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NFC Divisional Round Upsets Recap: Saints vs 49ers

Posted in NFL Post Season, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on January 20, 2012 | 1 Comment »


Shock. Astonishment. Disbelief. Those are the feelings one has after looking at the playoff picture a day after Week 17 and today. Three teams that looked to be serious contenders (New Orleans, Pittsburgh, and Green Bay) are out, and the Super Bowl is up for grabs once again. Here’s a recap of the Saints vs 49ers game:

The Saints entered this game heavily favored. Although the 49ers were the No.2 seed and had a ferocious defense, the Saints had a lethal aerial assault led by the record holder for most yards in a season, Drew Brees. Add to the fact that the Saints had a defense that many believed could shutdown a run oriented offense the 49ers ran, and looked like a warmup for the Saints before they played in the NFC championship. Yet on any given sunday, anything can happen as the Saints learned.

Too be fair, it wasn’t like the Saints played terrible. After the 49ers jumped to a 17-0 lead, the Saints finally looked like themselves, going on a nine play, 4:40 drive. Moments later, the Saints scored again, this time on a 7 play, 3:40 drive. After a few minutes, the Saints went into half time down 17-14.

The third quarter was pretty uneventful, and the only score was a 41 yard David Akers field goal. After exchanging field goals, Drew Brees finally kick started a spluttering Saints offense, and led a nine play, 3:40 drive that ended on a 44 yard Darren Sproles TD.  After the extra point, the Saints took the lead, 24-23.

The  49ers answered right back with a six play, 1:51 drive that resulted in this play. Let’s be honest: Alex Smith will never be able to do that again. Yet he did it when the moment was right, and the 49ers were quite fortunate.  Seismic waves around  the Bay area indeed.  A failed two point conversion, the score was 29-24, in San Francisco favor.

The cardiac Saints took up where they left last time and scored a TD within 4 plays. After a successful 2 point conversion, the Saints led 32-29.  What followed was the drive of the game.

1st and 10, 1:32 left. Shotgun formation. Alex Smith passes to Gore on the Screen. Gore takes it to the 49ers 22 for a 7 yard gain.

* Not bad. Saints playing it safe though. If they want to win, they have to shutdown the other team’s best player. That could cause lapses in coverage, but a double team wouldn’t do much harm.

2nd  and 3, 1:07 left. No huddle, shotgun formation. Alex Smith passes short up the middle to Gore to the 33 for an 11 yard gain.

*No huddle makes magic when executed properly. 49ers need to stop the clock somehow.

1st and 10, :44  left. Shotgun formation. Alex Smith incomplete pass. Intended for Swain.

2nd and 10, :40 left. Shotgun formation. Alex Smith passes deep right to Vernon Davis who takes it to the NO 20. Gain of 47 yards.

*Dang. #27, Jenkins tried bump in run coverage. The bump and run coverage can be effective. When run properly, the receiver will be shutdown. If it fails, the corner’s gonna be torched. That’s what happened here.

1st and 10, :31 left. Singleback formation. Alex Smith passes short to Frank Gore to the NO 14. Gain of six yards.

*  Get out of bounds, get out bounds, get out of bounds. You get the idea of what I was thinking.

2nd and 4, :20 left. Alex Smith spikes ball

3rd and 4, :14 left. Alex Smith passes to Vernon Davis for 14 yards. TOUCHDOWN!

*I’ll let the guys in the booth do this one. I was shocked, surprised, and felt every emotion known to man.

With nine seconds left on the clock after that one, the Saints did not have enough time to match the score. The game ended 36-32, in the 49ers favor. Great game by the 49ers. The Saints did not play well by their standards until the end. Too little, too late.

That’s it. Be sure to stay tune for two other posts I will put up sometime today or tomorrow, NFC Divisional Round Upset Recap: Green Bay Packers and Will the Giants Make it and Win the Super Bowl.

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The Playoff Picture: How Several Scenarios Could Change The Outcome Of The Season

Posted in NFL Post Season, NFL Regular Season, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 27, 2011 | 2 Comments »


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/12/National_Football_League_2008.svg/150px-National_Football_League_2008.svg.png

Hello everyone, and welcome back to Into The Endzone. Shrederdude63 is back. With the season winding down, several teams have already made the playoffs. For others, they’re guaranteed a spot on the couch following Week 17.  As of now, here are the standings if the season ended today:

AFC Playoff Picture:

1. New England Patriots (12-3) – Y

2. Baltimore Ravens (11-4) – X

3. Houston  Texans (10-5) – Y

4. Denver Broncos (8-7)

Wildcard Teams:

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-4) – X

6. Cincinnati Bengals (9-6)

In The Hunt

Oakland Raiders (8-7)

Tennessee Titans (8-7)

New York Jets (8-7)

NFC Playoff Picture:

1. Green Bay Packers (14-1) – Z

2. San Francisco 49ers (12-3) – Y

3. New Orleans Saints (12-3) – Y

4. New York Giants (8-7)

Wildcard Teams

5. Detroit Lions (10-5) – X

6. Atlanta Falcons (9-6) – X

In the Hunt

Dallas Cowboys (8-7)

Z = Clinched Home-field Advantage    Y = Clinched Division            X = Clinched Playoff Berth

How The Rankings Could Change:

I’m going to start with the AFC, since next week could change the entire positioning. The New England Patriots are the top seed, and clinch home-field advantage if they win the season finale vs Buffalo. Due to tiebreakers, the Pats need the Ravens and the Steelers to lose in order to keep the top spot if they lose the game at home vs the Bills. The lowest the Patriots could be is the second seed, since they already have clinched a first round bye.

The Ravens have already clinched a spot in the playoffs, so they will play following Week 17. The question is when. If the Ravens win against the Bengals, they win the division and get a first round bye. If the Patriots lose, the Ravens get home-field advantage as well. But if the Ravens lose and the Steelers win, the Ravens drop from the second seed to the fifth, lose the bye, and venture on a harder road to the Super Bowl.

The Texans have the division title and No.3 seed. Even if they win their Week 17 game, they can not get a bye. They are guaranteed their spot. They should rest their starters in Week 17.

The Denver Broncos have not wrapped up a playoff berth yet. The only reason they are the No. 4 seed instead of the Raiders is because of strength of schedule. In order to clinch their division, they must defeat the Chiefs in Mile High Stadium or the Raiders lose at the hands of the Chargers. They can be no other seed; it’s either No.4 or at home.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have already wrapped up a playoff berth. They can only go up. If the Steelers win and the Bengals miraculously win against the Ravens, they get the division, first round bye, and No.2 seed. If the Patriots lose on top of that, the Steelers have home-field advantage. The Steelers can not get knocked down to the sixth seed, so its either enter the playoffs as a fifth, second, or first seeded team.

The Bengals have not clinched the playoffs. A win versus the Ravens will get them into the playoffs. In the first post Palmer season, the Bengals are playing better then they have in years. They most certainly will give their all versus Baltimore.

The Oakland Raiders is the best team in the hunt. In order for them to capture the division spot from the Broncos, they need a win vs San Diego and a loss by the Broncos vs a Kyle Orton led Chiefs. In order for them to achieve the sixth seed, the Raiders  need to win, the Broncos lose and either/both a Titans loss and/or a Jets win.

The New York Jets will have to be very lucky if they are to get into the playoffs this year. They need a win, a Titans loss, and a Raiders loss. No other way.

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For the Packers, they have already got the top seed locked up. They can rest their starters.

T he 49ers have clinched their division. In order to lock up the No. 2 seed, they need to either win or the Saints lose due to having a better conference record. The lowest the San Francisco 49ers can go is the No.3 seed.

The Saints have locked up their division. They can have the No.3 spot at lowest, but a win and a 49ers loss will get them the first round bye.

The New York Giants are the current division leaders due to a victory against Dallas in a head-to-head matchup earlier in the season. They will clinch the division and the No.4 spot if they beat Dallas in their second head-to-head matchup next week.

The Lions have locked up a wildcard spot. They maintain the No. 5 seed if they beat the Packers or if the Falcons lose to Tampa Bay.

The Falcons clinched a wildcard spot. To get the fifth seed however, they need a win and a Lions loss.

The Dallas Cowboys are on the outside looking in. Their only chance of making the playoffs is if they can somehow  walk out of New York with the W.

The playoffs are approaching. Here’s how I see the season ending:

AFC:

1. New England Patriots

2. Baltimore Ravens

3. Houston Texans

4. Denver Broncos

5. Pittsburgh Steelers

6. Oakland Raiders

NFC:

1. Green Bay Packers

2. San Francisco 49ers

3. New Orleans Saints

4. New York Giants

5. Atlanta Falcons

6. Detroit Lions

Conclusion:

Looking at my predictions,  Green Bay automatically gets the top spot. I feel the Ravens will beat the 49ers because they have a chance at the division crown for the first time in more than 3 years. They will not blow it. Because of this, the Bengals will not clinch the playoffs due to not having as good of a conference record compared to the teams in the hunt.  I feel the Broncos, Giants, and San Francisco 49ers will win, along with the Falcons. I will be putting Keys To The W post for the Giants-Cowboys game, Bengals- Ravens game, Broncos-49ers game, so my prediction may change over the next few days. But until then, here’s what I think. Comments, questions, feedback? Type it in the comments, and I will respond. This is Shrederdude63 signing off. ~

*All Pictures and Information is Brought To You By Yahoo Sports and NFL.com*

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Keys To The W: Steelers Vs 49ers

Posted in NFL Regular Season, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on December 19, 2011 | 4 Comments »


http://iowaholidays.jmc.uiowa.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/1289680083-NFL-STEELERS-49ers.jpg

Steelers. 49ers. Two teams that dominated and changed the game in the post 1970 merger. Yet the past is the past. The San Francisco 49ers have had the best season in almost eight years, going  10-3. The Steelers have  been their usual self, going 10-3 as well. Both teams have clinched playoff berths. But with the Ravens being upsetted by the Chargers on Sunday night, the Steelers have one last chance to win the division. If they win out, they clinch the division for the fourth time in Mike Tomlin’s five years as head coach. With the season coming to close, this is a golden opportunity for the Steelers.  Yet, injuries have derailed the team. But is it enough to cost them this game? Lets find out.

First and foremost, here are the Keys To the Game:

Pass Rush:

You knew this was coming. The winner of this game will have to do well in this department. For the Steelers, the offensive line has been a huge question mark for year. This year, the team has been in sync, doing better then ever in line play. Yet with Pro Bowl Center Maurkice Pouncey out, the line  will struggle. Add to the fact that Marcus Gilbert is also injured, and the line is in trouble. The 49ers are known or their ferocious defense, and have looked like a younger version of the Steel Curtain. But with Patrick Willis questionable with a hamstring injury, the Steelers have dodged a bullet.

As for the 49ers O-line, they’re in for trouble as well. Although dominating most of their opposition’s D-line, the 49ers have struggled against elite D-lines. Take a look at the Ravens shellaking on Thanksgiving  Day. And with the Ravens being a carbon copy of the Steelers, things to not look well in San Fransisco.

Deciding who wins this one is tough. But ultimately, the fact that an injured Big Ben is going under center  behind a decimated line and that James Harrison will not be in the backfield for the Steelers, you know who I’m picking.

Edge: 49ers, but barely

Passing Game:

This one is an important one as well. The Steelers have one of the best WR cores in the game. With the speed and toughness each wideout posses, the 49ers have a huge task to them. The passing game is also the biggest weapon the Steelers have, and they have relied on the pass since 2008. Sure the Steelers will be sacked several times, but this team will not give up. At worst, they will do what they did against New England, and throw quick passes and run a West Coast Offense. As I said earlier, the 49ers will most probably get more sacks. But they will give up more big plays. Mike Wallace, Hines Ward, Antonio Brown, and Co. strike fear in the hearts of anyone. The 49ers dont have the secondary to defend these guys. This will cause the LB core to drop back in coverage, and that’s when the Steelers run.

As for the 49ers, they wont do well in this area. Alex Smith is having the best season of his life. But he’s still a game manager. The 49ers rely on their run game, and it has worked throughout the season. Again, the 2011 49ers remind me of the 2005 Steelers. But the elite teams need a QB that can carry the team. Im sorry, but Alex Smith is not that. Plus, who is he gonna throw it to? Vernon Davis is probably the biggest threat. Crabtree will be shutdown by Taylor. Polamalu will be attacking the line of scrimage. Woodley could cover Gore. Basically, the 49ers passing game is  non existent. If they cant run, they wont be able to run the play-action . If they can’t run the play-action, then the 49ers are in trouble.

Edge: Steelers 

Other Factors:

I think the main factor despite the two I’ve named are the injuries. Roethlisberger, Sanders, Pouncey, etc. are injured on the Steelers side. The 49ers really only have Willis injuried. On top of that, Harrison is suspended. For more info on that, read my previous post. If the Steelers want to win this game, they need to overcome these adversities. But for now;

Edge: 49ers

Conclusion:

Steelers win. Im sorry, but the 49ers dont have the offense to compete in this game. Sure, the Steelers have a ton of injuries. Yet the standard is the standard in Pittsburgh. Score: 34-17. Expect the Steelers offense to erupt and their defense to dominate.

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Will James Harrison’s Suspension Cost The Steelers?

Posted in NFL Regular Season, tagged , , , , , , , , , on December 16, 2011 | 3 Comments »


NFL spokesman Greg Aiello announced today that Pittsburgh Steelers OLB James Harrison ‘s appeal for his one-game suspension was denied. The 2008 NFL Defensive Player Of The Year will miss the Monday Night Game against the 49ers, a game that hold serious weight in the playoffs. Harrison tweeted following the league’s decision, ” When the grass is low the snakes will show! I guess I cut it too short!” Harrison was suspended on a helmet-to-helmet hit to Colt McCoy. You can view it here:

James Harrison has had a clean year up until this hit. I feel he should have gotten a fine at the very least. It’s not like he was doing something uncalled for (i.e stomping on opponents) or punching an opposing player (Richard Seymour who only got fined). Harrison was making a football play. Although leading with his helmet was not the best thing to do, the helmet-to-helmet was accidental and Harrison didn’t go out intending to hurt someone. But  if you’re the poster boy for illegal hits and the NFL is looking  to make a statement, then I guess it’s inevitable. But how much will it cost the Steelers? Join me, Shrederdude63, as I break down what the 4x Pro Bowlers absence will affect the Steelers against the 49ers.

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The San Francisco 49ers are hosting this game. Having lost only two games, some would say  they would dominated the Steelers. Yet, after being blown away by the Ravens (who are carbon copies of the Steelers)  on Thanksgiving, the 49ers have shown that they haven’t  beaten an elite yet. Sure they’ve beaten the Giants and the Bengals, but those teams are good, not great.

In the Ravens game, the game was not as close as the game indicated. Baltimore blew San Francisco out of the water. If the Ravens were any good offensively, they would have  killed them. But I’m not here to talk about the 49ers defense. That’s gonna be in  my Key To The W post. For now, let’s talk about how the 49ers offense will perform without Harrison stopping them.

The 49ers are a run-first oriented offense. In a lot of ways, they remind me of the Raven’s offense of 2000: Run the clock out, make a few throws, and rely on your defense to destroy. And it’s worked well for them. Frank Gore is the all-time rusher in 49ers history. With the numbers he’s been putting up, it’s hard not to imagine. On 234 carries, he’s ran for 1054 yards at 4.5 per carry. that’s pretty amazing. In the past, I would have said this matchup would have been a win for the Steelers. This year however, the rush defense has allowed 205 yards out of their three matchups vs the NFL’s elite backs (Rice 2x, Foster). I was going to include Chris Johnson, but he was a bit rusty at the time. Without James Harrison to rampage the left side, the Steelers will have to commit to that side. This shouldn’t be a problem, as Troy Polamalu has been doing this for years. I think his hamstring is fine and will be 98% by Monday.

 I’ll be honest with you, any other year, this would have been a problem. The Steelers D-line is great. But their  d-line’s biggest strength is to consume multiple blockers, so that the LBs could make the play. That’s what made them great. They  couldn’t have brought Troy Polamalu in the box, or they would have given up  a huge gain through the air. With the pass defense being top-notch this year, the Steelers can take this risk. Does Harrison’s absence in the line up hurt the run defense? It does a little bit. Anytime a team loses one of its star players, it  won’t be as good. But I believe it will be enough to contain Gore. Frank Gore’s a beast, but he’s only played to great run defenses (Lions and Ravens) and has struggled against them.

With the run game neutralized, the 49ers will have to rely on the pass. I think Alex Smith is playing the best football of his career (that ain’t saying much, but oh well), but things do not bode well for him. I mean, even without Harrison the pass rush is ferocious. Just ask Tom Brady. If the Ravens sacked Smith for 5+ sacks without Ray Lewis, can you imagine what the Steelers will do with a run-stuffing safety aswell? James Harrison is great, but the Steelers will manage. I also don’t think th 49ers O-line will stop them.

The only concern  I see for the Steelers is the absence of  Harrison’s coverage skills. Harrison is easily the  Steeler’s best LB against pass, and that’s  amazing. With out Harrison, who will cover Pro Bowl TE Vernon Davis? Lamarr Woodley is the Steelers best pass rusher with Harrison out, so he’ll stay as a pass rusher to disrupt the right side of the field. Farrior gets abused in the pass, a main reason why he is no longer playing a significant role on the defense. If Timmons covers Davis, the middle is left wide open. And Troy Polamalu isn’t the same anymore. The Steelers will have to come up with something.

Conclusion:

Harrison is one of the best players in the NFL. Many of the so-called “experts” believe the Steelers will suffer without him. Will they not do as well without him? Yes. Will they do bad? No. Harrison’s absence can be masked with many schemes, and Dick Lebeau can do it. The only challenge will be Davis. Shutdown Davis, and the Steelers won’t miss Harrison. What many people are forgetting are that the Steeler played weeks without Harrison when he had the eye orbital injury.  I don’t think that the 49ers pose a big enough threat to the Steelers other than Davis and Frank. Crabtree won’t do anything against Ike Taylor, and Willie Gay and Co have been doing their job. Jason Worlids is no where near the talent of James Harrison, but he’s shown flashes of brilliance.  Basically, the Steelers are coming to San Fran, and they aren’t going home with a loss, no matter who gets suspended.

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Keys To The Win: Ravens Vs 49ers

Posted in NFL Regular Season, tagged , , , , , , , , , on November 24, 2011 | 1 Comment »


Hey ladies and gents, and welcome to Into The Endzone. After a long hiatus, this series is back! So without further review, kick back and enjoy my post on the Harbaugh Bowl.

Ravens Preview:

Here’s a look at the Ravens season so far.

Sun 9/11 Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh (0-0) W 35 – 7
Sun 9/18 Tennessee Titans at Tennessee (0-1) L 13 – 26
Sun 9/25 St. Louis Rams at St. Louis (0-2) W 37 – 7
Sun 10/2 New York Jets NY Jets (2-1) W 34 – 17
Bye
Sun 10/16 Houston Texans Houston (3-2) W 29 – 14
Mon 10/24 Jacksonville Jaguars at Jacksonville (1-5) L 7 – 12
Sun 10/30 Arizona Cardinals Arizona (1-5) W 30 – 27
Sun 11/6 Pittsburgh Steelers at Pittsburgh (6-2) W 23 – 20
Sun 11/13 Seattle Seahawks at Seattle (2-6) L 17 – 22
Sun 11/20 Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati (6-3) W 31 – 24
Thu 11/24 San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 8:20 pm

 Courtesy Of Yahoo Sports

The Ravens are in possession of a 7-3 record and tied for first place in the AFC North. The Ravens can not afford to lose a game, with the Steelers right on their heel. It’s do or die, and if the Ravens want to succeed in this league, they need to beat a team like the 49ers. The Ravens have beaten quality teams (Pittsburgh and Houston ),  and lost to bad teams (Seattle, Jacksonville, and Tennessee). Basically, the team has played at the other team’s level. Are the Ravens for Real?  I believe so. With the season winding down and the Ravens competing in a heated race for the AFC North title, you better believe  they will bring their A game against San Francisco.

49ers Preview:

The San Francisco 49ers. Where to begin? This team, who hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2002, has finally started to win again. With the help of offensive guru Jim Harbaugh, the 49ers are 9-1, and have had their best season in over nine years. But only two of those wins come against good teams (The Detroit Lions and The New York Giants) Will they be able to beat the Ravens led by Jim’s brother, John????? Take a look at their schedule:

Sun 9/11 Seattle Seahawks Seattle (0-0) W 33 – 17
Sun 9/18 Dallas Cowboys Dallas (0-1) L 24 – 27
Sun 9/25 Cincinnati Bengals at Cincinnati (1-1) W 13 – 8
Sun 10/2 Philadelphia Eagles at Philadelphia (1-2) W 24 – 23
Sun 10/9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tampa Bay (3-1) W 48 – 3
Sun 10/16 Detroit Lions at Detroit (5-0) W 25 – 19
Bye
Sun 10/30 Cleveland Browns Cleveland (3-3) W 20 – 10
Sun 11/6 Washington Redskins at Washington (3-4) W 19 – 11
Sun 11/13 New York Giants NY Giants (6-2) W 27 – 20
Sun 11/20 Arizona Cardinals Arizona (3-6) W 23 – 7
Thu 11/24 Baltimore Ravens at Baltimore 8:20 pm

Courtesy Of Yahoo Sports

None of those teams scream elite. So how will these two teams fare???

Here’s a few things that will determine the outcome of this game:

Blocking Up Front:

Both these teams have formidable defense that rely on the pressure they generate  on the opposing QB and shutting down the run. Both teams have the same formula: Great defense and running game. QB manages game with a few big splash plays. That’s what it comes down to.

Both these teams have great defenses and RBs. The difference and the factor that ultimately decides this game is QB play. More on that later. But the QB can’t do anything unless he has time. It’s gonna be a tough job for the O-line unit this week. The O-line’s on both teams might not be able to stop the ferocious assault thrown at them. But which ever O-line does the job better will win. I think that the Ravens will do a good job protecting their QB. At least, they will do a better job then the 49ers will. With Ngatha, Suggs, and Co. coming to town, do you honestly think a line consisting with Joe Staley, Mike Iupati, Johnathan Goodwin, Adam Snyder, and Anthony Davis will stop them? They may slow them down, don’t get me wrong. The 49ers have a good O-line. But you won’t see the Ravens losing this battle.

Edge: Ravens

QB Play:

               

The difference matter in this game. Both teams have similar success in the running game and defense. The deciding factor will be QB. Last year, I would have immediately have declared the Ravens as the winner, and stated that Joe Flacco was much better than Alex Smith. This year, I have to think about it. Smith is playing the best football of his career, thanks to tutelage of Jim Harbaugh. He’s a game manager, but I don’t think he is a bust anymore. Flacco has been inconsistent. One week, he’s playing like a Top 10 QB. The next week, he’s playing like Ryan Leaf.

The running game will be neutralized by both teams, and the game will be in the QB’s hand. Add to the fact the Ravens have success in the shotgun, a formation that gives the QB a few more seconds looking for an open receiver than any other formations if executed correctly, and the Ravens will have more success than the 49ers.

Edge: Ravens

Ultimately, on any given sunday (in this case thursday), anything can happen. So in order to win here’s what each team must do not including the above keys:

For the Ravens:

Limit the Turnovers

This will be a close game, and the team with the most turnovers will lose.

Stop Gore

Gore has been a beast this season, and needs 61 yards to become the all-time leader for yards in Niners history. Don’t let him take over, or you’re in for a long day. He and the O average 123 yards per game, and the 49ers have dominated in terms of time of possession. Don’t let the 49ers kill the clock with Gore. Stop the run and execute on offense and you win.

Pass, Pass, and Pass Again

The Ravens have Evans , Smith, Boldin, and Co. That is one of the best offensive Corps in the league. With the speed presented by Evans and Smith,  the safeties will be over the top. This should allow Boldin to attack the underneath. Sprinkle in a few runs, and the play-action will do wonders. This is going to be a huge aerial assault.  

For the 49ers:

Don’t Give The Ravens The Ball!

It’s pretty obvious to see the Ravens have the better offense. In order to win, the 49ers must kill the clock. The 49ers have been masters at this, but they need to replicate the success they have had all season to win this one. 

Stop Ray Rice and The Shotgun

Rice is the heart and soul of the Ravens Offense. If they neutralize him, it will make the Ravens one dimensional. They can ill afford to let the Ravens have consistency when using Rice. A huge matchup problem, the little guy must not be allowed to go unnoticed. If they can’t stop him, the play-action will open up.That will force the Ravens into shotgun. Flacco has been stopped in the past by the zone blitz, so that may work. The 49ers have to be creative in this department today.

Utilize Vernon Davis

Vernon Davis is  a Pro Bowl caliber TE who does not get a lot of media attention. In a lot of ways, he reminds me of Heath Miller, the TE of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Last week, the Ravens gave a season high 483 yards through the air. Of those 483, 105 came from Gresham and Leonard, two players who are usually covered by Lewis. Neither of them match the play of Davis, who will light up the Ravens if given the opportunity.

Conclusion: These two teams are playoff bound. Personally, I feel the Ravens will win. They present matchup problems everywhere and will exploit them. It will be close, don’t get me wrong. But I wouldn’t put any money on the 49ers winning. But who know? On any given sunday, anything can happen.

*All Pictures Are From NFL.com

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