Best Thing I Have Read In A Month

[Guiness]

I think it was true with Gretzky in Edmonton, not so much after he left there. The NHL really needed him those early years. Then again. there was so much talent on those Edmonton teams that many others could barely keep up with them, let alone try to hit them!

I was an Edmonton fan in the 80's (still am now, but it's hard - so hard...) and that team was ridiculous. If you were to make a list of the top 10 players in the NHL at the time, 4 were unarguably Oilers - Gretzky, Messier, Coffee and Fuhr. Two more were arguable, Kurri and Glenn Anderson. I don't mean good players, I mean top 10 in the league.

Messier was the second best center in the league, and the second line center on that team!

[Guiness]

In thinking of how the Ravens sent someone to hit CK after every play (whether he handed the ball off, ran, or threw), I wonder if the coaching staff is going to ask him to run a bit less this year. Remember, CK didn't play a full season and didn't get all the bumps and bruises that go with being a running NFL QB. SF got lucky with injuries and they had Alex Smith as a capable backup...I'm not sure they want to risk that again, especially if teams show a willingness to hit CK early and often in games.

I've said before that CK can't continue to do what he did last year. It was lightning in a bottle. There was one hit in the NFCC game in particular where he took a lick from an LB after a good run, got up, and screamed or flexed or something. Bravado, but a couple more of those and he'll be getting up a lot more slowly.

6'4" 230lbs is a lot different than 5'10" 200lbs, he's not an RB and he can not take the pounding.

[Patler]

I've said before that CK can't continue to do what he did last year. It was lightning in a bottle. There was one hit in the NFCC game in particular where he took a lick from an LB after a good run, got up, and screamed or flexed or something. Bravado, but a couple more of those and he'll be getting up a lot more slowly.

6'4" 230lbs is a lot different than 5'10" 200lbs, he's not an RB and he can not take the pounding.

Especially if he continues showing them up after the hits. He will invite even harder hits.

[bobblehead]

I think they are waiting for you to tell us why 2 NFL playoff teams refused to take your advice and focus 3 guys on the give and instead sent someone running at CK to force the give? They seemed to decide that they would much rather have Gore with the ball than Kapernick.

I disagree. They simply dedicated someone to Kapernick so he CHOSE the give. We dedicated no one to him so he ran for 181 yards, mostly without contact.

[bobblehead]

I think they are waiting for you to tell us why 2 NFL playoff teams refused to take your advice and focus 3 guys on the give and instead sent someone running at CK to force the give? They seemed to decide that they would much rather have Gore with the ball than Kapernick.

Sorry, skimming and not reading fully. You are basically correct. They didn't leave him free to roam.

[bobblehead]

Keep the outside contain. Walden AND Matthews got washed inside too often. Let Gore do his damage - or Montee Ball - but try to limit that damage with active, physical linemen and inside linebackers. Outside linebackers bottle up Kaepernick, period. That way you reduce their options from three to two.

I am not even worried about Gore in that scenario. When our OLB's stayed put we "contained" AP. It didn't hurt that their QB couldn't throw a rock in the ocean from a boat, but our guys in the middle stuffed Minnesota's OL in both games. They handled SF's OL as well....but they did so with some help, namely both OLB's that kept crashing in play after play after play after.....Its a good thing I put the guns away due to kids in the house during that game.

[rbaloha1]

Sorry, skimming and not reading fully. You are basically correct. They didn't leave him free to roam.

The Falcons lost the game.

They used your advice and lost the game.

[rbaloha1]

Only if you want the 49ers to score 70. If they can learn to stop CK first, as he did the bulk of the damage, then its time to worry about the give. Given how the subsequent 2 games went, CK has to be the focus first. And I am sure 49ers are working now to take advantage of teams will do to emulate the Falcons and Ravens efforts to stop Kapernick.

Ah! Gotcha. You can mostly ignore my previous comment, as I see what you want to do is have an X's and O's discussion. Not considering myself to be knowledgeable enough to do that, I will bow out and let you guys go at it!

Not calling you out again but it would be nice to stick your wisdom especially when you never played defense attempting to defend option.

[rbaloha1]

Especially if he continues showing them up after the hits. He will invite even harder hits.

espn demonstrated a CK protector -- walker blows up anyone attempting to hit CK

[rbaloha1]

I think they are waiting for you to tell us why 2 NFL playoff teams refused to take your advice and focus 3 guys on the give and instead sent someone running at CK to force the give? They seemed to decide that they would much rather have Gore with the ball than Kapernick.

THIS JUST IN -- THE FALCONS LOST THE GAME.

PLEASE STICK TO YOUR OWN ADVICE -- THANK YOU