49ers are the Best in the West but Can they Win the NFC?
Written by playerpress.com, Monday November 14 2011
The San Francisco 49ers are 8-1 with a seemingly insurmountable five game lead in the NFC West. Barring a collapse of epic proportion, it’s a foregone conclusion that the Niners will conquer their submissive division in route to their first NFC West Championship in almost a decade.
Although a divisional title is a tremendous leap from their 6-10 record just a season ago, the true question on the minds of 49er fans is whether or not their team can make the Super Bowl.
In order to play in Indianapolis come February, with an assumed playoff berth on the horizon, the next challenge for San Francisco would be to win the NFC. This would entail a likely matchup with the defending Super Bowl Champion, Green Bay Packers.
Former wrestling sensation, Rick Flair, use to use the catchphrase, “To be the man, you gotta beat the man.” In 2011 the aspiring 49ers are equipped to do just that; beat the Packers in January.
For starters the 49ers aren’t singularly reliant on any one player to win games. Alex Smith’s play has improved drastically from a year ago but he is still not the determining factor as to whether or not the 49ers or lose.
Likewise, Frank Gore leads the Niners in rushing on the season, yet in Sunday’s showdown against the 6-2 Giants, an injured Gore had six carries for zero yards in a 49ers’ victory.
In comparison, Aaron Rodgers has not had a bad game in 2011. He has been able to impose his will offensively in every game this season. You’ve got to wonder if Rodger’s will be able to wing it so freely and with as much success in Lambeau come January. And if he can’t, be it weather or defense, who from the Packers will step up and make a play? As of now that remains a mystery and will continue to do so until Rodgers faces some sort of adversity this season. For Packer fans, hopefully that question is answered before the Packers find themselves on the verge of elimination in a must win situation.
Another thing that makes the 49ers capable of winning the NFC is the fact that they know how to win ugly. It’s often been said that the NFL is in the age of the quarterback, yet San Francisco is built like a team from a different era. Tough defense, solid special teams and a ball control offense has been the keys to success for Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers this season.
Where it’s not necessarily glamorous and it doesn’t earn very many highlights on Sportscenter, it has kept them in every game this season and is the perfect formula for winning in any given weather or atmosphere. Yes cheeseheads, that includes at Green Bay in adverse conditions.
Be sure to check out other great articles at The Penalty Flag.
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