thebdj

As everybody always does, we looked at the schedule for this season before Week 1 and passed comments on how 'strong' it was. As always, this soon becomes a complete waste of time once the season gets underway and we see which teams have got better, which have got worse and who starts getting decimated by injury.

There was one thing that kept getting mentioned time and time again. A 3 game spell in particular, that would ultimately decide the fate of the season, the fate of any potential seeding and would serve as, in many pundits eyes, the nail in the coffin of any playoff run for the Saints.

Week 11 - 49ers@Saints

Week 12 - Saints@Falcons

Week 13 - Saints@Seahawks

I started the season dreading this little run of games. However, through only 3 weeks I am rather looking forward to it!

The 49ers are in absolute disarray at the moment. They have gone from an NFC winning cert (I appreciate some teams may disagree with that but I am taking a pundits look at this) to a complete mess in just 3 weeks. 1-2 is hardly something they cannot come back from but they are already 2.5 games back on the Seahawks and have a horrendous short week this week until they face the Rams in St. Louis who are not going to be a pushover. Their lack of WR options is obvious for all to see and teams have started to get the measure of the read-option and of Colin Kaepernick. Aldon Smith is a player who has gone from potential single season sack record holder to rebel without a clue and is now out indefinitely. Willis is hurting. The secondary is not at all intimidating.

The Falcons look equally horrible right now. Another pre-season NFC Championship game 'cert'. Superbowl or bust they said. Well things are looking more bust than Dolly Parton at a Wonderbra convention right now. Their running game is doing enough to get by but is not stellar. Roddy White is obviously injured and is doing nothing. Tony Gonzalez may have taken it a season too far and Julio Jones cannot continue carrying the team. The O-Line has more holes than a golf course and the defence has no potency and poses little threat. Yes this is a divisional game. Yes it is a rival game. But it's looking like a good time to play the Falcons.

The Seahawks are good. Real good. And they are backing it up. But let's not anoint them as Superbowl Winners just yet. They are the only one of these 3 teams that concerns me and they have so many complete parts in play. We also have to go to their house. But let's look at them through 3 games. A less than convincing win against a mediocre Panthers side. A blowout win against the 49ers who, through 3 games are looking poor. A ridiculous win against a Jaguars team who have all the parts in place to go 0-16. Let's see how they fare against a couple of the better teams just yet.

Suffice to say, any pre-season concerns I had about us hitting 10-6 and assuring a playoff position have been allayed as of right now. I had us penned in as 11-5 for the season and winning the NFC South on tie-break. As things stand, I see it as a 13-3 or better season with the only issue at the moment being whether we get HomeField advantage. I am much more confident than I was.

SmashMouth

A real tough stretch nevertheless...

Boutte

9ers are still a super talented and I expect them to turn it around and be a real threat.

I feel sick just saying that.

homerj07

Any given Sunday.

We have a decided tendency to play down to some of the lesser competition.

I would think we will be "up" for the Clowns & Whiners. The Jags scored 17 on the Sea Gulls yesterday, so...

We have the ability to win or lose every game. The talent is here.

The Dude

Yea the 9ers are no joke. That defense has the talent to stop anyone in the league. Their offense can click at any moment. At the very least they will beat some very good teams.

lee909

The 9ers are really missing Crabtree.
His ability to stretch the field gave more room for Gore to run.Once he gets back, if he does this year they will improve with him Boldin and Davis giving them three good receivers

TheOak

49ers have key pieces missing on both Offense and Defense, and their QB woke up and realized he is in the NFL.


Football is not about the pieces, it is about how they fit together. Examples would be all these so called "super teams" that some idiot spends money on each year and they end up flopping, Cowboys a few years, Eagles a few years, etc...

Its a lot like a 540 HP motor... If the timing is just a little off you are getting passed by a Prius.

San Francisco 49ers

Offense ranked 27th
23rd in passing
19th in Rushing
29th in points per game

Defense Ranked 12th
8th in passing Defense
29th in Rushing Defense
25th in points Allowed


Yep.... WE could run on them and i suspect with their key pass rusher going to rehab we will be able to pass on them also.

K Major

Anyone notice how that QB read option isn't nearly as effective as it was last year? Good coaches/defensive schemes are figuring out RGIII, Kaepernik and Wilson.

Mardigras9

Love that analogy.

A few adjustments from any of these teams could put them right back in a dominant position. It's a long way off , but still going to be a hard stretch.

TheOak

49ers
Falcons
Texans

It's all about the mechanic.