaepernick more snaps than usual. Regardless of what coach Harbaugh does at quarterback, I still like the 49ers at home coming off of back-to-back blowout wins and expect them to improve to 5-1 on the year with a 24-20 victory. 

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Week 4: 49ers Bounce back, Pummel Jets in shutout fashion

After a loss on the road during Week 3 to Minnesota in which the 49ers were downright outplayed on offense, defense and special teams, Jim Harbaugh and company would use just about anything as a springboard, but would much rather prefer a shutout. Facing a New York Jets team which features a number of question marks on both sides of the ball, the 49ers would get just that. Similar to last year's trip out east when coach Harbaugh decided to keep his team in Youngstown, Ohio where the squad trained following back-to-back games in Weeks 3 and 4 against the Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles, the man at the helm chose to setup camp in Youngstown for a second time rather than make the flight back to the west coast only to fly back east a few days later. Allowing the team to focus a bit more on the task at hand, the remedy worked once again as the team showed up on Sunday looking like an entirely different team than the one that fell to the Vikings, 24-13 the week before despite not playing to their full potential.

With a combined 246 yards passing between San Francisco's Alex Smith (143 yards) and New York's Mark Sanchez (103 yards), it would be the running game that ignited all the fireworks on offense. Thanks to a number of contributions, most notably from running backs Frank Gore (62 yards) and Kendall Hunter (56 yards) as well as backup quarterback Colin Kaepernick (50 yards), the 49ers ran for a combined 245 rushing yards compared to the Jets' 45 yards rushing, with each player finishing with one rushing touchdown including the first touchdown of Kaepernick's career. The 245 rushing yards allowed by New York marked the most ever for a Rex Ryan coached team. Equally as bad as their defense was at stopping the run, the Jets offense had nothing to show for either as Mark Sanchez  entered the game with the worst completion rating in the league at 49.2%. After early indications of a lackluster offense during the preseason which saw the Jets fail to score a single touchdown on offense, things would only get worse for the Jets. 

Having lost their best player on defense the week before in Darelle Revis, the bad news for Rex Ryan's squad would continue as they would wind up losing wide-receiver Santonio Holmes to a serious foot injury in the fourth quarter, adding to the nightmare that has been the Jets' season. Tim Tebow who was brought in during the off-season and was due for his first snaps in a Jets uniform according to Rex Ryan, saw limited action under center as his first and only pass attempt of the season was a 9-yard reception to wide-out Dedrick Epps who was met by Dashon Goldson before fumbling and losing the ball, the first of four New York turnovers including two other fumbles and an interception. Since last season, winning the turnover battle has been vital to the 49ers' success under second year head coach Jim Harbaugh and has almost always decided the victor. Sunday was no different as San Francisco's stingy defense was +4 in the turnover department as the 49ers bounced back from their Minnesota debacle by trampling the Jets by a final score of 34-0. The 34-point shellacking was also the Jets' biggest shutout loss at home since falling 37-0 to the 1989 Buffalo Bills. 

Week 5 Preview & Prediction: With the 49ers returning home for the first time since their Sunday night affair against the Detroit Lions in Week 2, Jim Harbaugh's squad will host the 2-2 Buffalo Bills. Led by QB Ryan Fitzpatrick who leads the league with 12 touchdowns and is tied for second with the most interceptions (7), the Bills have been just as dangerous through the air this season as they have on the ground. But with the Bills nursing not one, but two star running backs in Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller, Buffalo's offense might be in store for a long day as the 49ers D looks to impress and prove that last week's slaying of the New York Jets was no fluke. And with Fitzpatrick coming off a 4 touchdown, 4 interception outing at home against an off and on New England Patriots defense, the Harvard alum will have his hands full with one of the best defenses in all of football. Expect to see Alex Smith rebound from his dismal 143 yards passing, 0 touchdown performance against the Jets with his biggest numbers yet as he and running back Frank Gore lead the 49ers to a 30-17 win at home.


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Week 3: Sloppy 49ers unable to solve Ponder's Vikings

After logging wins against the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions in the first two weeks, both of whom made the playoffs last season, the San Francisco 49ers were given their easiest task yet. So they thought. But the hosting 1-1 Minnesota Vikings would show no signs of intimidation facing one of the league's top teams and refused to be bullied in their own home. They would prove just that by going for it on a gutsy fourth-and-goal call to begin the game that paid off for Minnesota head coach Leslie Frazier. Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder executed Minnesota's opening-drive as well as anybody we've seen the 49ers face this year, capping the series off with a touchdown pass to his tight-end Kyle Rudolph and eating up over half the first quarter in doing so as the 49ers found themselves trailing for the first time this year, 7-0. 

Though the second quarter would treat the San Francisco offense much nicer than the first quarter did, quarter no. 2 wouldn't be very pretty either. 49ers QB Alex Smith and running back Frank Gore got things going on their second drive, as the two combined to get well within David Akers' territory, setting up the Pro-Bowl kicker for a 29-yard field goal to make it 7-3, Minnesota. But Christian Ponder would answer back by doing the unthinkable against the 49ers dominant run defense by scrambling up the middle for a 23-yard touchdown, channeling his inner Randal Cunningham and giving the Vikings a 14-3 cushion. With a chance to inch a bit closer nearing the two-minute warning, Alex Smith and company once again put the offense in position to tack on another three points, but this time David Akers' 43 yarder would be blocked, giving Minnesota a chance to increase their lead. A series of mainly short passes from Ponder would do just that, setting up Vikings kicker Blair Walsh who split the uprights from 52-yards out as Jim Harbaugh found his team down, 17-3 at the half. 

Having been downright outplayed in all three phases of the game in the first half, the 49ers would need both a solution on offense as well as an answer for Christian Ponder. And while they seemed to be on track by opening the second half with a 94-yard kick return from Kyle Williams resulting in another Akers field goal as well as a touchdown pass from Alex Smith to Vernon Davis after forcing a Minnesota three-and-out, it wouldn't be long before the 17-13 deficit would once again reach double-digits for the 49ers. Another 7-minute long drive orchestrated by Ponder ended much like the first with Ponder linking up in the end zone once again with his tight-end Rudolph who this time made a circus catch with one hand. With both the score (24-13) and the clock against them, the 49ers were in need of some magic if they planned on making a comeback. 49ers running back Frank Gore who hadn't fumbled since Week 5 of last year, would pick a terrible time to lose his first fumble of 2012, fumbling on San Francisco's first play of the drive. 

Gore's turnover ended a career-high streak of 255 consecutive carries without a fumble and seemed to have put the game away for good. But after each exchanging a pair of punts, Minnesota's second-string running back Toby Gerhart would fumble not once, but twice on back-to-back drives. But San Francisco would be unable to capitalize as they were courteous enough to give the ball right back on back-to-back turnovers of their own. Alex Smith who's been near perfect this season in the turnover department would be anything but during week 3 as the 49ers final two drives ended in an interception intended for WR Michael Crabtree and a fumble as Jared Allen greeted the quarterback with a sack, forcing another 49er fumble as San Francisco fell for the first time this year, 24-13. Ironically the 49ers first loss came on a day Alex Smith threw for more passing yards than the opposition as his 204 yards on 24-of-35 attempts bested Ponder's 198 yards on 21-of-35 pass attempts.

What was most puzzling regarding the loss was that Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was kept out of the end zone and held to under 100 rushing yards (86-yards on 25 carries) and yet the 49ers weren't able to come out on top. And while the 49ers looked unprepared for what they faced in Minnesota, the Vikings appear to be a better team than they've been portrayed to be and deserve all the credit in their upsetting win on Sunday. And though the loss is inexcusable for the 49ers, you can be sure that head coach Jim Harbaugh will take it as a wake-up call similar to the one they got from the early loss to Dallas last season and have his team alert and ready for battle come next Sunday. Hopefully his plan on offense will include more of Randy Moss who made his first trip to Minnesota as a member of the visiting team with only 27-yards and 3 receptions to show for. 

Week 4 Preview & Prediction: Week 4 will see the 49ers continue their current road trip as they get set to face a 2-1 New York Jets team that similar to theirs is best known for their defensive capabilities and run oriented offense. Luckily for Alex Smith and co., the 49ers offense will have one less problem to worry about as the Jets will be without the best cornerback in the game as it was learned that Darelle Revis will miss the remainder of the season due to a torn MCL in his left knee, dealing a huge blow to not only Rex Ryan's expensive D, but also his playoff hopes. The meeting at New York's MetLife Stadium in New Jersey will also mean that the 49ers will get to see their first glimpse of Tim Tebow. Having now taste defeat this season, I expect the tandem of Alex Smith and Frank Gore to have a much better outing on offense this week as well as a bounce back performance from the 49ers defense who should provide plenty of problems for the quarterback duo of Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow. With that said, look for the 49ers to return to the bay area 3-1 after a 24-17 win over Gang Green. 


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Peyton Struggles in Road opener

Heading into the 2012-13 NFL season, the biggest storyline in all of football was how future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning would do in a Denver Broncos uniform following a series of neck surgeries that kept him sidelined the entire 2011-12 season. And while his impressive regular season debut in front of the Denver faithful would have critics raving, most of which were quick to declare the old Peyton Manning had returned, his week 2 performance would tell a different story. After lighting up the Pittsburgh Steelers in week 1 for 253 yards and 2 touchdowns on 19-of-26 passing attempts in route to a 31-19 win, Peyton would get off to a rocky start the following week in his Monday Night meeting at the Georgia Dome against Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons. 

Showing a lack of arm strength early on as well as making a number of questionable passes into double coverage, the guy wearing the no. 18 jersey almost looked like an impostor of one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time as Peyton threw not one, not two, but three first quarter interceptions. Manning's early struggles marked only the second time in his 15-year career that he threw three interceptions in the opening quarter of a game, the only other occurrence came against the San Diego Chargers in 2007. After Manning's disastrous start, it seemed almost as if the guy playing QB in the second quarter was an entirely different person. Despite the 20-0 deficit his team faced, Peyton would redeem himself with a much better final three quarters as he brought his team within single-digits before eventually falling short and losing, 27-21 as the early miscues dug too big of a hole to overcome. 

An early favorite to win the AFC West and even contend for a Super Bowl according to most experts, Peyton Manning is far from his former self and is yet to prove that he can compete at the level that we've grown accustomed to seeing him play at. If I'm Broncos head coach John Fox I'm not too concerned about my quarterback as I know he still has some cobwebs to shake off and will only get better as the season progresses. But I'd still place Denver behind the Texans, Patriots and Ravens in the AFC, at least until Peyton has another full season under his belt with the Broncos and can prove that he can remain healthy. At 1-1, trailing only the 2-0 San Diego Chargers in the division, week 3 won't be a walk in the park for Peyton either as his Broncos get set to host the league's top ranked defense in the Houston Texans. 

Coincidentally, Peyton wasn't the only one in the Manning family who had a first half to forget during week 2 as his younger brother, Eli, also threw three picks on the day, all coming in the first half. But unlike Peyton who's late-game heroics fell just short, Eli was able to overcome his first half difficulties by throwing for 3 touchdowns and 510 yards in the second-best passing performance in Giants franchise history, avoiding a dreadful 0-2 start by defeating the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 41-34.


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Week 2: Harbaugh's 49ers shake Schwartz' Lions

Coming into week two's meeting between the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions, the storyline wasn't about the two 1-0 teams going against one another, but rather the coaches who stirred up quite the controversy the last time they met with what became known as "Handshake Gate." Both coaches made sure they got their handshake out of the way earlier this time around as they exchanged pregame pleasantries. But unlike their 2011 meeting which took place in Detroit exactly 11 months to the day, the 2012 rematch wouldn't be as close of a game as the final score indicated. 

For the second time in as many games, 49ers QB Alex Smith finished behind the opposition in total passing yards (226), but once again managed to play mistake-free football while throwing two touchdowns compared to Matt Stafford's one, a late 9-yard pass to tight-end Brandon Pettigrew with under 1:30 remaining. Stafford also threw an interception where as Smith completed 20 of his 31 throws and extended his streak of 216 passes without an interception, a franchise-record he holds over two of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the game -- Steve Young & Joe Montana. Stafford nearly made history of his own if it wasn't for the stingy 49ers defense who put a leash on the Detroit QB, holding him to only 230 yards passing on 19-of-32 attempts and preventing him from becoming the first player in NFL history to throw for 350 yards or more in five straight games. 

Alex Smith threw a pair of touchdowns to tight-end Vernon Davis, including the first TD on the 49ers opening-drive to give San Francisco an early 7-0 lead. The Lions clawed back with back-to-back field goals  from kicker Jason Hanson to make it a one point game before running back Frank Gore scampered into the end zone from 1-yard out, capitalizing on a roughing the kicker penalty by Detroit on a David Akers field goal attempt. The mistake would prove to be costly as the Lions wouldn't get any closer on the scoreboard. Field goals exchanged by both Hanson and Akers would highlight the first four possessions of the second half until a bloody Alex Smith found Davis again who slammed on the breaks and tricked his man and the Lions secondary into running left when a herd of Detroit defenders appeared to have him trapped down the right sideline. A gash above the nose of Smith caused on a play the 49ers QB found ground on and ran for a first down before sliding and being hit in the head would cause blood to trickle down his face. But that didn't seem to mind him as the touchdown gave San Francisco a 27-12 lead. Stafford would answer with a touchdown pass of his own, but it would be too late as his team fell, 27-19 in the 49ers home opener.

With the win, San Francisco ran their home winning streak against the Lions to 12 games, including the 9th consecutive meeting. What would go unknown in the box score however, was the pair of clutch receptions wide-receiver Michael Crabtree made on two key third downs to keep not one, but two San Francisco scoring drives alive. His 6 receptions led the team and trailed only Vernon Davis (73) in receiving yards with 67. Frank Gore carried the ball 17 times for 89-yards and the 49ers D contained Detroit's prolific wide-out Calvin Johnson to 94-yards on 8 catches while keeping him out of the end zone. The 49ers came a game shy of tying the New England Patriots mark of seven consecutive games without a turnover when backup running back Kendall Hunter fumbled a kick return in the first quarter, ending a streak of 26 straight quarters without turning the ball over. The lost fumble was also the first of Hunter's career. 

Week 3 Preview & Prediction: Week 3 will see the 49ers hit the road once again to take on the 1-1 Minnesota Vikings who are coming off a 3-point loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Granted Minnesota's defense has allowed 32 touchdowns in their last 13 games through the air, Alex Smith may be in store for a heyday on offense. But the 49ers run defense who hasn't gave up much of anything through the first two weeks will face arguably their toughest match-up all season long in Adrian Peterson. Their last trip to the Metrodome didn't end too well as the 49ers fell victim to some late-game heroics by Brett Favre who found Sidney Rice in the end zone to steal the lead and game from San Francisco. Sunday's game will also feature the return of Randy Moss in Minnesota where he broke quite a few records during his prime. With emotions running high, I expect him and the 49ers to come out on top, 31-13. 

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