this is only the beginning...
...of a new era. A Brand Spanking New, Hard Hitting Harbaugh Era.
It hurt. I'll admit it. It really really hurt and disappointed me to see my Niners lose in OT. If it weren't for those two stupid mistakes by Kyle Williams #10, we probably would be in the Super Bowl. He screwed up a punt return and instead of just grabbing the ball, he let it accidentally hit him and then let the Giants grab the ball. Then what could have been the final possession of the game, he goes to return the punt... and then fumbles the ball. Yeeeeeah.
Even after all that, the Niners still put up one amazing fight. Even when the defense was gassed at the end from being on the field for so long, they still went out and fought hard. It was a tremendous defensive struggle. Last week against the Saints was all about offense and out scoring Brees, this week was all about the defenses. Whoever could put the most pressure on the QB and win the turnover battle would win this game.
Well, we definitely put the pressure on Manning. Sacked him six times if I'm correct, while they only got to Alex Smith three times. That's not even counting all the hits and all the pressure. Kept them to three and outs especially in the second half. Half their points came from our mistakes.
The one thing the Niners don't do is beat themselves, except for this game. Those two turnovers cost us the game.
But you know what, that's okay. We'll learn, we'll get better.
After all, this was a pretty amazing run. At the beginning of the season, no one would believe we'd even come close to winning the NFC West. It'll be the Rams. They'll win. Except they had the second worst record in the league. But we won our division, so we were guaranteed a spot in the playoffs. Then we fought for that second seed so we'd have a first round bye and got it. Then no one thought we'd beat the red-hot Saints with their high flying, record setting season and their elite QB because our offense wasn't strong enough and we didn't have any playoff experience, but we did. Then everyone said the Giants would beat us, and they did.
And that's okay.
It would've been the perfect Cinderella story to get to the Super Bowl. These same guys who went 6-10 last season suddenly went 14-4 and got into the NFC Championship under a rookie head coach. I'd say that's pretty darn impressive. In fact, that's practically the Cinderella story anyway. Underdogs winning through Harbaugh's magical coaching and team mindset. So maybe we didn't get to the ball, but the prince came and things are looking up. We've got next season. We'll be back with a vengeance next season. We want that Lombardi trophy. We were a field goal away from getting our chance. Mark my words, within the next four years of Harbaugh's contract, we will go to the Super Bowl and we will win and we will bring that trophy back to SF. It's been far too long.
So it's the end of this season, but it's really the beginning of a new era. Harbaugh Era. Even the veterans are talking about how amazing he is in turning this franchise around and getting Alex Smith to prove himself. We are back, baby. There's finally something worth talking about in football. Something worth getting excited over and falling all over yourself and losing your voice because you're delirious with euphoria with this team. Finally.
Who's got it better than us?
Not the Patriots who got so lucky in getting their ticket to the Super Bowl with a missed FG by the Ravens kicker. Not the Giants who got beaten up today but at least earned their spot.
No, it's the Niners because we've got Harbaugh and his magical coaching staff and a team that finally believes in themselves. And it's the fans who have waited for so long for this to happen.
It hurt. I'll admit it. It really really hurt and disappointed me to see my Niners lose in OT. If it weren't for those two stupid mistakes by Kyle Williams #10, we probably would be in the Super Bowl. He screwed up a punt return and instead of just grabbing the ball, he let it accidentally hit him and then let the Giants grab the ball. Then what could have been the final possession of the game, he goes to return the punt... and then fumbles the ball. Yeeeeeah.
Even after all that, the Niners still put up one amazing fight. Even when the defense was gassed at the end from being on the field for so long, they still went out and fought hard. It was a tremendous defensive struggle. Last week against the Saints was all about offense and out scoring Brees, this week was all about the defenses. Whoever could put the most pressure on the QB and win the turnover battle would win this game.
Well, we definitely put the pressure on Manning. Sacked him six times if I'm correct, while they only got to Alex Smith three times. That's not even counting all the hits and all the pressure. Kept them to three and outs especially in the second half. Half their points came from our mistakes.
The one thing the Niners don't do is beat themselves, except for this game. Those two turnovers cost us the game.
But you know what, that's okay. We'll learn, we'll get better.
After all, this was a pretty amazing run. At the beginning of the season, no one would believe we'd even come close to winning the NFC West. It'll be the Rams. They'll win. Except they had the second worst record in the league. But we won our division, so we were guaranteed a spot in the playoffs. Then we fought for that second seed so we'd have a first round bye and got it. Then no one thought we'd beat the red-hot Saints with their high flying, record setting season and their elite QB because our offense wasn't strong enough and we didn't have any playoff experience, but we did. Then everyone said the Giants would beat us, and they did.
And that's okay.
It would've been the perfect Cinderella story to get to the Super Bowl. These same guys who went 6-10 last season suddenly went 14-4 and got into the NFC Championship under a rookie head coach. I'd say that's pretty darn impressive. In fact, that's practically the Cinderella story anyway. Underdogs winning through Harbaugh's magical coaching and team mindset. So maybe we didn't get to the ball, but the prince came and things are looking up. We've got next season. We'll be back with a vengeance next season. We want that Lombardi trophy. We were a field goal away from getting our chance. Mark my words, within the next four years of Harbaugh's contract, we will go to the Super Bowl and we will win and we will bring that trophy back to SF. It's been far too long.
So it's the end of this season, but it's really the beginning of a new era. Harbaugh Era. Even the veterans are talking about how amazing he is in turning this franchise around and getting Alex Smith to prove himself. We are back, baby. There's finally something worth talking about in football. Something worth getting excited over and falling all over yourself and losing your voice because you're delirious with euphoria with this team. Finally.
Who's got it better than us?
Not the Patriots who got so lucky in getting their ticket to the Super Bowl with a missed FG by the Ravens kicker. Not the Giants who got beaten up today but at least earned their spot.
No, it's the Niners because we've got Harbaugh and his magical coaching staff and a team that finally believes in themselves. And it's the fans who have waited for so long for this to happen.