San Francisco 49ers Week 9

By Kalen Patrick

Say hello to your 7-1 San Francisco 49ers? Really before the season who would have thought we would ever be saying that any time soon? Crazy huh? I predicted a 7-9 season at best! The 49ers emerged victorious again this Sunday with a 19-11 win over the Redskins (weird score I know).

This game reminded me of the Cleveland Browns game a lot. The 49ers were in control of the game the whole way, but failed to put the team away and made the game a little more interesting at the end. This was a game that the 49ers struggled to convert 3rd downs, and thus had to settle for FG's a lot. Alex Smith did have a key 30 yard TD pass to FB Bruce Miller, and at that point the game was essentially sealed. Like the Browns game, the 49ers relied on an effective run attack, Smith being efficient and not turning the ball over, and solid Special Teams play.

ANOTHER BIG DAY FOR 49ERS RB - FRANK GORE

The defense put up another amazing performance (bar the redskins TD drive when they went prevent). The only points the Redskins scored were a record setting 59 yard FG. Thats it! The star of the defense on Sunday was absolutely Patrick Willis. He led the team in tackles and he forced two fumbles which were just amazing heads up plays by Willis. Of course Justin Smith was awesome, Brooks created pressure and Safeties Dashon Goldson and Donte Whitner both had great games too. Carlos Rogers was solid on his return to Washington too.

BRUCE MILLER, CELEBRATES HIS FIRST NFL TD WITH JOE STALEY AND ALEX SMITH

Overall I was very happy with the performance, and going across country to the Eastern Time Zone definitely makes it more difficult. I just really wanna see Alex Smith show me a little more, I mean don't get me wrong, the guy is having a great season. He just needs another game to shut everyone up, another Philly game. I would like to see them attack down field more, but that will be going against the philosophy. The 49ers strategy is simple, play great defense and special teams, run the ball well and let Alex Smith not make mistakes and do just enough to win the game. Simple strategy and its been working. Essentially, Jim Harbaugh is getting the 49ers to do what Mike Singletary wanted, difference is Harbaugh knows how to you know coach?

So lets take a look forward to Week 10. The 49ers will host the New York Giants in Candlestick Park. This my friends, is gonna be an awesome game. Eli Manning is having a great season and the Giants are the leaders in the NFC East. But the 49ers won't make things easy for him, and expect another heavy attack with Gore and Hunter, maybe even expect a little more Alex Smith this week. This will be a good one.

I went 8-5 in my pick 'em last week (totally forgot to pick the MNF game)

NFC West Standings
San Francisco 49ers - 7-1
Seattle Seahawks -     2-6
Arizona Cardinals -     2-6
St. Louis Rams -         1-7

San Francisco 49ers Stats Leaders
Alex Smith - 1467 YDS, 10 TD's 2 INT's, 97.3 QB Rating
Frank Gore - 782 YDS, 5 TD's, 4.9 YPC
Vernon Davis - 339 YDS, 3 TD's

Navarro Bowman - 61 tackles
Aldon Smith - 6.5 Sacks
Carlos Rogers - 3 INT's