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49ers host Seahawks with NFC West crown, no.1 seed on the line · Niner Noise Podcast on the 49ers

• 0:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: Hello, hello, welcome to another edition of the Niner Noise Podcast, part of the fancited podcast network.
• 0:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: My name is Robert Worson, and you contribute here at Niner Noise.com, and here with me, fellow contributor, Mr. Oksha's divadula, Oksha's Happy New Year to you, and have a thanks.
• 0:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: Back in the year, T2 Robert and to all of our listeners, things are good, you know, last week of the NFL season, which is exciting, playoff time is nearly upon us, the 49ers have basically been playing playoff games for the last couple of weeks, that's going to continue this week.
• 0:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, yeah, the huge game, it's.
• 0:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, it's the biggest one in like over a year.
• 0:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: You could argue to the biggest ones since the Super Bowl, really.
• 0:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: So yeah, it's a lot of fun.
• 0:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like, it's high stakes.
• 0:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's exciting and, you know, I can't wait.
• 0:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I think that's also someone say,
• 0:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: arguably I'm not even sure this is true like the arguably part needs to be mentioned but like the biggest game in the history of Levi Stadium that has included the 49ers obviously like the Super Bowl is played there they aren't playing at that's that's a bigger game by itself but like as far as like a 49ers home game this is this is the biggest game I think that has happened at that stadium and it will be
• 1:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: not quite Sunday night.
• 1:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: It'll be Saturday night, but it's good.
• 1:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's still still good.
• 1:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: They're wearing the the rivalry uniforms, which look pretty good.
• 1:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm excited to see them on the field.
• 1:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: They yeah, big game.
• 1:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: They play the Seattle Seahawks.
• 1:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: The winner gets the NFC West crown and the number one over all seed, which would be great news from both for both these teams, both teams coming in
• 1:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like whether or not these are the two best teams in the NFC like talent wise, bar none, I don't know there's probably an argument to be made there, but at this moment this is like best on best at this particular time and maybe it will come to fruition that one of these teams is not in fact the best team in the NFC, but this is as good as it could possibly get I think at this particular point.
• 2:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, yeah.
• 2:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, these are the hottest teams in the, I mean, you could only say that NFL bar, like NFC force.
• 2:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
• 2:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
• 2:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
• 2:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: The bond Broncos certainly have a conversation there.
• 2:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: And we'll get into like the like game itself, but they're, this is going to be like a high level matchup.
• 2:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: That like the biggest game in Levi's stadium that the 49ers have played in is interesting.
• 2:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, climb to, like, it's hard because they played two NFC championship games.
• 2:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: So those feel like they're all so important, but it's up there.
• 2:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean,
• 2:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's the parallels to 2019, I think, have been like running very strongly in my brain, leading up to this week, which is great because those are great, almost a perfect year for the 49ers and more importantly, like a great, like final game this season.
• 3:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Not so great because if you really follow the like, oh, it's like 2019, let's spend the visiting team is the one that wins.
• 3:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: Sort of like 2019, but by and large, I think that would.
• 3:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's a huge game.
• 3:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, we'll get into why it's so important.
• 3:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: There's multiple reasons, like the one seed getting the buy, getting the rest, getting a more favorable, like playoff schedule, but also just, I think continuing that sort of like path forward of like dominance to 49ers has shown is super important.
• 3:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: They've like,
• 3:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: They're offensively played really well, but I mean, I think it's fair to say they've sort of
• 3:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Stumbled their way into some of the things.
• 3:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, they put it in a kind with it.
• 3:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think this is a real litmus test for them, and it'll be really interesting to see how they, how they shape up against a very good CLT, which sucks to say, but it's the worst source.
• 4:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I think stumbling into it.
• 4:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I think the implication of that is like they're stumbling in it like defensively,
• 4:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: up to par at this particular junction is not been playing up to par in recent weeks and it's just like but they seem to at the right time find the right thing to do to sort of like either seal the game or and like to be fair like if you look all the way back to the first couple of weeks like when they beat Seattle and week one and you know Nick those of caused the fumble at the end of the game actually I was out somewhere and they were replaying that week one game.
• 4:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I was kind of just watching it as something else going on.
• 4:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think it was on NFL network.
• 4:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I kind of not remembered how it had gone.
• 4:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: But the very similar actually to the Bears game where the 49ers scored the go ahead, touchdown like,
• 5:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: with a lot of time left and the defense had to come up with a big play at the end and again very similar to that and we'll actually talk about the bears game because we didn't get a chance to do recap here in a minute, but very similar to that game, the c-hacks were kind of marching it down the field and then Nick Bosa happened and in this case
• 5:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: you know with the bears game it wasn't quite as definitive a play but there was some good stuff that the defense finally did like they were they were bending their bending their bending and then at the very end with you know seconds left to play in the case of the seahawks game it was there was like a minute left but they got the ball back and that was sort of and that put the game to bed but
• 5:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: it's it is not like I venture to say that while obviously that defense with Nick Bosa in Fred Warner was better like it hasn't like the the outcomes have been very similar in terms of like they've been a lot more of a of the defense it's gonna give up a lot of yards but ultimately is capable of coming up with a play when they need to and
• 6:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, and that may be enough.
• 6:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't know.
• 6:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: I probably not like that.
• 6:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: That is the part that that gives me pause.
• 6:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: But the good news is that as we've said time and time again, there's not another team in the NFL that you're like, Oh, that's going to be the buzz saw that's going to rip through the playoffs.
• 6:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so that might be the same in grace for the 49ers as they head into the playoffs here as well.
• 6:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think I totally agree to echo that.
• 6:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: And like, working at the playoff position in.
• 6:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: The best, like, independent of getting the one seed as like getting the buy, which is vital, given all the sort of like nagging injuries the 49ers have, like you wanna be able to start the play us with your team basically is healthy as it can be, and like you need the buy for that.
• 6:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: But I think the two teams that worry me the most and pulling you a little bit from Matt Barronos who, and Emil Bag was talking about this,
• 6:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: are the Rams, just like the Rams, I think are the most talented team at the NFC this year, even though they might be the sixth seed, wild.
• 7:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then...
• 7:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think the Eagles defense might be the single best unit in the NFC, and that's like a terrifying.
• 7:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: Because the Eagles offense, I don't know, like whatever kind of like been all over the place.
• 7:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: But against the 49ers, I'm sure they'd have success kind of in the season.
• 7:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: So you really worry about like that defense, absolutely like wrecking shop, and
• 7:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: If the 49ers win against Seattle, the Eagles will most likely, well, the 49ers will not play the Eagles until the energy championship game, most likely, it will be the case that the 49ers, the Eagles will play the Rams in the like wildcard rounds.
• 7:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's like a perfect scenario.
• 7:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: It really like, like, whatever bus sauce exists, you kind of like have to, like,
• 8:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: Packers win against the bears in the wild card.
• 8:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then I don't know, pick your poison between the other teams, and that I don't really like care too much about how those all play out.
• 8:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: Then you play the Packers in the divisional, which I swear is what happened like in 2023.
• 8:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: Mm-hmm.
• 8:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 8:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: See, I mean, you get the Packers in the divisional.
• 8:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: You get whatever combination of the Eagles, Rams and Seahawks, playing each other,
• 8:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then that's like a winner.
• 8:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: Sorry, chuckle.
• 8:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: Hi.
• 8:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then you get to the energy championship game and like it's the it's a much easier path than your opponent like I think I think that's ideal but like so much of that is predicated on winning you can see out Because when you lose against Seattle the Rams are playing their starters against Arizona even if the Rams are playing their backups against Arizona I think they still be Arizona and so you're probably the six seed which means you're playing either the bears or the Eagles
• 9:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: in Philly or Chicago and Philly or Chicago, which like, you know, cold weather.
• 9:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: Do I think that all that bad stuff?
• 9:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: Do I think the 49ers could win that game?
• 9:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, definitely.
• 9:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: 100% I think they could win that game.
• 9:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: Would you rather have that or resting in your homes and Santa Clara and not having to go?
• 9:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: No more planes.
• 9:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: So the rest of the season?
• 9:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 9:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 9:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: You're taking the latter.
• 9:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it's a huge game.
• 9:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think that way.
• 9:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, that's the 49ers lose this game, which having's for good, you know, if their path to like, making a sustain playoff run is really, really narrow, just because it's just going to like, ask so much of them that it for a team that like is really like on a razor's edge right now.
• 9:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
• 9:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, and you alluded to it, the other the other part of it, too, is that
• 9:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: the rams are going to try to do it in the can to make sure that they don't, that they come to either Carolina or Tampa, like, that eases their path even more.
• 10:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like if they, like the Niners losing pretty much assures them, they're the six seed barring some sort of crazy thing happening against the Cardinals who are continued to be injured.
• 10:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: They've lost 12 in a row,
• 10:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: They were two and one when the 49ers played them and they haven't won since the week before that game, which is crazy.
• 10:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, so they're they're in bad shape like that's that that is the unlikely is now I mean like the the Falcons beating the Rams on Monday And I football last week was a pretty unlikely outcome the the cardinals doing that as well when the Rams have something to play for It's not a ton to play for but for them it changes the calculus like coming to Carolina And now granted they did lose their once and coming to and go or going to Tampa is a lot of a nicer Outcome then then then having to go to Chicago or Philadelphia as you noted
• 11:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, as that, um, as that, as the, as the, the six seed, which would play the three seed, right?
• 11:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, so that, that would work out.
• 11:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: But yeah, I mean, one thing at a time.
• 11:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: Obviously, the nine is just have to worry about taking care of business on Sunday, on Saturday.
• 11:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: Today, actually, as we're recording, it'll be later today.
• 11:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: This is probably the closest to between recording a podcast and start of game that we've ever we've ever done but such such a life So let's let's talk about the bears game real briefly We could probably spend an hour talking about it because man that was
• 11:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: literally one of the craziest games I've ever seen.
• 11:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: There are like piles and piles of things that happen in that game that have never happened.
• 11:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: My favorite, it's the first NFL regular season game to be tied 7, 7, 14, 14, 21, 21, 21, 28, 28, 35, 35, until finally the bear's broke the string by kicking a fuel goal, which honestly ended up being their demise.
• 12:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think in that game, like the first
• 12:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think Matt Mioca said that he thought the first team to kick a field goal in the game was the one that lost, which turned out the future.
• 12:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: And that's just like an absolutely wild game.
• 12:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's actually, I think it's like the pinnacle of what we think this morning, then our team is going to have to do in order to stay alive throughout the rest of the season.
• 12:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like we were talking, like the offense plays great.
• 12:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: The defense kind of gets run over, but yet at the right time they make a play
• 12:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, which they needed to do at the end of that game, the last game play of the game.
• 12:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: They stepped up and did what needed to be done and you look at it and you go, okay, that's, that's a, that's a certainly a survive and continue on kind of moment, but you'll take at this point four more of those, I think.
• 12:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I mean, crazy, crazy game.
• 12:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: I, when the 49ers punted, I was like, I was like, I was like, they, they must have lost his game.
• 13:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean,
• 13:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: They spotted the bear's seven points and still won, just, I mean, it's the Seattle Preview episode, so.
• 13:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: Not too much on the period like you said we could spend an hour stocking about it just like in such an interesting game I mean the two big things that came I took away were a Wow the 49ers offense is like clicking on all cylinders.
• 13:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: They're play like yeah They're doing anything they want effectively on like any doubt It's like impressive sort of at what level they're playing get and I think you know
• 13:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: Throughout this year in last year, we're kind of like talking about, okay, like, brought pretty, right, playing in the offense versus like making his own plays.
• 13:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like, there's a balance here, and I don't think we're finding it.
• 13:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think he's getting close.
• 13:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, this is about as good as a Halshian hand offense, I think I've seen, including like his 2016 run with like the Falcons.
• 14:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: So like this offense is playing, especially given the injuries, about as high a level as it could.
• 14:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: The flip side is the defense sucks.
• 14:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's not good and I think it's not just that it was not like the past rush issues yet like we know about that I think Should the 49ers not like when the Super Bowl this year?
• 14:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: They're like, people should really like, and we will like have to examine the 49ers, the front office's choice to not have like, trade it for a pass rush or a sign.
• 14:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like, made a like bigger push for Matthew Jesus.
• 14:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: Cause this is a wide open year, and the way your offense is playing, I think.
• 14:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: it's a disservice for not having a lot obviously at the time of the trade deadline they know the exact point where I look like the season was going up like off the rails right so hindsight's 2020 but i think that would be really frustrating because that's really this team can't rush and without we're not a green it also can't cover all that well and you just get this weird double whammy of you can't get pressure but when you blitz to get
• 15:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's going to be really interesting, Robert, to see how this game again Seattle plays out and if the 49ers can muster some sort of like defensive push like no turnovers and forced against the bears, that's going to be necessary, I think going forward is
• 15:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: You're not going to get the like clean, a classic like some mothering defense.
• 15:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: You need to get the opportunistic defense.
• 15:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: And like the bears are similar.
• 15:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, and I think, you know, we were talking about this during the game about how you thought that the bear's defense couldn't really keep up with the 49ers and that's probably going to be the big difference for the game.
• 15:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that was true, and I think,
• 15:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: A lot of the reason the bears' defense could have had a chance is because they're opportunistic.
• 16:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: The thing that the 49ers have to take on that personality, and hopefully starting against Seattle, I'd love to see them darn well just like, there was like four intersections, absolutely and that would be great, but I mean, I don't know if they'll happen, but you know, like I think they need to start getting more into like a ballhawk mentality because
• 16:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: up like bend and don't break doesn't really work when you're not when like you're not good enough to not break and I think that's what the bear's game showed me yeah yeah certainly problematic on the front and I get like there's probably a little bit of a we can't be overly opportunistic or overly ball-hawking because of the weaknesses that they
• 16:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, like the past rush and the past rush is inability to like get home frequently or even to make make things difficult for the quarterback is probably creates a little bit of like everybody else just has to play sound.
• 17:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: on the back end, right?
• 17:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: Or else you risk being having the ball thrown over your head or miss giving up big plays, which is not ideal for a defense like this.
• 17:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so I don't know.
• 17:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: It certainly is, like I think, I think you're right, if this defense has any thoughts about like overcoming its deficiencies and being a supervulteam, then gosh, they're gonna have to do something.
• 17:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: And somebody's gonna have to step up
• 17:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think the good news is, and this will be a good opportunity to kind of move us into the injury report as we start talking more about the Seattle game.
• 17:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: The good news is that one of those names that you mentioned as a player who the 49ers have been missing pretty heavily the last couple of weeks is Renato Green and he is not on the injury report heading into tonight's game against the Seahawks.
• 17:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think it's pretty safe to say.
• 18:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: Well, frankly, the almond oil in the North just hasn't had anything to do the last couple of weeks because I think both Caleb Williams and Philip Rivers isolated through a looter who, you know, has his, has this, is this thing that he does well.
• 18:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think he's a good special teams player, but when asked to be the opposite corner back, I, opposite a, a good, a good player like Lenore.
• 18:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think he stands out as just like,
• 18:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: in sufficient, like he's just not good enough.
• 18:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think the same with Chase Lucas, who came in when up and stopped went out with the concussion.
• 18:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, he works hard, and he had a good, he didn't make a pass, break up, late in that game on that last drive, but he was around the ball and kind of forced and in completion.
• 18:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: As the bears were driving and trying to win the game,
• 18:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: So, you know, again, he has his role in this team and neither of them are like starting caliber players.
• 19:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's why they're not starting on this team or anywhere else.
• 19:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so I think getting or not a greenback often stout is officially listed as questionable that he did make it through the concussion protocol without practicing normally towards the end of the week.
• 19:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: But he seems to be trending in the right direction.
• 19:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: The only other names on the list, the injury list, heading into this game, George Kittle, questionable with that ankle.
• 19:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: It seems like he's pretty much set to go.
• 19:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: Rick and Pierce all with the knee and the ankle.
• 19:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: Also questionable, I saw today that he's hopeful to play.
• 19:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: mentioned up in Stout, Ken White, a growing injury.
• 19:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's also questionable.
• 19:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: The only one that's on this list that I think that we have a sense that it's unlikely to happen.
• 19:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: time.
• 19:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: There just hasn't been enough time.
• 19:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's Trent Williams who injured his hamstring on that four mentioned pick six on the first play of the Bears game missed missed the whole of the game.
• 19:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: Austin Pleasant's filled in.
• 19:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think quite admirably for him, but he's listed this question a little.
• 20:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: I wonder if that's like a little bit of gamesmanship on the 49ers part because you have to give them an injury designation, but I don't think there's any rules about what the
• 20:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: And that would be a pretty big mess with this, with this Seattle front that's coming in, but other than that, it kind of feels like most everybody else will be good to go, which is good news with this game coming up.
• 20:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I like a bit.
• 20:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: bearing the lead and so far is not going to play is it's very important, but no, I agree.
• 20:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think like the 49ers are relatively healthy.
• 20:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: Trent's loss hurts, like there's an, uh, Austin Pleasant's played well, but there was one playing particular word.
• 20:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: He just got like smoked and like directly and that was the exact, I think like Chris Collinsward said like this is the first time that we've like had to notice the fact that Trent Williams is out of the game.
• 20:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think that, like, against Seattle's defensive line, it's, like, it's going to matter a lot.
• 21:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's really like, I don't think I can overstate how much this might impact the game.
• 21:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think it's going to be hard, but like for the 49ers, that's been the season right, like they've had to play against really good teams with like spare parts.
• 21:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that's going to sort of be the way this game goes on.
• 21:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: Everyone else, I think it's like it's crucial, really.
• 21:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: And for the reason we were just talking about that like all these players were talking about show up, right?
• 21:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: Because
• 21:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: You have sort of, without Renardo Green, like you said, the second area just falls apart, right?
• 21:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like no one targets you on the early North.
• 21:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: And now with like Jackson Smith and Jibba on like play, like the deck and back and lose you a game on its own.
• 21:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: George can't, like,
• 21:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: George Kittles amazing, right?
• 21:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: Jake, I'm just playing great against the bears.
• 21:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 21:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: Kittles, like, amazing, changes the game.
• 22:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: I would love for both of them to be all the field at the same time.
• 22:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: We don't really see a lot of that, but, you know, like, Kittles is an ex-factor.
• 22:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: Ricky Pierce all electric is played really, really well.
• 22:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, necessary to sort of like,
• 22:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: provide balance to the offense.
• 22:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: Key on white is the 49ers second best pass pressure over the last few weeks.
• 22:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: So like, I mean, without any single one of these players, you get worried about like up and stout.
• 22:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, like Chase Lucas had a terrible game against the bears.
• 22:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: And like you mentioned, right?
• 22:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like the bears were on fire.
• 22:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: He was cold and like if you're kind of like stretching his like you're asking him to do a lot more than he's otherwise
• 22:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: You need, like, a good slot corner against this team.
• 22:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: Really, you need a good, you need all systems go as much as you can.
• 22:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: And said, like, it is vitally important that the 49ers got as many players back as possible, because they're going to need it.
• 23:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like, this is the hardest game.
• 23:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think the 49ers are going to play it all year, and it's so far.
• 23:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: And like, it's going to matter.
• 23:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it's, it's really going to, like,
• 23:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I like, I can't overstate just how, like, how important it is that the 49ers don't have like backups playing crucial positions against Seattle today.
• 23:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, well, well said, speaking of backups playing crucial positions, Seattle will have one.
• 23:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: Charles Cross has been starting at left tackle.
• 23:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: He is out.
• 23:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: Ironically, within a hamstring injury, I believe if I'm not mistaken, he is their third or their second string left tackle, and so they will go to left tackle number three to play in this particular game.
• 23:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: Gosh, this would be really great if Nick Bosa were out there to just absolutely wreck that for number three tackles life.
• 24:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: But.
• 24:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: It does make things interesting, it will be something to watch if like Bryce Huff, who I think is more of a right tackle like that, this is just my observations.
• 24:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't have numbers on this, but my mind seems to think that he has been more of the on the right tackle past pressure.
• 24:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: So it'll be interesting to see if Robert Solis says, all right, well, let's go test this guy.
• 24:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: He is our best past pressure.
• 24:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: Let's throw Bryce Huff and at the on the other side.
• 24:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't know if that's something that could be done.
• 24:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, there's been a lot of conversation about like, gamut or linoar following, um, Jackson Smith Smith and Jigba around and Robert saw a talking about like, like, like, it could be done.
• 24:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: But why it's also difficult.
• 24:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't know the intricacies of the defensive line enough to know, I mean, obviously switching sides.
• 24:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so that, you know, flips mirrors all his past rush moves and all that kind of stuff.
• 24:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: So I don't know, or if they'll just be like, all right, Cleo and Farrell,
• 24:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: Sam Aquano, you guys got this this third string guy.
• 25:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: Do what you can But that would be something to watch Doubtful for the game is Kobe Bryant the safety and then questionable is another offense tackle Josh Jones So looking a little thin on the offensive line especially at the tackle position for the Seahawks now if there's a
• 25:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: silver lining to that it's as I'm alluding to the weakest part of the 49ers defensive line is definitely the defensive the end the address or so they may be able to avoid too much of a problem without with those guys being out.
• 25:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I mean like the bears I think were running a back or the cult someone was having a back up offensive line and the 49ers play recently and it didn't matter like yeah it actually didn't
• 25:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: So I knew that.
• 25:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, you know, like I think the like Kobe Bryant being out hurts Seattle's defense definitely one of the things that is different from the first game minus the 49ers being more injured than week one is that the Seahawks are less injured than week one.
• 26:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: They have their best corner done on Whitterspoon
• 26:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: And they're a rookie safety, Nick and Moori, I think a mispronounces name, I apologize.
• 26:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: If you listen to him, that is his pride case, just like their defense is going to be at near full strength.
• 26:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think that's going to
• 26:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: The difference put really good.
• 26:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's the 49ers week one and we'll get into sort of like that as we talk about the games specifically, but it's it's a different Seattle team then the 49ers son the first week that much has to be true like this the season's gone by for good for better and for worse I mean Seattle's had sort of a roller coaster of their own season and I think
• 26:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: It'll be, the entry front does not benefit the 49ers.
• 27:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think the offensive attack situation you kind of hope you fingers crossed that, like, you know, someone has an inspired game, but I'm pessimistic about that happening.
• 27:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: Well, there we go.
• 27:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: Well said, I guess.
• 27:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't really know.
• 27:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: Well, speaking of optimism, pessimism.
• 27:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: Let's go ahead and get to our reasons for optimism and our reasons for concern.
• 27:22
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• 27:33
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• 27:42
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• 27:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, everyone, you know, like I've mentioned, I really like using underdog.
• 27:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's so easy to open up.
• 27:53
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• 27:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: App, you can just pick whatever stats you're interested in.
• 27:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, like if you're a nine-ish fan, right?
• 28:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: You probably don't need anything extra little extra motivation to like be watching this game, something to get you like Jesus flowing.
• 28:08
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• 28:09
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• 28:11
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• 28:30
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• 28:33
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• 28:37
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• 28:39
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• 28:55
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• 28:58
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• 29:01
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• 29:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: Okay, actual as it's time, week 18, reasons for optimism, hit us.
• 29:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: Wow, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no
• 29:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's hard to really like, explicate the reasons for optimism with the reasons for concern and I think that's because
• 29:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: And we're both going to talk about this in different terms.
• 29:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: But like the strength of these two teams is the 49ers offense in the CA and Seattle's defense.
• 29:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like those two units are far and away the best two units on the field right now.
• 29:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think like honestly, it's a coin flip as to which one is better.
• 29:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think the 49ers' offense has been playing better than Seattle's defense.
• 29:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: But I think especially with Trent Williams out, like the talent of differentials, not as high as we might think.
• 30:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: So really, I think, for all the reasons we talked about when discussing the bears game in the 49ers defense, like your reason for optimism really has to be that the 49ers offensively just like solves the odds.
• 30:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think it's possible.
• 30:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, Seattle's defense is like top five in the NFL most categories and they're really good on a per play basis.
• 30:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: But
• 30:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: They're not like unsolvable and I think with like George Kittle, with, you know, Ricky Pierce all playing better now, which will on Jennings, you can sort of like get that attack to them, essentially, I think they don't, they don't really have a weakness per se on defense, they're pretty good everywhere.
• 30:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: But they're not like,
• 30:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: far in a way elite like they have like that past rusher that's going to absolutely derail your game like a Nicobosa.
• 31:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: They don't have like Fred Warner as a linebacker.
• 31:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: They're secondary.
• 31:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: They have good players.
• 31:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: They don't have like absolute shutdown corners.
• 31:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I think schematically the 49ers can sort of take advantage of the defense and someone is there.
• 31:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think it's really going to come down to
• 31:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: just being sort of in control of the game and like not getting late, I'm getting it to third and long.
• 31:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's not allowing Seattle, it's like T-Off, I'm brought pretty.
• 31:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, that was great.
• 31:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: That was great.
• 31:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I mean, so, like, I think the 49er's offense is playing so ridiculously well.
• 31:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like, they've unlocked their running game, very important.
• 31:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: Their passing game has been a lead.
• 31:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: Brock Pertis extending plays when necessary.
• 31:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: And like, my reason for after was just that like they're at home, they ever walked play for and like they're just going to sort of take advantage of that and like keep that offensive momentum going.
• 31:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think, you know, they haven't played a defense as good as Seattle's as their offenses kicked into gear.
• 32:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: But they haven't played terribly against good defenses this year, and I think particularly right, like they're running game unlocked itself against a very good like cold run defense.
• 32:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I think that like, it's hard because like on a pure statistical argument, the 49ers should lose this game, like, I think it's fortunate that's just true, right, like Seattle's defense has
• 32:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: For the season, been better than the 49ers are not fans.
• 32:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: And Seattle's offense is definitely better than the 49ers are on defense.
• 32:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: And like Seattle's healthier, you could arguably say, given the injuries to the 49ers, they're more talented.
• 32:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I don't know, like 49ers have some heavy weights on the field.
• 32:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: But like the injury sort of like level it.
• 32:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: So my optimism is a little more that like,
• 33:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: before you notice that being in this team before, yeah, they know how to like win games like this.
• 33:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: And the offense is just playing ridiculously well.
• 33:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think I do think that they're gonna score on Seattle.
• 33:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think this is gonna be like Seattle absolutely put the claims on them.
• 33:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I really think that's gonna be like the path to victory is, I don't know if they're gonna score 42 or whatever they score.
• 33:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: And like against the Bayers, you know, oh yeah, high numbers.
• 33:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: But like it's gonna be up, they've got to score 30 plus.
• 33:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think that's impossible.
• 33:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: You can see that on.
• 33:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's like, see that also it only 12th in the league and passing yours per game, but they're the best in the arts, but like they're they're a good team.
• 33:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: They're a great defense.
• 33:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: But they're not an unbeatable defense.
• 33:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, the Rams put up some 30, seven blitz, Sam.
• 33:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, exactly, right?
• 33:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like, you can get after them.
• 33:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think that's like, Sam Darl has not played particularly well in the last few weeks.
• 33:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: Their offense has kind of been all over the place.
• 34:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: They've had these explosions, but they're inconsistent.
• 34:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like, they're inconsistent team on offense.
• 34:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that gives you hope that the 49ers defense can make those plays.
• 34:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: that they weren't really, I mean, they made a couple against the bears and I was in enough, they made a lot more against the colds and those really enough.
• 34:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: And like, just have those like moments where the 49ers can like pull away.
• 34:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I like, I think it's possible.
• 34:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I'm going to like, you know, just say now, I'm not picking the 49ers to lose this game.
• 34:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: But it's, it's a challenge.
• 34:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like, it's a real challenge.
• 34:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: And when we get into like the reasons for concern,
• 34:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it'll be explicitly clear just how much like Seattle based off the stats and based off the film can stress this team.
• 34:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: How the game goes?
• 34:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know.
• 34:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think before it's going to be much closer than like the perceived like statistical differences because that's like division football.
• 34:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's like an important football.
• 34:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like it's going to be a close game.
• 34:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: But I think Seattle has a
• 35:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: How do you say, like, on paper, I think it's a game not as cool.
• 35:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: We should not be as close as the people are thinking it will be.
• 35:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: Well, that was the saddest reason for optimism ever.
• 35:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: So yeah, I mean, I think the Niners beat them already.
• 35:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: That was a week one.
• 35:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: So as you said, we could throw it a lot of that.
• 35:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: But I think it does matter to some extent, like the fact that the Niners were able to, especially the way that they did it,
• 35:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, it was a kind of an ugly, low scoring game, you know, the Jake Tong, John just catch at the end, which was just like rewatching it the other day.
• 35:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: I was like, that's fantastic.
• 35:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like, what a catch that was, um, like some things that, that's, you know, the, the Niners were not great on offense that that particular day, but they got the job done, and I think, as you said, they're, they're playing better.
• 35:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, and if you look at some of the defenses they played during this win streak, which started against the Cardinals,
• 36:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: The Cardinals don't count.
• 36:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: They're bad.
• 36:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: The Panthers defense, pretty decent.
• 36:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: They did hold the 49ers to 20 points, but that was largely due to the three-interception situation.
• 36:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: Brown's defense really good, 49ers scored 26 on them.
• 36:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: The Titans defense, I think, was better than me anticipated, but the 49ers managed 37 points against them.
• 36:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: 48 against the Colts, as we mentioned, with that really good run defense, and that was specifically important, because the nine was ran for 145 yards.
• 36:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: And then last weekend, it's the bears.
• 36:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: The bears are, I think, a middle of the pack defense, probably a better unit on the whole.
• 36:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: They're more that, as you mentioned, that opportunistic defense.
• 36:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: But the Niners, you know, just ran around as much.
• 36:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: The 200 yards rushing against the bears, 296 yards passing almost 500 yards to a lot of ends.
• 36:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: it's in there like they just have to and I think that the cohesion that we've seen from this team for the last couple of weeks since Brock Party has returned is really important and that will be something to watch out for mentioned there on their third left tackle.
• 37:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: whether or not the nine-year defense could take advantage of that is another thing and the two of the thing or three other things I want to mention.
• 37:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: The one, Sam Donald is third in the NFL in Interceptions, the 14, just behind two attack of Ayola and Gino Smith, both of whom play for not very good teams.
• 37:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's interesting when you get into that three, four, four, four, four,
• 37:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: five range.
• 37:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: You end up with a lot of players, a lot of quarterbacks on good teams, Sam Darnals third, Justin Harbour fourth, Trevor Lawrence tied for fifth, Bo Nix tied for seventh with Patrick Holmes, who's out for the season now, Josh Allen, Joe Flacco, Baker Mayfield, Dach Press got a 10.
• 37:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: So some interesting names, like he 14 over 17 game over 16 games is not like a lot.
• 37:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: And especially, you have to factor in that he's like throwing them in bunches.
• 37:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, like his, his turn over situation has been a little bit more like, oh, here's, here's a bunch all at once, which is not ideal.
• 38:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, and they've been pretty consistent in turning the ball over this year, actually.
• 38:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, they turn the ball over twice against 49ers in week one.
• 38:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: They've only had one to three games so far this season where they have not turned the ball over once.
• 38:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, it was a game against Jacksonville that they kind of sneak snuck out a win in week six.
• 38:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, the winner of the Titans in week 12, that's, you know, that is what it is.
• 38:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: And then against the Colts, um, a couple of weeks ago, they didn't turn the ball over.
• 38:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: But other than that, they've pretty much turned the ball over at least once and most often.
• 38:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: They've turned the ball over multiple times as an offense.
• 38:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's not just Sam, don't know obviously, that's fun.
• 38:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: Well, and then their defense is not as Opportunistic in that regard, while they're good in a lot of things and not particularly Like they're they're they're they're better as a as an interception.
• 38:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: They have they have 17 interceptions to defense But they've not been like consistently again some of that is over like they had five takeaways against the Vikings couple of weeks ago
• 39:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: but other than that, they've been pretty much, they've been, you know, decent, but not great.
• 39:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's the other thing.
• 39:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: The other thing that I want to mention, this, this, say a piece of information I got from Akash, Anava, Fred, and it last name helped me out, Akash.
• 39:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to talk about, yeah.
• 39:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: On a barathon, he mentioned this a couple days ago on social media.
• 39:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: Seattle great defense as you mentioned, but they are 18th in defending the tight end for DVOA.
• 39:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: They give it the fifth most yards tight ends this season and all teams.
• 39:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: George Kittles back and if just Jake Tongus can be a part of this team, like a part of the offense as well.
• 39:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like I don't think that Kyle Chan and Ann doesn't know that.
• 39:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think that's a place that the 49ers can take advantage.
• 39:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think also the thing you have to keep in mind is that if George Kittles and Jake Tongus are getting fed that that means that
• 39:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: the passing game as well because when they go out, the middle of the field suddenly opens up there.
• 40:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: So I think that's another thing to keep in mind.
• 40:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: And then, I don't know, this is not a statistical thing or anything like that.
• 40:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's just like, you mentioned big game, important game.
• 40:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: But also to a certain extent, the 49ers are kind of playing with house money at this point, right?
• 40:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like, oh, what do you expect to this?
• 40:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: Especially several weeks ago, when they got blown out by the Rams, like, we even said on this podcast,
• 40:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: That was November the ninth.
• 40:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: They got blown up by the Rams 42.26.
• 40:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think we had our conversation after that was, well, it was fun.
• 40:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: Ah, right, that was, that was the critical, like it was the week after the trade deadline.
• 40:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: It was,
• 40:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, yeah, they were right.
• 40:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: Look, they definitely should not have spent main and effort to make this team any better.
• 40:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like, this is gonna be a, maybe a 500 team, maybe a little bit better than that.
• 40:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: Maybe they get, maybe they sneak to 10 wins because the rest of the schedule's not so great.
• 41:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: And we said these things, right?
• 41:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: And now here they are six, seven weeks later, cause they're at the buy week.
• 41:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: They're six in a row, have a chance to make it seven.
• 41:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: Have a chance to get the number one over, I'll see.
• 41:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: You'd have a chance to win the NFC West.
• 41:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: like there's got to be a as much as there might be like oh like we can do all these things there's also a certain like nobody expected us to be here and so we just got to go out there and play um and I think that might help whereas Seattle might have a little bit more I don't know maybe the tension is higher I don't I don't know if that's accurate I don't know if there's any truth to that but it feels like the Niners have
• 41:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: While they know that they probably know the Super Bowl track is a lot harder if they don't win this game.
• 41:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: I also think there's a certain sense of like nobody expected it to be here kind of thing.
• 41:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think that's true.
• 41:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I mean like all the reasons you mentioned are very important, right?
• 41:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like this is a winnable game for sure.
• 41:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think that like the 49ers aren't playing with a better house money.
• 41:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: They're playing loose, they're playing free.
• 42:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, some could argue the defense is playing low, low,
• 42:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: I would.
• 42:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, by and large like I think they've played with like joy essentially and like and that has been that's a huge part and like, you know, I I those of you listening to this podcast lot know I like thinking about the games in terms of what are sort of like reasonable outcomes that I think could happen and I do think like I think.
• 42:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: The 49er's defense can, like, be opportunistic against Sam Donald, I think the 49er's offense can't drive the ball against Seattle.
• 42:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think the thing though, and segue into a concern, is that you kind of need both those things to happen.
• 42:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's...
• 42:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like we've mentioned, sales defense, not great takeover like turnovers once, really, really good, just like everywhere else.
• 43:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like structurally, very sound.
• 43:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: And Mike McDonald's scheme is one that like frustrates rock pretty.
• 43:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Evidence by that or an interception game against the ratings a couple years ago.
• 43:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 43:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's gonna be a slot.
• 43:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think it's gonna be hard work.
• 43:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's gonna be a slot.
• 43:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: like the 49ers defense, like they gotta show it basically.
• 43:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think that's really my concern is that the 49ers defense has to show something that I haven't seen in like two weeks.
• 43:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: Unless it was the second half against a 44 year old whose arm was like clearly following a part.
• 43:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: Then like, they play great, but, like, I think you got it, like pressure, I don't know, fragile him.
• 43:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know, but Sam Darnl can't be comfortable in this game.
• 43:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: I just, I don't know what the 49ers can do on defense to cause that.
• 43:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like a Sam Darno plays poorly, he plays poorly and that's great, like that is part of the like risk of like having Sam Darno as a starter is that he hasn't shown he can be consistent in these big games independent of who he's playing.
• 44:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: Right, but I think whereas in week one the 49ers, I thought had the capacity to like make Donald uncomfortable even with like a young defense.
• 44:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know what the 49ers will do to like frustrate Seattle's offense.
• 44:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: I really think it'll have to be Seattle's offense sort of like
• 44:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: misfiring on their own because of the stress because the lights are too bright because I don't know the 49er's offense is like playing really well and if you like they have to keep pace yeah like that's I think that's my concern is that like Seattle's offense gets really comfortable and then your offense essentially has to like keep pace with them
• 44:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: with a much harder challenge than what Seattle's going through.
• 44:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: But I mean, for all the reasons you mentioned, I do think it's doable.
• 44:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think the 49ers have a really good shot of this.
• 45:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, so we've talked about Seattle's defense a lot.
• 45:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: Second and points allow six in the yards allowed.
• 45:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: Fifth and interceptions, again, I think some of that is buoyed by that big game against the Vikings.
• 45:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: Second and passing yards, first and rushing yards.
• 45:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, they just don't give up a lot of ground is really the thing.
• 45:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: And you have to be willing to sort of grind things out.
• 45:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think Kyle Shanahan is going to have to take some risks in this game, like if they get into situations where it's fourth and two inside your own half, like that punt towards the end of the bear's game, I don't think you make that punt there, like you're going to, and I don't think you're going to have to be like, like this is not like a, you know, Dan Campbell like throw it all risk, you know, no risk it.
• 45:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: no biscuit kind of situation like just never punt like times more I would be great if times more said did not punt in this game but I don't think it needs to be because they just don't this they just don't attempt any punts because they just think they have to have to have the ball the time I'd be great but I think you need to be smart about it too you can't be like oh it's fourth and sixth inside of our own 40 yard line let's let's go for it like no that's that's stupid like you gotta be smart about it um
• 46:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so it's going to be really about like the Niners winning on the edges and their offense is going to have to carry this game and I think that's just like the easy thing to think about.
• 46:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: The other thing I was just looking at this up, this is the benefit of doing the the podcast day of the game.
• 46:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: There was some concern about whether in the area it looks like as of right now that
• 46:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, so the game starts at 5 p.m. local times.
• 46:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's correct.
• 46:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
• 46:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
• 46:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: Clear clear most of the cloudy cloud.
• 46:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's going to be like kind of ugly looking.
• 46:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's going to be cloudy throughout the game.
• 46:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: It looks like there's a chance around 8 p.m.
• 46:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: So, you know, towards the end of the game, which we could get interesting.
• 46:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um,
• 46:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: that the rain could come in, but it's not like a high likelihood.
• 46:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's like a 40% chance of eight and a 33% chance at nine, which hopefully by that point, the game will be over, but it is something to keep in mind for sure, to kind of keep an eye on.
• 47:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: So the other thing too, I can't believe in an mention this, Okshaas, I think it's just been, it's become such a thing.
• 47:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: Now this, I should have mentioned this in the reason for optimism.
• 47:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: Do you recall who the kicker was for the first game against the yes, I do yes, I mean like I think it's no small thing no kicker return game
• 47:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: return.
• 47:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: The 49er special teams is going to be an X factor.
• 47:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: I like to present second.
• 47:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: I said my doom and gloom like reasons for optimism.
• 47:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: I was like, oh, special teams.
• 47:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: I shouldn't have mentioned that.
• 47:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: Jake, Jake had a kick blocked in that game.
• 47:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: I believe in missed the next in missed a field goal or an extra point.
• 47:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: off to look this up.
• 47:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: But like it was it was kind of a disaster for him.
• 48:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think it teams, I think, like, Captain Seattle and that game where their offense couldn't do anything.
• 48:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like that was really the thing that was like keeping them afloat.
• 48:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I don't think that's going to be true.
• 48:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like no, at worst, it's going to be like a draw.
• 48:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: But I think the 49ers have an edge on special teams for sure.
• 48:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, hold on, I'm looking up Jake Moody.
• 48:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: He did make one feel goal and made to both of his extra points.
• 48:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, yeah.
• 48:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: He was, he was one for three in feel goals on that day.
• 48:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, so not his, not his best day.
• 48:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, he missed from 27 yards in the second quarter.
• 48:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think that one was blocked if everyone over correctly.
• 48:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um,
• 48:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: No, it was the it was the later one that was blocked the 26 yard.
• 48:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: He just makes the 36 yard was was Julian love blocked it from 36 That was at the end of the third quarter when they were down 10 to 7 And then the 400 Another special team snap through that game.
• 49:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: I can't remember.
• 49:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's something like really good return.
• 49:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: They let Seattle steal some point.
• 49:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: It was like some Yeah, yeah, so I think
• 49:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: that that's going to matter like it like I don't think like the Seattle special teams have been kind of a for I think this season um but the 49ers has been as we've talked about like actually become an asset to this team and if you know editing your I mean that's six points off the board in a game they won by four
• 49:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: which would have like stress with like really remove the stress from that game all together.
• 49:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like if they make those two field goals, you know, they end up winning 24 to 13, I think, or something like that.
• 49:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, I'm not saying that if you, I mean, you can't say that the outcomes have been exactly the same if if if everything it turned out, but I think you make those if he makes those two field goals, especially the 27 yarder, which is just like, and it like an atrocious like I don't understand how like your, this is what you do for a job like that's the easiest kick you could possibly have almost, um, but yeah, I think it's it's going to matter when it's all said and done like the ability for like any paneer on to make a field goal.
• 50:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: And when it matters and that sort of thing and sky more to make an impact on this game, maybe this is when he, you know, it would be great.
• 50:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like if this was his breakout where he finally scores or something like that, like just to take a little bit of the tension off the offense to where they don't feel like they have to have to do everything all the time.
• 50:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like that would be like utterly fantastic.
• 50:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: Oh yeah, I mean, like, special teams is the real like difference maker here and this is it is so amazing as 40 managed fans on that.
• 50:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay.
• 50:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: We can say that it is not like the reason for concern, special teams could be the difference.
• 50:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: Shake booties going to miss all of its kicks and we're going to lose.
• 51:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's a gift.
• 51:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's a great, I mean, it is exactly right.
• 51:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think that like, I think the only, the like bummer.
• 51:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: There is one.
• 51:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: Is that like Seattle special things is also pretty good.
• 51:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like their return game good with Rashid Shahid Like Michael Dixon is one of the best punchers.
• 51:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like that's annoying.
• 51:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's not so like clear that like the 49ers are going to be like, oh, like
• 51:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: far in a way, gonna have that advantage.
• 51:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: But I think it's like, it's gonna give them a chance, especially the kicking game.
• 51:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: Because against this defense, right, you're gonna have to be aggressive, like you said, you're gonna have to like take your shot, secure opportunities.
• 51:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: But equally importantly, you're gonna have to get points.
• 51:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: You just have to, you have to keep up pressure on Seattle.
• 51:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: You have to be able to score against this defense.
• 51:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that involves taking those long field goals, right?
• 51:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: Taking, like,
• 51:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's, that's a huge part of this game and I think with like steady, they got a chance.
• 51:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: They got a, I mean, it's exciting.
• 52:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like these teams are evenly matching a lot of ways and it's really going to come down to executes better and that's, it's fun.
• 52:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like it's, it's playoff football.
• 52:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: This is the first playoff.
• 52:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, like the Panthers game, I guess, I guess, but like this is really, I think the
• 52:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I mean, I think you could make a case of the bears game ones to a certain extent, because it was, well, it's two teams that you knew were going to be in the playoffs.
• 52:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: You didn't know where they were going to be and like the 49ers knew going into that game.
• 52:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like if you don't win this, you're you're going to be on the road for the rest of the season pretty much other than this week.
• 52:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so I think it.
• 52:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I think these last two.
• 52:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: weeks, and whether or not, I think we talked about this at the beginning of the season, whether or not the schedule makers had an inkling that this was going to be similar, like you said to 2019 where these two teams are going to match up for what was essentially an NFC and FC West championship game.
• 53:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: We talked about it, I think, when the schedule came out, like, oh, that could be an outcome here, but I think you and I both were under the impression that if there was going to be another team that was going to challenge the 49ers this year,
• 53:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so to see the rams like in third place in this division is, like, potentially in third place in this division, they're not, they're not guaranteed to finish there.
• 53:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, by the way, how wild is it going to be in the 90s and up to 12 wins in third place?
• 53:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, or even the rams could be a third.
• 53:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: Teen when team in third place.
• 53:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, it's crazy.
• 53:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: The winner of this division is going to win 14 the other two or the winner of this division is could win 14 games Or we have three teams with 13 wins
• 53:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: If the Niners win, that's the likelyest outcome.
• 53:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: Is it with three teams who won 13 games this season?
• 53:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: And last year, there was like that talk about the Vikings and whatever.
• 53:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, this, oh, I'm sorry.
• 53:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: The Rams are only going to, the Rams are 11 to 5.
• 54:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: They can only win 12 games, so I'm my bad.
• 54:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: Meanwhile, meanwhile, the NFC South could have a division winner
• 54:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: That, I mean, the NFC South, I, I was looking at and talking to people about sort of the like playoff things a couple weeks ago.
• 54:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: So on this talk, it was like, yeah, the Falcons were now the Panthers in it.
• 54:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I was like, where are you talking about?
• 54:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like why?
• 54:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: Because they'll all be tied at eight and nine, regardless.
• 54:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, if, if the bucks win, they are not guaranteed.
• 54:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: If they win later today, they are not going to be
• 54:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: guaranteed into the playoffs, unless the Saints beat the Falcons, which I mean, honestly, the Saints, the funniest thing I saw, well, we're getting a lot of track, but I didn't the worth mentioning, the NFC South teams, the two best records since like week seven, are the Saints in the Falcons, yeah, and it's just
• 55:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: If one of those teams could like figure it out like they have a stronghold on a division Yeah, like get instant like play off like appearances every year, but they just They just haven't.
• 55:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I don't know.
• 55:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: So if what I'd give to be in a division like that.
• 55:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't know Seriously if the bucks win the NFC South what we will have is eight nine eight nine seven and ten seven and ten in the
• 55:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: That seems so right.
• 55:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: That that seems about as right for a division as it's like this is the most mediocre thing that has ever happened and as evidence by the fact that That is how that will work out.
• 55:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: It would be very interesting to see.
• 55:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like, I can't imagine, like the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the
• 56:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: This is an objective podcast where we try to give like objective analysis for our fans at the end of the day and I want them to win I think they can I think they're going to I think it's going to be really it's terrifying it's not it's not a great position to be in it's a close game it's going to be a tight close game but I think they'll pull it out.
• 56:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: I've been going back on fourth on what I think the points are going to be because, you know, Seattle's defense is really good, like could it be a little scoring, but with the weather changing, I'm going to go 28, 24, I think in a little bit of a similar way, I do think that a few goals are not going to cut it in this game, in the team that takes fuel goals is the one that's going to lose and that's how I have Seattle having it taking a fuel
• 57:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think it's going to be tight, the score, I'm a little less like, sure about, but I would be old.
• 57:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like whatever, I think the Vegas line is like two and a half or something, something like small, like, if it, I think that's right.
• 57:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think it's really just like a either or it's kind of game.
• 57:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, um, again, I'm with you.
• 57:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: We are not, we are ultimately fans of this team.
• 57:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: And we want to see them win.
• 57:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so picking against them at this particular juncture feels wrong to me.
• 57:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: I went a little bit higher, mostly kind of going along with the what you said earlier.
• 57:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like the, I think the Niners need to get to 30 to feel good about this 30 24.
• 57:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: So I have the same score
• 57:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: One more one more score in there.
• 57:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: So I guess the the the field goal thing isn't like the worst outcome maybe I don't know All right.
• 58:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: Well, I'll show us any final thoughts on this before you wrap it up.
• 58:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, you know, just This is awesome like last year.
• 58:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: But also terrifying.
• 58:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, also terrifying, but awesome like last year They were not playing games like this and I mean with how wide open
• 58:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: play us like could this be their year maybe maybe not I don't know like I'm not really like too worried about all of that but I do think that like this is like these are the type of games that like teams should want to play in and this is the type of game that is fans is like
• 58:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: You'd rather your team is in these moments than like completely sucking, right?
• 58:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like, yes.
• 58:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: And like, that's like it's fun.
• 58:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like reveling it.
• 58:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: The Niners have played a great season so far.
• 58:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: They have a chance to wrap it up with like,
• 58:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: Things beyond their wildest imagination, like neither of us thought the one seed was in play for this team, I think, one, when the season started, I think we were thinking maybe like, all right, maybe the two are three, like hopefully they win the division, probably they'll be a wild card team.
• 59:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: They are like in a chance to do stuff that the best versions of Kyle Shanehance teams have done.
• 59:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think it's a testament to the team.
• 59:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's gonna be exciting, wherever you are, if you're able to go to the game,
• 59:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: If you're like watching your home, also great, like just like enjoy it because like last year I don't decade ago, these games were not happening.
• 59:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I think, think, you know, we're starting off the new year, right?
• 59:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's going to be exciting.
• 59:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's going to be a lot of fun.
• 59:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: Well said, all right, well we're just hours away as we're listening to this and we want to say say thanks to you for taking the time to do that.
• 59:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: And as always for the we want to say thanks for listening to this episode of the nine and always podcast part of the fancited podcast network.
• 1:00:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: Please continue to check out nine and always calm for all your latest four to the hundreds news and analysis.
• 1:00:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: and be sure to rate and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen.
• 1:00:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: And of course, share it with all your fellow 49er fan friends.
• 1:00:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: So until next time, let's sound the horn 49ers.