Patriots-49ers (Don't Break Your Promise)...

Hey guys -- long time no talk to. I decided to pop my head over here today because PatsFanNH popped his head in at Seahawks.net this week and boldly promised that the Patriots WOULD help out the Seahawks Sunday night by beating the 49ers.

If the Patriots DO knock off the Niners tonight ... and we beat the Bills today at the Rogers Centre (as I expect to happen) ... that would set up a titanic showdown -- Seahawks-49ers AT Century Link Field for the Division lead next Sunday. In case you didn't already know, NBC has already responded by flexing that game to Sunday Night next week. THAT would be an absolutely crazy atmosphere IF that happens.

So, just a couple of thoughts on today's game against the 49ers for you guys (as I obviously see them quite a bit):

1) I realize that the Patriots Rush Defense is pretty good. I thought OURS (Seahawks) was pretty good as well going in to our Week 7 Match-up vs. the Niners. In fact, we had the #1 Rush Defense ... and ended up giving up 175 yards on the ground. I didn't realize quite HOW GOOD their offensive line had become. Iupati, Davis, and crew are monsters up front -- Kyle Love, Vince Wilfork and crew have got to be ready to get physical. They not only manhandled us ... but they made the Bears defense look slow and old. Be ready for them and their wham blocking scheme.

2) At the same time, don't be over-aggressive on defense. On many occasions, Frank Gore was able to pop free on Trap Plays right up the middle because they caught Seattle in blitz situations ... and he ran right through a wide open hole that the defender had just vacated. I recognized exactly what SF was doing because those were virtually identical to the same kind of trap plays we used to gash teams on under Holmgren's offense. I would preach gap control, gap control, gap control. Defenders have got to stay in their lanes -- otherwise, it's going to be a wide open freeway for the RB's. The Rams were able to beat this team (from what I can tell) because they were able to do exactly that.

3) Despite what the stats might indicate, Kaepernick isn't much more of a game manager than Alex Smith is -- a little more mobile and definitely a better arm, but basically, that's who he is. He can be pressured and when he is ... he can get rattled and be ineffective just like most QBs. The thing to watch for with Kaepernick is that he's very mobile. This guy has actually been one of the 49ers leading rushers the past few games.

4) Defensively, as I'm sure you guys know, these guys are for real. Justin Smith, Aldon Smith, and crew are great at closing down running lanes and making it very difficult to pass protect. That linebacking corp, led by Novorro Bowman, Patrick Willis, and Aldon Smith might just be the best in football. They are very fast to the football and Smith has been a terror to opposing QB's this year. Dashon Goldson, Carlos Rogers, and the rest of the secondary (like the entire defense) are very physical defenders. They will get right up in the receivers face, jam, and can run stride for stride with receivers. The Patriots offense is the perfect weapon vs. these guys (as you have so many weapons) ... but they are 2nd in Passing Yards/Allowed (only 184.7/Game) for a reason. These guys can play.

I wish you guys the best of luck today. No welching on your promise there PatsFanNH -- K?

PS: Any thoughts on the Bills today? I wrote up an extensive Preview on them which I believe (or at least hope) is fairly accurate.

PPS: My wholehearted condolences to the families and the victims this week of the Newton, CT shooting this week. My prayers (and the prayers of many other faithful believers out here) are with you.

Alright! We did our part ... BOY DID We ever today! NOW, can you guys do the fans and players of Seattle a favor tonight and do yours?

Lets go Patriots! (clap, clap, clap, clap, clap) Lets go Patriots! (clap, clap, clap, clap, clap)

Whooo! Whooo!

Seahawks look great. I've been saying for a while that you guys are good, and should be considered one of the challengers in the NFC. I think that just as we're a much better team than we we played you week 6, so are you guys - the way the offense has evolved has been terrific - and I think that you will be a handful for the 49ers to handle on the road next week, and a tough matchup in the playoffs. I'd love to clear the way for you to get the NFCW title, and I'd love to get a SB rematch. U mad bro?

If you let us borrow Sidney Rice we'll be more than happy to accommodate you

PATSYLICIOUS said:

If you let us borrow Sidney Rice we'll be more than happy to accommodate you

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I'm more interested in borrowing him if we play Seattle again.

......whew!

PATSYLICIOUS said:

If you let us borrow Sidney Rice we'll be more than happy to accommodate you

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If I were Carroll I WOULD have lent you guys Sidney Rice -- problem is I think that Richard Sherman would have been far more helpful to ya. Now THAT would have been a scene wouldn't it (he and Brady hugs all around).

*Sigh* You know that feeling that you guys have right now? That's exactly the same feeling that we Seahawks fans had back in Week 7. That 49ers team is a frustrating unit, huh? In so many ways they look and feel so beatable when you're playing them ... and then, somehow some way they gash you. I know ... I know. My condolences. A Pats victory would have made next week a lot of fun, but as it is, we'll have to make winning a Wild Card spot our goal.

Hawkscanner said:

If I were Carroll I WOULD have lent you guys Sidney Rice -- problem is I think that Richard Sherman would have been far more helpful to ya. Now THAT would have been a scene wouldn't it (he and Brady hugs all around).

*Sigh* You know that feeling that you guys have right now? That's exactly the same feeling that we Seahawks fans had back in Week 7. That 49ers team is a frustrating unit, huh? In so many ways they look and feel so beatable when you're playing them ... and then, somehow some way they gash you. I know ... I know. My condolences. A Pats victory would have made next week a lot of fun, but as it is, we'll have to make winning a Wild Card spot our goal.

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NO disrespect to the Miners ~ for whom I had MUCH Respect, even before tonight ~ but I think there's a DISTINCT possibility that your boys and ours won't need to wait 4 years for a ReMatch.

mayoclinic said:

Seahawks look great. I've been saying for a while that you guys are good, and should be considered one of the challengers in the NFC. I think that just as we're a much better team than we we played you week 6, so are you guys - the way the offense has evolved has been terrific - and I think that you will be a handful for the 49ers to handle on the road next week, and a tough matchup in the playoffs. I'd love to clear the way for you to get the NFCW title, and I'd love to get a SB rematch. U mad bro?

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You're absolutely right -- the Seahawks offense has crawled up out of the Primordial Ooze and is now one of the true monsters in the NFL. Now, I know the Cardinals are hands down the worst team in football ... and the Bills -- MAN that's a horrible team ... but still, that Seahawks offense right now is clicking on all cylinders. One of the commentators in the Cardinals game said it best, "Seattle has the look of a team that is going to be very dangerous in the playoffs." And (even trying my best to take off my homer glasses) he's absolutely right.

The Patriots-Seahawks game was really a breakout game for Russell Wilson. Up until that point, Pete Carroll flat out admitted that they were dialing back the offense -- not wanting to put too much on his plate, as they didn't want to burden a rookie QB down with having to win the game himself. That drove Seahawks fans nuts, as the playcalling was very conservative at that point in time. However, going in to that Chicago game Carroll said that there were now no restrictions on Wilson -- and man, has it shown. I know that you guys don't get to see him all that much, but do you realize what he's doing? Wilson has 21 TD's on the season to only 9 INT's. He is only 5 TD Passes away from tying the All Time TD Record by a Rookie QB that Peyton Manning set back in 1998. That Read Option that the Seahawks run for him has done wonders. For those who are interested -- here is an interesting little nugget. Jim Moore (one of the sports radio talk show hosts in Seattle) asked Marshawn Lynch about the Read Option. Lynch admitted to him that when Wilson runs the Read Option ... he has no idea whether or not it's going to be a run or a pass. Wilson may hand him the ball ... or not -- it's completely spontaneous. With his scrambling ability and the ability to make plays on the run, Wilson has become extremely tough to defend. As a player, he reminds me a lot of Fran Tarkenton. National experts are now starting to talk about him as being a serious candidate for Rookie of the Year ... and he most certainly should be.

I expect the Seahawks to make the playoffs and if they are still playing the way they are right now, they will be hard to beat. I sincerely hope we get the chance to meet you guys in New Orleans. That would be fun to see how that plays out.

Sorry about the Niners tonight -- but don't feel too bad. They've been doing that to everybody. Good luck to the Patriots the rest of the way. Hopefully we'll meet again in the SB.