49ers

2013 Super Bowl Preview

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The stage is set for Super Bowl XLVII. Harbaugh vs. Harbaugh. West Coast vs. East Coast. 49ers vs Ravens. It’s going to be quite a show. The Niners are a storied francise with a history full of Hall of Famer quarterbacks, and who, as of recently, are being led by just a second-year quarterback. The Niners, who have five Super Bowl titles in their history (tied with the Dallas Cowboys for the second-most in NFL history), are also the only team in NFL history to appear in at least one Super Bowl without ever losing. The Ravens are a team with much less NFL history, as they started playing in 1996, compared to the Niners who were founded in 1946. The Ravens beat the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV, which makes them one of four NFL teams to win in their sole Super Bowl appearance. The Ravens have also been AFC North Champions four times and have made the playoffs a total of nine times since 2000. Super Bowl XLVII is bound to be a dramatic one.

This Super Bowl will be known as the Har-Bowl. John Harbaugh, the older brother, is the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, and Jim Harbaugh is the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. When Jim Harbaugh was named the head coach of the Niners in 2011, the two Harbaughs became the first pair of brothers to serve as coaches in NFL history. John Harbaugh has been the head coach of the Ravens since 2008 and was previously the Special Teams Coordinator and Defensive Backs Coach for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1998-2007. Jim Harbaugh was the Quarterbacks Coach for the Oakland Raiders in 2002, but other than that, his coaching experience was limited to college football with University of San Diego from 2004-2006 and Stanford University from 2006-2010. However, he played quarterback in the NFL for 14 seasons and went to the Pro Bowl once. Their father, Jack Harbaugh, also played quarterback in college and coached at several different colleges. Their rich family history in football and the brotherly rivalry will surely provide some extra excitement to this Super Bowl.

Vernon Davis, Colin Kaepernick, and Frank Gore during the NFC Championship

Vernon Davis, Colin Kaepernick, and Frank Gore during the NFC Championship

The Niners had a 11-4-1 regular season record and were known as one of the best defenses in the league. In the regular season, the Niners’ defense was third in the NFL for yards allowed per game with 294.4 yards. The Niners were also fourth in passing yards allowed per game with 200.2 yards, and they were fourth in rushing yards allowed per game with 94.2 yards. Their offense features a strong rushing attack, a Pro-Bowl tight end in Vernon Davis, and an up and coming wide receiver in Michael Crabtree. Alex Smith was originally the 49ers’ quarterback, but after suffering a concussion in week 10, Kaepernick took over in Week 11. Even after Alex Smith recovered from his concussion, Harbaugh decided to continue to start Kaerpernick. To see why Harbaugh decided to keep Kaepernick as the starter, click here. The Niners have gone 7-2 since Kaepernick was named the starter, and they have played an exciting brand of football ever since. Kaepernick hasn’t shown his lack of experience thus far, so we’ll see how he can respond in a high-pressure situation like the Super Bowl.

The Ravens had a 10-6 regular season record and had to overcome several injuries to key players this season, including the future Hall-of-Famer, Ray Lewis. Lewis, playing in his 17th season with the Ravens, tore his triceps midway through October. The Ravens had to play without their star linebacker and team leader for a majority of the season, yet they continued to have an impressive season behind their quarterback Joe Flacco and Ray Rice, one of the best running backs in the league. Lewis returned from injury for the Ravens’ AFC Wild Card game against the Colts, and before the game, he announced that he would retire at the end of this season. The Ravens have been known to be the underdog this season. They came in as serious underdogs in the divisional round against the Broncos, and they won 38-35 in double overtime. They came into the AFC Championships against the Patriots even more as underdogs, and they were able to pull off a miraculous 28-13 win. The Ravens will for sure come into the Super Bowl with a tremendous amount of passion given their underdog mentality and the fact that it’ll be Ray Lewis’ last game in the NFL.

Joe Flacco and John Harbaugh after the AFC Championship

Joe Flacco and John Harbaugh after the AFC Championship

Initially, the 49ers are favored by 4.5 points over the Ravens to win the Super Bowl. However, the Ravens are used to being named the underdog. The Patriots were favored by 7.5 points over the Ravens in the AFC Championship, but the Ravens won by 15 points. The Ravens might even enjoy playing as underdogs, because they seem to like proving people wrong. There will be much emotion swirling around this game, so both the 49ers and Ravens will have to be prepared for the distractions, obstacles, and high stakes. This Super Bowl will most likely be a back-and-forth battle and it’s going to be a close game, no matter who wins. So who will win? The token underdogs, the Ravens, or the defense-oriented, newly-rejuvenated offense of the Niners? I guess we’ll see on February 3rd in New Orleans.

My prediction: 49ers win by 6.

Should Colin Kaepernick be the 49ers Starting QB?

This week’s Monday Night Football game featured the 49ers and Bears, which was going to be an intense defensive battle. It turns out though that after the game, all people could talk about was the 49ers’ offense. The 49ers beat the Bears 32-7 behind a breakout performance from backup quarterback, Colin Kaepernick. Kaepernick not only slaughtered one of the best defenses in the league, but he also has caused the 49ers coaches and fans to question if he should take over the starting role. Alex Smith hasn’t been cleared yet to play, because he’s still experiencing concussive symptoms. Coach Jim Harbaugh announced Wednesday night that Kaepernick will start this upcoming Sunday against the Saints, but should he be the starter for the rest of the season as well, even if Smith is healthy?

In Kaepernick’s first start in the NFL, he completed 16 of 23 passes for 243 yards, 2 TDs, and he ended up with a QB rating of 133.1. His first career touchdown pass was to Vernon Davis in the fourth quarter, and his second touchdown was to Michael Crabtree in the third quarter. Kaepernick also led a 96-yard touchdown drive (the longest of the season), and completed a beautiful 57-yard pass to Kyle Williams, which led to the Davis touchdown. Kaepernick and his teammates looked like they were having even more fun than any other time in the season. He was an inspiring and passionate leader in his first win as a starter.

I saw this tweet the other day from sports analyst Brandon Tierney, and I think this is the absolute perfect description of the situation. Read below:

Smith truly is a Honda. He’s reliable, he’s sturdy, and you know exactly what you’re getting from him, which isn’t bad. Kaepernick is the fun, exciting, flashy Porsche that the fans finally got to see on Monday night. The game against the Bears was one of the most entertaining 49ers games I’ve seen in a long time. In addition to Aldon Smith’s 5.5 sacks, Kaepernick’s performance made this game so much fun to watch. Even though he’s known for his running and his speed, he executed some absolutely perfect throws, which were beautiful. “I’m just so proud of him in that moment because the ball that he threw me, it was just one of those balls that you see Tom Brady throw,” Davis said. “Second window, right on the money. Surprise. I didn’t expect the ball to come because we ran that play quite a few times and the tight end usually don’t get the ball on that play.” Vernon Davis must have been so happy that Kaepernick started, because Alex Smith had a lot of trouble finding him in the past few games.

With a coach like Harbaugh and the same offense as last year, we’ve seen Alex Smith at his best. We’ve seen him have some great games, but he we all know that Alex Smith will always be just a game manager. Don’t get me wrong, he manages games very well and knows this team very well. However, I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again. Alex Smith is a good enough quarterback to get a team to the playoffs, but he’s not good enough to win a Super Bowl. He will never be a Tom Brady, a Peyton Manning, a Drew Brees, or an Eli Manning. Kaepernick might not be one of those quarterbacks either, but he at least has the potential to become a great quarterback. He hasn’t just shown flashes of greatness through various games. He showed a whole game of greatness on Monday night. His performance was completely dominant and practically flawless.

Harbaugh said Wednesday morning on KNBR that Smith would probably be cleared later this week, but, on Wednesday night, he still named Kaepernick the starter for the Saints game. In the press conference after Monday night’s game though, Harbaugh wouldn’t clearly state who he was planning on starting Sunday against the Saints. He claimed that he would start whoever had the “hot hand.” Tim Kawakami brought up an excellent point recently about Harbaugh’s comment. Read below:

“Last night, Harbaugh could’ve said Smith is his starter, period, when healthy… but that things remain uncertain until Smith is fully healthy, but Harbaugh definitely didn’t say that. I fully expected a version of that last night. That’s been Harbaugh’s singular stance since he got this job–Smith is his starter, that’s not up for debate. And if he said it that way, the Saints would still have to game plan for both Smith and Kaepernick. It’s not like Harbaugh loses any strategic advantage for Sunday’s game in New Orleans by saying Smith is 1 and Kaepernick is 1A in case of further injury. I mean, if Harbaugh flat-out said Smith IS starting Sunday, you think the Saints would just ignore what Kaepernick did last night and only game plan for Smith? That’s not how the NFL works. If you’re arguing that Harbaugh is only leaving it open as a strategic pose, you’re over-thinking this.”

Kawakami brings up a great point about Harbaugh, who has been supporting Smith since the second he was named the Head Coach. Harbaugh could’ve easily said he’d most likely go with Smith, even when it wasn’t clear when Smith would be cleared, but he chose not to. Also, Harbaugh said this morning that Smith would be cleared later in the week, but he chose to name Kaepernick the starter the same night. This announcement is a strong indication that Harbaugh really does want to see what Kaepernick can do as a full-time starter. The timing of this announcement and the update on Smith is too coincidental and meaningful. Harbaugh wants to see if Kaepernick’s Monday night performance was just a “fluke,” and if he can be effective against a surging Saints team. Don’t get me wrong, Harbaugh has faith in Kaepernick and his abilities.Harbaugh has been given many reasons why he should keep starting Kaepernick, and he’s finally accepting it. Kaepernick will remain the starter, he will keep producing at a high level, and he will only keep improving.

Super Sunday for S.F. Sports

Pardon the almost incessant alliteration used in the title, but speaking as a Giants and 49ers fan, yesterday was pretty much the perfect sports day. The Niners kicked off “Super Sunday” with a 30-22 win over last season’s MVP Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. Alex Smith completed 20 of 26 passes for 211 yards and two touchdowns with no turnovers. Smith earned a 125.6 quarterback rating, which is quite impressive compared to Rodgers’ 93.3 rating. Also, David Akers converted a 63-yard field goal at the end of the first half, which tied him for the longest made field goal in NFL history. The 49ers went into the fourth quarter with a 23-7 lead, but they knew their lead wasn’t secure while facing one of the best offenses in the league. Thankfully, the 49ers boast one of the best defenses in the league, so the fourth quarter would prove to be quite a battle. “It wasn’t perfect by any means,” Smith said, “but good team football, everybody helping each other.”

The Packers got back into the game off of a 75-yard punt return touchdown by wideout Randall Cobb. The Packers followed with a two-point conversion, and, suddenly, they were back in the game. At this point, the defense stepped up. NaVorro Bowman intercepted a pass thrown by Rodgers, which provided a big change in momentum. “We fought to the end,” Gore said. “Our defense made plays when they had to.” The Niners offense then took over and on the very next play, Frank Gore ran 23 yards to give them another touchdown. The Niners went on to preserve their lead and eventually win a great battle. “Really proud of our guys,” Harbaugh said. “They played with a lot of fight, a lot of heart, and a lot of courage.”

Watch highlights here.

The other half of “Super Sunday,” the Giants vs. Dodgers game at AT&T Park, proved to be just as exciting for the fans. It was supposed to be a Barry Zito and Clayton Kershaw matchup, but Kershaw was scratched right before the game with a minor right hip injury, even though he said he could’ve pitched. Joe Blanton was the replacement starter for the Dodgers, and the Giants have had good luck against him in the past. In his last 11 outings against the Giants, Kershaw has a 7-3 record with a 1.21 ERA. The Giants surely were glad that they didn’t have to face Kershaw, even though, out of respect, none of them fully said that. “He’s one of the best pitchers in the game,” Bochy said. “We haven’t done a lot with him.” In fact, Zito ended up being the star of this game. He pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowed four hits, and no runs. Bochy praised Zito’s concentration and Buster Posey credited Zito’s confidence as reasons why he was so effective. Giants fans have started to believe in Zito more, giving yet him another standing ovation when he came out of the game. “The atmosphere tonight was probably more electric than I’ve ever seen,” Zito said.

Hunter Pence drove in the first two runs of the game off a two-out double in the first inning. “It’s about picking each other up,” Bochy said. “Those two-out hits win ball games for you. It helps guys relax.” In the fifth, Angel Pagan had his 11th triple of the year, one shy of the Giants’ season record, and Marco Scutaro drove him in with a perfectly executed sacrifice fly to make the game 3-0. In the sixth inning, Posey led off the inning with a great at-bat against Blanton. In the 12 pitch at-bat, Posey fouled off six pitches then concluded the at-bat with a big home run to center field to make the score 4-0 Giants. Posey really bolstered his MVP campaign this weekend as he displayed immense talent on both offense and defense while on national television. “With what he’s done for us — here you have a guy who is your catcher and is hitting cleanup and he’s carried us at times,” Bochy said. “I can’t think of a guy more valuable for a club than Buster is for us.”

Watch highlights here.

The start of the NFL season is one of the best days of the year for many fans. September baseball always showcases drama and intense competition, especially when watching the Giants. San Francisco sports fans were in for great sports action all around on “Super Sunday.” The Niners proved to all of the NFL that they are once again a contender, and last year’s success wasn’t a fluke. The Giants solidified their lead in the NL West and sent a message to the Dodgers that if they want to get into the playoffs, they’re going to have to go through the wild card. Both teams appeared dominant and more confident than ever, which was great to see as a San Francisco sports fan.

The 49ers are the SF Giants of the NFL

Over the past year or so, Bay Area teams have found ways to continue to surprise their loyal fans. The San Francisco Giants were able to win the World Series in 2010 when no one (and I literally mean no one) picked them to win, let alone even make the playoffs. This particular Giants team was labeled a team of “misfits” or “castoffs,” but there was still this type of allure around them. They were the proverbial nerds, geeks, and loners on the playground that no one believed in or understood. The bullies were the Yankees and the Phillies of the world that believe that no one is ever going to be as great as they are. Giants fans were even stunned to see their local team beat the almighty Phillies and continue on to the pivotal World Series. They proved to be a team defined by great pitching and defense, ingenius coaching by Bruce Bochy, and amazing team chemistry. These are the main reasons why many teams win the World Series, but it was much more special with this team because of the fact that winning the World Series was so unexpected.

So how does this connect to the 49ers? This season cannot properly be described as a “surprise,” because this particular word doesn’t do enough justice to what has been accomplished so far. Not only did no one expect this 49ers team to be any good, but no one expected this team to win the division. This 49ers team has a different appearance than any other 49ers team in the recent past. They have a tenacity, a determination, and a fun spirit about them that is so captivating. Like the Giants, they are a team defined by not only these particular traits, but great defense, creative coaching by Jim Harbaugh, and amazing team chemistry. This team, also like the Giants, plays with immense confidence despite having some “misfit” characters. These factors have lead the 49ers to a 10-3 record, which is tied for the 2nd best record in the NFC.

Strong similarities can be seen in the stellar defenses of both teams. The starting pitchers (Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez, and Madison Bumgarner) for the Giants had a collective 3.36 ERA during the regular season and maintained their excellence throughout the postseason. The starting pitchers had a collective 2.17 ERA during the postseason. This includes Matt Cain’s 0 earned runs allowed over 21.1 innings during the postseason. Madison Bumgarner, in his first postseason and first season as a starting pitcher, maintained a 2.18 ERA. Including the relievers, the Giants pitching staff had a 3.36 ERA throughout the season. The Giants defense also had a 98.8% fielding percentage, which ranked first out of all NL teams. The 49ers defense has been regarded as the strongest asset that this current 49ers team has. With new additions Carlos Rogers, Donte Whitner, and other new starters such as Ahmad Brooks, Tarell Brown, and others, the 49ers defense consistently appears to be one of the strongest defenses in all of the NFL. They are ranked 1st in all the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game. In addition to that, the 49ers defense is ranked 4th in all the NFL is total yards allowed per game. Both of these stats are quite impressive and prove how strong this defense really is compared to other great teams.

Although Bruce Bochy and Jim Harbaugh coach with different styles, they both have the ability to inspire a team and get the absolute best out of their players. Bruce Bochy is a calmer force and coaches much more lackadaisically. Bochy rarely argues calls, rarely yells at players, and always believes in his players. His approach to coaching is much more subtle, but he is known to make all the right decisions at the right time. Jim Harbaugh, in his first year as an NFL head coach, is a more fiery, passionate coach who is not afraid to show his emotions. He can often be too exuberant or excited though. For example, right after winning a rather significant game against the Lions, Lions’ head coach Jim Schwartz accused Harbaugh of “shaking his hand too hard” after the game. This is such a bogus argument that it requires no more description or analysis. Anyway, Harbaugh’s passion is inspiring and quite contagious amongst the players. Both coaches can be seen as their own versions of “players’ coaches.” They are both likeable and respected, but still admired for their high-quality coaching. They become a sort of father figure, and truly want and expect the best out of their players. This type of coaching style is often preferable and can often lead to winning results.

In sports, chemistry cannot be forced. Chemistry occurs when players get along on and off the field and truly believe in each other and the system. The Giants were comprised of many players who other teams didn’t want, hence the names “castoffs” and “misfits.” This underdog mentality was definitely a reason why the players were able to bond off the field and perform extremely well together on the field. Here are some examples of the main castoffs on the team. The Giants were the only team to offer Aubrey Huff a deal before the 2010 season. Cody Ross was placed on waivers by the Marlins and the Giants only picked him up to avoid San Diego from acquiring him. Andres Torres was a career minor league player who never really hit his prime and had suffered from ADHD. Pat Burrell was cut from the Tampa Bay Rays after struggling in his role as DH and the Giants offered to sign him to a minor league contract with no guarantees. What’s ironic is that the biggest castoffs on this Giants team were the players that contributed the most to the success of the team. Aubrey Huff supplied constant offense throughout the season, Cody Ross defined clutch hitting, Andres Torres showed off his speed and defensive prowess in center field, and Pat Burrell provided power hitting that the Giants so desperately needed. The term misfits applies because no one would necessarily think that this combination of players would result in a World Series title. However, these players might not have traditionally fit together, but they did know how to have fun and, therefore, win together.

The 49ers’ key example of a misfit is Alex Smith. Every 49ers fan knows his story. The 49ers selected him with the number 1 pick in 2005 (to this day I still believe the 49ers should have drafted the hometown kid, Aaron Rodgers), which was surprising and upsetting to most fans. Smith experienced many different head coaches, offensive coordinators, and various injuries, which all contributed to the general hatred of him amongst fans (talk about a misfit). Jim Harbaugh was brought in as the new head coach this past offseason, and everyone hoped this would finally be the end of the Alex Smith era. Sadly, this was not the case. Harbaugh decided to bring him back and resurrect his career. Fans were more than skeptical about this decision because he was an unproven quarterback and was thought to be overrated. Harbaugh was the absolute perfect coach to help Alex Smith though. He’s a players’ coach, a former NFL quarterback, and he’s extremely smart and creative with his offense. With this mentoring, Alex Smith has become a relevant quarterback once again and has put him relatively good numbers all season. With a confident quarterback leading the way, the 49ers have great chemistry because they are all fierce competitors, hard workers, and talented players that all believe they can win every game.

Sometimes a sport team can have more influence over others than one would think possible. After the Giants won the World Series, Bay Area fans became very emotional because they could relate to this team. Everybody knew what it felt like to be the underdog and to have all the odds against them. The Giants knew how important they became to the city, so the team and the fans became united. Their winning formula seems to have shifted over the 49ers now. After many years of suffering, 49ers fans can finally watch quality football again. Hopefully the 49ers can surprise the Bay Area like the Giants did by making it to the Super Bowl. Both the Giants and 49ers based their game plans on strong defense, coaching, and chemistry, and this has lead to success for both teams. Along with their winning records, their underdog mentality becomes addictive and inspiring to fans. Sports teams can be powerful figures, especially when lead by misfits.

Alex Smith’s Season: Boom or Bust?

The 49ers’ current 5-1 record has been more than surprising. Although the 49ers are competing within a weak division, their 3-0 road record is more than impressive and has proven that they are not just winning their division because the other teams in the NFC West are so horrible. The 49ers’ defense has really carried the team and is the largest reason for the 5-1 record. The 49ers’ defense ranks 2nd in the NFL in points allowed per game at 16.2, they rank 2nd in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game at 74.7, 2nd in the NFL in touchdowns allowed at 9, and 2nd in the NFL in total points allowed so far this season at 97. Clearly, the defense is solid and can keep our offense in any game no matter what the score is. The one factor that could hold back the 49ers in the future is their offense.

49ers Defense

Obviously, the fate of a team’s offense lies in the hands of their quarterback. Alex Smith ranks 26th in the NFL for passing yards, he is in a 6-way tie for 15th in the league for touchdowns thrown, and is tied for 24th in the league for completions. Although these stats appear pretty dismal, Alex Smith is surprisingly ranked 9th in the NFL for passer rating with a 95.2 and 9th in the NFL for completion percentage with 63.3%. Alex Smith is a bit of an enigma. He’s good enough to remain the starter, but he’s not good enough to ever be compared to the league’s elite quarterbacks. He will remain the starter throughout the season because Colin Kaepernick is not ready to become the everyday starter, and he probably won’t be for a season or two. The 49ers simply do not have any other options, and there are no potential free agents that the 49ers could target.

Alex Smith

If the 49ers make the playoffs this season, Alex Smith will not be the main reason for that. Unless he has a stellar second half of the season, the defense will be the force that drives the 49ers to the playoffs. This season, Alex Smith was placed in the absolute best possible situation to succeed. Jim Harbaugh not only was a quarterback in the NFL for 15 seasons, but he also has proven to be a “players coach,” which means that he gets along with players easily while still commanding respect and authority. Harbaugh has coached some great quarterbacks, and he knows how to get the best out of all his players. Because of all these qualities, Alex Smith should be playing the best football of his life. Yes, Alex Smith has had seven different offensive coordinators in his NFL career. However, if he was good enough to be chosen with the #1 overall pick in 2005, he should be able to adapt. Seven different offensive coordinators requires a lot of adaptation, but he should have been able to rise to the occasion and at least begin to establish himself after his first few years in the league. After seven seasons, we are currently seeing the closest to the best form of Alex Smith we are ever going to see. With an outstanding coach practically tailored specifically for him, with solid teammates around him such as Vernon Davis, Michael Crabtree, and Frank Gore, and with a defense fully supporting him, Alex Smith should have extremely strong stats.

Jim Harbaugh and Alex Smith

Alex Smith’s stats might be strong enough to lead the 49ers to the playoffs, but is he the right quarterback to lead this team to the Super Bowl? Not even close. Jed York (49ers owner), Trent Baalke (general manager), and Jim Harbaugh have all stated that they don’t want to run a team that is satisfied with just making the playoffs. They all want to create and enforce a winning atmosphere. However, Alex Smith is not the quarterback that will lead the 49ers to multiple Super Bowls. If Alex Smith leads the 49ers to the playoffs, it would be a great and, yes, admirable accomplishment, however, this would not sanction him to become the “quarterback of the future.” The 49ers organization needs to be very careful this upcoming offseason. If the team makes the playoffs this season, then the organization still needs to consider if Alex Smith is the right quarterback for this team. In his seventh season, Alex Smith should be hitting his peak, and his stats aren’t exactly “peak-worthy.” Under the best possible circumstances, we are seeing the best Alex Smith that we will see, and he is simply not a strong enough quarterback to lead the 49ers to the Super Bowl.

Jim Harbaugh and Trent Baalke

I would truly enjoy if Alex Smith was able to prove me wrong this season. If you know me personally, you know that I hate to be wrong, especially when involving sports. In this case though, I would love to see him succeed and lead this team to the Super Bowl. This event is extremely unlikely, but it would be gratifying to see Alex Smith come full circle and regain the trust of the 49ers faithful by proving that he’s a winner. The second half of this season will be a key stretch for the 49ers. It will determine if they can make the playoffs and officially start the journey towards a consistent winning team, and it will begin and end with Alex Smith. Let’s see where he takes them.

Week 1: 49ers 33, Seahawks 17

On opening day of the 2011-2012 season, the 49ers were hoping to play dominant football on both offense and defense. As if continuing the trend from the last season, the 49ers played excellent defense and struggled much more on offense though. The defense allowed no points in the first half and seemed to really bother Tavaris Jackson’s (the Seahawks QB) rhythm. The offense scored no points in the first quarter, but was able to get 3 field goals and Alex Smith was able to dive into the endzone for a touchdown at the end of the second quarter. It appeared as though the 49ers might be able to pull off a win with a 16-0 lead at halftime.

At the beginning of the third quarter, the Seahawks were able to get their first touchdown after a nice pass by Tavaris Jackson to Doug Baldwin on a 3rd and long conversion. After a field goal by the 49ers and several nice scoring runs by the Seahawks, they had cut the deficit to 19-17 with 3:56 left in the game. This game was no longer going to be an easy win for the 49ers, so they really needed a burst of energy. That is exactly what they got from Ted Ginn.

The Seahawks were kicking off and Ted Ginn was receiving the kick. He caught the ball in the endzone and ran 102 yards down the right sideline to return the kickoff for a touchdown. Talk about an energy boost. This made the crowd go absolutely wild. This put the 49ers up 26-17. Three plays and less than a minute later, Ginn was able to return a Seahawks punt for another 55 yards and another touchdown. 33-17. Game over. That was exactly the ending the 49ers needed.

Donte Whitner, one of the new safeties for the 49ers, went to high school with Ginn at Glenville High School in Cleveland. Whitner said, “Teddy’s been doing that stuff since high school. If you don’t get to those types of guys on special teams, they’ll break loose. All you need is a little room with world-class speed. I don’t know many people who can catch him once he sees the end zone.”

Watch highlights of the game here by clicking on the thumbnail: