A TALE OF TWO CITIES

Pack Wings West to face Struggling Niners

 

 

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.

Thus began the Charles Dickens novel “A Tale of Two Cities” who did a fairly decent Nostradamus imitation with the words written so very long ago.

Dickens may have well been writing about the fortunes of the two NFL franchises facing each other

in the city by the bay. As Green Bay takes their 3 – 0 record into San Francisco on Sunday the study between these two teams is a study in contrast and diametric opposites. Wasn’t it just a few very short years ago that the 49ers were the darlings of the NFL? They had a fiery coach in Jim Harbaugh. They had a ‘new-age’ QB in Colin Kaepernick. The tight end position was being redefined by Vernon Davis. They had a ferocious defense and a stout offensive line. They had Frank Gore and Michael Crabtree and the Smith “Brothers” – Aldon and Justin – who terrified QB’s. They were fresh from the NFC title game and had 11 draft picks in their pockets and they had the Green Bay Packers’ number. They had Patrick Willis and Navarro Bowman and were on everyone’s short list of a dynasty in the making.

Then came the off season from hell. And just like that it all crumbled, faded, and fell faster than a sand castle built on a windswept beach at high tide. San Francisco not only lost it all they have fallen into a heap of mediocrity, a testament to the theorem that holds if it burns too bright it cannot burn for long.

Harbaugh is now gone, a victim of his own stubborn hot-headedness, the very fuel that once drove the Niners. Harbaugh wore out his welcome and was fired and is now at his alma mater in Michigan. Crabtree is now in Oakland. Gore is in Indy. Aldon Smith got repeatedly busted and after such a promising start he is just trying to reclaim his career. Injuries took their toll. Bowman went out with a devastating knee injury and has not been able to find his old mojo. Free agency plucked G Mike Iaupati and now he toils for the newest NFC West bully Arizona. And the retirements hit. Hard. Justin Smith, Patrick Willis, and Chris Borland all left in various states of injury and damage. Borland was most unexpected. At 25 he was becoming the next big LB in San Fran but he cited concerns about his long term health as the motivating force behind his departure.

To say this was a disastrous off season is an understatement of epic proportion. The promise of

what could have been turned out to be fool’s gold. The 49ers have been devastated so much so they are now in the midst of a necessary rebuilding. Kaepernick is still there but after last week the boo birds are now calling for his scalp. Kaepernick had a wretched day against a vastly improved Arizona Cardinal team that picked him off 4 times. Two of the picks were the very ugly pick 6 variety and to compound the felony they came on virtually back-to-back plays. No sooner was Justin Bethel in the end zone Tyrone “Honey Badger” Mathieu was right on his heels with a 50 yard INT return to the house.

New Head Coach Jim Tomsula replaces the incendiarily volatile Harbaugh and was the clear players’ choice. Like the Packers Mike McCarthy Tomsula is a street tough Pittsburgh guy and served as the Niners defensive coordinator. There are some key pieces in place already though. Kaepernick and San Fran have had Green Bay‘s number for a while now. The playoff losses will be remembered by the fans for the Pack’s inability to contain Kaepernick’s running. Torrey Smith was imported from Baltimore but he and Kaepernick have yet to develop any decent chemistry. Anquan Boldin has some wear on the tires and there is a dearth of talent left behind them. How a tight end of Vernon Davis’ immense talent remains so underutilized is a league wide mystery. Davis was Jimmy Graham before Jimmy Graham even came along. Now he is barely an afterthought in an otherwise lackluster SF offense. The short version is San Francisco’s once imposing offense has become very mediocre through attrition.

When their big back Frank Gore left in free agency many thought he took the ball with him and left

the Niners without a running game at all. Not so fast there. RB Carlos Hyde has stepped in and has been a workhouse. Aussie Jared Hayne also made the list and is splitting return duties with Reggie Bush (FA/ Detroit) who, in addition to returning kicks, can spell Hyde on the backfield. Davis may not play due to nagging injuries.

The losses on defense simply cannot be filled. Oh, the roster has 53 men on it. But the big names are gone. Smith, Smith, Willis, Borland, Chris Culliver have been replaced by the likes of Dorsey, Williams, Dial, and Reid, hardly household names. Their play has equally been uneven and at 1 – 2 San Fran cannot afford any more losses if they are to hope to have a shot at the 3 – 0 Cards or even the 1 -2 Seahawks.

It won’t be easy. The Niners have the dubious honor of hosting the red hot Packers and the hotter-than-the-other-side-of-the-sun Aaron Rodgers. James Jones earlier this week compared Rodgers to Michael Jordan, a reference Rodgers shrugged off by saying he doesn’t belong in the same category as MJ. Rodgers has broken quickly from the gates and leads the NFL with a ridiculous 135.4 QB rating, almost 15 points higher than Andy Dalton of the resurgent Bengals. With 10 TD’s against 0 picks a very strong case for a repeat of league MVP honors is being made.

Rodgers has command of every element that makes a great QB at his disposal. His arm strength is

second to none in the NFL and he can make every throw from almost any angle. He can run as well and his renowned football IQ is off the charts. Rodgers has benefitted from free play offside penalties that it is now something for which defensive coordinators have to plan. Giving Rodgers a free play means somehow all his receivers know it also and it is a jail break hell-bent-for-leather sprint to the end zone looking for a gift, a gift Rodgers and only Rodgers routinely exploits.

Eddie Lacy is still hobbling on a sore ankle but James Starks has stepped in and stepped up. Even losing Jordy Nelson hasn’t slowed the Pack down. With James Jones joining Randall Cobb rookie Ty Montgomery is now being phased into the mix and as he develops so will Rodgers trust and targets. The offensive line has been regarded by McCarthy and Rodgers as the best they’ve had in Green bay since McCarthy took the reins. The offensive line has performed admirably against the pass rushing maniacs from Seattle and Kansas City so the praise is well earned.

The defense has been a vast improvement form a season ago. While other teams have more big names the Packers are now playing very well against the run. After giving up almost 200 yards on the ground in the opener to the Chicago Bears RB heavyweights Marshawn Lynch and KC’s Jamal Charles have been held in check. With each passing week the D is gaining more confidence. Newcomer Jayrone Elliott may now be impossible to get off the field as he has an INT, a forced fumble and a sack in his first 2 games, or actually game and a half since he didn’t appear until the 3^rd quarter against the Seahawks.

Kaepernick will try to run the Pack into the ground on Sunday. This time around Green Bay has found some discipline and has added much more athletic types to combat Kap’s scampers. Nick Perry has played very well thus far as has the leaner, meaner B. J. Raji who is again a disruptive force in the middle. Mike Daniels’ hair on fire style is infectious and now Letroy Guion can finally hit the field after serving a 3 game suspension for possession of drugs and a handgun beef landed him in hot water. Guion’s presence will bolster what is becoming a very improved part of the defense.

McCarthy has kept the Pack on point. This season has been about start fast, play well, and close the

deal. What it has not been about is settling old scores. There will be no such letdown here. Green Bay will open fast, run away, Kaepernick will run himself out of and throw himself into trouble but when the sun sets in the west so will the Niners and their shot at the playoffs this year.

For Green Bay they may want to make sure they check out all the amenities in Levi Stadium. After all… it is where the Super Bowl will be played at the end of the year.

 

 





 

 

  GREEN BAY 34  

 

 

 

 

    San Francisco  17