Lombardi: 49ers "toughest challenge" for Pats

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Lombardi: 49ers 'toughest challenge' for Pats

 

[pdangle]

Lombardi: 49ers 'toughest challenge' for Pats

No Duh'. They're the second best team in the NFL. So I guess I agree. Should be a good game, getting excited already. For most teams I'd be worried of a letdown after a big HOU type game. But, I'm sure the Pats are looking at this as a big two game block, so I doubt we see that here. Although 5 days rest will surely hurt, as will the travel for SF (but I wish it was an early 1pm game).

Get ready to ruummmble!

 

[BB4PRez]

I still think the Giants are the hardest challenge for the Pats. The Giants just seem be the team a team that is tough to line up against for the Pats.

edited to add - I see the 49ers game like a lot of the old Ravens games. I can see the Pats losing but think it is more likely the win in what is for them a relatively low scoring and physical game.

 

[FirstAndGoal]

49ers defense is fast, hard hitting, and their front 7 can cause damage. This is going to be a battle for the Patriots.

 

[JJDChE]

I still think the Giants are the hardest challenge for the Pats. The Giants just seem be the team a team that is tough to line up against for the Pats.

The Giants are 27th in yards allowed per carry.

Mr. Tuck, meet Mr. Ridley. POW!!!

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

their D is a very tough challenge..O not so much


A light snow on sunday night with brady playing? i like our odds

 

[dales804]

No Duh'. They're the second best team in the NFL. So I guess I agree. Should be a good game, getting excited already. For most teams I'd be worried of a letdown after a big HOU type game. But, I'm sure the Pats are looking at this as a big two game block, so I doubt we see that here. Although 5 days rest will surely hurt, as will the travel for SF (but I wish it was an early 1pm game).

Get ready to ruummmble!

I think they are. Did you see the locker room clip after the Texans game? In it Brady tells one of his teammates, "big one next week, too, and equally important." I am confident he will be ready for, presumably, their toughest challenge yet.

 

[Dodie]

That's what everybody said about Texans, me too. Brady can light up 49ers too with good game plan and practice. Anyway, I want to see this year's team against the Giants. With healthy Gronk and Hernandez in the playoffs we should win the SB.

 

[whoartthou]

the toughest challenge for the giants is and will always be the giants, especially with eli manning and tom coughlin at helm

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

their D is a very tough challenge..O not so much


A light snow on sunday night with brady playing? i like our odds

For the 9er D, no doubt they are stout, one of the most if not the most stout. I doubt we will run too much on them. But here is the passing O's the 9er D has faced over the last 5 games: Phins, Rams, Saints, Bears, Rams. 4 mostly poor passing teams and a good Saints passing team. Looking at that game, the Saints had 3 drives of approx. 80 yards that consisted of 8, 10 and 12 plays that resulted in TDs. While the 9ers generally did a good job with the Saints, giving up 3 80 yard drives doesn't tell me the 9er D is impervious. Now will we move the ball on them?? We'll find out Sunday...

IMHO the 9er O is more enigma than "not so much". I think this game starts and all but ends with how much our D makes CK throw the ball. The Patriots run D needs to do to the 9ers what they did to the Texans rushing game (but this time it includes keeping CK from rushing for big chunks of yards). The Patriots do that and the OL gives TFB time? The Patriots win this game. If we let CK break out for some runs and the 9er pass rush is hitting/rushing TFB too frequently? We'll lose. Fortunately it looks like the top line OL is going to get a second game in a row intact. That's a positive sign....

 

[mayoclinic]

The toughest challenge for the Pats by far is always the next one. Right now that happens to be the 49ers. Last week it was Houston.

 

[Chopblock CB]

Of course the game is going to be a challenge.DUH!!..every game begins that way and ends that way. One thing I have faith in is that the Patriots coaching staff has been devising a game plan for weeks now. Brady is facing his hometown team he rooted for as a kid and the same team that passed him bye in the draft. Brady has played his hometown team once and I believe beat them 21-7 in Gillette on the last game of the 2005 season...the last season they won a SB. Then you hear that he started on this game after the Thanksgiving Day game against the Jets.....and you don't think he's up for this..you don't think that his team mates don't know the importance of this game. This is Foxborough.....I'm willing to bet that the Pats totally blow out this team while blowing the minds of the Nations media...imagine back to back blowouts of top ranked teams....then add the weather...Brady even in a light snow changing to rain.....I'll take that any day....

 

[ivanvamp]

The Giants are 27th in yards allowed per carry.

Mr. Tuck, meet Mr. Ridley. POW!!!

Statistically, I would agree with you - the Pats should roll over the Giants.

Unfortunately, it never seems to work out that way in reality.

I think the 49ers will present a major challenge, but I think the Pats are more than up to the task. Pats win, 24-20.

 

[RIpats88]

I think I would be more scared of them offensively if Alex Smith was playing IMO...he doesnt make too many mistakes and we saw that when he needed to(the saints game) he can keep up with opposing offenses.

for all I hear about CK being a "more dynamic player" Belichick seems to do very well against rookies....one or two rookie mistakes could be all it takes for the Pats to take advantage.

the one thing i'm scared about is our offense vs. their defense...the key is going to be OL play IMO...if they can keep brady relatively clean I think he can light up just about ANY defense

 

[Chopblock CB]

I think I would be more scared of them offensively if Alex Smith was playing IMO...he doesnt make too many mistakes and we saw that when he needed to(the saints game) he can keep up with opposing offenses.

for all I hear about CK being a "more dynamic player" Belichick seems to do very well against rookies....one or two rookie mistakes could be all it takes for the Pats to take advantage.

the one thing i'm scared about is our offense vs. their defense...the key is going to be OL play IMO...if they can keep brady relatively clean I think he can light up just about ANY defense

My expectation is that BB and Brady have devised a gameplan that will neutralize the Niners D and slow them down....

 

[Claremonster]

the toughest challenge for the giants is and will always be the giants, especially with their front seven at helm

Fixed for accuracy.

 

[patfanken]

I know its become fashionable to dump on Lombardi, but I'm surprised no one has commented on the 2 incredibly insightful points he made that I haven't heard from anyone else all week.

1. That, while the Niners want to let you have the "illusion" of a balanced offense. Their goal is to run the ball, and Kaepernick allows them to do that so much better.

2. Their OL ranks 28th in holding calls, and 28th in sacks allowed. That's not a coincidence. As good as they are in the run game,. that's how bad an OL they are in the pass game. Quite simply they have trouble when they drop back and pass. And if they have to do it more than 30 tiimes, on Sunday, they will be in trouble.

Look at the 4 games Kaepernick has started. In the 3 wins he never had to throw the ball more than 25 times. The only times he's thrown the ball over 30 times (and it was only 32) was in the one loss he had.....and even then he only had 206 yds. In fact he's never had more than 250 yds in any start. Hell, that used to be a good half for a lot of QB's going against the Pats secondary in "the bad old days" .

No Kaepernick is in there because he adds another running dimension to an already great running attack. He got the job because the OL can't pass block and he's capable of ripping off 50+ yd runs on a regular basis Plus it doesn't hurt that he seems to be fairly accurate in the short game, and takes good care of the ball (so far)

To me that's great coaching by Harbaugh to recognize the strengths and limitations of his team. It makes his switching QB's make much more sense. Kaepernick looks like he always was the QB of the future for the Niners, and eventually they could fix the flaws in the offense and he could develop into a great one. But for tomorrow night....I'm betting BB will have a great plan for him. Whether the players can execute it is another story. It would be a horrible indictment of the Pats secondary if Kaepernick rips off a 300+ yd passing game. It would be a big step back

In any event those are 2 great insights by Lombari, which I haven't heard anywhere else. As much as I hate to give D&C a click, it was worth the listen

 

[mayoclinic]

I know its become fashionable to dump on Lombardi, but I'm surprised no one has commented on the 2 incredibly insightful points he made that I haven't heard from anyone else all week.

1. That, while the Niners want to let you have the "illusion" of a balanced offense. Their goal is to run the ball, and Kaepernick allows them to do that so much better.

2. Their OL ranks 28th in holding calls, and 28th in sacks allowed. That's not a coincidence. As good as they are in the run game,. that's how bad an OL they are in the pass game. Quite simply they have trouble when they drop back and pass. And if they have to do it more than 30 tiimes, on Sunday, they will be in trouble.

I commented on both of those points, FWIW. The first one several times.

 

[RIpats88]

I think defensively you hope the Niners try and go ground and pound on us...if our front 7 can shut down the Run(like we did to arian foster) it will put the Niners in alot of tough 3rd and long positions where you can just pin your tails back and rush the passer...you put their QB in uncomfortable situations to have to make tough throws to beat you.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

fill the box..stop the run..make kap throw it 30+ times..if he beats you..so be it..but don't let gore get 4.5 ypc