49ers haven't forgotten Saints' blitz exhibition
 

Five months after the fact, an NFL preseason game could actually mean something.

On the cusp of the franchise's first playoff game in nine years, the 49ers can look back to August and savor memories of the sucker punches their offense took in New Orleans. They shouldn't need extra motivation for Saturday's showdown, but after the unexpected menu of blitzes the Saints served up in the exhibition, the 49ers carried their pride home in a doggie bag.

Who could blame them if they want to take that package and re-gift it after the holidays?

The defense could administer the most fitting payback, hitting Drew Brees at every opportunity, just as the Saints mauled Alex Smith in August or, even better, as thoroughly as New Orleans battered Brett Favre with repeated knockdowns after the throw in the NFC title game two years ago.

But Brees' protection tends to be impregnable and, besides, this particular fight belongs to the 49ers' offense. At this point, it might be prudent for every blocker on the team to play coy, embracing the concept of bygones. Joe Staley tried to get on board with that plan, but he couldn't help telling the truth. He admitted that New Orleans had disturbed him by violating an exhibition protocol that discourages blitzing.

"(On) the sidelines, we're like, 'They're blitzing every play. We have a week and a half of the offense (installed) right now.' So we weren't expecting that, no," he said. "... Watching the film, it was a great learning tool. ... But yeah, I was a little bit, a little upset about it."



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That's reading into stuff too much. It doesn't matter what happened in preseason on either side. Who cares? This game will be decided differently from that time period.

I agree, preseason means nothing. But we didn't write that article....

Exactly... look at the source.

If you have to use a preseason game to motivate a higher level of performance, sadness should reign in your locker room.

Maybe they should realise that the preseason is still a football game and try to stop us, they deserved to get smacked around because they couldn't stop us

Im glad they haven't forgetten, Alex may still be scared...

i pointed out to a friend who's a 49er fan on facebook last night that Drew Brees as many TD's in his past 4 games as Alex Smith has all season (17).

Amazing!

He also has not thrown a 300 yd game, has 7 fumbles, and was sacked 44 times.

Maybe the 9'ers should blitz Brees every play for some payback! I would like to see that truthfully. Leaves our recievers with 1 on 1's, screen passes, shuffle pass, draws, then after the game as" Hairball " how that worked out, he will tell ya'"not so good." Revenge has a double edge!!