SF can they really win the NFC West?

[Kensat30]

Unless Alex Smith shows that the 49ers can throw the ball consistently, the Niners will not win the division. They can't rely on Frank Gore to carry them every game. Their defense seems good enough up to this point, but they need to be able to throw the ball. 254 yards in 2 games against opponents not known for their pass defenses is very alarming.

Sunday will be a big test for Smith. I guarantee the Steelers will contain Gore; they haven't let a player run for over 100 yards since 2005. If Smith comes through, they might have a chance to keep the game close assuming their defense plays well enough. But the Niners won't be able to throw for 150 yards and win every week.

Missed the Arizona game?

2:58 left in the 4th quarter. Down by 4. Ball on the SF 14. Alex Smith SINGLE-HANDEDLY carries the team on his back to victory. 6/10 with 60 yards passing in less than 2 minutes. 25 yard run on 4th down. Finding the open man at the goalline for the win (nice recovery Jackson BTW). The only play that Smith wasn't involved in was the Battle reverse to seal it, but you better believe Arizona was looking for a bootleg on that play.

[bobbing_headz]

I don't doubt Smith's ability but the loss of Norv Turner appears to have hurt the team pretty bad. The talent is there but it's not being utilised. Both games so far have been totally conservative on offensive which kinda makes me mad. As for the D, they have a very underrated secondary with what I'd call one of the top 5 corner tandems in the league. The loss of Lawson won't help them though. I still think their D is good enough to win them the division as none of their rivals are great. Zona has been not good and SF already beat them. Seattle has likewise been underperforming and lost to 'Zona. And the Rams have lost Pace and their offense has gone way down.

[steelerfan513]

Unless Alex Smith shows that the 49ers can throw the ball consistently, the Niners will not win the division. They can't rely on Frank Gore to carry them every game. Their defense seems good enough up to this point, but they need to be able to throw the ball. 254 yards in 2 games against opponents not known for their pass defenses is very alarming.

Sunday will be a big test for Smith. I guarantee the Steelers will contain Gore; they haven't let a player run for over 100 yards since 2005. If Smith comes through, they might have a chance to keep the game close assuming their defense plays well enough. But the Niners won't be able to throw for 150 yards and win every week.

Missed the Arizona game?

2:58 left in the 4th quarter. Down by 4. Ball on the SF 14. Alex Smith SINGLE-HANDEDLY carries the team on his back to victory. 6/10 with 60 yards passing in less than 2 minutes. 25 yard run on 4th down. Finding the open man at the goalline for the win (nice recovery Jackson BTW). The only play that Smith wasn't involved in was the Battle reverse to seal it, but you better believe Arizona was looking for a bootleg on that play.

Yes, I heard about that game, and I also recall that he has thrown for the second fewest yards in the NFL. I never said that he can't throw the ball at all, just that he can't do it with consistency. That's what will kill them on Sunday against Pittsburgh; the Steelers haven't allowed a 100 yard rusher since 2005, so Smith will have to do much more than put together one great drive.

[Fantasy Man 27]

I like the Niners to win the West this year. With their improved defense, and an offense as talented as theirs, there is a lot to be excited about.

[danielgreen091]

What did the consus end up being here?

[JasonSeahorn]

What did the consus end up being here?

niners have a good chance to win the nfc west.

playoffs? good chance

super bowl? give it some time.

[Munboy]

I think the team that sucks the least will win.

That could be any team in that division. Right now, the 9ers have the worst O in the league and that won't improve any against a revitalized Steeler D. Not going to get far without a good O. Out of the 4 teams, I think Arizona has the best chance at winning the division.

[biju]

LOL, i laugh at the response above...not surprised coming from a Seahawks homer...and regardless of how SF has gotten its wins, they're still 2-0. I just love how you come out with such authority, for example "Uh no...they haven't been good they've just been lucky" and "I think Seattle is the team to beat...SF has had mediocre success thus far and losing Turner wasn't helpful for them. I think they have a solid shot next year, but not this year." For one, we have a better defense than Seattle does. And obviously, defense alone can't win games MOST of the time, but they allow the offense to squeak out just enough points for a win. That said, once the offense clicks, SF is a much better team than Seattle. You can't say "mediocre success" and "unbeaten" in the same sentence. And as for losing Norv Turner...San Diego 1-1, San Francisco 2-0. Sure, call it a tough schedule for San Diego, but their talent pool is much better than SF's and should make up for that...if Norv has that many weapons to work with, shouldn't he be doing better? I mean if you think about it this way, if he's having mediocre success with a San Diego team more talented than San Francisco, then he might be outright flopping if he were still in San Francisco. Bottom line is Seattle has proved NOTHING thus far to warrant it the title of "the team to beat" over San Francisco.

Does anyone else see this as funny considering that SF has a better record than Seattle, in a sport where ONE game makes or breaks a playoff chance? Sure the same can be said for baseball or basketball, but in football one lost game can mean everything, more so than the other two. Come on, i understand loyalty, but do try to be modest in your knocks on other teams ESPECIALLY when your own team is doing worse than the ones you're knocking on.

Anyways, even as a Niner fan i didn't pick us to win the NFC West this year. I put our ceiling up as a 10-6 team, in the thick of it with both Seattle and St. Louis, perhaps losing out on a division title due to tiebreakers. But if our defense continues to play the way it does, and Alex Smith at least ATTEMPTS some kind of passing game with Gore anchoring us, then i give us a legitimate shot...at the division title, and perhaps a very good shot at a wild card spot....playing Pittsburgh this week is going to be a sure test of where this team might be headed in the future.

It's cute when the SF fans get all excited at the 2-0 start. In two more weeks you're going to be 2-2 and we'll revisit this thread, I promise.

I'm back.

Go ahead and say that it would have made a difference if Alex Smith was in the game. Come back with a "if Vernon Davis wasn't hurt..." comment.

This team has no offense and aren't close to ready to win the NFC West.

[grover99]

LOL, i laugh at the response above...not surprised coming from a Seahawks homer...and regardless of how SF has gotten its wins, they're still 2-0. I just love how you come out with such authority, for example "Uh no...they haven't been good they've just been lucky" and "I think Seattle is the team to beat...SF has had mediocre success thus far and losing Turner wasn't helpful for them. I think they have a solid shot next year, but not this year." For one, we have a better defense than Seattle does. And obviously, defense alone can't win games MOST of the time, but they allow the offense to squeak out just enough points for a win. That said, once the offense clicks, SF is a much better team than Seattle. You can't say "mediocre success" and "unbeaten" in the same sentence. And as for losing Norv Turner...San Diego 1-1, San Francisco 2-0. Sure, call it a tough schedule for San Diego, but their talent pool is much better than SF's and should make up for that...if Norv has that many weapons to work with, shouldn't he be doing better? I mean if you think about it this way, if he's having mediocre success with a San Diego team more talented than San Francisco, then he might be outright flopping if he were still in San Francisco. Bottom line is Seattle has proved NOTHING thus far to warrant it the title of "the team to beat" over San Francisco.

Does anyone else see this as funny considering that SF has a better record than Seattle, in a sport where ONE game makes or breaks a playoff chance? Sure the same can be said for baseball or basketball, but in football one lost game can mean everything, more so than the other two. Come on, i understand loyalty, but do try to be modest in your knocks on other teams ESPECIALLY when your own team is doing worse than the ones you're knocking on.

Anyways, even as a Niner fan i didn't pick us to win the NFC West this year. I put our ceiling up as a 10-6 team, in the thick of it with both Seattle and St. Louis, perhaps losing out on a division title due to tiebreakers. But if our defense continues to play the way it does, and Alex Smith at least ATTEMPTS some kind of passing game with Gore anchoring us, then i give us a legitimate shot...at the division title, and perhaps a very good shot at a wild card spot....playing Pittsburgh this week is going to be a sure test of where this team might be headed in the future.

It's cute when the SF fans get all excited at the 2-0 start. In two more weeks you're going to be 2-2 and we'll revisit this thread, I promise.

I'm back.

Go ahead and say that it would have made a difference if Alex Smith was in the game. Come back with a "if Vernon Davis wasn't hurt..." comment.

This team has no offense and aren't close to ready to win the NFC West.

Now I know I am a niners homer, so my opinion might be biased. But if you are getting excited about that win, you have some problems. The niner's offense really couldn't have played any worse, and the seahawks didn't do very much on offense. I still think they(the 49ers) can win the west, but I don't think any team from the west is going to be a legit contender to win a super bowl.

[biju]

Now I know I am a niners homer, so my opinion might be biased. But if you are getting excited about that win, you have some problems. The niner's offense really couldn't have played any worse, and the seahawks didn't do very much on offense. I still think they(the 49ers) can win the west, but I don't think any team from the west is going to be a legit contender to win a super bowl.

Wait.

49ers fans can't have it both ways. Just two weeks ago you guys were excited about going 2-0 having just beat the St. Louis Rams. So which is it? Are you happy with any win, or is it only when your team wins because St. Louis officially does not count as a team that played you guys well. Maybe the 49ers offense was terrible because the Seahawks game plan was exactly what every non-9ers fan has been saying: stop Frank Gore from running all over you and you're probably going to win the game because San Francisco has no passing game.

And if the 49ers had won this game would you be saying nobody from the NFC West is a legitimate Superbowl contender? I doubt it. I don't blame you guys for being mad about losing today. I was mad as hell last year when you came into Seattle and beat us. But I think trivializing today's win is selling the Seahawks short. We owned you guys today, just admit it.