The 49ers had three defensive players and two specialists, placing an NFL-best five on The Associated Press’ All-Pro team Friday.
Linebackers Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman and defensive tackle Justin Smith along with punter Andy Lee and record-setting kicker David Akers were voted onto the honor squad. Smith also received votes at defensive end, finish third and missing All-Pro status at a second spot. A panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the NFL votes on the team.
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Don’t underestimate how much the 49ers have grown up over the last month or so.
With the NFC West champions set to finish off a terrific regular season this morning in St. Louis by playing for the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs — and a week off — the Niners have stamped themselves ready for whatever the postseason tournament can throw at them.
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Oh, those Raiders. So many penalties. “After the flags, guys come up to me on the sidelines, and say, that’s what happens when you play for the Raiders,” mused quarterback Carson Palmer.
Oh those Raiders, blown out by Green Bay, giving up a late lead to Detroit, ranked fourth-worst in the NFL in total defense.
Oh those Raiders, still capable for the first time in nine seasons to both finish with a winning record and make the playoffs.
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Seeking to avoid another embarrassing power failure at Candlestick Park during any upcoming 49ers playoff games, Mayor Ed Lee on Thursday ordered written assurance from PG&E and The City saying it won’t occur again. The two entities appear to have taken joint responsibility for the nationally televised debacle.
The lights went dim twice during the much-anticipated “Monday Night Football” matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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Forty-Niners Faithful, you are now free to think the heretofore unthinkable. The Niners could very well be playing in the Super Bowl on Feb. 5 in Indianapolis.
Fresh off their most impressive and important victory in nearly a decade, San Francisco once again holds the NFC’s coveted No. 2 seed, owning a tiebreaker over the New Orleans Saints. Maintaining that slot guarantees that ever important week off in January — and at least one home playoff game.
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A championship team has to meet all the challenges, and the 49ers met a big one by getting out of their comfort zone Monday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The 49ers had been playing their usual conservative game — throwing short passes, running Frank Gore, kicking field goals — instead of going boldly for touchdowns and relying on their defense and special teams.
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The first matchup between two 10-win teams on “Monday Night Football” since 1997 turned into a defensive battle that even the stadium got involved in as the 49ers earned a 20-3 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The turning point was a sack by Aldon Smith and a fumble recovery by Justin Smith on the Pittsburgh 17-yard line with 11:30 left in the fourth quarter.
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The 49ers’ 20-3 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night was overshadowed by two power outages at Candlestick Park that could certainly bolster the team’s desire to move to Santa Clara.
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The Raiders had the game, and then they didn’t.
“We let it slip,” Raiders safety Tyvon Branch said.
They had the game, then the Detroit Lions had it.
“We can’t finish,” said Oakland coach Hue Jackson. “To say I’m disappointed is an understatement.”
They had the game, and then they had another defeat on their record, now 7-7. “A team went 98 yards against us,” Jackson said. “We didn’t make a play.”
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It took the playoff-bound 49ers, who have failed in the red zone more often than not lately, a trip to the Arizona desert Dec. 11 to finally get burned.
But it will be on the gridiron’s biggest stage tonight at Candlestick Park against the Pittsburgh Steelers where San Francisco will, once again, try to right its red-zone wrongs.
Last week’s 21-19 downer against the division-rival Cardinals marked more than San Francisco’s third defeat this season.
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