NFL 2025

[Cooperman]

Milton Williams demonstrating why hes worth every penny of his contract. Surprising performance by the D nevertheless. I hope we play Shyttsburg. We turned the ball over 5 times and it was still a one score game earlier in the season. Unfinished business.

In case anyone missed it.

EDIT: I responded to the wrong post.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2010502574516900333

 

[FearOfAJackPlanet]

Quite a weekend. I didn't watch all the games, but I managed to catch the 4th Quarter of the first 3, and wowzers, what a treat. I think they set a record for number of 4th quarter lead changes in the play-offs, all of the teams leading at the 2 minute warning lost in those first 3 I think (Carolina/Rams, Packers/Bears, Jags/Bills). The 49ers were the first to actually stick the lead through the final 2 mins.

After those fun games, Sham's Pats bored us all by comprehensively snuffing out the Chargers and I have a feeling the Texans might do the same to the Steelers tonight, but I guess you never know in the play-offs.

 

[JackFish]

I'm not quite sure how they pulled that off to be honest. It may have as much to do with the Eagles offence being poor as the Niners doing well.

Now that Hurts doesn't seem to want to take off running as much, he holds that offence back. You could see the difference between him and Purdy. Their stats make it look like they performed at a similar level, but most of his completions were relatively short and safe despite having ridiculous time to throw thanks to the Niners non-existent pass rush. He still overthrew some easy passes and was extremely inaccurate when he went long.

Purdy threw two interceptions because he has a gunslinger mentality (and also fumbled at the end of the first half because he tried to get more yards for a field goal try rather than getting out of bounds quickly), but also made more game-changing throws. People see him as a steady game manager type made to look good by Kyle's system. It's true that having an offensive guru as coach will help significantly, but Purdy is a boom or bust quarterback who will try things that gives Shanahan kittens.

I really can't see us taking down the Seahawks in Seattle. It's insane that we've got this far when we're down the best linebacker in the league, a top 10 DE, our Number 1 and 2 wideouts, starting the 6th and 7th different linebackers this season, etc. Now add on losing the best TE in the league and it looks like an impossible task against a team that are possibly the best in the NFL.

If we do lose next weekend as I predict, I hope the Bills win it all. Allen is a great player and their Superbowl heartbreak is well known, as Sham said above. Bears would be the next best. I'd love to see Ryans win it with the Texans, but that seems improbable.

If I was putting money on it, I'd predict Bears v Seahawks and Bills v Patriots in the Championship games, with a Bills v Seahawks Superbowl. Unfortunately I'd also have to predict that it will be a Seahawks win.

Totally agree with pretty much all of that. Shanahan and Salah have done an amazing job of getting the niners this far, as you say without Ayiuk, Pearsall, Kittle, Warner and Bosa, as well as a host of other linebackers.

I suspect Seattle will prove too strong for us as well, they've definitely been the standout team in the NFL this season, although at least Trent is back for this one which was a big miss in the game last weekend where we couldn't give Purdy any protection at all.

 

[Captain_Sham]

Smack down on Shyttsburg. Sadly I feel this is where our remarkable jopurney ends. Chargers had the No1 pass D (AFC)as evidenced by Mayes shaky performance. He found the end zone eventually though.
Houston have the No 1 D full stop. They are scary. The win last night was certainly not on their offence. Stroud was horrible. I think Maye hits the buffers but what a first FULL season. I know he played a few games last season but we hit the jackpot with Drake. I stand by my prediction that the s/b winner will be from the NFC. My only prediction is that I dont think it will be Seattle. I put them in the same catagory as Denver, who are the worst No 1 seed in my memory.(In my defence, I havent payed as much attention to the NFC and so I may be doing Seattle a disservice, and in all honesty, Denver as well- I just dont like Denver,They are our playoff kryptonite)

 

[JackSomething]

Totally agree with pretty much all of that. Shanahan and Salah have done an amazing job of getting the niners this far, as you say without Ayiuk, Pearsall, Kittle, Warner and Bosa, as well as a host of other linebackers.

I suspect Seattle will prove too strong for us as well, they've definitely been the standout team in the NFL this season, although at least Trent is back for this one which was a big miss in the game last weekend where we couldn't give Purdy any protection at all.

It would be a stunning result if the beaten-up sixth seed defeats the one seed, on a short week against a well-rested and far less injury hit team. I'm expecting a comfortable Seahawks victory.

If the Niners somehow win this game, the closest comparison I can think of would be the 2011 Giants. They were injury-hit and scraped into the playoffs at 9-7, earning the 4th seed because the NFC East was putrid that year. They then beat the 5th, 1st and 2nd seeds before ending the Pats unbeaten season in a game featuring the 'Helmet Catch'.

Big difference would be that they got the majority of their injured players back for the Playoffs, while the 49ers are just getting more and more beaten up.