Make No Mistake The 49ers are the Real Threat NOT the Rams

The Rams are going to take a step back next year. The salary cap situation they find themselves in, while having to carry Gurly's contract and pay Goff with a rapidly aging O-Line is going to make for a rough 2019.

McVay got figured out by Fangio, when he realized all the Rams were doing was running playaction pass when you had base personnel, and then would run with Gurley when the D had nickel personal. Teams got the film of that game, and the Rams haven't been the same since. I am over simplifying a bit of course, but it is very true.

Kupp was a big loss as well, and outside of their LT & LG is the best player on their offense. Though the LT will probably retire, and the LG is a UFA. So Kupp might be the best offensive player on the Rams in the not too distant future.


The 49ers are a bigger threat in 2019. Shanny has built a great offense with not a lot at running back or wide receiver. Which I think will be fixed in Free Agency.

They really just need to improve their secondary, and will surely add a blue chip edge rusher with the 2nd pick in the draft.

The 49ers are the real competition in 2019 for the Division.

Fade":uotvlgf8 said:

The Rams are going to take a step back next year. The salary cap situation they find themselves in, while having to carry Gurly's contract and pay Goff with a rapidly aging O-Line is going to make for a rough 2019.

McVay got figured out by Fangio, when he realized all the Rams were doing was running playaction pass when you had base personnel, and then would run with Gurley when the D had nickel personal. Teams got the film of that game, and the Rams haven't been the same since. I am over simplifying a bit of course, but it is very true.

Kupp was a big loss as well, and outside of their LT & LG is the best player on their offense. Though the LT will probably retire, and the LG is a UFA. So Kupp might be the best offensive player on the Rams in the not too distant future.


The 49ers are a bigger threat in 2019. Shanny has built a great offense with not a lot at running back or wide receiver. Which I think will be fixed in Free Agency.

They really just need to improve their secondary, and will surely add a blue chip edge rusher with the 2nd pick in the draft.

The 49ers are the real competition in 2019 for the Division.

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As a Niners fan. I must say (with all the respect in the world) put the alcohol away and get some sleep.

Yeah i'm not sure about that. The niners will definitely be better that defense is suspect at best.

Will the Niners get Antonio Brown?

Not if they have a -25 turnover ratio again!

If everyone stops going to IR

if the 49ers are healthy, and stop making mistakes, they will be a force

While I'd love to believe that to be true, I think they need to go a couple games in a row without putting a major piece of the team on IR before I can think they have a real shot.

They have holes that have to be addressed. WR, CB, S, and more than anything else, a Leo...or 2.

RB? We'll have to see how Jet comes back. They'll need another one as well.

...and it all depends on Garoppolo coming back healthy. The one piece of good news on that front is that he got hurt so early in the season that he's already running. He SHOULD be back for OTAs.

A lot of this will depend on Gurley. If it comes out Gurley was injured and that is why he was so ineffective. I think the Rams will be fine. If he's just shot; I don't know how they overcome his contract.

I agree with Niners fans on their possible ascension into the division race. There are just way too many question marks surrounding them to say with any confidence that they'll be a consistent winner next season.

We really don't know any more now about Garoppolo than we did last season, and quite honestly Mullens didn't play bad this season. They've both played 8 games in SFO, they have very similar numbers, and Mullens is 4 years younger. It's at least possible that Mullens is the better QB long term than Garoppolo.

Honestly, If Mullens turns into a stud and the 49ers cut Garoppolo next offseason. I think the 49ers will be a threat. As it stands, they'll have a little bit more cap space than Seattle this offseason, and way too many holes and questions marks to make them a threat to either the Rams or Seahawks... at least in February.

knownone":2uunm76f said:

A lot of this will depend on Gurley. If it comes out Gurley was injured and that is why he was so ineffective. I think the Rams will be fine. If he's just shot; I don't know how they overcome his contract.

I agree with Niners fans on their possible ascension into the division race. There are just way too many question marks surrounding them to say with any confidence that they'll be a consistent winner next season.

We really don't know any more now about Garoppolo than we did last season, and quite honestly Mullens didn't play bad this season. They've both played 8 games in SFO, they have very similar numbers, and Mullens is 4 years younger. It's at least possible that Mullens is the better QB long term than Garoppolo.

Honestly, If Mullens turns into a stud and the 49ers cut Garoppolo next offseason. I think the 49ers will be a threat. As it stands, they'll have a little bit more cap space than Seattle this offseason, and way too many holes and questions marks to make them a threat to either the Rams or Seahawks... at least in February.

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I was with ya until the Mullens Jimmy G thing.

Jimmy G > Mullens and its not close. Yes, Mullens played well when he had his shot, but he'd also been in the offense since the day he was signed out of college. He knew it like the back of his hand when he took his first regular season snap.

Jimmy G was winging it for so much of last year because he didn't even know the playbook. Everyone will point to week 1 this year and the 1 TD, 3 INT performance but the game film would give you a very different impression of his performance in the game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNHVr4NMMOs

Still though, at this point its only fair to call him an unknown but exciting player. I like Mullens and hope he stays around for awhile to backup Jimmy, but this is really no comparison.

If Mullens is available how many teams do you think would go after him, pretty sure he would not be a F.A. very long. I liked what I saw, he has a Farve feeling about him and the team seemed to really support him. That's not an easy thing to find these days, plus he player really well as a afterthought QB, afterthought until after that first game, he is on the leagues radar now. A team like the Dolphins or the Bucs I am sure wouldn't mind what he brings to the table.

SF49r":3bqnfsux said:

If everyone stops going to IR

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Isn't that where the Kegger is? Axin fer a friend. 8)

chris98251":25dv6exw said:

If Mullens is available how many teams do you think would go after him, pretty sure he would not be a F.A. very long. I liked what I saw, he has a Farve feeling about him and the team seemed to really support him. That's not an easy thing to find these days, plus he player really well as a afterthought QB, afterthought until after that first game, he is on the leagues radar now. A team like the Dolphins or the Bucs I am sure wouldn't mind what he brings to the table.

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I think teams like Denver might look his way since Niner QB coach is now their OC, but you'd want to make sure the system is similar to the one he runs in SF. In SF he'll always be a backup and right now I think it would take quite a bit to pry him loose (more than he's likely worth). There is no reason for the Niners to move him, so I don't see him getting moved.

The closer they get to his free agency though, that might change.

Rams won't have huge cap issues until 2020, 2021 if they 5th year option Goff or trade/cut him, and will likely have in the neighborhood of 39-40 million in space next year. they could free up an additional 10 million if they choose to cut Brockers. They have the luxury of deciding who they want to keep for one more year, and can keep their core together for two more years. They can afford to keep Suh, Joyner, and Saffold next year, if they want to.

Cooks cap hit is the only big increase for 2019. Gurley's cap hit doesn't really go up until 2020, and Donald's big cap hit doesn't come until 2021, right when Goff will be getting paid.

I think the biggest question for them is if they go all in for another year, or save some cap space to carry forward. I expect them to go all in again. The only real question I can see is, will Suh be a Ram next year?

So cap space issues aren't going to dethrone them next year.

However, the hangover may knock them out of contention. Goff clearly got knocked into a tailspin. Will McVay be able to save him? Gurley isn't the back he was touted to be. Is it injury or reality?

I don't think the Rams will be so easily dismissed, but I do think there will be a real, three way competition for the NFCW crown next year.

Marvin49":1pasbja6 said:

While I'd love to believe that to be true, I think they need to go a couple games in a row without putting a major piece of the team on IR before I can think they have a real shot.

They have holes that have to be addressed. WR, CB, S, and more than anything else, a Leo...or 2.

RB? We'll have to see how Jet comes back. They'll need another one as well.

...and it all depends on Garoppolo coming back healthy. The one piece of good news on that front is that he got hurt so early in the season that he's already running. He SHOULD be back for OTAs.

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WR --> Free Agency.

Leo/Edge --> #2 pick in the Draft.

RB --> They grow on trees and can be found anywhere. I could see them signing Mike Davis away from the Seahawks and bringing him back.

DB --> This is the area where it could be a challenge for them to upgrade. E.T. would sign with Sherm's help if they were to brake the bank for him.

Injuries & Turnovers --> Bad luck. It can't and won't be worse than last year. Historically teams regress back to the mean.



With a healthy Jimmy G they were a 9-7 team last year. They are going to get better this off-season.

Just look at Shanny's record when Jimmy or Mullens start.

Jimmy & Mullens = 9-7

Beathard & Hoyer = 1-15

Bum QBs wrecked the niners the last 2 years. This is with the 2017 & 2018 rosters. The 2019 roster is going to be even better.


A lot is going to happen between now and Week 1 of the regular season, but as of now in this very very early stage I am projecting:

11-5 Seahawks
10-6 49ers
9-7 Rams
3-13 Cardinals

It's going to be a close three team race, and the 9ers are going to be right in the thick of it.

Fade":3kq34004 said:

Marvin49":3kq34004 said:

While I'd love to believe that to be true, I think they need to go a couple games in a row without putting a major piece of the team on IR before I can think they have a real shot.

They have holes that have to be addressed. WR, CB, S, and more than anything else, a Leo...or 2.

RB? We'll have to see how Jet comes back. They'll need another one as well.

...and it all depends on Garoppolo coming back healthy. The one piece of good news on that front is that he got hurt so early in the season that he's already running. He SHOULD be back for OTAs.

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WR --> Free Agency.

Leo/Edge --> #2 pick in the Draft.

RB --> They grow on trees and can be found anywhere. I could see them signing Mike Davis away from the Seahawks and bringing him back.

DB --> This is the area where it could be a challenge for them to upgrade. E.T. would sign with Sherm's help if they were to brake the bank for him.

Injuries & Turnovers --> Bad luck. It can't and won't be worse than last year. Historically teams regress back to the mean.



With a healthy Jimmy G they were a 9-7 team last year. They are going to get better this off-season.

Just look at Shanny's record when Jimmy or Mullens start.

Jimmy & Mullens = 9-7

Beathard & Hoyer = 1-15

Bum QBs wrecked the niners the last 2 years. This is with the 2017 & 2018 rosters. The 2019 roster is going to be even better.


A lot is going to happen between now and Week 1 of the regular season, but as of now in this very very early stage I am projecting:

11-5 Seahawks
10-6 49ers
9-7 Rams
3-13 Cardinals

It's going to be a close three team race, and the 9ers are going to be right in the thick of it.

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To be clear, I see what you see.

I see the potential. Problem is alot has to go right and there are a number of steps there. They need to sign/draft an impact WR. They need a CB opposite Sherman (might already be on the roster in Witherspoon or Moore, time will tell). I like Tartt and Colbert at safety and Marcell Harris looked really good late last year, but Tartt is always hurt, Colbert seemed to regress from his rookie year quite a bit before he got hurt, and Harris has a pretty spotty injury history.

Honestly though, with all of that, if Garoppolo doesn't get hurt and they could just get some semblance of an outside pass rush, it would make a HUGE, difference. They lost a number of games last year because they couldn't hold the lead. Their rush D was MUCH improved and the CB play really wasn't that bad, Sherman in particular.

What was absolutely brutal was the total absence of pass rush on the outside. They NEED to use that first pick on the outside. Bosa, Allen or someone else...that top pick has got to be a Leo. They need to sign one too. They can't put all their eggs in one basket on that one. When Cassius Marsh is your best outside pass rush, you have no outside pass rush.

Buckner had a great year inside and Solomon Thomas was much better when they moved him inside.

Love your bold threads. I'd have to concur. The 49ers are loaded with high draft talent and a very good coach who has kept them competitive in spite of all the injuries.

94Smith":2ooxjso2 said:

Not if they have a -25 turnover ratio again!

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Not a chance that will happen. Turnovers usually vary a lot year to year.

chris98251":2ooxjso2 said:

If Mullens is available how many teams do you think would go after him, pretty sure he would not be a F.A. very long. I liked what I saw, he has a Farve feeling about him and the team seemed to really support him. That's not an easy thing to find these days, plus he player really well as a afterthought QB, afterthought until after that first game, he is on the leagues radar now. A team like the Dolphins or the Bucs I am sure wouldn't mind what he brings to the table.

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49ers have exclusive rights to him just long enough for Jimmy G's cap hit to drop to a few million dollars. It's very convenient. If Jimmy G struggles, he'll be traded and Mullens kept. Otherwise, maybe the other way around.

knownone":2ooxjso2 said:

A lot of this will depend on Gurley. If it comes out Gurley was injured and that is why he was so ineffective. I think the Rams will be fine. If he's just shot; I don't know how they overcome his contract.

I agree with Niners fans on their possible ascension into the division race. There are just way too many question marks surrounding them to say with any confidence that they'll be a consistent winner next season.

We really don't know any more now about Garoppolo than we did last season, and quite honestly Mullens didn't play bad this season. They've both played 8 games in SFO, they have very similar numbers, and Mullens is 4 years younger. It's at least possible that Mullens is the better QB long term than Garoppolo.

Honestly, If Mullens turns into a stud and the 49ers cut Garoppolo next offseason. I think the 49ers will be a threat. As it stands, they'll have a little bit more cap space than Seattle this offseason, and way too many holes and questions marks to make them a threat to either the Rams or Seahawks... at least in February.

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Possible, but unlikely. People forget some of the ridiculous throwns Garoppolo can consistently make (pretty rare; maybe 15 guys can do it). Mullens can't throw those awkward angle passes with pressure in his face like Garoppolo, and Garoppolo does appear to have a slightly stronger arm.

But, physical gifts aren't everything, so sure, Mullens could surpass him. But the reality is that Mullens looked good because CJ Beathard looked absolutely terrible.

Dee Ford. has been added. And now they can get another pass rusher with the #2 overall pick, or trade down, get more picks, and still add another pass rusher.

The Best O-Lineman on the Rams just signed with Tennessee, and they cut their Center. Weakening the Rams best unit on the team which is their excellent O-Line.

Seattle is slow playing FA which is good for them as they suck at signing FAs.

This division in 2019 is turning into a coin flip.

With the addition of Ford and maybe grabbing Bosa in the draft, that's gonna' be a pretty legit D Line.