Add to that there are only two games being played west of the Mississippi this week.
With the Miami Dolphins in town this weekend, I’m reminded of how I became a 49ers fan.
I grew up outside of Portland, OR. In January of 1985 my father was in Palo Alto on a business trip a few days before Super Bowl XIX was to be played in Stanford Stadium. He brought home some pennants, one with both teams, and some with each team individually (like these). My older brother decided to take the Dolphins’ ones, and also got the dual one. Being a stubborn younger brother (I was six) meant that I couldn’t also pick the Dolphins, thus I decided the 49ers were my team. I was too young to really know everything about them, but they could do no wrong (they did only lose one game that year). 49ers=me.
Leading up to the game, my brother and I trash talked and were competitive about it, and when Joe and the gang wholloped the Dolphins, I was hooked. 49er fan for life.
I had NO idea that my mother was a 49er fan. She grew up in Marin while her father, also a huge 49er fan, was a radio announcer in the City. I guess it was in my blood.
Not long after the Super Bowl, my room was redecorated with red paint on one half, white wallpaper with red and gold stripes on the other, with a wallpaper border of 49er helmets going around the whole room (and requisite posters, trading cards, and the pennants, of course). The 49ers kept winning, life was good.
My older brother did one nice thing for me in his life, and he doesn’t even realize it.
My prediction for this Sunday: 49ers 38, Dolphins 16
There are 3 games west of the Mississippi BTW.
I assume everyone gets the joke of **gary’**s score prediction. 
The way the Raiders keep losing that second round pick we get from them in the next draft is looking to be a really good one. I love extra picks!
The Cardinals have gone back to John Skelton this week. Why the hell they can’t bring in Vince Young for a look, I have no idea.
Breaking news of the tragic and stupid.
Cowboys linebacker Jerry Brown has died in an early morning car crash, and Cowboys nose tackle Josh Brent has been charged with intoxication manslaughter in Brown’s death.
Man that’s horrible. And yes…stupid. Best wishes to all the affected families. Hopefully this doesn’t spark the Cowboys emotionally tomorrow (I know that sounds selfish).
One of my most hard-and-fast rules of football: Tragic Team Wins.
If a team loses a player, coach or owner in the week leading up to the game, that team wins. I’ve been paying half-assed attention to this stat for about five years now, and one noticed one instance where it didn’t come true (there very well could be others, though).
Sean Taylor?
Well in this case I hope it proves untrue. The Bengals desperately need to keep winning to keep pace with Pittsburgh.
So, should I start Andrew Luck vs Tennessee or Tom Brady against Houston? What about Stevan Ridley vs. Houston or DeMarco Murray vs Cincy?
Omni-I’d start Brady. No opinion on RB.
Hey, I’m a Giants fan…I’m definitely hoping the football gods look at DWI as one of the worst things ever.
You never bench Brady. Never. And Cincy has one of the best run defenses in the NFL. Is Murray going to play for sure? I’d play both Patriots.
Houston’s defense is excellent and Luck has an amazing matchup. I get the never bench your studs argument, but Luck has out scored Brady the last 2 weeks.
As for Ridley, he’s been great but again Houston is great against the run and Murray is more likely to go for 3 tds. It’s The first playoff game and I’m not loving my match ups.
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Off to Heinz Field!
I’m more high on Josh Gordon than Trent Richardson. I think Gordon will be significantly better at his position. Which kinda sucks since I really want Richardson to be all that. But Gordon has a chance to be one of the best.
Gordon does look good.
Why the pessimism on Richardson? Unless you’re Barry Sanders, there’s nothing you can do when two guys are tackling you 3 yards in the backfield. Settle down.
How was that “pass” by Ponder as he was being sacked not an intentional grounding?
Richardson is indecisive at the line of scrimmage and slow to hit the hole, which is just about the worst trait you can have in an RB. He gets his yards anyway because he’s ridiculously strong and pushes through, but when Cleveland’s other running backs are in there, you see them hit the hole faster and not get tackled in the backfield as much.
That might be gameplanning to some extent - the defense reacts differently to Richardson being in there. And in fact the Browns definitely help that, because their playcalling is extremely predictable by personel packages.
And it may be partially schematic. Brad Childress is awful at designing a rushing attack - which I’ve been talking about since he was in Minnesota.
Richardson is ridiculously strong and good in the open field, but he’s just too indecisive and slow at the line of scrimmage. He’s been hampered by injuries and bad coaching, so I’m hoping he can improve, but so far he’s been pretty dissapointing.