Althouse: The football game.

January 12, 2013

The football game.

Sad, here in Wisconsin.

46 comments:

F said...: OTOH, here in 49er's country. . .; 1/12/13, 10:57 PM
Alex said...: I'm so glad my 49ers crushed the Pack.; 1/12/13, 11:00 PM
shake-and-bake said...: Happy, here in San Francisco.; 1/12/13, 11:35 PM
Michael K said...: That kid, Kaepernick, is amazing. I read his story on Wiki. Truly amazing. He set a record tonight for the NFL that will stand a while.; 1/12/13, 11:36 PM
Known Unknown said...: The Packers defense has been suspect for a few years now. With no reliable run game, the team isn't currently built for the playoffs.; 1/12/13, 11:37 PM
Known Unknown said...: My Broncos laid an epic turd in Denver.

Poor coaching, play-calling and execution combined with lousy officiating. Ugh.; 1/12/13, 11:37 PM
dreams said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 1/12/13, 11:42 PM
dreams said...: Good day for the Harbaughs.; 1/12/13, 11:43 PM
dreams said...: I see the 49ers winning the super bowl.; 1/12/13, 11:46 PM
dreams said...: Or maybe the seahawks.; 1/12/13, 11:47 PM
traditionalguy said...: Good games today. Where were. the defenses?

Unlike Tebow, Denvers Tebow replacement lost in OT to a team with a believer in The Lord s faith. An old guy
named Ray Lewis.; 1/13/13, 12:08 AM
David said...: Kapernicked!; 1/13/13, 12:19 AM
mccullough said...: The 49ers offensive line is just outstanding. Aaron Rodgers played well. The Packers need to revamp their defense. It's the worst in the NFL.; 1/13/13, 12:26 AM
Petunia said...: I don't mind so much when the Packers lose a good, hard-fought game, like the last game of the regular season against the Vikings, or the 2007/8 NFC Championship against the Giants.

I DO mind when they lose because most of the team didn't show up, like the last two playoff losses. Just disgraceful. The 49ers played well, especially Kaepernick, but the Packers just sucked.; 1/13/13, 12:29 AM
Anonymous said...: NYT ? Subscription required ?

For Sports ?; 1/13/13, 1:41 AM
rcommal said...: Awww!; 1/13/13, 2:00 AM
Tim said...: Happy, here.

Great night at the 'Stick.

Game started poorly; then the Niners tied it up, and then the Packer went ahead, and then the Niners managed to get a three point lead at the half, despite a 22 to 8 min time of possession edge, and almost double the offensive yards. Crowd never lost faith. Not as many Packer fans present as for previous playoff games, I'm happy to say.

Anyway, in the second half, a different game: three and out for the Packers on their first possession of the half; the Niners statistical edges began to manifest in points; Gore's running softened up the Green Bay defense; and Kaepernick fish-gutted it to kill the game.

So, maybe they'll host the NFC Championship next Sunday, or go to Atlanta...we'll know later today.

Go Niners!; 1/13/13, 2:45 AM
Bob_R said...: There's no team that I'm really a fan of left, so I just want to see great games. Both were excellent. All four teams played well. Of course, playing defense as we used to know it is now against the rules, but within those constraints even the defenses played well.; 1/13/13, 5:54 AM
ALH said...: 49ers are a complete team.
Packers defense consistently gets exposed against physical teams.
Time for Dom Capers to hit the road.; 1/13/13, 7:11 AM
edutcher said...: The Pack won't be back.; 1/13/13, 7:14 AM
ALH said...: Cant decide which would be worse for a fan...getting completely shredded like the Pack or giving up a 70 yard bomb in the last minute like the Broncos.

Btw, the blog at the link mentions Kaepernick running like a deer. Thts what came to me watching last night too. Effortless long strides.; 1/13/13, 7:16 AM
Patrick said...: Well Tim, you got us this year. But the Pack ill be back! (I heard that all the time growing up. It just took 30 years).

Still trying to explain to my son that the Packers won't even get to the playoffs every year, let alone the superbowl. He's young enough to not know that they weren't very good for a long time.; 1/13/13, 7:38 AM
Brian Brown said...: Discount Double Choke!!; 1/13/13, 7:47 AM
Mr. D said...: There's nothing sad about losing to a better team. The Packers just need to get better. They have about 8 1/2 months to figure it out.; 1/13/13, 8:17 AM
kjbe said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 1/13/13, 9:00 AM
kjbe said...: Hangover day, here in WI (and for a certain transplant in the Bay area - sorry Sis). Boy, that was ugly. Back to the drawing board for Capers, if he's not run out of town, first.

K's the real deal - as I was afraid he might be. Hat's off to him.; 1/13/13, 9:02 AM
Michael K said...: That Bronco safety should be looking for a new home. Inexcusable mental lapse. He'll have until next season to think about it. Wow ! I wouldn't want to be him meeting his team mates in a dark alley.; 1/13/13, 10:00 AM
kjbe said...: MK, that was a major FAIL. Couldn't have been played any worse.; 1/13/13, 10:05 AM
Tim said...: "Still trying to explain to my son that the Packers won't even get to the playoffs every year, let alone the superbowl. He's young enough to not know that they weren't very good for a long time."

Well Pat, you can tell him this is where football fans earn their stripes - it's not fun, but losing make winning that much dearer. And, having a great QB like Rodgers gives the Packers, or any team, a chance to get in the playoffs, and once in, who knows? No one expected the Ravens to beat the Broncos on the road.

Through early in the fourth quarter, your guys were in the game. Rodgers did well with limited time of possession and consistently made key plays at key times; he just didn't have a defense to get him the ball enough (nine total Packer offensive possessions, I think).

We certainly didn't feel comfortable in the stadium until the first Packer possession of the 4th died on a three and out.

Anyway, this is the best I've felt about the team since the dismantling in Seattle in week 16; I think they stand a chance to win it all.; 1/13/13, 10:26 AM
Emil Blatz said...: Don't get me started on Ray Lewis. He's a murdering thug. But for the incompetence of the Fulton Co. DA, he'd be in a GA prison right now.; 1/13/13, 10:32 AM
Anthony said...: Patrick - the 49ers had that period from 2003-2010, which was pretty disappointing after the 80s.

The 90s weren't as bad, but the Niners didn't make it past the first playoff game too many times in the 90s. Looking at the stats - after the Niners last Superbowl win, they've lost 4 out of 13 playoff games to the Packers, and this is only the second time sine then they've beaten the Packers.; 1/13/13, 10:37 AM
Big Mike said...: OTOH, your UW basketball team beat a supposedly superior Illinois team. So there's that.; 1/13/13, 10:42 AM
AllenS said...: Well, you can't win them all, but it was a fairly good year for the Pack. Division champs is another title in the bag. Losing our two starting tackles earlier in the year certainly didn't help. I've been noticing that there are a lot of young guns coming up through the ranks for a lot of teams. That will make for good football.; 1/13/13, 10:47 AM
AllenS said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 1/13/13, 10:47 AM
Tim said...: Anthony said...

"Patrick - the 49ers had that period from 2003-2010, which was pretty disappointing after the 80s."

And, after a late, crushing loss to the Detroit Lions at home in Kezar Stadium (also the venue for one of "Dirty Harry"'s best scenes) in '57, NOTHING until '70-'72 (Brodie years), losing each time to Satan's Team, the Cowboys, in the playoffs. And then, another eight year dry spell, ended with a win over Satan's Team at home in the NFC Championship Game (The Catch!), which started an 18 year period of prolonged excellence, ending with Steve Young's concussion on MNF against the Cardinals at ASU (damn! Lawrence Phillips for missing the blitz pick up on Aeneas Williams), followed by two bright seasons in '01 and '02, before Terry Donahue and Dennis Erickson remade the team to win in the NCAA Div. II.

So, lots of dismal football for longtime Faithful.; 1/13/13, 10:55 AM
Baron Zemo said...: Aaron Rodgers blows.

Another one.

Ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha!

Hardee har har!; 1/13/13, 11:53 AM
Baron Zemo said...: The Giants would have beat either the Packers or the 49er's just as they did during the regular season.

Unfortunately they could keep their concentration and lost enough games to blah teams to not make the playoffs. That often happens when you win the Championship.

By the way did I tell you lately that the Giants are still the World Champions for another few weeks?; 1/13/13, 11:58 AM
Ann Althouse said...: woulda coulda; 1/13/13, 12:10 PM
Amartel said...: Damn, that was a great game. Yes, I'm speaking from the 49er fan perspective, but also from the perspective of a football fan.

Fun fact: Kaepernick, San Francisco's QB, is from Milwaukee, WI. Rogers is from Chico, CA.; 1/13/13, 12:46 PM
Baron Zemo said...: Hey we are in the same place.

Watching the game on TV.

The only difference is the Packers are in Wisconsin.

Ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha!!!; 1/13/13, 12:48 PM
test said...: Emil Blatz said...
Don't get me started on Ray Lewis. He's a murdering thug. But for the incompetence of the Fulton Co. DA, he'd be in a GA prison right now.

Lewis didn't kill those guys. It seems likely people he was with did and his actions were plenty discreditable. But there's a huge difference between murder and what he did do.; 1/13/13, 2:02 PM
Tim said...: So, the Niners visit the Dirty Birds to end their season.

Not good for guests to be rude like that, but hey, whatya gonna do?

Lose a winnable game, just to be polite?

Nope, not gonna happen.

#QuestforSix

!; 1/13/13, 3:29 PM
Amartel said...: Seahawks lose. That's a relief.; 1/13/13, 3:43 PM
Anthony said...: Amartel - does that make Rogers a Velveetahead?; 1/13/13, 9:31 PM
avwh said...: Colin was nimble, Colin was quick, Colin ran wild in Candlestick.

And the possibility of a Har Bowl stays alive.; 1/13/13, 11:35 PM
Steve Koch said...: Kaepernick, aka k, was awesome. Love the outside qb option play k runs because it freezes the de. Frozen de means no pass rush, means plenty of time for k to throw long. Btw, k has awesome accuracy on his long passes. Another advantage running qb is that D is forced to play much more zone so they can watch out for K running.; 1/14/13, 2:06 AM