The window is certainly closing faster for the Patriots due to the fact that Tom Brady is inching ever closer to his final days, but no matter what happens they'll always have the 5 Super Bowl appearances with 3 SB Championships during the Brady/Belichick era.
But the 49ers have such a talented nucleus of players, that it would have to be viewed as a colossal disappointment if they don't get a ring in the near future. Kaepernick will enter his third year as a starter next season, with much of the defense young enough to again be championship caliber.
I think, as crazy as it might sound, the 49ers miss the ability of Ted Ginn to stretch the field vertically, as a lot of defenses don't fear being beat deep by SF. Crabtree is a great athlete, but he's not a speed demon and draws most of the opposing coverage. Boldin is a strong possession wideout, but he's slow, and not getting any younger. It'd also be nice to see a more creative gameplan that features LaMichael James in some packages. It's as if they completely forgot about him. I could see him in somewhat of a Percy Harvin type role. Just get the guy in space once in a while. It couldn't be any worse than Gore off tackle for the zillionth time.
Kaepernick is a poor passer. He must run to set up his passing. If you keep him bottled up in the pocket, as Seattle did in the latter part of the 3rd quarter and all of the 4th quarter, Kaepernick will panic and turn the ball over again and again. The 49ers running game is in trouble. Gore has taken too many hits. The 49er defense is very good, but they need more than that to get to a Superbowl. Seattle is very similar to the 49ers but are younger, more talentedd, and have better coaching. Net season the 49ers get the worst of the scheuling, having to play Denver in Denver while Seattle gets Denver at home. The rest of the schedule is about equal, but that is a +1 for Seattle.
Gore's days as the workhorse are done. In fact, I think the 49ers rode him a bit too long this season. They should start giving Kendall Hunter or Anthony Dixon some serious looks....and of course Lattimore when he enters the fold. That offensive line is too good to not have one of the best running games in the league.
Definite signs of wear in Frank Gore this season. Due in part to being forced into too many carries, but also from poor offensive line play not giving him the support he needs to be effective. He had to work harder this year than the last couple of seasons because of it. If SF can bring in another true 3 down back to split carries in 2014 and get good production out of Marcus Lattimore, that would be a significant step to remaining viable for a Superbowl run. Kaepernick has the tools to pass from the pocket, but fails in football IQ, not being confident in using that pocket to his advantage. The biggest thing SF needs to address coming into next year to to revitalize their OL back to the level it was at 2-3 years ago. Their OL was by far their weakest unit on the field.
Ted Ginn? How exactly are they missing him? He's mediocre at best...
And the Patriots are in great shape. They're one of the youngest teams in the league at the moment and have really changed their focus to a more run-heavy offense that prioritizes toughness at the LOS on both sides of the ball. They'll be asking less of Brady in the next couple of years than they have in the past, with increased emphasis on protecting him and extending his career. They have time to be patient in drafting their next starting QB and let him develop.
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Where Do the 49ers and the Patriots Go From Here? SF Must Win a SB Soon!
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