HARBAUGH EATING KARMA WITH A FORK AND SPOON

    We ALL know that Harbaugh sniped at the Seattle Seahawks last summer when two of their players were suspended due to positive tests for performance enhancing drugs, and Harbaugh added that “you always want to be 'above reproach', especially when you’re good, because you don’t want people to come back and say, ‘They’re winning because they’re cheating.’” Currently, Harbaugh's "above reproach 49ers" own the lead in the National Football League for player arrests and even more players involved in trouble, but managed to avoid prosecution for various reasons.  Last season's  49ers' roster included; WR Vernon Davis, CB Parrish Cox, WR Michael Crabtree, DT Ray McDonald, S Eric Wright and LB Ahmad Brooks, yet all have been labeled players with character issues. Though, curiously, it didn't deter Harbaugh or the 49ers brass from bringing those players on board a team that prided itself on being "Above Reproach".

Harbaugh was speaking specifically about PED use and rule-breaking, and it has been reported that Baalke was not happy with Harbaugh for the grandiosity of that statement.  It put a large bull's-eye on the backs of every 49ers player or employee and you know that every Seahawks fan from Alaska to Florida is "ROTFL their butts off" as Karma is making a long, extended visit on the front porch of every San Francisco 49ers fan, player, coach or anyone else associated with the team.  With Harbaugh's comments, there are going to be backlashes coming from those who don't appreciate the tone of superiority that the 49ers seem to spew every time there is a camera or microphone close by.

Aldon Smith:  (2X arrested for DUI, and arriving at practice drunk), Possession of marihuana, possession of cocaine, possession of illegal weapons, assaulting an officer, resisting arrest, threatening officers at airport, resisting arrest again, threatening security airport with possessing a bomb, suspicion of public intoxication at airport, stabbing at party at his residence.

49ers linebacker, Ahmad Brooks, assaulted his friend and teammate, striking, (49ers nose tackle Lamar Divens), and at least three times in the head with a beer bottle, and then punched him in the face during an argument over car keys outside Brooks' house in San Jose. The alleged attack left Divens bloodied and requiring three stitches, all for trying to prevent his friend and teammate from driving drunk and potentially harming another driver, a pedestrian or himself.  Brooks drove home drunk anyway, but was not apprehended.

49ers Corner, Chris Culliver, has been indicted on felony and misdemeanor charges.  Felony indictments for "hit-and-run,” and "reckless driving" have been filed, after hitting a pedestrian with his car and leaving the scene to avoid prosecution.  A witness and victim stated that Culliver appeared inebriated and smelled of alcohol.  He believes Culliver fled the scene of the accident to avoid DUI charges when police arrived etc. Culliver already had one DUI conviction. He also received a felony charge for (possession of an illegal weapon) threatening a witness with brass knuckles, found in his possession in his vehicle when police apprehended him later at his home.

49ers QB Colin Kaepernick and WR Quinton Patton have been connected somehow in an apparent assault (perhaps sexual) of a woman at Kaepernick's hotel room. The woman reported losing memory of a large block of time and inexplicably winding up in the hospital with no memory of what had happened during that time.  The last thing she remembered was being with; Kaepernick, Patton and former 49ers, current Seahawks WR Ricardo Lockette, (smoking pot and drinking alcohol) at Kaepernick's hotel room, then she fell asleep or passed out and later, woke up in the hospital. Police and hospital laboratory specialists are investigating whether or not the woman ingested a drug or other substance that would cause her to lose track of time and consciousness.  Kaepernick vehemently denies (via Twitter) that he had anything to do with the woman’s claim and denies any of the comments made by TMZ.com that there was any wrongdoing or sexual assault.

The 49ers have got a “fine mess” brewing on by the Bay.  All of these legal problems have created a tangled mess for the 2014 second-place NFC West football team.  Shortly after the 2013 season, the 49ers general manager, Trent Baalke, attempted to trade the 49ers head coach, Harbaugh, to the Cleveland Brown's for an undisclosed player/cash or draft considerations.  Harbaugh had no idea the trade was being prepared and has since been very quiet about his feelings, though he apparently refuses to be in the same room with the 49ers general manager.  This could not be good going forward, particularly with the 2014 NFL draft approaching quickly (May 8).  One would only assume that the franchise CEO, head coach and general manager, would have to work together closely to prepare a draft strategy and go through the entire 7 round event, a process that lasts from dawn until dusk and for three consecutive days.  I'd like to be a fly on the wall to watch that reunion between the players involved, virtually trapped in a room for 12 hours a day.

Add to these problems the fact that Colin Kaepernick is going through contract negotiations (not going well) and that the team will be without their superstar linebacker, Navarro Bowman, after a gruesome knee injury he sustained in the NFC West championship game against the Seattle Seahawks last January.  Now, presumably without their other young defensive standout, Aldon Smith, San Francisco's once vaunted defense is.  The hard-hitting safety, Dante Whitner, also left the 49ers in free agency, and pro-bowl safety, Deshon Goldson, the year prior.  Starting CB, Carlos Rogers was also released, leaving the 49ers extremely thin in the defensive backfield.  Harbaugh still has last year's first-round draft selection, Safety Eric Reid, and Baalke managed to sign Antoine Bethea, the veteran defensive back from Indianapolis as a stopgap solution for all the defections over the last two seasons  However, that will hardly make up for all the strife and discord going on down in Frisco.  The stress and lack of harmony between head coach, Harbaugh, and general manager, Trent Baalke, has got to be palpable throughout the team’s veteran leadership as well as the front office.  The teams "head honcho" CEO, Jed York, cannot be free from judgment regarding the possible trading of Harbaugh to the Brown's.  Decisions (that huge) couldn't have been made without York's stamp of approval, or coming from the CEO, himself… no doubt.  So, the two primary questions beg; How much could (a very proud) Jim Harbaugh trust the 49ers organization after a stealthily attempt to trade him?  And, How safe could he feel as their head coach, going forward?  Jim Harbaugh is largely believed to be one of the top five coaches in the NFL and has had a certain amount of success with the team (three consecutive NFC championship appearances)…  The other four are likely; Pete Carroll, Bill Belichick, Jeff Fisher and Mike McCarthy, and none of those coaches seem to be going anywhere.  Who could Baalke possibly find to replace Harbaugh, if the 49ers "decision-makers" decide to go on without him? The $64,000 question is; WHY?  Harbaugh is (48-15) regular-season, in his four years as the head coach of the 49ers and has led them to three NFC championship games (1-2) and one Super Bowl appearance (0-1).

This is something few analysts or fans thought would be the case for 2014, but the Arizona Cardinals are actually looking more like a formidable opponent to threaten the reigning Champion, Seattle Seahawks , at this point.  In his brief tenure with the Cardinals, Bruce Arians has been quietly building an impressive roster in the desert of Arizona.  The defense is one of the most disruptive in the NFL, and the offense is steadily improving.  So, while the Seahawks, Cardinals and Rams have been building, the 49ers’ roster has been crumbling in the wake of recent success, but without bringing home a Super Bowl trophy.  However, San Francisco does have a bevy of player selections for the upcoming NFL draft, (with 11), and it is a draft class with tons of talent, at least four rounds deep.

The 49ers seemingly appear to be a franchise suffering from a lack of discipline off the field.  Harbaugh has set them up to be torn down after his much publicized press conference criticizing the Seahawks for a few of their player transgressions.  The reality is that there are no NFL franchises without a little dirt in their own backyards.  Frisco seems to have mountains of dirt right now.  The question is; How long will it be before 49ers CEO, Jed York, gets involved and put a stop to all the ongoing bedlam and chaos. The 49ers’ roster is one of the deepest in the NFL, so it's premature to say that their recent string of success has come to an end.  Much will depend on how they deal with their current avalanche of bad PR and lack of team focus.  Also, the organization is going to have to commit to a head coach, Harbaugh or another, before they can begin to build the team back to the respectability that the great Bill Walsh left the team with years ago.

WHAT THE PEOPLE WANTED: CLASH OF THE TITANS!

AN OFFER THEY CAN'T REFUSE

The Seattle Seahawks have accomplished all of their goals for the 2013 regular season. They won the division, they earned the number one seed giving them home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and a first-round bye and they did it by recovering from various different sources of hardship and adversity. The Seahawks play in the most competitive division in the NFL and still managed to lose just three games this season. What's even better is that Pete Carroll has successfully instilled a sense of teamwork that transcends personal achievement in terms of individual statistics and benchmarks often used for a player to negotiate a more lucrative contract at the season's end. The Seahawks sent six players to the Pro bowl, yet if you examine the top categories in terms of the most important categories for team success, you won't see a Seahawk player on the lists for the most recognized individual awards.


Marshawn Lynch had a very successful 2013 campaign running the football, yet he ranks just sixth in the NFL with 1,257 yards. The Seahawks most prolific pass receiver was Golden Tate, ranking 46 in receptions with just 64 and 898 yards. Perhaps the most misleading statistics in Seattle's success this season was at the team’s most important position, quarterback. Russell Wilson matched his rookie season with 26 touchdowns (10th) and 3357 yards (16th), but only nine interceptions. Wilson played mistake free football for most of the season keeping the Seahawks in games late and allowing the defense to finish games. This has become the hallmark of Pete Carroll's football team and the main reason for its success at home 7-1 and on the road, 6-2. This has been a team that has traveled well and taking care of business at home in front of the legendary 12th man at CenturyLink Field in Seattle.


The teamwork mantra of Pete Carroll didn't stop with their offensive competitive climate in terms of individual statistics, or lack thereof. The Seahawks defense rated number one in the NFL throughout the season, surrendering a league-leading 14.4 points per game to their opponent and scoring enough per game (26.7 points) to give Seattle a 417-231 for a league-leading differential of 186 points. Seattle logged 44 team sacks this season, good enough for 10th in the league (tied with two other teams) and an improvement over the previous season by just five sacks. However, the amount of pressure on opposing quarterbacks was palpable during the season as newcomers, Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett, bolstered an already effective defensive line for the Seahawks that were number one in the league last season in scoring defense as well, 15.7 PPG. The leading defensive player in sacks this season was Michael Bennett with 8.5 sacks with Cliff Avril not far behind with 8.0. Though the strength of Seattle's defense is not its pass rush, but instead, it's pass defense in the secondary and Seattle has the best defensive secondary in football. The Seahawks front 7 and its secondary have a symbiotic relationship in terms of dealing with both the pass and the rushing game of their opponents. As the linebackers and defensive line pressure the quarterback, the secondary is able to play a physical brand of press man-to-man coverage that cannot work without a steady level of pressure on the quarterback. At the same time, the play of Seattle's secondary at the line of scrimmage disrupts the receivers ability to run their routes on time, giving the defensive linemen an extra edge and extra second or two for the pass rush to get to the quarterback and caused him to hurry his passes or for the lineman to bat balls down just after they leave the quarterbacks hand. Seattle's linebackers have a special blend of size and speed, giving them the ability to stuff a run heavy offense at the point of attack and to fall into pass coverage on play action or straight up empty backfield designed to move the ball through the air. Because of Seattle's defense and its ability to keep scores low for their opponent, Russell Wilson has been asked to play a different style of play than he's used to playing in college at SC State or Wisconsin. The Seahawks average a league low 25 pass attempts per game and feature a run heavy offense relying primarily on the physical punishing brand of football that money back Marshawn Lynch brings to every carry in every game of the season. Lynch might be the most difficult running back to bring down one-on-one in the game right now. Arm tackles and grabbing at the man they call "Beast Mode" is a strategy that has proved to be ineffective against the 6-year Pro out of the University of California. Lynch is a human piston engine, reliable and sturdy, often taking handoffs through a play action system or read option strategy that gives him the ability to weave his way through a zone blocking scheme in the offensive line, a signature system of offensive line coach, Tom Cable. Marshawn is the beast and always seems to take a play with no hope and turn it into 8 yards carrying defenders down the field like a Metro bus. He is the cornerstone of the Seahawks offensive strategy and is the player who sets the tone for each game and chews-up valuable play clock as the ball hawking Seahawks defense tightens the noose around opposing offenses giving them little hope of catching up if they fall behind early in games. This is Pete Carroll's strategy for the season and it is unlikely to change and the Seahawks trudge into the playoffs with the weight of the 12th man behind them willing them on a collision course with the AFC champion (Denver or New England) in the New Jersey Meadowlands; MetLife Stadium in Super Bowl XLVIII February 2.


After playing San Francisco twice the season already, the Seahawks are no strangers to the 49ers brand of smash mouth football, nor are they to Seattle's ball hawking, face slapping style of intimidation and supreme confidence in their abilities to function like a well-oiled machine in front of their 68,000+ strong, screaming and yelling 12 man. So what will be the strategies for these teams who mirror one another and have a special familiarity so much that surprises are unlikely and head-to-head toughness and execution are more likely to be the determining factors in this "loser go home" "winner Super Bowl bound" contest that will answer all the questions that these 2 great teams have for one another going into this gargantuan game of Titan vs. Titan.


Before the 2013 season, the 49ers and Seahawks began an arms race that continued until the very last contest of the regular-season in December. The Seahawks made the first significant move of the NFL off-season, signing superstar WR Percy Harvin in a blockbuster trade with the Minnesota Vikings. The 49ers answered just days after Seattle's big move, signing veteran WR Anquan Boldin, of the training Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens. Then, the Seahawks made another move to improve their football team by signing free-agent defensive end Cliff Avril of the Detroit Lions. Frisco answers again, signing Glenn Dorsey, a free-agent defensive end from the Kansas City Chiefs. In another move for Seattle, they signed veteran corner, Antoine Winfield, a free-agent from Minnesota. Again, not to be outdone, the 49ers immediately signed Nnamdi Asomugha, a veteran DB from Philadelphia. This chess match of personnel continued throughout the season involving players who would even play for both teams at one point or another during the season. As recently as week 16 and 17 of the regular-season, defensive back Parrish Cox play for both the Seahawks and the 49ers a veritable yo-yo of West Coast trips to the airport for Cox. Pete Carroll made moves to choose players off the 49ers practice squad, and in a seemingly personal response, Jim Harbaugh would snatch players from the Seahawks practice squad, if only to carry them on their active roster for a couple of days. Whether or not this was a personal war of personnel, nobody really knows, but it does seem somewhat ironic that these 2 teams have been in a constant battle of weapons and nothing is too sacred for these 2 calculating coaches as long as it gives them an edge in the very competitive division of the NFC West.


Now, the smoke has cleared and both Seattle and San Francisco have settled their rosters for the clash in Seattle and the right to claim a trip to New Jersey and the opportunity to represent the national football conference in Super Bowl XLVIII. As different as the personalities of each teams head coach are, it's ironic how alike both teams are on the field. Seattle has a bruising rushing attack featuring Marshawn "Beast Mode" Lynch who crushed the 49ers in Seattle with 98 yards rushing and a couple of touchdowns. The 49ers feature a hard running; resilient and tough back "Frank Gore" the man who was the Achilles' heel for Seattle when they visited Candlestick Park for the last time. Gore ripped off a cutback off tackle play for 51 yards setting up the 49ers for the game-winning field goal in Seattle 19-17 and evening the regular-season and 1-1. Seattle and San Francisco both feature young and athletic quarterbacks who are as likely to be a team with their legs as they are with their arms. Colin Kaepernick is a long and lanky QB with the galloping running style that can rip off huge chunks of yardage if left in space and when plays break down. He has a very strong arm and can accurately throw the deep ball of wide receivers gain separation on their defender. Russell Wilson is quick and Wiley in the pocket and has a great sense of pressure and went to run and went to continue looking downfield and throws on the run better than perhaps any quarterbacks in the game today. Both quarterbacks are smart and confident and can take over a game if the defense gives them any space on the field. Kaepernick has perhaps a better supporting cast for receivers and has a game breaking tight end in Vernon Davis. Wilson has a great blocking tight end in Zach Miller, who is dangerous especially in the red zone, and several slot receivers who have good hands and excel blocking down field in support of the running game. The Seahawks have the edge in the running game, while the 49ers can hurt you from the various pass catching receivers downfield. Both teams play very hard and tough on special teams and have very accurate and capable placekicker's and in and game that has a high emphasis on tough defenses, the kicking game might be the balance in which the NFC championship game is decided.


As tough as both Seattle and San Francisco are on both sides of the ball, there are some drawbacks to both football teams and they reside on the same side of the football and at the same position. Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson are both great leaders and play a similar style of read and react in terms of throwing the ball downfield or tucking it and making plays with their legs. What separates the 2 young quarterbacks is largely based on stylistic differences. Kaepernick is much more flamboyant runner, galloping with wagging arms as he sprints down the field, while Wilson is far more compact runner and seems to glide across the field like he's on wheels. Many so-called pundits of football point to Kaepernick's superior straight-line speed, but in reality, both athletes possess similar speed. Wilson is a legitimate 4.55 runner and showed his speed at the combine in Indianapolis in 2012. Kaepernick ran just slightly faster at 4.53, but with a 6 foot five frame and mostly legs, the San Francisco signal caller can Gallup down the field and out run many of the linebackers at the second level of the defense in a longer race downfield. Wilson has the advantage in small spaces and with his first step is lightning quick. He also seems to have an intangible that his counterpart hasn't seemed to develop as well. It's an unteachable internal sensation that a quarterback gets when the passing pocket begins to break down. Each passing play a potential 360°° circle of attack begins around the quarterback, shortly after the ball is snapped. The goal of the quarterback is to keep his eyes downfield going through his progression of checking down from primary to secondary targets searching for an open downfield receiver. He must also be able to feel the pressure around him with an internal clock that tells him when to give up on the pass opportunity and hopefully exit the pocket and look for openings to run for positive yardage. Remarkably, Wilson entered the NFL with an extraordinary high level of pocket awareness and at such a primary level of the game. His propensity to avoid high pressure blitzing attacks from the defense sparked many to compare him to, Harry Houdini, the early 1900s Hungarian-American illusionist and stunt performer, noted for his sensational escape acts. Kaepernick is more suited to make people miss in space, and once he reaches the secondary would be tackler's, he's a very difficult runner to catch or tackle. On the other hand, Wilson is more likely to keep his head up looking downfield for open receivers while he runs. He runs to pass rather than Kaepernick who passes, then looks to run and once he puts the ball up under his arm, he commits completely to the run. Both quarterbacks have a bright future, but seemed to get great results, but in very different ways. They also rely heavily on their fantastic defenses that put them in advantageous situations to succeed. Rarely do either quarterbacks find themselves with long fields in front of them, giving them multiple opportunities in enemy territory and optimum scoring opportunities in the red zone.


This NFC championship game has been met with all the hype you would expect from the two best football teams in the NFL about to go to war for all the marbles and another chance for a Super Bowl trophy. The Seahawks missed their chance in 2005 losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers highly controversial game where the officiating was more than just a little suspect. The 49ers missed a golden opportunity to go to the Super Bowl II years ago on a muffed punt, then just last year San Francisco lost on heartbreak opportunity in the waning seconds of regulation when Kaepernick overthrew Michael Crabtree in the corner of the end zone. The Baltimore Ravens prevailed 42-37 leaving the 49ers defeated and heading home again without a trophy. Both the Seahawks and the 49ers are incredibly hungry for another chance and this game carries all the significance you can imagine for two division rivals who have everything to lose and everything to gain and, as Richard Sherman stated during a pregame press conference, neither of team has any love "lost or found" for one another.


The weather at CenturyLink field in Seattle is forecasted to be clear and dry which provides a perfect landscape for this football game to be decided by the best team, not the team that suffers from poor field conditions as we have seen this season in other games played in severe conditions. When two highly talented football teams come together for a significant game like this, you want to have the game decided by the players, not the officials and certainly not the weather conditions. The Seahawks 12th man is primed and ready to make things as difficult on the 49ers as humanly possible, and the stadium will be bursting at the seams. The stadium doesn't even offer standing room only tickets, much like each home game for the Seahawks throughout the regular-season. This town is ready for something special and the Seahawks have the players to make it happen. However, the 49ers have made a difficult journey to get to this game. First, being a wild card team, Jim Harbaugh and his Niners had to fly to Green Bay Wisconsin to play against the Packers on the hallowed frozen tundra of Lambeau Field with temperatures plummeting far below zero. San Francisco proved worthy to the task and beat Aaron Rodgers and the Packers and earning the right to play a divisional playoff game on the road again, this time on the East Coast field of Charlotte Carolina against the Panthers. It was a hard-fought and physically punishing football game, but again the Packers prevailed and now face perhaps the best football team in the NFL here in Seattle. The Seahawks are the number one seed and cruised to a 13-3 regular season schedule and then dispatched quarterback Drew breeze and the New Orleans Saints. The Seahawks didn't play their best, but they did enough and the 12th man helped lift them to a victory setting up the ultimate match up with the 49ers at the place the Seahawks and their fans call the "C'Link.” The crowd has already broken to world records for crowd noise and set the mark at a resounding 137.7 dB, the same level of noise you would hear at Ground Zero in front of giant amplifiers and speakers at a rock concert or standing on the tarmac next to a jet airplane. The 12th man has truly created a horrible place for a visitor to have to play football and the stakes don't get much higher than this game for the NFC championship and the right to play in Super Bowl XLVIII.


The Seahawks and 49ers know that they must control the line of scrimmage and develop a strong running game to have any chance of winning today. Both young quarterbacks are dynamic both running and throwing the ball, but it is expected that neither of them will put the ball in the air more than they keep the ball in the hands of the Seahawks Marshawn Lynch and the Niners Frank Gore, both punishing runners and extremely difficult to tackle. Russell Wilson's passing statistics have dipped over the last four or five games, but there might be more to that than meets the eye. Seattle's defense has been so dominant that once their offense manages 20 or more points, Pete Carroll and his coaching staff believe they will play enough quality defense to win the game. Thusly, Wilson is being asked to do less in the passing game and more in regard to protecting the football and not giving the opponent a chance to capitalize on costly turnovers and mental errors. Wilson only attempted 18 passes against the New Orleans Saints last week, but much of the reason could be attributed to the inclement weather conditions and the game plan put together by Pete Carroll and his assistant coaches. In the first half of the game, Drew Brees was held to 34 yards passing, the lowest total in his career. Because of the driving rain and the blowing wind, New Orleans adopted a dedication to the ground attack and for the most part, it was working against the Seahawks stingy rushing defense. It wasn't until the Saints fell behind that Brees fell back into his usual artistry of passing, tallying over 300 yards in the second half alone. Unfortunately, for Brees and the Saints, improved to not be enough as the Seahawks went on to win the game 23-15. Although the score was only a separation of eight points, the Seahawks dominated in the game and the 12th man in combination with Seattle's defense and Legion of boom, they tightened the noose around the Saints offense and squeezed the life out of them in the waning seconds of the contest.


Now, the Seahawks face the 49ers in the ultimate showdown between two young and dynamic quarterbacks with defenses that allow them to be aggressive and then sit on small leads until the clock ultimately expires. Because of the fact that both of these teams matchup against one another almost identically, Jim Harbaugh and Pete Carroll will likely need to get creative on offense as well as their defensive sets and reads. These teams know each other very well and know what to expect once they take the field. I look for Wilson to throw the ball more than he has in the last six games, but it's imperative that he avoids making mistakes and giving the 49ers more opportunity to move the ball on offense. Colin Kaepernick has not had success in Seattle, losing both games by large margins and looking very much the inexperienced signal caller, bothered by the crowd noise and the gravity of the team rivalries. Last time Kaepernick came to CenturyLink Field, he threw three costly interceptions as the Seahawks prevailed 29-3. The only real threat that the 49ers made in the red zone resulted in a Kaepernick interception to Earl Thomas on a tipped pass. From there on, not much went right for Harbaugh's 49ers. It was a total beat down as lightning and thunder filled the skies of Seattle as an ominous reminder of where these 49ers were playing and how dominant the Seattle Seahawks can be in their own house with their own family of 67,000 screaming and hollering fans…… The 12th man.


Now, San Francisco comes into Seattle believing they have a prescription to handle the crowd noise and the gravity of this most important game. Kaepernick even commented that CenturyLink field was perhaps a little louder than most stadiums. That might not have been the best way to taunt the people who cause the most trouble in a stadium than any other in the 32 cities of the NFL. The Seahawks and the Niners have managed to make it through the long 16 game season and into the third round of the playoffs with a primarily healthy roster of players. The Seahawks will be without the talents of their electrifying wide receiver, Percy Harvin, and the 49ers could possibly be without Carlos Rogers, the starting right corner. Harvin is listed as "out" and Rogers as "Questionable,” however whoever wins this game or loses will not be predicated on injured players or weather conditions. It will be because one team executed their game plan and the other did not. Both teams seem loose and ready despite the importance of this NFC championship game, and it seems clear that two veteran football teams are ready to clash and prove who is the biggest and baddest in the National Football Conference.

SEAHAWKS MUST RIDE WAVE OF WILSON'S SUPER BOWL VISION

The Seattle Seahawks are coming off their second defeat this season and unfortunately, it had to be at the hands of their division rival, the San Francisco 49ers.  For a Seahawk fan, losing to the 49ers is akin to losing a child or something similar.  Jim Harbaugh and Colin Kaepernick carry the honor of being the most disliked 49ers and they always seem to be the ones with their mouths flapping constantly anytime a microphone or camera is nearby. 

After the loss to the Niners, free safety Earl Thomas mentioned that perhaps some of his teammates got too caught up in the idea of winning the home-field advantage throughout the playoffs by earning the number one seed in the NFC.  The Seahawks took care of business, beating the New Orleans Saints, in Seattle the week prior, but their flight down to San Francisco didn't turn out the way they had hoped or expected.

First, and foremost, the Seahawks committed far too many penalties and what's worse, the flags occurred on plays that were critical to drives leading to field goals rather than touchdowns.  Reportedly, 49ers head Coach Jim Harbaugh and OC Greg Roman, had a pre-game on-field meeting with NFL referee, Clete Blakeman, and the rest of his officiating crew.  Harbaugh and Roman tipped them off that, in their words (paraphrased), "The Seahawks held our receivers on every single play up in Seattle, in our first meeting.  That's why our receivers were unable to get loose and make plays down field."  They went on to warn the officiating crew on practically every infraction Seattle has drawn since Pete Carroll took over in 2010.  I don't quite understand why it is that the referees tolerate coaches attempting to sway them into making penalty calls against their opponent.  The officiating crews should already be prepared for all rules and penalty situations as well as interpretation for all on-field infraction calls before the game starts without a pregame powwow with the coaches and other team personnel.  It’s preposterous and should be considered a giant insult to the NFL officiating crews, but somehow it’s allowed.  There were several ghost penalties on Seattle, though I also saw several penalties called on the 49ers that had no merit whatsoever.  This is by far the worst officiating performance on the year that I have seen in recent memory.  Clete Blakeman’s have been highly criticized for making errors in officiating and affecting the outcome of more games than any other crew currently officiating.  If the replacement officials were making these calls, they would be crucified by the; league, media, fans, the players and coaches alike.  I expect more from these professionals and it just might require that the National Football League pay the officials like full-time employees, rather than the job being seasonal, something like public school teachers deal with each summer.  The decisions and interpretations made during these pro-football games are integral to calling a clean game, and each individual game has more gravity and impact than perhaps any other team game in terms of the ramifications that lead to post game qualification.  Not to mention, the difference of hundreds of millions of dollars between successful organizations and perennial losers.  Last season, the Seahawks were denied a divisional championship by "one half game" because the 49ers tied with the Rams earlier in the season.  Because of that, Seattle became a wild-card team and did not get the first round bye in the playoffs or a home game in postseason play.  Instead, they had to fly across the country to Washington DC to play the "Washington Pro Football Team" in the wild-card matchup at FedEx Field, in Landover, Maryland.

Although Seattle did get some questionable officiating calls against them at Candlestick Park, it's important to point out that poor officiating wasn't the reason that Seattle lost to the 49ers last Sunday.  The Seahawks had their chances and simply didn't execute.  This was a very hard-fought contest that remained close for all four quarters of the game.  The only major difference in the game was that when the 49ers needed a big play, they got it.  Running back, Frank Gore, ripped off a 51 yard trap play, placing the 49ers well within their kicker's (Phil Dawson) field-goal range.  Many, including myself, sat in front of their televisions wondering why Coach Carroll didn't simply allow the 49ers to score, which would have left the Seahawks offense and Russell Wilson more than two minutes to put together a "possible" game-winning or tying drive.  Seattle had a one point lead 17-16, so even if the 49ers would have scored a touchdown, and tried for a two-point conversion, Seattle would have only trailed by six or seven points.  They could have figuratively driven down the field, scored a touchdown and tied the game with the PAT or could have tried for a two-point conversion, themselves, for a victory.  The two point conversion for Seattle would have been unlikely, though.  Carroll would likely have opted to play for the “tie” and an overtime period to live to fight on.  However, when the Seahawks coaching staff decided to play for a defensive stop or perhaps a turnover, (which made no sense whatsoever) they left so little time on the clock that any kind of heroic drive to score and tie the game was unlikely with just 26 seconds remaining in regulation.  The ensuing kick was short, giving Golden Tate a chance for the return.  Unfortunately, he was only able to manage a return to the 15 yard line.  Next, Russell Wilson found Jermaine Kearse on a deep "go route" down the middle of the field.  Kearse tripped on his own feet, and fell down as he tried to adjust to the ball.  This allowed the defender to intercept the ball, icing the game for the 49ers and ultimately splitting the 2013 series with Seattle, 1-1.

So, what did we learn about the 49ers game last week?

The Seahawks played one of their worst games of the season and lost by only a deuce.  Colin Kaepernick didn't look particularly sharp and even without Brandon Browner and Walter Thurmond, the Seahawks kept the Niners' wide receiving and tight end “quartet” under control for the most part.  Kaepernick was 15-29, 175 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT and a passer rating of 67.5.  The Niners signal caller has never had particularly good outings against the Seahawks, going 1-2 and getting blown out in both trips to the Northwest.  Seattle's defensive line also did their jobs for most of the game; Frank Gore had 110 yards, with 51 of those yards on one play at the end of the game, the play that ultimately decided the game.  The Niners had no touchdowns rushing and they kept Kaepernick from using his feet to attack Seattle's defense.  The real breakdown was on Seattle's offense and the ongoing problem with making mental errors and drawing ridiculous and unnecessary penalties on big plays and important drives.  The Seahawks had four plays called back of 20 or more yards gained passing and rushing.  Five of their nine penalties were on third down, killing drives and giving the ball back to the 49ers.  Russell Wilson was 15-25, 199 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT and a passer rating of 81.9.

The Seahawks protection of Russell Wilson was much improved, from what the diminutive QB phenom has dealt with over a 10 game stretch, while 2/3 of his best offensive lineman were out with various injuries.  Breno Giacomini, Russell Okung and the rest of the offensive line allowed Wilson to be sacked just twice for 21 yards.  Unfortunately, Seattle could not get their running game going throughout the game.  Marshawn Lynch tallied just 72 yards on 20 carries and his longest carry was for just 11 yards; Lynch scored the only rushing TD.  Robert Turbin was the only other Seahawks running back with a carry, just 2-12.  Another aspect of Seattle's offense that was nonexistent was Russell Wilson running the read option or even taking off of boot passing plays where he would usually tucked the ball under his arm and run if he couldn't find an open receiver.  Wilson carried the ball just once for 2 yards.  This is highly unusual for the Seahawks offensive not to utilize Wilson's speed while out on the flank looking for throwing lanes.  Slot receiver, Jermaine Kearse, had a real good look at a well thrown ball from Wilson in the left front corner of the end zone that hit Kearse right in his hands, but failed to haul it in.  This was a game of missed opportunities and far too many mistakes.  The mistakes have been a common theme for Pete Carroll's Seahawks over the last two years.  However, making plays hasn't been a chronic problem for this football team.  Each week it seemingly turns out that a new hero arises and makes the plays necessary for Seattle to move the ball and score often enough to win.  Wilson was unable to consistently find open receivers as Tate (6), Baldwin (3) Kearse (2), and Miller (1) seemed almost nonexistent.  The leading receiver of the day was rookie tightend, Luke Willson, 3-70, TD.

From the onset, it didn't appear that the Seahawks came into the stadium with the energy we are used to seeing from Pete Carroll’s highly excitable players.  There was a lot on the line for both football teams; the Seahawks playing for the division title and playoff rewards and the 49ers simply playing for a spot in postseason.  It was as if, the Seahawks' players believed the 49ers game wasn't one they needed.  As it turned out, that's the way they played the entire game, too.  Seattle had no energy, no sense of urgency and even the coaching staff seemed unimaginative, tentative and careful with their playcalling.  All in all, it was an uninspired afternoon of Seahawk football, with too many errors and not enough big plays to win.  The 49ers players were well aware what was on the line for them.  This was a must win game or they were going to be back on the Bay, watching the playoffs (on TV) this year from their living rooms. 

The Seahawks still possess a two-game lead on the 49ers in the NFC West division, but now it becomes imperative that Seattle wins two of their final three remaining games against the; Giants, Cardinals, and Rams.  The NFC West is widely believed to be the toughest division in football and division rivalries can create outcomes that are inconsistent with collective logic.  In simpler words, the Seahawks cannot sleep on any of these remaining opponents if they have any hope of winning the division and securing a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.  The latter, being imperative, Seattle not losing a football game in the last 14 contests at CenturyLink field.  Russell Wilson has been the starter for all of those winning games on his home field.  Winning this week against the New York Giants would be a favorable start to finishing the regular-season and dominating the NFC West.  Taking back the division title for the first time in three years would also be a shot in the arm for the 12^th man and would likely ramp up the volume at the C’Link for the playoffs.  Because of the decided advantage for the Seahawks, playing in Seattle in front of the 12th man at CenturyLink Field, home field advantage in the playoffs would virtually be "curtains" for any team coming to the cold, wet and miserable Pacific Northwest in January.

Pete Carroll seems to have his football team ready for the New York Giants.  This will be “one” of hopefully “two” visits to the New Jersey Meadowlands this season, for this year’s Super Bowl XLVIII will be played at New Jersey’s “MetLife Stadium,” the home of the New York Giants and Jets.  It’s a long flight and it will be another 10:00 AM start for the Seahawks, one of five this season (tied for most).  Carroll has his team in the mindset that “time zones and game start times” should absolutely have no effect on their ability to execute their game plan, and thus far, his team has responded winning five of seven road games this season, four of them being in different time zones with one remaining this Sunday.  Seattle has certainly bucked the stigma of being a poor “Road team.”  In fact, going back to last season, Russell Wilson and the Seahawks are 8-3 in road games for their last 11, including a playoff road win in Washington.  It was the first playoff road victory for the Seahawks in three decades.  The Seahawks have a road ready, dominant defense, and as history shows, you could take a defense on the road with little or no effect on the players; it’s another case altogether for traveling offenses, though.

Look for Seattle to re-establish their dominant running game this week against the Giants, followed by a rigorous and beguiling play action, read option combination in tandem with a big play deep threat to punish the aggressiveness of a team that may likely play in the same brand of football they usually do, but now without the personnel to make it effective.  Under Tom Coughlin this season, New York is a dismal 5-8 and mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.  So, the question for the Seahawks is likely; “How will the team react to playing for nothing, literally, in terms of this year’s postseason.  The Giants’ players are beaten down from a long, and losing, 17 week season, fall of a laundry list of key injuries and a roster that has been allowed to get old.  I believe it all depends on how much is left “in the tank” for these Giants’ players.  How many of Coughlin’s personnel are playing severely hurt or injured, and how successfully he can ready them for a game that seemingly has no real meaning to the players.  Other than, to save their coaches job and for their sense of pride, not surrendering to the West Coast bullies without a fight, there isn’t much to say about this game for Giants fans.  They must have a certain amount of pride on that football team, yes?  After all, this team has won two Super Bowl Championships in four years and both under the tutelage of Coughlin.  The Giants have their share of stars on the roster, as well.  Super Bowl MVP QB Eli Manning, big sack men; DE Jason Pierre-Paul and DT Justin Tuck, and WR Victor Cruz, and WR Hakeem Nicks.  Coach Coughlin has always put together very well coached and discipline defensive squads.  It’s vital that the Seahawks go to the East Coast with an aggressive game plan and a laser focus… A focus on Nothing other than the New York Giants football team.  The Seahawks must make this a “statement game” in New Jersey; everything else comes later; the time is NOW to concentrate on the HERE and NOW.  No one knows the concept of “supreme focus” more than Russell Wilson. 

There is no doubt among the Seahawks players, that this is Russell Wilson’s football team.  He is; their field marshal, their locker room cornerstone, their calming centerpiece and their on-field captain (voted by the team).

The Seahawks players must ride the wave of Wilson’s hopelessly positive attitude and his impeccable attention to detail.  They have their leader and now they must follow him into battle and take care of the business that they are fully capable of completing.  Wilson has already visualized winning multiple Super Bowls, and now the team must make the first one in reality.

LET THE WAR DRUMS BEGIN POUNDING. SEAHAWKS VISIT CANDLESTICK FOR ONE LAST BATTLE.

The Seattle Seahawks went into Monday night's matchup against the New Orleans Saints with high hopes of taking a major step toward winning the NFC West division and securing a home field advantage throughout the playoffs.  Pete Carroll had his football team primed and ready to take care of business and get done what was necessary to advance toward the kind of team this football club is capable of.

Now, with a franchise record 11-1 start to the season, Seattle travels to San Francisco to play the 49ers at Candlestick Park, the final trip for the Seahawks to the stadium that is scheduled to be decommissioned and probably destroyed as San Francisco's new home will be ready for the 2014 season.  This game is extremely important in that the Seahawks have throttled the 49ers in the last two meetings by scores of 42-13 going back to last season and in the second game of the 2013 season, Seattle treated the Niners in a similar fashion lambasting them 29-3.  It's clear that the Seahawks and CenturyLink Field's rabid 12th man are in the heads of the Niners players.  Whatever it is, Colin Kaepernick and the rest of Jim Harbaugh's football team haven't difficult time scoring and keeping Seattle from scoring in the Pacific Northwest.

Now, it's time for Seattle to take their show on the road and enter a Stadium of fans that seem to have somewhat of a laissez-faire attitude when watching their team play their home games.  The 49er fans have historically been a late arriving crowd and apparently, a crowd that doesn't quite know how to support their football team during home games.  Reportedly, the 49ers ticket organization sent out letters to all of their season ticket holders instructing them on the art of being a football fan.  The letter explained when the crowd was supposed to cheer and when they were supposed to stay quiet.  I imagine the part of the letter that encourages them to be quiet was easier than the first instruction.  Fans were encouraged to wear red and each time the team scored, fans were encouraged to sing the team fight song.  I have no idea what that song could be, and apparently the fans in San Francisco Stadium don't have a particular familiarity to the song, either.  Richard Sherman of the Seattle Seahawks, poked fun during a press conference earlier in the week explaining the Seattle's 12th man doesn't need a letter telling them how to behave in the Stadium to give their team a decided edge making it difficult on the visiting team.  It was all in fun, but it's clear that the San Francisco 49ers franchise is trying to keep up with the Joneses, or in this case, perhaps "the Allen's?"  Regardless, this is going to be a divisional rival game and a direct effect of playing one of the best football teams in the NFL and currently the second best team in the NFC West division.  Vernon Davis, the Niners tight end, praised Seattle during the off-season for their resolve and ability to play an extremely tough, physical and intimidating brand of football, no matter where the game is being played.  I look for this game to be very "chippy" before the game, during the game and if the Seattle Seahawks put a beat down on Kaepernick and the boys, you can expect some dissension to extend beyond the final horn.  This game might currently be the biggest rivalry in team sports. One thing that is for certain, these two teams do not like each other and it extends far beyond the players on the field.

Pete Carroll and Jim Harbaugh have a very public disdain for one another.  It all goes back to their coaching careers in the Pac-10 conference in college.  Harbaugh is a malcontent who takes everything personally and likes to find a certain edge by putting a chip on his own shoulder even when there's not one there to be found.  Pete Carroll was considered "Football Jesus" in Southern California when he coached the USC and was able to manage a couple of national championships for his SoCal Trojans.  Jim Harbaugh had opportunities to beat Pete Carroll's Trojans and he did give them fits.  During one conference game at the Los Angeles Memorial Stadium, the Stanford Cardinals put a beat down on Carroll's Trojans and when the game was done and decided, Harbaugh called for his football team to go for two after a touchdown.  Apparently, Carroll wasn't impressed with Harbaugh's decision to rub it in, and said so in the infamous "What's your deal?" comment that Carroll gave Harbaugh after the game at midfield when they met to shake hands. If you've watched Jim Harbaugh's game ending handshakes at midfield, you would know that is not really one of his fortes to shake hands and wishes opponent a good future and congratulated him on a tough game fought well.  So, there's a lot of history between these two teams and it starts at the top with the two coaches.

If truth be told without expurgation, I think the players would admit that they don't really have any personal ill will for one another.  This all comes down to soldiers fighting for their generals and fighting hard to honor the men who lead them into battle.  It could be said that the teams have animosity towards one another because they're both so darn good.  Both football teams play physical and intimidating styles of defense and both of them have committed to establishing a good rushing game in their offense, followed by big play passing offenses.  Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick really only share a couple of similarities.  Both quarterbacks are athletic and quick on their feet, with strong arms and dynamic styles of play.  That might be where the similarities end, however.  Russell Wilson is a humble, but confident young quarterback who has learned to deflect, rather than bring criticism and judgment upon him unnecessarily.  He gives credit to his offensive line, coaching staff and the defense that constantly puts the football team on the positive side of the field when they start their offensive possessions.  Wilson is likely to be found at Seattle Children's Hospital each week on Tuesdays and the rest of his life seems to be studying and improving his craft as Seattle's reliable and exhilarating young signal caller.  Kaepernick is a player that seems designed for the spotlight.  He enjoys the media game and he's a guy that likes to enjoy himself off the field.  Both Wilson and Kaepernick are both well-schooled and well prepared when the game begins each week, and both of them have the supreme confidence of their teammates.  One big characteristic separating the two young and athletic quarterbacks is this, confidence and a sense of calm, collected and a supreme belief in the outcome of extreme preparation and self-confidence.  Wilson has it, Kaepernick often finds himself in tough games and letting self-doubt creep in to his game.  If you watch Russell Wilson on any given Sunday, Thursday or Monday, and you will find the exact same expression and lack of anxiety.  Colin Kaepernick is smiling and high-fiving and celebrating on the sidelines when things are going well, as we have seen over the last 4 or 5 contests where the 49ers had comfortable leads.  It's when adversity starts to enter into a football game when you see Kaepernick lose that sense of calmness, that sense of confidence and the ability to see the game slow down enough so that the game comes to him the way that it has been practiced hundreds of times before.  Wilson is an enigmatic personality on the field, in that it is virtually impossible to use his facial expression and body language to determine what's happening in the football game.  His expression never changes.  It doesn't matter if the Seahawks are 30 points down or 30 points ahead in any particular game, Wilson stays steady and focused on one play at a time and a belief that something good is going to happen, Period.

One of the subtexts to this story is the return of San Francisco's wide receiver Michael Crabtree who was injured just prior to preseason training camp after sustaining a complete detachment of his Achilles tendon to his heel.  It was originally thought that he would miss the entire 2013 season, but through rigorous rehabilitation and a successful surgery to reattach the tendon, Crabtree has returned before expected and made an immediate impact in his first game back at Candlestick Park, catching a deep seam route for a 60 yard bomb reapplying a part of San Francisco's game that has been missing since Crabtree went down with the injury.

On the other side of this subtext is the story of Seattle's wide receiver, Percy Harvin.  He will be out again this week against San Francisco with complications from his hip surgery.  Pete Carroll and the rest of the Seahawks organization swear up and down that Harvin has not had a setback or any structural complications from his labrum surgery before the season began.  Harvin returned briefly for the Minnesota Vikings game in Seattle, catching one pass for 27 yards and returning a kick for 48 yards.  Though he only had two touches in the game, it gave the Seahawks and the rest of the NFL a taste of what the Seahawks offense could be like with him in the game.  Many believe Carroll is simply keeping Harvin healthy and available for the playoffs with Seattle meeting only two wins in their final four games to clinch the division and a first-round bye and number one seed giving them home field advantage throughout the playoffs at CenturyLink Field.

One thing's for certain, this will be a high-spirited game and both teams will show up to play giving 100% for 60 minutes, unless this game goes into a fifth quarter in overtime.  An organization in Seattle has paid to have the Seahawks 12th man flagged flown over Candlestick Park for 15 minutes prior to the game.  If this doesn't get the fans stoked in San Francisco, nothing well… They're playing their division rivals in a game that means a lot more for the 49ers than it does the Seahawks.  Obviously, winning this game would put the Seahawks in the driver’s seat for home field advantage and the number one seed, but it's not a must win game like it is for the 49ers and I look for Jim Harbaugh's football team to come out firing right away.  Last time the Seahawks played the 49ers in Seattle, they were without Michael Crabtree, and Vernon Davis was injured just prior to the fourth quarter giving Kaepernick one passing threat receiver in Anquan Boldin who was literally shutdown by the Seahawks defense, in particular Richard Sherman.  This one should be a donnybrook and the team that delivers the most head shots is going to take this one and give their team a great shot in the arm for the remainder of the season.