Dec 2, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dwayne Harris (17) tries to avoid a tackle by Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha (24) during the game at Cowboys Stadium. The Cowboys beat the Eagles 38-33. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

So much attention has been given to the NFC West this off-season and for good reason. The NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers sit atop the division, while the up and coming Seattle Seahawks are a team on the verge of Super Bowl aspirations of their own. However, many NFL analysts around the league have been dissecting each of the team’s every move, to see which of the two powerhouses has improved the most. And while many analysts believe the Seahawks have taken an early lead, I believe the 49ers are still the team to beat in the NFC West.

Oct 7, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin (12) runs for a 10 yard touchdown during the third quarter against the Tennessee Titans at the Metrodome. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

First, let us take a look at the Seahawks key off-season acquisitions. The Seahawks desperately needing a receiving threat, made arguably the biggest splash in free-agency in acquiring WR Percy Harvin from the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for Seattle’s 2013 first-round pick (25th), 2013 seventh-round pick, and a 2014 third-round pick. The Seahawks brass then opened up their pocket books and signed Harvin to a six-year, $67 million contract.

As if that was not enough, the very next day, the Seahawks decided to ink free-agent sack artist DE Cliff Avril to a two-year, $13 million contract. Avril, notorious for being a one-dimensional player, is a liability against the rush. I am not saying Avril’s signing was not a good one, as you can never have enough pass-rushers, but did the Seahawks get the most bang for their buck? The verdict is out.

Apparently, the Seahawks were not done there, as they clearly wanted to win the off-season. They made headlines once again by agreeing to terms with DE Michael Bennett on a one-year contract. Bennett had a breakout season in 2012, by recording 9 sacks and three forced fumbles.

Aug 19, 2011; Cleveland, OH; USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy (12) gets hit in the backfield by Detroit Lions defensive end Cliff Avril (92) during the first quarter of a preseason game at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

The Seahawks three acquisitions was the talk of the town around the league and continues today. So with Seattle improving their skill position and pass rush, how can the 49ers counter? By taking calculated risks on low profile free-agents, loaded with an abundance of potential. The only exception being newly acquired WR Anquan Boldin, who we all know is what started the back and forth blows, between these two franchises.

Feb 3, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Anquan Boldin (81) catches a pass in front of San Francisco 49ers cornerback Carlos Rogers (22) during the fourth quarter in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

The 49ers struck gold when Boldin was traded from Baltimore to San Francisco, for a measly 2013 seventh-round draft choice. It was considered a steal by many, and the 49ers finally found their big body receiver to compliment WR Michael Crabtree. However, the Niners quickly found themselves short handed along the defensive line, as they lost key players in NT Isaac Sopoaga and DE Ricky Jean-Francois.

There suddenly became a huge need along the defensive front, and the 49ers quickly acted by signing former first-round pick DT Glenn Dorsey from the Kansas City Chiefs. Dorsey is considered to be an upgrade over both Sopoaga and Jean-Francois, which is a great sign. He does not flash great pass rush ability, but is strong enough to hold the point of attack, an essential skill-set for a nose tackle.

The 49ers lost another key free-agent in TE Delanie Walker. The player known as the “Swiss army knife” because of his ability to play multiple positions, left for the Tennessee Titans. A special teams standout, Walker was arguably the heart and soul of the special teams unit. A huge blow for San Francisco, they needed to find a quick alternative, in comes LB Dan Skuta.

Sept 25, 2011; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Dan Skuta (51) tackles San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis (85) as he looses the ball at Paul Brown Stadium. San Francisco defeated the Bengals 13-8. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Skuta was a special teams ace while playing for the Cincinnati Bengals. He reminds me a lot of departed Blake Costanzo who now plays for the Chicago Bears during the Tony Montana days. A big hitter, Skuta will definitely bring out a passionate, relentless attitude to the team. A spark plug that will lift the 49ers when needed.

Just like things were looking bright, the biggest blow was the loss of FS Dashon Goldson, just two days earlier. The heart and soul of the secondary had signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A move the 49ers were unwilling to negotiate, the 49ers front office decided to let Goldson walk, as they felt free-safety was not a high enough position of value, for a long-term commitment, as Goldson’s reported asking price was around $8 million per year.

Dec 30, 2012, Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch (24) is tackled shy of the endzone by St. Louis Rams safety Craig Dahl (43) during the fourth quarter at CenturyLink Field. Seahawks defeated the Rams, 20-13. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

GM Trent Baalke surely had a plan and was sticking to it. Just days later, they signed SS Craig Dahl from the St. Louis Rams to a three-year contract. I do not believe it was a sign to replace Goldson but rather to possibly take Whitner’s place next year, as he will become a free-agent. However, the move was a head scratcher as many Forever Faithful were asking Craig who? And although he is not a household name, Baalke felt he was the right man for a roster spot, whether that’s free-safety or strong-safety. The verdict is still out, as I believe Baalke sees something in him that we don’t. I hope he is right.

Then there’s the release of K David Akers. The former All-Pro quickly turned into the team’s biggest weakness. So out goes Akers and in comes 2012 All-Pro K Phil Dawson. The 49ers replace one All-Pro with another, talk about great management.

November 5, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Chris Ivory (29) slips out of a tackle by Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha (24) during the first half of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

They seemed to fill in all holes except the most glaring one of them all, secondary. They had brought in SS Charles Woodson and CB Nnamdi Asomugha in for visits but left Santa Clara with no contract offer. Weeks went by and still no secondary help, and then boom! Asomugha signs a one-year deal with the 49ers. And the best part, they did not have to over pay for his services. Talk about a bargain!

When evaluating each of the team’s off-season acquisitions, one paid for over priced free-agents, while the other settled for low profile, high potential gamers. And although Harvin may have the most upside, he also has durability concerns, leaving me to believe the 49ers have the upper hand.

Whether you are part of the 12th man or Forever Faithful, one thing is for sure, the NFC West is now the NFC Best!

Sep 23, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin (12) catches a pass over San Francisco 49ers cornerback Carlos Rogers (22) in the first quarter at the Metrodome. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

The San Francisco 49ers desperately need a deep-threat and Minnesota Vikings WR Percy Harvin clearly wants a new home, making this trade a legitimate possibility. According to a report from WCCO’s Mike Max, Harvin has become increasingly disgruntled with the Vikings organization, to the point where he had a heated confrontation with his head coach Leslie Frazier.

From the report:

Multiple sources tell Max that Harvin had an embarrassing tirade directed toward Frasier, disrespecting the coach during the season when Harvin was sidelined with an injured ankle.

Teammates were present, and Max was told that is when Harvin left the team and was put on injured reserve.

Sources say teammates were disappointed in Harvin’s actions and the organization has moved toward less tolerance for that behavior.

So with Harvin most likely on his way out, do the San Francisco 49ers make sense? According to NFL Analyst and 49ers Color commentator Eric Davis, the answer is a match made in heaven. As Davis said on NFL AM this morning regarding Harvin’s possible landing destination:

I think the best fit, would be the 49ers. The offense that they run, the way they do things, you can put Percy has the return guy, there’s a possibility Ted Ginn won’t be back, there’s a possibility your starting wide receiver Randy Moss won’t be back.

You can fill two spots with Percy Harvin. You can also use him in that read-option game, because you can put him in the backfield.

I mean that would just be a major, major, threat to add…that’s another toy, that would be a really good fit.

Oct 21, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin (12) against the Arizona Cardinals at the Metrodome. The Vikings defeated the Cardinals 21-14. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

I absolutely agree. Harvin ran the wild cat in Minnesota and the 49ers read-option tailors Harvin’s skill set perfectly. In my previous article, “San Francisco 49ers’ Top Five Needs,” I clearly stated the 49ers need to target a wide receiver with return ability to get the most bang for their buck. With Harvin’s return ability, it would provide a more explosive component to Brad Seely’s special teams, while providing a viable deep threat for offensive coordinator Greg Roman. However, what is the asking price for Harvin’s services?

With the 49ers projected to have 14 draft picks (five in the first three-rounds), they can package quantity for quality. If the 49ers can bundle two third-round draft picks or a second and fourth-round draft pick, they should strongly consider making the move. The move would make sense for both parties, as the Vikings need younger bodies while the 49ers need a complimentary deep-threat.

As the free-agency period begins, on March 12, 2013, it will be interesting which teams actually pursue Harvin and which teams will shy away.

Boo Brett Favre

I hate Brett Favre.  He always seems to find a way to beat the Niners.  The 49ers were so close on a number fronts in pulling off the win and a 3-0 start to the season.  You can even say that it was a game of inches.  In the final seconds of the game with the 49ers up 24-20 Favre was pursued by DE Justin Smith who was an inch away from sacking Favre before he threw his heartbreaking TD pass to WR Greg Lewis; sack, end of game, Niners are 3-0.  With Safety Mark Roman covering Lewis if the throw was one more inch to the left Roman would have broken the pass up, end of game, Niners are 3-0.  When Lewis came down with the catch if his foot was half an inch more towards the end of the end zone, no TD, end of game, Niners are 3-0.

Well, none of it went that way for the 49ers and they lost 27-24 and have a 2-1 record on the season.  The fact that the 49ers did not give up after a dismal first-half on offense shows the 49ers have confidence in what they can accomplish.  Nate Clements 59 yard touchdown after he picked up a blocked field by Ray McDonald helped the 49ers confidence going to into half-time.  Losing Frank Gore for the game with an ankle sprain did not help but Shaun Hill held his composure and did what he needed to do when the game was on the line.  Unfortunately his counterpart, Favre, did the same but in the final seconds of the game.  What hurt the 49ers the most was the kickoff return ran back by rookie Percy Harvin in the third quarter after the 49ers went up 17-13 with a Joe Nedney field-goal.  The 49ers were riding high as the D mostly contained Adrian Peterson even though he had 85 yards rushing with no touchdowns.  In the end though Mike Singletary and Jimmy Raye went too conservative on their final drive going three and out with three straight running plays.  The 49ers had to punt and gave Favre and the Vikings a chance to come back with a minute and a half to play.  Way too much time for Favre.  I knew when the Vikings started at their own 20 yard line the game was going to come down to the wire.  I was hoping for a different outcome.

Game Takeaways

The Pros:

• Vernon Davis had a career high game catching 7 passes for 96 yards with two touchdowns.  Shaun Hill looked to Davis all day and his most impressive catch was not the two TD’s he scored but when Hill threw the ball to Davis and he went up to grabbed the pass between two Vikings players, got sandwiched by both and held onto the ball for a first-down.  Davis is becoming a threat and Hill will look to him more often for the rest of the season
• Jimmy Raye stayed to true to the running game even after Gore went out with an injury.  Glen Coffee rushed 25 times for 54 yards.  The reason why this is a pro is because the 49ers set-up their passing game with the run game.  If Raye would have panicked and started throwing more the 49ers would not have had the lead in the final seconds.
• Shaun Hill had his coming of age game.  It was not anything spectacular  but he had a modest game throwing 15 for 25, 195 yards, two touchdowns with one interception.  Hill has the confidence to be starter and believes in himself that he can lead the 49ers to victories as long as he limits his mistakes.
• The defense was remarkable in stopping Adrian Peterson.  They did not allow him to break off any big runs and held him to 85 yards with no touchdowns.  The biggest concern on D this year was suppose to be the pass rush.  The 49ers showed they have one and for the third consecutive game had a sack (Mark Roman; Aubrayo Franklin).  Favre was pressured all day and threw one interception.  The secondary could have had two more if Nate Clements and Dre’ Bly did not drop potential INT’s.
• The offensive line played well against a very tough Vikings defensive line.  Jared Allen had one sack but that was in the first quarter and after that the O-line gave Hill the time he needed to make plays.

The Cons:

• As much as I was happy Raye stayed committed to the run to set up the passing game he and Singletary were too conservative on the Niners final drive rushing three straight times.  Yes, the running did mean the Vikings had to call their three timeouts.  But when you have Favre all you need is one play regardless of time left or how many timeouts you have.  Give him a second to snap the ball and he will beat you.  At least one dump pass to Coffee or even to Davis to try to get a first down to keep the drive alive could have saved the 49ers victory.
• The big blow was Pecy Harvin’s kickoff return for a touchdown.  The 49ers are one of the best Special Teams unit in the NFL and they showed that with their blocked field goal ran back for a touchdown and with the leg of punter Andy Lee.  But to have a TD ran back was not the worst.  No one on the 49ers touched Harvin.  Unacceptable.
• The 49ers on offense did not show up in the first half.  It was basically non-existent.  Even though Gore was out Hill needs to play the first half like he did in the second half if the 49ers want to be a playoff team.  The 49ers were 0-11 on third down.  That will not win you football games.  
• As well as the 49ers D-line played they still allowed Favre to pass for 301 yards and two touchdowns. 

Game Grades:

Offense:  B- (The lack of offense in the first half hurt, so did losing Frank Gore who might miss the next two games)

Defense: B (Stopping the rushing attack of Peterson is why they get such a high grade.  Favre passing for 301 yards and the final gaming winning TD lowers their grade)

Special Teams: C+ (Great punting, a great field goal blocked ran back for touchdown is nice, but to have a kickoff returned and not lay a hand on Harvin negates anything positive you did in the game before the return.)

Coaching: B-  (Glad they stuck to the run but were too conservative on the final drive.  One pass attempt could have saved the game.  But the way Greg Manusky had his defensive unit stopping the Vikings I can see way they leaned on the 49ers D to win the game for them.  Singletary needs to have more confidence in his offense.  He did show a little of that in the game when he went for it on fourth down.

Next Up:

@ home vs. Rams.  Good thing about this loss is the hapless Lams are coming into town.  The game will not be a walkover for the Niners but they have a good chance to rebound from the heartbreaking loss with a win.

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