From: marshall@force.ssd.lmsc.lockheed.com (Bob Marshall)
Subject: Re: Niners/Bills (gag)
Reply-To: marshall@force.ssd.lmsc.lockheed.com
Organization: LMSC, Sunnyvale, California
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 92 04:20:13 GMT

In article <d9xndga.mzimmers@netcom.com>, mzimmers@netcom.com (Michael Zimmers) writes:
>I don't mean to take anything away from either offense, but on both
>sides, the tackling was slipshod, the coverage ran the gamut from
>sparce to nonexistant, and even the turnovers were more the result
>of rare offensive lapses than inspired D.

I agree on the first two points (I've never seen QBs have such an easy
time completing passes). But all of the turnovers were the result of
good defensive plays, other than Young's last INT. (If you want to
see a "bad" turnover, check out the Raiders-Bengals game. The Raiders
fumbled the overtime kickoff return on a perfect helmet-stick right
on the ball. Unfortunately, the person who delivered the helmet stick
was Sam Graddy, who plays for the Raiders).

>If anything, this game pointed out in painful detail how much improvement
>both teams need to even think about the Big Dance.  The Bills might
>get there with this offense, but the Niners will never survive the
>more talented NFC contenders.

Who do they have to survive? So far, the only other NFC team that has
shined is Dallas. OK, we have to still consider the Redskins, since they
are the Super Bowl champs, and they have the talent, but for some reason
are not clicking. After Dallas, Washington, and San Francisco, there is
a big drop-off (down to the Eagles, probably). If you look at the
remainder of the 49ers' schedule, you'll only see one team that might
bother the 49ers defense, and that's Miami (OK, maybe Atlanta).

>Now then, some puerile ranting:
>
>1. If we had anything resembling a placekicker, we win.

Yep. That was the difference. Each team had the ball the same number
of times. No punts. Same number of turnovers. But they had two field
goals and we only had one (and we even had one more attempt). The
further Cofer's confidence sinks, the less likely it is he is going
to be successful. He's stuck in a downward spiral, and I don't see
any chance of recovery.
>
>2. If we have Rice all game, we probably win (as good as the other
>   WRs are, Rice is still better).

Maybe, but I really don't think it made any difference here. Add up
Turner's and Sherrard's stats and they had a Jerry Rice day. But just
maybe Rice would have made one outstanding play the no one else is
capable of making.

>3. Montana makes that last drive work.

After surgery the day before? Oh, you mean the 1980's Montana! Yeah,
I think he would have. Although you have to admit that Young pretty
much "made it work", but Cofer screwed it up.

>Ah well, it may not have been that impressive to defense-bigots like
>me, but it sure was entertaining...

Yeah, it's funny how most of the games that get labelled as "classics"
are the wide-open, high-scoring games like this. Me, I'd rather see
a game with Ronnie Lott levelling wide receivers. One of the things that
made this game interesting was the lack of penalties. Sure, there were
a few, but almost every one of them was justified (I'm not sure about
that late-hit call on Ted Washington; looked pretty petty to me). The
refs had an excellent game; there were at least six plays that would
have been reviewed last year (Metzelaar's first TD, Taylor's second TD,
a couple of fumbles, and a couple of catches near the sidelines). I
originally was upset that instant replay was killed, but I really think
that not having it made this game even more enjoyable. If only every
game could be reffed this well.

Good game, my congrats to the Bills and to Mark Levy. Please, all you
net 49er fans out there, don't whine about this one. We got beat fair
and square.

=============================================================================
Bob Marshall                     \\     "It ain't age
Lockheed Missiles & Space Co.     \\     That makes me look this way
Sunnyvale, CA                      \\    It ain't the years, boys,
marshall@force.ssd.lmsc.lockheed.com\\   It's the miles"
"I tell the truth 'cept when I lie"  \\     - Chris LeDoux
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