JonathanLB
Nov 17th, 2001, 08:09:58 AM
Man, two poor years as a 49ers fan, and already they're back on track for the playoffs. From 6-10 to 6-2.
ESPN rates the Niners B+ through the first half of the season.
The first-half MVP of the entire league? JEFF GARCIA -- San Fran!
Montana, Young, Garcia? You bet your butt! Everyone said that Garcia didn't fit and boy were we in trouble. Then, a funny thing happened, Garcia went out and ran one of the best offenses in the league last year (defense led them to a 6-10 record) and had one of the highest QB ratings and I believe the most TD passes too. Through the first half of the season, Garcia has the second highest QB rating, second highest completion percentage, tied for the most TD passes, and is stastically better at the same point in his career than BOTH Steve Young and Joe Montana.
Montana won multiple superbowls and is a living legend -- the greatest quarterback of all time, I would say without hesitation. Young is a personal favorite of mine, though, because when I was old enough to appreciate football I was watching the Niners and Steve Young the most (I first watched Montana, though).
The Niners are uniquelly fortunate at the quarterback position. They have always had the best and the brightest quarterbacks, a tradition which is definitely not ending anytime very soon.
If the Niners can build upon the team they already have, establish a better defense even than they have now, add another great receiver (Owens is already the best in the league -- Moss and Carter are becoming has-beens with those lousy Vikings), and start putting everything together, they could easily be a Super Bowl team.
People talk about how close St. Louis was to being 8-0. Yeah, whatever! The NINERS were close to 8-0 too. They lost by four points to St. Louis and can certainly beat that team (they will have another chance, but at St. Louis -- tough). Then they lost an OT game to the Bears that they never should have let get into OT. Niners were just a couple plays from being 8-0 and the league's best team. The ESPN power rankings with them in 8th place are grossly incorrect. The Raiders would stand no chance against the Niners and are ranked higher, same goes with Miami and several other teams.
With one of the best running backs around, Garrison Hearst, the best receiver in the NFL today, Terrell Owens, and the best quarterback in the game today, Jeff Garcia, the Niners have returned to prominence! :shootin
Kurt Warner is great, Garcia is better. Just give him time. This guy wants to prove he stands with Young and Montana and all he needs is a Super Bowl or two to prove it. :)
ESPN rates the Niners B+ through the first half of the season.
The first-half MVP of the entire league? JEFF GARCIA -- San Fran!
Montana, Young, Garcia? You bet your butt! Everyone said that Garcia didn't fit and boy were we in trouble. Then, a funny thing happened, Garcia went out and ran one of the best offenses in the league last year (defense led them to a 6-10 record) and had one of the highest QB ratings and I believe the most TD passes too. Through the first half of the season, Garcia has the second highest QB rating, second highest completion percentage, tied for the most TD passes, and is stastically better at the same point in his career than BOTH Steve Young and Joe Montana.
Montana won multiple superbowls and is a living legend -- the greatest quarterback of all time, I would say without hesitation. Young is a personal favorite of mine, though, because when I was old enough to appreciate football I was watching the Niners and Steve Young the most (I first watched Montana, though).
The Niners are uniquelly fortunate at the quarterback position. They have always had the best and the brightest quarterbacks, a tradition which is definitely not ending anytime very soon.
If the Niners can build upon the team they already have, establish a better defense even than they have now, add another great receiver (Owens is already the best in the league -- Moss and Carter are becoming has-beens with those lousy Vikings), and start putting everything together, they could easily be a Super Bowl team.
People talk about how close St. Louis was to being 8-0. Yeah, whatever! The NINERS were close to 8-0 too. They lost by four points to St. Louis and can certainly beat that team (they will have another chance, but at St. Louis -- tough). Then they lost an OT game to the Bears that they never should have let get into OT. Niners were just a couple plays from being 8-0 and the league's best team. The ESPN power rankings with them in 8th place are grossly incorrect. The Raiders would stand no chance against the Niners and are ranked higher, same goes with Miami and several other teams.
With one of the best running backs around, Garrison Hearst, the best receiver in the NFL today, Terrell Owens, and the best quarterback in the game today, Jeff Garcia, the Niners have returned to prominence! :shootin
Kurt Warner is great, Garcia is better. Just give him time. This guy wants to prove he stands with Young and Montana and all he needs is a Super Bowl or two to prove it. :)