aaron Lynch – The Niner Empire

Flying High

October 21, 2015 by mtascavage

It was a great day for the 49ers as they were able to hang on for a 25-20 win against the Baltimore Ravens and snap their 4 game losing streak.

The Good

The offense moved the ball well. Overall, it was nice to see the big plays to Aquan Boldin, Torrey Smith, Quinton Patton, and yes, even Bruce Miller.
Though Carlos Hyde was slowed with a foot injury, the offensive line played well overall, with Andrew Tiller getting a positive PFF rating and logging more snaps than Jordan Devey.
Colin Kaepernick has looked much more comfortable under center and made some very good throws.
The defense did just enough to win. They did get some pressure and forced an interception.
Phil Dawson is still a great kicker

The Bad

Center Marcus Martin is still looking like a backup rather than a starter. The Niners really need Daniel Kilgore back in the lineup.
Injuries will be tough to deal with this week. A lot of the offensive line is hurt, as is Hyde and Boldin. All will likely play, but it’s unknown as to how much they’ll be affected.
Consistency. While everything worked out, if the Niners are going to win Thursday against Seattle, they need a complete game from everyone. This team, especially the defense, is not consistent and it shows every week.

Going forward

Vernon Davis and Reggie Bush look like they will be back in the lineup, which will hopefully help.
NaVorro Bowman played in all 77 snaps and looks like he’s starting to turn the corner on being all the way back
Seattle has problems all over the place on their team, but they still appear to be able to likely win on Thursday. It will be interesting to see if Carroll is losing the team or if they have just lost close games to good teams.

49ers vs Ravens Preview

October 16, 2015October 16, 2015 by mtascavage

After losing a very close and winable game this past Sunday night, the San Francisco 49ers will be looking to improve on that performance and close out the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday at Levi Stadium.

The Ravens, like the 49ers, are also 1-4. It’s hard to believe that both of these teams were in the Super Bowl just under 3 years ago, but that’s how the NFL works.

Giant Heartbreak

October 15, 2015October 14, 2015 by mtascavage

All of the 49er fans that watched Sunday Night’s game had to feel encouraged and also very hopeful as they saw their team overcome early adversity and take a 27-23 lead with just over a minute left.

We Niner fans have been through an awful lot and for a short time, it seemed like there was a chance we could witness a game in which San Francisco could get back in the race and show that they can win games.

49ers vs Giants Preview

October 10, 2015October 9, 2015 by mtascavage

After the offensive performance by the offense last week, the 49ers are looking to rebound this Sunday Night against the New York Giants.

Both teams aren’t playing very good, but the Giants are doing enough to maintain a .500 record and due to the ugliness that is the NFC East, the Giants can finish 9-7 and they will have a reasonable chance at winning their division.

While the Giants don’t have a great offensive line and have their issues on defense, the 49ers have a lot more problems they need to correct.

The Niners are Alive and Well!

September 20, 2015September 18, 2015 by mtascavage

(UPDATE: Listen here for the 49ers Edition of The Grueling Truth Podcast with myself, former 49er Dexter Carter and special guest 49er beat writer Ryan Sakamoto)

While the media and many fans figured the San Francisco 49ers were headed for a 4-12 season, the Niners ignored everything and showed everyone that they’re not going away.

The first quarter didn’t go very well, despite a good opening drive. The blocked field goal and the Jarryd Hayne fumble definitely gave fans the feeling like maybe all the media predictions were going to end up to be true.

Nobody told Navorro Bowman and the defense. All they did was go out and completely shut Minnesota down in every way. Adrian Peterson was held to 31 yards on 10 carries. Teddy Bridgewater was under pressure much of the day and only converted one 3rd down conversion. It would be the defense that set the tone and gave the offense time to adjust and settle down.