NFL Hangover - Week 2

Well, I'm back from San Fran, and I've definitely got my NFL Hangover.  Not only did I see a great game from a great view, but my Colts pulled out yet another late game comeback on Monday night!  I'm spent.

For those that missed the note at the bottom of Week 1's column, I was at the Niners vs Seahawks in person this week.  So in keeping with my goal of only commenting on what I see, I'll only be commenting on 1 game this week.

Please be kind with my recollection of the game, some of the times and minute details may be clouded by my enthusiasm, the fantastic Gordon Biersch Hefeweizen beer, the 7-lb burrito I consumed at halftime or the old dude next to me obsessing over Seattle crowding the box to stop Frank Gore.

For starters, you can't go anywhere in San Fran without being able to buy two jerseys at a discount, Alex Smith and Vernon Davis.  Welcome to the Niners first round draft history!  Even an Andy Lee jersey was worth more.  If you're not motivated by your own fans thinking the punter is more valuable than you, I'm not sure you should be a pro athlete.

I have to admit, I'm fascinated by watching pro teams warm up.  Just watching Nate Davis, the Niners 3rd string QB, throw bombs to the corner of the endzone for the receivers to warm up was fun.  The guy is slinging these passes from the 50 yard line and hitting his spot every time, and he doesn't even crack the lineup for a team that needs a QB.  That tells you what kind of talent it takes.

To be honest, when I bought the tickets for a Niners-Seahawks game, I wasn't exactly expecting to see the cream of the NFC crop.  I figured that the Seahawks would be better than last year and that San Fran would hopefully keep it close.  After watching the Niners hold the Cards in the 4th quarter of last week's game, however, I figured we had a game on our hands.

Let's get this out of the way now, so no one can dispute that I said it later.  Patrick Willis has the chance to be the NFL's next Ray Lewis.  I'm not saying he's there yet, but he has a chance.  He flies around the field, crushes players so hard they don't want to get up, has freakish speed for his size, gets his entire team fired up and angry in the huddle and is coached by one of the best middle linebackers to ever play the game.  He has a shot, that's all I'm saying.

By the way, speaking of guys that knocked people out of their cleats for a living, Ronnie Lott is the honory captain for the coin toss this afternoon.  He just walked onto the field for a standing ovation and then all of Candlestick chanting "Ronnie, Ronnie, Ronnie".  I love it.

1st Quarter

The first time the Seahawks get the ball, they go 3 and out.  The entire crowd was just standing for 3rd and 2......for the first defensive stand of the game.  I think we're in for an intense experience.

I can't believe how many people in San Francisco love Mike Singletary.  They think he is the greatest thing to hit the Niners sideline since Bill Walsh.  The number one reason they love him?  He didn't put up with Vernon Davis' crap any longer.  By the way Davis is playing so far, he might want to hug Singletary for saving his career.  He is the only weapon they have besides Gore.

Speaking of Frank Gore, with 2:36 left on the clock in a purely defensive game, Frank the Tank decides to bust one for 79 yards and a touchdown.  The best part is he looked catchable for the last 15 yards of the run as his legs started to tire, but he somehow swerved away from the defender and stumbled his way into the end zone.  I'm on my feet and I'm not even a Niners fan - wow.  10-0 San Fran.

There is absolutely nowhere to run on the San Fran's defense.  After watching them stuff Arizona, I wondered if they were just good at defending the pass and would be exposed by a decent running team.  Apparently not.  Chalk up another 3 and out for the Seahawks.  They tried a pass over the middle only for John Carlson to fear for his life with Willis sizing him up for a body bag.  Incompletion.

The Niners just returned a punt for a touchdown, only to have it called back on a penalty.  The crowd seems completely deflated.  Not a good sign.  San Fran's offense plays the next series just as deflated and has to punt.  As I look to the sideline though, I see Lee warming up to, and he kicks himself in the head (with his knee or shin) on the follow through.  No wonder people want his jersey.  You just can't see that stuff on TV.

2nd Quarter

Seattle finally starts finding an offensive rhythm out of the shotgun and with a few play action passes.  They move the ball well enough to get in field goal range.  10-3.

With 7:09 left in the quarter, the 49ers look like they're gaining some offensive momentum of their own, and Isaac Bruce drops a fairly routine ball during a play action pass.  It's hard to describe how quiet the crowd just became.  You can tell that this is a fan base that has become used to losing.

I'm having a tough time recognizing San Francisco as a city with a defensive football team that relies on a conservative running attack.  It just doesn't seem right.  I still picture Montana, Rice, Taylor, and Roger Craig.  Man I'm old.  Unfortunatley, this version of the 49ers uses screens and shovel passes on 3rd and long, they don't want to turn the ball over.  Clearly the crowd has embraced it though.  We've stood for every 3rd down stand the defense has made.

After getting a few first downs on the outside pitch to Gore, they fake the outside toss and go up the gut to the fullback, Moran Norris for about 10-15 yards.  Great play call to keep the defense off balance.  Field goal.  13-3.

With only 3 minutes left in the half, the Seahawks have found their offense again.  They drive from their own 9 yard line to inside the Niners 5 yard line.  As Hasselbeck tries to run a broken play into the end zone, he gets hit hard and stopped at the 1 yard line.  As he got up, I could tell something was wrong.  He tried to get off the field by looked wobbly and dropped.  Most of us in the stands thought he had a concussion, they're saying now that it's a rib injury, I don't believe it.  Seneca Wallace comes into the game and calmly hits Julius Jones for a 1 yard touchdown pass in the flat.  13-10.

After dominating the entire first half, the Niners have only a 3 point lead and a very nervous crowd.

3rd Quarter

On the first play from scrimmage, with the veteran season ticket holder beside me muttering about Seattle having 9 in the box, Frank Gore decides to pop an 80 yard touchdown run to kill any hope of the Hawks being in this game.  This is what great players do, and today Frank Gore is playing the part.  20-10.

Another 3 and out for Seattle.  Apparently they're trying to set a record or something.

On a 3rd and short, San Fran runs a play out of the Wildcat and fumbles.  Luckily they recovered the ball.

Julius Jones just won't let people write him off.  With absolutely no room to run all afternoon, he just caught a short pass and fought through 3 tackles for a first down on 2nd and 15.

On a later possession, with San Fran backed up on the 1 yard line and facing 3rd and 10, Shaun Hill completed a pass in the flat to that big-play weapon, Moran Norris.  He makes a quick move and gets the first down.  That was a game-saving play.

Later in the drive, on 3rd and 22, the Niners ran a Wildcat set and tried to throw the ball.  They had a receiver open, but the throw was a lame duck.  This would have been a great play call on 2nd and 4, not 3rd and 22.

A half-dozen plays later, with 1:30 left in the third, Goldson intercepts Wallace on a pass down the middle intended for Nate Burleson.  This game is done.

4th Quarter

With the game itching to be closed out, Shaun Hill leads a gutsy drive with a great completion to Isaac Bruce on 3rd and 13, another 10 yard completion to Gore and some other nice check downs.  San Fran puts three more points on the board with a field goal.  23-10.

Seattle's next drive results in, you guessed it, a 3 and out.  The Niners defense has been getting consistent pressure with only 4 rushers, which is what they did against the Cardinals too.  When you can generate a decent pass-rush with only the linemen, it makes it a lot easier to defend a lead.  This defense has huge potential.

With the Niners unable to run out the clock, Seattle gets the ball back with 5:11 left on the clock.  Unfortunately for Seattle they suffer their second bad snap of the game and Wallace is caught trying to scramble on 3rd and 13.  4th and 12 with the game on the line, and he makes a clutch completion to TJ Houshmandzadeh.  The Seahawks make their way inside the red zone with 4 chances to score a TD and stay in the game but the Niners have a solution on every play.

With the victory, San Francisco tops the NFC West with a 2-0 record and both wins coming against division opponents.  Frank Gore topped 200 yards on only 16 carries and the defense looks poised to crack the top 5.  I didn't expect it, but I also didn't expect to eat a burrito that big.  No wonder I feel hung over.