Next Week: Whiners Week (MM Speaks)

I'd say our problem is more players than scheme.  

Well the players, the secondary in particular, must understand their assignments and not let receivers loose all over the field. This is a big concern. Stopping the run is another big concern. The lbs must protect the edge(usually fail) and the linemen must close the middle (usually fail). 

One of the problem is that with Kaepernick as a threat to run out of the pocket, it forces zone coverage, which we don't seem to be very good at due to lack of communication /  mistakes in assignments. 

We're going to need to do a lot of stuff really well to win this game. Really doesn't get much more simple than that. 

I went to the last Lions victory in GB, when the game temp was 0F with light winds; wind chill was ~-10F: everything was coated with 1/2" of ice. My best choice was buying 3 Sunday Press Gazettes:Me, my wife and BIL sat on half and put the other half on the ground.  Drank NO beer; went for coffee at halftime; It came out of the urn boiling and by time I got back to my seat, I chugged it.

I'm looking into a  beer warmer concession for this game.

I can't see Kaepernick being that inclined to run too often in the cold.  Nobody likes to get hit when it's sub-zero degrees.  If he does, i think they need to hit him, and hit him hard the first run or two.  Nothing dirty, but make him think about running.

Latest local forecast here said -5 might be generous especially when the sun sets.

Believe it or not, this guy could be our MVP:

Sunday should be pretty much kicking a lead balloon. Advantage Ginger..

I'll be happy if the refs actually call Boldin for pushing off.  In Week 1 he never was called for any push-offs.   IF they would've called him for a push-off on that 4th down conversion late in the game...who knows...maybe we come back to win it.

Boldin shoved Williams about 5 yards to get open on his game-clinching catch.

Let's not be whiners now!  

Remember that this is playoff football. Last week they called, what, one PI the whole game? And didn't throw the flag on Jordy getting put on his butt 8 yards downfield on the 4th-and-win play? They won't call Boldin. We just have to cover him, for pete's sake. In the last game we let him run all alone all over the middle of the field. Now they have Davis, so it's double trouble. 

Andy Lee is an awesome punter for the Niners but unless you've ever kicked in the blistering cold, you don't know the football feels like kicking a frozen turkey.

Advantage....PUSH

From National Weather Service Green Bay site:

Sunday Mostly sunny and cold, with a high near 1.

• Sunday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around -18. 

OK..I get it...the Michael Irvin treatment by the refs...don't like it...but it is what it is...

so, then...at least put a body on Boldin...and smack him around in the cold then...don't let him just push you and then it not being called....give him a little extra chin music and see if he likes the cold weather...

Absolutely need to be Seattle Seahawk physical with the receivers.

Look at the tape Seahawks vs. Niners. The Seahawks know how to play SF. The blueprint is out there. Time to put the plan in action.

If we notice it...or are thinking about it...I'm sure Dom is thinking about it...or at least we hope he is thinking about "mixing it up" on the defensive strategy...you would hope that he would realize that you can't keep doing the same predictable stuff and expect to keep Kopperdick in check.

Watching Andy Lee punt is the most ridiculous thing ever.  He basically spreads his butt cheeks pre snap like a he's inviting a Bonobo gang bang. 

We have to get away from the 2-5.

It is time to get back to the 3-4 and play some smash mouth football.  I have no idea why Dan fell in love with his 2-4-5 but he has... this game will be won in the trenches.  Lack of big bodies or not, our LBs are even thinner. 

This game will be won by TOP and pounding the football, then converting on 3rd down.   We have the horses for the first part and the the QB to do the latter. 

**** the 2-4-5 and let's play 3-4 and get our big bodies in there!!! There is nothing to lose, play the hell out of them, hope fattie Raji figures he can have a splash day to make his 10 million.  And

Just.WIN. Baby!!

Re-watching games this season you really notice Raji and Pickett getting pushed off the line of scrimmage or washed out of their gaps. I think Father Time has caught pick--although I don't think that was much of a foot race. Raji is another matter. I thought the solution was to play Daniels more on run downs, but they tried that a couple times against the bores with less than stellar results. Anyone know if CJ will be back for this game?

I'm hoping Worthy & Josh Boyd can do some work along with Daniels

From all the internet rumors perhaps he is preparing to distract AR on Sunday 

@MikeVandermause

Screw Neal and Mulumba.  Put this guy at OLB and it's game, set, match.

@RobDemovsky

wait...what?  why would they list Clay Matthews as "not practicing"...of course he's "not practicing" because he has been ruled OUT by MM earlier this week....so, are they saying now that Clay "has a chance" to play?

so..you're saying there's a chance?

Gov. Scott Walker announced Friday, Jan. 3, 2014, that the Leo Frigo Memorial Bridge will reopen by 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 5.

Not cheering this. But I ain't shedding no tears either:

Two bum hamstrings could equal bad news for the 49ers entering their wild-card meeting at Green Bay on Sunday.

 

With cornerback Carlos Rogers’ status for the game already in serious question, the next man up, cornerback Eric Wright, appeared on the injury report today with a hamstring injury and was limited in practice. Wright was not on the injury report Wednesday, meaning he presumably was injured in today’s practice.

 

The latest injury development is particularly troubling given the 49ers’ upcoming opponent. The Packers used at least three wide receivers on 77 percent of their offensive snaps this season, according to Pro Football Focus. In a 34-28 season-opening loss to the 49ers, they trotted out at least three wideouts on 87 percent of their snaps.

 

The weather in Green Bay won’t assist Rogers or Wright with their injuries. According to accuweather.com, the high on Sunday will be minus-5 degrees with a low of minus-20. Rogers, who hasn’t practiced this week, said the artic conditions could make it difficult to play with a hamstring injury.

I find that offensive.

..........yet mildly arousing.

Just checked weather underground for Green Bay weather and it has 10-20 mph winds with a low of -20.  Then googled for a wind chill calculator and fetched values for -20 F and 20 mph wind.

http://www.onlineconversion.com/windchill.htm

The formulas used to calculate the wind chill index are:

Old Wind Chill Index (Pre-November 2001) =
91.4 - (0.474677 - 0.020425 * V + 0.303107 * sqrt(V)) * (91.4 - T)

New Wind Chill Index =
35.74 + 0.6215T - 35.75(V^0.16) + 0.4275T(V^0.16)

where:
V = wind speed (mph)
T = temperature (F)

Old wind chill = -67 F

New wind chill = -48 F

Yowzer!!!

Here is some interesting info on being cold...

"The average healthy temperature of a human body is 96.9 to 99.5° F. Hypothermia is defined as any temperature below  96° F. This is the beginning of stage 1 hypothermia.

Brain function becomes noticeably impaired only during stage 2, which begins at around  93°F. The player may exhibit confusion. Many of the symptoms which may appear potentially neurological, including lack of coordination, stumbling and labored speech, are in fact muscular in nature.

( its not a concussion coach, I'm just really cold ! )

As part of the body's effort to protect the internal organs, the vasomotor response constricts blood vessels in and near the skin. Consequently, the hands, face and legs lose function." 

None of that sounds like it would help a player excel on the Frozen Tundra

If they are just standing around on the field doing nothing, it might get cold.

Many of the symptoms which may appear potentially neurological, including lack of coordination, stumbling and labored speech, are in fact muscular in nature.

This poor dolt has terminal hypothermia.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy spoke to the media following Friday’s final practice. Here are some highlights from his news conference:

 

-Eddie Lacy practiced well.

 

-I’m very happy and very proud of Eddie Lacy and Josh Sitton for being all-pro. I felt Josh clearly had his best year as a pro. He went to the Pro Bowl last year and I think he’s clearly one of the best guards in the league and the impact Lacy has made.

 

-Eddie Lacy and James Starks are an excellent complement to one another.

 

-Everything we do scheme wise is based on matchups with what the opponents are doing. They are variations of base plays and adjustments, it’s our responsibility to give our offensive linemen.

 

-Selling out is the way it’s supposed to be. This is Lambeau Field. I know it’ll be a great environment. Our fans always show up. This is the showcase of the NFL. That’s what you expect and glad they came through.

 

-Our groundskeeper does a great job. He’ll do everything he needs to do to get everything right. Sounds like weather will break tomorrow so it’ll be big to work on.

 

-Very productive practice. It was a normal Friday for us. It was windy, which I thought was great. Anytime you get a chance to handle the football in the wind, we spent more time out there than we normally do with ball drills.

 

-Sleeves or no sleeves, that’s what our equipment department is for. There’s an education for players going through it the first time.

 

-Cold weather, heat, all those things are factors you definitely have to prepare for. We’ve seen it in past games where guys do cramp so it’s all a part of our preparation.

 

-Cold is a challenge. It’s not something you do every single Sunday. Anytime you get outside the norm for any occupation, it’ll be a challenge mentally and physically.

 

-Randall Cobb, he’s fully expected to play in the game and how much he plays we’ll see Sunday.

 

INJURY REPORT: RB Eddie Lacy (ankle, probable); OLB Clay Matthews (thumb, out); OLB Nick Perry (foot, probable); OLB Mike Neal (abdomen, probable); DL Ryan Pickett (knee, probable); ILB Brad Jones (ankle, probable).

Pretty cool that Sitton made All Pro after swapping sides and feeling very out of sorts early in the season. Congrats to Josh

Phaedrus = titmfied

thanks for the math, Phaedrus...I've always wondered how they do that...

And wedged between a rookie and EDS, not experienced starters.

Yes, big reason Bakhtiari did so well.

Tomorrow will feel down right balmy to the Niners compared to what Sunday will bring.

PFF with some commentary on the match-up with the 49ers

https://www.profootballfocus.c...ers-wild-card-round/

The Green Bay run defense started off the first six games very well, but they have since fallen off the map. As a team, their cumulative run defense grade ranks 29th in the league. Their problems start up front. B.J. Raji finished off last year in dominant fashion and finished the year with the seventh-highest grade out of all 3-4 defensive ends. In 2013, he ranks 43rd out of 45 with a -13.6 grade, and his -9.5 grade against the run is ranked dead last. Throw in the regression of the aging Ryan Pickett and the struggles of C.J. Wilson and the only solid run defender the Packers have up front is Mike Daniels.

The inside linebackers have been equally as bad for the Packers defense. A.J. Hawk is ranked 52nd out of 55 inside backers and Brad Jones isn’t far behind (ranked 36th out of 55). No matter who the Packers put at linebacker, they seem to get stuck on blocks or end up taking themselves out of plays with poor instincts and positioning. The Packers will have to play some of their best run defense to even have a chance in this ball game.