Looking forward to this one.

I think Raye needs to dial up some passes to get things going and then hit them up the gut with Gore and Coffee. Gotta keep their D off balance. I think VD could have a big game as well.

On D I would expect that we'll try to shut down AP and make Favre beat us. I'm sure we'll be playing a lot of man with Goldson making his presence felt over the top. Favre likes the quick slants, so playing physical at the line is a must to disrupt those passes and their WC offense.

I also think we'll get a fair amount of sacks in this one since the Vikings' OL has given up 7 sacks and their center is relatively new. Hopefully, that leads to some TO's :-)

Let's go Niners! 3-0!!

Matt, before the season started, you thought the 49ers would go 6-10. I thought so as well. I know tomorrow will tell us plenty but as of now and based on the first two games, do you still feel that way? I've modified my thoughts to 8-8.

i think the 49ers are going to win. 17-14. MVP of the game is the OL all of them.

Matt, Patrick Willis is a great player, obviously, but despite the back to back All-Pro seasons he's still kind of an unknown/underrated player. You know he would never talk about it, but is there a sense around the team or around the league that if the Niners can shut down or even limit Peterson that maybe this is when Willis becomes a household name and takes over the mantle from Urlacher and RayRay?

In case no one has posted this link to a good article about tomorrow's game:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/peter_king/09/25/gameplan/index.html?eref=T1

And I don't think it's available on-line, but there was a great article in the ESPN dead-tree magazine this week about Singeltary and the Niners.

Of course, everything pales compared to Matt's work. Thanks Matt!!

Are you sure you didn't mean SI?

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1160516/index.htm?eref=sisf

Matt, is the Joe Clark thing true? Its sounds made up.

Thank the Good Lord!! We're NOT talking about you know who!!!
Tomorrow is a big game because we're playing a respected team in the NFL that just about all the experts predict will win their division and make the playoffs. Also, we're playing on the road in the loud Metrodome. The Vike fans will be stoked. And we know Farve hates the 49ers and Peterson has a grudge, too! The Peterson thing maybe a little hyped up for the game but deep inside we know he wants to play a game that will make him forget the last one against the 9ers.
But most of all we'll really see where the 49ers are as a team. At least as a team at this point in time. Everything is stacked against the 9ers tomorrow. So let's see what kind of "F"hysical team we're rooting for.

Willis is a household word! Believe it! What he lacks is that the team he has played for these last 2 years hasn't been a household word. The NFL Net didn't even show their highlights every week. Deion Sanders said one weekend that "the NFL demanded that they show the 49er highlights that week and that's why we're showing it."
Pretty bad, huh? It doesn't matter anyway if the fans don't hear about Willis, anyway. EVERY PLAYER on the offense of an NFL team has nightmares about Patrick Willis! That's all that matters!

Unfortunately, for me, I'm old enough to remember that the media treated the 49ers the same way in 1981. But if you know what happened in 1981, you also know that media coverage is bullshit. Winning will cure all our ills.

It is definitely a battle of the OLines vs the DLines for both sides. Both DLines are dramatically better than the OLines statistically.

We will emerge victorious against the Vikings. I think Gore will have a big game as their linebackers and safeties tend to pursue undisciplined consequently they end up getting caught in the "trash". We have the better coach and the better team.

I remember well the 1994 game where the Eagles came to Candlestick and just rammed the Niners. Randall Cunningham was stellar in that game. The talk the following week was that the 49ers weren't Super Bowl material. Of course, we went on to win the Super Bowl that year!

Matt,

LOVED your video--even MORE than your podcast. You were a big hit! I teased Matt Barrows about NOT having either feature...Do you think that will spur the BEE into gettting one or both features for his column?

I read BOTH reporter columns every day--and often SEVERAL times a day. I love your balanced reporting on our beloved 49ers team. The other Matt's blog isn't bad, either. I wish Craig Massei had a similar column (instead of SFI); that would give me 3 good reporters' columns to read daily. (I get Craig's SFI hardcopy (paper), but it only comes once a month--and is STALE news by the time we get it.

I'm hoping that Brandon Jones plays instead of Spurlock, gambling with the silly TASER that so far has gotten nowhere! I believe in Brandon's skill more than the taser; we will probably need every receiving talent we have--not a silly gimmich that's not working well.

We can beat the Vikings if we play with passion and skill--and not by using silly gimmicks.

Niner MOM

Mike Singletary on Michael Crabtree: "I think this young man is really misconstrued," Singletary says of Crabtree, who is seeking a contract comparable to the five-year, $23.5 million deal Oakland gave to the seventh pick, wideout Darrius Heyward-Bey from Maryland. "I had a chance to see his heart when we met before the draft and in the first minicamp, when he was trying to run routes and he shouldn't have been because of his [surgically repaired left] foot. He was standing over there about to cry because I wouldn't let him run routes. The guy is a competitor. I would love to have Michael Crabtree, but I want him the right way. If he's meant to be here, he'll be here."

Vernon Davis on Mike Singletary: "Mike Singletary is a very emotional guy," says Davis. "He cares. I had to learn about him, and he had to learn about me. We had to get on the same page. I wanted to win and I wanted to be good, and he wanted to win and he wanted us to be a team. He didn't want any individuals. He made me realize and accept the simple fact that there are no individuals on a team."

seriously... is there still anyone out there that that isn't proud to have this man as our coach? I loved him as player... and I applaud him as a man and a coach... I can't wait for the game to start...

nice article! Singletary is such a straight shooter, he really impresses me.

I'm hoping that J Hill plays instead of jones or spurlock. we've seen what jason can do, and clearly we've seen what spurlock can't do. jones has a broken shoulder so... can someone explain to me why j hill has been on the inactive for 2 straight games, possibly a third because of coaches' decision?

Shield_Battery: rumor has it, that J. Hill dissed Jerry Sullivan, basically one of the 2-3 most respected receivers coaches in the league. Not sure how long this will hang on him, because they actually like him as WR, but it's my understanding that this is about making a point to a young player.

Ronnie Lott,

How could ANYONE look at the quality of our wide receiver play over the last several years and diss Jerry Sullivan? I just can't imagine!!

J. Hill was one of the few bright spots on the team last year. Have Arnaz run the Wildcat instead of Spurlock's Pussycat, and get J. Hill out on the field.

P.S. Earlier I was referring to an article in ESPN magazine, not the one in SI. Seems everyone wants to write about Singletary these days.

dude... I am not taking sides. Shield_Battery asked about J. Hill and I answered him based on what I have heard. Jerry Sullivan is considered maybe on of the best 2-4 best receivers coaches in the league.

apparently there was some sort of issue between Sullivan and hill. but to be sure, ask MM... not sure he would give you the full story, because if he did, and the 9ers, were pissed about it, then he might not get the inside scoop on the the really good stuff. if hill was of crabtree quality, then this might be a bigger issue

One game at a time.

Nice link, thanks! I'm with you on J Hill, he and S Hill seem to have good chemistry on the field and I don't know what has caused his demotion but I hope he is brought back soon.Coach Singletary deserves attention, his rapid molding of disparate elements into a cohesive TEAM is a special event. Further,his summons to the character and tenacity of our unit via hard work and attention to details is inspiring. Yes everyone wants to write about Coach. But soon he says, everyone will want to write about our team.I have no reason to doubt him.Here's is to the continuance of right action in unfriendly places, Go Niners!

This game against the Vikes is all about one man: Jarred Allen. The Niners need to attack him by dropping back to pass early and often. I know people will think that's a bad plan, but you've got to drop back to pass several times in the first quarter to get Allen rushing up field. That's when the Niners need to start running right at him - when Allen thinks the Niners' gameplan is to pass early and often.
A lot has been made about Peterson and Favre, but regardless how improved the Niners' D is, Peterson and Favre will get theirs. This game is all about whether or not the Niners can score points to stay with the Vikes. If the Niners have a gameplan to attack Allen with designed throws and drop that bait Allen, then run at him when he's in the pass rush mindset, the Niners could make a game out of it. If they immediately go to the power run sets, they'll find themselves behind the eight ball early and often.

Hi Matt, Just curious, what happened to Berger? The man knew his X's and O's and had a mature take on the game. I looked forward to reading his comments.

we need some PA rollouts to keep them honest.

I asked MM this question and never got an answer so I'll ask you the question about Jerry Sullivan: if this guy is supposed to be a very good receivers coach, how come after 4+ years of his coaching we're still wondering about who should be the starting and playing wide receiver on this team? He hasn't really developed any young guys yet. It looks to me like this guy is highly over-rated.

So Battle, Hill, Morgan haven't been developed?

If Hill screwed up he is going to be punished. You can not dis a coach and expect to play no matter how good you are. That is the mentality of this team and that is what Coach Singletary is instilling into this team. NO player is above being sent to the showers.

Your argument is hill should be active because he is good. You overlook the fact that IF what he did is true it undermines the entire Singletary philosophy of TEAM TEAM TEAM.

I was thinking he isnt as good a blocker as the other receivers is why he was sitting out. But if he did disrespect a coach he needs to learn a lesson.

GilroyAl: My answer is... I have no idea. maybe Sullivan is overrated, or maybe it's simply the 9ers haven't drafted anyone with enough quality for Sullivan to work with. and then you have to factor in game plans, and offensive philosophies, and the fact that we have had 5 different offensive coordinators in 5 years. also factor in the quarterback situation. it would be easy to lump it all on Sullivan... but he doesn't call the plays. he doesn't dictate who gets the ball thrown in their direction or how often. we could have the next larry fitzgerald on the roster right now, but if you don't throw him the ball, or have a qb or a line that give the qb time to get him the ball consistently, then how would we ever know? I often wonder why J. Hill isn't more prominent in the game plan... he seems to catch nearly everything thrown his way.

Battle was good as a possession receiver before Sullivan got here , as of yet I don't think Morgan or Hill scare anybody in the league. Who's Sullivan developed???? There's always some excuse, like not running good routes, why our young guys don't play. Other teams seem to be able to get decent production out of their young receivers.

GilroyAl: I agree with you. we can rattle off excuses all day... but at some point, one of these young receivers needs to step up and make plays that demand the offensive coordinator factor him into the game-plan more prominently. if for no other reason, than to get opposing d- coordinators to think twice about putting that 8th man in the box.