From: marshall@NEBULA.SSD.LMSC.LOCKHEED.COM (Bob Marshall)
Subject: Re: 49ers/Cowboys :QB problems? Thoughts?
Reply-To: marshall@NEBULA.SSD.LMSC.LOCKHEED.COM
Organization: LMSC, Sunnyvale, California
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 92 06:23:43 GMT

In article <1992Dec29.144258.4776@admin1.memst.edu>, jasmith@admin1.memst.edu (John) writes:
>      I watched the 49ers game Monday night against Detroit. Barry Sanders
>      looked good, he rushed for 100+ yards.  I'm not a Barry Sanders fan,
>      either.  But am curious about the 49ers defensive.  How do you 
>      49er fans think your defensive matchs up with the Cowboys.

The 49ers' defense gets a bum rap because their pass defense is ranked
very near the bottom of the league in total yards allowed. That topic has
been diced to death already and I won't repeat the analysis here. The
bottom line from that analysis was that the pass defense is not nearly
as bad as the "total yards allowed" stat indicates. And it has improved
steadily over the year, and it is *STILL* improving. The most important
defensive stat is this, though : only two teams allowed fewer points
this year - New Orleans and Pittsburgh. And the last time I looked, the
outcome of the game depended on how many points you allowed, not how
many yards you allowed to teams throwing the ball like crazy trying
to catch up (or throwing it because their running backs kept
getting stuffed).

>      Do you think Sanders had a great day or an average day against 
>      the 49ers?

He had an average day, which was great :-)

>      How do you think they'll do against Emmitt Smith?  Do you think 
>      he'll run loose through your secondary like Sanders did?

Hard to say. I think he will have a very good game, but I don't think
he will be the deciding factor in the game. (I refrain from using
the future subjunctive tense here, since you did, too).

>      I'm a Cowboy fan.  I'm looking forward to a match up with the 49ers,

So am I, since it would mean that the 49ers had won their first-round game.

>	They've shut down the run pretty good, so I can see 
>       San Francisco beating them on the ground.

Huh? Do you mean "can't"? Anyway, this could be a pivotal factor (49ers'
rushing offense against Dallas' rush defense). Personally, I think the
49ers will be able to run the ball effectively against Dallas.

>      How do some of you 49er fans feel about your team?

They're not bad :-)

>      Do you think they've got a chance against Dallas?

No, we might as well forfeit now. What kind of question is that?

>      Do you think that eiter teams likely to win the game,

Considering the odds of an asteroid colliding with the Earth during the
game, I'd say that it's likely that one of the teams would win the game :-)
OK, I know what you're trying to say. Yes, I think the game would be very
close to a toss-up. And I think that the odds will point to just such
a match-up in the NFC championship game. Trying to put my 49er biases
aside and remain objective, I still think the 49ers are the better team
and will be the NFC representative in the Super Bowl. But there's a long
road yet to travel.

=============================================================================
Bob Marshall                     \\     "Women aren't as smart as they
Lockheed Missiles & Space Co.     \\     think they are; they think we
Sunnyvale, CA                      \\    men know a lot more than we
marshall@force.ssd.lmsc.lockheed.com\\   really do."
"I tell the truth 'cept when I lie"  \\     - Tim the Toolman
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Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.pro