Keys To Victory - 49ers

Each week there is a new gameplan, a new formula for victory. Each week certain aspects of the game just loom larger than the rest. The idea is not to divine the course of the contest, but to highlight the match-ups and intangibles that I'll have my eye on during the broadcast.

We've got to be prepared for both QBs because
if we shut down Kap, we'll see Smith.

1. Expose Colin Kaepernick's Weaknesses - Apparently "Kap" has an absolute cannon, and he hit Randy Moss so hard that he had to hold back tears on the sideline. Moss said that it was the first time a QB had dislocated one of his fingers with a pass. Still, arm strength isn't everything. 49er fans would be pretty happy with 200 yards passing from Kap because he only gets around 20-25 attempts per game. He is a game manager, but he has enough speed to be effective as a runner. Not only can he pick up the first down on broken plays, he can take a designed run for 50+ yards. Nevertheless, his novelty is set to wear off. New England will force Kaepernick to read defenses and make decisions in the pocket. Belichick will not be beaten by the QB option. If we can take him out of his comfort zone, then there is a good chance he will make a costly mistake with the football.

Belchick is not impressed....yet

2. No-Huddle Tempo - Houston was obviously unsettled by the blistering pace of Brady's operation. There was a stretch where New England had 3 straight 3-and-outs, but most would agree that The Patriots Offense was dominant. Plain and simple, the fast tempo is deadly if the offense doesn't make mistakes. Brady recognizes coverages so fast that the defense is always a step behind. Likewise, defenses seem to tire out faster than offenses. However, the offense still needs to play mistake free. Last week, Brady took a big shot from JJ Watt because of a mix-up in protection. Also, dropped passes and negative plays derailed a few drives. As good as the no-huddle was last week, it can be much better. It has to be better.

3. Don't Be Satisfied With Success - The mantra in Foxboro is "Improve Every Day" and that needs to continue to reflect on the field. As I've said, the no-huddle offense can be more efficient. The defense has seemingly come into its own in the last few weeks, but its not like we are coming to a ceiling. There is no limit to how good we can be. Schaub and his starters may have only scored 7 points, but a few more plays could have kept it a shutout. The 49ers are an excellent team with a fearsome defense. Let's go out there and prove that we are The Patriots, and we don't operate under conventional wisdom. Let's go out there and score 40 points on this team too. Let's go out and dominate.

4. Continue The Tom Brady For MVP Caucus Race - The MVP award is a 3-horse race. Obviously Brady and Manning are neck and neck, but it is entirely possible that Adrian Peterson could break the NFL single season rushing record to steal it. If Brady can't separate himself from Manning (or vice versa), then the award might fall to Peterson by default. I think Peterson might actually be a good choice for the award, but he'll need about 500 yards in 3 games to get the record to have a chance. No record, no MVP. Obviously I am hoping that Brady does enough to separate himself from the pack, but winning is the most important thing to me and to Tom. Nevertheless, if Brady can avoid another INT, to finish the season with 4, there's no way he can be denied. In other words, don't throw any picks against San Fran, Tommy.

5. Quit Fumbling - We got seriously lucky last week with Ridley and Woodhead's fumbles. That kind of luck scares me. The Texans game would have been a completely different contest if Houston can come up with Ridley's fumble on the first drive of the game. Likewise, Woodhead's fumble-for-a-TD was pretty much the nail in the coffin, but it could have been a shot of life. Turnovers are the key to every game, but especially when facing a #1 ranked defense. We just need to control what we can control by holding on to the football. At this time of year, holding on to the ball is more important than taking it away, but forcing turnovers is always good. In this game, we just need to play clean on offense, and let the turnovers come to us (by confusing Kaepernick) on defense.

Sorry to write so much about the Houston game, but to me the Houston-San Fran back-to-back has always been connected in my mind. The team set a high bar in the first game, but championship teams raise their game after big wins. That's the key to victory.