When the 2011 NFL season kicked off the 49ers were a mere afterthought. Sure, the hiring of Jim Harbaugh drew some attention and intrigue, but few saw the former Stanford head coach making a big splash this year even in the downtrodden NFC West. That has, obviously, changed now, though, as San Francisco sits on the precipice of its sixth Super Bowl appearance. In fact, according to the latest 2012 Super Bowl Odds, the 49ers are viewed as the second biggest threat, behind New England, to win the Lombardi Trophy.
San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl Pros -
Defense: San Francisco owns one of the league’s most stingy defenses, and they are miserly when it comes to both yards and points. The 49ers ranked fourth in the league in yards per game allowed, giving up an average of 308.2 per game, and they were second only to the Steelers in points per game allowed, yielding an average of 14.3 per contest. The have no real weakness on this side of the ball and their defensive speed is probably unmatched.
Candlestick Park: San Francisco gets to enjoy the friendly confines of Candlestick Park at least one more time, and that cannot be overestimated when considering its Super Bowl chances. The 49ers have been strong at home all season long, losing only a week two overtime game to the Cowboys in front of the home crowd. San Fran has won seven straight at Candlestick since that setback and by an average of 17.9 points per game.
Smart/Ball Control: The 49ers ranked fifth in the league, averaging 32:08 minutes of possession per game; they also finished +28 in turnover margin. San Francisco knows how to control the ball and eat clock and it is afforded more opportunities to do so because of its ability to generate the takeaway.
San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl Cons -
Inexperience: While the Niners benefit from hosting this weekend’s game, this team lacks playoff experience and it is coming off a highly emotional victory. The home field advantage could be neutralized by San Francisco’s inexperience. Should the 49ers make it to the Super Bowl the green factor may have to be dismissed, but probably not if they end up facing the Patriots. While New England lost its last Super Bowl appearance, it is no stranger to the championship game routine.
Offensive limitations: As mentioned, the Niners offense is adept at killing the clock, but it lacks big play ability. Yes, San Francisco did score a number of big plays against the Saints, but a look at their numbers this season would suggest those gains were more exception than rule. The 49ers generated just 41 pass plays of 20 or more yards this season (23rd) and only six pass plays of 40 or more yards (26th). New York’s defense, at least the current version of it, will be far less likely to yield the big play to San Francisco this weekend. San Francisco is also one of the worst third down conversion teams in the league (29 percent), but its stonewalling defense has done its part to cover for what is, typically, an ugly wart.
One Dimensional: At this point a team has no secrets, their strengths are just as evident as their weaknesses. So it is no great revelation that San Francisco’s offensive strength is running the ball. New York and New England or Baltimore, should the 49ers go on to face either of those teams, will focus on stopping San Francisco’s ground game. The hope will be to force the team into long yardage third down situations where they can really get after Alex Smith. While Smith has resurrected his career, throwing the ball is still not a big strength of this team, particularly when the opposition knows they are in passing situations. Baltimore is the only other team left in the playoffs that can be pigeonholed so easily on offense.
Publisher’s Note: NFL Odds Expert Tyler Morgan turned in another successful playoff weekend, posting a 2-1 against the spread record with wins on San Francisco and New York. Morgan is now 5-2 in the postseason and his 2011-2012 NFL Picks record is an astounding 84-47-4 (64 %). Tyler’s moves put thousands of dollars into his clients hands week after week during the regular season and he is now doing the same for those individuals in the playoffs. The good news for NFL Football bettors is - TYLER MORGAN’S PICKS ARE FREE – unlike most self proclaimed experts who charge big bucks to subscribers. Put a few Morgan Silver Dollars in your bank account during the 2012 NFL Playoffs by getting Tyler’s winning plays for FREE. Feel free to sign up to get NFL Picks Free!
San Francisco 49ers Odds to win 2012 Super Bowl: Provided by TopBet.com
49ers 2012 Super Bowl Odds +280
