Bayless Babbles: San Francisco 49ers Guide to Week 3

By Justin Cheng

The 49ers are 1-1, are in the midst of the toughest part of their schedule, and find themselves at a huge junction in their "Quest for Six" run. After the overhyped Week 2 game against the Seattle Seahawks, Jim Harbaugh will now have to face another one of his former Stanford players -- last week being perennial loudmouth Richard Sherman -- coming in the form of quarterback Andrew Luck. 

In the two years of the Harbaugh-Luck combination, they took a lowly regarded Stanford program, beat top-10 ranked teams in Oregon and USC, en-route to an Orange Bowl victory against Virginia Tech. Harbaugh ultimately bolted for an NFL coaching opportunity before Luck's senior season, and Luck eventually became Peyton Manning's successor in Indianapolis.

This sentiment must have 49ers fans clamoring for some good news, as they played poorly in their rivalry showdown. The 49ers offensive line could not get any push on the running lanes, the wideouts were not getting any separation off the press, and Aldon Smith backhanded a solid performance with idiotic antics off the field.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ers vs. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS        - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

1) Coaching Advantage on Luck?

Put aside the sentiment. Is there a coaching-insider advantage on the Colt's quarterback? Take into consideration that most of the 49ers coaching staff was also at Stanford when Luck was there. 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio held the same positions during the Stanford run.

Don't count on it.

Even Harbaugh admitted that "there's not a lot that confuses him (Luck) or rattles him. There's very little that he doesn't handle well. He's just that type of player."

2) Establish the Run
Show that muscle, Frank. We need you.

The 49ers ranked 4th in the NFL in rushing yards last season, but their run-first offense has been non-existent throughout the first two weeks of the season. We  will need better production from our running backs to keep our playbook open to prevent long third-down situations.







3) Stop Being an Idiot

Don't drink and drive.

Stop being a dumbass.

I don't know what else to say.

Stop being a dumbass.

@AldonSmith http://t.co/nYKMeqYxtT USE IT. #yourewelcome
— Justin Cheng (@therealjcheng) September 22, 2013

For previous guides, click below
Preseason Week 2
Preseason Week 3
Preseason Week 4
Week 1 (vs. Packers)
Week 2 (vs. Seahawks)


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The Bayless Babbles is a sports blog is co-authored by UC Merced/ USC alumnus Justin Cheng and UC San Diego alumnus Brent Lee.

For EVERYTHING about The Bayless Babbles, check out our blog page (HERE!)

Bayless Babbles: San Francisco 49ers Guide to Week 2

By Justin Cheng

After all the offseason chatter and eyebrow-shaving bets, Week 2 is finally here. This budding rivalry promises to be a physical, smashmouth, and expletive-filled brand of football that Bobby Boucher's momma would not approve of.



SAN FRANCISCO 49ers vs. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS        - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


1) 'What's Your Deal?'

Jim Harbaugh and Pete Carroll's disdain of each other has followed them since the college ranks. Carroll's USC teams were once thought to be untouchable, until Harbaugh's upstart Stanford team gave them a taste of their own medicine by running up the score en route to a victory. Like meeting in-laws that one is not fond of, this NFC West rivalry game has to happen twice a year, whether these two like it or not.




2) 12th Man

Seattle has arguably the best home-field advantage in football, if not all of sports. The Seahawks were undefeated in their defeaning stadium last year, and it will be imperative that the 49ers, particularly the coaching staff and Colin Kaepernick, execute their game plan to perfection. For all the things that Kaepernick does well, game clock management has been his Achilles heel. Seattle fans seem to pride themselves in their loudness, and any false start or delay of game will only make the stadium louder. It's important the 49ers score early to minimize how much the fans can play a factor in the game.

3) Play Physical
Seattle is a formidable foe, and this is what it looked like last year when they came out swinging, which resulted in Vernon Davis getting knocked out of the game and Mario Manningham not having touched a football field since last year's game.

For previous guides, click below
Preseason Week 2
Preseason Week 3
Preseason Week 4
Week 1 (vs. Packers)

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The Bayless Babbles is a sports blog is co-authored by UC Merced/ USC alumnus Justin Cheng and UC San Diego alumnus Brent Lee.

For EVERYTHING about The Bayless Babbles, check out our blog page (HERE!)

Eyebrowless in Seattle

by Justin Cheng

49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and the Seahawks' Russell Wilson face each other in Week 2 of the 2013 NFL season, and as we heard earlier today, they have made a bet with the loser shaving their eyebrows. Here's what Russell Wilson might look after they face the five-time Super Bowl champions.

Russell Wilson confused.

Russell Wilson on the phone.

Russell Wilson selling electronics.

Russell Wilson at awards shows.

Russell Wilson with Miley Cyrus under center.

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The Bayless Babbles is a sports blog is co-authored by UC Merced/ USC alumnus Justin Cheng and UC San Diego alumnus Brent Lee.

For EVERYTHING about The Bayless Babbles, check out our blog page (HERE!)

Kaepernick and Russell Bet on Eyebrows

by Justin Cheng

There has been a lot of offseason jawing between the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks. The mutual hate between the two NFC West rivals are expected to play out later in the season, as they figure to be in the mix for a Super Bowl bid. Quarterbacks Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson are two of the young stars in the NFL today, and they put a wager that might change how they look after Week 2 when the 49ers travel to the Pacific Northwest to face Richard Sherman's never-ending, rambling mouth and the obnoxiously loud 12th man.

I hope Wilson is a big fan of these ninja dudes.

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The Bayless Babbles is a sports blog is co-authored by UC Merced/ USC alumnus Justin Cheng and UC San Diego alumnus Brent Lee.

For EVERYTHING about The Bayless Babbles, check out our blog page (HERE!)

Bayless Babbles: San Francisco 49ers Guide to Week 1

By Justin Cheng

Oh, what might have been. The Kaepernick family was originally from Wisconsin, and Colin grew up a Green Bay Packer fan. Don't think for a second that will play any part in Sunday's game. The 49ers have beat the Packers twice last year, including a memorable NFC Divisional game at Candlestick. 

These teams are two favorites to meet in the playoffs again, and here's a couple things to sit on for Week 1.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ers vs. GREEN BAY PACKERS    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


1) Quarterback Espionage

Scott Tolzien sighting!! It felt like it was just last week that we were talking about how Tolzien was on the wrong end of the quarterback carousel. Tolzien has been the resident backup under the Harbaugh administration and recently signed with the Packers after being cut after Week 3 of the preseason. Offensive Coordinator Greg Roman had utilized a pretty bare playbook in the preseason to hide his hand to opposing teams, but Tolzien has extensive knowledge of the 49ers playbook and can provide valuable knowledge of what to expect.



2) Hey everybody, Patrick Willis is okay 


All-Pro Patrick WIllis has been out the entire preseason with a broken hand. I'm not exactly sure what this does, Patrick, but I'm going to trust you on this one.

3) Sack Feast

With the Packers' left tackle, Bryan Bulaga out for the season -- thankfully for The Blind Side, we now know is the second-most important position in football -- this poses a huge problem for the Packers' offensive line.
Aldon Smith, who apparently likes target practice in all aspects of the word, should focus his efforts on terrorizing Aaron Rodgers rather than worrying who has next for beer pong. 





For previous guides, click below
Preseason Week 2
Preseason Week 3
Preseason Week 4

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The Bayless Babbles is a sports blog is co-authored by UC Merced/ USC alumnus Justin Cheng and UC San Diego alumnus Brent Lee.

For EVERYTHING about The Bayless Babbles, check out our blog page (HERE!)

Behind the Tattoos

By Justin Cheng

Colin Kaepernick's quick rise to fame has been met with an equal amount of criticism. From his tattoos to the Miami Dolphin hat incident, many have taken it upon themselves to provide their own perspectives about the 25-year-old. Wikipedia glancers know that Kapernick was adopted, but, many don't know the rest of the story that comes with it. This video gives a deeper glimpse into San Francisco's resident quarterback.

Vernon Brings Chucky to Work

By Justin Cheng


Training camp can often be a grind, especially for veterans who have secure jobs. Pro Bowl tight end Vernon Davis brought a special friend to work to keep his teammates on edge.






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The Bayless Babbles is a sports blog is co-authored by UC Merced/ USC alumnus Justin Cheng and UC San Diego alumnus Brent Lee.

For EVERYTHING about The Bayless Babbles, check out our blog page (HERE!)

Bayless Babbles: San Francisco 49ers Guide to Preseason Week 4

By Justin Cheng

If there was anything more baffling than Miley Cyrus' VMA performance, it was Week 3 of the preseason for the San Francisco 49ers. Here is a quick GIF recap of Week 3.

Three jackasses (one not pictured & one of whom was a Colts fan) ran onto the field to audition as pinch runners for the San Francisco Giants' oversized third baseman. (via SBNation)

 Rookie Quinton Patton's audition went just about as well. (via SBNation)

Lavelle Hawkins' three unsportsmanlike penalties on two plays proved to the world that not everyone that graduates from Berkeley is a genius. (via SBNation)

With the regular season just around the corner, the 49ers are just about set on their next Super Bowl run. Position battles have been all but set, and according to Taylor Price (@TaylorPrice49) of 49ers.com, we may not get to see much of our favorite 49er veterans in the final preseason game. However, that does not mean we are not in for a show, considering the antics we saw just four days earlier. Here are some quick things to look for in Week 4.



SAN FRANCISCO 49ers vs. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS   - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

1) FINAL ROSTER CUTS

The 49ers placed five players on the Reserve/NFI list and sent Mario Manningham and Michael Crabtree to the Reserve/PUP list. In doing so, the team only had to cut two players, British discus thrower Lawrence Okoye and Lamar Divens. This was quite a genius move by the front office staff, as that allows them to evaluate all the players in the last preseason game before making final cuts.





Here are some final position battles that we should take a look at.

Running back: Jewel Hampton, DJ Harper 

Wide Receiver: Lavelle Hawkins, Austin Collie

Linebacker: Michael Wilhoite, Nick Moody, Corey Lemonier (Lemon-yay!), Cam Johnson

Cornerback: Nnamdi Asomugha, Perrish Cox 

2) Quarterback Carousel (update)

Colt McCoy was given ample opportunities to prove himself in Week 3. He operated in a very vanilla offense (referring to the game plan, not his skin color) and completed 11 of 15 passes for 109 yards. McCoy, who was amidst trade rumors this week and gave up over half his contract money, was named as the backup to Colin Kaepernick. Such similar desperation can be seen in strip clubs, where guys throw money to see some ass and tits. 

With the backup spot secured, this leaves the door open for B.J. Daniels, who has continued to be impressive, and recently signed Seneca Wallace to battle for the third quarterback spot. Week 4 of the preseason should feature more of these two, or have a two-person Hunger Games fight to the death. May the odds be ever in your favor.


Depth Chart
Starter: Colin Kaepernick
Second String: Colt McCoy
Third String: B.J. Daniels / Seneca Wallace


3) Starting Eric Reid

The 49ers would not play someone who has not earned the right to -- ahem, AJ Jenkins -- so it's extremely encouraging to see that this year's first-round draft choice has earned the starting safety spot. Reid has drawn high praise from fellow safety Donte Whitner, who said, "...he's (Reid) always been a good student, a student of the game. When you put those two in a guy that is willing to work, that's why you win a starting free safety spot on arguably the best defense as a rookie. It's hard to do, and he did it." 


This past offseason, 49ers fans were concerned about the loss of hard-hitting, All-Pro safety Dashon Goldon, but Reid can lay out some wood as well.

It may seem like I'm hyping up the last week of a boring preseason, but this is actually a critical part of the season. However these position battles pan out, nothing will be quite shocking as Hannah Montana humping a foam penis.

For previous guides, click below
Bayless Babbles: San Francisco 49ers Guide to Preseason Week 2
Bayless Babbles: San Francisco 49ers Guide to Preseason Week 3

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The Bayless Babbles is a sports blog is co-authored by UC Merced/ USC alumnus Justin Cheng and UC San Diego alumnus Brent Lee.

For EVERYTHING about The Bayless Babbles, check out our blog page (HERE!)

Bayless Babbles: San Francisco 49ers Guide to Preseason Week 3

by Justin Cheng

AJ Jenkins (left) was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday.

49ers management started the Week 3 of the preseason with a huge bang, cutting the cord with last year's first-round pick, AJ Jenkins, trading him to the Kansas City Chiefs for wide receiver Jon Baldwin. This comes a day after Jim Harbaugh said Jenkins would likely expand his role as kick returner. Jenkins, who couldn't catch a common cold, let alone footballs, was expected to give the 49ers a much needed deep threat, coming off a loss in the 2011 NFC championship game. Jenkins was only active in three games in 2012, costing the 49ers  $1.2 million, which by Johnny Manziel standards, is two weeks worth of signing his own jersey.

The 49ers defense was suffocating.

With two weeks until the start of the regular season, the 49ers are still one of the clear favorites to win the Super Bowl. The defensive line absolutely dominated the line of scrimmage and terrorized Alex Smith like lions on a piece of meat or walkers on Rick Grimes. While Colin Kaepernick was given one series of playtime, B.J. Daniels, as predicted in our guide to Preseason Week 2, got some valuable minutes and orchestrated a final scoring drive to beat the Chiefs 15-13.



Now that we got the battle of the prodigal quarterback over with, we can refocus for Week 3. With August 27 as the date when teams have to trim their rosters from 90 to 75, this is the time when players really need to start making good impressions on their coaches. Practice reps are a weeklong audition for playing time, which will be sparse compared to the first two games of the preseason.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ers vs. MINNESOTA VIKINGS      - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -



1) Done Capping Kap

As much as I hate looking at this picture, red zone offense is a huge question mark for the reigning NFC champions. There is no question that Kaepernick has a rocket arm, but the progression he has made in that aspect of his game is yet to be determined. Harbaugh is bound to unleash the beast -- at least for the first quarter -- for Sunday's game, then we can make judgments if body shots, GQ covers, and oddly coordinated outfits have deterred any progress from being made.



2) QB Carousel

With the addition of Seneca Wallace into the mix, this makes for one crowded neapolitan quarterback competition. 49ers Insider Matt Maiocco reported that after his performance against the Chiefs, B.J. Daniels would start getting some more looks at quarterback with the second team offense. So far in the preaseason, Scott Tolzien and Colt McCoy's performances have been laughable, throwing a combined whopping zero touchdowns, three interceptions, and 264 yards. 



--Recommendation--
Don't put too much stock into Daniels' latest performance against the Chiefs. Daniels entered late in the third quarter, and most of the players that he was facing are more than likely to be out of the league in two weeks. 


--Depth Chart Prediction--

Starter: Colin Kaepernick
Second String: Seneca Wallace
Third String: Colt McCoy

Seneca Wallace has been a backup in this league for ten years. Such experience is indispensable, and he looks to be slotted to make the team as Kaepernick's backup. 

Colt McCoy still hasn't shown much in two outings, and this week will be pretty critical if he wants be the second string back up. He has shown good mobility, rushing for 37 yards against the Chiefs. McCoy has the ability to be a solid backup in this league but will probably be the third string.

B.J. Daniels will not be on the quarterback depth chart . Last week's guide noted how Daniels lined up at running back and tight end, so he will make the team because of his versatility. If not, he will probably be stashed away for development on the practice squad.

Tolzein is the odd man out. Dating back to last year, he has completed 47 percent of his passes (26 of 55) with a 46.7 passer rating. Sorry buddy, BYE BYE BYE.







3) Seattle Stomp Job

The Seattle Seahawks' 40-10 beatdown of the Denver Broncos, another favorite to win the Super Bowl this year, should have bandwagon 49ers fans quaking in their new #7 jerseys. The Seahawks absolutely dismantled the Broncos, a beat down that had not been seen since Dwayne Johnson was The Rock and not chasing Dominic Toretto in his rice rocket.






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The Bayless Babbles is a sports blog is co-authored by UC Merced/ USC alumnus Justin Cheng and UC San Diego alumnus Brent Lee.

For EVERYTHING about The Bayless Babbles, check out our blog page (HERE!)

Bayless Babbles: San Francisco 49ers Guide to Preseason Week 2

By Justin Cheng

Before there can be a #QuestForSeven, #QuestForEight, #QuestForNine, or #QuestForTen, there needs to be sixth championship (Yes, Lebron nuthuggers. That is directed at you). For every team that has Superbowl aspirations, the long journey starts with offseason workouts, rookie minicamps, training camp, capped off with four tortuous games that mean almost nothing to fans. 

However, the preseason schedule serves as a validation for the work done at the practice facility and is an intricate part of shaping how the roster will look like come the regular season. Here, players can make a name for themselves and gain what their heart desires, which predictably revolves around the stratospheres of women and money.

One such success story happened in our own backyard. A skinny 6'1", 195 pound, unheralded quarterback from San Jose State University, Jeff Garcia was deemed "too small for the NFL" and no team selected him in the 1994 NFL Draft. Four years in the lesser-watched Canadian Football League, Garcia finally earned his chance to play for his hometown team, while earning $39 million over a nine-year NFL career and scoring a Playboy playmate wife (two things that personality can't buy).



Preseason has the ability to change an organization's fate and an individual's attractability, and here is a quick guide to Preseason Week 2 for the San Francisco 49ers.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ers vs. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 
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1) Facing the Prodigal Quarterback

"It's personal with Alex. It probably is different in that way. And, (I) feel like there's a great friendship there and a lot of history. He's a unique person -- very good, in all ways, a good friend."
-- Jim Harbaugh on Alex Smith

Friends don't let friends skip leg day. Friends also don't bench their healthy starting quarterback after an injury.

It was well-documented how Harbaugh stuck with Colin Kaepernick's "hot hand" after Smith suffered a concussion against the St. Louis Rams. Up to that point, Smith had led the 49ers to the NFC Championship game the previous season, jumpstarted the 2012 season with a 6-2-1 record as a starter, and was ranked third in the NFL in QB rating (104.1). Despite his steady performance, Smith was left to sulk in disappointment along with every girl that Jason from The Hills has dated. 

It's a new season now, and Smith has Jamaal Charles, Dwayne Bowe, Donnie Avery, and Anthony Fassano at his disposal. Chiefs offensive coordinator Doug Pederson took a chapter out of Harbaugh's book by blowing up Smith claiming, "I think we have the best (quarterback) in the league." Smith has always been a tough-skinned competitor --albeit, not very good at times-- and look for him to make a statement against his former coach and team.


2) More Moore?

It remains to be seen whether there are valuable diamonds in a rough of subpar wide receivers. Marlon Moore, who was recently acquired from the Miami Dolphins, got the start opposite of Anquan Boldin. Offensive Coordinator Greg Roman downplayed the significance of the starter during Week 1, and stated that status belongs to the best practice performer. Moore had a good outing, but if he doesn't start against the Chiefs, there could be chaotic carousel like arguing which Pretty Little Liar has the most issues. 

3) QB Option #2

Who the hell is Scott Tolzien?
— _MarkGT_ (@EstradaAMark) August 9, 2013

Many people won't care about who our backup quarterback is unless Kaepernick gets hurt. In all honesty, we don't even want to see another other than Kap. However, this will be Tolzien's third season as a 49er, and expect to watch a lot of him, Colt McCoy, and B.J. Daniels in this game.

4) B.J. Daniels
One of the most intriguing players after Week 1 was B.J. Daniels. A seventh-round draft pick from South Florida, Daniels is listed as a quarterback but lined up once as a running back and was on special teams against the Broncos. Offensive Coordinator Greg Roman has been very innovative in his offensive formations, and perhaps Daniels can be serve as a do-it all guy.







With thousands and potentially millions of dollars on the line, these players will put forth their best effort for fame. With that being said, there's only one thing left to do...


BRING ON THE GOLD DIGGERS!

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The Bayless Babbles is a sports blog is co-authored by UC Merced/ USC alumnus Justin Cheng and UC San Diego alumnus Brent Lee.

For EVERYTHING about The Bayless Babbles, check out our blog page (HERE!)